Hwang Min-hyun in Singapore, talks about bigger action scene in Study Group 2 and the ‘fun’ of matching glasses to his style , Entertainment News

South Korean singer-actor Hwang Min-hyun finally returned to Singapore on Saturday (Aug 22) after seven years, drawing excited crowds to Junction 8’s Level 2 Atrium for a glimpse of the star.

Min-hyun was in town for Lenskart’s Frame Your Style showcase, where he met fans and tried on different spectacle frames. He also spoke to AsiaOne about what to expect from Study Group season two and the “fun” of matching glasses to his style.

The 31-year-old arrived at around 1pm dressed in all white, looking effortlessly polished.

He greeted fans with a wave and a bright smile, saying: “I’m really excited to finally see you guys and it makes me so happy to be able to meet Singapore fans face to face.”

Having only arrived in Singapore the night before, he said he hadn’t had much time to explore the city. However, he hoped to “eat lots of good food”, including chilli crab, before heading back to South Korea.

He also met fans at a special meet-and-greet session, where he picked eyewear for five of them and posed for individual photos.

In an interview with AsiaOne on the same day, Min-hyun also shared some hints about what’s to come in season two of his hit Korean drama Study Group (2025), in which he reprises his role as Yoon Ga-min.

The series follows the studious Ga-min, a student at the notoriously troubled Yuseong Technical High School, who is far more gifted at fighting than studying. In an effort to improve his grades, he forms a study group with his schoolmates, but soon finds himself using his fighting skills to protect his friends and keep the group together.

The drama is based on a webtoon of the same name and season two marked Min-hyun’s first acting role following his military discharge in December last year. Filming has reportedly ended and it’s expected to premiere sometime this year.

“In season two, you finally get to know (the reason) why Ga-min wanted to study so badly, and I can also finally show his dilemma,” he said.

“There will be an even bigger and larger-scale action scene compared to season one.”

The sequel also reportedly stars Han Ji-eun, Cha Woo-min, Yoon Sang-jung, Shin Su-hyun, Jeon So-young and Hong Min-gi.

Min-hyun debuted as a member of K-pop boy band NU’EST in 2012 before joining Wanna One through Produce 101 Season 2 in 2017. Following the latter’s disbandment in 2019, he returned to NU’EST, which disbanded in 2022.

He made his acting debut in the 2020 web drama Live On and has since starred in Alchemy of Souls (2022-2023) and My Lovely Liar (2023).

Min-hyun launched his solo music career in 2023 with his first mini-album Truth or Lie and has since continued to pursue both music and acting.

When asked how he approaches the two disciplines, he shared that being a singer allows him to express his emotions and thoughts directly on stage.

Meanwhile, acting gives him the opportunity to “become a person or role that I won’t usually get to know or see in daily life” — a difference he said he enjoys.

During the meet-and-greet, Min-hyun spotted a fan holding a sign that read: “If you’re going to be fully back and perform as Wanna One, please wink!”

He responded with a shrug and a laugh, before teasing: “It’s a secret.”

After completing his mandatory military service, he reunited with the Wanna One members earlier this year for the special variety series Wanna One Go: Back to Base, seven years after the group disbanded.

Nine of the members — Min-hyun, Jisung, Sungwoon, Seongwu, Jaehwan, Jihoon, Woojin, Jinyoung and Daehwi — took the stage at KCON LA 2026 on Aug 14, marking the group’s first KCON performance since 2017.

Daniel wasn’t there as he is currently serving his mandatory military service while Kuanlin is no longer a performing artist and works as a film director in China.

“It’s been a while since I went on stage as a member of Wanna One, so I was very happy and had a lot of fun. And since it’s been a while, it made me miss the old times,” said Min-hyun.

He added that he was really proud and happy to see how much the members had changed and grown since their Wanna One days.

“I’m not sure what other performance or activities are lined up as a group, but I really hope people look forward to it,” he added.

Eyewear is a popular styling choice among K-pop idols, particularly in airport fashion. When we asked Min-hyun about his approach to glasses, he shared that they are an essential part in completing his overall style and vibe.

He recommended the sleek, clear-framed glasses he was wearing at the time, saying they complemented his usual “simple and minimalistic” style.

During a group media interview, he also revealed that he owns about 30 pairs of glasses and chooses them according to his mood and the atmosphere of the day.

He said that the fun lies in the “process of choosing and matching them”, adding that it is important to understand your own face shape and try on frames in person.

Lenskart’s Frame Your Style showcase ran from Aug 17 to 23 and featured four main collections from this year’s line-up. Visitors were able to browse eyewear designs inspired by Game of Thrones, The Dark Knight, Fairy — modelled by Thai actress Baifern — and Old Chang Kee.

Watch out for our E-Junkies video with Min-hyun for more of our interview!

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esther.lam@asiaone.com 

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