Park Bo-gum Fan Meet: Why Philippines Is Probably Off The List
For the fans of Park Bo-gum, there’s good news and bad news. The Hallyu star recently announced that he will be hosting a fan meet in eight countries across Asia.
Park Bo-gum will start off his fan meet at Malaysia and then head to Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, and China, according to a report by Korea Times.
His grand Asia tour will culminate in South Korea before the end of the year.
“The upcoming fan meetings will be a special occasion for Park Bo-gum to hold proper meetings with his fans not only at home but also across Asia. They will be made up of various programs through which Park and his fans can talk and enjoy themselves,” announced Blossom Entertainment, the agency that handles the actor’s account.
While fans across Asia are excited about seeing their favorite Hallyu star in flesh and blood, those in the Philippines are left in the lurch. Despite a huge fan following, the young South Korean heartthrob will not be making a stop at Manilla. Fans from the Philippines expressed their disappointment on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Mark your calendars and save the date to meet Park Bo Gum on December 10th in Malaysia !#IMEMALAYSIA #PARKBOGUM pic.twitter.com/hHUG9pKR3j
— iMe Malaysia (@imemalaysia) November 4, 2016
Considering the enormous number of Hallyu fans in the country, it does seem unusual to not include the Philippines as part of Park Bo-gum’s Asia tour. However, one cannot blame Blossom Entertainment for leaving the Philippines off the list, as all is not well in the country at this precise moment.
After the country’s president Rodrigo Détente declared a controversial drug war, dead bodies are turning up in cities across the Philippines. Recently, Philippine police killed Rolando Espinosa, a mayor in his jail cell in a purported gun battle, a report by CBS News stated. Considering the bloodshed and uncertain political scenario, it is best for Park Bo-gum to stay away from the Philippines for a while.
Personally, Park Bo-gum too had his share of bitter experience at the airport in the Philippines. According to a report by Korea Times, a few “rude” fans tried to grope him at Mactan Cebu International Airport. The ever-smiling Park Bo-gum expressed discomfort when a few eager fans touched him. Despite this episode, the actor said he has a high regard for the Philippines and his fans in the Philippines.
Recently, Park Bo-gum, along with his crew from Moonlight Drawn By Clouds, went to Cebu on a holiday.
“I did not have activities in the Philippines before, but many fans recognized me and greeted me with overflowing cheers. Moonlight Drawn by Clouds was said to have aired through KBS World. I didn’t know that,” Park Bo-gum told KPop Herald. The KBS period drama ended last month after recording viewership ratings above 20 percent. According to Nielsen Korea, the drama took the number one spot on the prime-time ratings surpassing a viewership rating of 20 percent in September, said a report by Inquisitr.
The actor said that he also enjoyed the local cuisine in the Philippines.
“The travel agency there booked Korean restaurants throughout the entire schedule. One day, Kwak Dong-yeon and I skipped the Korean dishes there, without telling anyone, and had local food,” he said.
“We couldn’t have been more pleased. What an escape!” he added. According to Blossom Entertainment, the actor’s agency, Park’s popularity has also translated into more business.
“He’s firmly established himself as a lead actor through this drama. We’re getting more than three times as many requests as before for his appearance in dramas,”said Seung Byeong-wook, a senior official at Park’s management agency Blossom Entertainment, according to a report by Yonhap.
The agency will keep the fans updated about Park Bo-gum’s Asia tour. If all goes well, Park Bo-gum will also visit China and few other countries later. Perhaps the Philippines will be on the actor’s list at a later date.
[Featured Image by Ahn Young-joon/AP Images]
