Smart Hallyu Hangouts: Crash landing on Son Ye-jin

In the inaugural episode of the Smart Hallyu Hangouts series of online shows, “Crash Landing on You” (CLOY) star Son Ye-jin revealed she is working on a new drama called “39”. Now it seems actor Lee Tae-hwan may be joining her in this JTBC drama.

“Starting next month, I’ll be working on ’39’. It’s about 39-year-old women and the love and friendship between them. It’s going to be a very down-to-earth story but one that has depth and humor as well,” Ye-jin told her Filipino fans during the Smart Hallyu Hangouts live stream.

Goals as actress

The multi-awarded Korean actress and Smart Signature endorser kicked off the Smart Hallyu Hangouts series in an online event hosted by South Korean comedienne and actress Park Kyung-lim. Meanwhile, joining them from the Philippines was TV host Sam Oh, a South Korean expatriate who has been living in the country for the past 20 years. Oh translated the interview into English in real time for the benefit of Filipino fans.

With all the awards she has already won, what more would Ye-jin like to achieve in her acting career?

“First of all, there have been a lot of people who helped me in my career for me to achieve what I have. I’m looking forward to trying out even more genres and taking on many diverse roles. I’m excited to see what kind of roles I’ll be taking on. From my 20s to my 30s to my 40s obviously there have been transitions, so I’m excited and looking forward to what kind of roles I can play in the future. Roles that can hopefully move your heart,” she said.

Asked what particular kind of role she has in mind, Ye-jin replied: “Renee Zellweger’s role in the movie ‘Judy’ because I saw how the character’s experience, her life and all of those things were kind of acted out in her face. I want to get to a point when as I age, my wrinkles can show how my experiences have been like and use those things to express a character.”

BinJin and Smart

Ye-jin’s CLOY co-star and real-life partner Hyun Bin, who is also a Smart Communications endorser, will be the next celebrity to hold a Smart Hallyu Hangouts virtual fan meet on July 31. While rumors had been circulating for a long time that the two were dating in real life, it was on Jan. 1 this year that they confirmed that they were in a relationship.

On Feb. 14, Smart Communications launched its “Inevitable” advertising campaign featuring BinJin, marking the the first time they were seen together on screen since CLOY — a project that became even more meaningful and timely because of their real-life romance.

One of the most charming things about Ye-jin is her smile. In fact, she’s famous for her eye smile, as well as her hearty laugh.

Responding to a fan question on which aspect of herself she likes the most, she said: “I think I like it best when I can make someone laugh. There’s something about being able to do that to another person that makes me happy. I’m also normally very naughty and playful and I also like to laugh myself. Because I laugh a lot, it also makes the other person feel good, like they’re doing a good job.”

Games and sports

Ye-jin fans would also know that she is incredibly good at all sorts of games. In fact, she’s much better than Hyun Bin, as their game of Mission Pong shows.

And it’s not just with games, but also sports.

“I’ve been doing Pilates for 10 years. I’m very athletic and good at sports. I’m not very good at golf yet. My swing in the YT (YouTube) video maybe looked good but when it comes to the actual game, I wouldn’t say that I’m a professional, more of a beginner. I actually played a role of a caddie one time and I was learning how to play golf but I’m just not very good at it,” she said when asked about her workout routine.

Ye-jin thanked all her Filipino fans for their love and support.

“I hear through the messages and gifts that Filipinos send me that they’re very thankful for helping them get through this difficult time. But I haven’t done anything. All I did was my job. I’m so moved that people from far away, across oceans, feel this way about what I’ve done and I feel very thankful. It almost feels a little odd sometimes but overall I’m just very moved whenever I hear things like this. I thank all of you and I look forward to meeting you all in the Philippines,” she said.

“I had a great time. I’m so happy that we were able to do this online, because of the situation. Would’ve been better if face-to-face but hopefully when pandemic is over, we can do that. When I can, I will absolutely go to the Philippines.”

Son Ye-jin visiting the Philippines? Now that’s a good reason to smile.