Lee Min Ho on Lee Min Ho: I’m mischievous!

Really now, is Korean superstar Lee Min Ho that mischievous as he describes himself in an e-mail interview with Funfare? Honestly, I didn’t see that side of him when I did a one-on-one with him in Seoul last year during his whole-day pictorial as Bench endorser. Bench big boss Ben Chan and I, like the rest of the Bench guys (including celebrity architect Miguel Pastor) who were there, found Lee painfully shy, very quiet but always smiling even if he was visibly tired.

Oh I see. Maybe it’s a case of lost-in-transition. In that interview, Lee Min Ho had an interpreter since he speaks very little English as he did in our e-mail interview. Now I know: what he probably means by “mischievous” is that he’s “naughty but nice” (as in makulit, but only when he’s with friends), which he must have successfully covered up during the Bench pictorial.

Anyway, let’s see if Lee Min Ho shows his “mischievous” side when he comes back (he was here last year for a Bench showcase) for his My Everything: Global Tour in Manila concert next Saturday, July 6, at the Mall Of Asia (MOA) Arena, produced by Wilbros Live.

Or in the following interview (be alert, read between the lines)…see if Lee Min Ho (again!) gets lost in translation:

What are your fond memories of your first visit in Manila last year?

“I was very surprised how fans in the Philippines welcomed me with a great amount of love when I visited for Bench promotion. The love fans gave me always motivates me and makes me think how much I want to visit the Philippines again. One of the memorable things is the smiles and kindness of all the fans and staff while I was in the Philippines.”

What was the place that you visited? Any places that you missed during that first visit that you plan to visit when you come back to Manila?

“I visited a few different places in Manila. I had interviews at the hotel, and was able to meet all the fans at places like SM Mall. I didn’t have any personal schedule planned so I don’t think a certain place comes to me as too special, but I would definitely want to create one at MOA Arena this time!”

What Filipino food did you taste (balut, the young chick inside an egg, maybe?)

“I went to a restaurant which specialized in the Filipino cuisine. We ordered a few different plates and shared with all the staff. I think adobo was quite nice.”

How are you preparing for your concert in Manila on July 6? Will you also dance and not only sing?

“I will be visiting the Philippines after having concerts in Korea, Japan and Malaysia. I’ve been really thinking how I can have a better communication with fans while I am on stage. Since my first new album was released in May, I have been practicing singing the song with fans with simple dance, even though it’s not good enough.”

Have you taken any formal voice lessons?

“I have had lessons a few times, but sadly I couldn’t continue doing it. I see it as a great experience as getting ready to release this album.”

What are your favorite songs, who are your favorite singers?

“I like the song called Jogak (Pieces) in my album. It’s easy to sing along with anyone and it makes me deliver the emotions quite well. I have lots of favorite singers but as I have been recording, I have sung the song called Last Love of Kim Bumsoo. I used to practice this song in lower key since this song is too high.”

Tell us more about your album My Everything. Did you choose the songs in the album? Which one is very meaningful to you?

“The album contains six songs. Instead of giving one concept to an album, I focused more on sharing different emotions in different songs. Fans know very well about the song My Everything. I sang this song in 2009 and recorded it again after four years. I really think it turned out differently because I feel different from four years back.

“And I challenged myself with an exciting song Love Motion. I think it fits your mood perfectly whenever you’re driving. My Little Princess was hard to snuggle in mouth when recording. As I earlier mentioned, the song I most like is Pieces, its guitar solo stands out.

“When I sang the song You & I, I was thinking of you guys. I like its title because it sums up the meaning of doing this concert. The song Without You was so well-loved by the staff even before the recording. Despite its sad lyrics, the melody conveys a feeling of hope.”

What CD is in the player of your car? Do you listen to it while you are driving?

“I have been listening to my album repeatedly. Because I am getting ready for the global tour, I listen to my songs to work on the lyrics and think of new ideas.”

Besides Manila, also included in your concert tour are Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Osaka, Hong Kong and the USA. How do you prepare for it physically? Where and how do you get the energy for such a busy schedule?

“No matter where I am, it’s all about one thing: My fans. The energy I’m getting from my fans is amazing. I sleep a lot to get my energy back. I also work out a lot in order to stay fit for the upcoming TV drama, so I won’t feel too exhausted physically.”

Usually, what is your regular diet (favorite food, etc.)?

“I like meat. I never miss it from each meal.”

What workout/exercise do you do to keep fit and healthy?

“I usually do weight training, and play ‘speedminton,’ which is similar to badminton with my show guest Monsterz.”

Name three things that are always in your bag.

“Cell phone, wallet and earphones,”

How would you describe Lee Min Ho away from the spotlight?

“I’m kind of mischievous with good friends around. There’s no big difference even in my roles.”

(Note: Lee Min Ho — My Everything: Global Tour in Manila is presented by Bench, in cooperation with Globe Prepaid, LINE [Global No.1 Messenger], Bench Fix and M on Fox Filipino. Also brought to you by Oishi, The Diamond Hotel, The Philippine STAR, ABS-CBN, MYX, Astro Vision and Poly East Records. For tickets, call 470-2222 or visit www.smtickets.com. For more information, follow Wilbros Live on Facebook.com/WilbrosLive or Twitter @WilbrosLive.) 

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com.)