Jo Hyun Jae

This is the start of Jo Hyun-Jae’s fan meetings in Japan in June 2008.  This is when, where, why, what, who and how (the 4 W’s and 1 H – remember English 101?) I embarked on my second career as a “star-chaser” (hate this term but can’t come up with a substitute.)

This article was originally published on johyunjaeChina (before we started this blog) and we posted it before on 2.25.09 in our old google-blogspot.  We have since gained many new readers, so here it is again.  We’re green — so you can understand the recycling.

DIARY OF A STAR-CHASER (PART 1 – At Kansai International Airport)
(an eye-witness account of Jo Hyun-Jae’s Fan Meetings in Osaka and Tokyo in June 2008)

I cannot remember who said once you have seen Jo Hyun-Jae, you’re dead! Well, I’ve seen him not ONCE, but TWICE! No, THRICE! — at Kansai International Airport, and at the fan meetings in Osaka on 2008.6.22 and Tokyo on 2008.6.23. And now I have become a diehard JHJ fan for life!

2008.6.21 (Saturday) Osaka

My first glimpse of Hyun-Jae was at Osaka’s Kansai Airport on 2008.6.21 at 2:30 p.m. when he walked into the Arrivals Hall (South Gate), having arrived on JL962 from Seoul a little earlier. I had been standing there for over two hours, along with over 200 Japanese fans (all women), some of whom had been waiting since 10 a.m.!

I was craning my neck, peering at every passenger who emerged, and fidgeting with my camera. Suddenly there was a flash of light, like rays of sunshine! A tall figure in a white ski cap, sunglasses, short-sleeved white shirt, black trousers, and white surfsider shoes (no socks) appeared. Before I could react, he was striding towards his waiting fans, smiling and bowing.

I was standing on the other side of the exit, pretending to meet other passengers, otherwise I would have to stand at the end of the long line of 200+ Japanese fans. I rushed after him, snapping like mad. He stopped a couple of times to accept flowers from his fans, smiling and bowing all the time (so polite!) By the time I reached the end of the line, Hyun-Jae (and his entourage) was entering the elevator. Good thing it was a glass elevator because I could still see Hyun-Jae waving at us as the elevator was going up.

When everything was over (like a dream), I checked my camera and discovered that I did not manage to take a single decent shot of Hyun-Jae (except the blurry one of him in the elevator.) Every photo showed somebody’s hand or the back of a head or the air or (best) half of Hyun-Jae (the right side of his body.) (Sigh!) My hands were shaking too much; my legs were trembling; my eyes could not focus; in short, I was not functioning like a normal human being in the presence of our Prince Charming (about 8 feet away at the shortest distance.)

You know, my biggest discovery from this close encounter is — Hyun-Jae is NOT really photogenic! By that I mean he looks so much more handsome in person than in photos or on the TV screen. I would not have thought this is possible if I had not seen him with my own eyes! How could someone who is already perfect in every respect be MORE PERFECT in the flesh!

He was just wearing the most basic clothes — white shirt and black trousers (the shirt worn outside of the trousers), and yet somehow he made them look like the most glamourous garments in the world. There was an aura about him — he seemed to be radiating light! I was so blinded my mind went blank. My heart was beating so violently that at one point I thought I was going to have a heart attack!

After he was gone, his Japanese fans were comparing and sharing videos and photos. I joined them; we didn’t know one another but we chatted like old friends. Actually they could not speak English and I could not speak Japanese, but we spoke a common language. We were all going ooh…..aah…..wow….. Hyun-Jae!!!!! Ajumas were behaving like silly little girls, and it was a lot of fun! Everybody was looking forward to the fan meeting the day after.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

(Originally published on johyunjaeCHINA in June 2008.)

(Credit: Video and photos by EVERjohyunjae.co.kr. and EVERjohyunjaeJAPAN. Thanks!  The others are mine.)