Jo Hyun Jae

Jo Hyun-Jae recorded his CD for his fans so they have something to remember him by during the two years he is in the army.

On March 30, 2009 the two leading music websites in Korea, NAVER and Mnet, both reviewed JHJ’s CD. All 6 songs, the 3 sung by Hyun-Jae and the 3 instrumental, can be downloaded for 900 won each with 45 seconds free trial. So far this CD has been rated 5 stars (the maximum) by internet users.

“In ‘Words you said to me’, Jo Hyun-Jae’s deep and tender voice, coupled with the delicate music, subtle arrangement, and gentle rhythm, produce a classic narrative song.”

“The heart-rending lyrics of ‘Words you said to me’, perfectly matched by Jo Hyun-Jae’s unvarnished rich baritone, together with the elegant introductory music really warm our hearts. This song totally manifests Jo Hyun-Jae’s dynamic voice and musical talent.”

“Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of separation and who wants to forget that pain will find some solace when the piano notes start in ‘Like the wind by your side’. This song conveys a special feeling the way Jo Hyun-Jae renders it.”

The third song is called “I spread my dream in the sky”. This CD is Jo Hyun-Jae’s gift to his fans; he has put his heart and soul into it. It is definitely a collector’s item.

*** For copyright reasons, please do not reproduce photo.

Everybody knows China is a big market for any foreign actor, but does anyone realize how big?

Ever since Jo Hyun-Jae’s souvenirs went on sale last year, starting with the photo album “Memories” at the Japan Fan Meetings, there has been a phenomenal demand for them in China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan.)

When the 2009 wall and desk calendars were announced in late 2008, orders started flooding into JoHyunJaeChina which was (happily) overwhelmed. Many fans who never surfaced before suddenly came out into the open.

When the CD was released in early 2009, the ordering mania reached fever pitch. JoHyunJaeChina had to refill its bulk orders three times. Every fan wanted a piece of JHJ — be it the photo album, wall or desk calendars, CD, or JHJChina’s own JHJ notebook/calendar, and, more often than not, all of the above. And some even bought multiple copies.

These JHJ souvenirs, though reasonably priced (all very high quality), are not cheap by Chinese standards. Either all these women (and there are a few young men) have collectively gone out of their minds or they all want to support their idol in the most practical way.

Jo Hyun-Jae is lucky to have fans like these and we are of course lucky to have JHJ. A certain kind of actor inspires a certain kind of fans. “There are two ways of spreading light — to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”