Jo Hyun Jae

Miscellaneous observations on 2010.0619

Deep breath

If you’ve seen the video in our June 21 post “Discharge videos and photos”, you’ll have seen JHJ blow his breath when he first emerged from the camp. (Even though I was there, I only saw this on the video, because the press corps obstructed my view of the gate.)  It was as if JHJ was wordlessly muttering to himself: “Out at last!”  Then his face broke into a broad smile.  I felt very moved when I first saw this (and immediately recalled Martin Luther King’s “Free at last!  Free at last!”)  We could hardly imagine the loneliness, the forlornness, the homesickness, the hardship, the frustration, the fear, the uncertainty…..that JHJ has gone through in these two years.  But he must have made a lot of friends in the army.  From the video you can see several of his fellow soldiers gathered at the camp gate to say goodbye and applaud him.  He must have won many fans in the military!  He may be a star, but he’s just a regular guy, well-liked and well-respected by his peers.

JHJ fever   

Beware!  There’s a new strain of ‘flu — the JHJ fever!  Its symptoms are: you feel yourself going weak in the knees; you tremble inside (even if it doesn’t show on the outside); you ache all over (especially around the heart); you feel your head is in the clouds; you find it hard to focus; sometimes you even have difficulty breathing…..The sensitive members of our contingent all caught the JHJ fever, and it’s highly contagious too.  After all the excitement of the morning (of June 19), they became pensive and even a little melancholy.  They sigh every now and then, like love-sick puppies, and when I addressed them, I could see they’re not quite there!  They all described the above symptoms to Dr. WuliJHJ who has been immunized from 5 previous encounters with JHJ.  Dr. WuliJHJ prescribed a good night’s rest and plenty of warm fluids, and a refresher course on all JHJ dramas and movies when they get home.  The disease is incurable: it will subside for a while, but it stays in your system for the rest of your life!

Different strokes

“All fans are equal, but some are more equal than others.” (Apologies to George Orwell for taking liberties with his famous line.)  JHJ fans from different countries are very different, and please don’t think I’m stating the obvious.  Korean fans are reserved, but they’ll walk the plank for JHJ.  They are also very caring and considerate.  Japanese fans are intensely loyal and staunchly supportive.  The Chinese fans are organized and close-knit — they all wear turquoise T-shirt uniform (mainland China & Taiwan) or assorted yellow (Hong Kong).  My favourites are the Thai fans.  They wear their hearts on their sleeves: they make no secret of their affection for JHJ.  They’re cheerful and jolly, friendly and spontaneous.  I met two of them in 2008, and this time we hugged each other like long-lost friends.  There are 10 of them this time, and they’re a boisterous and hearty lot, full of vitality and fun.  Wherever they are from, the fans are all united in their love for JHJ.  It’s just that they may show their love in different ways.  On the occasion of his discharge, they all come together.  Unity is strength!  JHJ has said more than once that his fans give him strength.  I hope he finds the sight of so many fans heartwarming and encouraging.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

MNET video + YKStar video

(Credit: Videos from Mnet and YKStar; names on photos.  Thanks!)

You have to watch this video, even if you are saturated with near-identical JHJ discharge videos already.  It has something the others don’t have — the handshaking portion of events of June 19.

And it features that very vivacious female reporter who could not resist caressing JHJ’s face when she was interviewing him earlier outside the camp (for which many JHJ fans want to kill her!  Just kidding!)

The interview in the first half of the video is the same as the YKStar video in yesterday’s post ”A healthy discharge”, so we won’t give the translation here again.

The second half covers the handshaking event narrated in yesterday’s post “Discharge Diary (3)”.  When JHJ alights from the Mercedes-Benz, he is greeted by above-mentioned reporter who asks him what he’s doing there.  He replies that he is there to meet his foreign fans who have come from many different countries to see him, after which he wants to go home. 

Videos are identical:  the first is YOUTUBE and the second YOUKU (for those fans who cannot see YOUTUBE.)

Translation of what JHJ is saying at start of video:

Salute!

Report.

Sergeant Jo Hyun Jae received discharge orders on 2010.06.19.

End of report.

Salute!

(Credit: Video from ETN Enews Report; photo from Net to News.  Thanks!)

2010.06.19    The handshake

It was a half-hour drive to Uijeongbu Hall where the handshaking event was to take place.  I had no idea where the place was.  My eyes were still seeing stars, no, just one BIG, BRIGHT star!

Originally only members of the Japanese Official Fan Club (JOFC) were accorded the privilege of shaking JHJ’s hand (for which they paid a hefty price.)  207 members came from various parts of Japan for this special occasion.  Then on June 18 we were told (in confidence) that all overseas fans would be allowed to shake JHJ’s hand.  Well, some people were going to be very happy, and some very unhappy.  Those who got something for nothing would be thrilled, but those who paid through the nose for the privilege should be forgiven for feeling cheated.  The way this issue was handled left something to be desired, but let’s not sweat the small stuff.  Even though I had to pay for the now-free privilege, I’ve always felt there should not be a distinction between paying and non-paying fans.  After all, these foreign fans came from different parts of the world just to see JHJ.  Surely he wouldn’t want them to just catch a glimpse of him.  But of course these things are decided by Star N Hit which has now relented (under pressure?)   I feel it’s a shame that JHJ’s Korean fans were excluded; they are his home base after all.  

Flowers from CAFE Korea and Japan

We had to draw lots to determine our seats.  As luck would have it, we were 3 rows from the back.  But it was not a big hall and we could see the stage clearly.  Uijeongbu Hall is a cosy venue that could hold just about all the JHJ fans who qualified for the handshake — approximately 270 by my reckoning.  Several reporters appeared to film and photograph the proceedings.  The female reporter who was interviewing JHJ at the camp gate appeared and briefed us on how to greet JHJ by making the HEART sign with our hands on our heads.  (Hold up your arms and touch the top of your head with your fingers, thus making a heart — meaning I LOVE YOU!)  We rehearsed this twice: it was fun!

Then the female MC appeared and very soon introduced JHJ at 10:45 a.m. (only 15 minutes behind schedule.)  JHJ came out on stage all smiles, looking as gorgeous as ever.  On the MC’s prompt, we screamed in unison (in Korean): “JHJ, we love you!” followed by heart sign.  JHJ responded by making the heart sign too, and we all went wild!  He looked so young, so cute, so trim and slim, and oh! so achingly handsome! 

The MC asked him a few questions in Japanese.  (This special handshaking event was originally meant for JOFC members only.  We must be among the very few non-Japanese members of the JOFC.)  The translator (to JHJ’s left) was a little slow, and JHJ sometimes looked puzzled, much to the amusement of his adoring audience.  Sometimes JHJ himself was a little slow in coming up with an answer and resorted to his little mannerisms — biting his lips, rubbing his nose, drawing the back of his hand across his forehead, etc. — again much to the amusement of his enthralled fans.  Everything he said and did brought forth cheers and applause.  I hadn’t the faintest idea what he was saying (not being conversant in either Japanese or Korean), but I cheered and applauded on cue along with everybody else.

Then the MC said “Photo time!” and everybody started snapping.  Somehow the photos I took (this time with both hands) turned out worse than those I took with one hand earlier this morning.  (Please see our June 20 post “More photos of D-day”.) 

Photo time was followed by gift time.  A table was brought out, on which were placed some big gifts presented by fans beforehand.  I could see glass bottles filled with paper cranes (painstakingly folded), 4 big colourful sashes (that I saw that morning in the lobby of our hotel – Thousand Origami Cranes – to make a person’s wish come true), and several other items.  JHJ was also presented with a book of good wishes (little cards on which his Japanese fans have written words of congratulations, encouragement, love, etc.)  I could see he was touched.  He put his left hand on his heart and read some of the messages, holding the book with his right hand.

Then came the climax — the handshaking!  We took turns to go on stage, starting with the front sections.  Because we’re way back, I had the chance to observe him in action.  As at the 2008 fan meetings, JHJ really took his fans very seriously.  It’s not a perfunctory touching of skin — he bowed, he looked you in the eyes, he smiled, he really “shook” your hand (with both hands!), and he bowed again.  Some ajumas grabbed his hand and refused to let go; some kept speaking to him; some repeatedly bowed; some tottered and looked like they’re about to collapse; some tried to linger — but the MC gently pushed them forward, keeping up the flow.  Nearly everyone had a present for him, received by his assistant on his right.  The presents began piling up on the floor of the stage.

When it was my turn, I just said (in English): “Hi!  Welcome back!” and gave him our present.  I knew better than to linger (I’d shaken his hand at 3 fan meetings in 2008.)  He was perspiring; I could see little beads of sweat on his face and forehead.  But his hand was cool (not sweaty) and his handshake firm.  His eyes were like two crystal clear pools and his gentle smile was so sweet.  (Somehow I suddenly thought of Lake Louise, except his eyes are of course not turquoise but dark amber.)  He was exactly like two years ago: the passage of time and a tough life in the army have not left any trace on his flawless face.  Every encounter with JHJ reinforces my conviction that he is much better looking in person than on the big (movie) or small (TV) screen.

After everybody had had their turn, JHJ came down from the stage!  Scream!  Oh, it was to shake the hand of a fan in a wheelchair.  Immediately I wondered if it was worth breaking a leg for him.  He stooped and said something to her, and also shook her companion’s hand.  Then he went back on stage and said THANK YOU to all the fans who came from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and, of course, Japan.   “I am very grateful!  I will work harder.  Fighting!  Thank you!”  He waved and bowed, waved and bowed, and exited stage left.  Of course we would not let him go like that, so we screamed ENCORE! ENCORE! and clapped, clapped, clapped, clapped ………till he reappeared.  He waved (with both hands), saluted, bowed, said THANK YOU, again and again, and then he’s gone.

We all filed out of the hall in a daze and received a JHJ souvenir (make-up mirror) at the door. 

(TO BE CONTINUED)

The following photos show JHJ greeting fans outside the hall.

The following video shows the end of the handshaking event. 

(Credit: Video by johyunjaeChina/Taiwan; HEART photo by johyunjaeChina.com; photos with their name on them are from http://cafe.daum.net/hyunjaelove; http://jo-hyunjae.com.  Many thanks!  Other photos are ours.)

(Credit: Creators of video and names on photos.  Many thanks!)