Please re-post with full credits! Thanks! ^^
Editor's Note
Say Hello to Hallyu.
Easly this month, I had the privilege of being one of the editors invited to travel all the way to Seoul, Korea to have an exclusive one-on-one interview with The Face Shop celebrity endorser, Kim Hyun Joong. For those of you not familiar with his name, then you don't understand the repercussions of this trip: I am now the envy of girls aged eight to 80 everywhere. KHJ as his fans like to refer him is the biggest star this side of the Hallyu wave. Whatyu, say you? Find out all about this phenomenon, starting on page 18.
KHJ is part of a new generation of men who are just as conscious of their appearance as women are and to them it's no big deal. In this issue, we offer gift ideas for these men, such as fragrances and accessories. For the guys reading, you might want to rip out the pages of stuff you like and leave them lying around as hints for Christmas wish list.
And as we wind down the month of November, we appreciate December with a little trepidation. Like most people, we will feverishly do our best to meet all deadlines while shopping for everyone on our list, not to mention attending parties, reunions, and events every day before Christmas Eve! Good luck to us and to you!
NATIONAL TREASURE
Style Weekend flies to Seoul, Korea and gets an exclusive interview with The Face Shop's celebrity endorser and K-pop phenomenon, Kim Hyun Joong
by Liza Ilarde
First, a little listen on this Korean invasion known as the Hallyu wave: According to Wikipedia (and they're quite reliable on this), the term Hallyu was the first coined in 1999 by Beijing journalists when they recognized the fast-growing popularity of Korean culture and entertainment in China. From there, this fever for anything Korean spread throughout the rest of Asia and eventually landed in the Philippines via Koreanovelas, which are followed daily by fiercely loyal fans.
The first Hallyu wave began with a TV series: Winter Sonata, starring Bae Yong Joon, who happens to be the original The Face Shop face. This Koreanovela sparked the overwhelming and steadily increasing interest in Korean culture, pop culture, music and fashion. Then there was a second "wave," which many attribute to another Koreanovela, Boys Over Flowers (which is based on the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango, and is a remake of Taiwanese "Chinovela" Meteor Garden starring Jerry Yan remember that craze?). This romantic, over-the-top, and super-styled series captured the attention of women all ages, and its second lead, Kim Hyun Joong, was catapulted to superstardom in K-Pop land. Girls soon discovered his (now-defunct) boy band SS501; at the same time, other groups were also gaining massive popularity, like Super Junior and MTV EMA awardee Big Bang, as well as girl bands Girls Generation, Kara, and 2NE1. With cute "idols", catchy songs, riveting dance moves, and fierce fashion, K-Pop gained a huge following in no time. Suddenly, K-Pop ruled the airwaves, YouTube, MTV, and even invaded the fashion and beauty realm (just look at the popularity of The Face Shop in the Philippines).
It doesn't end there. During a trip to Seoul, I noticed the amount of beauty stores all over the city. In the shopping district of Myeong Dong alone, I counted no less than five The Face Shop stores it seemed like there was one each time I turned a corner! But what was even more amazing were the faces that fronted these stores: They were all male. It appears to be a mainly Korean phenomenon to have a male celebrity endorse a beauty brand, and as Kim Hyun Joong himself told me during the interview, it was not a big deal. For men of his generation, he says skin care is important and isn't just for women.
It doesn't end there. During a trip to Seoul, I noticed the amount of beauty stores all over the city. In the shopping district of Myeong Dong alone, I counted no less than five The Face Shop stores
And he must be doing something right. Sitting across him at a suite on 21st floor of Koreana Hotel, I am amazed at how flawless his skin is.(I have witness this myself and I tell you, he REALLY IS FLWALESS ^^) Someone once joked to me that Koreans have no pores and right here could be the evidence.(Indeed! ^^) He looked smart and stylish in a dark blue double-breasted slim suit, a long-sleeved white shirt with the top two buttons undone(gasp! *fans myself*), a pair of brown antique-finish leather brogues, and an expensive -looking chronograph watch all topped by a shock of strawberry blonde tousled hair and that famous killer smile (definitely a killer!!!!). Er, where was I?
The Kim Hyun Joong I've seen on TV and in music videos animated, energetic, flirty, full of wicked dance moves is very different from the one in front of me. In person, he was reserved, composed, and very polite, answering my questions with purpose through an interpreter. Excerpts from my interview with the 25-year-old K-pop phenomenon:
You actually started out as a singer, right?
Uh-huh.
And recently your latest album Lucky debuted at number 5 on the Billboard World Album chart. How do you feel about the success of your album?
I put a lot of effort into making this album, so for it to become very successful, I am, of course, very happy.
However, it also puts a lot of pressure on me to make an even better album net time. Next time, I want to rank even higher than just fifth place in the World Album Charts. (I actually think that it is not impossible to grab the number 1 spot. ^^)
Which one is your favorite song in the album?
I like all the songs on the album, of course, but my favoriteone is "Lucky Guy" it's the title track of the album. I liked that song the most that's why it became the title of the album.
I'm sure you have more albums planned for the future. Is there any particular artist or musician that you would like to collaborate with for an album?
Yes, I would like very much to do a collaboration, and I am actually in the planning stages of one although I can't confirm yet with which artist. I want to surprise my fans with these future plans. It's still a secret (smiles). (why don't you do a collaboration with fellow SS501 members. ^^ That would really surprise us fans! ^^)
When will you come out with this collaboration?
If plans push through, by early next year.
And will these plans include an Asian concert tour?
Not just an Asian tour I'm planning to go on a world tour by sometime in the middle of next year.
Sounds like we'll have to wait a while...
Right now, I'm preparing for a new drama series. I can't reveal the title yet because I'm still choosing from a lot of scripts. So nothing is concrete, but I start shooting early next year.
Well, you have a lot of fans in the Philippines, so we hope that Manila will be part of your world tour next year.
Yes, I promise! I definitely want the Philippines to be one of the destinations in the world tour, so I'm doing my best to make that happen. (we will wait for you here Hyun Joong! ^^)
KHJ♥TFS
A few waves of the face of The Face Shop
When in Seoul, you're never far from a The Face Shop store. It isn't hard to spot one, thanks to the giant photos and life-size cardboard cutouts of Kim Hyun Joong. He shares with Style Weekend his thoughts on the brand, skin care and BB Creams.
What are your favorite products from The Face Shop?
I prefer the BB Cream from The Face Shop. I also like the moisturizing line. As a celebrity, I always have to put on a lot of makeup; and at the same time I also have to do a lot of removing of the make up. It can be rough on the skin, so I need to apply the moisturizing creams and emulsions after.
What should every guy have in his grooming kit?
Guys have yo go to work and to school, so I think they should use sunblock regularly. When grooming themselves, I also recommend the BB Cream. I think these are the most important products they should own.
So men should also use BB Cream?
With our generation, we don't think of these products as "for women only". We men also use these products. And I really recommend that guys use the BB Cream regularly, as I do.
For store locations of The Face Shop in the Philippines, go to international.thefaceshop.com
credits: Manila Bulletin
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