Jo Hyun Jae

Scenes from Aug.5, 2008.  What will it be like on June 19, 2010?

The Jo Hyun-Jae world is abuzz with activities these days.  Everybody (who can go) is preparing to go to Seoul to welcome JHJ out of the army on June 19.  Everybody wants to see him for the first time in two years.

For someone who is so low-profile (for an actor) and who has almost disappeared from the public view since August 5, 2008, it is nothing short of a miracle that there are still fans who are waiting for him.  Fans are notoriously fickle — every day new actors break out in the entertainment world.  If you have seen a number of Korean dramas, you will agree that all the actors (and, for that matter, actresses) are attractive, good-looking, and well-proportioned.  There are different types, of course, so you can always find one that suits your tastes.

JHJ is of course the creme de la creme among Korean actors.  His physical attributes and his acting ability propelled him to the front ranks, but, let’s not kid ourselves, he’s nowhere near the top.  Why?  I could write a Ph.D. thesis on this topic — it’s something very near my heart.

But we’re not here to discuss rankings.  In one respect, JHJ outshines most of his fellow actors — he has this quality to inspire loyalty in his fans who stand by him in the two years he is in the military, in spite of the scarcity of news and only the occasional photo/video.   Now that the waiting is almost over, his faithful fans are all gearing up for the big day.

Members of the Official JHJ Fan Club, mostly Japanese, are signing up in droves for the 2 nights/3 days tour to Seoul that will include a lunch and handshake with JHJ.  They (and we – we’re members) are paying through the nose for this privilege.  IF part of the proceeds were to go to line JHJ’s pockets, we wouldn’t mind.  But we suspect the money will just end up on the travel agent’s profit sheet.

Some fans in other parts of the world resent the fact that JHJ seems to be partial to his Japanese fans.  They do not take into account how the Japanese fans support JHJ not just in spirit but also in substance, i.e. they buy all the DVDs of his dramas (much more expensive in Japan than in other parts of the world), his CD, his Fan Meeting DVDs, his souvenirs – the whole lot – in bulk.  We’ve also got all of these but our numbers cannot compare with the Japanese. 

JHJ fans in China are also prepping to go to Seoul in June.  With China gaining in political clout and prosperity, many mainland Chinese are travelling overseas more extensively than ever.  Still, many have never taken a trip outside of China and some are getting their passports for the first time.  Unlike citizens of many other countries, the Chinese need a visa to go to South Korea.  So this is a big adventure for them.  JHJ may have only one drama ever shown on Chinese TV – “Only You” – but this is enough to attract a few dozen Chinese fans to greet him when he emerges from the camp on June 19.

Now JHJ fans in Hong Kong have organized a tour to go to Seoul for that weekend.  I have just heard something that I’m sure will move JHJ, if only he knew.  Some people, either because of work or family commitments, cannot afford to spend more than one day in Seoul.  So these few SUPER FANS are just going for the day — yes, they’ll take the “red eye” flight that leaves in the wee hours of the morning of June 19, head straight to the camp from the airport, and then return home by the late afternoon flight!  They are just going to stand at a distance to take a look at JHJ; they do not get to shake his hand because they are not Official JHJ Fan Club members.

So, if you do not live on the other side of the world, you could consider “day return”.  I never thought of this option before.  I didn’t know JHJ fans could be this crazy!  Calling all JHJ fans!  Last chance!  You can still join us.  Most of us are from different parts of Asia, but we have someone from as far away as Canada in our group.  And our programme consists of visits to various JHJ drama locations, “Seo Dong Yo” village, shopping for JHJ souvenirs, and dinner at Oliva (“Only You” restaurant) and lunch at Baekje Ginseng Chicken Soup.

Someone once said: “Once you’ve seen JHJ, you’re dead!”  That translates as: You’ll become a diehard JHJ fan.  And believe me, he’s MUCH MORE handsome in person!  This is the best chance to see JHJ up close and personal.  He will be so moved to see so many fans right there waiting for him.

(Credit: Photo from EVERjohyunjae.co.kr.  Thanks!)