Jo Hyun Jae

DIARY OF A STAR-CHASER (Part 2 – OSAKA – continued)

Part 2 was games, one of which was “Stone, Paper, and Scissors”. Everybody stood up and played against JHJ. If you lost, you sat down. After three or four rounds, JHJ had already defeated most of us. Only 7 or 8 people were left and they were invited on stage to play with JHJ. The last two left standing received prizes and got to shake JHJ’s hand.

Another game was “Wheel of Fortune”. The lucky few that JHJ invited on stage turned the wheel to see what they could win. (Hyun-Jae was very considerate to his fans; the first one he picked was from the 1/F balcony.) The luckiest one of all got a HUG! The Japanese girl was shy but Hyun-Jae was shyer. There was a lot of foreplay before they finally came together for a brief second. Her head barely reached his chest, and I could see she was about to faint from the excitement.

In Part 3 fans competed for the gifts that JHJ brought with him, among which were DVD sets of “Seo Dong Yo” and “Only You”, won respectively by an old lady and a young girl who both looked overwhelmed.

The most bizarre part of the afternoon was JHJ demonstrating the art of eating. Actually he was supposed to be a culinary judge. A food cart was wheeled out on which were a number of dishes. JHJ first tasted some kind of pancake. He took a small bite but was made to take another bite by the MC. Hyun-Jae’s table manners were impeccable. He wiped his mouth and drank from a glass of water before trying the spaghetti. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was to eat spaghetti in front of 1500 people? with 3000 eyes watching every movement of your jaw? While he was trying to swallow, the MC kept talking to him, so he had to turn his back to the audience to gulp it down. He was so polite and well-bred! This happened twice because he had to sample two different kinds of spaghetti. I think it is torture.

Next the MC said something which of course I did not understand. The Japanese lady sitting next to me said (in English): “Stand up! Stand up!” I stood up without understanding why. Then she said: “Go out! Go out!” and pushed me towards the stage. I saw Taiwan’s G and, being the smart JHJ fan that I was, I guessed overseas fans were invited to meet Hyun-Jae. Actually we stood just beneath the stage, about 8 or 9 of us, and each of us was asked where we were from. The man on my left said “Taiwan” (yes, JHJ does have male fans!) and I said “Beijing, China”, followed by B from Hong Kong and G from Taiwan. The last person was from Italy (at least that’s what I heard.)

All this time I was standing about five feet from Hyun-Jae and I was staring (yes, staring, very rude, I know, but I couldn’t help it.) I was so near to him and I could see him so clearly. Oh, my God! He was so “beautiful”! This was what the Japanese lady sitting next to me was saying all afternoon — “He is so beautiful! the most beautiful in Korea!” And I answered: “In the world!” Yes, up close he was even more “beautiful”!

Without understanding Japanese, somehow I knew we were asked to play “Stone, Paper, Scissors” with Hyun-Jae. I played “Scissors” and Hyun-Jae used “Stone”, so I lost. I knew I was supposed to go back to my seat, but I didn’t want to take my eyes off Hyun-Jae. I had never been so thick-skinned in my life. I just stood there and kept staring, until the other losers started leaving. I cursed myself for losing, but I was losing my head in Hyun-Jae’s presence. The two winners were Taiwan’s G who won JHJ’s shirt and a leather bracelet (I’m so happy for her!) and a Korean fan from CAFE who won JHJ’s jeans and also a leather bracelet. Lucky girls!

At some point the audience dedicated to JHJ the song in “3 Dads/1 Mom” that the three fathers sang for the baby girl on her first birthday — “You Were Born Out Of Love”. Hyun-Jae stood there solemnly receiving the tribute, even though the singing was out of tune sometimes, and he smiled and bowed and thanked us. After another brief intermission, it was “handshaking” time. The organizers moved very quickly and efficiently. A small table was set up on stage left. The fans lined up and took turns to shake Hyun-Jae’s hand. Then they were led to centre stage where two identical stands were erected for fans to take a photo with Hyun-Jae in groups of 30. The front row had 11 chairs (the centre one for Hyun-Jae); the two back rows were standing room only.

When it was my turn, I was pleasantly surprised (and very moved) that Hyun-Jae actually “shook” my hand and looked me in the eyes. His hand was soft and his grip was firm. He really took his fans seriously. Gazing into his big, beautiful eyes gave me a dizzy feeling.

I half-walked, half-stumbled to the stand and discovered I was just one seat removed from Hyun-Jae. B very generously offered her seat to me so I could sit next to Hyun-Jae. When he came over, I could not take my eyes off him. His face looked even more “beautiful” when it was less than six inches away. His profile was like that of a Greek statue. His skin was very fine and his complexion flawless. When he smiled (at us, not at me in particular), I was ready to drop dead from the ecstasy. It was all like a dream, a dream come true! I could not remember how I got off stage.

There were a few children in the audience. When they went on stage for their photo shot, they were placed next to JHJ. It was heart-warming to see Hyun-Jae put his arm around the child (children in one case — twin girls.) I could see Hyun-Jae loves children and he will be a good father when he has children of his own.

I was still on cloud nine when finally the handshaking part was over and JHJ came on stage again to sing another song and to say goodbye. Part of the proceeds of the show was donated to charity, and JHJ presented a cheque to a representative of the charitable organization, to thunderous applause.

Finally the MC presented JHJ with the fans’ messages in an album. While we were waiting in the lobby, we were given cards (the size of a business card) on which to write a message to JHJ, to be dropped in a box at the entrance of the auditorium. JHJ read out a few; the rest presumably he would take back to Korea. When he has nothing better to do in the army, I hope he will take out this album and perhaps come across mine that reads:
“To: Mr. Jo Hyun-Jae (in Korean) FIGHTING! From China with love 2008.6.22″

Time’s up but nobody wanted Hyun-Jae to go, so we kept on applauding and applauding until he came on stage again to say “Thank You” and “Goodbye” one last time.The fan meeting was billed as 2 – 5 p.m., but it actually lasted till 6:30 p.m. And I had to catch a 9 p.m. flight to Tokyo. I’ll not tell you about my mad dash to Kansai Airport. It was nothing compared to JHJ’s 4 1/2 hours on stage, most of it standing, and shaking 1500 hands and posing for photos with 1500 divided by 30 groups of fans (you do the math), all the time maintaining his elegant pose and sincere manners and genuine smile — all from the heart!

(TO BE CONTINUED)

(Originally published on johyunjaeCHINA in June 2008.)

DIARY OF A STAR-CHASER (Part 2 – OSAKA)
An eyewitness account of Jo Hyun-Jae’s Fan Meetings in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, in June 2008

My Japan Fan Meeting tickets

2008.6.22 (Sunday) Osaka’s NHK Hall

I had it from a reliable source that in Osaka Jo Hyun-Jae had a rehearsal soon after he arrived from Seoul in the afternoon of June 21. Two lucky Japanese fans in Osaka (and another two in Tokyo) were selected to watch the rehearsal. On the day of the fan meeting, JHJ arrived at NHK Hall at 11:30 a.m. (This is from another eyewitness.) The meeting begins at 2 p.m. This just shows how seriously Hyun-Jae takes his work.

At a little after 12 noon, JHJ fans were already gathering in the lobby of the NHK hall. Everybody was very excited and anticipation was in the air. At 1 p.m. we were allowed to enter; the queue was moving slowly because there were so many people. When we got to the top of the escalator, we saw many huge posters of JHJ — all unspeakably handsome! And there were all these JHJ souvenirs spread out on several tables. So we started charging at once! I made a beeline for the photo albums. They are BIG and BEAUTIFUL, with many previously unpublished photos of JHJ and his signature. I also collected a set of cups (2) with different JHJ photos on each, and cell phone straps (with JHJ’s signature.)

Clutching my precious purchases, I entered the hall which could hold 1500 people (full house.) Three huge JHJ banners were hung on stage, one on each side of JHJ in a black suit, and a set of three in the centre of JHJ in a grey cotton cardigan and white T-shirt with grey-and-yellow striped sleeves. Just looking at these made my heart beat to an unnatural rhythm.

A little after 2 p.m. the lights dimmed. Wah…..wah…..wah….. screams could be heard all over the main auditorium and the 1/F balcony. Suddenly projected on the big screen was a pair of black leather shoes. Then the camera panned to reveal a pair of ash-white trousers and then a jacket. It stopped at the neck! By that time everybody in the audience knew that it was JHJ backstage. Screams were reaching fever pitch. Drum roll……and Hyun-Jae appeared on stage left, walking to centre stage. Everybody was screaming at the top of their lungs.

The vision that appeared before our eyes was Hyun-Jae in an ash-white suit (short jacket — must be this year’s style), black shirt with polka dot lining (strategically revealed at the open collar), black leather shoes, and short hair (in the “3 Dads/1 Mom” style.)

Hyun-Jae started to sing. I didn’t understand a word but it was beautiful music. I have only heard him sing on MVs before. On stage he sounded much better and stronger; his voice was a rich, deep baritone. When he finished, the applause was deafening.

Then the Master of Ceremony (MC) and the interpreter appeared on stage, and they all sat on high stools, the two women on either side of JHJ. Hyun-Jae sat with his left foot on the lower crossbar of the high stool and his right foot on the floor in a pose that could only be described as elegant. (Try sitting on a high stool for over an hour with your back straight up and you’ll know how difficult it is to maintain such a pose.) The MC started with her questions, which Hyun-Jae answered in his characteristically terse way (not many words.) The interpreter was translating simultaneously and she was doing a good job, because almost as soon as the Japanese MC finished asking her questions, Hyun-Jae was ready to answer. (The interpreter was the same one as in the 2006 Japan Fan Meeting.)

On the big screen appeared first Lee Dong Gun (whose younger brother’s funeral JHJ attended a few months earlier) and then JHJ’s co-stars in “3 Dads/1 Mom” — Shin Shing Rok, Jae Hee, and Eugene. I think they were wishing JHJ success with the fan meeting (the last two words were spoken in English.) Lee appeared thinner, Shin looked exactly the same as in 3/1, Jae was sporting a smart new hairstyle, and Eugene — I did not recognize her at first (without the wigs she wore in 3/1). Her real hair was very short which made her face look very round and full.

On stage Hyun-Jae was like a bright-eyed little boy who was curious about everything. He kept turning his head to look at his friends on the big screen. I guess the MC’s questions were about JHJ’s various TV dramas. I could hear the words “Seo Dong Yo”, “Only You”, and Andrea.

I did not understand a single word of Japanese or Korean, but I was caught up in the fervour of the moment. I laughed when everybody laughed, and I clapped when everybody clapped. We all know JHJ is a man of few words. But he seemed to be warming up after a while, and even spoke more than ten words at a time (Just kidding!) Seriously, he must have become more humourous because his answers were evoking constant laughter. We laughed and he smiled. We laughed some more and he smiled some more. The atmosphere was warm and electrifying.

After more than an hour, Part 1 came to an end. JHJ went backstage, waving and bowing. On the big screen appeared various scenes from his TV dramas which brought back happy memories.

After an interval of about ten minutes, JHJ re-appeared — on the 1/F balcony! He had changed into casual wear —  a short-sleeved white shirt on top of a white collarless T-shirt, black vest, black trousers, and white canvas shoes — and he was so drop-dead gorgeous! He made his way across the whole balcony before coming down to the main auditorium which he criss-crossed, so that everyone had the chance to see him up close. He passed right in front of me, but the fans on the other side grabbed hold of him, so I didn’t even manage to touch his back!

 (TO BE CONTINUED)

 (Originally published on johyunjaeChina in June 2008.)

Here is a clearer version of what you saw yesterday.  We’re sure you don’t mind watching the very young Jo Hyun-Jae and his band mates in Guardian going through the motions one more time.  JHJ at 18 is so cute!

The first CD is the real thing.  The other two featuring JHJ exclusively are “produced” by his fans.

(Credit: http://cafe.daum.net/hyunjaelove.jp; www.johyunjae.hk.  Thanks!)

CarpeDiem (CAFE), fan club of Jo Hyun-Jae who is currently serving in the Korean army, has donated 5 million Korean won (approximately US$4,500) to help Ethiopian soldiers who took part in the Korean War 60 years ago.  Ethiopia was the only African country which participated in the Korean War.

Because Jo Hyun-Jae is now serving in the military, members of CarpeDiem came up with the idea of contributing after Defense Daily reported on January 14 about the rare disease descendants of six Ethiopian soldiers are suffering. 

CarpeDiem’s Master said: “Jo Hyun-Jae’s fan cafe is not just an ordinary fan club.  We hope to spread love and warmth to the whole world.  We do not just pursue good looks.  We develop to nurture and assist in shaping an artist’s mature image.”

She went on to say: “Ethiopia is in a state of near-starvation.  As the only African country to send troops [in the Korean War], we owe them a debt.  This is our small way of repaying the 60-year-old favour.  If we could elicit a response from 47 million people to support this effort, it would be great.”

CarpeDiem was established in 2001 and still has 40,000 active members, even though Corporal Jo Hyun-Jae is now serving as an army dog soldier in the Army’s 2nd Battalion Support Command.

(Editor’s Note: This is not the first time CAFE has engaged in charitable/social work.  In 2004 on JHJ’s birthday they donated blood; they also participated in a charity drive for leukemia patients and other community services over the years.)

Some of you may have seen the video of Jo Hyun-Jae in Guardian before.  Unfortunately the quality of these videos is not very good, rather blurry.  JHJ himself said he’s very surprised these videos are still around. 

The first video has clips from other videos, so it is the most comprehensive.  It mostly shows the boys performing in their white uniform.

The second video (very short) shows the boys in black, again doing the same song (probably the only song that was promoted.)

The third video (even shorter) is supposed to highlight discovery of former profession (singer in boy band) of the now famous JHJ.

We are glad JHJ successfully made the transition from singer to actor.  It is not easy, and not many artists make it.  I read somewhere that managers often mistreat and bully the artists under their control, and beatings and other physical abuses are common.  Andy (of the group Shinhwa) who entered the military last week once had to wear a mask to perform on stage because his face was all swollen from the beatings he took.  There are many more such “horror stories” that are supposed to be common knowledge in the Korean entertainment world.  Sometimes we wonder how JHJ could have survived, given his temperament and personality.

(Credit: Param of carpediemJAPAN; cafe,daum.net; hyunjaelove.jp.  Thanks!)

Glowing?  Glittering?  Shiny?  Glossy?  Sparkling?  Gleaming?  Shimmering?  Dazzling?  Take your pick.  I don’t know how to translate the headline in the news item which literally translates as “Skin shinier than snow.”

Jo Hyun-Jae’s life in the military is revealed for the first time when Defense Daily posted these photos of the army dog soldier on January 17.  Jo Hyun-Jae enlisted in the military in August 2008 and will soon be promoted to Sergeant in March 2010.  He is at present serving as an army dog soldier in the Army’s 2nd Battalion Support Command in Gyeonggi-do.  He just completed “Severe Cold” training in blizzard conditions earlier this month. 

　국방일보가 공개한 사진 속에서 조현재는 세퍼드 군견과 나란히 눈 밭에서 웃고 있어 눈길을 끈다. 군생활에 완벽하게 적응한 늠름한 모습 가운데, 눈보다 더욱 하얗고 빛난 피부가 인상적이다.

　네티즌들은 “군대에서도 빛난 이기적인 피부다” “현역으로 당당히 활동하는 모습이 보기 좋다” “군견병으로 근무하는 연예인은 처음인데 색다르다”며 응원을 보내고 있다.

　조현재는 군 입대후 연예사병 러브콜을 수차례 받았지만, 평범한 군생활을 하고 싶다는 의지 때문에 이를 거절한 것으로 알려졌다.

　조현재의 소속사 측은 “연예사병 대신 다른 현역병과 마찬가지로 똑같이 생활하고 싶어 했다. 대신 자대에서 군견병을 제안했는데, 조현재도 평소 개를 좋아하는 애견가라 이에 자원했다. 최근 유격 훈련에 이어 혹한기 훈련도 무사히 마쳤다. 오는 6월 제대까지 군생활을 잘 마무리하기 위해 최선을 다하고 있다”고 밝혔다.

You all know Jo Hyun-Jae is an army dog soldier.  Here he is with his army dog Briro after he returned from “Severe Cold” training on January 14.  Photos are taken on the snow-covered grounds of his army camp. 

The master looks much fitter and smarter than his dog which seems a little worn out.   Briro looked very sharp in those Defense Daily photos a few months ago, remember?

(Source: Blog.naver.com)

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.)

This MV features photos from the 2009 JHJ calendar.  It’s now 2010 and we’re all moving on with JHJ.  Just 150 days or so more……..

To keep you company while you’re still waiting, here are a couple of cute pics.

(Credit: Video by kkisok.  http://gall.dcinside.com; www.johyunjae.hk.  Thanks! )

Yeon Ka-Mo is, of course, Seo Dong’s mother and Princess Sun-Hwa is the love of his life, later his Queen when he is King.

Jang (Seo Dong) once said to Sun-Hwa: “My mother’s dancing is the best; yours is second.”

I have great respect for Yeon Ka-Mo, not just because she is Jang’s mother, but also because I am moved by her greatness.  I can’t forget when I first see her in the drama, she is one of the palace dancers in the Haneulchae (Academy).  She is very pretty, but her dancing makes her appear out of this world.  The way her flowing white robes seem to float in the air when she moves, and the way she lowers her head to peek at her lover — all these scenes are most memorable.

She is originally full of happiness, with a man she loves, and they are even secretly engaged.  But destiny seems to make fun of her.  She forgets she is in the palace, and cruel reality ruins her happiness.  She leaves the palace — for her son.  I thought she would just disappear, but you see how she fares?

For her son Jang she endures all kinds of hardships and near-homelessness.  Time flies; her beauty is no more.  But she never complains.  She teaches her son to read: he does not listen and she punishes him with a smile.  She is tortured by the authorities; her feet are mangled.  Jang administers medicine and tears roll down his face (his mother’s physical pain is the pain in his heart.)  But she laughs it off — “It’s all right.”  Jang complains: “Mother, how come you can still laugh after you have been beaten?”  She smiles to herself: for Jang she would do anything.

Even though she loses her chances of happiness with the good Doctor, even when she is in the midst of her dark days, she still has not lost her love of life.  She tells Jang that the Doctor is the love of her life, the person she respects most in her life.  She cries for him, for love, for heartache. 

From Jang we know mother and son only have each other, but their life is rather poetic.  She teaches Jang to read but never forces him.  She makes good food for him; she dances for him.  Jang says: “The happiest time of my life is when my mother dances and I sell sweet potatoes.”

The one who dances second best is the Princess.  She dances like a butterfly in the wind, and her beautiful smile is so alluring.

The following scenes are the most memorable:

1.  The appearance of the adult Princess, in purple, wearing a gold crown, the head ornaments dangling with her dainty steps.  Her smiling face is full of the promises of love; she seems to be listening to that “Seo Dong Yo” folk song sung by the street kids who sell sweet potatoes.  The Princess’s appearance is breathtaking, so bright and sweet.

2.  That scene when she tricks Seo Dong into believing she’s bitten by a snake and finally sees him smile again — a memorable scene.

3.  In the night the Princess walks round and round the pagoda, waiting for Seo Dong who never appears — I can see her resoluteness..

4.  When the Princess abandons her status and walks out of the palace doors — I admire her determination.

5.  In a foreign country, starting all over as a merchant is not easy, but the Princess chooses to play this card — I marvel at her wisdom.

6.  In a world of snow, that snowman is smiling.  The Princess makes a snowman (also congee for Jang) and they play and chase each other.  She also blackens his face — I see a mischievous and witty Princess.

7.  She finally gets to be Queen, but her father violates the treaty.  The Princess’s heart is full of contradictions — isn’t she her father’s favourite daughter?  Can a Princess only be a pawn in the game of chess between countries?  Her heart is cold; she cannot face her husband the King.  Everybody in Baekje thinks she should be put to death.  Jang cannot forgive her father; Jang goes to fight her father.  The Princess’s heart is full of warmth — that is Jang’s love for her; disappointment — her marriage did not bring peace between the two countries; and worry — the two persons nearest and dearest to her are fighting each other.

Lee Bo-Young’s acting is convincing — she is the most beautiful and lovely Princess in my eyes.  When I see how much she gives of herself for Jang, how can I not like her?

I am now re-watching the DVD version of “Seo Dong Yo” — it’s the happiest thing.

(Translated and adapted from the Chinese article by cuinanshan on johyunjaeChina on 2007.3.25)