Hyun Bin meets Filipino fans: ‘I like the present as it is’
Korean star doesn’t disappoint as he gets up close and personal in virtual show hosted by Bench
Fans adore his dimples, but Hyun Bin wishes he didn’t have them sometimes. This was one of the “Crash Landing on You” (CLOY) actor’s many revelations during his virtual fan meeting hosted by Bench on July 11.
A fan had tweeted that he would like to swim in Hyun Bin’s dimples.
On hearing this, the actor said that he doesn’t like his dimples that much.
“There are times when they don’t fit with the character I’m playing but there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t remove them depending on the film I’m working on. So I actually have times I feel bad about having them,” he said.
The actor said that he doesn’t read any of the compliments posted about his looks online. When host Lee Eun-jae/Jaejae read some of them, it prompted the embarrassed Hyun Bin to take a sip from his glass of water. Then Jaejae asked him when he felt the coolest.
“There are times when I really get deep into the character. When I see myself being immersed in a particular scene or situation, I think that’s when I get the feeling,” he said. “Not in terms of my physical appearance.”
The virtual event revealed a lot of things about the actor. In the beginning of the show, he was somewhat shy, but eventually loosened up.
Most telling revelations
For example, he said he likes his coffee hot, and he can handle the heat of the infamously viral Korean Fire Chicken instant noodles. And the reason he doesn’t have any social media accounts is that he likes to keep his private life private.
“I want my work and personal life separate,” he said. “Since, frequently, I am exposed to the public when I’m working, I want to keep my personal life to myself.”
He also said that he’ll try anything at least once. He has tried durian, though he said he hasn’t eaten it again. In contrast, he enjoys stinky tofu. His point in trying stuff is, “If I don’t try, I think it’s a waste.”
But one of the most telling revelations was said during the portion where he was asked to wrap Bench goodies for lucky fans. It gave fans an insight into his present status.
The actor was signing his photos to include in the gift box when Jaejae asked him, “If there was a time machine, is there a moment you want to go back to?”
“No,” he quickly answered. “I like the present as it is.”
Fans expressed their elation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram on hearing this: Hyun Bin is quite happy in the present.
There are times when I really get deep into the character . . . that’s when I feel cool. Not in terms of my physical appearance
Hyun Bin
Brand ambassador
Since last year, Hyun Bin has been an ambassador of the Filipino lifestyle brand. His campaigns show him looking cool and casual in
Bench T-shirts and jeans. For this virtual event, he wore under a black jacket, a Bench tee with the words “I will always find you,” a reference to a line in CLOY where Se-ri says, “He always finds me. He will find me again.”
Jaejae also quizzed the actor about his past projects. He talked about how they keep homesickness at bay when they shoot abroad. For “Memories of the Alhambra,” Hyun Bin was in Europe for seven months.
“When we shoot overseas for a long period, we bring Korean food with us. I think they’re called meal kits. Even though we eat them, they’re still different from real cooked food. Then once in a while, we go to Korean restaurants for a meal,” he said.
He was a rookie actor in 2005 when he starred in the series “My Name Is Kim Samsoon.” One of the most memorable scenes was shot at the top of Halla Mountain, South Korea’s highest mountain. You would think they were flown to the location, but they were not.
“We shot at the peak and middle of the mountain,” he recalled. “I think we hiked about four to five hours. My hair and makeup were done at dawn and then we started hiking, but it rained. So we had to shoot with all the hair and makeup gone. And we had to climb down before sunset.”
It would be a while before he would work on another romantic comedy. It’s not because he was sick of it, he said. He was just attracted to other genres. Hyun Bin the photographer
Hyun Bin also talked about his discipline in keeping fit. He said that exercise is something permanent in his life because it relieves him of stress. Golf, he added, makes him happy.
“I have to go on a diet for three to four months and work out five to six days a week. Those kinds of things are difficult but they are essential in order to prepare for my character in a film or drama,” he said.
He discussed his hobby: photography. He uses a DSLR camera, not his phone, to take photos of landscapes. He prints the photos that he thinks are nice.
“Since the work I do is being captured with a camera, I wanted to learn more about the device,” he said.
“Not just zooming in and out with a DSLR, so I use a single lens and just change lenses. Then when I go to the filming site, they communicate by saying 35mm, 50mm lens. Without really looking at the angle, I can already get an idea of what the size would be. I wanted to learn those aspects.”
Videos and letters for the actor were collected weeks ahead of the fan meet. Messages were also sent through the hashtag #HBxBench. Some of them were read during the show.
But one group of Filipino fans made Hyun Bin’s jaw drop. He seemed genuinely surprised when he saw the video message of a group of girls in ball caps and Bench Captain shirts. They stood in formation, giving snappy salutes while in front of a battle tank and a standee of him. They looked tough and ready for battle as they pledged allegiance to him.
“What’s this?” his eyes twinkled with amusement and appreciation.
And in that moment, his dimples were not out of place.