Yana Sonoda Celebrates Christmas and New Year in the Philippines
Happy New Year, everyone! 🥳
I hope you all had a wonderful 2023! It sure flew by quickly, didn’t it? It’s been a while since I spent Christmas and New Year’s in the Philippines, so I’ll be writing about that this time. But before that, let’s take a brief look back at 2023.
Reflecting Back on 2023
I worked hard on my influencer activities!
In 2023, I particularly focused on my influencer activities. Those who follow my Instagram (@yukidusnd) might already know, but I was invited to numerous influencer events, collaborated with many brands, and expanded my network within the influencer community. Thanks to everyone’s support, I was able to collaborate with over 50 brands in 2023✨
I also honed my skills as a Filipino actress!
This year was really exciting for me! The movie I was in, ‘Losers-1, Suckers-0’, hit the screens. But that’s not all. I took my acting to the next level by joining a three-month special acting program.
It was under the guidance of three top-notch acting coaches, all thanks to the Film Development Council of the Philippines. This experience really amped up my confidence in acting. It’s been quite a journey!
I started a small business!
I started thinking about whether I could introduce my fellow celebrities and influencers to Japanese companies. So, with a small team, we launched an influencer marketing business called, ‘TKY STUDIO’. I also joined as a ‘Business Partner and Ambassador’ for a sneaker cleaning specialty store, ‘KUTSU’, which we opened at Eight Forbes Town in BGC.
If you ever think, ‘I want my sneakers to look clean!’, please come to KUTSU👟✨ (Sorry for the shameless plug, haha).
Celebrating Christmas and New Year in The Philippines
If you are living in the Philippines, you would know that Christmas and New Year’s here are incredibly lively and fun! Everyone spends time with their families at home, having parties, playing games, and exchanging gifts. This time, I had to suddenly cancel my trip to Japan due to a last-minute filming schedule, so I ended up spending the holidays in the Philippines.
The Christmas season in the Philippines starts as early as September, the first ‘ber’ month. You might have noticed Christmas trees being put up in offices from September 😏🎄. In December, almost every company has its own Christmas party. When meeting friends, it’s common to chat about where the Christmas party was held and what was done there. Christmas is taken very seriously here hehe!
① I Spent Christmas at a Friend’s House!
I spent Christmas Eve at a Christian friend’s house. We planned to go to church for mass at 7:00 p.m. and wait until midnight for dinner, but we were so hungry that we ended up eating at 9:00 p.m.
After that, we did karaoke at my friend’s house and were supposed to wait until midnight, but I fell asleep at 11:30 p.m. I’m more of a morning person, so I tend to sleep early… 😴 Sorry, Francyn 🙏 haha!
② Christmas at Another Friend’s House
When I woke up the next morning, I realized I was invited to another friend’s house, so I traveled from Parañaque to Marikina 🚗💨. This friend requested takoyaki, so I ended up making it on short notice. It was quite a task 🤣 haha. After successfully preparing the takoyaki, I headed over to my friend’s place. Upon arriving, there were so many Christmas presents waiting 🎄🎁✨!
I was treated to a delicious food and even got some presents at my friend’s place too! I was worried that Christmas without my family might feel lonely, but my schedule was so packed that it turned out to be super fun. It was an amazing time, truly!
Spending New Year’s Eve at My Manager’s House.
I was invited to my entertainment manager’s house for New Year’s Eve to join the countdown. In the Philippines, New Year’s is all about the fireworks 🎆. The loud and colorful fireworks are believed to drive away evil spirits and bring in a good year.
So, every household in the Philippines celebrates with their own fireworks. A friend even lent me earplugs! 😂 When I woke up in the morning and looked out from the balcony, the entire city was covered in smoke😶🌫️ haha!
2024 New Year’s Resolutions
In terms of my career, I aim to thrive as an actress in movies and dramas! I’m also going to work hard on my singing. Since I often sing at various places for movie promotions, please come and support me when it’s my turn to perform!
For sports, I want to get better at golf ⛳️. And I’m going to put more effort into my YouTube channel. I’m still exploring what content works best, so if you have any requests, please drop them in the YouTube comments 🤗❤️.
I’ll continue to work hard in both entertainment and on social media, so please keep supporting me this year too! Thank you for reading until the end! I hope this year turns out to be the best one for you🎍.
Check out my social media below for more updates on my entertainment activities and personal life!
💕Love, Yana.
【About Yana】
YANA SONODA (ヤナ・ソノダ)
Talent Management Agency: VIVA ARTISTS AGENCY
Born in the Philippines, Yana “Yuki” Sonoda moved to Japan at the age of 10. While in Japan, she continued dreaming of becoming an actress, simultaneously pursuing a degree in international business law at Rikkyo University and carving out her identity as a beauty queen.
The half-Filipina, half-Japanese beauty queen initially attracted a lot of attention in the Philippines as she achieved the title of second runner-up in the Miss Universe Japan 2020 competition.
Upon her return to Philippines in March 2022, Yana Sonoda was unstoppable in reaching her full potential. The young actress appeared in various prestigious events in the country and took on lead roles in notable films. As the industry continues to recognize her talents, Yana was given the title, “Breakthrough Artist of the Year”, proving her growing prominence and impact in the entertainment scene.
Now, Yana signs with VIVA Artists Agency, Philippines’ top talent management agency, adding a new chapter to her flourishing career.
【YANA FUENTES’ Featured Films (AQ PRIME)】
●2022
PULA ANG KULAY NG GABI
Starring: Yana Sonoda, Aljur Abrenica, Soliman Cruz
LOSERS-1, SUCKERS-0
Starring: Yana Sonoda, Ara Mina, Marcus Madrigal, Jaden Lim
Stay tuned for Yana Sonoda’s blog series on Philippine Primer! Follow Yana Sonoda on her social media accounts and be part of her official fan club by visiting www.teamyana.com.
Social Media Accounts
Facebook: Yana Sonoda
Instagram: @yukidusnd
TikTok: @yanasonoda
Twitter: @YanaSonoda
Youtube: Yana Sonoda
