South Korean actor-singer Seo In Guk and ABS-CBN actress Francine Diaz are gearing up for the release of their first-ever collaboration song titled "My Love."
The lyrics of “My Love” were written by In Guk himself together with Park Kyung Hyun and Mo Sang Hoon, with the arrangement done by Kyung Hyun.
In anticipation of the song’s release on Spotify and other major online platforms in February 2024, South Korean star In Guk and Filipina actress Francine held a press conference at KAO Manila in Newport Resorts World, Parañaque City, on January 27, 2024.
During the event, In Guk and Francine candidly shared insights into what sparked the collaboration, their genuine reactions upon hearing the news, and tantalizing hints at their future joint ventures, among others.
SEO IN GUK AND FRANCINE DIAZ: THE COLLABORATION
The once-in-a-lifetime collaboration commenced when John Ling’s Filipino management was introduced to In Guk backstage at a fan meeting — incidentally, John is also the co-manager of Francine.
During a dinner, In Guk proposed the idea of collaborating with Francine, assuring to guide the actress through the process.
Addressing their emotions about the collaboration, Francine openly talked about the pressure she felt in representing Filipinos in this project.
In her words, "I hope I am not dreaming kasi if this is a dream… I won’t wake up na.
"But, of course, gaya nga po ng sabi ko kanina, I am very grateful, para po sa akin, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to.
"And para mabigyan ako ng pagkakataon to do a collab with a Korean superstar and siyempre, with oppa Seo In Guk pa, it is such a big, big blessing para sa akin.
"And hindi lang sa akin kasi, yun nga po, nung ginawa rin namin yung song, nung nag-record kami sa Korea, yung pakiramdam ko kasi, pine-pressure ko yung sarili ko kasi I know in my heart, bitbit ko rin yung mga Filipino.”
In fact, the 20-year-old actress said she prayed upon learning the confirmation of their song collaboration.
“Honestly, nag-pray ako agad kasi sabi ko, ‘Lord, sana kayanin ko.’
”Kasi para sa akin… it’s a different work in a way na bukod sa pag-a-acting, pinapasok ko na rin yung music industry, and… hindi pa ako 100 percent din parang confident pa, kasi there’s fear pa in my heart.”
Meanwhile, through an interpreter, In Guk says it's an honor working with the Filipino actress.
"It’s an honor… to collab with Francine… and [I] want this song to feel like a confession… to [my] fans.
”[I] really created this song with Francine with lots of love in mind, and that’s what [I] want for [my] fans.”
In fact, the Korean star was amazed by Francine’s voice, especially when a teaser of the song was played during the event.
He praised her, saying, “Francine is really good, [right]?”
Reminiscing about their first encounter, In Guk conveyed his joy for finally meeting Francine.
"When [I] first met Francine, [I] was very happy.”
He added, “There was a lot of fun… it was nice, it was really a great opportunity for both of [us] that [we] are able to work together.”
For In Guk, collaborating with Francine as a singer is a delightful experience, as he expressed with the help of an interpreter, “[I] was also kilig… to work with Francine.
“[I] could feel while [we were] working together… really lovely talaga ang energy and vibes na gini-give off ni Francine, so [we] were able to work very pleasantly together.”
MY LOVE: A CONFESSION
Discussing the inspiration behind “My Love,” In Guk shared, "As you can tell… from the title… 'My Love,' [I] really created this song with love in mind, [I] wanted to create a song not just full of love… it’s oozing love.”
He elaborated, "Originally, the song 'My Love' was a male solo song that features a…rap part.
"But for [me] to work with Francine… [I] tweaked it to make it a male-female duet song, and [I] also had a lot of fun working on it again.”
Given that the song is a confession of love, both Francine and In Guk were asked about how they perceive each other.
For Francine, “He’s my oppa,” and for In Guk, “Dongsaeng… a younger sibling… very cute kapatid.”
Staying true to his words, In Guk displayed sweetness towards his dongsaeng by requesting two pieces of clothes to cover the legs of Francine, providing her comfort in a breezy room.
MUSIC VIDEO AND MORE PROJECTS
As the anticipation builds for the release of “My Love,” PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) inquired with Francine about the possibility of a music video.
Francine promptly responded, "Yes, mayroon po, actually gagawin na po namin siya tomorrow… isu-shoot na namin siya tomorrow [January 28].”
Looking beyond this collaboration, both In Guk and Francine expressed openness to future projects and joint ventures.
In Guk told the press, “[I] am very willing… after 'My Love' with Francine, [I] want to work again with Francine on new, fun, exciting projects in the future.”
Francine echoed this enthusiasm, teasing, "Nae-excite ako sa mga mas ilalabas pa namin, and sana magustuhan din po nila,” referring to the fans.
Meanwhile, as per John's revelation, Filipino fans can look forward to seeing more of In Guk in the country, as he gears up for additional projects.
At the press conference, John confirmed that he will serve as In Guk's manager in the country moving forward.
He said, " Maybe three times or four times… this is the first, maybe three times — maybe ah.”
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