Jo Hyun Jae

In his first ever appearance in KAIST (1999), in the story “145 km. Love” Jo Hyun-Jae plays a university student who is carrying on a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend who lives 145 km. away. The setting for KAIST* is a university in Dae Jeon. His girlfriend is in Seoul, and for love he has to commute between Dae Jeon and Seoul on a motorcycle. JHJ plays this role of the young man who is caught between his studies and love with such charm that he impresses and attracts the general audience and wins his first fans. The rest, as they say, is history.

The video (18:32 minutes, in two parts) is in Korean and there are no subtitles. But we manage to get the drift of the story, as we’re sure you can too, smart JHJ fans that we are! JHJ’s acting skills may be a little green, but just watching him makes your heart ache. His features are so fine and his expressions are so sincere and innocent. And the 19-year-old JHJ on a motorcycle cuts such a dashing figure! Only complaint — the actress who plays his love interest is so much older and is no match for him in looks (problem with casting.) There is another girl, though, his fellow university student, younger, prettier — if this were a full-length drama, we know exactly how the plot will develop. Anyway, enjoy the video!

Editor’s note: KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) is a research university located in Daedeok Science Town, Daejeon, in South Korea. KAIST was established in 1971 as the nation’s leading science and technology institution and is considered the MIT of South Korea.

(Credit for video: http://cafe.daum.net/kkkjin0202)