Push Admin

What Lee Min-ho missed about the Philippines

Article (news)

Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="South Korean actor Lee Min-ho at a press conference in Manila, October 15, 2023. ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/10/16/leeminho.jpg"/><figcaption>South Korean actor Lee Min-ho at a press conference in Manila, October 15, 2023. <em>ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — South Korean superstar Lee Min-ho returned to the Philippines over the weekend, seven years since his previous visit. And the actor admitted that what he missed most about the country was the passionate support from Filipino fans.</p><p>“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 miss this a lot,” Lee said at a press conference on Sunday, hours before gracing conglomerate SM’s 65th anniversary celebration.</p><p>Luckily, the 36-year-old actor, who endorses SM’s real estate arm SMDC, got a chance to experience his local supporters’ enthusiasm again when he arrived at the airport during his latest visit.</p><p>“Ever since my arrival last night at the airport, as soon as I came down from the airplane, a lot of people were waiting for me and there were a lot of fans waiting for me outside of the airport too,” Lee said.</p><p>“It was such a shame that I was not able to meet and greet them personally. But being able to see them, I was very happy and I missed it a lot,” he added.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LOOK: <a href="https://twitter.com/ActorLeeMinHo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ActorLeeMinHo</a> meets with the local press in Manila. He is set to appear at an event of a local real estate company that he endorses. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeeMinhoinManila?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeeMinhoinManila</a> | via <a href="https://twitter.com/jaehwabernardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaehwabernardo</a><a href="https://t.co/pTAXnxa2cZ">pic.twitter.com/pTAXnxa2cZ</a></p>— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1713456494711324995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Lee also shared that given the opportunity, he would like to visit less-crowded islands in the country for a vacation.</p><p>“I would want to go to islands like Cebu, which are very well-known and very crowded, but I would like to go to secret islands and spend time. I think it would be really fun to camp as well,” he said before jokingly asking for suggestions from the media and guests present at the press conference.</p><div><strong>Memorable projects</strong></div><p>Lee gained widespread fame for his role as Gu Jun-pyo in the 2009 series “Boys Over Flowers,” adapted from a Japanese manga of the same title.</p><p>Since then, Lee has continued to star in a string of popular K-dramas, including “City Hunter,” “The Heirs,” “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” and “The King: Eternal Monarch.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V7QZyOugwSY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>It has been 14 years since Lee portrayed Jun-pyo, a role which won the actor the Best New Actor prize at the prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards. But up until now, the actor bared, there are people who still call him by the character’s name.</p><p>“There are still people who call me Gu Jun-pyo and I’m very surprised by this,” he said. “It’s really amazing to see how this project that we did so long ago can be continuously influential to other people and remembered by other people.”</p><p>Lee said he hoped his upcoming projects, which include the second season of “Pachinko” and another South Korean drama, would be similarly memorable.</p><p>“For the next season of ‘Pachinko’ and my other upcoming dramas, I would always try my best for me to be able to create different projects that can also last for years and decades, that people can remember,” he said.</p><p>Asked about his secret to longevity, Lee said that he always tried to show his “true self” through his work.</p><p>“Whenever I try to do a new project, I do not try to set a new separate goal or a specific objective that I want to achieve, but I 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 said.</p><p>For more news and features on K-pop, K-drama, and K-stars, visit the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/kcontents">Hallyu Corner</a> microsite.</p>

South Korean superstar Lee Min-ho returned to the Philippines, seven years since his previous visit.

What Lee Min-ho missed about the Philippines

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Showbiz

What Lee Min-ho missed about the Philippines

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 16, 2023 12:08 PM PHT

Read More:

K-content

Korean celebrities

Lee Min-ho

SMDC

Boys Over Flowers

Gu Jun-pyo

Pachinko

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.