Ahn Hyo Seop BENCH ‘Here and Now’ Fan Meet in Manila

I was able to connect with the PR person for BENCH for the Ahn Hyo Seop Manila Fan Meeting. Unfortunately, since I reached out late, my request for access was not approved. However, thanks to fellow photographer and Manila Concert Junkies owner Mel, I was able to obtain a pass for the event.

The Ahn Hyo Seop BENCH <The Present Show> ‘Here and Now' was held on October 8, 2023, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

I arrived at the venue around 3 PM to collect my ID and ticket for the event. The venue was packed with fans of Ahn Hyo Seop, and the majority of them were female. We were able to enter the venue around 4 PM and waited in the VIP area for the event to start, as it was scheduled to begin at 5 PM.

The event kicked-off with by performing ‘I'm Your Man' making the fans scream when the actor showed up on-stage.

There were several segments where fans had the opportunity to get to know the actor on a deeper level. He shared his music playlist and talked about how he got started. He also sang a short part of the song ‘Lucky' by Jason Mraz.

Best known for his roles in popular K-dramas like “Abyss,” “Doctor Romantic,” and “Business Proposal,” Ahn Hyo Seop, the actor, talked about his characters from his previous dramas. He also reacted to the iconic scenes, leaving the fans smiling after rewatching the memorable moments.

Known for his acting and singing, Ahn Hyo Seop shocked the fans when he danced on-stage in the tune of ‘VIBE' by Taeyang, electrifying the atmosphere with his performance. 

The fan meet will not be complete without the fan interaction, the actor shared the same pose with selected fans and also had a polaroid selfie for fans who won the lucky draw to go on-stage to meet the actor.

Another surprise is when he walk around the venue for his fans to get a glimpse of the actor up-close.

Ahn Hyo Seop returned on-stage then played the piano and performed songs including ‘A River Flows in You’ by Yiruma, ‘Let it Be’ by The Beatles, ‘Don’t Worry’ by Lee Juck, and lastly his own rendition of ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You’ by George Benson.

To wrap up the fan meeting, the actor sang ‘Thanks’ by Kim Dong Ryul as his way in saying thank you for the love and support the fans has given to him and ending the event on a high note.

Personalities attended the event, including Lovi Poe, Sofia Pablo, Allen Ansay, Shaira Diaz, Congresswoman Len Alonte, and others.

It was nice to see fellow photographers and met new ones in the event and looking forward for the next K-event to cover.

Big thanks again to BENCH for making this event possible and to Manila Concert Junkies for trusting me with your photos.

Photos taken using Nikon D750 and Samsung S23 Ultra