Byeon Woo Seok surprises Filipino reporters; talks about sudden rise to fame, upcoming fan meet

June 22, 2024 , 12:13 PM

By Aceelaine Duron

(June 22, 2024) — The entire media area experienced an “Im Sol” moment as Byeon Woo Seok, star of “Lovely Runner,” appeared with bouquets of yellow roses and personally handed them to some members of the Filipino press during the exclusive “Summer Letter in Manila” media conference on Friday.

Known for making waves not only in South Korea but also overseas, Woo Seok, dubbed as everyone’s “boyfriend,” is set to bring more “kilig” and “y/n” [your name] moments to his Filipino fans through a fan meeting today at New Frontier Theater.

A YELLOW ROSE FROM SUNJAE-YAAH 💛

Sinorpresa ni South Korean star #ByeonWooSeok ang media nang personal siyang mamigay ng yellow rose bilang bahagi ng exclusive media conference na idinaos ngayong Biyernes, June 21. #News5 | via Aceelaine Duron & Lace Anne Ebuña pic.twitter.com/ICeaRinCiG
— News5 (@News5PH) June 21, 2024

The 32-year-old actor described living in newfound attention and popularity after his hit K-drama series “Lovely Runner” as a dream come true.

“Everything about my day-to-day experience is a pleasant surprise. Like yesterday, at the airport, I was greeted by a huge crowd. It was amazing and amusing,” he shared in Korean.

“Even standing before you at a press conference feels like a dream come true. I still haven’t gotten used to this sudden attention. It’s actually like a dream.”

Nasurpresa ang media sa yellow roses na personal na ibinigay ni South Korean star #ByeonWooSeok bago magsimula ang “Summer Letter in Manila” exclusive press conference ngayong Biyernes, June 21. #News5 | via Aceelaine Duron & Lace Anne Ebuña pic.twitter.com/JBsk1Mb10O
— News5 (@News5PH) June 21, 2024

Apart from charming every reporter with his lovely gesture, Woo Seok began the exclusive media conference by greeting the audience with Filipino phrases like “Uwi ka na, hindi na ako galit,” “Salamat po,” and “Padayon,” among others.

He also took a moment to reminisce about his initial reaction upon reading the “Lovely Runner” script and how he instantly connected with the character of Ryu Sunjae.

“Before reading the ‘Lovely Runner’ script, I had actually wanted to do a different kind of role, but when I read it, I fell in love with the character of Sunjae. I actually do love romantic comedies,” he said.

“My heart is already in that story plot. Since I personally love romantic comedies, maybe I would love to do another project like that.”

Sharing his top three memorable scenes portraying Sun Jae, Woo Seok mentioned the confession scene with Im Sol, an interaction with his dad where he could not tell exactly the pain that he was feeling, and when he told Sol the lines, “If I end up dying to save you, I’ll be fine with that. It doesn’t matter.”

Discussing his excellent on-screen chemistry with actress Kim Hye Yoon, Woo Seok emphasized that there’s no secret to building strong relationships with co-stars.

“Actually, one thing that made me have a good relationship with my co-stars was me meeting good actresses, as well. Our love for the new drama or whatever we are doing makes us connect together. It actually comes from both our hard work and our love towards what we do.”

If he could recommend other K-drama series for his fans to watch besides “Lovely Runner,” he mentioned “Strong Girl Nam-soon” and “20th Century Girl.” He then expressed gratitude for the fans who remember his character, which he considers one of his biggest achievements as an actor.

Reflecting on the unexpected success of his latest drama, Woo Seok admitted, “I never expected ‘Lovely Runner’ to become such a hit. But every day on set, I put my heart into the work, hoping it would resonate with viewers.”

“All the crew that we’re working on it are having the same thoughts. As much as we work, we love doing what we we’re doing, we hope that it would also be the response from our audience. And right now in reality, I’m very grateful that it’s happening.”

According to Nielsen Korea, the last episode of “Lovely Runner” achieved an average national viewership of 5.8%, which is 0.5% higher than its previous episode, marking the drama’s new personal best score.

Looking ahead to future projects, Woo Seok hinted at upcoming roles he hopes fans will embrace, “Please watch out and be excited for my next project that’s going to be released in a few months.”

As he prepared to meet his Filipino fans at “Summer Letter in Manila,” Woo Seok expressed his desire to create lasting memories and promised to give his best effort.

“In my thoughts and in my heart, I hope that all the audiences who are coming just to see me, their time, their money, and effort to make tomorrow happen, not just here in the Philippines but also in other countries… I wish they would go home with good memories and appreciate the time I spent with them,” he remarked.

For #TeamLabas and #TeamBahay, he seemed to deliver a message as well: “I’m not sure that I’ll get to see all of you. If I do, I hope that we’ll have a good time together. Even if not, thank you so much for being here with me. Thank you so much for your great support and love that I’ve never imagined.”

‘THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GREAT LOVE AND SUPPORT’

Nagpasalamat si South Korean star #ByeonWooSeok sa kanyang Filipino fans para sa suporta at pagmamahal sa kanya at sa hit K-drama series na "Lovely Runner." #News5 | via Aceelaine Duron & Lace Anne Ebuña pic.twitter.com/xPBupSKRqa
— News5 (@News5PH) June 21, 2024

As he bid farewell, Woo Seok once again charmed the Filipino press with a parting comment: “It’s raining outside, so please take care.”

The “Summer Letter in Manila” exclusive press conference was presented by Pulp Live World.

(JREC)

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