5 things about the Korean actor, Kim Seon-ho, revealed

On his visit to Manila for a grand fan meet, Start Up’s “Good Boy” and Bench global ambassador talks about his hidden talent, personal interests and more

The Korean star Kim Seon-ho was in Manila to spend time with his fans at the Love to Meet Our Good Boy, an event hosted by fashion retail giant Bench.

In August 2022, the homegrown fashion brand introduced Kim Seon-ho as one of its global “Benchsetters”, joining the roster that includes other Asian superstars such as Ji Chang-wook, Hyun Bin and Kim Soo-hyun, among many others. “We had numerous reasons for choosing Kim Seon-ho to represent Bench, but the primary one was his great passion towards his craft as an actor. Undoubtedly, Kim Seon-ho is also a remarkable individual. He is charismatic, naturally friendly and thus relatable as our brand ambassador,” tells Bench founder and Tatler Asia’s Most Influential honouree, Ben Chan in an exclusive interview with Tatler.

Above Kim Seon-ho at the "Love to Meet Our Good Boy" press conference

Kim Seon-ho’s acting career started as early as 2009, however, his breakthrough role came in 2020, when he played the dapper second lead Han Ji-pyeong, alongside other stars Bae Suzy and Nam Joo-hyuk in the hit series Start-Up. In this show, he earned the moniker “Good Boy”, a name synonymous with someone dependable and down-to-earth, and a name that’s etched in the hearts of his fans to this day.

In 2021, he played yet another iconic role, this time as a lead, as Hong Dusik–the ever-reliable handyman of Gongjin village–in Hometown Cha Cha Cha. The show became one of the highest-rated series in cable television history.

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“While some may consider it cliché, Kim Seon-ho's impressive resume of projects spanning TV, stage and film is not the sole reason why he perfectly embodies our brand's core identity. His straightforward yet captivating charm and down-to-earth personality also play a significant role. Having had the privilege of meeting him several times during and in between work, I can attest to how genuinely he carries himself, making him a superstar in every sense,” Chan adds.

A few hours before the much-awaited fan event, Kim Seon-ho greeted the press and shared more about himself. Here’s what we learnt about the “Good Boy”:

1. His hidden talent is. . .drawing

Or so he thought. “I used to believe that I was good at drawing but I realised recently that I’m not good at drawing,” the actor laughed, with dimples as deep as the Mariana Trench showing up to the guests' delight. The actor revealed that he has yet to discover what his hidden talent is so stay tuned!

2. He wants to learn the Filipino language

When host Robbie Domingo suggested Kim Seon-ho would be a good MC or host because of his love for interacting with people, the Korean actor replied, “If given the opportunity, I would love to try. I have to prepare and study Filipino [language] as well”.

3. He finds joy in the mundane

Above Photo courtesy of Bench

For someone as popular as Kim Seon-ho, it is quite surprising to know that he treasures simple joys in life. For instance, when asked about his favourite scenes so far, he was quick to answer, “My favourite scenes are the most ordinary [ones],” adding that these scenes are what connect him the most to the audience. “I like scenes where I can talk and have conversations with a lot of people. They bring back good memories. I like scenes that show ordinary life and my ordinary side.”

4. His style is very laid-back

When asked what he loves most about working with Bench, he said, “The clothes are easy. to mix and match. They are comfortable and easy to wear everyday”. He pointed out that two of his favourites are the shirt he wore on his flight to the Philippines, which has the words “Manila” on it and the plain white shirt with a Bench logo that he was wearing at the press conference.

5. He considers himself a “lazy” actor

But we beg to disagree. “I try to push myself to become a better actor. I consider myself a lazy actor so there’s a lot of room for improvement as well,” he humbly said. This, after saying earlier in the interview that in preparation for a role, he digs deep into a lot of references, researches his character well and gets into a serious conversation with the director in order to know what is expected of him in a film or series. For example, in his recent movie, The Childe, he had to practice a lot of the action scenes, dedicating his time and effort. That’s not lazy, isn’t it?

While his time in the Philippines was limited, Kim Seon-ho had the chance to walk around the historic Intramuros in Manila on a hot, sunny day, as well as take a snapshot of him by the famous Pasig River with his giant Bench billboards in the background. Well, it seems like it’s just another ordinary day for the “Good Boy”, right?

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