On ‘homesick’ Keric’s recent visit to Cebu and Cebuana bet in Bb. Pilipinas

How was your Valentine’s Day celebration? As for me nothing really special happened; after all, in my 28 years of existence, I am yet to experience a dinner date or something on hearts day. But yes, there were moments when I blushed while watching the very inspiring and successful “His Love” concert of Gary V., at Waterfront Lahug last February 14, especially since I was seated beside Keric, who by the way has become more charming and playful now than he was first introduced to the E-Group (entertainment group) last year. Wait, you might say: Keric who? Well, he was that Korean guy introduced in the most successful ABS-CBN Cebuanovela to date entitled “Saranghe,” which ended to good reviews last December.

It was easy to get mesmerized by Keric’s charm. And it was more so memorable because I saw jealous glances coming from different corners—one of those was from my beautiful and smart editor Nathalie Tomada. (Admit it, Nat!) And another came from my sister, Hannah, who was my date that evening. She was disappointed in me because I did not give her the chance to have her picture taken with Keric. According to my sister, her batchmates in college would have been jealous of her had the picture been taken. It turned out also that my cousin’s wife, who works in a first-class hotel, was also charmed by this Korean cutie that she was thankful my sister did not have the chance to have her picture taken with him, or else she would have been jealous to no end as well.

That’s not all. Readers of Banat Hugyaw and listeners of my radio program “OkRyan” were also texting me last Thursday, jealous over my picture with Keric that came out in Banat News. Oh my! So Keric really made a mark among Cebuano viewers. He is indeed a hit! The sad news, however, is that he is now back in Seoul, South Korea to finish his studies.

Anyway, I had another moment with Keric the day after the Gary V concert at the presscon of the digital film “Confessional,” which, by the way, is another source of pride after garnering seven major awards at the 2nd Cinema One Originals and will have its special screening this coming Friday, February 29, at SM Cinema 1, at 7PM and 9PM. Keric was here for a week-long vacation and went home to Korea last Feb 19. According to him, he auditioned for various shows in Korea because his friends encouraged him to do so; he is waiting for the results but his priority really is his Maritime studies. He is also set to undergo a two-year military training. Yes, he will cut his hair as requirement and I have no plans of asking for his picture with his new haircut because I want his handsome look to remain with me.

So why did he come back to Cebu? “I was lonely, I was homesick. People here are kind to me,” he admitted. He pointed out that back home people are always busy.  He missed the food here, too. Keric was an accidental actor; he had just finished his six-month-long English studies in Cebu when he was discovered for “Saranghe.” The rest they say is history.

According to Keric, he misses the shooting days. From being just one of those Koreans, he said he got stared at in malls at the peak of “Saranghe.” People recognized him, some even asking for his autograph and for their picture to be taken with him. But he is bent on finishing studies first, and should a good opportunity in acting or modeling arise after graduation, he might give it another try.

Thus I asked Ms. Merle, executive producer of “Saranghe,” if it would be possible to do a sequel because a lot of friends are actually clamoring for a part two. Ms. Merle only smiled in response. So, I asked Keric what storyline would he want should there be a continuation. He fell silent and appeared to be in deep thought. Then, he was suddenly back to his playful self and said, “You and Me, lovers in Cebu,” while pointing at me. It was at this very moment when colleague Gerard Pareja took the picture that appears on this page. I blushed not because I was assuming it was for real, but because of the people around me, teasing. It was my fault too because I joked Keric if he came back because of me. Alas, I had a dose of my own medicine. Anyway, Keric will be back this December, because according to him he considers Cebu as his second home now, and so he will see to it that he’ll be here every spring and winter time in Korea .

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By the way, let me give just give you a follow-up on my previous column about our bets who screened for Bb. Pilipinas ’08. You see, only Karla Paula Gentiroy Henry made it and there was no final screening that took place because the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. had already chosen the official candidates whom they notified through a phone call. Angel Luzano, who also screened, actually made an impression among beauty pageant patrons because to them she has what it takes to shine in the Ms. Universe Pageant—her classic beauty, they say, could nail the Latinas. But my good friend Chicoy Tomol, who is Angel’s ever supportive manager, told me that her weight was a major factor why she did not qualify to the country’s most prestigious pageant this year. Her figure, I would say, is not beauty queen material but of the supermodel-type. She is back in Cebu now, back to her modeling stints and back to mesmerizing Cebu’s ramp. Don’t worry Angel, it only means God has other plans for you. Just wait and see!

As for Karla, she said in an interview with Banat Hugyaw right after the announcement of the official candidates that she believes it’s God’s will that she is part of this year’s pageant. She told our writer Marigold Lebumfacil, who happened to be her batchmate in the Miss Cebu 2006, in a phone interview: “It was quite intense. There were 55 girls (on the day she and Angel screened) who also hoped to get a slot in the Bb. Pilipinas. You will have to think how you would stand out. It’s an honor already that I really made it. I really prayed before the screening and for me it’s really God’s will.”

Karla is training intensely right now, hoping to bring back the glory that the likes of Pilar Pilapil, Yedda Mendoza, Karla Bautista, Melanie Ediza and Anna Maris Igpit had brought home to Cebu. Let’s all pray for her because her success would be a source of pride for us too.

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