The two sides of Kim Myung-soo
The distinction between this South Korean artist’s two personas is pretty straightforward.
In his own words, Kim Myung-soo (his real name) “is an actor.” L of the pop boy band Infinite “is a singer.”
And by all indications, it was Kim who appeared before the local press at his recent contract signing with Universal Records and GLXY Talent Management—a move toward boosting his presence in the Philippines and furthering his reach across Asia.
Kim appeared subdued, nodding politely and gesturing with his hands as he entered the room. And in deference to his bosses, old and new, he would rise from his seat, stand ramrod straight, and bow with his hands over his waist to express gratitude.
Amid the hum of air conditioners and clicking cameras, Kim put pen to paper. When he was done, he let out a small sigh and gave the gentlest of claps. But then, the ballad “Talk to You”—from the EP “24/7”—started to play.
It must have triggered something beneath his cool, measured countenance. Closing his eyes and shaking his head, he couldn’t help but sing along, vibrato and all. Suddenly, there was L right in front of us.
15 years
“There are different sides to me, and I have this great opportunity to show them simultaneously to the fans … Those are things that I have been building up for the past 15 years in the industry,” the 32-year-old K-pop idol said through an interpreter.
In 2010, he rose to fame as the vocalist and visual of the group Infinite, whose roster of hits includes “Be Mine,” “Bad,” “Paradise,” and “The Chaser.” His acting career ran parallel with his music career, including parts in TV series like “Ms. Hammurabi” (2018), “Angel’s Last Mission: Love,” and, most recently, “Dare to Love Me.”
“There are aspects of singing that can help acting and vice versa,” Kim pointed out. “And I’m very happy to explore these here in the Philippines.”
In his recent visit to Manila, Kim busied himself with singing stints, television appearances, interviews, and magazine shoots. In the future, he hopes to return to a full plate—new music, TV series, films, endorsements. He’s also open to collaborating with Filipino actors and singers. But first, he intends to focus on himself and show everyone what he’s got.
Because Kim expects to visit Manila more frequently, and for longer periods, studying Tagalog is definitely on his to-do list. But thanks to his previous Manila concerts with Infinite and solo fan meetings, he does remember a few basic phrases.
“Mabuhay! Ako si Myung-soo Kim,” he said, showing off his famous bedimpled smile. “I will be learning… and when I come back, I will do different activities, and I hope you look forward to those.”
For Kim and his team, tapping the Filipino market was a no-brainer. Because from the very first time he set foot in the Philippines in 2013, he has received nothing but love and support, whether as L or as Myung-soo.
This was his way of reciprocating that. “I get to do [what I do] because of the passionate energy that we receive, so … we want to give back as much energy as we can,” he said.
