Smart lands CLOY’s Captain Ri as endorser

MANILA, Philippines — Captain Ri will be landing in Manila – if not physically amid the pandemic, then online and on TV.

PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications Inc. has announced that South Korean heartthrob and Netflix’s “Crash Landing on You” Hyun Bin (a.k.a. North Korean Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok) is their new endorser and will drop a campaign on Monday.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan confirmed the news in his Twitter account.

“Yes, Hyun Bin it is. Ad online and TV will break out on Monday, June 1, around noon. Go go go Smart!”

Smart posted on Wednesday in their social media accounts a video of a man in a sports car captioned, “The Captain is coming. Watch out for the big RiVeal.”

Hyun Bin said he “is glad to be part of the Smart family.”

“I am going to show you my best in new campaign with Smart. So please keep an eye on me and Smart,” he said in a viral video on Smart’s Facebook page.

“Mahal ko kayo (I love you), Smartees,” were his parting words in the video and fans couldn’t help but show their admiration for the 37-year-old star in the comment section.

“His awesome smile with a deep dimple on his cheek and his expressive eyes that captured my heart,” a netizen commented.

Another fan posted, “Thank you Smart... we are happy that you brought Hyun Bin fever in the Philippines for real... Looking forward to meet him here in our country in the future.”

“Hello Hyun Bin! Your smile and dimples are enough to make my heart flutter! All the more to see you soon in our country! Thanks to Smart Communications!” a Facebook user said.

Local retail giant Bench earlier released “Your crush, landing soon” teaser, fueling speculations that Hyun Bin will be their next endorser.

“Crash Landing on You” is a South Korean drama directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and starring Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Kim Jung-hyun and Seo Ji-hye.

It is a story about a South Korean businesswoman who accidentally crashlands in North Korea and falls in love with an Army officer.