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It was a night of fun and lots of food! GMA Network officially launched it’s latest primetime offering, Ako Si Kim Samsoon and they went all out!
It was a night of fun and lots of food! GMA Network officially launched it’s latest primetime offering, Ako Si Kim Samsoon and they went all out! Read on to get a front seat pass to the grand event. Text by KC M. Abalos. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. Last June 23, 2008, the members of the media were invited to the grand press launch of GMA Network’s latest show, Ako si Kim Samsoon. This venture is an adaptation of the Koreanovela series My Name is Kim Sam-Sun which swept the nation by storm two years ago. As expected, the night’s theme was food, food and yummy food. Aside from unlimited sushi, baby back ribs and beef salpicao, there were pastries everywhere! There was dessert on the buffet, chocolate cupcakes on the table, mini apple pie as a souvenir and a humongous wedding cake for a stage! And to top the wedding cake, of course, were the show’s stars, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Wendell Ramos and Ms. Regine Velasquez. Asia’s Songbird opened the evening with the show’s theme, Maybe It’s You. Right after that, the intimate gathering was given a glimpse of the highlights of the show’s first few episodes. The media was laughing like crazy. If this was any indication that the show would be a success then the network gods should be smiling. Regine, who is playing the quirky Samsoon, attributes the warm reception of the press to her foray in primetime comedy to her fellow cast members. “Actually mas mahirap magpatawa kaysa magpaiyak, hindi po ako masyadong nahirapan kasi binigyan po ako ng napakagaling na cast na sinusuportahan talaga ako,” Regine says humbly. Funny she should say that because her fellow cast members, some of whom are seasoned comedians, have nothing but praise for the Songbird-turned-pastry chef. Working with Regine Samsoon’s hottie boss Cyrus played by Mark Anthony Fernandez admits that he was intimidated with his co-star at first but quickly got past it. “[Ang] pagkatao po ni Ms. Regine—alam niyo nung araw nakita ko si Michael Jackson? Noong pumunta siya sa Maynila, akala ko mahirap maabot, hindi mo puwede hawakan, akala ko ganoon, pero si Ms. Regine po ang humble-humble,” he says. Tessie Tomas who plays Samsoon’s tough loving mom has been missed by the audience. But now she is back and is raring to go. She says, “It’s nice to be back. Medyo matagal din since Bahay na Bato. It’s so exciting to be a part of this very big project. I’m so honored to be working with the team. Hindi hinding ko in-expect na mapapasama ako sa Regine Velasquez romantic comedy.” Theater actress and funny lady Eugene Domingo charmingly waylaid questions about her shift to and from rival networks saying that for a thespian like her, she is beyond politics and just want to act. She then shares, “nag-eenjoy ako sa project na ito because Regine Velasquez is an artist. Hindi lang niya basta-basta ginagawa ‘yung pinapagawa sa kanya, meron din siyang input, importante rin kasi ‘yun. So, sa isang supporting actor na katulad ko, para maka-trabaho siya sa bago niyang telenovela, na-eexcite ako.” Well, we’re excited too! The fun and the romance in Ako si Kim Samsoon begins on June 30, weeknights during the Telebabad block. Talk about this brand new show at the iGMA Forum!