Hwang In-youp happy to be back in PH, overwhelmed by love from Filipino fans

MANILA, Philippines – Ahead of his first fan meeting in Manila, South Korean actor Hwang In-youp held a press conference to share his excitement in being able to return to the Philippines after several years. 

“[I am] very happy to be back in the country that [I] love,” he told members of the press on Sunday, June 19, at EDSA Shangrila Manila. 

Before he moved back to South Korea and debuted as a model in 2017, the 31-year-old star had lived and studied in Davao for four years. While it has been 10 years since then, the actor said that he still keeps in touch with his friends from Davao and hopes that he’d be able to visit there again. 

Hwang remarked, “Davao has a special place in [my] heart because [I] lived there. The schedule for this trip is quite tight so [I] probably will not be able to go to Davao but [I] will probably make a side trip.” Aside from coming back to Davao, the actor added that he hopes to visit Cebu and Boracay someday. 

What he’s really looking forward to though, he said, is trying Filipino food again. “The Philippines has good food. In fact, after this, [I] will go straight to having Filipino food,” Hwang shared, before disclosing that he’s particularly fond of Jollibee, Chowking, mango float, dried mango, and kwek-kwek. 

His fan meeting organized by beauty brand BYS marks the first time for the actor to meet his Filipino fans, and Hwang said that he’s really thankful for the warm welcome and the support he’s been receiving. 

“I wasn’t expecting this kind of love. So I’m very thankful for this great love that I am receiving from the Philippines. It’s especially close to my heart personally, because this is a country that I lived in. So to be receiving this kind of love is fascinating and I am also grateful for it,” he said. 

Hwang began his career as a model in 2017 before making his acting debut in the 2018 web series Why. He rose to international fame for his role as Han Seo-jun in the 2020 hit True Beauty. He also starred in the Netflix musical-fantasy series The Sound of Magic and legal drama Why Her. 

Having only been an actor for four years, he also promised his fans that he would do better in his craft and give them more beautiful projects to watch. “Right now, the focus is not so much on the kind of role [I] would like to portray but perhaps what genre I would like to explore. Even before, it’s really more about me wanting to show you my skills as a talented actor. I think that’s what comes first,” he said. – Rappler.com