Bench Ambassador Kim Soo-Hyun On Striving To Be A Better Actor

Kim Soo-hyun is here in Manila for a fan meet with top clothing and lifestyle brand Bench—and we were present at his press conference, where we discovered more things about the Hallyu star.

Kim Soo-hyun’s excellent character portrayals have made him a well-loved artist not just in South Korea, but also around the world. His early days as a lead actor in Dream High turned him into a household name. It wasn’t long before people noticed and sang praises for his talent, even snagging several well-deserved Best Actor awards from the likes of Baeksang Arts Awards and Grand Bell Awards.

We loved him in Moon Embracing the Sun, where he played the role of the king of Joseon. We replayed the local favorite My Love From the Star over and over again. We fell for his charms as the adorable hoobae in The Producers. We squealed in delight when he appeared in cameos for Hotel del Luna and Crash Landing on You. And after his release from the mandatory military service, he made a splash with his role as a caregiver at a psychiatric hospital in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay—proving, yet again, why he’s one of the highest paid actors in South Korea. His roles in films The Thieves; Secretly, Greatly; and Real were remarkable and pushed the envelope, too!

Bench, which tapped the 34-year-old Korean actor as one of its ambassadors or #GlobalBENCHsetters last year, brought the actor to the Philippines to meet his loyal supporters here for the “One Extraordinary Day With Kim Soo Hyun” fan meeting, happening tomorrow, June 10, at SM Mall of Asia Arena. The event is named after his latest web series One Ordinary Day, where his character became a murder suspect. 

During the press conference, Metro.Style asked him what he thinks of his growth as an actor from when he debuted to now. Kim Soo-hyun has always been considered as a caliber actor who’s selective about the projects he takes on. And we totally loved his humility and how he even paused to reflect on his answer. He replied, “There are some parts that I was able to develop and there are parts that I kinda lack at this moment. But looking back, there were times that I was great, but I was not aware, so there were some actions that I wasn't able to do now. But of course, I always try my best to bring those memories so I can develop more in the future.”

Clad in an all-black ensemble of a shirt, denim jacket, and jeans—which he said he put together himself—we just had to ask, too, about his personal style and what his favorite Bench pieces are. He’s definitely your casual type of dresser. Kim Soo-hyun said he prefers to wear outfits that are laid-back and comfortable. He also likes to don all-black most times, as well as dark-colored pieces.

Check out the gallery below for more photos of Kim Soo-hyun at his "One Extraordinary Day" press conference with Bench: