Actor Ji Soo Calls Philippines His 'Second Home' After K-Drama Exit

Korean actor Ji Soo says the Philippines has become his "second home" after nearly two years of acting work there. The 32-year-old left the Korean entertainment industry in 2021 following school bullying allegations and has since rebuilt his career overseas.

Ji Soo recently appeared on the Filipino talk show "KALURKS!", where he spoke with the hosts about his upcoming projects, his views on dating, and his life in the country.

When one host asked whether he now felt Filipino, Ji Soo said his heart already was. "I've been working here for about two years, and this place feels like a second home to me," he said.

The conversation turned to his growing popularity in the Philippines. A host noted that many Filipino women were drawn to him and asked whether he found them beautiful and would consider dating one. Ji Soo answered without hesitation. "Of course. I'm very open to it," he said. "I don't care about nationality. Love can happen anywhere."

His path to the Philippines was not a planned career move. In 2021, Ji Soo was cast as the male lead Ondal in the KBS2 drama "River Where the Moon Rises" (Dari Tteuneun Gang). Midway through its broadcast, allegations surfaced that he had been involved in school bullying years earlier. As the controversy spread, he issued a handwritten apology in which he acknowledged past wrongdoing and left the drama before it finished airing.

Ji Soo then ended his exclusive contract with his agency at the time, Keyeast Entertainment, and halted all activity in South Korea. He has since focused on acting abroad, with the Philippines emerging as his main base.

His comments on "KALURKS!" point to a quieter trend within the Korean entertainment industry. For actors whose domestic careers stall after a scandal, overseas markets can offer not only work but a genuine second act, one shaped by a new audience willing to meet them where they are.