Ryan Bang may be one of the most familiar Korean celebrities in the Philippines today, but when he arrived, he actually did not have an English name.
In a fun interview with Korean translator and DJ Sandra Jung, the “It’s Showtime” host shared that he got his English name by accident at Ninoy Aquino International Airport when someone mistook him for someone else.
“Alam niyo, ’yung mga Korean, wala talaga ’yung English name. Yung ‘Ryan,’ galing talaga sa airport,” recalled Ryan, whose real name is Bang Hyun-sung.
He continued, “2005 October 20, naalala ko pa ’yung first day ko sa Pilipinas. [Nasa] NAIA 2 [ako]. […] Pagbaba ko, may tumawag sa ’kin, ‘Ryan!’ Hinampas niya pa ’ko, [tapos sabi], ‘Hindi pala, sorry, Tapos ang kulit. ‘What’s your name?’ Sabi ko ‘Bang Hyun-sung.’ [Sabi], ‘Wala ka ba English name?’ [Sabi ko], ‘Okay, Ryan para masaya ka na.”
Ryan’s story had Pinoy netizens cracking up:
“Yung guest na naging host HAHAHAHA kulet mo Ryan!”
“Ryan So funny️! I love Koreans”
“Yeheey! Tanggal stress..”
“Enjoy talaga pag si Ryan… galing nyang magpa good vibes”
