Ji Chang-wook walks into the boardroom in a tight white Bench T-shirt emblazoned with a big “B” on it, and I immediately notice that he has a little plastic bag of candies with him. Before our one-on-one interview, he takes out a chocolate kiss. Of course this prompts me to ask about cheat food, or the food cravings he has. He is, after all, very fit and toned.
“I don’t really live on a very healthy diet,” Chang-wook says. “I tend to eat whatever I want, but before starting work or going into a project or schedule, I diet to prepare. Normally, I eat a regular diet. So, rather than saying I eat healthily, I eat whatever I want. The thing I can’t resist the most is carbohydrates. Rice and noodles. I really can’t resist these kinds of foods.”
He also likes sweets and proceeds to show me his bag of assorted candies.
It is the star’s second time in the Philippines, courtesy of retail giant Bench. His fan meet, called “Moments with Ji Chang-wook,” is scheduled later in the day. Although he has been here twice, this is Ji’s third campaign for Bench, which is the first Philippine brand that he has partnered with.
“First of all, I really liked being invited here for the second time,” he says. “As I got to know the brand Bench, I found it to be a very practical brand. There are convenient and practical aspects to it, and it is a brand that is very familiar and approachable to the public. I found these points very interesting and nice.”
With all his Filo fans as a backdrop, Ji Chang-wook poses at his fan meet.
According to the brand’s head honcho Ben Chan, “Ji Chang-wook joined the Bench family in 2019 as the face of the bestselling fragrances So In Love, Sure Blue and Live Life with Flavor. It was, in a manner of speaking, a ‘scent-sational’ partnership! In November of 2022, Bench brought him to Manila for a fan meet where he memorably serenaded the SM Arena with his soothing voice. Now he is our brand ambassador for Bench apparel. He wears the collections with such style and casual elegance. We are excited to see him in Manila again for his fan meet!”
So, this time, what side of this multi-faceted artist will be highlighted in the latest campaign? Chan continues, “Ji Chang-wook is known as a serious actor with a solid background in musical theater but in this campaign, we highlight his casual, light-hearted side. You can see from his Bench photos and videos that we explored his other assets, such as his visual side, calm demeanor and model build. In his Moments with Ji Chang-wook fan-event poster, he wears a Love Struck shirt while posing romantically as a man in love, thinking of the person he loves. That’s all of his Filo fans!”
Speaking of his Filipino fans, there are many. He has fan clubs here that support the star’s every endeavor.
To get to know the Korean star more, I asked what his MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) is. In Korea, this question is asked a lot (also what blood type one has) to get a glimpse into someone’s personality.
“My MBTI type is INFP (introverted, intuitive, feeling, and prospecting). Is this popular in the Philippines as well? For me, there’s a difference between my work and personal activities. When I’m working, I’m more like an E (extroverted), but usually, I’m more like an I (introverted). It also varies depending on whether I’m with close friends or not, so it’s complex. It’s hard to define it clearly.”
On Ji Chang-wook, Bench head honcho Ben Chan says, “He remains a figure of calm, always with a quiet smile, and most memorably, a down-to-earth personality.”
Since we all want to know the more personal side of Chang-wook, Ben Chan gives us a glimpse. “Because of our long years together, I’ve had the chance to meet him many times for photo campaigns, dinners after shoots, and backstage after shows. In all these occasions, even in the midst of working chaos, he remains a figure of calm, always with a quiet smile, and most memorably, a down-to-earth personality. I remember him wearing a black Bench hoodie still chatting outside of a restaurant in the windy streets of Seoul like a normal, simple guy. A big star with no airs!”
When asked what is on his bucket list, Chang-wook responds, “When talking about a bucket list, it sounds really grand, so it’s actually a bit difficult, but if I have to say something I want to do, it would be to travel across Asia on a motorcycle. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do it, though. That’s probably the biggest thing on my bucket list, and the rest are just things like wanting to take a break from time to time and travel. Since I’m in the Philippines, I want to travel around the Philippines. I think I’ve rarely been here for travel. I’ve mostly come here for work, so I want to visit various places like tourist destinations and resorts in the Philippines.”
And since we are hellbent on getting to know a different side Ji Chang-wook, we asked him to choose and he was game in answering the following:
THE PHILIPPINE STAR: Indoors or outdoors?
JI CHANG-WOOK: Indoors. These days, I prefer staying indoors. It’s because it’s so hot lately, and in my opinion, Korea is even hotter. Korea is humid and hotter, so it’s hard to go outside. (It is summer in Korea now.)
Dogs or cats?
Dogs. I think dogs are a bit cuter. I don’t have a dog now; I had one, but it passed away a few years ago. I think dogs have a cuter personality.
Bingsu or halo-halo?
Halo-halo. Since I’m in the Philippines, I can enjoy halo-halo, which I can’t get in Korea.
Cute or sexy?
That’s hard, but cute. I guess my taste just leans towards cute things.
Tall or petite?
Tall. I just think it’s probably better to be tall.
Drama or film?
Film. Because when I rest, I watch movies or dramas. Dramas take a long time to finish, but movies can be watched in about one or two hours, so they fit more casually and comfortably into my schedule.
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