GRACE’S GUY
This December 23, 2011 photo shows South Korean radio and television personality Grace Lee and President Benigno Aquino 3rd going over some papers prior to an interview at Malacañang.
BY ED UY
CUE Barry Manilow’s “Ready to Take a Chance Again.”
Love is definitely in the air and it looks like even President Benigno Aquino 3rd has taken a whiff of the romantic air or bitten by the love bug (again).
The country’s most eligible bachelor admitted on Wednesday that he is indeed dating Korean television and radio host Grace Lee.
When asked about the real score between him and Lee, the President coolly replied, “Well, we’re seeing each other.” But when asked to give a bit more details, Mr. Aquino was quick to invoke his right to privacy.
“Sa Constitution po natin may nakalagay na privacy, eh. Baka pwedeng mabahaginan din ako ng karapatan na yon under Article 3,” the 51-year-old bachelor said.
After the President’s confirmation, Lee likewise affirmed that she is indeed dating the Chief Executive during an interview with a noontime news program.
News of their date first spread after controversial radio disc jockey Mo Twister, revealed on his Twitter account that he was able to make Lee squeal on her date with the President.
President Aquino and Lee met during the inauguration of the Korea Electric Power Corp. power plant in Cebu. Lee was hosting the event and was complimented by the President as “gwapa” or beautiful before he delivered his speech.
But while the President only met the 29year- old host last year, Lee has already amassed a lot of Filipino admirers in the past years.
Lee was even voted to no. 57 on FHM’S list of 100 Sexiest Women in the World in 2010, and a Facebook fan page soon followed asking the magazine to put Grace on the cover.
Though Lee has yet to appear on FHM’S cover, she did grace the pages of UNO magazine wearing an unbuttoned white polo dress and showing plenty of cleavage.
Lee was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea and moved to the Philippines when she was 10 because of her father’s car import business. She finished high school at St. Paul’s College in Pasig City, and took up Communication Arts at the Ateneo de Manila University.
Lee reportedly worked at Malacañang as an official interpreter before becoming a TV and radio personality in 2007.
She landed her first Philip- pine TV hosting job as a segment host on the now defunct QTV 11’ s lifestylemagazine show The Sweet Life. Among her first assignments included featuring life in Korea and interviewing prominent Korean celebrities.
She later joined Magic 89.9’s morning radio show Good Times With Mo with Mo Twister and Mojo Jojo as a replacement for Andi-9.
Lee also serves as Manila correspondent for Yonhap Television News in Korea, and teaches at the Manila New Life Church’s Sunday school for preschool students.
She is now a guest segment anchor both for Balitanghali on GMA News TV on weekdays and 24 Oras Weekend
Edition on GMA Network on Saturdays.
In a text message to
The Manila Times, Tinnie Esguerra, ALV Talent Circuit PR Manager, which manages Lee’s career, describes the young host as pretty much the same as her on air personality. “Grace has been with us since 2011 and she is pretty much what she projects as a Tv/radio personal- ity and events host—articulate witty and outrageously funny to those who know her well.”
Esguerra also disclosed Lee’s new website www. dailydose. ph where she shares her musings on cooking, travel, entertainment, pop culture and other peculiar thought- provoking pleasantries. Like a proud mom, Grace talks passionately about her new “baby” every chance she gets— birth pains notwithstanding.
“It’s an idea that’s been brewing since late last year,” she explained in a press release from her management. “Friends have always been bugging me about starting my own blog, and I figured, ‘ Why the heck not?’ Except that this is more than just selfindulgent writing.
“Aside from having that space for chronicling my daily thoughts, I thought that it would be cool to have a neat online portal where we can help small startup businesses advertise for free.
“Having been exposed to all these new media, I just find it cool to be able to share my passions and interests to the world. I love cooking and sharing recipes, and my mom used to own a Korean restaurant, and someday, I’d love to start my own. Through the website, I could do restaurant reviews as well and write about my travels.”
With all the attention she has been getting recently, however, it looks like her readers might be more interested on her thoughts and reviews about her future dates with the President.