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Taiwanese star Ken Chu falls in love with the Philippines.
The Philippines first fell in love with him when he was a member of a Taiwanese boy band. Now more mature and even more handsome, Ken Chu falls in love with the Philippines. Text by KC M. Abalos. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. For those who do not follow Asian pop culture, Chu Xiao Tien, better known as Ken Chu., was a member of the Taiwanese boy band F4. After two albums, Meteor Rain and Fantasy Forever, the members of the group chose to pursue solo careers both in recording and in acting. After starring in a television series in mainland China, recording a critically acclaimed album in Taiwan, and filming a movie about Japan, Ken Chu is ready to visit the Philippines once again. He has visited the country three times, once when he was a kid, twice for a concert with his F4 buddies. What is it like to be back? What is it like working with Filipinos? “They are definitely the most heartwarming. They made me feel at home everyday” he says warmly. The Asian Superstar heads the stellar cast in the most recent project of GMA Films and Ignite Media, Batanes: Ang Pag-Ibig ay Walang Hangganan. It is only fair that he falls head over heels in love with the island, especially after the Philippines went crazy for this hunk after the release of the show, Meteor Garden. “I love the place. This is a paradise” he says about the northernmost part of the country where he stayed to shoot the film for almost a month. In Batanes, Ken plays a Taiwanese fisherman named Kao who gets lost in the sea and eventually finds love in the most beautiful but unlikely of places. Loving Ken According to director Adolf Alix, Jr. (Mga Munting Tinig, Donsol), the production hoped but they never expected that Ken would accept the offer. Apparently, Taiwanese actor liked the script and immediately expressed interest in the project. According to his co-star Glaiza de Castro, Ken is one cool dude who has no star complex whatsoever. Glaiza shares, “Cool niya sobra! Wala siyang pakialam. Kungwari nakasalampak lang kami sa sand. Siya ganoon rin! Kung ano kinakain namin iyun din kinakain niya. Kung saan kami nagstay dun din siya!” This is echoed by his loveteam partner in the film, Iza Calzado. . “He is very cool. Minasahe niya pa ako. Because apparently in Tai Chi, they know how to heal. Last day ng shooting, minasahe niya thigh ko!” Ken also has only good words to say about Iza too! “I get along with her very easily.1, 2, 3, we started talking and suddenly she’s like a very good friend. It’s been my pleasure working with her. We had a lot of fun.” Catch Ken in Manila! He will have a grand fan’s day at the Trinoma Mall, 3PM on December 3, 2007. Batanes: Ang Pag-Ibig ay Walanga Hangganan will be shown in theaters on December 5 with a premiere night on December 4 also at Trinoma Mall. Talk about Batanes in the iGMA forum.