Impressed by the natural beauty of the Philippines and the hospitality of the Filipinos, Kim left for Incheon from Manila after shuttling between Cebu and Bohol and enjoying a brief stay on Boracay Island and Villa Escudero for various activities.

In Cebu, Kim immersed herself in water sports and went on island hopping before having a Filipino-style spa treatment at Shangri-La Hotel Mactan. She went to Bohol the following day to visit the Tarsier Sanctuary and had lunch at Loboc River and pictorial at the Chocolate Hills. She returned to Cebu in the early evening, had a pictorial the following morning featuring her experience with Filipino breakfast, then left for Manila in the evening for her return flight to Incheon.

Kim kicked off her week-long tour last Aug. 17 with a pictorial at the historic Intramuros. She had snapshots at the gate of Intramuros, aboard a kalesa, along the streets, atop the walls overlooking the golf course, and at the Rizal monument in Luneta before finally having dinner at a seafood restaurant to have a taste of the country’s exotic native cuisine.

The following day she attended a press conference hosted by the Department of Tourism (DOT). Introducing her as the Philippines’ new tourism envoy to Korea, DOT Secretary Joseph Ace H. Durano said:

“We are pleased to announce that Ms. Yoo-Jin Kim has been conferred the said title during my last visit to Korea for the Korea World Travel Fair in June 2006.”

In an interview, Kim said she was proud and honored to be the Philippines’ tourism envoy in Korea as she thanked the Filipino people for the warm welcome and hospitality.

Kim also appeared on ABS-CBN’s noontime program “Wowowee”. The said network ran two of her TV drama series this year. Later that afternoon, she had still shots at Glorietta while shopping at Philippine branded stores, and left for The Fort for dinner, pictorial, and disco.

Last Aug. 19, Kim toured the Villa Escudero theme park aboard a carabao-drawn kalesa to relive the Spanish plantation era in Philippine history. She had still shots with Filipiniana-dressed plantation workers, with Filipino cuisine in a fiesta-like setting, and at native Filipino houses before having lunch by the river with a cultural presentation. In the evening, she dined at Via Mare in Greenbelt 3, Makati City, to experience Filipino cuisine in a cosmopolitan setting.

The next morning, Kim flew to Caticlan for an overnight stay on Boracay Island to have a sampling of the country’s pristine beaches, spas, and the famous Boracay nightlife.

Kim’s visit is sponsored by Boracay Regency Beach Resort, Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa, and South East Asian Airlines (SEAir).

Korea’s top-class entertainer, Kim has received numerous awards, including the Golden Disk for Korean pop and the SBS Seoul Music Awards in 1998.

Among her popular TV hits are Save the Last Dance in 2004 and Wonderful Life in 2005.

Kim was also adjudged Korea’s Best Dresser in 1999 and honored with the KBS Acting Awards in 2002 and widely praised by producers for her acting performance.

A Christian and a graduate of French Literature at the Korea University in Seoul, Kim is adored by fans and praised by the government for her unblemished reputation.

“I believe with Ms. Yoo-Jin Kim’s enthusiasm to explore the varied offerings of our islands and first-hand Filipino hospitality, her fond memories of the Philippines will become an effective testimonial among the youth and the elders who count among her fans, not only in Korea, but more so in the Philippines,” Durano said.

“… But we do not see this as a mere branding exercise, but rather a channel to forge deeper friendship and understanding between our two countries,” Durano stressed.

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