A heartwarming wave of praise and personal anecdotes about actor Ahn Jae-hyun is spreading across online communities, drawing widespread attention.
Following one person sharing a photo taken with Ahn Jae-hyun about 10 years ago and recalling him as a celebrity they always want to cheer for, the comments section has been flooded with similar personal encounters and secondhand stories from people who met him in person.
Recently, a Threads user wrote, "After posting a golf course sighting of Lim Ji-yeon and Lee Do-hyun a few days ago, I was scared to see it spread like crazy across media outlets and blogs. Suddenly, a celebrity I wanted to praise came to mind. It was Ahn Jae-hyun, whom I saw at my cousin's wedding about 10 years ago."
The writer recalled, "At the time, Ahn Jae-hyun was at the height of his popularity, but because he has been childhood friends with my cousin, he came all the way to Busan for the wedding. Even when wedding guests asked for photos, he never once showed any annoyance and smiled while taking pictures with everyone until the end. Seeing his attitude that day made me realize he is a good person." They added, "He went through some personal matters, but seeing him on TV these days makes me glad. He is a celebrity I always want to support."
As the post spread, more heartwarming stories about Ahn Jae-hyun followed in the comments.
One wrote, "I have heard so many times that Ahn Jae-hyun has great character and a good heart. He is a celebrity I really hope succeeds," while another recalled, "I met him as a customer at a store, and rather than just being handsome, he was a humble and upright person. Even when I asked him for an autograph on the credit card receipt, he did it with sincere care."
Another person who has known Ahn Jae-hyun since his modeling days shared, "Whenever he came down to Busan before his broadcast debut, we would often keep in touch, and he was really kind back then too. He wasn't as famous as he is now, but his visuals were striking enough that people would turn around just to look at him as he passed by."
Encounters from filming locations also surfaced. One said, "A drama was being filmed in my neighborhood, and all the older women were going crazy over how amazing he looked in real life," while another wrote, "When he came to our neighborhood for a YouTube shoot, he took photos with fans and chatted with them, but that side of him never made it into the news articles."
In addition, supportive and praising comments continued, such as "I ran into him abroad by chance and he was so polite and friendly," "He is easily one of the kindest celebrities I have ever met," "There must be a reason why there are so many good stories about him," "I often heard from acquaintances that he is always consistent," and "An acquaintance of mine lives in the same apartment complex and said he is extremely affectionate toward children."
As these good deeds spread, Ahn Jae-hyun's side showed a modest reaction. A representative from Ahn Jae-hyun's agency told SBS Entertainment News, "Upon hearing that posts like this had been uploaded, he himself was quite flustered. He doesn't remember every detail because it happened a long time ago, but he mentioned that he has always considered it natural to take photos when asked at places like wedding venues, and finding it introduced as heartwarming stories makes him feel rather embarrassed and shy."
Ahn Jae-hyun has been actively continuing his career by recently appearing on MBC's variety show "I Live Alone" and other programs.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)