The deal involves the global superstar appearing in billboards wearing the latest fashion from Bench and a special appearance in Manila. A team has already flown to Korea earlier this year to do a photo shoot featuring Hyun Bin.
By ALEX Y. VERGARA
Is your crush landing soon?
Star-struck Filipinos, especially fans of the hit Netflix K-drama series Crash Landing on You, starring Korean heartthrob Hyun Bin and Son-Ye Jin, were abuzz with excitement when Ben Chan, chairman of Suyen Corp., declared earlier today on his Instagram account @bcbench, through a short video message written in all-caps, that “YOUR CRUSH, LANDING SOON.”
Ben’s post was an obvious play on words on the series’ title, which revolves around two star-crossed lovers, a South Korean woman named Yoon Se-ri who went paragliding and accidentally crash-lands in the Demilitarized Zone and into the arms of dashing North Korean elite Police Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok played by Hyun Bin.
Ben, the marketing man behind homegrown global lifestyle brand Bench, among other local brands, further went on to titillate his followers with this caption: “After months of keeping it a secret, the wait is all over.”
In an exclusive phone interview with PeopleAsia, Ben finally confirmed the obvious: “It’s not that we’re getting Hyun Bin. We’ve gotten him already!”
The deal involves the global superstar appearing in billboards wearing the latest fashion from Bench and a special appearance in Manila. A team has already flown to Korea earlier this year to do a photo shoot featuring Hyun.
“Only God can tell,” says Ben, when asked when Hyun’s Filipino fans in Manila would finally get to see their idol in the flesh. “Once it’s safe for everyone to travel, he’s definitely flying to Manila.”
When that time comes, Filipino K-drama fans are in for a special treat, as Ben also plans to fly in at around the same time Ji Chang Wook, another popular Korean actor who stars in Healer.
“Hopefully, we will do that late this year,” says Ben. “But to be on the safe side, we might do it early next year instead.”
As for Hyun’s billboards, Ben and his team have agreed to delay their unveiling in keeping with public sensibilities because of the pandemic. The release will all be a matter of timing and good taste, he assures.
A big K-drama fan himself, Ben is confident that getting Hyun, especially at this time when retail has been greatly impacted by the lockdown, would reinvigorate Suyen Corp.’s sales while “making people happy.” Heaven knows, we could all use some positive news these days.
“Like Richard Gomez, Hyun is a popular matinee idol,” says Ben, in reference to the first TV ad a young Goma did way back in the late ’80s for the then fledgling Bench brand. Set against a dramatic musical score and with no dialogue, the iconic ad featured the sports-minded actor as a rower.
“Getting Hyun Bin was a no-brainer. Of course, he’s very pleasant and good-looking, facts not lost on countless people who have watched him in CLOY (the show’s title’s abbreviation),” Ben continues.
Apart from citing his popularity and good reputation, Ben is also impressed by Hyun’s talent. For his performance in CLOY, says Ben, Hyun has become one of the leading contenders for best actor in this year’s Korean Oscars.
Because of the lockdown as a result of the pandemic, it has been a tough three months, Ben admits. He’s banking on Hyun’s endorsement to add to Bench’s brand recall and help reinvigorate sales—even at a fraction of what they were before. At the same time, the fact that he’s Bench’s new brand ambassador is likely to stir interest among his fans living in various countries.
“Because retail has already become global, it’s not uncommon for Koreans to ask their Filipino friends here to buy Bench items their idols wore and have them sent to Korea,” he says.
Likewise, Ben is optimistic that sales are likely to pick up once all their shops are allowed to open. Under the current setup, only a handful of Bench shops have reopened recently.
“Sales won’t be the same as before,” he admits. “It will take sometime before we could again reach those levels. But I’ve always remained hopeful.”
Posted six hours ago, Ben’s video teaser, as of this writing, has so far generated 29,823 views, 7,818 likes and 2,044 comments.
“The response to my post has been overwhelming,” he gushes. “I expected quite a bit of positive response, but it surpassed my expectations. People who follow me, but whom I don’t often hear from, suddenly went out of their way to comment and tell me on Instagram how excited they are.”
Having done this countless times before using various celebrities here and abroad, Ben knows that he’s made the right decision in tapping Hyun Bin. Meanwhile, Smart Communications has also released a teaser of its own, also on Instagram: “The Captain is coming. Watch out for the big RiVeal.”
Be there when your crush finally lands in Manila.
