Jo Hyun Jae

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JHJ was only 21 when he played the youngest son in the weekend drama “Father & Sons” (2001).  We have only been able to see clips from this very early drama before, but now some Korean fan (Bless her!) has edited it to include only the JHJ parts.  Enjoy the opening (more to come.)

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YOUTUBE

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TUDOU

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For more, please go to Category: JHJ early work: “Father & Sons”

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

This is a very young Jo Hyun-Jae in an early work “Father & Sons” (2001) – Episode 23.  He plays the youngest son, and at least here he is allowed to flex his muscles somewhat (figuratively, i.e. given the chance to act), unlike in “That’s good” a year earlier where we only see him walking around with scarcely a line to his credit.

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

This is a very young Jo Hyun-Jae in his first weekend drama SBS’ ”Father & Sons” (2001) in which he has a regular role as the youngest son.

(Credit: Photos from CarpeDiemJAPAN and http:cafe.daum.net/nowguswo.  Thanks!)

The video below gives you certain glimpses of JHJ in “Father & Sons” (from http://cafe.daum.net/nowguswo and edited by kkisok of johyunjae.hk.  Thanks!)

The following is an article in a Korean magazine (summer  2001), introducing Jo Hyun-Jae in the SBS drama “Father and Sons”.

(Editor’s note: JHJ was then known as “LEE Hyun-Jae”.  He later resumed his real surname JO.)

A brand new actor Lee Hyun-Jae

Not 제, but 재 — Lee Hyun-Jae corrected me.

Many people don’t care about how their names are written, but Lee Hyun-Jae shyly confirmed the proper way to write his name — Lee Hyun-JAE.

There are so many new actors.  There are many who want to become actors and many who want to find new actors.  There are many with good figures and fresh looks, but the age at which appearance determines everything has passed.

In SBS’ weekend drama “Father and Sons”, the actor Lee Hyun-Jae’s sweet smile attracted a lot of viewers.  His radiant smile reminds one of the good, kind young man in the fields of times past.  In this time and age when good looks is a definite advantage, Hyun-Jae’s fine features bring a breath of fresh air.

But why is it that when I actually see him, I do not sense the pastoral feel at all.  His sculptured profile and his sparkling eyes are so dynamic.   Hyun-Jae has the superior appearance of a fine actor: simply handsome and as required by the drama. No matter what the role is, he can dramatise it with many rich facial expressions.

Looking at the fresh-faced Hyun-Jae who plays the youngest son in the new weekend drama “Father and Sons”, I see a sweet young man full of dreams, so fine and fresh, beautiful bright eyes, full of artistic feelings.  They say people with pure souls have particularly clear eyes.  Hyun-Jae must have the soul of an angel.  Such clear eyes, so remarkable on close scrutiny!

Because of a stellar cast, the SBS weekend drama “Father and Sons” attracted a lot of attention lately.  Some parts have been decided beforehand.  Finally, there leaves the role of the youngest son.  Who is to play the youngest son?  Such an important role in a weekend drama — all newcomers want to play this role.  Why did it finally fall to Hyun-Jae?

It is said because of his “potential”.   Hyun-Jae said: “When I was in primary school, I was very shy.  Probably a lot of my classmates won’t remember me.  I was small and said little.”

Most actors have one thing in common — they may look ordinary, but once they are on stage they become someone else; they lose themselves in their performance.  But Hyun-Jae is not like that.

How does such a shy person perform?

“I don’t understand how to do well in talk shows.  Even if I really want to, there is nothing I can do.”  But he has a voice that is clear and pleasant to compensate for his shortcomings.  Like Mozart’s passion, like Beethoven’s tirelessness — he never lets up.

Hyun-Jae was discovered in a gym.  “They saw me exercising in the gym and signed me up.  I was really lucky.”

Recently, the drama division wants to recruit him too.  It is as if fate is leading him onto the entertainment road.  A TV series has a very tight schedule — shooting 5 days a week.  Hyun-Jae feels very thankful to be doing this at the moment.

Hyun-Jae mentions that he has been “scolded” by the director till he cries and despairs.  He is an introvert and is often immersed in his character; he wants to be able to control his emotions as an actor.

From the beginning to the end of this interview, Hyun-Jae often ponders long and hard over an answer.  He has the qualities to be a great actor.  He will become an actor of substance and depth — this is certain.

(Original by Crystal in EVERjohyunjae’s Japanese forum.  This English version is translated from the Chinese version on johyunjaeChina by 苹果芊芊.  Edited by wulijohyunjae.  Photos from CarpeDiemJAPAN.  Thanks!)

Following is a video that gives you certain glimpses of JHJ in “Father and Sons” (from http://cafe.daum.net/nowguswo and edited by kkisok of johyunjae.hk.  Thanks!)

This “Father and Sons” MV is created by cafe.daum.net/nowguswo and edited by kk who set it to the Cantonese song “Every step of the way” by the Hong Kong singer Lui Fong. We have translated the lyrics which seem to mirror Jo Hyun-Jae’s early life.

Every step of the way

Forget about yesterday’s loss and troubles
Go right on, every step of the way
Forget not the lessons of failure
Never give up, keep on dreaming

Today I’m racing time and speeding up
Cheers by my side lead the way
Dashing in the wind, under the over-arching sky
How high is the sky! I can touch it with both hands
If I fall, I’ll rise up and challenge it again
How fierce is the wind! I’d rather be the grass
That grows faraway, every step of the way

How deep is the sea, but it cannot submerge this lonely isle
Mountain beyond mountain, all built with two hands
How many more days in this life, but I’d rather get up early
And finish every step of the way in my life.

(Thank you, Carpediem and kk!)

Someone I love

I do not love someone who comes forth from the dark
I only love someone who emerges from the heart of the woods
In the lonely darkness, suddenly it’s bright, eye-piercing, heart-warming
Sitting in the gloomy forest
Watching golden rays from the sky piercing through the leaves

In this world of dust, how beautiful this is!

I do not love someone who has no tears
I do not love someone whose tears have no love
I only love someone who dissolves into drops of tears
To be happy without tears — that is not joy
Where love is, shouldn’t tears be there too?
Sitting in the tranquil forest
Someone with tears running down her cheeks slowly walks out of the woods

See how beautiful that is!

(Credit: blog.naver.com; cafe.daum.net; club.brokore.com; youtube.com; johyunjae.hk. Thanks!)