To Heart, from Korea with Love

Nothing was lost in translation during Funfare’s one-on-one with Alexander Lee, Heart Evangelista’s leading man in the new GMA soap My Korean Jagiya. Unlike most Korean actors, Alexander speaks good English (that is, aside from Korean and Chinese), so there was no need for a translator.

But like most Korean actors, Alexander looked like he came straight from a men’s salon, his complexion flawless and his face smoothened by an eternally friendly smile that displayed a perfect set of teeth.

“He just turned 29 last Saturday, July 29, and Heart hosted a dinner for him at her home,” shared Regine Alba, GMA program manager, adding, “what I like about Alexander is his being nice and down-to-earth. We shot for seven days in Seoul and it took only a while for him to be comfortable on the set. We shot at the massive studio where Jewel in the Palace was also shot. He’s here to shoot more scenes with Heart.”

Actually, it’s not Alexander’s first visit here. In 2012, as a member of the boyband U-Kiss, Alexander (now out of the band) performed in Manila and appeared as guest on German Moreno’s Walang Tulugan and the GMA noontime show Party Pilipinas (now Sunday Pinasaya) where Heart (one of the co-hosts at that time) was the one who interviewed him. Of course, they didn’t have any inkling that five years later, they would be doing a soap together. He came for a second visit for a quiet, private birthday (his) get-together with his fans.  

In My Korean Jagiya (pronounced Chag-ya, meaning Darling in English), Alexander plays K-Pop artist Jun Ho who disappears from the scene when he gets broken-hearted. Heart plays a tutor, the only remaining fan longing for Jun Ho’s comeback. Enough said. Find out what happens when the soap starts airing on Aug. 21.

You are wearing a ring. Is it an engagement ring or a friendship ring?

(Laughs) “How I wish! I’m still single and unavailable.”

Single for how long? Why unavailable?

“Single for a long time because you know how it is in Korea, they are very strict about relationships, especially if you are an idol. I know myself very well that I am not ready and I also want to settle down. In the meantime, I am concentrating on my career.”

What if you get attracted to a girl, do you have to suppress it?

“No, I don’t have to suppress it. Nothing happens yet. Besides, most of the girls I know are also unavailable.”

How was your shoot with Heart?

“I was very nervous at the start because I thought she was a diva, very arrogant, and I was worried. It turned out that she’s very nice, very welcoming. Before I met her, what I knew was that she’s like a princess, living in a nice house and married to a wonderful man. She’s like a living Disney Princess.”

Describe Jun Ho, your character.

“I am very similar to Jun Ho, how he is affected by showbiz, over-protective of himself, hiding behind walls and very conservative. I used to be like that but after nine years in showbiz, I have learned to go with the flow.”

How did you feel when you got the offer?

“When I read the script, I fell in love with the character. It was tailor-made for me! Wow, so similar to what I really am! Jun Ho gives up showbiz at the peak of his career, and then…I also rested but only for a while.”

What other characters have you portrayed?

“I played Three Peas in a Park, a coming-of-age movie shot in Singapore and directed by Michelle Chong, a talented actress-director. I played Peter Park, a Korean student who is quite similar to me in some sense. It’s a depressing movie. I’ve done TV shows such as The Quest of God and Immortal Masterpiece.”

Where are you more comfortable, singing or acting?

“I would say that for now, acting. Singing and dancing are like, ahhh, they are tough slavery training.”

You value your privacy so much. How are you away from the limelight?

“I enjoy life like a normal guy. In public, I observe transparency. I don’t have to hide and to be fake so it would be easy on myself. I can watch movies just like anybody else. In Korea, people respect your space. Or I hang out in friends’ house and we eat a lot. I can’t control my craving for food so I exercise a lot.”

I heard that you love halo-halo so much that you have it every day to “de-stress” yourself. What other Filipino food have you tasted?

“Yes, puto bangbong!”

Oh, puto bumbong! Any hobbies?

“Just watching movies.”

What kind of movies do you watch?

“Usually, action, horror and thriller. But I really love romantic movies because they make me feel lonely.” (Laughs)

You are 50 percent Korean, 25 percent Portuguese and 25 percent Chinese. (Full name: Alexander Eusebio Lee) What kind of upbringing did you have?

“My sister and I grew up mostly in Macau. My parents didn’t want to live in Hong Kong because it’s so crowded. I am multi-cultural. I think sometimes in English and sometimes in Cantonese. But I express myself mostly in Korean. Now I joke a lot in Filipino.”

How many Filipino words have you learned?

“Ay naku…pautang.”

Do you know what pautang means?

“Yes. It means money.” (Laughs)

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