Asked what super power he’d love to have right now, Hyun Bin replied in the latest Bench interview—“I would make the corona virus disappear”— spoken in the gentlemanly manner of Captain Ri, the Korean soldier the world swooned over in Crash Landing on You, the K-Drama that people the world over suffered separation anxiety from when it finally ended last year.
Last year, even as the world began to live with and in the pandemic, Bench made sure life went on by proceeding with its plan to tap Hyun Bin as the face of its fashion collection; this, when the country was still hung over from CLOY, the drama that roped in even the non-K-Drama fans. Soon after, the Bench Captain shirts became one of most feel-good items in the pandemic; they became the hottest sellers.
Hyun Bin in latest Bench collection (Photo from Bench)
Hyun had a second shoot in Seoul recently for Bench campaign (following strict health and safety protocols). In the behind-the-scene video of the shoot released by Bench, Hyun is shown walking in casually, so cool and looking affable, then posing and checking out the shots on the screen. He then answered a few sent-in questions like:
What is his favorite dessert? Tiramisu
Favorite sport? Golf
Favorite movie? Godfather 2
Hyun Bin in latest Bench collection (Photo from Bench)
In a chat with TheDiarist.ph, Ben Chan, the visionary and driving force behind Bench, described his virtual meeting with the Korean actor during the Seoul shoot. Because of the pandemic, Chan wasn’t able to fly to Seoul.
It must be noted that Chan, as far as we remember, was the first in the Philippine fashion retail industry to see the growing popularity of K-Pop, the Korean Wave on the rise, so that as early as the ‘90s he tapped the Korean stars and idols led by Lee Min Ho, who was then beginning to enjoy worldwide popularity on the heels of his milestone drama series, Boys Over Flowers.
‘He is easy and cool. He moves so naturally’
Chan remains impressed with Hyun Bin. “Like when we first met, he is easy and cool. He moves so naturally. He remains focused on what the creative team asks of him,” Chan describes the actor on and off the camera.
“He acknowledges the direction of the photographer and stylist. He is not awkward in expressing himself and is even open to suggesting his ideas for the shoot. I really enjoy working with him.”
Chan was monitoring the shoot virtually. “Our meeting was brief. He was his usual warm self. A bit formal at first but he loosened up as he tried to speak a little Tagalog while I greeted him in the little Korean I know.”
Chan felt regretful that travel limitations didn’t allow him to be present physically in the second shoot of Hyun Bin. “Otherwise,” he said, “I would have made it to Seoul to oversee the shoot.”
Hyun Bin in latest Bench collection (Photo from Bench)
Anyway, obviously, on the small screen as the mild-mannered, suave North Korean soldier Captain Ri, or on camera as the fashion ambassador, or behind the camera as a celebrity, Hyun Bin is cool.
And—his many fans here are sure to add—he oozes sex appeal.
Hyun Bin, in virtual meeting with Ben Chan, behind the scenes of the Bench shoot in Seoul (Video from Bench)
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