Jo Hyun Jae

MBC has a programme called ”Happy Time” with a special segment ”Masterpiece Theater” in which dramas previously broadcast are abbreviated into a half-hour.  Of course this treatment is only reserved for those dramas which are still popular with viewers.  Jo Hyun-Jae’s ”Love Letter” (2003) is one such drama that was shown on “Masterpiece Theater” on December 12, 2010.

We don’t know what you think, but this is not the “Love Letter” that we know and love.  Whoever had the thankless job of editing it into a half-hour was asking for trouble.  Still, anything that recalls JHJ in the public eye is good since he is in danger of disappearing from view altogether.

(Credit: Mandalaywith @ ING www.johyunjae.cn; www.johyunjae.hk; names on photos.  Thanks!)

Videos are identical – 1. YOUTUBE, 2. YOUKU.

A few days ago we played a little game on this blog — speculating on what JHJ could be doing (as he has not been seen or heard from since making a brief appearance at Seoul Fashion Week on October 22.)

One fan forwarded the suggestion (tongue-in-cheek, we think) that JHJ could be “exploring the priesthood”!  She went on to remark: “He’ll be the best-looking priest ever.”  (No doubt about that!)

This remark recalled my schoolgirl days N years ago.  I attended a convent school, and every day a priest came to say mass at our chapel.  There were two priests, I remember, an old one and a handsome young Italian priest who came in my second year of high school.  All of a sudden, many of my classmates became very devout and went to mass every day (before class.)  And two of them even became nuns later.  (Honest to God, I didn’t make this up.)

Now if JHJ were to become a priest, I can safely predict two things:

1.  Church attendance at his diocese will increase dramatically.

2.  Many broken hearts will take a long time to heal.  (I read on another JHJ website one fan writing – at the merest hint he might be dating – “I will never ever forgive him!” – spitting vehemence!)

Maybe even these:

3.  The number of nuns may increase (but only in those convents related to JHJ’s order.)

4.  MBC will re-issue “Love Letter” and it will top the charts.

JHJ’s Andrea is really inimitable!  No one else can play this role with such conviction and compassion.  And yet, as a Catholic, I find some disturbing elements in the portrayal of the priest, not on the actor’s part but on the script’s.  Catholics believe the priesthood is a calling from God.  You sever your earthly ties and devote your life to God.  But Andrea seems to become a priest or not at the pleasure of Eun Ha, and in the end he resumes his priesthood only at her insistence.

The ending is debatable.  For Catholics, there is no going back once you are ordained as a priest.  (Some do leave the priesthood, though.  I know someone who married her priest, and I’ll always remember what she said to me  – half in jest – the day before the wedding: “Do you think I’ll burn in hell?”)  But many non-Catholics think when Eun Ha wakes up from her coma, she and Andrea will get back together as a couple.  It is the scriptwriter’s fault for leaving the open ending like that, but perhaps that is deliberate.

“Love Letter” is to be commended for tackling a religious issue, and a controversial one at that.  But there are certain strict religious dogmas in Catholicism that are not to be toyed with.  Whenever I re-watch this drama, my best friend M’s outraged remark always comes to mind: “A priest sleeping with a woman (even if nothing happened) — that’s utterly unacceptable!”

Chinese men become monks usually because they suffer some setbacks in life and become disillusioned with this world.  Does JHJ’s long absence and silence mean he is hiding/escaping from something, someone?  Would that drive him over the edge?

But is JHJ even a Catholic?  Not that we know of.  JHJ once said: “You don’t have to be a killer to portray a killer convincingly.”  Right!  His Andrea is the purest, sweetest, most endearing, most lovable priest there is, or ever will be.

(Credit: MV by zuru92 of Thailand; www.johyunjae.hk. Thanks!)

This “Love Letter” MV is set against the haunting melody of ”Romance de amour” on the classical guitar.  Enjoy!

(Credit: MV by cafe.daum.net/nowguswo; www.johyubnjae.hk.  Thanks!)

Here are more “Love Letter” locations discovered by Jo Hyun-Jae’s Japanese fans.  As usual, scene from drama on left and real place on right.

You have to admire the Japanese for their sleuthing abilities and persistence.  I don’t know how they discover all these places (some most insignificant). 

I accompanied my Japanese friends on one such quest last year, and it was very tiring and time-consuming.  Even though they’d done a lot of research beforehand, sometimes they found the place, sometimes they didn’t.  When they didn’t, their disappointment was palpable.  And when they did, their satisfaction was infectious.  I remember we covered the first 4 and other places not posted here.

(Please see “Further adventures in JHJ country 1 – 4″ – 2009.08.05/07/09/11 - under Category: Trips as JHJ fan.)

(Credit: http://nifty.com; Coffee of www.johyunjae.hk.  Thanks!)

The Japanese are at it again — they specialise in discovering the locations of scenes from Jo Hyun Jae’s dramas, in the case, “Love Letter”.  Take note of the date — June 19, 2010  (the day of JHJ’s discharge.)  They must have gone on their journey of discovery as soon as they’d seen JHJ out.

Left: scene from “Love Letter”.  Right: the real place (with name at bottom).

(Credit: http://nifty.com; Coffee of www.johyunjae.hk.  Thanks!)

Sad! Sad! Sad!  Lots of tears.  Heartbreaking song.  Don’t say we haven’t warned you.  But we wouldn’t miss this “Love Letter” MV for the world.

The last scene of Andrea and Eun-Ha on the beach is so romantic.  That chaste kiss is so touching.  It looks like they are the only two people in the world.  But I’ve seen a video that shows the shooting of this scene, and there are at least two dozen people surrounding them!  To perform that kiss the two actors have to be oblivious to all the commotion around them and just lose themselves in their emotions.  Great acting!

Title of post is from MV.

(Credit: Name on MV. Thanks!)

It’s been a while since we’ve posted anything on Andrea, so here are a few photos and a video.

The following “Love Letter” video, created by johyunjae.cn, is set to one of our all-time favourites – “Try to remember”.  While we are waiting for JHJ’s new drama/movie, all we can do is try to remember.

youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvsWazoqw0w

(Credit: Video by www.johyunjae.cn; photos from http://cafe.daum.net; www.johyunjae.hk. Thanks!)

Song by Ryu, part of the lyrics of which reads (our translation):

Please don’t be sad because I fully understand your true heart
Even if our souls cannot be together, I will pray that you don’t suffer
Even if it has to end now, let me make one last wish
Even if it is so painful, do you still believe in love?

Yes! if it is Jo Hyun-Jae and Soo Ae.  JHJ’s Andrea is one of a kind — no one else can play this role so convincingly and movingly.

(Credit: Video and photos by KK of johyunjae.hk; http://gall.dcinside.com.  Many thanks!)

This is dedicated to all the mothers in the world.  (Tomorrow is Mother’s Day!)

MV set to a famous song by Beyond, perhaps the only rock group from Hong Kong that has a following overseas, even years after the untimely death of its lead singer Wong Ka Kui in 1993.

Part of the lyrics of this song goes like this (translated from Chinese):

Your gentle eyes teach me how to look ahead resolutely

Remind me never to give up even if I stumble and fall

Don’t know how to repay debt to Mother

Your love is all-encompassing and boundless

Please allow me to say: Really love you!

Chinese words on the pictures say: Really love you / Jo Hyun-Jae.  That’s what we want to say too: Really, really love you, Jo Hyun-Jae!  And we love your mother too — for giving us such a beautiful specimen of humanity.

(Credit: MV by KK of johyunjae.hk. Thanks!)

Video (titled: “Those winter memories”) and “Love Letter” photos by KK of johyunjae.hk.  KK is our JHJ Fan of the Month — she is so talented and versatile, and she creates the best MVs, set to beautiful melodies.  Even though she lost everything because her computer crashed a while ago, it did not take her long to begin her creative process all over again.  We salute you, KK!

From the moment the dawn starts to gleam in gold
I know I’ll never be lonely again
Seeing your face break into a smile for me
With you the world is not the same anymore.

(From the song – but equally applicable to how JHJ fans feel about him.)

(Credit: KK of johyunjae.hk. Many thanks!)