If there’s a senior citizens’ circle for long-time K-drama fans, I think I would qualify. I have been riding the Hallyu wave since the early 2000s, when subtitles came late and buffering tested your patience. So, watching one of Korea’s most beloved A-listers, Song Joong Ki, evolve through the years feels like a gift.
From Descendants of the Sun to Vincenzo to Reborn Rich, I have always seen Song Joong Ki as the typical gentleman, composed, formal, and just a bit nonchalant, almost untouchable. But that changed during his May 24 I AM SONG JOONG KI: Live in Manila fan meet and press conference hosted by IAMWorldwide and handled by Publicity Asia. This time, he let fans into a warmer and a bit of a “Tito” version of himself. And that made him even more endearing.
The family man
In an industry where many stars tread carefully around their private lives, it was refreshing to see how openly Joong Ki spoke about his family. Asked about his first morning in the Philippines, he didn’t default to generic hotel breakfasts or jet lag. Instead, he smiled and readily said, “I woke up at 7:00 a.m. because my baby called [via a] videocall. I woke up and I said ‘hi’ to my babies.”
Let that sink in. This K-drama icon, known for heartbreak and high-stakes drama, is now happiest in the quiet of fatherhood.
“When I think about family, that’s when happiness really hits the emotions,” he said through an interpreter, adding, “I’m at my happiest when my babies sleep well.”
Since marrying British actress Katy Louise Saunders in early 2023 and welcoming two children, Joong Ki has gracefully stepped into a new and exciting role: a doting dad. And he seems to have embraced it so well.
From guns to roses
What’s more unexpected than a “mafia consigliere” learning the art of floral arrangement? Preparing for his new series, My Youth, Song Joong Ki took up flower arranging, and he’s surprisingly good at it. At the fan meet, he was handed raw flowers and fillers on stage and, in minutes, assembled a bouquet with both confidence and charm.
The result? A kilig-worthy moment with award-winning actress Janice de Belen, a long-time fan who looked visibly giddy as she received the arrangement from Joong Ki.
The final surprise? Song Joong Ki is low-key interested in Filipino snacks. He repeatedly mentioned during the Q&A his wish to check out and explore local supermarkets. He briefly shared wanting to hunt down biscuits once gifted by a Filipino friend. That’s a cute Tito moment right there.
Throughout the press conference and fan meet, Joong Ki also kept slipping in Tagalog words or phrases, giving the media a natural and polite “Salamat!” every time an interviewer’s turn ends.
Joong Ki didn’t sing or dance at his fan meet. Well, he didn’t have to. Joong Ki’s face card and sincerity did the work. He laughed, listened, played games, generously gave time to pose for selfies, and gave warm hugs. That is proof that sometimes, the real performance isn’t in the spotlight but in the quiet ways a person shows up, fully present.
Joong Ki reminded us that no matter how far you rise to fame in entertainment, it’s the simplest role of a dad, a husband, and a friend that reveals the best kind of leading man.
