September 5, 2024 | 12:00am
The weekend that K-drama superstar Kim Ji Won came to Manila was nothing short of a whirlwind for the Pulp Live World team at New Frontier. Not only were we tasked with preparing for her highly anticipated fan meeting, but we also had to open the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Total Concentration Exhibition at the same time. Although that may seem like a Herculean task — and it certainly felt like one at times — we pulled off both events with aplomb, leaving fans of the actress and the anime/manga franchise delighted.
But since I already wrote about the exhibit in a previous edition of this column, allow me to focus on the time we spent with Kim Ji Won. She arrived by plane on Aug. 2, the same day the media launch for the exhibit was held. The next day, hours before her fan meeting, she charmed select members of the Philippine entertainment press during a tête-à-tête at the Gauguin Function Room of Novotel Manila. Everyone present drew in a breath when she entered the room; her queenly aura was enhanced by the pastel cyan cropped coat and volume skirt she wore.
Kim Ji Won channeled her inner idol with some stirring vocal performances.
After taking a seat opposite host Kring Kim, the actress greeted the press with a warm smile and thanked them for coming. When asked if she was ready to answer a few questions, Kim Ji Won responded enthusiastically, “Of course!”
During the Q&A session that followed, we found out that she feels her greatest achievement is knowing that her fans love the characters she has played. Speaking of which, she also urged fans to revisit her most recent work: tvN’s Queen of Tears, in which she starred opposite heartthrob Kim Soo Hyun. “Sana panoorin niyo ulit,” her translator put it, referring to the show. Kim Ji Won added that she feels a particular affinity to that project because she enjoyed the script reading sessions she did with her co-stars, which helped her understand and relate to her character.
In the “Be My Actor Story” segment, Kim Ji Won discussed her characters’ styles.
When asked about her upcoming projects, instead of teasing whatever she’ll star in next, Kim Ji Won talked about how excited she was to meet the Filipino fans. She looked forward to soaking up every moment with them because, as she put it, those moments truly touch her soul.
The fan meeting, titled 2024 Kim Ji Won 1st Fan Meeting
During another segment, the actress revealed that she uses music to help her get into character. For her role as Yoon Myeong Joo in Descendants of the Sun, she repeatedly listened to Lee Sun Hee’s I Always Miss You to grasp the character’s longing for her love interest, Seo Dae Young. She shared how challenging it was to balance Myeong Joo’s tough military persona with her romantic side, a task she took on with great dedication.
Ji Won also revealed that Epik High’s We Fight Ourselves, featuring her best friend Younha, helped her portray her most famous role to date: Hong Hae In in Queen of Tears. The song resonated with her, particularly during scenes where Hae In was constantly fighting with her husband, Baek Hyun Woo.
The fan meeting was a heartwarming opportunity for Ji Won’s Filipino fans to express their love and gratitude. They surprised her with a fan-made video and a flash mob performance of 10CM’s Tell Me It’s Not A Dream, which was part of the Queen of Tears soundtrack. This brought the actress to tears. “I did not expect that you would sing for me. It was really touching, thank you very much to all of you,” she said, visibly moved.
Manila, we made the Queen of Tears shed actual tears — how about that?
In her final message, Kim Ji Won expressed her deep appreciation to her Filipino fans, who filled her with positive energy. “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.”
London and Winter Go with actress Kim Ji Won.
She also hinted at an exciting new project in the works and promised to return to the Philippines, eager to explore more of the country and enjoy its culinary delights, such as cheese ice cream and chicken inasal.
When asked to describe her Manila fan meeting in one word, Ji Won chose “heart-touching.” “It is something that I will actually cherish for a very long time. I will never, ever forget this night.”
She then capped off the evening with her heartfelt performance of Lee Hi’s Only, leaving fans with even more reasons to look forward to her next visit. — Julian Mauricio
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