KOREAN actor Hwang In Youp looked dapper in his grey suit paired with white sneakers. It was the actor’s first time back in the Philippines since his high school and college days in Davao City.
Cosmetics brand BYS Philippines brought the Korean actor over for the BYS Fun Meet in Manila at the New Frontier Theater in Araneta City on June 19.
“I did live in Davao for four years. It’s been about 10 years since I saw my friends, but we still keep in touch,” Mr. Hwang said in a press conference at EDSA Shangri-la Hotel in the morning of the event.
Mr. Hwang was a model before pursuing a career in entertainment. His debut role was in the web drama W.H.Y. (2018). He then took on television dramas including Freshman (2019), The Tale of Nokdu (2019), and 18 Again (2020). He gained further recognition in True Beauty (2020), and currently stars in Netflix’s Sound of Magic.
ON SELF-CAREAt the press conference, Mr. Hwang revealed his skincare routine: using the complete line of Skin by BYS to get the full glowing effect. He said he also splashes his face with cold water at the end of his shower.
“As a young child, whenever we would step out, my parents would always put sunscreen on me and that has become a habit,” Mr. Hwang said.
“If I’m in an outdoor shoot, and I was under the sun a lot, I usually [do a] hydrating mask at night,” he said.
“And the most important thing is to keep a positive attitude.”
In September 2021, BYS Cosmetics signed Mr. Hwang to join its roster of brand ambassadors. He was the face of its #UncoverTrueBeauty campaign that coincided with the launch of the Skin by BYS Minis — the travel-sized edition of the brand’s skincare line.
As the brand name BYS stands for “Be Yourself,” Mr. Hwang stated that his philosophy in life relates to the brand’s.
“I think as you live life, you get to a point where you become critical of yourself and maybe even hate yourself,” he said. “I think it’s important to switch that to loving yourself, because it is only in loving yourself that you are able to go to the next step which is loving others.”
A NIGHT WITH FANSDuring the fan meet, the BYS brand ambassador answered questions and played several games on stage with audience members. He performed the song “It Starts Today,” which is in the soundtrack of the TV show True Beauty where he starred as Han Seo Jun. He also handed out signed posters to 100 lucky fans.
As for his future projects as an actor, Mr. Hwang wants to explore genres he has not done yet.
“It hasn’t been that long since my debut. So, now the focus is not on what kind of role I would like to portray, but perhaps what genre I would like to explore,” he said. “Even before that, it was really about me wanting to show you my skills as a talented actor.”
Mr. Hwang was thankful to have been received well by his fans during his Manila visit. “To be receiving this kind of love is fascinating and I am grateful for it,” he said. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
