We’ve seen Lee Minho fit into many roles:

The brash and snobbish, yet loyal and endearing leader of F4 in Boys Over Flowers.  The poker-faced, obsessive-compulsive architect in Perfect Match. The revenge-fueled vigilante in City Hunter.

These three dramas aired in Philippine local TV not too long ago, and with each one, Lee Min Ho owned his characters rightfully, inevitably making a deep impression to a lot of people and cementing his place as one of the most recognized Korean actors in our country.

This time, however, he is stepping out of acting for a while, to show his fans another side of him. Marking his second visit to Manila, Min Ho is now taking on a new stage by showcasing his skills in singing and performing live with his global tour appropriately titled “My Everything”. A few months ago, he had released a mini-album with the same title, featuring tracks that are sweet and easy on the ears. As he had said during his press conference and concert, the tour is his way of giving back a bit of happiness to the fans that he considers the main reason for his success and well, his everything.

True enough, his Filipino fans gave as much in supporting him during his concert in the MOA Arena on July 6. As early as 6 o’clock in the evening, extensive queues and huge crowds of people started flocking the area. Interestingly enough, the audience were not only numerous, they were also diverse. The fanbase wasn’t limited to young girls and boys as a significant number of middle-aged folks also made their way to the concert, some even accompanied by their daughters. This just goes to show how Lee Min Ho had managed to captivate a really wide audience, which is by no means, an easy feat.

The concert proved to be entertaining. It started with Min Ho’s heartfelt performance of “My Everything” followed by the theatrical rendition of “You and I” which featured a playful story of him trying to woo a girl. The show also featured an intermission number by a K-pop unit called MonsterZ (remember the Oh Yeaaahhh after that), made up of 3 lively guys who also supported Min Ho in selected numbers.

Included in the program was an interview session with the bubbly Sam Oh, a famous TV personality/host who is fluent in Korean, English and Filipino. Min Ho stated that he learned the Filipino word “maganda” meaning beautiful, and that he likes the metropolitan vibe in Manila. He had tried eating kare-kare and fish balls, two Filipino delicacies that he liked very much. He also said that if he’s given a chance, he would want to experience surfing in our country. The audience, always on edge, was all cheers whenever he uttered something/anything in Korean.

Besides this, the show also featured a raffle-draw that enabled 10 lucky fans had the chance to receive a package containing a LINE doll, a Momot doll (specialized paper doll of the characters he played), a Bench tee and some cosmetics, all chosen by Lee Min Ho himself. The 11^th fan who was picked got to be the luckiest as she got the package along with the actual shirt that Min Ho wore the day before. Of course, the ultimate prize would be getting to come up on stage and have a moment with the night’s main attraction. Amusingly, the winners’ reaction ranged from outright excitement to utter bewilderment. Regardless, all of them were the envy of the thousands who were hopeful to get that chance in the Arena.

Surprisingly, Lee Min Ho, despite his fame and the worship-like reception he had amassed in our country, remains to be humble and shy to a degree. He kept his answers short and simple, but he tried his earnest to express his gratitude and love for his Filipino fans. His face also radiated this distinct sense of joy all throughout the evening.  He also performed “Love Motion”, “Without You”, “My Little Princess” and as a finale, “Say Yes”.

With Lee Min Ho’s concert here in Manila, his fans definitely got their fill. Not only did they get to see the much loved actor, they also got to witness his remarkable musical skills along with a deeper introspection of his personality. It was amusing how, like all of us, he can laugh at silly and awkward situations and how he, of all people, genuinely appreciates his fans for their support and affection. Indeed, the concert succeeded in portraying its aim of returning the favor to his fans, his everything.

Special thanks to WILBROS LIVE! & BENCH

by Sandra Mae Laureano

Upcoming Concerts by Wilbros Live
Carly Rae Jepsen Live in Manila on August 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum
and
Pitbull Live in Manila on September 4 at the Mall of Asia Arena