You guys made me who I am (today). I only exist because of you guys.
That’s what Ahn Hyo Seop said when asked what his fans mean to him. Marking his first visit to the Philippines, Ahn Hyo Seop made the hearts of his Filipino fans flutter during his “The Present Show: here and now” fan meeting with clothing brand BENCH last October 8 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Before his anticipated fan meeting, the “Dr. Romantic”, “A Time Called You”, and “Business Proposal” star happily answered questions from the media during the exclusive press conference that took place on October 7 at the Grand Hyatt in Taguig.
South Korean-based singer and actor Ahn Hyo Seop during his “here and now” press conference with BENCH in Manila at Grand Hyatt in Taguig City, Philippines last October 8, 2023. HALLYULIFE PHOTO
Despite having a busy schedule this year, he was able to visit the Philippines (and Japan after) and get to know his Pauljjaks (his fans) better after recently visiting Bangkok, Jakarta, and Hong Kong. While Ahn Hyo Seop was in South Korea finishing his drama projects, he wondered, “Do my fans really exist?” He had no idea that he would experience such affection and support from his fans during the fan meeting. “The most (important) time to feel happiness is right here and right now.”, that is how Ahn Hyo Seop discussed the idea and created the phrase that became the title of his fan meeting, “here and now”.
He also took the opportunity to thank BENCH for making him their #GlobalBENCHSetter, knowing that it complements his clothing preferences and makes him feel comfortable while also looking comfy to others. Each role reveals a different side of Ahn Hyo Seop, thus when he takes on a new role, he learns about the character’s history through his actions, clothes, and being in character once he gets on set. Among the drama series he starred in, “A Time Called You” (NETFLIX, 2023) and “Business Proposal” (SBS, 2022) were the most challenging, which contributed to their success. When asked about his connection with his fans, Ahn Hyo Seop thought “Maybe I’m doing something good, right?”. He gladly expressed his gratitude for the love and support he has received this year, as well as the success of his drama shows. He is grateful that he can influence even one person and ignite love within them through him and his characters.
Isn’t he perfect? What keeps him grounded? Here’s Ahn Hyo Seop’s humble answer:
Whatever I do, even though I try my best and all. I can never be satisfied with (what I do). But one thing I can promise as an actor is that I would acknowledge these shortcomings of mine and also use these as motivation to not stay contented, but to try my best always. I allow myself to be humble by seeing myself as incomplete and imperfect. It also teaches me the art of continuously learning.
His response to this question is well-thought-out and at the point. This astounded the media and showed Ahn Hyo Seop’s dedication to properly thinking and answering the questions. The press conference ended by thanking the media and saying “Salamat po and mahal kita!” (Thank you and I love you!)
South Korean-based singer and actor Ahn Hyo Seop during his “here and now” fan meeting with BENCH in Manila at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Philippines last October 8, 2023. HALLYULIFE PHOTO
Ahn Hyo Seop’s soothing voice singing “I’m your man” brightened the night as he graced his first-ever fan meeting in Manila. He happily greets his Pauljjaks saying, “Hi Philippines!” “It’s my first time in the Philippines, and seeing everyone greeting me warmly makes me happy.” That is what Ahn Hyo Seop shared after singing his opening stage.
You main man Ahn Hyo Seop is now here on stage! He sings “I’m your man” LIVE! 😍#AhnHyoSeop #BENCHxAHNHYOSEOP #AhnHyoSeopInMNL #GlobalBENCHSetter@benchtm pic.twitter.com/4DdfSGkDP5
— HallyuLife (@hallyulifeAMG) October 8, 2023
He even sang a snippet of Jason Mraz’s “Lucky” to his Pauljjaks at the arena. He shared some Filipino words/phrases such as “Mabuhay” (live), “Masarap (yummy), “Salamat po” (Thank you), and “Mahal ko kayo” (I love you all). During his short stay in the Philippines, Ahn Hyo Seop ate dried mangoes and planned to eat “Adobo” that night. He even shared his go-to playlist consisting of songs from Jason Mraz, Coldplay, and Beyoncé besides songs that would make him calm and at ease.
So “Lucky” to hear him sing this snippet from Jason Mraz, LIVE! 😍#AhnHyoSeop #BENCHxAHNHYOSEOP #AhnHyoSeopInMNL #GlobalBENCHSetter pic.twitter.com/clbugpFx7j
— HallyuLife (@hallyulifeAMG) October 8, 2023
Ahn Hyo Seop was amazed at how his Pauljjaks reacted to the scenes from the top 3 fan-picked dramas: “Love of the Red Sky”, “Dr. Romantic”, and the fan-favorite “Business Proposal”. This made him say, “I think there is a lot of love in this room right now.” He briefly explained the behind-the-scenes and how he prepared for his roles.
What got the whole arena to love him more was when he was asked what his fans meant to him. Ahn Hyo Seop said:
“You guys made me who I am today.”
That’s how his fans mean to Ahn Hyo Seop. 😍#AhnHyoSeop #BENCHxAHNHYOSEOP #AhnHyoSeopInMNL #GlobalBENCHSetter pic.twitter.com/0PE3unyp69
— HallyuLife (@hallyulifeAMG) October 8, 2023
Filipino Pauljjaks (“Paul” from his English name and “-jjak”, derived from the Korean word “jjakkung,” meaning “mate”) had a lot of fun as Ahn Hyo Seop took on the missions such as saying the English versions of his hit Korean lines from his K-dramas, walking on the runway, matching poses with his fans, and dancing to the “Love Lee” challenge from AKMU.
Ahn Hyo Seop got the whole arena dancing and screaming in cheers as he danced to Taeyang’s “Vibe” with swag wearing a varsity-inspired outfit from BENCH. He walked through the crowd to his fans’ surprise and personally thanked them for attending his fan meeting.
It’s time to dance with Ahn Hyo Seop as he dances to Taeyang’s “Vibe”! 🔥#AhnHyoSeop #BENCHxAHNHYOSEOP #AhnHyoSeopInMNL #GlobalBENCHSetter pic.twitter.com/jBzVAoYMW2
— HallyuLife (@hallyulifeAMG) October 8, 2023
He also sang Eric Benét’s “Still With You” showing Ahn Hyo Seop’s love for his Filipino fans:
View this post on Instagram
The fans were in for a treat as Ahn Hyo Seop serenaded his fans while playing the piano. He first played Yiruma’s “River Flows in You” and “Maybe”, followed by Lee Juck’s “Don’t Worry”, “Let It Be” by The Beatles, and “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You” by Goerge Benson.
View this post on Instagram
Ahn Hyo Seop ended his first-ever fan meeting “here and now” in Manila with Kim Dong Ryul’s “Thanks”, to express his gratitude for the unwavering love and support of his fans.
View this post on Instagram
He also read a hand-written letter thanking his fans genuinely and whole-heartedly:
All the love you’ve shown me, I want to return it with love, too. Because of you (Pauljjaks), I exist. Thank you for allowing me to exist.
Ahn Hyo Seop was right when he said, “The most (important) time to feel happiness is right here and right now.” and I felt the love and happiness shared by Ahn Hyo Seop and his fans, the Pauljjaks. This marked his first visit to the Philippines but it felt like we’ve known him and been with him for years now because of his genuinely good heart and the talents that he showcased during his fan meeting that we will never forget.
Ahn Hyo Seop’s “The Present Show: here and now” in Manila was made possible by BENCH. HallyuLife would like to thank them for having us on this show.
Check out our HQ photos from the event here:
Ahn Hyo Seop @ Here And Now Press Conference in Manila with BENCH (HQ PHOTOS) [20231007]
Ahn Hyo Seop @ Here And Now Fan Meeting in Manila with BENCH (HQ PHOTOS) [20231008]
