South Korean actor Ahn Bo-hyun poses for photos during the press conference for the Manila stop of his 'Hello!' fan meeting tour, May 24, 2024. Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — Ahn Bo-hyun’s journey to stardom is a testament to his perseverance and unwavering dedication. From his humble beginnings of portraying nameless characters to landing lead roles, each step along the path marked a significant moment in the trajectory of the popular South Korean actor.

“There were a lot of steps,” Ahn said via an interpreter during a press conference for his recent fan meeting in Manila. “From playing a role with no name, to a role with a name, to a role that had lines. These small steps were signs that encouraged me to never give up.”

“And after 10 years, these steps turned me into who I am — to a person who can now greet a lot of fans and for that, I am grateful,” he added.

The 36-year-old actor has embraced this idea of never giving up, fondly referring to it as his “initial mindset,” which he has kept since the beginning of his career. At the press conference, he even showed a necklace that he always wears, engraved with “초심” (translating to beginner’s or initial mindset)

“If you never give up, there will be opportunities, things will fall into place. That kind of mindset really helps me and encourages me to be better, so I always keep that in mind,” he said.

Before venturing into show business, Ahn pursued boxing during his high school years. It was during this time that he stumbled upon a boxing film that sparked his interest in acting.

“When I watched a movie about boxing, I was really impressed at the people who were performing the sport. I wondered, how come they’re good at playing this role without being actual boxers?” he said.

“So right after quitting boxing, I went into modeling… most of the models try to be an actor so I also tried it,” recalled Ahn, who made his acting debut in 2014.

After appearing in various shows like “Descendants of the Sun” and “Her Private Life,” Ahn achieved a breakthrough with the 2020 revenge series “Itaewon Class.” In this series, he portrayed the antagonistic conglomerate heir Jang Geun-won, a fierce rival to lead star Park Seo-joon’s character.

Photo from Ahn Bo-hyun's Instagram accountFollowing his success in “Itaewon Class,” Ahn secured lead roles in subsequent shows like “Military Prosecutor Doberman,” “Yumi’s Cells,” “See You in My 19th Life,” and “Flex X Cop.”

READ: What makes Ahn Bo-hyun’s hero role in ‘Flex X Cop’ different

“I’d like to say that I’m still growing [as an actor] at the moment. I’m really happy that I’m doing a job that I like doing,” he said.

When selecting projects, Ahn — who currently boasts five million Instagram followers — said he evaluates whether he can “perform well in the role” and if the character has the potential to unveil a fresh aspect of himself.

“I also focus on whether the role is very different [from my past roles]. Am I able to show a new side of myself to the audience? That’s actually another important thing I consider — showing a different side of me,” he explained.

Ahn expressed his interest in exploring historical dramas and noir genre projects, or tackling a role that is “very evil.”

Photo from Ahn Bo-hyun's Instagram accountAmong the characters that he has portrayed, Ahn considers Do Bae-man, the titular character from “Military Prosecutor Doberman,” as the most similar to him “because of how natural he is as a person and how he thinks he is enough.”

But if he were to live the life of one of his characters, he would like to live as Jin Yi-soo, the conglomerate heir-turned-cop from “Flex X Cop.”

Fan meet

Presented by Wilbros Live, the Manila stop of Ahn's “Hello!” fan meeting tour had the actor getting up close and personal with his Filipino fans. Despite the rain, supporters flocked to the New Frontier Theater to see their beloved star.

Fans were treated to an interactive experience as they had the opportunity to directly ask Ahn questions during the Q&A session, play games and take polaroid photos with the actor, and even win signed “Flex X Cop” posters. At one point, Ahn even got off the stage and went around the venue’s floor, allowing for closer interactions with the audience.

Ahn also showed his singing skills, performing “Start Over” by Gaho, which was featured on “Itaewon Class,” and “I’ll Embrace Your Past,” which he recorded for “See You In My 19th Life.” He also serenaded fans with a cover of Stephen Sanchez’s “Until I Found You.”

“I'll keep this feeling that I have with you and I’ll make sure to come back to the Philippines,” he said near the end of the fan meet.

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