Choi Jin-hyuk brings kilig, charms Filipino fans 

South Korean actor Choi Jin-hyuk made his Manila fans' dreams come true when he made the Philippines one of the stops on his Day and Night 2024 Fan-Con Tour, held recently at the New Frontier Theater. Choi Jin-hyuk was welcomed to the stage by shouts of “Choi Jin-hyuk, saranghae!” echoing through the air, the crowd enthusiastically cheered for their beloved K-drama oppa.

The 38-year-old actor obliged the crowd, entertaining them with songs, games, a dance and even hugs.

He serenaded his fans with a heartfelt cover of “I Miss You” by Kim Bum-soo, which he had previously performed during his guest appearance on It’s Showtime. He said the expresses how he loved the unique and passionate energy of his Filipino fans, many of whom were meeting him in person for the first time.

The actor then sat down to chat about his role as a prosecutor in the fantasy romance-comedy Korean series Miss Night and Day, sharing fun facts and behind-the-scene stories. He also shared short clips of comedic and kilig-filled scenes from the series with fans. He shared that since his mom joined the entertainment program My Little Old Boy, she has gained recognition, and has become more of an extrovert. When she was recognized more than him during their time in Taiwan, Choi felt rather proud and impressed. After the short question and answer segment, the theater erupted in deafening cheers as Choi surprised fans with a dance performance of Jungkook’s “Standing Next To You,” followed by a heartfelt rendition of Day6’s “Time of Our Life.”

Then it was back to the fun part of the program. Choi joined in the games, such as flipping a water bottle the right way up, transferring 25 monggo beans from one plate to another using chopsticks, and transferring a stack of plastic cups from top to bottom with alternating hands. Determined to avoid the punishment of eating Filipino street food balut should he fail, Choi braved the odds and won.

Some lucky fans also received surprise gifts from Choi, including autographed photos and hugs. A lucky fan got to reenact the almost-kiss scene between Choi and Jung Eun-ji in Miss Day and Night.

Choi ended his three-hour show by serenading the audience with a track off of Lovely Runner’s OST, “Sudden Shower” by ECLIPSE, followed by an unreleased track that he revealed was created especially for his fan-concert tour. As the lights dimmed, Choi could not contain his appreciation for all his Filipino fans.

“The love that you are actually giving to me as a foreign actor, I think, is really amazing and unbelievable."

"I’ll keep this in my heart as well and also work on a better project for you guys.” Represented by Anic Entertainment, Choi initially rose to fame in 2013 playing the older half-brother of Lee Min-ho’s character in the popular teen drama The Heirs. He later took on lead roles in series like The Last Empress, Zombie Detective, and Mr. Queen.