[PHILIPPINES] A Heartfelt First Encounter Between Kim Ji Won and Fans at ‘Be My One’ Fan Meeting in Manila

Screams brimming with admiration and anticipation were in order as Filipino DONGDENGs gathered at the New Frontier Theater last August 3, 2024 to finally welcome their “Queen” after such a long wait.

The cheers were so loud it left its rightful recipient, Korean actress Kim Ji Won, in pure awe for a good few seconds – undeniably overwhelmed by the support and energy of her Filipino fans who she was meeting for the first time.

“Because of your resounding welcome for me, I am actually very excited and am looking forward to a very fun fan meeting tonight!” Jiwon told the crowd, who in turn responded with even louder shouts of joy.

Ji Won was in the Philippines for the Manila leg of her 2024 Asia Fan Meeting Tour titled Be My One. The actress said she named her fan meeting as such since she wants it to be an opportunity for her and her fans “to be together as one”.

To express her gratitude to her Filipino fans, Ji Won’s first gift to them that night was an adorable performance of the 1958 classic Stupid Cupid, originally by American singer Connie Francis and further popularized by the movie The Princess Diaries. Recently, a clip of Ji Won singing Stupid Cupid – lifted from her 2011 drama What’s Up? – made the rounds on social media, effectively highlighting her all-rounder talent.

“I chose and sang this song [because] I wanted to share it with all my Filipino fans. I knew you’d like it,” Jiwon said, receiving loud screams of agreement in return.

Ji Won and Her Acting Prowess

It seems that the secret behind Ji Won’s exceptional portrayal of the roles she played by far lies on…music?

During the “Playlist Talk” segment of the fan meeting, the 31-year-old actress revealed that she uses music to explore her characters’ thoughts and emotions. By listening to specific songs, she gains a better understanding of her roles, which helps her immerse herself more fully into her performances and connect with her characters on a deeper level.

For instance, for her role as Yoon Myeong Joo in the highly acclaimed 2016 drama Descendants of the Sun, Ji Won said she repeatedly listened to Lee Sun Hee’s I Always Miss You in order to grasp and portray the longing that Myeong Joo had for her love interest Seo Dae Young.

Ji Won also had to find the sweet spot between a strong and a romantic personality to represent Myeong Joo accurately. “I really had to study [Myeong Joo’s] character very well. I had to play it both ways – being a strong military [person] from the tone of my voice to the language [I use], while also showing the romantic side of her. It was really hard but I tried my best to portray that.”

With a playful smile, Ji Won sparked a wave of nostalgia among the crowd by suddenly striking a ‘salute’ pose. Oh how we miss the powerful Yoon Myeong Joo!

Similar to Myeong Joo’s opposing qualities are that of Yeom Mi Jeong’s, Ji Won’s character in the 2022 melodrama My Liberation Notes. Ji Won recalled: “Mi Jeong had a very soft, introverted kind of side but she was not only a soft person. She had fire and strength inside her.” 

Being Mi Jeong involved a lot of struggling, feeling lost, and going through major existential crises. In order to give justice to the role, Ji Won said she put on repeat the song Shining by Jaurim which perfectly encapsulated the complicated emotions of Mi Jeong.

Known to be an introvert herself, host Kring Kim wondered how different Ji Won is from Mi Jeong. Ji Won responded, “Yeom Mi Jeong probably portrays the strength that I wish I had more.” The host was quick to assure the actress: in times you don’t feel strong, your fans will be your strength, Ji Won!

Meanwhile, it was Epik High’s We Fight Ourselves featuring Ji Won’s best friend Younha which helped the actress portray her most famous role to date: Hong Hae In from Queen of Tears. When asked why she chose this song for Hae In, Ji Won recalled the first few episodes of the drama when Hae In was constantly fighting with her husband Baek Hyun Woo. “We show our real selves when we fight,” Ji Won said, suggesting that the song helped her reflect on her own character as it was fighting with other characters in the drama.

Ji Won also added that in portraying Hae In, she had to put much attention into showing a “drastic fall of emotions”, from being a self-centered and egoistic individual to being understandably emotional after learning about her condition.

After proving her versatility as an actress by portraying a wide range of roles, Ji Won was asked how she ultimately wants to be remembered. She responded, “I hope that every time I come out with a new character or a new drama, people will remember me not as myself but as the characters I bring to life. I will do my best [to achieve that].”

Ji Won Behind the Glam

But behind the glitz and glamour of an A-list actress’ life, Ji Won is, in many ways, like us.

During the “Styling Preference World Cup” segment of the fan meeting, Ji Won revealed how her everyday style is the complete opposite of Hong Hae In’s. “For ordinary days, I just want to really go for something comfortable and simple.”

Ironically though, Hae In’s style emerged as Ji Won’s most preferred style out of all the characters she has played so far. “When I was portraying the character of Hong Hae In, I actually had fun because of the vast selection of wardrobe I had to try on. We took our time to think about the styles we can show for Hae In, so I really had a lot of fun doing that, too.”

Another similarity we share with Ji Won is the love for delivery food! She said she tries to order different kinds of food but her recent favorite is chicken rotisserie. Kring Kim took the opportunity to recommend the Philippines’ own grilled chicken dish, chicken inasal. Ji Won promised to try it when she comes back!

Aside from some savory roasted chicken, Ji Won also has a sweet tooth for mango and yogurt ice cream. In fact, she excitedly shared that the first Filipino food she treated herself to upon arriving in the country was mangoes, because she heard that Filipino mangoes are the best. She also wants to try some Filipino ice cream, to which MC Kring Kim eagerly replied with a recommendation of ube and cheese flavoured sorbetes.

With more reasons for a second trip to the Philippines, Ji Won piqued the excitement of her fans when she said, “When I have time to rest, maybe during a short break in between schedules, I plan to bring my family to different places. Maybe I should come back [to the Philippines] to eat cheese-ube ice cream and chicken inasal? I promise to eat them when I come back.”

A Heart-Touching Night

Beyond the games and the exchanges of laughter, the fan meeting was ultimately the opportunity for Ji Won’s Filipino fans to express their love and gratitude towards the actress who, at certain points in their lives, provided them with the happiness and strength they needed to power through life.

And so Filipino DONGDENGs did exactly this through a fan-made video they played for Ji Won towards the end of the fan meeting. “Dearest Ji Wonie, keep shining. Filipino DONGDENGs love and support you. We are always by your side,” the fans told Ji Won at one point in the video.

The crowd capped their surprise for Ji Won with a flash mob singing of the English version of 10CM’s Tell Me It’s Not A Dream, an OST from the drama Queen of Tears. This heartwarming gift inevitably drove Ji Won to shed a few tears. “I did not expect that you would sing for me. It was really touching, thank you very much to all of you.”

In her final message, Ji Won expressed her appreciation to her Filipino fans who supplied her with so much positive energy that night. “At first, I thought it was I who would provide you with happiness, but it was the other way around. I got more of this happiness from all of you. I got so much passion recharged, so it really made me feel that I have to do better for the future and I have to really work to show you a better side of me. Thank you.”

Ji Won also let her fans into a secret: that she’s preparing for her next project and that she’s sure her fans would love it so much!

When asked how she would describe her Manila fan meeting in one word, Ji Won picked “heart-touching” as her answer. “It is something that I will actually cherish for a very long time. I will never, ever forget this [night].”

The fan meeting ended with Ji Won’s heartfelt performance of Lee Hi’s Only, dedicated to her precious Filipino DONGDENGs.

As the song Tell Me It’s Not A Dream goes, we will be staying with you for a lifetime, Ji Won! We can’t wait to welcome you back to the Philippines!

The Seoul Story would like to thank PULP Live World for the media invite.

Check out more photos from the fan meeting here.

Written by: Erin
Photos by: YL

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