Korean actor Park Bo-gum feels a deep connection to Malaysia

Do you know why Malaysia holds a special place in Park Bo-gum’s heart?

That is because he left his heart in Kuala Lumpur when he kicked off his very first Asian tour in 2016-2017, basking in the love of Malaysian fans right here in December 2016.

“Malaysia is where I conducted my very first fan-meet. That is why I feel a special connection to Malaysia,” said the South Korean star during a press conference last Friday at Mandarin Oriental Hotel to promote his Good Day: May Your Everyday Be A Good Day 2019 Asia Tour.

“I’m very excited, though it is my third time coming here, as I miss you all,” said Park, who was last here in March 2018 for the launch of Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone.

The K-drama heartthrob, whose given name Bo-gum means Precious Sword, made good on his promise to his adoring fans when he unveiled his secret weapon at his Park Bo-gum Asia Tour Good Day in Kuala Lumpur which was held at KLCC Plenary Hall on Saturday.

Sitting at the piano and tinkling the ivories, the 25-year-old actor had fans eating out of his hands as he serenaded them with a heartfelt rendition of Belaian Jiwa.

His unusual song choice prompted many young K-pop fans to look up the song on Youtube, to find that it was originally sung by seventies band Carefree and made popular again by nineties band Innuendo.

Park holds a degree in musical theatre, and originally wanted to be a singer-songwriter, but was advised to make his showbiz debut as an actor instead. He recently fulfilled his dream of being a singer when he released his Japanese debut single Bloomin’ in March.

Well-loved for his cheery smile and squeaky clean image, Park is best known for his multiple-award-winning roles in hugely popular K-dramas such as KBS2’s coming-of-age rom-com Love In The Moonlight (2016), where he portrays a Crown Prince dealing with palace intrigue; and tvN’s Reply 1988 (2015), where he plays an autistic genius Go board gaming champion.

His current hit series is tvN’s Encounter (also known as Boyfriend) where plays a freewheeling young man named Kim Jin-hyuk who falls for a prominent politician’s daughter.

He pointed out that portraying the character showed him the importance of treating people well.

“The main point is: Don’t take the people around you for granted. I feel that the similarity between us is that Jin-hyuk knows how to appreciate his surroundings and the people around him. It is a quality I want to continue to nurture so that I can appreciate each day,” he stressed.

However, Jin-hyuk’s spontaneous nature and his ability to profess his feelings is what sets them apart. “Personally, it would be difficult for me to confess my feelings towards my partner but this character frequently takes the direct approach,” he added.

Meanwhile, Park’s latest big screen project is a sci-fi flick where he plays the titular character Seo Bok, in a modern take on the tale of the Qin Dynasty Taoist alchemist Xu Fu who was sent by Qin Shi Huang to find the elixir of immortality.

“I feel very thankful to be cast as Seo Bok, where the character I portray holds the secret to eternal life as he is the first human clone. Thanks to the film, I got the opportunity to work together with senior actor Gong Yoo whom I admire. Please keep a lookout for to the movie and support it with your love.”

“Looking back, I’ve been meeting fans regularly year after year, since 2016. I really appreciate all the love and support you have been giving me all this while. So, I wish for more of this to come in the future,” he added.