Entertainment
Music and Concerts
Interview: L-Squared Productions COO Ailene Llado on trailblazing journey in live entertainment
Interview: L-Squared Productions COO Ailene Llado on trailblazing journey in live entertainment
Live entertainment company L-Squared Productions has evolved since its first concert staging experience with V1BE Cebu Festival in October 2023.
The concert was headlined by Rico Blanco together with 6Cyclemind, Urbandub, Zild, Dilaw, and Chocolate Factory.
Ailene Llado, chief operating officer (COO) of L-Squared Productions, said the event “became a defining learning curve.”
“One of the innovations we introduced was a VIP experience that included an air-conditioned lounge, complimentary drinks, and post-performance artist access—elements that elevated comfort and exclusivity without alienating the general audience. It taught us that thoughtful details can redefine how people remember an event,” she said.
With Women’s Month being celebrated in March, Llado has emerged as one of the key players in concert production alongside other CEOs and COOs of live entertainment companies in the Philippines.
It was in 2023 when she and her husband, CEO and Dr. Marco Llado, an optometrist who graduated from the Centro Escolar University (CEU), established L-Squared Productions, a live events production and promotions company in the Philippines.
Since V1BE, the company has produced and promoted concerts, music festivals and fan meetings.
The company has mounted shows for local and international artists, including Korean and K-pop stars, such as Jason Derulo, Akon, Mamamoo’s Wheein, Tiffany Young, Jaya, Ronan Keating, Han So-hee, SHINee’s Onew and Minho, Red Velvet’s Wendy, Seo In-guk and BTOB’s Changsub.
Before establishing L-Squared Productions, Llado was the assistant vice president for corporate strategy under SM Supermalls; assistant vice president for corporate planning under SM Lifestyle Inc.; assistant vice president for food service and merchandise under SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc.; senior business development manager under SM Cinema and merchandise mix manager under Araneta Center Inc.
Llado said curiosity started her interest in concert production.
“It began from pure curiosity. I genuinely enjoy watching live events, and at some point I asked myself, “What happens behind the scenes? How difficult is it to create this experience?” That curiosity turned into exploration, and exploration eventually became a passion. The more I understood the layers involved—creative, logistical, and financial—the more I appreciated the craft,” she said.
With the growing popularity of Hallyu (Korean Wave), including K-pop and Korean dramas, in the Philippines, the country has become a major market for shows such as concerts.
Llado credited K-pop for opening the door for L-Squared Productions to venture into staging international concerts in the country.
“K-pop was actually my entry point into the international concert scene. It wasn’t something I overplanned at the beginning—it evolved from opportunity, curiosity, and understanding the market. I saw how passionate and organized the fandoms were, and how strong the demand was in the Philippines. It felt like a space where strategy and fan engagement truly intersect,” he said.
She was amazed by how K-pop shows are produced.
“What I appreciate about K-pop productions is the level of detail and discipline involved. The standards are high—from technical requirements to artist handling—which challenged us to elevate our own systems and execution. I genuinely enjoyed doing it because it pushed us to grow quickly and think globally from the start. Over time, K-pop became more than just an entry point—it became a strong foundation that helped us build credibility in the international concert space,” she said.
2025
In 2025, L-Squared Productions mounted 11 shows, consisting of seven K-pop, two Western, one OPM and a major corporate production.
“2025 was our most structured and diversified year to date,” said Llado.
She added, “What made the year significant wasn’t just the number of events, but the balance. We weren’t dependent on a single genre or market. Instead, we demonstrated that L-Squared can operate across different audience segments while maintaining commercial discipline”.
She said last year was when the company’s systems became stronger.
“Compared to 2023, when we began with OPM festivals, and 2024, when we explored K-pop and a Western festival, 2025 was the year of refinement. Our systems were stronger, our forecasting more accurate, and our partnerships more strategic. We approached every show with clearer positioning and more calculated scaling,” said Llado.
Llado said it was in 2025 when the company proved “our range.”
“Seven K-pop shows allowed us to strengthen our foothold in the international fan-driven market. The two Western acts showcased our ability to handle broader demographics and arena-scale energy. Our OPM production reinforced our commitment to local talent, while the corporate show demonstrated our adaptability in delivering structured, brand-aligned experiences,” she said.
She said that “another highlight was our ability to right-size every production. Some shows were designed for intimacy and exclusivity, while others were mounted for scale and mass participation. That flexibility is now one of L-Squared’s strongest advantages.”
“Ultimately, 2025 validated that L-Squared is no longer just entering the international concert space — we are establishing ourselves within it,” she added.
More shows
With the popularity of Hallyu in the Philippines, Llado said they will continue to mount Korean and K-pop shows this year.
“K-pop remains an important part of our portfolio. We have four Korean shows in the pipeline this year, beginning with Wendy of Red Velvet last January 17. That show set the tone for how we want to approach K-pop moving forward — focused, well-positioned, and aligned with real market demand,” she said.
One aspect that L-Squared Productions will also do is diversification of shows.
“While we continue to mount select Korean acts, the majority of our 2026 slate is centered on P-pop and OPM bands. We are producing approximately 15 to 20 shows, not only in Manila but also expanding regionally to Cebu, Davao, and Bacolod. At the same time, we are taking Filipino talent global — with scheduled stops in Singapore, Taipei, and four Canadian cities: Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vancouver,” she said.
The two-way strategy is to bring in international acts and take Filipino talents to international markets.
“To round out the year, we are mounting two major corporate events and one large Western show, which will allow us to end the year on a strong and balanced note. So while K-pop continues to be a strong pillar, our bigger strategy now is growth through diversification — across genres, regions, and markets,” she said.
Korean acts still a major force
Llado said she sees Korean and K-pop acts to be still popular in the Philippines.
“Over the next five years, I see Korean and K-pop shows continuing to be a major force in the Philippines — but not in isolation. The market is maturing, and audiences here are becoming more discerning and diversified,” she said.
She added, “K-pop’s popularity won’t just remain strong because of fandom size, but because of how these communities organize, engage, and demand quality experiences. That level of sophistication shapes the entire ecosystem — from production standards and ticketing models to venue expectations and fan services.”
Llado is seeing a “cross-genre convergence.”
“However, what we’re already observing — and what I believe will become more pronounced — is cross-genre convergence. Audiences are embracing a broader range of live music experiences. While K-pop will continue to command attention and ticket demand, other genres like P-Pop, OPM, and Western acts are gaining their own momentum and creating a more vibrant overall live entertainment landscape,” she said.
She added, “So rather than seeing K-pop as a standalone trend, we see it as a key pillar within a more complex, more international, and more fan-centric market.”
For producers and promoters in the country, she said, this will mean two things.
“First, we need to maintain the high standards that K-pop audiences expect — from technical execution to fan services and engagement. This raises the bar for the whole industry,” she said.
Llado added, “Second, we should be prepared to innovate across genres and formats. The fans who enjoy K-pop are the same ones attending festivals, discovering local acts, and traveling for shows. Their tastes are broadening, and so should our programming.”
“In short, I expect K-pop to remain influential — but its success will feed into a larger evolution of the Philippine live entertainment scene, making it more dynamic, competitive, and globally connected than ever before,” said Llado.