PHILIPPINE STAR: What’s your full name?
SAM OH: It’s Sam, it’s a nickname from my Korean name, and I would tell you what my Korean name is but I don’t want to ‘cause I get mistaken for Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy star) so much! Yeah, like people go up to me and say "Sandra…" I’m like, "It’s Sam."
Age?
I’m 26.
Where were you raised?
I’m totally Korean but I’ve been here for 20 years. I’m obviously biologically Korean but in truth I’m just a hodgepodge Filipino. I do visit Korea although the last time I was there was tagal na… six or seven years... to fix my papers! Originally I’m from a place called Suwon which is near Seoul.
Where did you go to school?
I studied here all my life, I went to La Salle Zobel until high school, then I went to DLSU for college. I took up international studies, but initially I enrolled in the com-arts program because I always wanted to do TV or something in broadcasting or journalism but then DLSU had this complicated process and I couldn’t really complete the requirements of so I shifted to international studies; but I’m still doing what I wanted, so it’s like, whatever, I’m happy!
How Pinoy are you?
I had a very Korean upbringing. Although I was raised here, my parents were very persistent in speaking Korean in our house. I guess I can say I still have a lot of the Korean tradition in me.
Do you have siblings?
I have one younger brother who is in Korea right now but he also grew up here.
How do you feel about the influx of Koreans here in Manila?
It is shocking, to be completely honest with you. I don’t know if I’m pleasantly shocked or if I’m just purely shocked (laughs) because everything Korean you can think of is here, they have salons, restos, even money-wiring services or Internet cards. Of course, it’s great because they help the Philippines economically but it’s still something to get used to. I mean not being able to go anywhere without bumping into Koreans is a little strange. But I’m actually very grateful to them because they had a lot to do with me getting the ETC hosting gig! As you know, the contest had a lot to do with text votes and at some point I had to turn to them, I had to have a Korean newsletter here in the Philippines publish something about me, how I’m trying out for ETC and that I needed everyone to vote and help out… so I can’t turn my back on them (laughs)!
Do you watch the Korean soap operas that they broadcast on our local stations?
You mean the ones dubbed into Tagalog? I cannot stand it! Although those shows are really popular in Korea, I mean the ones that are not dubbed, are actually pretty good! There’s a cable channel called KBS World and you only get it if you’re subscribing to Destiny and they show these current telenovelas, roughly three weeks after it’s shown in Korea, so it’s pretty up to date. But you know, if I do watch TV, I just watch ETC.
What’s your fave Korean and Filipino dish?
That’s tough! Because I just like to eat, period. If I had to choose, though, for Filipino it would be Kare-Kare, and… ano pa ba? Adobo flakes are good! Korean food, Bi Bim Bop ‘cause it’s convenient: they serve everything up in one bowl and you just eat it.
I’m looking for the best resto to have Korean food in Manila, where should I go?
That’s a tricky question. Um… there are so many Korean restaurants but there’s this one that is called Koreano, it’s located on Mariano St., which is near Makati Ave. at the Kalayaan intersection. The grills are pretty good, and they have a kick-ass Bi Bim Bop as well. It’s pretty much an all-around Korean restaurant.
How did you enter the entertainment biz?
I really wanted to do hosting, but I wasn’t really active in any theater growing up. When I first actually realized that I wanted to get into this biz, I consciously made a decision that I wanted to try it out to really see what’s out there. The thing is, before, the "look" was very important… the chinita look wasn’t "in" at all! And I was quite overweight before… I practically shape-shifted on cable TV, man! Plus I didn’t do anything related to hosting during my university days.
Can you share your diet secrets?
I was starving myself in the beginning but now I do Bikram Yoga, which is so worth it. I take a one-hour class, and what I really love about it is that you experience something spiritual between your body and mind wherein rather than trying to change it, it’s more of embracing yourself and loving yourself. I used to go to the gym a lot before and it was more of my excuse to be able to eat, but you know, Bikram Yoga influences you to eat healthily so I’m more conscious about my food choices.
How long have you been in the entertainment biz?
I only started when I got the hosting gig from ETC, I mean having my own show on a really good channel is definitely an honor and it’s quite weird too ‘cause now people recognize me and are wanting to take a picture with me, and I’m getting fan mail – which I read. I mean, I read every single letter, which means I don’t get that much ‘cause I still have time to read ‘em (laughs). I can’t reply to all of them but I definitely read all of them!
They named the show after you, so did you have to audition for it or were you totally handpicked?
The title of the show came after I was chosen for the gig, "Oh, her last name is ‘Oh’ also, so let’s try Rated Oh!" What I truly love about the show is that I get a lot of creative control. I write for a couple of the segments, the script that I get is basically like a guideline but I can ask my producer if they mind me tweaking it a little bit to fit my personality, and so I’m very lucky that my producers are so open to my ideas!
Tell me more about Rated Oh!
The purpose of the show was to keep our viewers in the know about what was happening on each show that ETC was carrying, or what was coming, but obviously it has evolved into a lifestyle/magazine, wacky/fun kind of show. Although we still have the updating element through a segment called ‘Rewind-Fast Forward,’ but I’m really glad that it evolved into something that is more what people really like – we have this segment called ‘Hot Enough’ where I can try things that I’ve never tried before and it serves as information also for people who want to get into it, too. In time, it may even go international, as in featuring things out of the Philippines, although we did that one time, which was in Taiwan wherein I got to watch 50 Cent with Steve Mills… That was a lot of fun!
What’s the most fun thing you’ve had to do on the show?
I should say when we went up to Portofino in Batangas and we jumped off a cable 40 feet up in the air. I free-fell for about two seconds but it felt like eternity! After that it was such an accomplishment for me, like I was saying. ‘I jumped, dude!’
What’s the worst thing you had to do for the show?
It was actually not so bad, gross, or embarrassing… well, actually it was embarrassing! Um, it was in the credits of this season wherein I was dancing really dorky, as in super-dorky dance moves! When we were taping it, it was lots of fun, I mean we were laughing and then when I saw the finished product, I was like ‘Oh my gosh, that’s the un-sexiest thing I’ve ever done!’ and I couldn’t just tell them to take it off ‘cause of all the work that they had put into it, it would’ve broken their hearts. I just switch channels when the credits start rolling!
What’s your fashion sense?
That is so funny that you ask me that question because this morning I was answering a questionnaire with the same question, I kept thinking about it and I was like, ‘I don’t have one!’ If I had to categorize myself under one fashion style I’d probably say like funky-edgy-girly-sporty-laidback, so it’s more of what mood I’m in, but I think the most important thing is knowing that you can pull it off. It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, if you can carry it and be confident with it then that’s what matters.
Are your TV outfits exactly how you would normally dress off-cam?
I would think so because I don’t think I’d wear something on the show that I’d normally not wear. For the longest time I was buying my own stuff for the show ‘cause I didn’t have a clothing sponsor but now I have Seventeen by Cinderella. But before that, none. But even now that I have Seventeen, that’s been really generous, I would still be the one to pick things out for the show.
What’s your daily uniform?
A tank top, jeans and tsinelas (laughs)! I have to go to the mall a lot and I have to walk around so I want to be comfortable! I know, though, that some people or at least the ones that recognize me will see me in the mall and they’d be like, ‘Diba that’s Sam Oh? Isn’t she like a celebrity? How come she looks like that?’ I’m so sure people ask themselves why I look like crap (laughing)! Maybe I should start caring now (laughing)!
Now that you’ve broken into the entertainment business do you plan to take it a step further and do some acting?
No, not at all (laughs)! If anything I would want to venture into writing. Definitely not going towards the noontime variety show line!
What advice do you have for those who want to get into TV?
I think the most important thing is to be yourself, love yourself, be convinced that you’re fabulous because if you don’t think so then no one will. It’s gotta start with you, so if you have that assurance with yourself then everything else will just follow.