Jo Hyun Jae

“Seo Dong Yo” film set 

The Village, with numerous thatched cottages, where the ordinary folks live and work

This village is not detached from the other parts of the city; in fact, it is interwoven with the grand houses which we will be featuring tomorrow.  That’s the prison, in case you’re wondering (the cage-like structure two rows above) and those are swords in the photo next to it.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

In order to film “Seo Dong Yo”, the production crew built a whole city from the grounds up at Buyeo.  Here are some photos of the site under construction.

JHJ studying script

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

This very interesting and informative article was contributed by a Jo Hyun-Jae fan L who was a member of our contingent which went to Seoul for his discharge.  She was among the few tourists who had the opportunity to visit the DMZ.  She spent more than half a day there with her Korean friends and took some good pictures that she’s sharing here with us (the big photos.)

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ – Korean 한반도 비무장지대) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea which are still technically at war with each other.  The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it. It is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long , approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) wide and is the most heavily militarized border in the world.  The Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which was set during the Armistice Agreement in 1953, runs down the middle of the DMZ.

In her own words:

Still another two days to JHJ’s discharge, my Korean friends wanted to take me somewhere special, only an hour’s ride by car from Seoul.  Most people only know about the DMZ from history books.  I was privileged to be able to visit and take some photos.

Wreckage of a train almost totally destroyed in the war

 DMZ Memorial Park at the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) 

North Korea dug tunnels under the MDL to try to attack South Korea – this is the Memorial of the 3rd tunnel. 

Freedom Bridge at DMZ (separating N. and S. Korea) - North Korea is at the other end

Dorasan Station — built in preparation for the eventual reunification of N. and S.Korea.  

Notice board in Dorasan Station says: To Pyeongyang 

(Credit: Small photos from the internet; big photos are L’s.  Thanks!)

“Forbidden Love” on  KBSWorld , Ch.791 and Ch.656 (HD) — from July 13, 2010.

“Only You” on Japan So-net TV  Ch.749 — from July 17, 2010.

Two of Jo Hyun-Jae’s best-loved dramas will be showing again on Korean and Japanese TV in July.  That they are still being rebroadcast 5 or 6 years after their debut shows once again JHJ’s popularity and resilience.

(Credit: ahiru of http://hyunjaelove.jp; http://so-net.ne.jp; http://tv.sbs.co.kr/onlyyou; www.johyunjae.hk. Thanks!)

“Seo Dong Yo” film set

In order to film “Seo Dong Yo”, the production crew built the drama set in Baekje’s capital city, Buyeo.

We were like Alice in Wonderland — everything was wondrous and delightful.  The presence of Jo Hyun-Jae was everywhere.  As we wandered around, there were lots of “Ooh!” and “Aah!” as JHJ fans recognized one setting after another, recalling one scene after another.

The Entrance

There was one place where we’re certain JHJ must have frequented, but which we could not go into, so we did the next best thing and went to the LADIES next door.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

July – the first month after Jo Hyun-Jae’s discharge – hot and humid where we are.  Here are two designs to brighten up your month:

(Credit: The first by ahiru of CarpeDiemJAPAN; the second by Coffee of johyunjae.hk. Thanks!)