Manila Standard Today
By Ricky L. Calderon

Never in her wildest dreams did emerging teen idol Kim Chiu imagine her life would change immensely after she joined the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition. Last February, Kim was just an ordinary teenager aching to do something when she auditioned and passed PBB Teen Edition and become one of its housemates. In less than seven months, she has emerged as one of the hottest teen stars in Philippine showbiz, together with her partner Gerald Anderson.

The trappings of fame and fortune are slowly but surely rubbing on Kim. As she herself puts it, “feel na feel ko na po ang pagiging artista ko.” And she’s fully aware that she needs to do her job right. Bungling her job would mean disastrous results and she recognizes that a good job is her ticket to fame and more fortune.

“I like very much what I am doing even if my schedule is very tiring,” the teen star gushes. The pretty 16-year-old plays the brainy student Indi in First Day High, her first movie under Star Cinema.

Her life has taken a 360-degree turn since she entered PBB Teen Edition contest and emerged as it’s top winner. While she’s getting the hang of the topsy-turvy world of showbiz, Kim still maintains the glow of innocence of someone young.

One thing noticeable change that happened to Kim’s life was the emergence of “relatives.” From out of nowhere, people come up to her and say they are her relatives. At least, her victory in the contest paved the way for Kim’s reunion with her dad. After being raised by her grandmother, Kim has been reunited with her dad who’s now taking care of her finances.

“I didn’t expect all the things that are happening to me right now,” says the pretty teenager. “After being a part of a reality show, other programs were offered to me like Love Spell and Your Song. I am very happy with all the breaks coming my way.”

When Kim entered the picture, all of a sudden, Sandara Park was eclipsed. The Korean girl was eased out of the scene. Isn’t Kim afraid that the same thing will happen to her once a new star emerges on the scene?

“Of course, I am also very much aware of that. That’s why I am doing my best. I know this is only good while it last(s). I don’t know for how long would I stay popular that’s why I am making the most of my time. And I am really doing my best,” says Kim.

Since she’s already earning, Kim is setting aside a certain amount to help defray the costs of sending her two siblings to school. The decision to help them was hers. She says she’s working hard not only for herself but also for her two siblings. She also wants to help her family. But while she has been reunited with her father, Kim doesn’t know the whereabouts of her mother whom she last saw at the grand finals of the PBB Teen Edition. Her mom has not communicated with her since then.

Fame has a way of changing people’s attitude toward others. Kim relates that his uncle who used to say not so nice things about her is now the one who religiously records on tape the various guest stints that she has on TV. And all the relatives who introduced themselves to her after she won in PBB have suddenly been professing their pride in the very of being related to her.

Kim admits that she’s feeling the jitters that their launching movie First Day High is showing in Metro Manila. She’s fully aware that this is an acid test, a make or break bid for all of them who are being launched as stars in First Day High. While they are naturally excited with the break given them by Star Cinema to headline First Day High, Kim is fully aware that she and her co-stars are still not proven to have the drawing power at the box-office.

Kim says her first shooting day was a very memorable one. It was a different kind of experience working before the movie camera and she admitted to getting the jitters. But Kim says she hardly encountered any problem with their director Mario Cornejo (who directed the Urian-nominated film Big Time who was very, very cool on the set. That somehow eased the nervousness felt by Kim and the rest of young cast of the movie.

She didn’t have a problem bonding with Gerald while they were working on the movie. After all, they have done a number of TV shows together, not to mention mall shows. The movie experience was just another venue to cement their bonding.

Since she and Gerald are always together, doesn’t it cross Kim’s mind that Gerald might eventually become her boyfriend?

“Hanggang isip lang po iyon,” says Kim with a smile. “He’s not making any move to court me. But [all] I can say is that Gerald is really mabait. And he’s always around when I feel down. He always there to make me happy.”