M i n - h o ’ s B l u e s
Twenty-one million. This is the number of followers Lee Min-ho has on Weibo, the Chinese SNS , which is
half the South Korean population. You can sense just how influential the so-called ‘Min-ho Power’ really is
through this shocking number.
I did not think that Lee Min-ho would be this popular. I simply assumed he would be one of those ‘nine-days’ wonders’through his role in Boys over Flowers. (I admit that I don’t have the eyes to discover stars.) My assumption was proven wrong. Lee might be one of the most famous Hallyu stars today.
He is wildly popular not only in China, but also in many countries in Southeast Asia. On Dec. 20, 2013, more than 60 Chinese media staff gathered at Lee Min-ho’s press conference presented by Sohu.com. The event broadcasted live and was seen by 3.6 million viewers online. Two days later on Dec. 22, Lee won the
Baidu Feidian Award for Best Asian Actor and he was the only foreign star to be given such an honor.
Moreover, many Chinese advertisers are asking him to be a model for their companies. What’s more astonishing is that as of May 15, 2014,he has more than 21 million followers on Weibo, the Chinese
social networking service. (That’s about half of the Korean population!)
His popularity is also going strong in Southeast Asia. More than 15,000 fans rushed in to meet Lee at a ‘Fun Meet’ in the Philippines last March. Some even said that they should make it a national holiday when Lee visits the country.
Lee Min-ho: “My top priority used to be my work in Korea because I thought I would be happier once I am popular and appreciated by my country. But meeting my fans abroad changed my mind. I started thinking that when choosing work, I shouldn’t limit myself to work in Korea. I promised myself I would do my best all the time for my fans around the world (laughing).”
Lee’s stage now stretches beyond the boundaries of Korea.
What destination is he flying toward then? Isn’t there some kind of landing spot he is headed to, like a chicken or dumpling place on the way home? Lee Min-ho: “I don’t know. I don’t really plan everything out
about the future. I have always been a ‘do your best in the moment not to regret’ type of person. Now, I am more relaxed and have broader perspectives compared to the past. But I never forget to be fierce at every moment. I have never ‘just acted’ in my life in that I always played my parts with all of my heart. Whenever I am not satisfied with my acting, I ask a director to re-shoot the scene. If I have to make a decision on the final destination, it would an actor who thinks and acts consistently for a long time.”
Indeed. Walking down a long path only to reach a goal might be the hardest task on earth. But by enjoying every step and every wiggle of the toes, the destination will appear in front of your eyes in no time. In order to reach his goals faster, he needs to enjoy the journey toward them and Lee already understands this very well. (As for a chicken place, I would be the only one going.)
When interviewing celebrities, I tend to be more curious about what lies within them: their thoughts. What are they thinking and what’s their take on the world usually represent their unique point of view. Actors have a tendency to be more sensitive, emotional, and even more wonderfully weird than singers. Lee won’t be an exception even though he is a Hallyu star.
Lee Min-ho: “I feel more responsible when I hear the word, ‘Hallyu star’, though I sometimes get stressed out about it. Overall, I think I am a warm-hearted person. In my spare time, I like to spend time catching up with dramas and films that I have missed or working out with friends. I believe enjoying everyday life with family and friends is the definition of happiness.”
What an easy-going man. He is wise enough to find happiness in everyday life in spite of his busy schedule. I can see his unique glow because he carries his thoughts and concerns more closely than any goal he sets. I assume his thoughts on love will have similar glow.
Lee Min-ho: “I trust the feeling of ‘she and I will click’. If there is a person who gives me that feeling, I would observe her carefully for a long time. Once I am confi dent in my feelings towards her, then I finally have courage to approach her. These days, I want to love like Kim Tan from The Heirs in that I would think about nothing else but my love for her. I wish for someone who makes me happy just looking to appear in my
life soon. (laughing)”
Some things are lost and some things are found in the course of life. It is true even when you think you’ve lost everything. As for Lee, he would not mind losing even more because he knows how to be happy. This might be all he needs.
Lee Min-ho is working as an advertising model for Jeju Air. The airplanes featuring his photos are flying all over Asia. (Thinking of Lee looking down on all of us is a bit scary, though.) I wonder if he has time to travel around after his busy days. As we know, traveling alone once in a while is necessary in life. Lee Min-ho: “I would love to travel to the South Pole. With white snowy fields, magical auroras, and untouched Mother
Nature, there must be something that cannot be found in the midst of skyscrapers. In fact, I also want to travel China alone sometime but without telling anyone. (laughing)” What an unusual answer for an unusual guy. Traversing the Antarctic on a plane featuring his photo might be an unforgettable memory.
Lee is busy filming Gangnam Blues which will be released in the latter half of 2014. He does not hesitate to say that his fans are the reason for his being. He promises himself to do work that his fans like and do it well as the 28th chapter of his journey continues on.
credit: KBS K-Wave magazine June 2014
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