NEW!

Lee Chaemin’s Royal Manila Debut: An Unforgettable Night with the ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ Star

The rising South Korean sensation, Lee Chaemin, best known for his captivating role as the king in the hit K-drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, made a triumphant and highly anticipated visit to the Philippines. The actor, celebrated for his dynamic presence and broad acting range, hosted his first Philippine fan meeting, the 2025 LEE CHAE MIN FANMEETING TOUR ‘Chaem-into you’ in MANILA.

Held at the New Frontier Theater on November 23, 2025, the event was a resounding success, meticulously presented by PULP Live World, VARO Entertainment, Pinnalive, and Merry Go Round. The evening was a beautiful testament to the immense love and support Lee Chaemin has garnered globally, particularly from his devoted Filipino fanbase.

Lee Chaemin’s star continues its rapid ascent within the competitive world of Korean entertainment, fueled by his striking combination of innate charm and remarkable versatility. Before solidifying his status as a leading man, he had already impressed audiences and critics alike with memorable roles across a diverse portfolio of dramas, including High Class, Love All Play, Alchemy of Souls, Crash Course in Romance, See You in My 19th Life, Hierarchy, and Crushology 101. However, his portrayal of the monarch in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty truly cemented his position as one of the most promising young talents of his generation.

The fan meeting commenced in a profoundly memorable fashion. As the house lights dimmed and then suddenly surged back to life, Lee Chaemin made his grand entrance on stage. Clad in a crisp white outfit, he commanded attention, not through dialogue, but through music. He began the show by elegantly performing a piano rendition of “Stay With Me,” one of the original soundtracks from his hit series, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. The moment he finished, the theater erupted in thunderous applause.

Waving warmly and greeting the excited crowd, the actor was visibly moved by the overwhelming reception. He acknowledged the passionate energy of the Filipino fans, telling them with genuine appreciation, “With your cheers, there’s nothing I can’t do.” This opening set the tone for an evening defined by reciprocal affection and high-energy interaction.

An Intimate Glimpse: Getting to Know Lee Chaemin

One of the night’s key segments, IN TMI CHAE MIN, hosted by Kring Kim, provided fans with a wonderful opportunity to delve deeper into the star’s personality and lifebeyond his on-screen roles.

The actor shared several personal details, revealing he was born on September 15, 2000, making him 25 years old at the time of the fan meet. His blood type is AB, and his MBTI personality type is ISFP. Known for his towering physique, he confirmed his exact height: a remarkable 190.2 cm. Outside of acting, his favorite pastimes are surprisingly relatable: playing the piano, shooting basketball, and swimming. A self-proclaimed animal lover, he admitted his favorite animal is a puppy and shared that he is a proud owner of two dogs.

Discussing his sartorial preferences, Lee Chaemin mentioned that his personal wardrobe is predominantly monochromatic. “More than really fancy colors, I like white, black, or blue,” he explained, showcasing a preference for simple, classic, and less ornate color palettes.

The actor also provided a glimpse into his daily regimen, which underscores his commitment to physical fitness and self-care. He noted that his immediate morning routine includes showering and attending to his dental and hair care. Furthermore, he maintains an impressive and disciplined workout schedule, committing to 30 minutes of abdominal exercises six days a week, supplemented by a strict diet. With a confident smile, he asserted, “Honestly, I never not have abs,” much to the delight of the audience.

In terms of musical taste, he expressed a profound appreciation for sentimental tunes. “I really love ballad songs, so I listen to a lot of them,” he confessed. He also shared an interesting habit from his filming days for Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, where he would frequently listen to the show’s official soundtracks to help fully immerse himself in his character’s emotional landscape.

Sharing his initial impressions of the capital, Lee Chaemin humorously confessed that his very first thought upon arriving was, “It’s hot!” Having journeyed from the winter chill of Seoul, the immediate tropical heat of Manila was a stark contrast. However, he quickly warmed up to the people, especially after observing the joyous expressions of his fans. He offered a sweet compliment, noting that Filipinos possess “the best smiles,” particularly when he saw the happy faces looking back at him from the theater seats.

A playful moment arose before the segment concluded when Lee Chaemin donned a pair of glasses and momentarily assumed the character of a professor. The sight immediately sparked loud cheers from the audience, fueling excitement and hope that they might see him take on such a scholarly role in a future project. For a final, lighthearted piece of trivia, he revealed his breakfast that morning consisted of pancakes, eggs, fruits, and pineapple.

Chaemin Bank and Heartfelt Connections

Lee Chaemin demonstrated that his talents extend far beyond acting. He is also a proven host, having co-hosted the KBS music program Music Bank for a year and seven months with LE SSERAFIM’s Eunchae. He cleverly incorporated this skill into his fan meeting with a dedicated segment titled Chaemin Bank, where he charmed the crowd by speaking in Tagalog.

He introduced himself with local flair, announcing, “Ako po si Minnie Minnie Chaemin, Bank Manager.” He then smoothly transitioned to the next activity, asking in Tagalog, “I-check na’tin ang line-up para sa araw na ito sa Chaemin Bank.” His efforts to communicate in the local language were met with enthusiastic cheers, which peaked when he playfully asked, “Nagkaon ka na lab?” a regional phrase meaning “Have you eaten yet?”

The fun escalated as the actor willingly participated in various popular dance challenges and displayed aegyo (cute expressions) for the devoted fans. The anticipation and excitement in the theater were palpable as he gracefully granted every spontaneous request from the audience. Reflecting on the memorable interactions, he told his fans, whom he collectively refers to as CHAEMF: “I’m also looking forward to meeting you for a long time, so I wanted to do everything you wanted me to do today.”

The evening was interspersed with truly heartfelt moments. A VCR was shown, featuring a clip of Lee Chaemin’s vlog where he was seen enjoying a meal at a Tonkatsu Hotpot restaurant with his staff. As the video concluded, the biggest surprise of the night unfolded: the actor unexpectedly appeared within the audience. Dressed stylishly in a denim co-ord with a white inner top, he serenaded the crowd up close. Fans felt incredibly fortunate to be so near their idol, with one lucky individual even managing to hand him a mini electric fan to combat the stage heat.

The entertainment continued with the CHAEMISSION Challenge, an interactive guessing game. Lee Chaemin had to use only facial and body expressions to convey answers. The first task involved acting out a food item, which the audience successfully guessed as the famous Filipino dessert, leche flan. The next challenge tested his acting chops, asking fans to identify the food he was eating in a specific scene, which turned out to be black chicken ginseng soup. He confirmed his palate, saying, “I really like the savory [food.]”

In a 60-second charades game, he selected a fan from the crowd. Since he was wearing denim, he chose the fan who was similarly dressed—the same person who had correctly guessed “leche flan.” Together, they performed the vibrant and fast-paced game.

The King of Wishes: Granting Every Desire

The “Tell Me Your Wish” segment was where Lee Chaemin truly demonstrated his “kingly” nature and solidified his deep connection with his fans. He granted every single wish, ensuring each fan felt uniquely seen and loved. For a fan celebrating her birthday, he happily posed for selcas (selfies), created various heart poses with her, and even sang a personalized “Happy Birthday.” When another fan requested a hug, the audience erupted in screams of kilig (a Filipino term for fluttery romantic excitement) as he playfully asked, “Front hug or back hug?”

The ultimate kilig moment of the night was his reenactment of a popular scene from the 2014 Filipino film Starting Over Again, directed by Olivia M. Lamasan and starring Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga. Selecting a fan from the audience to act opposite him, the actor delivered a heart-fluttering performance that caused the entire New Frontier Theater to shake with excitement.

A Promise Kept: Message to Filipino Fans

As the fan meeting neared its emotional conclusion, the fans took their turn to express their love. They surprised Lee Chaemin with a deeply touching video compilation filled with heartfelt greetings and messages, a moment that visibly moved the star.

He made sure to return the sincere thanks, acknowledging how the fans had made his first-ever fan meeting in the Philippines an unforgettable milestone.

“Thank you, and I really love all of you. You are my motivation and strength, and you promise to be with me. I will also try my best not to disappoint you. I promise to show you a better self. Really, I want to thank all of you, and I’ll see you again in the future, right?”

Struggling to find words adequate to express his immense feelings, he concluded: “I’m not really sure if saying ‘I love you’ is enough, but I just really love you this much. Thank you!”

The evening officially drew to a close with a final, poignant performance. Lee Chaemin serenaded the audience with his rendition of “I Find You,” an original soundtrack from Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.

His final words were a heartfelt promise to his devoted followers: “The time I spent with my Manila CHAEMF is one of the best days I’ve spent in my life; I will try my best to become the best actor with all your love and support. Thank you so much, and I love you all.” He explained the significance of the closing song’s lyrics: “The lyrics of the song say, no matter the time and space, I’ll make an effort to find you. Next time we meet together, I hope you’re still gonna be here. Promise? Salamat po!”

Author

  • Mikhaela Javier

    Oppa is Life is a page I created in 2019 when I felt the need for another virtual space to pour out my feels, musings and fangirl experiences. It started as a Facebook fanpage but I later on decided to open other social media accounts because a single Facebook page just doesn’t feel enough.

    View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *