Jang Geun Suk's fans are pretty excited about his upcoming drama "Pretty Man" but his Chinese fans have taken a few extra steps to demonstrate their enthusiasm.
His fans have arranged for "Pretty Man" posters to be placed on the 10 intra-city bus in Seoul. The bus bearing the drama ads will travel through the Gangnam region of Seoul through Dec. 10. Carts with drama posters will also be set up in supermarkets near Seoul Station and World Cup Stadium this weekend. The Jang Geun Suk shopping cart ads will also remain in place for one month.
When he heard what his Chinese fans had done, the actor was touched.
"I want to thank my fans more than anything," said Jang Geun Suk. "Your support is making me feel warm inside and helping me forget the cold. I have been working harder than ever to film the drama, so please stay tuned."
In "Pretty Man," the actor will play Dokgo Matte, a man whose good looks and charm easily seduce women. But while his good looks attract women and help him attain wealth and power, they don't help him to find true love. His co-stars include Han Chae Young, Lee Jang Woo and IU. It will be Jang Geun Suk's first role since he appeared in "Love Rain" in 2012.
The Hallyu star earned the title "The Prince of Asia" due to his popularity in China and Japan. He became very popular in China flowing the release of his drama "You're Beautiful." And since then his extra efforts to please his Chinese fans have been noted.
Chinese media has reported that the actor's popularity is due to his being so approachable. He has worked hard to learn the Chinese language so he can communicate with his fans in person. He's already fluent enough to crack jokes with his fans. And he released a Chinese album, ICU.
The actor is so popular in China that he's recognized on the street. Even police officers don't want to give him a traffic ticket. When his car was pulled over at Shanghai airport on a recent trip, the traffic cop saw who it was and let him go.
His image does not seem to have been tarnished by the scandalous photos of him that supposedly belonged to a Chinese actress. Her phone was hacked and a photo of them together was among those released online. Jang Geun Suk said the photos were photo-shopped and laughed off the scandal.
And given the recent efforts to promote his new drama, his Chinese fans also did not take the scandal seriously.
The first episode of "Pretty Man" is due to air on Nov. 20.
