South Korean actor Kim Seon-ho returned to Manila for a successful fan meet on July 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. This was the second time the “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” and “Start-Up” actor visited Manila for a fan meet — this time organized by lifestyle and clothing brand Bench.
The Bench global ambassador met the media at a press conference before the fan meet. Seon-ho talked about being an actor, style, coming back to Manila, and more.
The actor introduced himself in Filipino, “Mabuhay! Ako si Kim Seon-ho.” Through an interpreter, he added, “I really feel blessed and grateful that I [am] able to visit you guys again through Bench today.”
Seon-ho said that he wasn’t able to go to different places and experience different things in the Philippines when he visited for his first fan meet in January, but this time, he wants to try halo-halo.
Known as a versatile actor, Seon-ho shared his process on how he prepares for a role. He said he looks for references to get into a character and that he has discussions with directors. It takes about one to two months for Seon-ho to get into a certain role.
“There is so much versatility to the characters, but the character starts from me. Just like clothing, it is kind of a different look and style when I wear it. So that’s how I see the individuality of the character,” he explained.
“Being an actor, [I am] prone to having new challenges every time I get a character. This makes me a bit worried, but at the same time, excited. So as an actor, I try to always have a new challenge to connect to the character.”
Seon-ho also talked about the moniker “Good Boy,” which came from his character Han Ji-pyeong from the 2020 drama “Start-Up.” He said that the elderly usually use the term to describe young people as innocent, naive, or pure. “Since I was really into [Han Ji-pyeong’s] character, when I hear the term “good boy,” it really makes me emotional as well,” Seon-ho added.
However, the actor said that his character Hong Du-sik in “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” is the most similar to himself because he likes having conversations with different people in a light environment.
His favorite scenes are those that involve normal everyday life where viewers can relate to his character more. “Rather than talking about the genre, I really appreciate and find it special the scenes where I’m having conversations and showing people my ordinary side.”
When asked about his hobbies, the actor said that he likes taking walks while thinking about his worries and his day. He likes observing what people do to be aware of what’s happening in society.
“I try to push myself to be a better actor every day, but I think I am a lazy actor. There [is] a lot of room for improvement. But I am very optimistic of myself as an actor, so I would like to request [that everyone] look forward to me being a better actor day by day.”
Seon-ho said was happy to be back in Manila and was grateful for the warm welcome that he has received.
Love to Meet Our Good Boy: The Kim Seon-Ho Fan Meet 2023 was presented by Bench.
Words by Ava Sharra
Photos by Kris Rocha