The gang slipped into the country without much fanfare, but when word got out about their jaunt at the Town, kids wasted no time and trooped in massive numbers, with their families in tow. Worth mentioning is the fact that it was a weekday  a school day, no less!
Azura, Karen and Jien hosted what appeared like a marathon event for kids, leading an entire day of non-stop fun, games and entertainment. And the youthful bunch seemed impervious to the lengthy program, exchanging banter with the kids andshowing off their own antics as well (not to mention signing autographs endlessly).
"Working with kids is really a unique experience," Jien, the lone guy in the group, exclaimed. "They are brilliant. You won’t believe how smart they are. They know everything. They’re wonderful. It’s far different when we were kids back then. Kids these days are just a blast, believe me."
"Yeah, I would say working with them is cool," doll-faced Azura echoed. "Kids say what they want to say. If they don’t like something, they tell you they don’t like it. They are so real. And I like that very much."
Malaysians Azura and Jien have been enjoying themselves with youngsters for quite some time now, while pretty, petite Karen, who’s of Filipino descent (she traces her roots to Ilocos), has been buzzing around the kids’ show for almost a year.
"I always knew that I had it in me, to work in television. So you could just imagine how thrilled I was to make it as a presenter for the show. It’s an incredible feeling. So far, it has been all fun, fun, fun!" shared Karen.
And what great fun, indeed, as all three of them get to travel and go country-hopping not just around the region but also aroundthe world  doing features, covering special events and chatting with top celebrities and celebrated international artists. These big names include Britney Spears, Brian McKnight, Westlife, 98 Degrees, M2M and Gil.
Azura, though, articulated a more appealing perk to the job. She said that they get to be themselves on the show.
"In fact, we are ourselves on the show. We don’t have to pretend to be something that we are not. What you see on screen is what you get off it as well," she said.
Being themselves includes getting to pick their own clothes in front of the camera.
"Oh, yeah. We get to wear what we want," Karen confirmed. "Like for me, I choose to wear bright-colored clothes for the show. I also love wearing skirts, but there are times when I jump around and act wacky on the set so the pants are more comfortable. Oh, and I love wearing sneakers!"
And the triumvirate’s unanimous choice of apparel and footwear: Adidas. Incidentally, Azura, Karen and Jien were recently picked as models and official endorsers of the brand.
Jien related: "Even before, I liked the product. It’s like a uniform for me, whenever I go out, when I party, when I work  whatever. And I particularly love the shoes. You name it, I got all of them  Superstar, Stan Smith, Gazelle, etc. I really love the shoes. It’s part of my lifestyle.
"Another thing I like about Adidas is its very comfortable and trendy clothes. It was cool then; it’s cool now. It’s comfortable gear that fits me perfectly."
"What makes it more cool is the fact that you don’t have to be an athlete to wear Adidas," added Karen. "You can either be a regular guy or gal, a musician, an actor, or a TV presenter like us. Adidas will still suit you fine."
Off camera, Azura, Karen and Jien keep themselves busy and fit.
Jien spends time on the tennis court, emulating the moves of his idols, tennis greats Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, John McEnroe and Australian star Patrick Rafter. "I try to play as much tennis as I can. It’s one of my few diversions. That is pretty much what I do during weekends."
Jien is actually an accomplished sportsman who represented his state and country playing tennis at the junior level (under-14 and under-18 categories).
Compatriot Azura has recently taken up the sport and admires fellow Adidas endorser Anna Kournikova.
"My mom actually tells me not to take up tennis because she says I’m too small for it. Nevertheless, I’m playing the game. Apart from tennis, I’m also into nature sports, including the extreme ones like skydiving and bungee jumping. Recently, I went diving with the sharks. I’ve always wanted to dive."
Karen, who was born and raised in Van Nuys, California, is likewise the athletic type and describes herself as an outdoor person.
"I’m into mountain biking, snowboarding and skiing. Now that I’m here in Asia, I’m trying to learn water sports. I want to learn diving. Skydiving and bungee jumping are also fun. Quite ironic, but outdoor adventures help me relax, too."
Obviously, these young adults are abuzz with adventure during this great time of their lives.