Jo Hyun Jae

You all know this Michael Cretu song that we used to sing on college campuses.   It has a mesmerizing quality about it – just like JHJ!

Come with me in the silence of darkness
I want to show you secrets of life
I will guide you where dreams could’t take you
She seldom flew away in the night

You’re the moonlight flower
You’re the voice of the night.
When you call I’ll follow.
We’ll leave on the trip of delight.

I have been to the heights of my senses.
Feeling the touch of your cures,
I have seen the magic things under night skies.
Until the sunrise ended the spell.

You’re the moonlight flower
You’re the voice of the night.
When you call I’ll follow.
We’ll leave on the trip of delight.

YOUKU

YOUTUBE:  http://youtu.be/DvurxGpOlDY

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

Another couple of MVs on JHJ’s Crown Prince in his 2002 drama “Great Ambition” (Daemang) – Many thanks to Korean fan whose name appears at the end of the videos!

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TUDOU

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCriHOSVF0

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TUDOU

YOUTUBE: YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYTV9Yucq38

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(Credit: http://gall.dcinside.com; http;//blog.naver.com; www.johyunjae.hk.  Thanks!)

We thank our translator for sending us this Korean poem (written by a nun) because she misses JHJ so much.  We all miss him, so let’s share.  (Chinese translation hers; English translation ours.)

Friend, do you know?
When flowers blossom, when flowers fade
Actually, it is said to be very sad

The trees flower
The trees bear fruit
Actually, it is said to be very sad

People among them
Love one another, leave one another
It is said to be very sad

Even though we cannot see
Even though we cannot hear
It is said there are myriads of sadness on earth
To make them beautiful, tears are necessary
Today I remember all those stories that my mother used to mumble to herself

Friend
Quiet like spring rain
Smile even when sad
Wish to be in your heart, in my heart

Do you know?
My tears hidden in the fragrance
Become a flower
Do you know?

朋友呀, 你知道嗎?

花開的時候, 花謝的時候

事實上, 聽說是很悲傷的

樹木開了花

也結了果實

事實上, 聽說是很悲傷的

人們相互之間

相愛, 離別也

聽說是很悲傷的

我們雖然看不見

我們雖然聽不到

聽說這世上悲傷的事很多

為了變得美麗, 眼淚是需要的

這一天, 一直想起以前媽媽自言自語的故事

朋友呀

像春雨一樣的寧靜地

即使悲傷也笑著

想走向你的 我的心

你知道嗎?

在香氣中隱藏的 我的眼淚

成為一朵花

你知道嗎?

- 이해인, <친구야 너는 아니?>

친구야 너는 아니?

꽃이 필 때 꽃이 찔때

사실은 참 아픈 거래

나무가 꽃을 피우고

열매를 달아줄 때도

사실은 참 아픈 거래

사람들끼리

사랑을 하고 이별을 하는 것도

참 아픈 거래

우리 눈에 다 보이진 않지만

우리 귀에 다 들리진 않지만

이 세상엔 아픈 것들이 참 많다고

아름답기 위해서는 눈물이 필요하다고

엄마가 혼잣말처럼 하시던 이야기가 자꾸 생각나는 날

친구야

몸비처럼 고요하게

아파도 웃으면서

너에게 가고 싶은 내마음

너는 아니?

햑기 속에 숨긴 나의 눈물이

한 송이 꽃이 되는 것

너는 아니?

(Credit: Photo designed by ahiru of CarpeDiemJAPAN.  Thanks!)

We absolutely adore JHJ as the Crown Prince in “Great Ambition” (Daemang) – 2002.  Many thanks to the Korean fan (see name at end of video) who created this MV!

TUDOU

YOUTUBE:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJE7mRNLdmE

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

Again just wishful thinking on the part of JHJ’s creative Korean fans.

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

I was going to take a day off.  Got up in the morning.  Checked for JHJ news – nothing, as usual.  What to do?  Then I read your comments (since last night).  You miss me?  Then the least I can do is “create” a post – better than nothing.  Pathetic, right?

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

Not worth our while translating, but here it is anyway.

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2011.07.01                    Administrator

It’s already July!

This is the rainy season, typhoon season, and it’s raining a lot in Seoul.

Although the heat has abated temporarily …. but also worried too much rain will cause damage to many places.

First very sorry about fans waiting with expectations ….

Because things have not been decided, so cannot tell you anything.  Very sorry about this.

Please wait a little while longer.  Will inform you of news through the KOW.

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7월1일이네요

장마기간에, 태풍에 서울에는 비가 엄청 내리더군요..
잠시나마 더위에서 벗어나 좋기는 했지만… 비가 너무 많이 내려 피해를 입은 곳도 많아서 걱정도 되네요..
우선 팬분들이 무척 기다려 주셨는데 죄송한 마음이 크네요….
아직 완벽히 결정 된 사항이 아니라서 알려드리지 못한점 죄송합니다.
조금만 기다리시면 공홈을 통해서 소식 알려 드리도록 하겠습니다.

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(Credit: http://johyunjae.com.  Thanks!)

This started out as an article but became more personal as I wrote on, so I’ve changed it to diary form.

Observations on Korean society

Based on my limited watching of Korean dramas.  I haven’t watched that many Korean dramas.  Frankly, many are not worth my time and effort.  I’m sure many of you know many more Korean dramas, so please feel free to give your input.

The one line of dialogue that stays in my mind after watching “49 Days” is not something that Han Kang said but what Ji-Hyun’s father said to Min-Ho: “Since when does the Chairman have to inform a Manager that he’s coming into the office.”  (I seem to remember he said it in front of the secretary/receptionist too.)  In that scene quite early in the drama, Min-Ho was very surprised when Ji-Hyun’s father suddenly showed up at the office when he was supposed to be at the hospital and he said something like: “Oh, I thought you’re not coming in today.”  This resulted in the put-down I quoted at the beginning of this paragraph.  Min-Ho took it in his stride but I flushed scarlet.  Is this the way to treat a valued member of your staff, someone who’s going to be your son-in-law, someone you’re going to leave the company one day?  Apparently, yes.

Koreans probably won’t give it a second thought, but I feel very troubled by such an attitude.  The more Korean dramas I watch, I more I realize Korean society is very hierachical.   In those dramas set in a big company or organization – “Queen of Reversals”, “Family Honour”, “Baker King”, etc., the characters are defined by their rank/position — Chairman Park, General Manager Lee, Supervisor Cha, Secretary Han …..   They are always addressed as such, even outside the office, as if their position is their identity.  A superior can scold his inferiors at will.  The subordinates bow and bow and accept the demeaning treatment, apparently as a fact of life.

I have often wondered why there is always an exceptionally rich man’s son (from the chaebol) in so many Korean dramas, and one day it struck me: “It’s a dream!  The Korean dream!”  Korean society is such that if you are born into a poor family of the lower class, there is no way for you to climb the social ladder.  Korea is not America.  The Korean Dream is not the American Dream.  People love watching the chaebol because they want to live their life vicariously through them – a fantasy life.  Girls especially dream of marrying Prince Charming – so many Cinderella stories like “Only You”, “Secret Garden”, “How to meet the perfect neighbour” …. (you know more than me) — the poor girl marrying into a very rich and powerful family against all odds.

Now I have no idea if Korean society is really like this, but if art imitates life and if so many popular Korean dramas depict this, they must be realistic to some extent.  I think of JHJ playing a rich man’s son in “Sunshine”, “Only You”, “49 Days”, not to mention a Prince in “Great Ambition” (Daemang) and “Seo Dong Yo.”  His two characters in “Forbidden Love” (special squad agent) and “3 Dads/1 Mom” (investment specialist) are among the few in Korean dramas that have a real job.  And Andrea as a priest is of course unique.

I actually find the motive of Min-Ho and In-Jung in plotting against Ji-Hyun and her family in “49 Days” quite unconvincing — not anything terrible that Ji-Hyun’s father did to their parents long ago (the staple of K-dramas) but their challenge to social inequality (they feel it is unfair that the rich should have everything that they can never aspire to, so they want to reverse positions.)  But viewed in the context of what I wrote earlier, everything falls into place.

In every country in the world, there is disparity between rich and poor.  But in Korea there seems to be an invisible line that cannot be crossed.  You cannot choose your parents, but your birth defines your fate.  In many Korean dramas there is matchmaking — the protagonist is set up by his/her parents to meet someone recommended by the go-between.  The guiding critieria are of course comparable social positions and wealth.  Children of rich families especially have no choice — it’s not a man marrying a woman but two families joining forces, usually two big conglomerates.  One reason I like the Park Si-Hoo character so much in “Family Honour” is his insistence on marrying the girl he loves (although his family is only nouveau riche.)  JHJ in “Only You” also defies his father, although he pretends to submit and even agrees to an engagement.

This is not a treatise on sociology and my remarks are just my observations.  And I don’t feel particularly inspired today because I feel cheated by the KOW (AKA mouthpiece of SNH and JHJ.)  In the hierachical Korean society, is an actor’s management company way above his fans?  Can his MC treat his fans like …. they’re nothing?  Maybe Korean fans can accept this but international fans deserve some respect.  How can the Administrator of the KOW write in black and white that there will be good news before the end of June and not deliver?  Does the KOW and SNH realize what damage they are doing to JHJ’s image? 

I suspect the good news may have been a new project that did not materialize.  Disappointing, yes; devastating, no!  Just be honest — fans will understand.  I have always felt that in the hierachical Korean society, SNH ranks pretty low in the entertainment world (because too small.)  So in the scramble for good roles, SNH (and JHJ) will be at a disadvantage.  Everything being equal, the role will go the actor from a bigger MC with more connections and better background.  This is a fact of life — as long as JHJ is with SNH, this situation will not change.  I remember from watching dramas on the world of TV like “On Air” and “Their world within” how the MC of an actor protect him/her by wrestling as much screentime as possible from the director or scriptwriter, how the Manager would give PD hell if he feels his actor has not been treated properly (e.g. not shot from the best angle.)  From the way JHJ comes across in 49D, it is obvious his MC has not done anything for him.  Maybe a small MC like SNH can’t even gain access to the PD.

In two posts yesterday, I wrote: “I feel like crying.”  I feel like crying for JHJ, and for myself.  Shouldn’t star-chasing be happy?  Why should I have to worry about JHJ?  Why do I work so hard for him and he doesn’t even bother to leave a message for his fans?  Why do I spend all day on the computer and his MC doesn’t even bother to post a photo or two for his fans?  How can I run a website when there is no material?  How can I keep recycling or resurrecting old stuff?  How many diaries can I write and not bore people to death?  People come to a website to see something entertaining.  Nothing – and they’re gone.  Maybe I’ll be gone too next. 

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(Credit: See name on JHJ photo; angry bird from the internet.  Thanks!)

Another “49 Days” MV from a Korean fan (see name on video) – Many thanks!  MV is set to Korean song “That man”.  Yes, that man – who can make us so happy (and so sad) – what is he doing?  Absence makes the heart fonder?  

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TUDOU

YOUTUBE:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbHw_BR8Ixk

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