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MANILA, Philippines – Ahead of his first-ever fan meeting in Manila on Sunday, May 21, South Korean actor Wi Ha-Jun held a press conference to share his excitement over finally seeing his Filipino fans.
“Actually, it’s my first time to be able to visit the Philippines. For me, It’s an honor that my first visit is for a fan meeting, and actually I’m nervous right now but I’m happy to be here with you,” he told members of the press on Saturday, May 20, through an interpreter.
Aside from the fan meeting, the Squid Game actor also shared his desire to visit Boracay and Cebu, together with branches of the clothing giant BENCH. Wi was first introduced as an endorser of the brand in May 2022.
“Sometimes, my fans would send me pictures of themselves standing in front of posters of me wearing BENCH clothing in front of the stores, so I also personally want to visit BENCH stores with posters of me and see the clothes there,” he added.
He also shared his delight and excitement in meeting his Filipino fans, noting how their support was able to motivate him.
“There is a Filipino Wi Ha-Jun fan account, and I look at it religiously every day. I check out their posts, and I really see that there isn’t a day that they don’t post. They always post about me. They also send cheerful and motivational messages for me through their stories, and I look at it always and I feel motivated through that,” he shared.
Looking back on his career, he said that he owed his popularity to the hit Netflix series Squid Game, where he played Hwang Jun-ho, adding that the project was able to “change his life.”
“Through Squid Game, there were a lot of changes in my life. First of all, I was able to try a lot of things that I was not able to do before. I got the opportunity to sit together with you and work with BENCH as well,” he said.
In addition, he shared that he felt most connected to portraying K in Bad and Crazy, adding that he felt cute playing the role.
“It was a challenging role for me as well. It allowed me to put myself down, break my own personality to be able to fulfill this role. Personally, I feel sad that it already ended, but I really enjoyed the role.”
The actor also offered a glimpse into his personal life during the press conference, sharing that he enjoys working out and visiting cafés with his friends during his free time.
As for his future projects, Wi Ha-jun said he wants to try doing romantic films. “If I were to be honest, I’m from the province. I grew up on an island. So, I’d really enjoy where I would act as someone who is very rough, but I get to fall in love with a beautiful girl,” he shared.
Wi Ha-jun made his acting debut in 2012 and rose to international fame through the 2021 series Squid Game. He also starred in films Midnight and dramas 18 Again, Something in the Rain, and Bad And Crazy. – Rappler.com
Jacob Maquiling is a Rappler intern.
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