Dae Jang Geum

Jewel in the Palace fever surely has swept the land, but no one was more overwhelmed by the popularity of GMA Network’s top-rating primetime Koreanovela in the Philippines than the stars of the show themselves, Mi-Kyung Yang (who plays Lady Han) and Jeong-Eun Cho (who plays the young Jang Geum), who visited Manila last March 22. They left on March 24.

“I’ve heard that Jewel in the Palace is popular in the Philippines, but when I went here, that’s when I really felt it,” an ever-smiling Jeong-Eun Cho, 10, gushed as she spoke to Tess Bomb through an interpreter during her interview for the GMA-7 morning talk show SIS.

“That’s why we’re here, to thank the Filipinos,” says Yang also through an interpreter during the interview she did for the showbiz talk show Startalk. She and Cho said that learning of the show’s popularity in the country was the primary reason for their visit. “I would like to thank the Filipinos for their support for the show and making it no.1,” said the actress who plays the well-loved Lady Han, the wise and compassionate mentor of Jang Geum (Lee Young Ae), the show’s lead character.

Little did they know that they would experience the intensity of the Jewel in the Palace fever in the country first-hand. They were surprised and overwhelmed by the throng of supporters that attended the Koreanovela Day last March 23. Over 8,000 fans flocked to the Market! Market! Activity Center at Fort Bonifacio to see Lady Han and young Jang Geum in the flesh. Some of the fans even wore hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) to the event. The crowd enjoyed the mini-show that GMA-7 prepared for them as they patiently waited for the appearance of the Korean stars. Yang and Cho happily shared to the GMA staff afterwards how happy they were that so many Filipinos came to the Fans Day.

Jewel fans would be delighted to learn that both Korean stars find their characters in the series as something similar to how they are in real life. “I have many similarities with my character in the drama [Lady Han]. In fact, that’s really pretty much how I am. The only difference is that Lady Han lived then, while I live in the present, and I am not a palace girl,” Yang imparts readily. Likewise, Cho says, “I am outgoing and persistent, just like the young Jang Geum in the series.”

Both of them also love cooking. Yang often cooks for her family, and even asked Tess Bomb during the interview for SIS if she would like her to cook for them. Cho feels she is old enough to cook, and in fact enjoys doing so. She can cook simple dishes like noodle soup. Yang couldn’t help but serve Nelson Canlas a la Lady Han when he was letting her sample traditional Filipino dishes during a coverage for 24 Oras.

Meanwhile, the series’ lead actress, Lee Young Ae, wanted to join her costars to their trip to Manila but was held up in Seoul by other commitments. Yet the hosts of GMA-7’s talk shows in which her costars appeared like Startalk, S-Files, SIS, and news programs 24 Oras and Unang Hirit wasted no time in asking them what Lee Young Ae is like in person. Cho said, “She is nice and kind to all and her skin is as fair and pure as her heart.” Meanwhile, Yang shares, “She is beautiful inside and out. Jewel in the Palace is the third series in which we starred together, but we became even closer after we did this, and that was already three years ago.”

Both Korean stars said that they would surely like to come back to the Philippines soon. “I would love to come back here with my son and the rest of my family for vacation, to see the famous beaches,” said Yang. It seems Yang and Cho have fallen in love with the Philippines and its people in the short time that they’ve been in the country, just as much as the Pinoys have fallen in love with the characters they play in Jewel in the Palace. And while the viewers no longer see their characters in the series, the mark they have left in the hearts of viewers remain, as proven by the warm welcome they were given during their visit. It would surely be more of a delight watching the Korean series on GMA-7’s primetime block now that Pinoys have seen their much-admired stars in the flesh.

Jewel in the Palace airs weeknights after My Name is Kim Sam Soon on GMA Telebabad.

Source: Manila Standard April 01 - 02, 2006