They say never meet your idols — but what if meeting yours makes you who you are?

South Korean star Ji Chang Wook inspired me to become a journalist, and he turned out to be the plot twist I never saw coming.

When he finally hugged me, it didn’t feel like an ending — it felt like the beginning of my story.

It all began in 2014. I was sitting in front of my old computer, endlessly browsing for a new Korean drama to watch. Then I spotted a title that attracted my eye, Healer. 

At first, I thought it was a medical drama. But as soon as I hit play, I understood it was something far more exciting: action-packed, darkly humorous, full of mysteries and full of heart. 

There he was, Ji Chang Wook.

The moment he appeared on screen, something in me shifted. Maybe it was his quiet intensity; maybe it was the way he brought his character to life… but right then and there, I fell for him.

K-dramas weren’t new to me. I had been in-love with all things Korean since I was 10, back in the year 2010, when I barely understood subtitles but somehow understood the emotions. 

But Healer was different. Ji Chang Wook was different. It wasn’t just about the visuals or the story. It was the feeling, that fire that made me want to dream.

What’s funny is that Healer’s female lead, Park Min Young, played a journalist. Watching her chase stories, dig for truth and write with such conviction — these made my heart race. There was something so magnetic about it. So alive. That’s when I realized — I wanted to be one of them. I wanted to tell stories that mattered.

But I was just 14. So I shrugged it off, as if it were just a silly dream from a girl with a celebrity crush.

Years passed. I joined our school’s radio broadcasting team in high school — a small step, but it felt like the right move. And yes, Ji Chang Wook’s photo was on my ID back then. It sounds funny now, but he was my quiet reminder. Whenever I doubted myself, whenever I felt small or lost, I’d rewatch Healer. Not just for comfort, but to remind myself of the fire it once lit in me.

Then came August 2019. Ji Chang Wook was revealed as the Filipino clothing brand’s new face, and his billboard stood towering on Edsa Guadalupe. Seeing him there, larger than life, seemed like a sign. I even got a college friend to edit a photo of me with his poster. Delulu till trululu? (Delusional?) Maybe. But for a fangirl, it was happiness in pixels. 

The fan meeting that year was postponed, and then the world came to a halt — the pandemic hit. While everyone else was locked in, my fangirling took on new meaning. I had an ‘oppa-themed’ birthday celebration, complete with South Korean merchandise and even the cake he had on Instagram. My world had shrunk, yet he remained a bright spot.

His Korean dramas became my getaway; and his smile kept me calm in the midst of uncertainty. He made me laugh when I felt alone. He made me feel better when things didn’t make sense. He was more than just an actor; he became my real-life “healer.” 

Then came 2022. He finally had his much-anticipated fan meetup in Manila as part of his “Reach You” tour. And for the first time, I saw him in person — my ultimate oppa – there in front of my eyes.

As I stood there in the crowd at Mall of Asia Arena, I saw reporters covering the event. And quietly, I whispered to myself, “One day, I’ll be here, too — but not just as a fan but also as a journalist.”

That whisper became a promise. And years later, I kept it.

When I received notification that I would be covering Ji Chang Wook for IAM Worldwide, I froze. Then I screamed. Then I cried. It felt like everything in my life had come full circle. The girl who had dreamed in front of a computer was now holding a microphone and standing in front of the man who had inspired her journalism dream in the first place.

I got to ask him two questions. Took a selfie with him. I couldn’t even process it — my hands were shaking, my heart racing, my mind spinning. It felt unreal.

But the universe wasn’t done. Later that day, I was chosen to go on stage with him at the SM MOA Arena for a game. My task? Act out the title of one of his dramas — Suspicious Partner, my next favorite “wookie kdrama” after Healer. He guessed it right, and when he hugged me after — that tight, genuine, Ji Chang Wook hug — everything I had been through suddenly made sense.

I call it the “PAUwer hug” because it was more than just a fangirl’s dream come true; it was a reminder that healing is possible, that dreams do come true and that everything, including the waiting, is worth it.

I know that this may sound overly dramatic to others. But for me,
Ji Chang Wook wasn’t just a celebrity. He was my comfort, a living reminder to keep going. My proof that passion and kindness can coexist in one soul.

To my ultimate oppa, kansahamnida. Thank you for being my haven when the world felt heavy. Thank you for inspiring me to chase stories, dreams, and to never give up. Meeting you again healed me in ways words can barely describe.

You made me feel seen. Loved. And I hope, somehow, I made you proud — because you’ll never know how a beautiful soul like yours once saved a lost one like mine.

The journey to you was long, winding and full of unexpected turns — but it made me stronger. It shaped me into the journalist I am today.

Standing here now — not just as a fangirl, but as someone you unknowingly inspired to become a journalist — I’ve realized something: dreams and success don’t happen by chance. They unfold when you keep believing, manifesting and trusting that the universe is quietly aligning in your favor. Because the best things often come unexpectedly — and what’s truly meant for you will always find its way back.

Ji Chang Wook, neomu neomu
saranghae! (I love you very much!)