Lee Min Ho is my yeobo (I wish)!
What’s your fondest summer memory? For top Korean superstar Lee Min Ho, it’s when he’s doing water sports. “When I think of summer, the first thing I think of is wakeboarding,” he says, adding that some of his favorite water sports adventures took place during his stay in Cebu.
Last week in SM Megamall Manila, SM Seaside Cebu and Ayala Cebu Activity Center, retail giant Bench gave Lee’s fans an unforgettable summer memory in a jam-packed fan meeting aptly called “Be My Yeobo.”
Cooing to a loved one such endearments as “Baby” and “Honey” aren’t exactly distinctive when spoken in the English language; Korean culture, on the other hand, values honorifics and considers degrees of intimacy and formality when communicating. “Yeobo” — which translates to “honey” verbatim — is something you reserve for someone you consider to be dear enough to be your husband.
Lee’s breakout role as Gu Jun Pyo in the hit TV drama series Boys over Flowers in 2010 and the role that secured his top leading man status, Kim Tan of The
Heirs in 2013, have both inspired romantic fantasies of grand gestures that the Hallyu wave (Korea’s cultural influence through pop culture) is known for. While he admits his relationship style is the opposite of these dramas (“I just like relaxing and watching TV or movies,” he shares), he is no stranger to fan marriage proposals, among other displays of love from his millions of admirers worldwide. Despite not having starred in a TV drama since 2013, Lee has proven his enduring appeal to Bench’s consumers.
He’s picked up the brand’s casual style for summer, too. He reasons, “I love Bench’s jeans worn with colorful button- down shirts layered with Tshirts. They are light and have a good fit. It makes it comfortable to look dressed up even in warm weather.” See how he sports this look for the brand’s summer 2016 collection in line with Bench’s “Every Summer Has A Story” campaign, out in stores and on billboards soon.
Refreshing roles in 2016
He is known for his “knight in shining armor” roles, whether in dramas where he’s played a
chaebol ( conglomerate business) heir or a tough guy like presidential security body guard Lee Yoon Sung in City Hunter in 2011. But what’s his personal favorite role? He answers, “I love all my work equally, but I will never forget the rush I experienced when making an entrance in the first part of Boys over Flowers. That drama opened opportunities for me, and that moment captured it.”
On his consistent status as the most recognizable face of Korean drama internationally, he remarks, “I never thought I was the top Hallyu star. If I think that way, I will lose sight of what my real ambition is, which is to become the best actor that I can be. In this way, I can always work harder.”
Lee is on a roll with blockbuster action films. Last year, he starred in noir action film Gangnam Blues set in the 1970s as martial artist Kim Jong- dae which grossed $15 million in South Korea alone. Slated for release late this year is action comedy Bounty Hunters, where Lee will chase fugitives for money throughout China, Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand. It is one of the most expensive Korean-Chinese co-ventures at a production cost of $31 million, partly due to his popularity in Greater China.
“I will do a lot of action scenes,” he says, but he also wants fans to watch out for something he usually doesn’t do as an actor. “I also have a lot of comedic lines. There are a lot of funny moments. Overall, it is enjoyable and light with no heavy topics.”
When he’s not working, Lee admits to enjoying his downtime by catching up on sleep. But he intends to get busier again soon. He reveals, “I will do a TV drama this year. There are no definite drama plans (from the production side) right now, but it is my definite plan. The last one I did was The Heirs in 2013. For 2016, I want to play a new character, no boundaries for what type. There are so many kinds of characters I have yet to explore.”
Famous for a good cause
Lee is an active partner of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Korea since 2014, offering financial aid for causes such as the Nepal earthquake relief early last year. Last month, he and his fans donated 50 million South Korean won ( approximately $ 43,200) to purchase water purification tablets.
“Throughout my travels, I have met a lot of people and some of them didn’t even have the most basic necessities. I thought about how I could help, and I realized that the most basic of necessities is water,” he explains. “It’s the children who are most affected by it.”
He adds that he, together with PROMIZ, will keep donating to this cause and encouraging more people to help make the world a better place, starting with the children.