Colombian pal surprises Jessy

SEBASTIAN Lopez Gasca (left) and Jessy Mendiola on Jeju Island, South Korea

Actress Jessy Mendiola said she felt happy with just talking about Sebastian Lopez Gasca, a 19-year-old Colombian student she met during a recent trip to Boracay.

Although she claimed she was not ready for a romantic relationship, she admitted she was thrilled to meet him.

“I was with my family and close friends when I met him, early in May. It all started when we accidentally spilled a drink on him,” she recalled.

Gasca joined Mendiola on a trip to Jeju Island in South Korea last week.

“He has already traveled to a lot of places before he came to the Philippines. He didn’t plan to go to Jeju Island. We were talking about our trips when he mentioned that his last stop was South Korea,” Mendiola said.

Official trips

Mendiola was appointed South Korea’s tourism ambassador in the Philippines last year. She had made two official trips to the country—the first to Seoul.

“He (Gasca) surprised me on my second day in Jeju. I’m flattered that he followed.” Gasca had already returned to Colombia to continue his studies, she said.

Asked if she thought Gasca was interested in her romantically, Mendiola said, “I’d rather not keep my hopes up. I’m just happy to have met someone like him.”

Mendiola, 22, said she was not bothered that Gasca was a few years younger than her. “It’s not age, but maturity that matters. We’ve just met but it feels like I’ve already known him for a while. We got to talk about a lot of things. He invited me to visit Colombia. I said I’d love to, given the chance.”

She admitted: “I’m open to getting to know him more. People close to me think that I have a tendency to build a wall against guys who claim to like me.”

This could be the reason attempts by actors Sam Milby and Jake Cuenca to court her failed. “Things just didn’t work out. It’s as simple as that. I still communicate with them and get to work with them in some shows.”

Mendiola was the special guest at the “Korea Night,” which was organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on May 30.

AGE DOESN’T matter for Jessy Mendiola whose new friend is younger.

“KTO people said they wanted me to experience the different seasons in Korea. I will return in winter,” she said.

This month, Mendiola will resume working with John Lloyd Cruz in a film directed by Chito Roño. She said the idea of working with the two men made her feel nervous.

Full of emotion

“We had to stop filming because the script had to be revised. John Lloyd is nice, but I’ve learned not to talk to him when he’s in character. He didn’t have speaking lines in our first scene, but his eyes were full of emotion,” she said. “Direk Chito is a genius. I try to be calm, but I’m really intimidated (by him).”

Mendiola said she hoped the project would win her an acting award. “Every actor aspires to be recognized … I don’t always get good roles so I’m determined to give it my best.”

The movie will be released in August.