South Korean actress Park Eun-bin explained the name of her fanmeet in Manila. She called her fanmeeting as “Note: Binkan.” Binkan is a Korean word that translates to empty space. This important detail was revealed during the fanmeet after days of speculation on what the word means.
“I would like to fill my notebook with sparkling memories of my fans in Manila,” she told the audience.
She opened her show performing Red Velvet Joy’s upbeat and catchy “Hello.” Park wore a short dress with puffy sleeves along with white strappy shoes that looked similar to what she wore earlier in the press conference.
The opening song was different from her Seoul fanmeet. She said she chose the song for Manila because she wanted to express her excitement about meeting the fans. She wrote “hellos” in different languages, including “kamusta” for her foreign fans. Those handwritten words were flashed on the screen behind her.
But that’s not the only thing she prepared for her Manila fans.
Preparation and dedication
“Magandang araw! Ako po si Park Eun-bin. Ikinagagalak kong makita kayo,” she said. She also waved at the fans on the second level of the theater. “Nakikita niyo ba ako sa second floor? Salamat sa pagpunta! Salamat po!”
This was not just a one-off paragraph that she learned for the introduction. She would use Filipino words—even slang—correctly such as “Talaga?” “Oo” and “Sana all” throughout the show. Park Eun-bin took the time to learn about the Philippines and its people. And this magnified her charms. She took on her fanmeet the way she takes on roles: with preparation and dedication.
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“I study the script very well, and once I’m done reading. I build the character’s details and parts step by step,” she said.
Then there’s also her sincerity that naturally wins people over. Typically, hosts at fanmeets and concerts are there to introduce the stars of the show, and keep the fans entertained in between costume changes or transitions between artists to avoid dead air.
Doing the unexpected
But Park didn’t follow what was typical and expected of her. She was the one to introduce host Kring Kim during the show. Kim came out a little flustered and very much flattered that the global star would do her the honor of introducing her.
In a press conference earlier that day, Park talked about meeting her Filipino fans.
“This is my first time in an international fan meeting. The Philippines is my first stop. A lot of Filipino fans have been sending me messages, and finally, I am here,” she said excitedly. She expressed worry that perhaps not a lot of fans would turn up for her fanmeet. But they did.
They came in groups, with their friends and families. Their ages ranged from young children to senior citizens. There were several fanboys, too, who enthusiastically joined the games.
First fanmeet
While this is Park’s first fanmeet, it’s not her first time in the country.
“We visited Cebu after our shooting. I have good memories of it, so it’s a place that I would like to visit again,” she said.
She confessed that she loves adventurous activities. She said, “I would like to try activities that can only be done here in the Philippines. But I do not know what they are.”
This was her way of asking suggestions from the fans.
Park started out young in acting. She debuted when she was 5 years old. Some of her projects include “Do You Like Brahms?” and “The King’s Affection.” But it’s the series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” that propelled her to global stardom.
“Even if we come from different countries and cultures, we speak different languages, I’m thankful to everyone for all the love and support ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ received,” she said.
The actress spoke about how she started acting and what made her realize that she could be good at it. “Oral narration and speeches were popular when I was younger. That’s when I realized that maybe I can also try acting,” she said.
When asked what she would say to her 10-year-old self, she said, “I will tell her, ‘Something good will happen to you after 21 years.’”
Dream role
She told the press that she loves acting because it allows her to live and act out a life completely different from her own. Park revealed that her dream role is to play the lead in a romantic comedy. Park said that she looks forward to doing something that she has not done in the past. Her fans, in particular, would write letters to her begging her to play a lead character in a romantic story in the future.
She sees herself as someone who would probably would have become a teacher or fashion designer if she didn’t become an actress. But there were so many things that she wanted to do.
Atty. Woo was obsessed with whales, but Park is obsessed with rabbits. It showed. She arrived in the country wearing a rabbit T-shirt. She drew rabbits on the eco bags that were given away as prizes to her fans. Her Bingos (fandom name) wore rabbit accessories during the fanmeet.
“Call me leader of the rabbits,” she said.
Foodie
But this is not her only difference from her famous character. She said that unlike Atty. Woo, she saw a lot of whales in person.
“In Korea, a lot of people eat gimbap because it’s convenient and can be eaten quickly, but I prefer ramyeon,” she said.
When she arrived in her hotel room, a lot of Filipino snacks were prepared for her. She said that she tasted everything even when she cannot remember what they were called. They were all delicious according to her.
Park Eun-bin continued to impress the press with her use of Filipino words while in Manila. Her experience in the country was described as “sobrang maganda” and she said “ang saya-saya ko” when asked how she feels being in the country. The presscon ended with her saying, “Magandang araw po. Mahal ko kayo.”
At the fanmeet, she also surprised the fans with a Philippine-only performance. She performed MYMP’s version of “Especially For You.”
Park started her event with a clean slate, but by the time it ended, it was filled with memories unique to her Filipino fans, just the way she planned it.
