After over three decades of separation, Filipino-Korean police officer Oh Jun Young, also known as Julius Manalo, was finally reunited with his mother, Oh Geum Nim, in an emotional encounter that aired on “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.”
Julius was born to a Filipino musician father, Eustaquio, and his Korean mother in South Korea. When Julius was just a young boy in 1993, his father brought him to the Philippines, leaving his mother behind. Although his mother trusted his father to care for him, Julius was told they would only be going on a short trip to the United States. However, upon their arrival in the Philippines, Julius was informed that he would not be returning to Korea. The news devastated him, as he had hoped to remain with his mother.
For a short time, Julius maintained contact with his mother, but that connection was abruptly severed after learning that his mother was getting married. The news left Julius feeling betrayed. “Ang reason daw kaya binigay ako sa tatay ko is dahil mag-aasawa ang nanay ko at ayaw ako ng mapapangasawa niya,” Julius recalled, though his mother later denied this claim.
Growing up in Tondo, Julius faced many challenges. His father struggled to make ends meet, forcing him to sell rags near the LRT Tayuman station. Despite these hardships, Julius persevered, receiving help from his older half-brother, actor Jay Manalo, and eventually earning a basketball scholarship in college. He later became a police officer and started a family of his own.
Though he had built a life in the Philippines, Julius never gave up searching for his mother. Years of dead ends due to privacy laws in Korea made his journey challenging, but fate intervened when his story caught the attention of a Korean TV producer through a chance encounter with a Korean agent. Julius’ tale was aired on Korean television for months until, finally, his mother’s location was traced.
On September 6, 2024, Julius flew to Korea with his family to reunite with his mother. The reunion was deeply emotional, as Julius instinctively recognized his mother from a distance. “Napatunayan ko na meron palang lukso ng dugo… Alam kong Nanay ko ‘yun!” he said, recalling how he ran toward her, feeling as if time had rewound to his younger days.
His mother, overcome with emotion, repeatedly apologized, but Julius reassured her with only words of love. “Sinasabi ko lang, ‘I love you! I love you!'”
