K-star Lee Jun-ho powers through 3-hour Singapore fan meet despite flu
K-pop idol and actor Lee Jun-ho was nursing a cold when he held a fan meet in Singapore at The Star Theatre on Dec 8. But that did not stop the 33-year-old star from captivating fans by playing games or singing and dancing up a storm.
Lee is a member of boy band 2PM and leading man of popular series such as tragic period drama The Red Sleeve (2021) and romantic-comedy King The Land (2023). He was in town as part of his first fan meeting tour in Asia, which included stops in Taipei, Macau and Kuala Lumpur.
The star, who had to suppress his coughs at multiple points in the show, proved his mettle as a professional idol with 15 years of experience.
Lee not only persevered, but also charmed his way through a three-hour fan meet that featured nine songs. These included his solo numbers like Nobody Else and Canvas, which he opened the show with. Lee, who is the main dancer in 2PM, also showed off his moves in songs such as Can I, So Good and Ride Up.
But the real highlight of the show was watching Lee play games and interact with his fans.
In a talk segment dedicated to his acting work, he agreed to re-enact a potent confession scene from the hit series The Red Sleeve, where he plays a king who falls in love with a court servant.
Despite bursting into laughter from embarrassment at the passionate dialogue on his first try, Lee quickly composed himself and injected the gravitas of a king into his delivery.
He even gamely said one of the lines – “Why aren’t you always thinking about me?” – in Singlish. To amused giggles, he managed a surprisingly authentic sounding: “Why you never miss me one har?”
A long portion of the show was devoted to Lee picking out and reading aloud notes from a big board of Post-it notes written by fans prior to the event. For every one Lee singled out, he addressed the fan directly and took the time to learn more.
A Malaysian fan who worked as a nurse penned a heartfelt letter to Lee and clearly touched the star. Putting his hand over his heart, he wished for her happiness, gave her two big hugs and took several wefies with her.
When one fan challenged Lee to a contest to see who can cry the fastest, he held her hands, looked deeply into her eyes – and promptly lost. The fan was close to tears just being so close to her idol.
While concerts might appeal to casual fans who enjoy an artiste’s music, fan meets usually attract only die-hard followers who are invested in the artistes themselves.
Lee understands and respects this. His generous interactions with the crowd demonstrated his sincerity in reciprocating the love his most ardent supporters have given him.
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