“Of course it hurts, it hurts a lot.”
“People are always going to say negative things, no matter what I do.”
Ever since the ending of ‘My Binondo Girl’ people have been putting Xian under the microscope… and what saddens me is even some people who work in the showbiz industry are putting Xian in the hot pot. When you are in the showbiz industry, I think it is important to think of what you say before you broadcast it, particularly on Twitter. You throw around names and hurtful sayings without thinking who it will affect. People follow you for updates, not to hate on other artists. Taste your words before spitting them out.
It frustrates me because I feel like when you judge Xian, you’re judging his mother and the way he was raised. When you throw the word ‘user’ around, you imply that his mother raised one, and I know for a fact that the only thing his mother raised was a well mannered, grounded young man. Xian goes beyond looks. He’s a man with depth. He is not shallow, he is not stupid. He has a great head on his shoulders and the people that really know him, know that.
It’s unfair to label him as a ‘user’ all because the chemistry he had with Kim, clicked. It’s not his fault that many people - including me - grew hooked on the Kim-Xian tandem. People saw a chemistry between them, something new and fresh. And it’s a given they will get more projects together, more exposure together because of their fan base, and napaka shallow ng mga tao to put that weight on his shoulders, that weight of negativity on his shoulders by calling him a ‘user’ and ‘social climber’. Oo, sikat talaga si Kim. Oo, Xian has a long way to go, but it’s not like he isn’t working for it. Kung alam nyo lang how long he waited for his big break. It’s hard to wait. He could have given up but he didn’t. He waited and when his chemistry with Kim clicked, he knew he had hit the jackpot; and he never stops thanking Kim for it.
His friendship with Kim is another thing people like to question; the sincerity. They have been friends for four years and only recently did they discover a “romantic” side to that friendship. He knows Kim plays a big part in the reason he is who he is today, he doesn’t deny that. I’d like to believe he respects Kim a whole lot, I can see it. If he wanted the fame, he would have left her after ‘My Binondo Girl’ but he didn’t. Straight after their serye ended, he made the effort to get to know her, get to know her family, break down her walls, etc. Kim is sweet but she is not stupid. And neither is her family. If she felt like he was using her, she would distance herself from him, but she didn’t. If her family felt like he wasn’t sincere in his actions, they wouldn’t ‘bond’ with him, but they do. Why? Because they feel his sincerity. They feel that he is every bit genuine with everything he is doing and has done. Kim is the one who spends almost every night and every day with him, whether they’re on a movie date, at a taping, at ASAP, at church, at a family gathering or even just at her home, she knows him best. She’s one of the people that gets to see the Xian Lim behind all the lights and the cameras. The one that a lot of people neglect to see.
In his interviews, Xian is very closed when he talks about Kim because he knows that if he opens up too much, they will draw the ‘user’ card on him again. He doesn’t want to admit anything, doesn’t want to say anything because he knows that at the moment, there are people that can and will use his words against him. Article after article, that label appears. He can’t say too much, he can’t say too little… where is the man supposed to place himself?
Xian is only human. Though he treats every negative thing like it’s nothing, he does get affected, and so does his handler, his mother, his friends, and even Kim, because these people know that Xian is not a bad guy, he is just misunderstood.
I intend to defend Xian from all these unnecessary labels because I know he is a good person with a kind heart, and I can’t stand to read negative articles or Tweets about him because I know that there is more than just one person hurting when they read those grotesque words. If it’s on his skill, he knows to take it as something to improve on, but when it comes to his character, it’s something personal. But as he says…
“They don’t know me.”
Before you judge, get to know him. Trust me, the man doesn’t disappoint.
Even his fans gets affected, too! So before you act, listen. Before you react, think. And before you criticize, wait.