August 27, 2025 | 12:00am
Isang unforgettable experience para kay Martin Nievera ang pagho-host ng meet-and-greet para sa Korean superstar na si Hyun Bin, na co-ambassador niya for Solaire Resort, kamakailan.
Challenging daw kasi ang task dahil iba ang rules of engagement pagdating sa Korean artists na bumibisita sa Pilipinas, bukod pa sa may language barrier.
“I’m the host, a Filipino entertainer, but I’m also representing Solaire,” panimula ng Concert King nang makatsikahan namin sa kanyang vinyl launch na Take 2 over the weekend.
“I didn’t wanna look like a not polished host,” patuloy niya. “I also didn’t wanna look like a fan drooling… ‘Ang guwapo mo.’ ‘Yong starstruck? I wanted to look like he should know who I am also. He should have the same respect for me that I have for him because supposedly I’m the Solaire ambassador. I don’t know if you know that. I have been for the last 12 years. And they’re getting him to be another ambassador. So, we’re kind of an equal playing field, ‘di ba?
“I wanted to look like I know what I’m doing —and I didn’t know what I’m doing, Haha! Me translator pa. So, ‘yong sagot, may konting delay.
“But he was great. He was so warm. He was so happy and was so grateful sa Filipino fans. And also sa treatment na ginawa namin para sa kanya.
“Coz he came here for a visit and Solaire needed someone to host his meet-and-greet. ‘Yung meet-and-greet natin [mga Pinoys], okay, ‘di ba? Signing ng autographs, selfie tayo.
“Iba ‘yong Koreans, ang daming bawal! Hindi ka pwedeng lumapit sa kanila. so I was very nervous. Hindi pwedeng mag-picture-picture. Ang daming bawal. Pero kay Hyun Bin mismo, okay lang.
“So they asked me to do my talk show as the format for his meet and greet. Nagulat din siya, ‘What is this?’ And he had such a great time.”
When asked kung sa tingin niya ay na-impress sa kanya si Hyun Bin, napa-“sana” lang si Martin. Pero mas importante sa kanya ang feedback na nag-enjoy si Captain Ri ng Crash Landing On You.
“I heard from people later on that he has not done it [the fan meet] this way and he had such a great time. In fact, I saw him the next day coz we shot an in-house commercial for Solaire. And the scene is I am playing the piano— like I know how, haha!—singing ‘Say That You Love Me’ and he comes walking into the theater on the second floor. That’s the scene.”
Napa-take two raw ang shoot dahil nakilala siya ni Hyun Bin at na-distract ito.
“He didn’t know it’s me on the piano so he’s doing his act, ‘Matin?’” panggagaya pa niya sa reaction ni Hyun Bin at sa pag-pronounce nito ng pangalan n’ya na walang “r.”
“‘Yeah, it’s me again. Sorry!’ Cut, cut, cut! So we have this thing. And at the end of the show, I left him alone onstage to do his final goodbyes.
“And when the curtain closed, confetti, everything, he was, like, so happy. The security whisked him away but he made them stop when he saw me. He ran to me and he hugged me really tight and he said, ‘Thank you.’”
Biro namin, nakarami pala siya ng yakap from Hyun Bin, kaya mas kaiinggitan siya ng fans nito ngayon. Bukod kasi sa second meeting nila, niyakap siya nito onstage during the meet-and-greet program, kung saan nito unang na-encounter ang Tagalog word na “yakap.”
Malamang, isa sa inggit sa kanya si Ma’am Charo Santos. Pero ang makapagpa-picture kay Hyun Bin ay mas malaking bagay para sa isang tagahanga dahil may lifetime memento siya ng kanilang pagkikita. And Martin made it happen for his boss.
“Nako, si Ma’am Charo!” natatawang pagbabalik-tanaw ni Martin sa na-witness niyang pagka-fan girl nito. “She really wanted to meet him and I told her even before, ‘I don’t know if it’s possible.’ Ang daming bawal, e.
“But if I make friends with this guy, I’ll make sure it happens. Sure enough, nasa front row siya [Charo], I was already taking pictures of other people who I don’t know, what more my boss, ‘di ba?
“I said [to Hyun Bin], ‘You know this girl? She’s a very big movie producer and an actress and she loves you.’ He said, ‘Ooooh!’ And I took a picture of them and the whole time I said [to myself], I hope this came out. Baka magkamali ako. Patay! So I think I made her very happy.”
In any case, kung nag-research lang siguro si Hyun Bin, baka siya mismo maging fan ni Martin, who like him, is also a global star in his own right. During the peak of his career, mala-Hyun Bin din ang dating niya sa fans as he filled up huge venues after huge venues.
Today, even Martin acknowledges na that’s all in the past. But it was all a fact at ‘di mabubura. More importantly, he’s still here and he’s still making recording albums! At vinyl pa—na mas mahal i-produce.
“That’s why I’m really thankful o Boss Vic and to Vicor,” aniya.
Ang Take 2, which is now available in Viva record stores [online] as well as select online selling platforms, contains nine tracks including the new version of Be My Lady, his own take on the Ben&Ben hit Leaves, ang love letter niya to his “love of my life Anj del Rosario” na Forever in Your Eyes at marami pang iba.