South Korean actor Jung Hae-in waves at the crowd during a press conference for his 'Our Time' fan meeting at a mall in Taguig, December 20, 2024. April Benjamin, ABS-CBN NewsAt one point during the Manila stop of Jung Hae-in’s “Our Time” fan meet, the actor paused briefly from repeating the cheesy Filipino phrases taught to him by his fans to praise their enthusiasm.

“This is something that I’ve felt since yesterday about Philippine Haeiness—their passion is no joke,” the 36-year-old actor said through an interpreter to a packed New Frontier Theater on Saturday night.

“I guess you guys are number one when it comes to passion,” he said, adding a “wow” and flashing a thumbs up to the giddy crowd.

Filipino fans' love for Hae-in was already evident a day before the fan meet, as many flocked to a mall’s activity center in Taguig to catch a glimpse of the actor during a press conference, braving Metro Manila’s notoriously slow Friday holiday traffic and the throngs of mall-goers doing last-minute Christmas shopping.

The press conference felt somewhat like a preview of the fan meet. Deafening cheers welcomed Hae-in, who, between answering questions from the local press, engaged with fans from afar—waving, winking, and even sending heart-hand poses their way.

Hae-in, recognized by prestigious South Korean award shows such as the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Blue Dragon Film Awards, first gained popularity for his role as the second male lead in “While You Were Sleeping” before stepping into leading roles in various series.

READ: Jung Hae-in K-dramas showcasing his versatility

Until this year’s lighthearted rom-com “Love Next Door,” Hae-in’s romance dramas often carried what he described as “somber” tones, delving into social taboos like age differences in relationships in “Something in the Rain” and single parenthood in “One Spring Night.”

In “Snowdrop,” a hit series where he starred alongside Blackpink’s Jisoo, the love story unfolded against the backdrop of a politically turbulent era.

READ: Jung Hae-in on ‘challenge’ of first rom-com

Beyond romance, Hae-in’s wide range of projects also include the military action series "D.P.," the sci-fi thriller "Connect," and the recent action crime film "I, the Executioner."

Acting challenges

Given his diverse portfolio, Hae-in was asked at the press conference about his approach in selecting roles. “Whenever I’m choosing a character that I would portray, it’s very important for me to imagine or draw out in my head if I can portray that character,” he explained.

“But even for characters that I can’t imagine portraying, I still challenge myself because I know it’ll be very rewarding later on,” he added.

A prime example is “Love Next Door,” where Hae-in plays Choi Seung-hyo, a brilliant architect who secretly harbors feelings for his childhood best friend.

Hae-in regards Seung-hyo as his favorite role to date, but bringing the character to life came with its challenges—one of which was learning to swim, as Seung-hyo was once a promising swimmer in his youth.

“I actually don’t know how to swim. So for ‘Love Next Door,’ I especially trained for it to learn how to swim. I’m not afraid of the water anymore,” Hae-in shared.

Reflecting on his time filming "Love Next Door," Hae-in confessed that he did not expect the series' success. 

“Honestly, I didn’t expect ‘Love Next Door’ would receive such a warm reception when we were filming it. So we did our very best without any expectations while filming the drama,” he said.

As he moves on from “Love Next Door” and prepares for his upcoming projects, Hae-in said, “I hope you would also support me in my other genres, other projects aside from rom-coms.”

“I’m already looking at scripts for my dramas and movies next year so each one of them is a challenge for me.”

Fun, playful side

In contrast to the slightly serious demeanor he adopted when discussing his craft, Hae-in displayed a more fun and playful side during the fan meet (presented by CDM Entertainment).

At one point during the show, for instance, everyone was distracted by the sound of fireworks from outside the venue, prompting Hae-in to mimic the fireworks with high-pitched shouts, much to the amusement of the crowd.

While talking about snowboarding, one of his hobbies, Hae-in, dressed in a sleek all-black suit, stood up and pretended to snowboard onstage, even jumping in the process.

In another segment, Hae-in made mais con yelo and enjoyed eating his own creation so much that it took a while—or seemed like he nearly forgot—to start making the same dessert for a few lucky fans.

Throughout the other segments, where he also gave away signed merchandise and serenaded the audience with songs (including “The Truth” from “Love Next Door” and Stephen Sanchez’s “Until I Found You”), Hae-in expressed his heartfelt appreciation for his fans, even indulging their requests for selfies and hugs.

“I hope [this fan meet] could remain as a beautiful and happy memory for you guys. Whenever I visit here in the Philippines, I really feel so grateful because you guys are always cheering for me and make the effort to see me every time I come to Manila,” the actor said towards the end of the three-hour event.

“I'm not really sure if I can have a fan meet tour like this next year as well, but if ever there's an opportunity where I can meet you guys again, I'd like to spend a more fun time with you guys,” he said.