Friday, November 16, 2012
Korean actor Lee Min Ho shares why he feels very close to Filipinos
After arriving in the country on Thursday afternoon, Korean actor Lee Min Ho went straight from the airport for his Bench press conference at the Makati Shangri-la hotel. The event was hosted by Sam Oh who also served as the interpreter for Min Ho.
The heartthrob, who starred in popular Korean series which were aired on ABS-CBN like Boys Over Flowers and City Hunter, was visibly apologetic for the almost two-hour wait. “It wasn’t my fault. But I’m very sorry,” he said before answering questions from the press. The new Bench endorser is staying in the country for four days and admits he is looking forward to meeting his Filipino fans.
“I usually communicate with my fans through Twitter and Facebook. My fans mention me and message me a lot but I haven’t been able to reply to all of them, but because I hear so much from all of my Filipino fans. I feel very close to the Philippines and the fans that here. So in that sense I really, really like social media because I can communicate with my fans through it,” he said through his interpreter.
The Korean heartthrob said he was happy to see some of his fans already waiting for him when he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 last November 15. “This is my first visit to the Philippines and it’s very cold now in Korea as opposed to the warmth here. So on my way here I felt like I was headed for a vacation and there were a lot of fans that were waiting at the airport so that made me very, very happy,” he admitted.
Min Ho said meeting his fans is always a positive experience for him. “The fact that I have millions of fans around the world gives me confidence because my job as an actor is a very unstable one, they have a very short life span but the fact that I have support from all my fans helps me concentrate on what I have to do so I feel very good about it,” he said.
During the event, Min Ho admitted that he feels proud of the success Korean singer PSY has achieved because of the “Gangnam Style” phenomenon. “It makes me very proud as a Korean because this is the first time that something so big hit worldwide and it’s Korean so this is something that helps all the Korean celebrities. The song ‘Gangnam Style’ is something I listened to quite a bit when it first came out. I’m very much into it and it makes me happy,” he shared.
Min Ho was not even shy to admit that he has danced “Gangnam Style” a couple of times already. “If I say I haven’t danced to ‘Gangnam Style’ I’d be lying (laughs). I can show you in an unofficial event. At another time! (laughs)” he said.
The Boys Over Flowers star also gave his honest opinion on why Korean dramas and K-Pop is becoming even more popular worldwide. “To be frank with you, I don’t know. I’m not sure what the reason could be. But seeing as how Korean dramas and songs are so popular worldwide, there has to be a universal factor, something that as human beings we can all relate to, like love, being romantic or between family members and I think this might be the reason why it’s so relatable,” he explained.
When asked why he accepted the offer to be an endorser for a Filipino brand, Min Ho admitted that he feels that he has a connection to clothing line Bench. “The most important things for me are my personal confidence with the brand. I also check if the brand’s image is fitting to my image as a celebrity and an actor. I think what we might have in common, the connection between us is our broad appeal and its global brand and I feel like I’m kind of like that. It sounds like Bench is playing a huge role in the international stage, in being a bridge to Korea and the Philippines so as an endorser of the brand I feel like I have to do my best in whatever I have to do because as an endorser I am also representing Korea and I am a sort of ambassador so I need to give back this honor of being a Bench endorser and doing a good job in whatever I do. The best thing about being a Bench endorser since I’m a simple guy is that I have a huge billboard with my face on it, (laughs)” he admitted.
Source: www.push.com
11 things to love about Lee Min Ho, Bench's newest endorser
My first introduction to Lee Min Ho was with his hit show, Boys Over Flowers, the immensely popular Korean adaptation of the Japanese drama Hana Yori Dango. My friend L, a Korean culture vulture way before the Korean craze took off, and Nic, a recent convert, started bugging me to watch it. Little did I know that it would become "detrimental" to my health and work life. I began viewing it nonstop, foregoing hours of precious sleep just to witness Min Ho’s character, Goo Jyun Pyo, the rich, spoiled, and ultra-stylish leading actor/brat of the show, slowly but surely win over Geum Jan Di, his most-hated rival that eventually becomes the love of his life.
I confess I was in a constant state of kilig back then. And even when the show was finally over, I satisfied my LMH obsession by watching YouTube videos of his numerous commercials, the favorites being his Cass Beer commercial withSandara Park, and his Dunkin Donuts coffee commercialthat I could probably watch on repeat for an hour.
Is it any wonder that I jumped (or maybe shrieked is the apt word) at the chance to meet the Korean superceleb in person?LMH is the newest Global Benchsetter to join the Bench family of mega endorsers, and I was lucky to have been able to see him up close and in person at the press conference held yesterday, November 15, at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.Dressed in a navy cardigan with gray trim, dark jeans and white sneakers, hair stylishly mussed just so, LMH looks every bit as delicious in the flesh as on screen. And every time he flashed his dimpled smile, the female population in the room must have collectively swooned.
While LMH doesn’t speak English, that hasn’t stopped his fan base from growing. As of last check, his Facebook page has 6,426,754 “Likes,” while his Twitter account has 902,492 followers. Even with the plethora of forums and fan sites dedicated to the actor, it’s hard to get information about his private life, since a lot of what’s written is in Korean. But at the press con, Lee Min Ho revealed the different facets of his personality: Actor, Celebrity, Style Star, and Regular Guy. Here are eleven things you probably don’t know about LMH, straight from the actor himself. Be prepared to fall in love with him all over again when you browse through our gallery below.
Press conference photos by Cons Reyes
1. He's polite.
Before answering the first interview question thrown at him by host/interpreter Sam Oh, he took the opportunity to apologize for having kept the press waiting for him for a reason not his fault (his plane was delayed for two hours).
2. His fans give him confidence.
He acknowledged that his job as an actor is not a stable one, so knowing he has millions of fans all over the world gives him the push to concentrate on his job.
He’s proud of Psy and the song’s worldwide recognition and hit status, and believes that the spotlight can also help fellow Korean celebrities. Much to my dismay, though, he refused to show his Gangnam moves, in deference to the official event ongoing (maybe if the crowd heckles him enough at his Meet and Greets, he’ll oblige!).
He favors dark-colored clothing, and is a stickler for proper fit. He will, however, experiment, as he likes to try on different styles (he specifically mentioned Bench’s colorful skinny jeans that he spotted at the campaign shoot as particular favorites). He doesn’t take a lot of time to shop, keeping shopping time short and sweet at an hour and a half max.
5. He's always obsessed with his hair.
...making him the perfect poster boy for Bench Fix salons. He revealed an anecdote wherein he ended up not meeting up with his friend because he didn’t like how his hair looked even after washing it three times! It’s a good thing he now has a hairstylist to look after his mane
6. He loves playing soccer during his spare time.
In fact, his childhood dream was to become a soccer player.
7. If you really want to see LMH, stake out a movie theater.
The actor loves to watch movies, and he’s mastered the art of sneaking into the cinema at locations and times when there’s hardly anybody around.
8. He’s got a charming “little boy” sense of humor.
When asked what kind of shirt he’d design for Bench, he described a shirt striped with all the colors of the rainbow “…with a bench on it…because the brand is Bench,” he said mischievously, causing the crowd to laugh. Lee Min Ho poses with Bench executives for a photo opportunity.
The weather is currently cold back in South Korea, so this trip feels like a vacation to him. He’s excited to learn more about traveling around the Philippines. Tweet him your suggestions at @ActorLeeMinHo, hashtag #wheretogointhephilippines.
10. He feels close to his Filipino fans.
...because he always hears from them on his Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as reads their messages on his fan sites. Ladies and bakladies, he knows you’re out there!
11. He's disarmingly honest and simple.
According to the actor, the best thing about being a Bench endorser is getting a huge billboard with his name on it! Lee Min Ho shakes hands with Bench executives.
Source: kristn.com
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Lee Min Ho finds Filipino fans warm, friendly
"Boys Over Flowers" star Lee Min Ho during his press conference at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Thursday.
MANILA, Philippines – Being in touch with his fans worldwide is something Korean superstar Lee Min Ho truly treasures.
Lee, who was tapped by local clothing line Bench to be one of its international endorsers, said his supporters keep him grounded and at the same time make him want to become better at what he does.“The fact that I have fans around the world gives me confidence because my job as an actor can be a very unstable one. It can have a very short life span. But the fact that I have support from my fans helps me concentrate on my job and I feel very good about it,” he said.
Lee, who became an actor at the age of 19, said he is grateful that he could use various social networking sites to be in touch with his fans across the world.
Because of Twitter, Lee said that he feels close to his Filipino fans even before coming to the country for the first time.
“Filipinos are so warm and friendly and they are known worldwide with that. I feel like if I have to come [to the Philippines] and visit, it will always be like vacation, a relaxing experience,” he said.
Lee, meanwhile, shared what he thinks about the worldwide popularity of the phenomenal dance hit "Gangnam Style" and the Korean culture in general.
“It makes me very proud as a Korean because this is the first time that something so big has been a hit worldwide. It feels like this is something that helps out all the other Korean celebrities and Psy is doing that right now," he said.
Personally, Lee said he was into the the song "Gangnam Style" early on and it’s something that he listened to quite a bit when it first came out.
Part of Bench family
Meanwhile, Lee said he feels elated to finally be part of the Bench family. He said he is honored to endorse a brand which plays a role on the international stage.
“It sounds like Bench is playing a huge role in bridging Korea and the Philippines. As an endorser of the brand, I feel like I have to do my best in whatever I have to do because as an endorser, I am also representing Korea,” he said.
Asked what he thinks is the best thing about endorsing Bench, the “Boys Over Flowers” star said: “The best thing about being a Bench endorser is I have so many huge billboards with my face on it.”
The actor-model also shared that he accepted Bench’s offer because he has personal confidence in the brand.
He said Bench’s style and image actually fits who he really is as a celebrity and as an actor.
“I think the connection that I have with Bench is our broad appeal and it’s global brand. I feel like I also have that kind of appeal, a broad one, a global one,” he said.
Fashion sense
As for his fashion style, Lee said he is the kind of guy who loves wearing dark-colored clothes. He said the fitting of the clothes is also equally important.
While he does not look up to anyone in particular when it comes to fashion, Lee said he takes interest in looking at what other people are wearing.
Apart from wearing nice clothes, another thing which Lee is very particular with is his hair.
“Normally if I’m not working, I like to look like I never really try – styling it to look like it wasn’t styled. But when I’m attending a function, if I’m going to be part of an event, then I’m going put an effort into it. But basically, I think the most important thing is to be appropriate whatever the occasion is,” he said.
Lee arrived in Manila on Thursday afternoon for a four-day visit in the country.
Dubbed a “GlobalBenchSetter,” Lee is set to meet his Filipino fans on November 16 in a "Fun Meet" organized by Bench at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Aside from Lee, two other Korean stars Si Won and Dong Hae of the group Super Junior also visited the country. The two are also among the roster of Bench's international endorsers.
Other foreign endorsers of the local clothing line are Filipino-Mexican-American singer Jessica Sanchez, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Hollywood actor Liam Hemsworth, Disney-grown singer Joe Jonas, and American TV stars Lucy Hale and Michael Trevino.
Source: ABSCBNNews
Lee Min Ho - Bench Fun Meet Press Conference 11.15.2012
Videos:
Global Benchsetter Lee Min Ho talks about Gangnam Style!
Global Benchsetter Lee Min Ho on his acting career
Global Benchsetter Lee Min Ho for Bench Philippines
Photos:
Credits: As Tagged
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