SHINee’s Onew in Manila | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
K-pop soloist and SHINee’s leader, Onew, delighted his Filipino audience during his first solo show in the Philippines, where he gave away two self-made paintings to two lucky fans in attendance.
In one of the segments of his fan meeting in Manila on Thursday, July 4, Onew was challenged to draw two of the Philippines’ known tourist spots — the Chocolate Hills and the Banaue Rice Terraces, for 60 seconds each.
The K-pop star tried his best to bring the visuals on his physical canvas and handled the challenge with such wit. But when he saw the outcomes of his work, he said, “Reality is really cold. I am a person like this. I have more talent for singing than painting.”
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Even if Onew didn’t find his paintings quite satisfying, two fancon attendees, who were selected via raffle draw by the K-pop star himself, were lucky to bring home his works of art, made special with the singer’s signature and an “I love you” at the bottom.
Onew also spoke Tagalog words that drew joy from the crowd. From confidently saying “Pogi ako (I’m handsome)” to “Jojowain mo ba ako (Are you going to make me your boyfriend)?” sent the fans into “kilig” mode.
Onew is L-Squared Productions’s mega-Hallyu offering for 2024 after Mamamoo’s Whee In and former NCT and WayV member Lucas fan concerts in Manila.
Meanwhile, ONEW rose to fame after making his debut with the K-pop boy group SHINee in 2008. Their popular hits “Replay,” “Sherlock” and “Lucifer,” among others, made ONEW and his bandmates Key, Minho, Taemin and the late Jonghyun key members of the K-pop industry.