Are you ashamed to be a JHJ fan?

The other day I had a row with my husband. He knows all about my blog partner; we have no secrets from one another. He told me he met a colleague of hers, and I immediately said: "Oh, don't mention in what capacity you know her." He said: "Of course not! You think I'm so indiscreet?" And then he went on to ask: "Is she ashamed to be a Jo Hyun-Jae fan? Are you ashamed to be a Jo Hyun-Jae fan?" My retort: "Of course not! But she's a very private person, and so am I, for that matter, as you well know." We had a few more words and then we didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day, and the next day all was well again.

What my husband said really touched a nerve. Am I ashamed to be a Jo Hyun-Jae fan? NO! It's not something unspeakable, something I have to hide from my friends. But it's not something I would trumpet from a rooftop (because justification is unnecessary.) My whole family, though, knows I'm a JHJ fan. When I first saw Hyun-Jae in "Forbidden Love", lightning didn't strike. It wasn't until I started "Seo Dong Yo" that he gradually grew on me. Like Hyun-Jae, I'm shy and reserved and do not warm to people easily, which is why sometimes my bashfulness is mistaken for haughtiness. I have led a normal, boring life (which I don't find boring at all, if you know what I mean.) I enjoy my own little world which has now become a wonderful new world.

I don't know when my husband first suspected something. He knows I have very high standards and have criticised more than praised artists, whether local or international. He knows I've been around, I've seen the world, and am not likely to fall for a pretty face. Most of all, he knows I'm a solid citizen of integrity and principle. He also knows I don't like fads and I have dismissed star-chasers as airheads. And this homebody that he's known all his adult life goes on three trips in the space of two months for some Korean actor called Jo Hyun-Jae? When my husband sees my interest in Jo Hyun-Jae is not subsiding with time, he probably puts it down to early signs of Alzheimer's! But I must say he's been very tolerant, even supportive. When I told him in February that I might be going to Osaka (for the photo exhibition), he said: "Do what you want to do, so you won't have any regrets." I said: "You didn't even ask me what it's about." And he said: "Of course it has to do with Jo Hyun-Jae. What else?" That made me teary-eyed.

I read on some other website about those women who were afraid their husbands would find out they bought JHJ souvenirs. They said they could not buy the wall calendar because they could not hide it, so they had to settle for the desk calendar. The CD, of course, could fit in anywhere. What kind of husband would be jealous of a man his wife can only see on the screen and in photos? The insecure kind, so there must be some problems with the relationship in the first place. I can't remember where I first saw this -- "Play together, stay together." Shared interest keeps people together. I never try to make my husband watch JHJ, but a few months ago when I had to go on a rather long trip on my own, he asked me to leave him the "Seo Dong Yo" DVD. Actually what he said was "the potato boy". I was very surprised and secretly delighted. The only Korean drama he has ever watched is "Jewel in the Palace" (Dae Jang Geum) and that was a few years ago. He watched SDY with the Korean soundtrack and Chinese subtitles, and I sometimes sat down with him. He also made some wry comments, but that was just his ironic sense of humour. It's good to be able to share your love with your husband.

Because of Hyun-Jae, I have done things I never thought I would do, like meeting people I got to know on the internet. When I went to the Japan Fan Meetings in June 2008 with someone I just met through a JHJ fan club, my best friend thought I was nuts. It was she who introduced me to Jo Hyun-Jae, so she was very concerned that I had gone over the cliff. She still worries about me now and was very amused when I told her about this blog.

Starting this blog is quite impromptu, very out-of-character for someone like me who plans things meticulously. M and I met on a JHJ website and we hit it off instantly. Being able to speak the same dialect helps, but most important, we're two of a kind. The typical JHJ fan is introvert, conservative, proud (read: high self-esteem) , persistent/stubborn, intelligent/intellectual, does not open up easily except when talking about JHJ. I'm generalising, of course, and I'm only referring to those I've met. M and I are both serious, sensible people who want to do something for Hyun-Jae and for those fans who can read only English. I remember how frustrated I was when I first surfed the web to try to find news of Hyun-Jae. Any tidbit was a thirst quencher. M and I launched our adventure on the wings of a prayer. We're long on enthusiasm and short on expertise and experience. But we're still here and we plan to be around, as long as there's JHJ.

But to go back to my original premise: Are you ashamed to be a JHJ fan? Why should this question arise in the first place? It all boils down to people's condescending attitude to star-chasers. Granted, most star-chasers are teenyboppers who don't know any better. But it really depends on the star. A certain kind of star inspires a certain kind of fans. Jo Hyun-Jae's fans are somewhat out-of-the-ordinary. They are mostly older, more matured, better educated, many professionals, and more often than not, have never been a fan of any star's. I still find it inconceivable I've become a JHJ fan. Even though I'm a film buff, I've never ever been crazy enough about an actor or singer to join a fan club (so I can communicate with like-minded people.)

To those who look down on fans, all I want to say is: You don't know what you're missing! Life is a lot more fun when you're a JHJ fan. You get to meet a lot of people from all over the world, physically or spiritually, that you otherwise would never have the chance to come across. You learn a host of new skills (just so you can keep up) and suddenly you find you are no longer computer illiterate. You may even learn a new language -- Korean. Your life becomes fuller and brighter. You discover a world of the senses and of the mind that is invigorating, intoxicating, and enchanting. All because of some actor called Jo Hyun-Jae!

Are you ashamed to be a JHJ fan? Stand up and be counted!


(In case you don't recognise the photo, it's from the CD jacket. The child Hyun-Jae is a miniature of the man, his exquisite features already fully formed -- iron-clad proof that he is 100% NATURAL, so unusual in a country of so many man-made beauties, especially in the entertainment industry.)