(This is Maria's story. Will yours be next?)
I have never been a soap opera fan. I started watching Korean drama much later than most people. The only drama that left an impression was "Winter Sonata", but when I saw Mr. Bae without his glasses in "Untold Scandal", I could not bear to watch after five minutes. That was why I did not know that later in the film there would appear a fresh young actor by the name of Jo Hyun-Jae. So for three years this DVD sat on my bookshelf gathering dust.
In the summer of 2007 my best friend in Hong Kong recommended "Forbidden Love" ("Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox".) She said it was not your usual run-of-the-mill Korean drama. I complied and came away with a favourable impression of a young actor called Jo Hyun-Jae who struck me as very upright, but then the other actors/actresses are all very attractive too.
By that time my friend was watching "Seo Dong Yo" on a Mandarin channel. Every time I saw her, she sang the praises of this drama. I was not in the least interested. I did not like period drama, especially long period drama, period! "The Jewel in the Palace" ("Dae Jaen Gaem") that I watched a couple of years ago was enough to last a lifetime.
My friend kept nagging and nagging until, to appease her, I finally bought the set which sat idly on my shelf for some time. One day I had nothing better to do, so I took it out and put on the first DVD.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Jo Hyun-Jae -- who is this guy? I searched for his other dramas and discovered, to my consternation, that I had all his TV series on my shelf all this time. I bought a lot of trash under my friend's influence, not JHJ's dramas, but many others that will now never see the light of day.
I watched JHJ's other dramas in this order: "Love Letter", "Sunshine", and "Only You" -- falling deeper and deeper into the abyss. Actually it was a shock coming to "Only You" -- the last one that I watched -- and seeing JHJ with his shock of hair and baggy trousers and pastel shirts. Whoever was responsible for costumes should be reprimanded. Compare JHJ's on-screen look in "Only You" with that in "Sunshine", and you'll see how important the costume director is. Because JHJ did not look his best in "Only You" (at least that was my thinking at the time), for a long time that was my least favourite drama. Until.....until Hunan TV started showing "Only You" in November 2008 and I formed the habit of watching it every night (even though I did not like it dubbed) and again every afternoon during the re-run. And of course watching that TV programme 夜心万万 ("Night Heart 10,000 10,000") made me an OY fan forever. Hyun-Jae is cuter outside the drama than in it, if that is possible.
After I had exhausted JHJ's TV series, I went online to search for whatever else was available. Only then did I realize he had a supporting role in "Untold Scandal" which was immediately unearthed. I sat through the entire movie, including those erotic scenes in bed in which Mr. Bae somehow looked most uncomfortable. In future I'd know how to use the FF button on my remote.
I also watched online "Star's Echo" and "Joy of Love" -- the latter a gem in itself. Only ten minutes (excluding the very lovely music at the end), but it highlights the best in JHJ. He does not look this breathtakingly handsome in a suit again until "Three Dads/1 Mom".
Then I bought "First Love" and "Great Ambition" ("Dae Mong"). I knew JHJ's role in "Great Ambition" was very small, so I nearly burned up my remote by hitting FF almost non-stop. But every time JHJ appears, he sucks the oxygen out of the room (if you know this saying.) Now "First Love" was a puzzle. After two episodes JHJ was still nowhere to be seen. Instead Mr. Bae dominated the plot. My remote function was about to break down, so I gave up. (Now I've got the genuine JHJ "First Love". Two dramas should not have the same title!)
I went online to try to find what happened to Jo Hyun-Jae after the completion of "Seo Dong Yo". Why was there a two-year blank? Then I saw he was making a "horror movie" "G.P.506". A "horror movie"? Has he sunk that low? It wasn't until much later than I realized it was a "thriller", not a "horror movie". I wish people would be more discriminating in the use of the English language.
Still there was scant news of JHJ. Does he have any fans except me? Yes! but I would have to go to Chinese websites. Stumbling upon JoHyunJaeChina was a godsend. I felt I was home!
The rest, as they say, is history (continued).
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