Local fans go make-up free for Song Ji Hyo
Local fans go make-up free in hopes of catching actress' attention
Just for their idol Song Ji Hyo, they went "ugly" for a night.
Five local female fans of the Korean star turned up at the Emergency Couple Fan Meet on Friday in a state they claim was their biggest nightmare - without make-up.
But there was a method to their madness.
Bearing placards that read "Look Here, No Make-up. Choose Me!", the group was hoping that their make-up-free gambit would catch the attention of their favourite star, so that they would be picked to go on stage to play games with her.
MAKE-UP FREE
After all, Song, 32, is renowned for her bare-faced beauty. She often appears on Korean variety show, Running Man, where she is a cast member, au naturel.
"We came up with this idea because Song Ji Hyo looks so beautiful without make-up and in an industry where looks are so important, she doesn't care if people see her in her natural state.
"That sends out a powerful message," said cafe owner Soh Min Si, 30, who declined to have her make-up free group's picture taken.
Ms Soh and her four friends, all self-confessed make-up addicts, were at Kallang Theatre for the fan meet with Song and her Emergency Couple co-star Choi Jin Hyuk, 28.
In the hit Korean drama, the duo play a divorced couple whose paths cross again when they work at the same hospital.
Emergency Couple airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10pm on channel M (SingTel mio TV CH 518 and StarHub TV Ch 824).
On Friday night, the crowd at theKallang Theatre, about 1,600 of them, screamed wildly the moment Song and Choi appeared on stage.
While Song was outgoing and bubbly, Choi appeared shy, seemingly overwhelmed by the fan's passion.
When asked how she maintains her looks, Song said: "I eat well... I also make sure I wash my face very thoroughly. This is all about going back to basics."
Song and Choi were then asked to pick fans from the audience to go on stage to play games with them.
Many eager fans jumped up and down, waving their arms, posters and whatever they could get their hands on to get the pair's attention.
The lucky ones ended up playing a ball game and re-enacting scenes from Emergency Couple with Song and Choi.
In one particular scene, the fan's task was to put a stethoscope in their chosen celebrity's ears, while placing the other end on their own chest and then profess their love for them.
GAVE HER ALL
One fan shocked Choi when she dragged him by the arm dramatically and acted the scene out, no holds barred.
Choi said later to loud laughter from the audience: "I was so shocked (at her behaviour) I hit my teeth on my microphone!"
Unfortunately for Miss Soh and her make-up free friends, baring their faces was not enough to catch Song's attention.
Marketing manager Louisa Tang, 32, who was part of the group, said that their sacrifice was still worth it.
"When we washed off our foundation and mascara after work, we looked bad, it was scary.
"My husband has never even seen this 'ugly side' of me. It took a lot of guts to make our way here and sit through this."
Ms Tang added: "But you know what, although we didn't get picked to go on stage to play games with Song Ji Hyo, just seeing her and being brave enough to do this was strangely very empowering."
When we washed off our foundation and mascara after work, we looked bad, it was scary. My husband has never even seen this 'ugly side' of me.
- Marketing manager Louisa Tang, on going to the fan meet without make-up
We learnt from each other
Emergency Couple actors Choi Jin Hyuk and Song Ji Hyo opened up about their imperfections, and each other, when they met the media here in Singapore.
1 You were voted as the most beautiful natural beauty in a recent poll in Korea. How did you feel about that? What would you say is your favourite feature?
Song: "It was an honour. However, I still have a lot of flaws, it's just that I want to show my natural side to the audience instead of covering up the things that I'm not happy with. As I age, a different side of me will show and I hope people will like this natural progression as well. I like my smile."
2 How do you feel about your accomplishments so far?
Choi: "A lot of times (in my career), I wanted to give up. I'm a candid and honest person and I want to say the things I want to say. This is not suited for the entertainment industry. I (also) felt that I wasn't a good enough actor. For Emergency Couple, I felt pressure to perform so I'm very thankful for Ji Hyo and the rest of the cast as they were good to work with."
3 In the scene where you had a big fight, did you get hurt?
Song: "The top priority for scenes like these is safety so we had many rehearsals to prepare for it. We had to break a lot of expensive things as we were throwing them around, that was such a pity (because it's such a waste)."
4 How do you feel about each other?
Song: "Before I got to know him, I thought he looked like a very strong person. I then found out that he's very friendly, hardworking and passionate about his work. He really loves what he does. I really enjoyed working with him."
Choi: "She's a very caring person and very friendly and would take care of all the people on set, including the extras. I have a lot to learn from her, she's a very compassionate person."
5 What was the most memorable scene for you in Emergency Couple?
Choi: "For me, it was the last scene where we can see the development of the characters. It wasn't about the romance between our characters but more because the whole cast was involved. It was more emotional, that's why it was memorable."
Song: "The huge fight scene we had, as it explained the premise of the drama. It showed why the relationship wasn't working out between us before."
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