Jo Hyun Jae

Jo Hyun-Jae has appeared on a number of magazine covers in Japan and Korea. Which one(s) do you like most?

Just because “Forbidden Love” (Legend of the 9-tailed fox) is the most under-rated of Jo Hyun-Jae’s dramas does not mean it is inferior.

The reason it is, arguably, the least popular of JHJ’s dramas is because it is the most unusual, the most daring, the most challenging, and, as such, may not appeal to the taste of the masses.

It is certainly not your usual run-of-the-mill Korean drama — boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl gets incurable disease, girl dies, boy cries.

Or maybe it is, but with a twist! For one thing, the girl isn’t human: she is a vixen, as it turned out. The plot is based on the myth of the 9-tailed fox. This legend may be common knowledge in Korea but I am not familiar with it, so it is refreshing to me. The plot is certainly not the rehashed-to-death storyline of typical Korean drama. It takes a little imagination, though, to follow the twists and turns, jolts and jerks. The foxes in human form are all very attractive (at least the 5 young leads), and they all have supernatural powers, rather like Hollywood’s X-men. The myth, however, only provides the platform for this drama. The plot’s development follows a logical pattern, and it is science fiction with human elements.

Jo Hyun-Jae stars in his first action drama and presents a hitherto unsuspected macho side of himself. Coming off “Sunshine” in which he plays a rather spoilt young man (but so sweet!), this is a bold attempt in a new direction. JHJ is not content to rest on his laurels of perfecting the role of the poor little rich kid. His role in “Forbidden Love” is a venture into uncharted territory, an experimentation with a new genre that pays off. It is a very physical role: he punches and kicks like a pro. And it paves the way for his role in “G.P.506″ four years later.

JHJ looks older than his actual age of 24 when this drama was made. In his four preceding roles in “Great Ambition”, “Love Letter”, “First Love”, and “Sunshine”, he looks boyish and immature. But here in “Forbidden Love” he looks every inch the man. His character Min-Woo is a member of the SCIS Special Squad whose mission is to destroy the 9-tailed fox clan. He is one of the few characters in Korean drama who has a real job, who has to work for a living. This makes the character more realistic and anchors the drama in the real world. Instead of just walking and talking, Min-Woo goes about his business with professional panache. And JHJ in a crew-cut looks very smart and clean-cut.

I like the pairing of Jo Hyun-Jae and Kim Tae-Hee, whatever some people say — they look good together. The trouble for JHJ’s female co-stars is: he looks better than they! This happens time and again. I really feel sorry for JHJ’s co-stars — so often they are totally eclipsed in their scenes with him. And there is chemistry between JHJ and KTH. Their relationship in this drama arouses our sympathy– two star-crossed lovers striving against all odds, trying to overcome insurmountable obstacles. I like the JHJ charcter Min-Woo’s persistence and conviction: he knows what he wants and he knows how to go about it. There is no such nonsense of “To be or not to be” about him. This contributes to the fast pace of the drama.

The love story is set against the larger (macro) plot of the fight between men and beasts, essentially a struggle for survival. The foxes are trying to find a niche on this earth dominated by men, and the men are bent on destroying the foxes whom they see as threats to the human race. Torn between these two worlds, there is no possibility of a happy ending for our doomed lovers. The drama poses the philosophical question –who has the right to exist? The survival of the fittest? Majority rules? The drama also challenges the basic assumption that only two of a kind can relate. Min-Woo and Shi-Yeon try to bridge the gap between the species, but of course their efforts are futile. The title says it all — Forbidden Love. “Forbidden Love” is perhaps the most thought-provoking of JHJ’s dramas.

The ending is to be expected (though it’s another one of those in which JHJ doesn’t get the girl. Scream!) The 1000-year-old fox has to be sacrificed — this makes more sense than the staple diet of Korean drama in which the perfectly healthy heroine suddenly develops an unexplained fatal illness and dies a protracted, excruciating death (squeezing every tear out of the captive viewers.) The vixen-heroine dies, leaving our hero with a handful of dust, literally. The anguished look on Min-Woo’s face stays in my mind for a long time afterwards. JHJ masters this role with complete ease and with a new-found maturity.

One last (trivial) point: JHJ in this drama changes my prejudice against men who wear sleeveless shirts/T-shirts. I’ve always found men who wear tops with no sleeves lacking in something. What are they trying to show off? But our action hero here in “Forbidden Love” redefines men’s fashion. Men who go sleeveless can look good (but they have to look good in the first place; otherwise this fashion guru’s advice is: wear sleeves!)

“Forbidden Love” is the first Jo Hyun-Jae drama that I watched and it will always have a special place in my heart.

The following message was left on Korea’s CARPEDIEM on March 28, 2009 by a fellow soldier of Jo Hyun-Jae:

Hi, everybody at CarpeDiem! I’m here to say “Hello” on behalf of Hyun-Jae.

This week’s training was shooting (target practice.)

I was fortunate to be on the same shooting range as Hyun-Jae.

Anyone who could hit 20 targets would get a bonus leave.

Unfortunately Hyun-Jae only hit 19, but he was still rewarded with a night out.

As for me, I gave up after the first bang.

The shooting range was quite far, so on the way I spent the time chatting with Hyun-jae which felt really good.

Have a wonderful weekend, CarpeDiem fans!

IMPORTANT NOTE

This message has not been verified by JHJ’s management company or the JHJ Official Fan Club. We cannot vouch for its accuracy. We translated it simply for the information of JHJ fans.

We often hear of famous people changing the lives of others they have touched in one way or another.

Has your life changed in any way ever since you became a Jo Hyun-Jae fan?

At the very least, it should have become less boring (like mine), much happier (again like mine), fuller? better? busier? more meaningful? more constructive? more creative? more fun? etc., etc.
Would you like to share your experience with us?

Here are more of your favourite photos:

Christine

MKL

Shirley

Kathy

MDH

Gabriella

This is an English translation of Jo Hyun Jae’s interview with “Korean TV Drama Magazine” (October 2008 Issue) by misa123 first published in EVERjohyunjae on 2008.10.26

Please support me again when I return!

Interviewed just before he joined the army.

Jo Hyun Jae, the Korean actor who has become extremely popular in Japan as well for his work in Love Letter (2003, MBC), Seo Dong Yo (Ballad of Suh Dong; 2005 SBS), and other performances, saddened many fans when he enlisted in the army with dignity on August 5, 2008. In late July, just before he entered the army, he held a precious interview with Japan’s mass media in Seoul. Perhaps it was the mixed emotions as he prepared to enter the military, but Jo Hyun Jae, who is known for being taciturn, seemed even more incommunicative than usual. But with an occasional smile, he answered with sincerity to each and every question for the sake of his Japanese fans. We are looking forward to seeing Jo Hyun Jae again two years from now.

There will be a blank period, so I thought a song would be a nice idea.

—When you appeared at a July 19 fan meeting with short hair, the fans were surprised, weren’t they?
**I was told that I was done with my formal appearances, so I went ahead and cut it. I guess I wasn’t done (laughs). Today I didn’t have any choice but to come to work with my hair short. But when I’m not working, I think I’d like to always keep my hair short like this. It’s easy.

—It seems that the song you sang at the time of the fan meeting is going to be released.
**I hadn’t originally planned for it to be released. I had just finished the TV drama Three Daddies with One Mommy (2008, KBS) and as I was preparing for the fan meeting I thought about what I could do that would be special. There will be a blank period in my career for a while, so I decided that it might be nice to leave them with a song, and I rushed to prepare it.

—You are very good at singing, and it made me think that it would be great if you became a singer as well.
**Well . . . . I don’t think it’s something you can do just because you want to, but if the fans want me to, I wouldn’t mind singing for them. It would be for my fans to listen to. But it would be tough for me to just concentrate on singing like a normal singer would. I have my acting as well. But I think there is meaning in creating a chance to record a new song and let everyone hear it.

—There is only a short time left before you enter the military. How do you plan to spend your time in the army?
**If I have time, I think I’d like to study, but from what I’ve heard from the people around me, it seems that’s probably going to be impossible (laughs). I’ve heard that everyone goes in bent on studying, but in the end, they can’t do it. Until now, I’ve been busy with work and I haven’t been able to lead a very well regulated life. So I’m setting a goal for myself of coming back healthy. If I lead a better-regulated lifestyle, I should be able to get into shape. Also, until now I’ve been working as an actor, but I think it’s worthwhile to take a step away from that for once. I hope that I will get in shape and return feeling refreshed.

“Shall I take a shot?”—the role in Seo Dong helped me grow

—The popularity of Seo Dong Yo in Japan seems to know no bounds. It must have been a very meaningful role for you as well.
**First, to play the lead in a historical drama is a big challenge at a young age like 26. It also meant a lot that I was able to work with the master of period pieces, director Lee Byung Hoon. Thanks to that, I was able to properly learn how to act in a long-running historical drama, and although it was hard work, by the same token it allowed me to progress as an actor; it was a piece that allowed me to grow. It was an extremely meaningful piece in my acting career.

—What was the number one reason you decided to take the part in Seo Dong Yo?
**I thought it was going to be tough to appear in a long historical drama at this age, but director Lee Byung Hoon told me that he had been wanting to cast me for a while and had been watching me closely. He said, “I know it’s going to be tough, but please give it a try with me!” That was a big part of the decision to take the part—believing in that kind of director. It was also because I felt that the character of Seo Dong was appealing.

—What aspects of the character did you find appealing?
**The path that Seo Dong followed as he grew was appealing, coming from humble beginnings and overcoming adversity to become a king that ruled the nation. Seo Dong himself was a person revered by many, so it was also enticing to play such a prominent person and I thought, “Let’s give Seo Dong a shot.”

(TO BE CONTINUED)

JHJ fans have been asking how they can write to him while he is in the army. Here is his address:

경기도 포천시 소흘읍 무봉2리 450번지 사서함 130-17호 56대대 SEOUL 480-799 KOREA

일병 조현재

[English]

P.O.Box 130-17, Mubong-ri, Soheul-eup, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, SEOUL 480-799 KOREA

PFC Jo Hyun-Jae

PLEASE NOTE: Any letters mailed from abroad to Korea, the address must be written like this–”Seoul – zip code – Korea” regardless of city to arrive without problem.