Hyun Bin for Bench: Can we pinch your dimples?
Ben Chan has done it again.
Since 2012, he has had the top Korean stars as endorsers for Bench. And now, Hyun Bin is his latest, the ninth endorser to come in, and if the health situation permits, he will really be crash landing on us.
And oh, don’t forget, another Korean biggie, Ji Chang Wook, was scheduled to come to Manila last March, when COVID-19 unfortunately came into the picture.
A question that needs no answers, yes, but why did Bench eye Hyun Bin?
“Captain Ri, Hyun Bin’s character in Crash Landing On You (CLOY),was probably one of the most well-loved characters during this lockdown,” says Ben.”The world fell in love with his combination of strength and vulnerability. Credit has to go to how amazing an actor Hyun Bin is. He is very passionate about his craft, sometimes choosing challenging projects to expand his knowledge. For this, he has won numerous acting awards. He is also a very woke citizen who is engaged in many charitable endeavors. I think he is a good human being and a good ambassador for Bench.”
What is happening? Korean stars and movies are shining worldwide. Is Hallyu set to invade Hollywood?
“CLOY’s theme of love is universal but set in a very unique circumstance,’’ Ben continues. ‘‘I think we were all intrigued to know more about the life in North Korea, how love between two people from different backgrounds can progress — and of course, smitten with the chemistry of its lead actors. It also helped that most of us had finally the time to binge-watch and believe again in love against all odds.
“I also remember this quote very well: ‘Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right station.’ Being where we are now, I think we all can relate to the hope that destiny can bring us to somewhere good.
“As an Asian, it feels good to have Asian entertainment in the spotlight and readily available to us through various channels. For example, didn’t we all feel good when an Asian film won the top awards at Hollywood’s most prestigious Oscars? I don’t know if you can call it Hallyu taking over Hollywood yet, but it is always good news to see a diversified selection of entertainment. I heard that there will also be a lot of new Filipino titles that will be available soon on our favorite streaming channels. Thai dramas have also been very popular lately. So it will be a dream come true one day to have Asian supremacy—Hallyu, Filipino, Bollywood, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, etc. and their stories and faces — especially among Asian viewership.”
So how soon will we see, not a virtual, but a real Hyun Bin, land here and end our lockdown blues?
‘‘Of course, like a lot of people, we look forward to having Hyun Bin in Manila as soon as public health regulations allow,’’ says Ben. ‘‘After months of social distancing, I think we deserve a very warm, safe and engaging meet-up with Hyun Bin.
We are planning this well and working hard so that it will be worth the long wait. We also look forward to hearing more from the fans because most of the time, they have the best ideas. So to our fellow fans of Hyun Bin, keep sending us your messages and we will work on them.”
Sorry to disappoint the fans who are asking, but Hyun Bin will only be modeling outerwear.
“I hope his handsome face and strong physique will be enough for them as Hyun Bin models our latest Bench shirts and pants. I feel strongly that his photos will remind his fans of all the onscreen romance they enjoyed while watching CLOY. This time, they will see him sooner in our social media channels, inside our stores and on our billboards. “
We understand that the Bench clothes created for him are now in Korea, ready for his pictorial. How does Ben describe Hyun Bin’s style?
“Hyun Bin’s fashion style reflects our style direction this season of going back to basics. He is a no-fuss dresser who goes for well-chosen must-haves that you can wear over and over again. I think he represents the current mood in fashion, too — build your core wardrobe with all the good essentials first—then play around with them by adding your own personal style. This is also what we aim to do when you visit our stores and e-commerce site. You can rebuild your wardrobe with a strong selection of basic shirts, pants, underwear, socks and shoes, and then add from our assortment of trendy statements.”
Oh, for the day when we can pinch his cheeks with those killer dimples!
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Follow the author on Instagram and Facebook@milletmartinezmananquil. Email her at mmmananquil@philstarmedia.com.
