It's no secret that Pinoys love all things Korean whether drama, music, or beauty. That's why it's not surprising that big names in Korean pop culture like Crash Landing on You star Hyun Bin and girl band TWICE have been tapped to endorse big local brands. You might be surprised to learn that some of your fave Korean stars actually lived in the Philippines for long periods either to study English or to build businesses. Many of them have talked fondly about their time living in the country and some can even speak Philippine languages like Tagalog or Bisaya. And who knows? You might have even bumped into them at some point and had no idea!
Check out this list of Korean stars who have lived in the Philippines:
ASTRO's Cha Eun Woo
Did you know that Korean star Cha Eun Woo once sang hit OPM song "Kathang Isip" by Ben&Ben at a live show in the New Frontier Theater in QC? Perhaps the K-Drama hottie got his Tagalog skills from the time when he lived in the Philippines. During a fan meeting in 2019, he revealed that he studied for six months in the country!
iKON's Kim Jin Hwan
Korean celebrities speaking in Tagalog is enough to make our hearts swoon, but can you imagine a Korean cutie speaking in Bisaya? Well, let us introduce you to iKON's Kim Jin Hwan who learned the language when he lived in the Philippines for seven months. In an interview for 2017 Arirang Radio, he surprised fans with his knowledge of the Bisaya language.
Yook Sung Jae
Goblin actor Yook Sung Jae has said that he feels very attached to the Philippines and not just because he's visited the country many times as an actor and as a member of K-Pop group BTOB. During a fan meeting in 2018, he revealed that he briefly lived in Cebu a few years back. He even continues to try and study not just Tagalog, but also Bisaya!
Highlight's Son Dongwoon
Son Dong Woon of boy band Highlight (formerly BEAST) is one of the first Korean celebrities to reveal their personal connection to the Philippines. During BEAST's 2016 fan meeting in the Philippines, he endearingly introduced himself as "Dong Woon from Santa Rosa" to which his bandmate, Yoseob, responded "Hello! Nice to meet you! My name is Yoseob. I'm from Korea."
BONUS: Sandara Park
This one comes as no surprise, but perhaps the token example of a Korean celeb who lived in the Philippines is "pambansang krung-krung" Sandara Park. The former Star Circle Quest star will always have a special place in our hearts, and she's never shied away from recounting her fond memories in the country whether on various local interviews or through tweets about her love for Jollibee and thanking her Pinoy fans for sending gifts.