Fresh from Taiwan, Asian superstars Wu Chun(吳尊) and Calvin Chen(辰亦儒) immediately attended their series of guestings here in the Philippines. Their first stop was Entertainment Live where lots of Pinoy fans welcomed the dashing stars of the hit Taiwanese soap Romantic Princess, which is currently airing on ABS-CBN. Soon after that, they went to a strictly by-invitation press conference where the local media got to know them better.
Among all the Asian heartthrobs who came here in the past, Chun and Calvin were the ones who are most well-informed about Philippines. Indeed, they revealed that this is not their first visit in the country.“I know a lot. Because I run a health club in Brunei and almost 80% of my staff are from the Philippines. That’s why I come here every now and then to interview (applicants). And I (have tried) mango ice cream and yema ice cream when I was like 6-years-old. Because there are a lot of Filipinos in Brunei, I get to eat the ice-cream,” said Chun, who was born and raised in Brunei.Calvin on the other hand was able to visit Philippines once for vacation. “I came here like 10 years ago with my family because I know there are so many places in the Philippines which are good for resorts and trips. One of my friends also came here just last week. And I remember when I was a kid the seafood here was pretty nice and very yummy!” he exclaimed.
When asked if they knew that they are very popular among the Filipinos, Calvin replied that they didn’t. In fact, they were quite worried that only a selected few would be waiting for their arrival. Chun further explained, “When we have activities in other countries, sometimes there are fans from the Philippines who write letters for us and say, ‘Hey, come to the Philippines! You have a lot of fans here.’ But we were not sure how many. And now that we’re here, were really happy to see that a lot of people are really supporting our drama. And we thank ABS-CBN and GTN for this opportunity.” To top it all, they also expressed their desire to work with Filipino actresses when given the chance. As for now though, they have a tight schedule due to their upcoming Asian tour with two of the other members of their boy band known as Fahrenheit.
Fahrenheit vs. F4
Since the mention of their group popped up, the press prodded them about being compared to F4 of the hit Taiwanese series MeteorGarden. Both Chun and Calvin refused to say who’s more popular between the two groups these days. Chun even claimed that F4 is “still big in Taiwan” and that both F4 and Fahrenheit have their fair share of supporters. As for being at par with F4, Chun’s opinion on the subject merely emphasized his down-to-earth personality.“I think we still have a lot of things to learn. We are just new. We’ve been in showbiz for just three years. And I think F4 has been in this business for seven years or so. (And besides), we can’t judge this by ourselves. But what’s important is that in all our dramas and record albums, we do our very best and hope that we get good results.”
Sing or Act?
Like most actor-singers, Chen and Calvin enjoy the best of both worlds. But their sense of fulfillment doesn’t only stem from being able to do what they love to do but also from the priceless experience of meeting their avid fans. “I remember one day I talked to Chun and the other members of Fahrenheit and said, ‘Isn’t it weird that we have shook so many hands’. Like how many people can get this experience in their whole life. To be in this business is really a special experience for me. There is so much love from the fans wherever we go,” Calvin gushed.As for Chun’s part, “We love both. When we’re singing on stage, we’re face to face with our audience, to all the fans. And you can get their support and love in a straight and direct way. And when we are being actors, the audience, they start to love you as the character you are acting. So I think (sense of fulfillment) is quite different.”
The Real Us
In Romantic Princess, Calvin is a happy-go-lucky flirt who never had a serious relationship while Chun is cast as the responsible type. Hence, Calvin quickly set the record straight about his personality off cam. “I have to say that I’m not a playboy in real life. I’m outgoing in real life but I’m not a playboy. I don’t fool around between girls. And when I found my true love I will be really serious,” he stressed. Chun on the other hand revealed that he shared lots of similarities with his character in the story. “In the drama, Jin worked very hard for his career and he’s willing to leave his family and go on his own. And this kind of direction is what I’m doing right now.”
Still Single
With their drop-dead gorgeous looks, charming smile, and well-built frame, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Chun and Calvin are taken. But it seems that even in their late 20’s, it would be a long time before they get themselves a steady girlfriend. “No time to date. Our company would say, ‘You can have a girlfriend, we don’t mind.’ But you know, with our (hectic schedule), there’s no time for us to have a girlfriend at all,” Chun laughingly shared.
Catch more of Wu Chun and Calvin Chen tomorrow on ASAP 08 and The Buzz. Also keep it here on ABS-CBN.com for more updates on their two-day stay here in the Philippines.
Source: ABS CBN (Philippines)
Credits: ELF Philippines@Asianfanatics
Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:44 pm