'Super' Surprise At Singaporean Church
Sexy On stage, Shy In Church
Super Junior's Siwon attends church service unnoticed even though he told fans.
Reports: Charlene Chua
Super Junior's Siwon attends church service unnoticed even though he told fans.
Reports: Charlene Chua
When a Korean pop star asks if you'd go to the church with him, you'd probably think he's kidding.
It turned out that Super Junior's Siwon was anything but.
The heart-throb had - at the boy band's concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday night - said at his adoring audience: "God bless you, Singapore.
"Tomorrow, go to church with me?"
Siwon made good on his word and attended a 10am service held at Thomson Road Baptist Church yesterday.
Super Junior fan Marjorie Lim, a 14-year-old student who was at the concert on Saturday night, said: "I remember when (Korean actor) Lee Min Ho came to Singapore and asked us at a fan event to visit him in Korea. We, of course, knew he was just saying it for fun.
"So when Siwon invited us to join him at church, we never expected him to be serious!"
Siwon, 23, not only went to church, he even took a picture of himself standing outside it and posted it on his Twitter page at around 11am yesterday.
Tweeted Siwon: "45 Thomson Road Baptist Church!(Followed by some Korean words translated as: Singapore Korean Church)!! Blessing!"
The 10 band members - Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun - were in town over the weekend to perform at the Super Junior Super Show 3 concert.
Siwon attended service with the congregation from the Korean Church In Singapore (KCIS) yesterday morning. KCIS has about 2,500 members here.
The church group rents room for its services at Thomson Road church.
It turned out that Super Junior's Siwon was anything but.
The heart-throb had - at the boy band's concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday night - said at his adoring audience: "God bless you, Singapore.
"Tomorrow, go to church with me?"
Siwon made good on his word and attended a 10am service held at Thomson Road Baptist Church yesterday.
Super Junior fan Marjorie Lim, a 14-year-old student who was at the concert on Saturday night, said: "I remember when (Korean actor) Lee Min Ho came to Singapore and asked us at a fan event to visit him in Korea. We, of course, knew he was just saying it for fun.
"So when Siwon invited us to join him at church, we never expected him to be serious!"
Siwon, 23, not only went to church, he even took a picture of himself standing outside it and posted it on his Twitter page at around 11am yesterday.
Tweeted Siwon: "45 Thomson Road Baptist Church!(Followed by some Korean words translated as: Singapore Korean Church)!! Blessing!"
The 10 band members - Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun - were in town over the weekend to perform at the Super Junior Super Show 3 concert.
Siwon attended service with the congregation from the Korean Church In Singapore (KCIS) yesterday morning. KCIS has about 2,500 members here.
The church group rents room for its services at Thomson Road church.
Discreet
Mr David Yoh, a volunteer with KCIS, said he spotted Siwon arriving at about 9.50 in a big, white van.
Said Mr Yoh, 45, a businessman: "The person who took him to church probably didn't know exactly where we were located because I saw the van overshoot the entrance and then had to reverse.
"Siwon entered through the church's side doors. It was raining at that time but my impression was that he looked like he didn't want to be spotted."
But Mr Yoh knew who Siwon was because he is Korean and a Singapore permanent resident.
Mr Yoh said that not many people recognised Siwon at the service, which was conducted in Korean, because he kept a low profile and it was also a service for those aged between 40 and 50.
K-pop is usually more popular with teens and young adults.
The irony of it all?
Mr Yoh's 14-year-old daughter is a big Super Junior fan but as she was attending another service for a younger age group in another room, she did not get to see Siwon.
Said Mr Yoh, with a laugh:"When she made it (to the room Siwon was in), Siwon had already left.
"She was screaming and asking why no one had told her earlier that he was there."
Siwon was accompanied by a woman and two men. The other band members weren't with him.
Siwon politely declined when asked by some church members which church he was from.
Mr Yoh said that this was their church's practice and they would usually ask every guest which church they were from and announce it to everyone.
What would then follow is a round of applause to thank and welcome the guest.
Mr Yoh who has been with the church since 2002, said: "Some celebrities love to be noticed but Siwon was just shy and humble. To my knowledge, he's the first celebrity we've had at our church.
"Some church members who recognised him had wanted to go up to him and shake his hand but he left quickly at 11am.
Mr David Yoh, a volunteer with KCIS, said he spotted Siwon arriving at about 9.50 in a big, white van.
Said Mr Yoh, 45, a businessman: "The person who took him to church probably didn't know exactly where we were located because I saw the van overshoot the entrance and then had to reverse.
"Siwon entered through the church's side doors. It was raining at that time but my impression was that he looked like he didn't want to be spotted."
But Mr Yoh knew who Siwon was because he is Korean and a Singapore permanent resident.
Mr Yoh said that not many people recognised Siwon at the service, which was conducted in Korean, because he kept a low profile and it was also a service for those aged between 40 and 50.
K-pop is usually more popular with teens and young adults.
The irony of it all?
Mr Yoh's 14-year-old daughter is a big Super Junior fan but as she was attending another service for a younger age group in another room, she did not get to see Siwon.
Said Mr Yoh, with a laugh:"When she made it (to the room Siwon was in), Siwon had already left.
"She was screaming and asking why no one had told her earlier that he was there."
Siwon was accompanied by a woman and two men. The other band members weren't with him.
Siwon politely declined when asked by some church members which church he was from.
Mr Yoh said that this was their church's practice and they would usually ask every guest which church they were from and announce it to everyone.
What would then follow is a round of applause to thank and welcome the guest.
Mr Yoh who has been with the church since 2002, said: "Some celebrities love to be noticed but Siwon was just shy and humble. To my knowledge, he's the first celebrity we've had at our church.
"Some church members who recognised him had wanted to go up to him and shake his hand but he left quickly at 11am.
Impressive
"Everyone was impressed that he came just for a proper service like any other Christian."
After attending service, Siwon was off to the Super Junior press conference in the afternoon, where he appeared to be in a very good mood.
When asked how it felt to be the first Korean band to hold a two-day concert in Singapore, band leader Leeteuk said that they were surprised by the big show of support in Singapore and they would like to return in future.
On Heechul's impersonation of Lady Gaga at their concert, Heechul had two words, which he said in English: "I, genius"
Switching back to Korean, he said:"I wanted something impactful and entertaining. And I think it worked.
"I didn't take long to master wearing high-heeled shoes because my heels had insoles!"
"Everyone was impressed that he came just for a proper service like any other Christian."
After attending service, Siwon was off to the Super Junior press conference in the afternoon, where he appeared to be in a very good mood.
When asked how it felt to be the first Korean band to hold a two-day concert in Singapore, band leader Leeteuk said that they were surprised by the big show of support in Singapore and they would like to return in future.
On Heechul's impersonation of Lady Gaga at their concert, Heechul had two words, which he said in English: "I, genius"
Switching back to Korean, he said:"I wanted something impactful and entertaining. And I think it worked.
"I didn't take long to master wearing high-heeled shoes because my heels had insoles!"
Credits: Daily K Pop News updates
