Pasay City (CNN Philippines, October 16) — It has been seven years since South Korean superstar Lee Min-ho visited the Philippines. But when he arrived at the airport, his Filipino fans reminded him just how big of a star he is.
“I really didn’t notice that time flew really fast…But I really felt how much my fans waited for me here when I arrived last night at the airport,” he said in Korean.
He said he missed the energy he always receives from Filipino fans, who eagerly welcomed him on Saturday as soon as he alighted the plane and even outside the airport.
Hello MINOZ! 👋🏻 #TeamAirport #LeeMinHo #SMDC
Follow @WilbrosLive for more updates pic.twitter.com/U8GPuNKTF4
— Wilbros Live (@WilbrosLive) October 14, 2023
Lee met with local media agencies and invited guests at a press conference ahead of his exclusive event, “Date Night,” at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Sunday.
Lee has been a household name in the K-entertainment industry since his breakthrough lead role in the 2009 series “Boys Over Flowers,” the Korean live adaptation of the popular manga and anime “Hana Yori Dango.”
His performance as the rich heartthrob Gu Jun-pyo solidified his international fanbase.
“There are still people who call me Gu Jun-pyo, and I’m very surprised by this. To think that ‘Boys Over Flowers’ was aired 13 or more years ago, it’s really amazing to see how a project that we did so long ago can be continuously influential to other people and also continuously remembered by other people,” he said.
The versatile actor has since taken up more main character roles from several hit dramas, like “The Heirs” (also known as “The Inheritors”), “City Hunter,” “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” “The King: Eternal Monarch,” and most recently, “Pachinko.”
When asked about his secret to longevity in showbiz, Lee said he owes this to his fans, called Minoz.
“I will always try to show my true self and always do my best through these different projects, too. And I think that helps me a lot,” he added.
Lee revealed that a second season of “Pachinko” will be released next year, along with another upcoming K-drama.
“We spent so much time, did our best, for us to create this wonderful project. So I hope everyone can be excited for this too,” he said.
When CNN Philippines asked what he would want to do in the country, he said he would love to take a vacation on a quiet island and go camping as well. He even asked the crowd for recommendations.
.@ActorLeeMinHo wants to take a vacation on a quiet island in the Philippines. Any “secret islands” to recommend, Filo Minoz? 🏝️ | @angelamarieng @WilbrosLive#LeeMinhoinManila #LeeMinHoForSMDCpic.twitter.com/qDN04gcAIb
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) October 15, 2023
“If anyone can tell me about these secret islands in secret, I would be very grateful,” he said teasingly, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Lee was last in the Philippines in April 2016 for a series of fan meetings organized by a local clothing brand.
“Whenever I arrive here in the Philippines, though it’s such a short period, I always receive a lot of energy from the Filipino fans, that’s why I missed this a lot,” he said.
Lee said he hopes to meet his Filipino Minoz more often through such events, ending the press conference with “Mahal kita (I love you)!”
Enjoy your stay here, Min-ho oppa! 🫰🏽
The Korean actor is famous for his roles in several dramas like “Boys Over Flowers,” “The Heirs (Inheritors),” “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” and “Pachinko.” | @angelamarieng @WilbrosLive#LeeMinhoinManila pic.twitter.com/CzikAgPCTf
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) October 15, 2023
The press conference and exclusive event was organized by Wilbros Live and SMDC.
