As the South Korean actor embarks on his meet tour, here are three facts you may not know about him.
Korean actor Ji Chang-wook arrived in the Philippines last Friday, November 4—the first stop on his international “Reach You” fan tour. The 35-year-old heartthrob was welcomed by a throng of adoring fans at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Ji is known for his work in Empress Ki, K2, Backstreet Rookie, and If You Wish Upon Me. The Hallyu star came up with the idea for “Reach You” as a way to reach his fans in different countries directly and more personally.
During the “Reach You” event which will happen on Sunday, November 6, the fans can expect a question and answer portion, a discussion of his upcoming projects, and even a little bit of singing. Those who bought tickets are set to receive a Ji Chang-wook T-shirt along with the chance to win a photo opportunity with the star, or a signed poster.
The tour was originally scheduled for 2020, a year after the star was discharged from mandatory military service, where he was awarded for his excellent performance. Unfortunately, Ji was forced to push back the tour due to the pandemic. Thankfully, the actor is now gearing up to meet his Filipino fans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The event is being held alongside fashion company Bench.
Here are three facts to get to know Ji Chang-wook:
Musical Theatre
Ji Chang-wook actually started out his career in musical theater, which he did to fund himself while he was a student, alongside part-time work as a waiter. Theater provided him with the experience he needed to kickstart his career. At 21 years old, the aspiring actor booked his first gig with an independent film. He was spotted and signed by an agency right after, and the rest is history.
Active Lifestyle
The Korean actor enjoys an active lifestyle outside his career in the spotlight. At a press conference on Saturday, Ji shared how he loves spending his free time hanging out with friends while playing golf or listening to music while taking a walk or bike ride. When he’s not sharing photos of himself on the red carpet, the star takes to share pictures of himself on his bicycle or of his motorcycle adventures exploring the country.
A Fan of the Philippines
For his fan meetup in the Philippines, Ji is teaming up with Bench, which he worked with before. In 2019, the fashion giant tapped Ji to be one of their endorsers.
“Bench was the first company I worked with in the Philippines,” Ji says. “They were very hospitable and accommodating.” He described how the company treated him like family, and later on teased that fans attending the event would be treated to a meet and greet, discussions on his upcoming projects, and perhaps even a little bit of singing.
During the conference, Ji shared that he had the pleasure to try local dishes like sisig and halo-halo. He was looking forward to exploring Manila, which started with a gander around Greenbelt malls the night before. He shared that his next goal was to visit the popular tourist destination, Boracay.
He told Vogue Philippines how thankful he was that he had solid fan bases around the world, despite only having worked in his home, South Korea.
Ji ended by promising that he would always come back to the Philippines for more.