Lee Jae-wook thanks fans for turning dream into reality

Jae-wook shares special moment with his Filipino fans. —PHOTOS BY MANUEL CHUA AND WILBROS LIVE

Lee Jae-wook loves “to work.” Sustaining his interest in a particular job, however, is another story.

During his high school days, Lee Jae-wook took on various part-time jobs—none of them he liked well enough to continue doing. “I love working, but I get tired of a job quickly and easily. At some point, I asked myself, ‘What is it that I can do? What job could I possibly get?’” he said at a press conference.

And then it hit him. Acting could very well give him the excitement or element of surprise he was craving. “I thought about being an actor because I would get to play different roles and do different things all the time,” said Jae-wook, who enrolled at Chung-Ang University to study theater and film.

“I gave it a shot, went to school, and here we are today,” the 24-year-old actor said.

Indeed, he wouldn’t have been in Manila facing the press and holding a fan meeting if it weren’t for show biz.In 2018, he debuted in the hit drama “Memories of the Alhambra” as a supporting character. The following year, he started to gain prominence, thanks to the film “The Battle of Jangsari” and the series “Extraordinary You,” which earned him a best new actor nomination at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Lee Jae-wook

Capturing hearts

It was; however, the 2022 period fantasy drama “Alchemy of Souls” that ultimately brought him fame. As Jang Uk, a young mage of noble lineage, the South Korean star captured the hearts of fans around the world. Simply put, the show changed the course of his life. And the character is easily the most memorable he has played.

“I think the reason I’m here is because of my role in [the series] ‘Alchemy of Souls’—it’s what enabled me to tour Asia,” he said of the show, which ran for two seasons.

“The fact that I’m doing a fan meeting right now is a significant change in my life. Because of different streaming platforms, Korean content is readily available to people everywhere in the world. The fact that I can be away from Korea and be in other countries to meet and communicate with fans is a huge change,” he pointed out.

And the depiction of Jang Uk’s character in the first season, he said, is similar to his real-life personality. “I played the character for a long time, so he has become close to my heart,” he said. “He’s silly, playful and naughty. I want people around me to always have a good time.”

At his recent fan meeting dubbed, “First”—organized by Wilbros Live—at the New Frontier Theater, the actor performed song numbers, played games with fans, and revealed little known facts about himself. “I can feel the strong fandom here in the Philippines. We can feel that the fans are really passionate —but well-mannered at the same time,” he said.

It was the kind of scenario that he used to only imagine. Now, he’s living it. “I’m a relatively new actor on the scene… I used to hope that, one day, I would find myself in a situation like this. So I’m thankful to the fans for turning it into reality,” he said, adding that he feels lucky to be in a good working environment.

Lee Jae-wook also thanked the team behind “Alchemy of Souls,” to which he credited the show’s success. “It’s something I’m really grateful for. The success is the result of the hard work among the production team and actors,” he said. “The fantasy genre isn’t so common these days in K-dramas; the success was something we didn’t expect at all.”

Jae-wook (right) plays a game with a fan

Making memories

The Philippines is a country Jae-wook has been meaning to visit for a while. But since he was here for work, he couldn’t really go out and do as much exploring as he hoped.

“I’m aware that the Philippines is rich with beautiful vacation spots. I couldn’t go to the beaches or things like that… I love to swim. But now I had to make do with the pool,” said the actor, who would like to visit Boracay one day. “In Korea, there are shows that feature beautiful places around the world. And Boracay is often included.”

But despite his limited time in the country, seeing his fans and making “many, many memories” with them made the trip all worth it. “It’s a country where I have been receiving a lot of love from fans. And I’m very grateful for that.”

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