Funny faces of JHJ
wulijohyunjae | April 4, 2009 | 6:00 am
Ouch! 哎吔!
Eh?
Sideways
La…la…la…** For copyright reasons, please do not reproduce the first photo.
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Ouch! 哎吔!Eh?La…la…la…Respectful way of speaking in Korean
wulijohyunjae | April 3, 2009 | 6:00 am
In Korean language, there are different levels of speech you use, depending on whom you’re speaking to. There’s the easy and informal way of speech you use towards your peers and those ‘lower’ than you (e.g. employees, younger people). Then there’s the formal language used for people older or in ‘higher’ rank than yours. And for people you just met, whenever you’re in doubt, use the polite way… But the polite way is usually longer and there are several levels, the longer the more polite but the more archaic too.
Think of it as a dress code. If you’re meeting friends, you can wear down, and be at ease. But if you’re meeting your boss, your teacher… or let’s say, you’re meeting the president of the nation, you’ll wear a more formal dress. And I’m just talking about the modern Korea. Ancient Korea was even more strict in terms of speech and of social class.
So in SEO DONG’S SONG, the children spoke informally to each other… not that they could, but the boy Jang didn’t follow any social norms. But when they met again after growing up, Jang spoke politely to the princess, and she was surprised: “That’s not the way you spoke to me,” she said. But this is actually the right way of talking to a princess. And he wanted to leave her.
But the princess played tricks on him and made him laugh… then, Jang went back to the old ways and used the ‘informal’ way for like a day or so. But when he left her on the next day, she intercepts him and tells him to be her bodyguard. Back then, she tells him: “You cannot talk informally to me anymore.” Meaning: you must follow the norms and speak respectfully to me! Which he does.
After he returns to Hanuelchae, the princess follows him with her bow and arrow, mad that this commoner has dared to reject her. But after jumping on top of her, he tells the princess: “I won’t keep a woman in my heart if I cannot talk down to her.” Meaning: He won’t love a woman he must look up to always.
You see, since Sunhwa is a princess, she could afford to talk down to most everybody. So she always talked informally to Jang while Jang couldn’t.
Now comes the conversation under the tree, the thing that AMAZED Jang so much it left him speechless. He was very happy to see her, but he still felt that wasn’t right, so he tells Sunhwa she shouldn’t have come. Then, she says she came to tell him something… And she gets herself ready… And she starts speaking politely towards Jang. This was as if the princess would be calling Jang… “My Lord…”
She goes like: “You said you won’t love a woman you cannot speak informally with? I’ll change then. I’ll speak respectfully to you. Because you’re surely a man deserving of such respect.” And from this day on, she always spoke in polite ways to him.
Later on, when Giroo discovers the lovers, he confronts the princess and asks her why she was speaking politely to a man of low birth. But Sunhwa felt Jang was no lowly man, but someone deserving much respect and honor.
*********
After writing the above explanation, I came to realize that princess Sunhwa was the first person who ‘ever’ spoke deferentially to Jang. Everyone else spoke informally, and in pretty rough ways at that!
Which explains why he looked so stunned by what the princess was doing. But the fact that this person who was exalting him was none other than the princess of a nation did something to his own heart… It took him out of a state of self-defeat and help him to dream big~of conquering the world for his princess.
From this day on, and for a very long time, the princess would be the only person who would speak formally to him. It’s a given that none of the Hanulchae people spoke respectfully to him. The 2 comrades-at-war he met during episode 15-16 (lighting of the signal torch) spoke informally to him, and the same thing goes with all the officials and nobles at the Palace Court.
BUT LATER ON, as his identity’s revealed, things must change. Mokrasu was the first person other than Sunhwa to know this (Except prince Aja). As soon as the master finds out, he kneels down before ‘the prince’ speaking respectfully to him. Jang protests and he asks his master to treat him the way he always did. In order to ‘cover up’ the truth, the master agrees to this… but sometimes he still speaks ‘respectfully’ to Jang, so Jang has to remind Mokrasu to stop doing that (lest someone hears them).
Daejang always spoke down on the younger boy but he couldn’t do that after knowing the truth. More towards the end of the drama, the dynamic’s changed, and it’s the king who spoke down on Daejang. Wangoo Mujang, the king’s guard, was another one who always spoke down on this boy. But when he learns he’s the prince, he keeps on speaking deferentially to him, although he knows that’s not safe! (He couldn’t help himself!)
When Eunjin finds out the truth, she feels a huge gap separating them both and she feels lost. “I cannot call him by his first name anymore!” She complains.
Prince Wooyung too, she spoke down on Jang even after learning who he is… since she’s still a princess but he’s a ‘hidden’ identity! It was only after he succeeds in his revolution that she starts talking deferentially to him.
As for Jang, he was so used to speaking respectfully to everyone, he continues doing so even after he becomes a king… although the king could speak down to most everyone. But as the story advances, you’ll see Jang using the informal ways more often and with more at ease when speaking to his subordinates.
It must have been confusing for the people to suddenly change their behavior towards Jang… and Jang would be the most confused in this huge mess. But fortunately, he had been ‘trained’ by Princess Sunhwa at receiving respect and honor. Meaning: the princess treated him as a prince even before she knew who he was. So by the time they find out… it made it easier for Jang to face it.
(Credit: Priscilla of Prisci4U at Xanga)
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Quiz
wulijohyunjae | April 2, 2009 | 6:00 amCan you name ALL these dramas and movies in which Jo Hyun-Jae appears? And what’s missing?
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Korean music websites laud JHJ’s CD
wulijohyunjae | April 1, 2009 | 9:03 pm
Jo Hyun-Jae recorded his CD for his fans so they have something to remember him by during the two years he is in the army.
On March 30, 2009 the two leading music websites in Korea, NAVER and Mnet, both reviewed JHJ’s CD. All 6 songs, the 3 sung by Hyun-Jae and the 3 instrumental, can be downloaded for 900 won each with 45 seconds free trial. So far this CD has been rated 5 stars (the maximum) by internet users.
Quotes from review:
“In ‘Words you said to me’, Jo Hyun-Jae’s deep and tender voice, coupled with the delicate music, subtle arrangement, and gentle rhythm, produce a classic narrative song.”
“The heart-rending lyrics of ‘Words you said to me’, perfectly matched by Jo Hyun-Jae’s unvarnished rich baritone, together with the elegant introductory music really warm our hearts. This song totally manifests Jo Hyun-Jae’s dynamic voice and musical talent.”
“Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of separation and who wants to forget that pain will find some solace when the piano notes start in ‘Like the wind by your side’. This song conveys a special feeling the way Jo Hyun-Jae renders it.”
The third song is called “I spread my dream in the sky”. This CD is Jo Hyun-Jae’s gift to his fans; he has put his heart and soul into it. It is definitely a collector’s item.
*** For copyright reasons, please do not reproduce photo.
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Essence of a man
wulijohyunjae | April 1, 2009 | 6:01 am
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 2008.11.13
The aroma of a man emerges in his 30s—I finally feel like an adult! *Interviewed just before he joined the army.
— In Three Daddies with One Mommy you played a stingy fund manager. As you developed that character did it reflect your actual personality at all?
**When I did Three Daddies with One Mommy, at first I didn’t notice it, but as I was getting into the character, there were some slight changes in my own life as well. It isn’t my usual tone, but before I knew it, I started sounding cheap like my character. And I’m usually the laid-back type, but I started talking fast. . . .
—In that show you played the role of an unusual papa. What are your own views on marriage?
**I think they’re the same as most people: meet someone you love, build a happy home, and live happily together. I dream of having a normal family.
—Once you are married, have you ever imagined whether you would want a daughter or a son? And what kind of father would you like to become?
**I think it would be nice to have one son and one daughter. I’ve thought that, if I have a son, I’d like to be the kind of dad where we could speak openly about anything.
—What points do you look for when you’re choosing a project?
**At the moment, there is no specific point. I have to grow more. But I do want to perform in works that are realistic. I’d like to do more traditional love stories and dramas. The reason I did a comedy like Three Daddies with One Mommy was that I believe that I need to play a wider variety of roles in order to grow as an actor. I want to play even more different types of roles in the future and take on projects with unusual scenarios.
—Why do you think that you are cast in period pieces so often, such as Daemang (Great Wish[2002, SBS]) and Seo Dong Yo?
**Perhaps it is because I seem calmer than other people my age. I don’t know about now, but I used to be mistaken a lot for being much older than I was. It’s not so much my exterior looks as what’s on the inside. . . .
—Looking back on your life as an actor to date, what color actor do you think you are?
**Color? . . . What can I say to that? I don’t want to decide on one color. Rather than saying what kind of actor I am, I’d like to be confused with my characters, to become the character I’m playing. I try hard to achieve that.
—You are turning 30. What are your plans for the future?
**I feel like I’m finally growing up (laughs). I think that when a male actor is around 30 years old, he finally starts to get the aroma of being a man. I have a long path ahead of me and I need to work even harder. Right now, my head is full just thinking about work.
* “Aroma of a man” — maybe this is a Korean expression, but translated into English it sounds like JHJ has BO (body odour), so I took the liberty of changing the title to “Essense of a man”.
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