Surprised and starstruck

Surprised and starstruck

Singapore Polytechnic student Doreen Ting had attended Korean rapper Gary Kang's concert here last year.

But the 18-year-old fan did not have the chance to spend time with Kang then.

Yesterday, Ms Ting's dream came true when Kang, of popular Korean variety show Running Man fame, turned up at her school for a surprise visit.

Kang, 37, visited Singapore Polytechnic (SP) as part of new Korean reality TV programme School's OUT, which features surprise visits from K-pop celebrities to schools in Asia.

The show will air next month on channel M (Singtel TV 518/ StarHub TV Channel 824).

Students from the region sent in online entries, stating why they wanted Kang to visit their school. Kang also visited a school in Hong Kong last month.

Yesterday, Kang appeared on stage in an auditorium in SP, performing his song The Girl Who Can't Break Up, The Boy Who Can't Leave.

His appearance led to deafening screams from 400 surprised students, who had thought they were there for a career talk organised by the school.

Ms Ting, one of the students who submitted an online entry, was one of seven fans called up to play games with Kang.

The second-year student in Perfumery and Cosmetic Science even had the chance to concoct a perfume with Kang in the laboratory.

She said: "I was shy and nervous seeing him so up close, I was literally shaking. He's not very good-looking, but he is charming. He is so humble and hard-working and I am so glad he chose our school."

She added: "The perfume I came up with for him is one that has a woody and spicy fragrance. I think it suits him as he is a masculine and strong guy. He is my favourite man in the world."

Kang knew how to work the crowd. He cracked jokes and interacted with the students.

He spoke through a translator, saying things like: "Please be understanding as I can't speak English very well. If you don't study hard, you will end up like me," and "Do I look like how I am on TV? People always tell me I look the same as on TV, instead of telling me that I look better in person."

He said he chose SP for his surprise visit because the students were very active and enthusiastic in their online entries to him.

Ms Jasmine Tan, a first-year student in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, also played games on stage with Kang.

Impressions

The 17-year-old said: "I was nervous as it was my first time seeing him.

"I heard from a friend that he is very funny and he is so friendly and nice in real life. My friends will be so envious of me when I tell them later on."

Kang also went to the school foodcourt to try local dishes such as chicken rice, red bean soup and roti prata before going to the Perfumery and Cosmetic Science Centre to create the perfume with Ms Ting.

He filmed in the school for over five hours.

Student Nurjamalina Abdul Jamal, 18, who had a chance to eat with Kang, said: "I watch Running Man every week and I think Gary is very funny. My heart was beating fast as he was near me."

The second-year student in Integrated Events and Project Management declared: "I am so lucky. I keep thinking: 'What did I do to deserve this?' This feels like a dream and I don't want to wake up from it."


This article was first published on October 02, 2015.
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