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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Lee Min-ho in Manila: 'Moment of happiness’

Lee Min-ho in Manila: 'Moment of happiness’

Published Apr 30, 2025 12:29 pm

At A Glance

  • He is the No. 1 favorite Korean actor for 12 consecutive years based on a Korean Wave survey 

After one and a half years, Korean star Lee Min-ho returned to the Philippines and received a very warm welcome from Filipino fans. 

Lee Min-ho, star of the drama series “When the Stars Gossip,” “Pachinko,” “The Heirs,” and “Boys Over Flowers,” reunited with fans at his “Minhoverse” Asia Fanmeeting Tour in Manila held on April 26 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

This was his first fan meeting in eight years since holding the “The Originality of Lee Min Ho” in Seoul in February 2017. 

In October 2023, Lee Min-ho, as endorser of leading property developer SM Development Corporation (SMDC), went to Manila and attended SM’s 65th anniversary celebration. 

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Lee Min-ho at his "Minhoverse" fan meeting in Manila on April 26 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena 

This time, it was for his Filipino fans who had waited for his return to the country. 

When Lee Min-ho emerged on stage at his “Minhoverse” fan meeting in Manila, loud cheers and screams erupted from the audience as he sang “I Love You.” 

He was visibly happy seeing the audience welcome him with great affection. 

“Moment of happiness,” Lee Min-ho described it on Instagram. 

Hallyu Survey 

Since he made his acting debut in the youth drama “Secret Campus” in May 2006, Lee Min-ho rose to fame to become one of the most popular Korean stars. 

In the recent 2025 Overseas Hallyu Survey conducted by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), Lee Min-ho was chosen as the No. 1 favorite Korean actor for the 12th consecutive year since 2014. 

The survey was done among 26,400 respondents from 28 countries and territories, including the Philippines, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 27, 2024. 

In May, he will mark his 19th anniversary as an actor. 

Manila 

“It’s been a while everyone. Na-miss kita (I missed you),” said Lee Min-ho. “It’s almost two years before I got back here.”

He said when he thought about his Filipino fans, the word that came to his mind was “passion.” Filipinos are known for showing their love for their favorite stars, including Lee Min-ho. 

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Lee Min-ho at his "Minhoverse" fan meeting in Manila on April 26 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena LMHA1.jpg

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Fans attending the Lee Min-ho fan meeting in Manila (SM Mall of Asia Arena)

About a place that he wants to go to in the Philippines, Lee Min-ho said, “The Philippines is known for its beautiful islands. I really want to visit one of the islands. Well, of course, Boracay, Cebu but I really want to go somewhere that is very unknown and unpopular yet.” 

The fan meeting, hosted by Kring Kim, not only delved into Lee Min-ho’s career but it also showcased his talent for singing. During the event, he performed songs such as “Without You,” “Always” and “Stalker.”

Fans got to know Lee Min-ho more during different segments. 

In the “L622” (which referred to his birthday, June 22), Lee Min-ho answered questions sent by fans. 

He was asked, “When do you think you feel the cutest?” 

“I never really thought I was cute. It’s just really the fans, the Minoz, who tell me that I’m cute so probably I’m cute. But personally, I never really thought of myself as cute,” he said. 

Among the characters he has played in dramas, Lee Min-ho said “all the characters that I have portrayed” resembled him in real life. 

“Because in each character that I portrayed, there’s a little bit of myself in it every time I have to show the emotional line of it,” he said. 

In relieving stress, Lee Min-ho said sleep is the most important. 

“I arrived two nights ago and I slept soundly for 15 hours. I think I am very suitable for the Philippines,” he said. 

Drama kissing scenes

In the “Iconic Character Gong Ryong Upgrade” segment, videos of his most memorable drama roles were shown, including Kim Tan in “The Heirs,” Gu Junpyo in “Boys Over Flowers” and  Gong Ryong in “When the Stars Gossip.”

He asked the audience which among the three was their favorite and many shouted Gu Junpyo. 

“I guess the answer is in the Philippines, Filipino Minoz want someone who is strong like Gu Junpyo,” he said. 

Among the three characters, Lee Min-ho said Kim Tan resembled his personality, saying, “He is in the middle. He has the perfect balance of confidence and also understanding the girl.”

Fans screamed when clips of Lee Min-ho’s kissing scenes were shown from “When the Stars Gossip,” “The King: Eternal Monarch” and “The Legend of the Blue Sea.”

“Every time I film these kissing scenes, I really don’t have this certain way on how to kiss. I just go on with the flow of the story,” he said. 

Lee Min-ho said the kissing scene in “When the Stars Gossip” took the most takes. 

“The one with the most retakes was the one I had to do with zero gravity. I could not get the location,” he said. 

In the “Minozverse” segment, Lee Min-ho had to pick the ending scene from his dramas. On “When the Stars Gossip,” he said, “It really went into my heart about everything especially the his last dialogue ‘everything alive is really a miracle.’” 

Lee Min-ho gave meaningful advice to his fans. 

“As I age year by year, I just realized that just to be alive, to breathe and communicate especially with everyone we love, that’s the best meaning of life is so it’s very significant for me. Basically, our life is we’re living day by day in miracles. Just to live together, just to breathe, just to be together with all of us is a miracle day by day. Thus I really want all of you to appreciate the daily miracle it’s happening. And to really make the most of it and be really happy,” he said. 

Among his four drama ending scenes, he picked “The Heirs.” 

Lee Min-ho also played “tumbang preso” and balloon pop with fans. During the event, a video made by Filipino fans was shown. 

“Thank you so much that I’ve been here in two years. Your warm welcome. I really want to thank all of you and I do realize that every year, each year that passes by, this unconditional love that you're giving me, it really means a lot,” he said. 

He added, “And with that love you have given me unconditionally it really makes me be a better person, also a better actor to portray a better role for all of you and really encourages me a lot.” 

Lee Min-ho’s “Minhoverse” Asia Fanmeeting Tour in Manila was presented by Pulp Live World. 

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