Leading ladies in JHJ's dramas

Here are Jo Hyun-Jae's female co-stars in his dramas (in reverse chronological order of the date the dramas were first shown on Korean TV.) Who is your favourite? We'll tell you ours if you tell us yours.

Eugene in "3 Dads/1 Mom" (2008)

Lee Bo Young in "Seo Dong Yo" (2005)

Han Chao Young in "Only You" (2005)

Kim Tai Hee in "Forbidden Love" (2004)

Song Hye Kyo in "Sunshine" (2004)

Jo An in "First Love" (2003)

Soo Ae in "Love Letter" (2003)

I know we left out Nakagoshi Noriko in "Star's Echo" (2004) and Lee So Yun in "Untold Scandal" (2003) and "Joy of Love" (2004). Why? Ask M.

(Credit for photos -- names on photos. Thanks!)

JHJ's life in the army

We have received permission from the Official JHJ Fan Club to relay news from their May Vol.1 magazine to our readers here, provided that we "change the words." Since we have changed the language, we reckon we are obeying instructions. We have not translated the words, just the general meaning, and we have added information from Wikipedia (to fill our readers in on some background.)

The Republic of Korea army is by far the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces, with 522,000 members as of 2008. (One of these is our own JHJ!) The size is maintained through conscription. South Korean men must complete 24* months of military service between high school graduation and the age of 35, provided they pass a stringent medical check. (*Only 22 months for JHJ -- date of discharge from army: 6/19/10.) This is in response to the heavy North Korean presence, with its 1 million strong army, two-thirds of which is permanently garrisoned in the frontline near the DMZ (demilitarized zone.)

These two pages show the life of Jo Hyun-Jae in the army. The map shows the location where JHJ is serving -- Pocheon military base. After 5 weeks of basic military training, JHJ was assigned to the Ammunition Depot (under Army Logistics Command) as a "dog soldier", working with military dogs. (Please see our May 27 post: "JHJ's army dog".) The two photos of JHJ in uniform on the top page are released soon after JHJ joined the army and show him with his fellow trainees. The small photo at bottom right is taken on the day he enlisted -- August 5, 2008, as are the three photos on the bottom page.

A day in the life of a Korean soldier
06:00 Get up, toilet, change into uniform
06:30 Roll call on field, morning exercise
07:30 Breakfast, clean up dishes
09:00 Military exercises before lunch begin
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Military exercises after lunch begin
17:00 End of exercises
18:00 Dinner
19:00 Free time (for bath,etc.)
20:00 Clean up, briefing by superior officers
20:30 Free time
21:30 Roll call
22:00 Bedtime
(Winter: get up 30 minutes later.)

The boots on the bottom right of the bottom page have an interesting "legend". (Please see our April 16 posting: "Farewell to JHJ: Seeing him off to join the army (Part 2)") We were told by a Chinese-Korean that Korean women often leave their men when they join the army. Perhaps a two-year separation is too much for some relationships. The army boots are a reminder that their men are serving their country, and the women have to wait for their return.



**FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS, PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE OR TRANSFER ANYTHING**

"Sunshine" is light and bright

Maria's answer to Shirley

I love all of Jo Hyun-Jae's dramas, especially "Sunshine" -- it is light and bright: "light" as the opposite of "heavy" and "bright" as the opposite of "dark". I know, I know, it has the standard fare of the sins of the fathers visited upon the children. But in spite of everything, the overall mood is joyous and "sunshiny", thanks in no small part to the JHJ character Jung Eun Sup.

Eun Sup is not perfect (apart from his looks.) He has many weaknesses (but lasciviousness is NOT one of them):
- he's immature -- In Paris he's involved in a relationship with an older woman who treats him like a spoilt child.
- he's impulsive -- He flies from Paris to Seoul to try to stop his girlfriend from marrying someone else.
- he's selfish -- At the beginning he only cares about himself and his own happiness.
- he's self-indulgent -- He does whatever pleases him, regardless of consequences for other people.

I do not believe Eun Sup means to take advantage of Yeon Woo (played by Song Hye Kyo.) There is no need to. If he makes a move, she will not resist. JHJ in a pastry chef uniform is so drop-dead gorgeous that no woman can resist him.

Yes, Eun Sup has just been jilted by his former girlfriend, and for Yeon Woo to catch him on the rebound is not unusual. And don't forget Yeon Woo is younger and prettier than the other woman. Eun Sup thinks he loves his former girlfriend, but it soon becomes obvious that the attraction is superficial and physical. So it's not as if he sees one, loves one, see another, loves another.

The most moving performance in the whole of "Sunshine" occurs in Episode 9, when Yeon Woo declares her love for Eun Sup to Min Ho (overheard by Eun Sup, as it is.) Min Ho says: "What do you know about love?" And Yeon Woo replies: "No? Then what do you call this heartache whenever I think about him? For the first time since I was born, in all my 26 years, I feel something stuffed in my heart. I feel I'm about to explode. I cannot breathe. However unhappy I am, just looking at his face makes me feel blessed. What do you call this? Is this not love?" and "Why can't I feel this way? Is it because I'm an orphan? Is it because I have no education, no money, no ability? I can feel. I know what heartache is."

I am thoroughly convinced Yeon Woo loves Eun Sup. The fact that she has only known him for a few weeks is beside the point. That's how love is! Yeon Woo has known Min Ho all her life and she does not love him the way she loves Eun Sup. What she feels for Min Ho is affection but not love. If she really loves Min Ho, there would be no way Eun Sup could squeeze himself in. Something that Han Yi Joon says in "Only You" applies here. Remember that scene when the four of them are having a night snack at his restaurant? Actually Han and Eun Jae are having an intimate soiree and Soo Yeon (#2 female) and Hyun Sung (#2 male) crash the party. Han says to Hyun Sung: "If you've known someone for 16 years and are still just friends, you're going to remain friends forever, that's all." Han is very arrogant but he is right. Eun Jae and Hyun Sung can never develop beyond the "good friends" stage. Same with Yeon Woo and Min Ho in "Sunshine". He may love her, but if she has not fallen in love with him in all these years, it is highly unlikely she will after she meets Eun Sup.

The sweetest part of "Sunshine" is when Eun Sup and Yeon Woo are in the first flush of love, when neither is sure it is love. The scene when he buys her the hair clip and when he puts it on for her, and a scene on a bus when Eun Sup wipes away some lipstick for Yeon Woo who has put on some make-up for him and he tells her she looks more beautiful without, and another scene on the bus home (after Yeon Woo's declaration of love), when the driver hits the brakes and they both (sitting at the back of the bus) jerk forward, Eun Sup protectively puts out his arm and halts Yeon Woo's forward motion -- would all these be regarded as "touchy-feely"? I do not see this as an "invasion of personal space" at all. After all, Eun Sup has lived in Europe for a number of years, so he probably doesn't pay much heed to protocol, unlike a traditional Korean male. Holding Yeon Woo's hand from behind to teach her how to whip cream is perfectly natural. He has to show her exactly how to use "force". Before that he teaches her how to wear her uniform and rolls up her sleeve. I do not sense any resentment in Yeon Woo at all.

Shirley, you really should finish the drama. If you had persisted, you would have come across (in Episode 9), Eun Sup telling Yeon Woo that he's not a good person, that he does not deserve her love, and that Min Ho is the right man for her. This is the scene when they are sitting back to back at the glass door of her room, with Yeon Woo saying "It's all right" every time Eun Sup makes a point and tears running down her face. Eun Sup is doing what he thinks is best for her. Before this Eun Sup has commented on the relationship between Yeon Woo and Min Ho. I do not understand why Shirley takes offense at this. All Eun Sup says is: "You two are like husband and wife. You scold one another when you are together, but you miss one another when you are apart." I think this is a very perceptive comment and certainly not offensive.

The second half of "Sunshine" falls into the standard pattern of Korean drama. Yeon Woo discovers Eun Sup's father is the one who "kills" her father. (As it turns out, he is not the real murderer.) Love goes out the window and ambivalent feelings set in. She cannot hate him because it is not really his fault, but she cannot love him anymore. But instead of telling him the reason, she suffers in silence and makes him suffer too. Then she goes flip-flopping. She wavers between Eun Sup and Min Ho, driving both crazy. I think her conduct here is unforgivable. I can accept that she can no longer accept Eun Sup, but to give Min Ho hope when she knows she can never love him is callous. There is nothing in love that says the one who comes first has priority. In "Sunshine", the problem lies with the previous generation -- the crimes of the father visited upon the children. So if the premise is reconciliation is impossible (at least that is Yeon Woo's attitude), then the second half is just running rings around the actors. I find the second half tedious.

The real weakness of "Sunshine" lies in the ending. All accounts point to JHJ's role is originally the supporting one (the other guy who plays Kim Min Ho is the lead.) But when the drama starts on TV, Korean viewers swamp the SBS website with praise of JHJ. Ever responsive to the audience, SBS expands JHJ's role. But I guess they cannot possibly relegate the #1 male Rye Seong Beom to a subsidiary role. (Rumour has it Rye's brother is a director, maybe even a friend of the director of "Sunshine".) Hence the director/scriptwriter in their unfathomable wisdom conceive of this perfect way to end the drama -- a threesome. They cannot let Eun Sup and Yeon Woo come together. They cannot very well make Yeon Woo and Min Ho a couple. So they devise this "everybody lives together happily ever after" ending which pleases no one, least of all JHJ fans.

A cloud in "Sunshine"

Shirley has a pet peeve.

I love almost all of Jo Hyun Jae's TV dramas and movies, except for one. And that is "Sunshine". Well, I enjoyed the beginning part of the drama, up to Episode 6. And I think Hyun Jae looked just like a prince in the drama. Plenty of praises have been devoted to this topic. But I had to stop watching in the middle of Episode 7 and haven't picked it up ever since. I was put off by some rather "touchy feely" things done by Eun Sup (the Jo Hyun Jae character). Let me be more specific.

If my memory serves me right, in Episode 6, Eun Sup had only known Yeon Woo for about 10 days. And what a 10-days it was! In those 10 days, Eun Sup was ruthlessly dumped by his former lover and had to stay with some total strangers just to hide from his own estranged father. He also lost his passport and could not go back home. It was rather amazing that he was not in a state of "mental wreckage", having gone through all these in such short period. A mere 10 days would be too short for one to recover from the pain of loss after a long-term relationship, let alone start to pursue a new one. At least that is my humble opinion.

But to my surprise, in the middle of Episode 6, Eun Sup started to comment on the relationship between Yeon Woo and Min Ho, which I took as a sign of showing interest in the leading lady. Eun Sup was then a half stranger to Yeon Woo's family which kindly took him in. And along the way, Yeon Woo had secretly developed some feelings for him . But he didn't know anything about it. He was expected to leave soon, after gathering all the necessary travel documents. He was also aware of Min Ho's love for Yeon Woo and sensed the reluctance on Yeon Woo's part. I think he should not have made such a comment. By all means, one's personal feelings is something, just like it is called, quite personal. That means now he had set his eyes on Yeon Woo? In that case, how should I label a charactor who can so easily forget and then quickly fall in love again (even if the girl was quite unusual and had remarkable qualities)? I know I would not use the word "solid" here. (By the day, he reminded me of Jung Woo Jin in "Love Letter", who knowingly wedged himself between Andrea and Eun Ha. I don't blame him for loving Eun Ha, but I detest what he did to the relationship between her and Andrea.)

Then a few minutes later, Eun Sup made an excuse and tried to get so close to Yeon Woo that eventually he forced her to stand up and leave the table. Eun Sup sensed her uneasiness but asked her why she couldn't bear to be so close to him, but would allow Min Ho to do that. OK, this time he found himself an excuse, that he was seeking friendship. Even if I could accept it at face value, I found it a bit bogus. Aren't we all yearning for true, trustworthy, long-lasting friendship? But we don't really go asking to have a 10-day acquaintance substitute for a twenty-year long friendship. It is not possible. And "Thou ought not invade other people's personal space" would be Social Etiquette 101. I don't really expect a well-bred Korean-born Frenchman to do such a thing.

In Episode 7, both Eun Sup and Yeon Woo started to work for Soo Ah, who was Eun Sup's ex-girlfriend. One day, Soo Ah told them that the cake made by Eun Sup was highly praised by the financial backer she was seeking for, and encouraged them to make an even better one that could meet the financier's specific needs. Of course they congratulated themselves for the achievement. Eun Sup was so happy that he put his hand on top of the girl's and would not let go of it. I was still puzzled with this when the final blow came.

Actually, there was a very sweet and sad moment in that part of the drama. Watching Eun Sup sifting the powdery ingredient for the cake reminded Yeon Woo of her father. She had flashbacks of her father working and smiling at her in her mind. She was too lost in her memory to notice that Eun Sup was waving at her all this time. Coming back to real life, Yeon Woo found out that Eun Sup was asking her about how she was doing on the cream. Then Eun Sup tried to show her how to correctly use the whisker. OK, to all the girls out there, if a man wants to show you how to properly make whipping cream, in which way would you expect him to do it？Normally, one would expect that person just to pick up the whisker and whisk away. Or maybe hold your hand if you know each other very well. To have someone wrap you in his arms and show you how to do it? Mm, you tell me who that person could be. But that was exactly what Eun Sup did to "show" Yeon Woo the correct way of making whipping cream. To me, that was the bottom line.

Playwrights can portray the unspoken attraction between two characters in very beautiful ways. When the affection is secretly broiling under the placid surface, the emotions are very delicate and beautiful. It is better to let actors' eyes and expressions do the work. Witty and interesting conversation definitely helps. The characters should adhere to the "hands-off" policy (if there is such a policy, but you know what I mean) until later when the time is right, in my opinion. In this drama, the lead male character was never touchy-feely to the leading lady. That means the scriptwriter knows how to make a character respectful. So to have Eun Sup behave in this Casanova fashion, the purpose was to instill some kind of imperfection in the second leading male character, I would have guessed. I was not sure which direction this character of Eun Sup was heading towards. To avoid more of such scenes or other "evil" traits that the second leading man normally must possess in order to make the first leading man more attractive, I did all a viewer could do when facing unwanted scenes -- stopped watching. I did just that.

(Since then, I learnt from other viewers that our prince had gracefully bowed out of the tangled relationship and there was no more "evil" spirit other than what I have felt dumped on his character. But I still don't have the heart to pick up from where I have left. Maybe some other time.)

Official JHJ Fan Club Magazine

The Cover

We have just received the May 2009 Vol.1 copy of the Jo Hyun Jae Fan Club magazine. We have written to ask permission to publish the contents. While waiting for their reply, we have posted the cover here. We have never seen this photo of Jo Hyun-Jae before, have you? JHJ is showing a little flesh, but don't scream! (Oh, come on! He's just taken a shower! But his hair is not wet!)

If our heads get bitten off again, well, it won't be the first time. But it would mean we'll not be able to share the contents of the magazine with you. Actually they are pretty harmless, just rehashing old news. But of course we have to obey the regulations.

It is good to see the Japan Official JHJ Fan Club finally doing something. This is the first ever written communication we have received since becoming members in February 2009. If they allow the contents of the magazine to be made public, it would mean they have learnt a thing or two about public relations. The more people know about JHJ, the more popular he will be.

(Photo courtesy of the Official JHJ Fan Club.)

*(FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS, PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE OR TRANSFER PHOTO.)*

JHJ's army dog

You all know Jo Hyun-Jae is now a "dog soldier" in the Korean army, that is, he trains and works with an army dog (or dogs). This is what his comrade-in-arms looks like. Rather scary, right? But then it is also a soldier. It is very different from JHJ's own pet dog "ssing-yi" (Ah Sing) which is a spaniel, but he must have been good with dogs to be chosen for this position.


(Credit: http//blog.daum/net and www.johyunjae.hk)

In the name of JHJ

JohyunjaeHongKong launched their first charitable activity on May 23. A group of JHJHK members visited seniors who lived alone and distributed to them Chinese dumplings. (May 28 is the Dragon Boat Festival.*) Here in their own words (translated from Chinese):

We only visited 6 seniors since the rest (assigned to us by a charity organization) opted to collect the dumplings themselves. The funny thing was -- the addresses were a little confusing, so even after taking the elevator, we often had to run up and down the stairs.

In case the seniors could not hear the doorbell or were slow in opening the door or were wary of strangers, we rang the bell and knocked on the door and loudly announced the purpose of our visit.

The seniors were all very happy to see us and talked about their daily lives or complained about their old mates or told us about their ill health, like a broken leg that took months to heal. They all appeared very friendly if a little lonely.

These seniors are all over 80 years old. Their health and responses are remarkably good. Old people in Hong Kong are better off than those in other parts of the world. All they need are some attention and care.

Even though today is a stormy and rainy day and we got all wet (normally on a day like this we would have stayed home), we all feel very happy to have participated in such a meaningful activity. We hope to convey our concern and caring of our community in the name of Jo Hyun Jae.

Today is the first time JohyunjaeHongKong embarked on a charitable activity which we found most meaningful and memorable. This is the first step. We will carry on. Fighting!


* EDITOR'S NOTE: The 5th day of the 5th month in the Chinese (lunar) calendar is the Dragon Boat Festival -- in memory of Qu Yuan (c.340 BC-278 BC) of the Warring States Period. A high-ranking official of the state of Chu, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in a river in disgust over court corruption because he could not get the king to listen to him. He was much respected by the local people who threw dumplings into the river so the fish would not eat his body. They also used their long narrow paddle boats (see photo) to try to scare the fish away with the thunder of drums and the fierce-looking carved dragon head on the boats' prows (hence they are known as Dragon Boats.)

(Thank you, JohyunjaeHongKong, for the report.)

Miss you

Sometimes you're allowed to "cheat" a little. When you've written several letters to Jo Hyun-Jae, you can send him a card. Letters are more personal and sincere (at least you take the trouble to write.) Cards are more visual and direct and sometimes speak louder than words (literally, as we will illustrate here.)

The two photos above depict a card we sent Hyun-Jae recently. On the cover is this stick figure (crudely drawn as if by a child) jumping for joy amidst flowers under the bright sun, with the words: "Me when you're here" -- a happy person. The red lines against a yellow background enhance the jovial mood.

When you open the card, you hear the sound of pouring rain (yes, it's a "sound" card) and you see everything has turned into blue. You see the figure transformed into a sad person crying buckets, crying as loud as the rain (Is that the sound of rain or his crying?) and these words: "Me when you're not." and then lower down "Miss you". Speaks volumes, doesn't it?

We think it's fun. Hope Hyun-Jae is amused.

An open letter to Star N Hit

Dear Sirs,

We are loyal fans of Mr. Jo Hyun Jae and we are writing to you to appeal for more news and photos of him.

Ever since Mr. Jo entered the army in August 2008, there has been very little news and only a few messages from him. Except for a couple of photos released while he was in training, there has been nothing.

We cannot read Korean or Japanese, so our source of news is even more scant. We know the Korean fan clubs CAFE and EVER are doing a good job. What we don't understand is this: Why is the Official Jo Hyun Jae Fan Club in Japan? Do you know how difficult it is to join this official fan club if you are not Japanese? Almost impossible! Don't you want more people to join this official fan club?

You must realize Mr. Jo is no longer just a Korean actor -- he has transcended Korea. He has become an international star. Do you know how popular he is in South-East Asia (not to mention China)? (in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.) Do you know how frustrating it is for fans there not to be able to understand what's going on? Mr. Jo has also conquered North America and even parts of Europe and Central Asia. These fans can only read English, but there is hardly any website that caters for them.

And when we try to fill that void, we find our hands are tied. We cannot share what we read on the Official JHJ Fan Club website with our readers. Why don't you release the photos taken on his birthday to the Korean fan clubs? Why don't you allow the photos to be made public? What is the harm of letting fans see the latest photos? Everybody is dying for a glimpse of Mr. Jo. Do you think you are protecting him? We are sure you know the English saying: "Out of sight, out of mind." Fans are very fickle and handsome young actors emerge on the Korean entertainment scene every day. Fans switch loyalties if they are not satisfied. There are still more than 390 days to go. How do you expect to keep the fans?

Apparently only members of the Official JHJ Fan Club who have paid the membership fee are allowed to see the photos. Then what about the MANY, MANY MORE fans all over the world who care about Mr. Jo but who are not, cannot be, or do not want to be members? Are you in effect saying to them they do not count? This is not fair: Mr. Jo belongs to all of us, not just to a few thousand fan club members.

Apart from the photos, there are the CDs, DVDs, calendars, photo albums, etc. -- Mr. Jo's souvenirs. They can only be obtained through the Korean or Japanese fan clubs. If you have no connections, too bad. Doesn't it make more business sense to sell these publicly, say, on the internet? In that case, even overseas fans can buy them online. Don't you think they will sell better this way? We have heard complaints from fans who find the hurdles too much. As Mr. Jo's management company, shouldn't you make it easier for his fans?

We are sure you are planning something special for Mr. Jo when he finishes his military duties. How he returns to the Korean entertainment scene is very important: whether he can make a career breakthrough after a two-year hiatus. He needs a good role, a good script. So many of his fans are waiting; so many people will be watching. We are counting on you to ensure that Mr. Jo's future will be even more splendid than his past or present.

Meanwhile, we appeal to you to bear in mind our interests. Everything is global now, including your superstar. For the sake of all Mr. Jo's fans, in any part of the world, please feed us as much information and news as possible in these lean times, so we won't starve to death while waiting for him to return from the army. Thank you!

Yours sincerely,
M & M
(representing the silent majority)

P.S. Our editor is in Los Angeles at the moment and she has just reported that "Seo Dong Yo" is showing on a Vietnamese TV channel, dubbed in Vietnamese with Chinese subtitles. Isn't that great? Doesn't that prove to you just how far-reaching Jo Hyun Jae's popularity is among different peoples all over the world?

News reports on JHJ's birthday

Jo Hyun-Jae cutting the birthday cake

Even two weeks after Jo Hyun-Jae's birthday on May 9, there are still several news reports in various Korean media, including http://star.mt.co.kr, SPN Daily, and sportschosun.com. We will just translate the general meaning which is more or less the same.

Jo Hyun Jae fans give presents to all his camp-mates on his birthday

Jo Hyun-Jae, who is serving in the Korean military, is still a superstar.

On his 30th birthday on May 9, his fans in Korea and from Japan, Hong Kong*, and other overseas places celebrated with him at the guest reception area of his camp.

The Korean fans prepared the birthday cake and all kinds of food, and the Japanese fans brought over 200 beautifully-packaged presents from Japan for JHJ's camp-mates who were very surprised and really appreciated the gesture.

A Star n Hit official (JHJ's management company) said: "JHJ is very moved by his fans' ardour and sincerity. He pledges to fulfil his military duties to the best of his ability and return in good spirits and great health."

* Hong Kong? We asked around and still couldn't find out who was so lucky to be there. His most ardent supporters celebrated JHJ's birthday at a get-together in Hong Kong, so all the likely suspects can be ruled out. Who could it be?

(Photo courtesy of CarpeDiemKorea. Thanks!)

P.S. EVERKorea also has a ph0to of Jo Hyun-Jae cutting their birthday cake outdoors in the open air, but they do not allow it to be transferred. You can see the cake in our post of May 11 "More birthday presents from JHJ fans" (first one). It's a different cake, equally coloured with the fans' love, and JHJ cuts it with as much concentration and appreciation as he does the other one (shown above.)

More JHJ photos (that you can see)

These photos may have been taken during the first weeks of basic military training in August 2008 and show a very happy and relaxed Jo Hyun-Jae with his camp-mates.

We apologise for the quality of the photos, but anything is better than nothing. The photos may not be of the highest quality, but it is clear JHJ is very much at home with his camp-mates, just one of the boys.

(Photos courtesy of dearjohyunjae.com)

NEW JHJ photos and videos

New Jo Hyun-Jae photos and a video were released on the Official JHJ Fan Club website on May 18, another 3 videos on May 19, and the final video on May 20.

We are not allowed to post the photos or videos here.

So we'll do the next best thing and describe them to you.

You may remember that we posted three photos of JHJ from the Official JHJ Fan Club website on May 13 but had to remove them the next day. If you were one of the early birds and managed to catch a glimpse of these photos, good for you! If you missed them, all we can say is: "Sorry, but there's nothing we can do; our hands are tied."

These new photos, like the last three, were taken on JHJ's birthday on May 9 at his camp. Actually, one of the May 18 photos was the same as the second one of the May 13 photos. That's the one that shows JHJ with a DVD in his hands. The official JHJ Fan Club of Japan compiled his Japanese fans' birthday wishes (photos and videos) into two DVDs which they presented to JHJ on his birthday. He was very happy and said he would always cherish them. JHJ is sitting and holding one of the DVDs (wrapped in pale blue gift paper with a white bow and ribbon on the right corner.) He is of course wearing his camouflage military uniform, with a mic clipped to his right lapel, so we already guessed then that he was recording a video for his fans. His hair is very short (shorter than on the day he entered the army on 8/5/08). He is looking very fit and healthy, and he has a broad smile on his face. Perhaps because of the hair or the smile or the angle of his head, it looks like he has put on a little weight. When asked about this, he tells his Korean fans (those who are fortunate enough to see him that day) that he still weighs the same.

The other two new photos show JHJ standing in some kind of open field with trees and grass and flowers. He is holding his two hands in front of him, his right hand over his left hand, so you can see clearly the watch on his left wrist -- black, square, with a dark blue face. His sleeves are rolled up almost to his elbows. The two photos are near-identical, except in one JHJ looks slightly to the left and in the other to the right -- smiling.

In all three photos JHJ is looking very bright and smart, with a smile on his face. The fact that he is so fit and healthy must mean military life suits him, or rather, he has adjusted perfectly in these nine months.

In the first very short video (only 15 seconds), JHJ says: "I have received the fans' DVDs. I can only watch them when I go home. I will always treasure them. Thank you so much!" He is standing in some corner of the camp, with a bush and some kind of rail behind him, and a building in the background. He is holding one of the DVDs with BOTH hands; he looks at it several times while speaking, with a very sweet smile. In his typical taciturn style, JHJ speaks only a few words, but you can feel his sincerity.

In the other 4 videos (which are continuation of the first, ranging from 25 to 35 seconds), JHJ thanks his fans again for all their birthday gifts and mentions the hand-made booklet containing his fans' birthday wishes for him. He is very proud he has been promoted to Private First Class, touching that insignia when he says this. He enjoys the disciplined life of the army with set time for meals and sports and rest, which makes him very healthy. He will be out in a little more than a year (Editor: 393 days from today), but meanwhile he will make the most of his time in the military. He thanks his fans again for their love and concern.

The above is the transliteration of yours truly, so you have to exercise "willing suspension of disbelief." JHJ speaks in Korean and the subtitles are in Japanese (neither of which I understand, but quite a few Japanese words are really Chinese, so I used my intelligence and imagination.) We're getting these translated, and as soon as we get the text, we'll post them here.*

At the end of the 4th video, JHJ waves goodbye, so I suppose that should be the last. But a 5th video was posted on the official JHJ website on May 20, a sort of afterthought or sloppy editing. Whatever it is, we're grateful for more.

OK, there you have it. Even though "a picture is worth a thousand words", without the pictures all you have is our word for it. We are sure smart JHJ fans can all use their imagination. Colour it with your love and beautiful images will surface.

JHJ speaks almost non-stop for 2 minutes 20 seconds altogether, which must be a record. He is more fluent; he is really speaking a little faster; and except for biting his lips once or twice and blinking when he's thinking, his mannerisms are not so much on display. He is definitely more confident and expressive.

Has JHJ gained weight? Every fan has a different opinion. We think if he looks "fatter" (actually just a little fuller in the cheeks), it is only because he was too thin before, especially in the few months before his enlistment. People don't become fat in the army; they just become stronger. Have you ever seen a fat soldier? JHJ has quit smoking, so he now looks very fit and healthy. You don't want him to be like that other Mr. Jo (of "A Frozen Flower"-- who's hospitalized twice within one month of entering the army), do you? Asked in a Q & A if he were to liken himself to an animal, what would it be, he answered: "A chameleon." (Read our earlier post "Everything you want to know about JHJ (and much, much more)." JHJ is really a chameleon: when he plays a priest in "Love Letter", he looks like a priest; when he plays a special forces agent in "Forbidden Love", he looks like a special forces agent"; when he plays an investment manager in "3 Dads/1 Mom", he looks like an investment manager........you get the idea. So when he is a soldier, he looks every inch a soldier. When he emerges from the army on 19 June, 2010, he'll look like a movie star again, no, he does not regard himself as such, but as a "pure actor".

EDITOR: The Japan Official Jo Hyun Jae Fan Club decrees that nothing may be reproduced or transferred from its website.

(The photo at the top of this post is released soon after JHJ entered the army in August 2008.)

* 5/24/09 We've now got the translation which (surprise!) agrees mostly with what I wrote above. The only thing to add is: JHJ says he has received so many letters and a lot of love, and he thanks everyone again and again. A year may seem long but time rolls by and we can meet again. Until then, take care!

MANIFESTO

If you're a daily visitor to our blog, you might be wondering why there was no new post yesterday (5/20/09).

Could it be:

1. We've run out of ideas, so nothing more to write about.

2. Our blog has run into some problems.

3. Editor is in the air (incommunicado).

4. We're on strike (in protest).

Answer: ALL of the above

(not really 1. -- we still have plenty to write about JHJ, but we're suffering from temporary mental fatigue.)

Recently something happened that made us very unhappy. And disclosing it here might make us disappear from the world of JHJ, as someone put it. Now we're not afraid because: 1. we don't buckle under pressure, and 2. JHJ is in our hearts, so there's no way we can lose one another.

Our blog has been in existence for exactly 100 days. If you've watched a lot of Korean dramas, you'll know young lovers like to celebrate their 100 days together. (I suppose 100 days is a long time in a relationship nowadays.) We're celebrating our first 100 days in a special way (no cakes or flowers, sorry!) by declaring our Manifesto -- why and how we manage our blog -- our raison d'etre (reason for existence).

My blog partner M and I are ordinary JHJ fans. We have no fan club as our base. We are just a two-women team. In the normal course of things, we would have gone to our separate graves never crossing paths (since we live in different parts of the world.) But because of JHJ we've met. Our shared love for JHJ makes us want to do something for him, for those fans of his who can read only English, so more people will get to know him -- because he deserves it. Now I'm a shy person (and so is M) who would always stand at the back in a group photo (unlike JHJ who says in a Q & A that he usually stands in the centre) [See our earlier post "Everything you want to know about JHJ (and much, much more)"]. Sometimes you don't see me at all because everybody is taller than me; other times I get pushed to the front. What I'm trying to say is: If it hadn't been for JHJ, wild horses could not have dragged me out of my "retirement". It's all M's fault, she said: "Why don't we start our own fan club?" (since we don't quite fit in the others.) "M & M?" I replied, "No, thanks! I don't like crowds. Solitaire is my favourite game."

We then considered starting a blog. With a blog we don't have to see anybody, or deal with anybody (we thought.) A strange phenomenon in today's world is -- every other person has his/her own blog, even though sometimes even they themselves don't know what they're blabbing about. Just as some people love the sound of their own voice, others love to see themselves in print (especially if they are unpublished writers who think they deserve better.) We knew nothing about how to start a blog. In January when I was in the U.S., I asked my brother who is an amateur photographer and who has a website. He said it's easy; all you have to do is pay for one. I was busy with other things, so this was relegated to the back of my mind.

The day before I left the U.S., my brother called to ask if I had a Google account, and then, almost as an afterthought, "What's the name of that Korean actor?" Half an hour later he called again when I was vacuuming (almost didn't hear the call) and said: "OK, I've registered a blog for you. Free and very user-friendly. Just go in and play around with it.........and oh! BTW, found a good-looking photo of the chap and posted it on your blog." It wasn't until late afternoon that I had time to access my blog for the first time. One look and I almost had a heart attack! I found myself staring at a photo of Jo Hyun-Jae in military uniform (from the press conference of "G.P.506") and underneath it, the caption: "South Korea promotes JHJ to Lieutenant-General". I felt like murdering my brother! He was a naughty little boy and now he's a mischievous middle-aged man. I called his home at once; his wife said he's out walking the dog. I called his cell phone but there was no answer. (He'd left his phone at home.) I was in a panic. I was scared this could get JHJ in trouble. I am near-computer-illiterate. I had never even been in a blog. I clicked everything in sight, and after what seemed an eternity, the caption disappeared (and so did the photo.) I wasn't sure if my blog was still there. Then my brother called. I gave him a piece of my mind in no uncertain terms. (He's my younger brother.) He said: "What's the big deal? Who believes anything on the internet?" I said: "Some people might. You don't joke about military business. JHJ is only Private Second Class and you've promoted him to Lieutenant-General!"

I am actually very grateful to my brother for registering this blog for me. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be writing this now. If you've ever wondered why our blog is called "Jo-Hyun-Jae", that's because "Jo Hyun Jae" was already taken. My brother has lived in the west for the greater part of his life, and he has no idea Korean surnames come first (like Chinese surnames.) He does not know which is which, whether JO or JAE is the last name, so to be safe he just hyphens everything. Only recently did I learn who owns "Jo Hyun Jae", and she's not even using it. I suppose "What's mine is mine, so nobody else can have it." I don't understand such mentality.

The blog remained empty for a few weeks until, on a lark, M and I decided to go to JHJ's photo exhibition in Osaka in February. We garnered plenty of first-hand material, so we decided to launch our blog with "We spent Valentine's Day with JHJ". Writing comes easily to me; I just write what is in my heart. What you see is what you get. My partner M is a near-computer-genius (compared to me.) She is also a good writer (though she doesn't know it.) We make a perfect team. So there we were scribbling away, working hard to build up our blog, learning something new every day, immersed in the world of JHJ (but we do have a life of our own; we're experts at multi-tasking.) We would be on cloud nine whenever we discover a new Follower, read a new comment, or receive a new e-mail. Someone suggests we add a new feature to register the number of hits on our blog each day. What for? Even if we are the only two people reading our blog, we would still carry on (for as long as we can.) Now M and I are both people of high esteem but no ego. We're not doing this for fame or fortune -- we don't need the first and we have enough of the second (we lead very simple lives; we're very low-maintenance.)

We're very happy every day locating news of JHJ, translating them into English, choosing the pictures to go with them, and writing on our own favourite topics. Even before JHJ's birthday on May 9, anticipation was in the air -- everybody was expecting his new photos. Except for one photo of JHJ and his camp-mates, released during his first weeks of training, there has been nothing for nine months. On one of his rare days out, JHJ gave us a photo of his military uniform. What a wry sense of humour! He must know that Chinese saying: "Seeing his things makes you think of that person." When he was on leave in late April, JHJ did not leave a message for his fans, so expectation was really boiling over.

Then on the evening of May 13, our Japanese "spy" (she's a darling!) sent me an URGENT e-mail: "Go to JHJ FC RIGHT NOW! Pics out!" There he was! Three gorgeous photos of JHJ in his military uniform. I frantically SKYPE(d) M and we immediately got to work. Now I'd like to state categorically that we're not in the habit of lifting anything from the Official JHJ Fan Club website (which is not exactly a treasure trove.) But this is special! Everybody has been so looking forward to these photos. Every JHJ fan wants to know what he looks like now. M and I discussed it for ten minutes and decided to stick our necks out. The photos and report were posted on the official website at 6:30 p.m., and we posted ours at 8 p.m.

Almost immediately the responses poured in. JHJ fans were all so happy to see him looking so fit and healthy -- "every inch a soldier", as one put it. We were very gratified we made the day (or night) of so many JHJ fans. I must confess to one oversight, however -- in our excitement and eagerness, we forgot to add: "For copyright reasons, please do not reproduce or transfer photos." (which we did first thing the next morning.)

Our elation was short-lived -- the next morning we were taken to task! We were told we should not have posted the photos, that anything on the official website was for members only. I immediately wrote to the Official Fan Club for clarification, twice, in fact. I asked if we're allowed to post their photos and news on our blog.* I don't remember signing anything when we enrolled, but then we didn't register online (like other members.) We did it in person at the JHJ photo exhibition in Osaka in February. (Read about this in our first post "We spent Valentine's Day with JHJ (Part 1)".) All we had to do was give our personal particulars, and the fan club staff on site took care of the paperwork (or rather, computer work.) We immediately checked the small print of the Official Fan Club website, and sure enough, there's a clause that says (in standard legalese) reports and photos may not be reproduced without permission. (Of course it's in Japanese, and we can't even read Japanese! Thank God for translation gadgets!) Then why is it that we see these so-called "exclusive" photos occasionally appearing in various JHJ websites in the last several months?

Now we are law-abiding citizens -- we respect intellectual property; we do not infringe copyright. One of our readers suggested we upload the OST of JHJ's dramas and we replied we could not do that. I know you can find songs from JHJ's CD on the web, but don't ask me how they got there. I was worried. I wanted to consult our in-house counsel (my son, Ha!Ha!) who's unfortunately in another time zone and it's the middle of the night where he is. I checked the official website again and (shock!) found the photos GONE! (Later, the report was also deleted.) Gosh! What have we done? I immediately removed our post on the latest JHJ photos (just to be on the safe side.) Our post was on for only about 16 hours, but (Oh! the power of the internet!) those JHJ photos have already been transferred all over the place. The reaction from JHJ fans everywhere was the same -- everybody was happy to see him looking so well.

It's been seven days since our blog removed those JHJ photos, but they are still on display on several JHJ websites, some openly, some restricted (to their fan club members.) The reason given for not publishing those photos was JHJ's interest must be protected. (We have no quarrel with that.) Unscrupulous people could use his image for illegal purposes, that is, producing souvenirs without paying JHJ royalties. Now I wonder whether the manufacturers of those JHJ souvenirs we bought in Seoul on our recent visit paid royalties to JHJ or his management company Star n Hit. That singing cup with the tune of "Like the wind by your side", the posters, the mouse pads, the calendars, the mugs, etc. etc., even the umbrella -- everything that uses his image -- Is JHJ being ripped off?

Apparently it all boils down to one thing -- If you want to see JHJ, pay. Become a member of the Official JHJ Fan Club and you can get the latest news (extremely scant) and photos (first new ones in several months.) Quite a few people I know wanted to join but could not get past the hurdles. Why do they make it so difficult for non-Japanese? Don't they want more people to join? If we had not been so persistent in Osaka, we would not have made it either. From the number on our membership cards, we know roughly how many members they have, but we're not telling. Has anyone ever wondered why the official fan club of a Korean actor is in Japan? We have our theory, but we're not sharing.

Now regarding other websites' practice of "saving" these photos for their own paying members, what can I say? We paid a fee to join the Japan Official JHJ Fan Club. We found these photos. (Yes, we had a scoop; we were the first!) We shared them with JHJ fans all over the world. And we have become persona non grata. We commit the "crime"; they enjoy the spoils. Other people take "our" photos and made them their own and are raking in the profits. You take a photo from the internet, crop off the original name and put your own label, and it becomes yours? These photos belong to the Official JHJ Fan Club, but the photos I took at the JHJ photo exhibition in Osaka received the same treatment. We found them circulating on the internet with some other websites' name stamped on them. We may be new kids on the block but we're not born yesterday. Such things are just not kosher, if you know this expression.

We're thoroughly disillusioned (Read: seething mad! but we have to maintain our dignity), just not enough to throw in the towel. What keep us going are the e-mails and messages we receive from JHJ fans from Canada, U.S.A., England, Austria, Germany, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia.......and counting. We may be just a new blog on a Korean actor, but we take the high road. We create most of our material, instead of just recycling. Our articles are original, not translations from the Korean fan clubs. We write from the heart; we don't just churn out mediocre stuff. We don't allow anybody to post anything. We exercise editorial control and we maintain high standards. We welcome contributions, but we have a strict screening process -- we accept only the best. You don't have to be able to write flawless English (we can fix that), but your heart has to be in the right place. We only issue one or two posts a day (except when there is breaking news); we believe in quality, not quantity. We operate by professional journalistic standards: we double-check (even triple-check) our sources before we put out any news. Some websites are copying our themes and topics (without any acknowledgement.) Since "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", we must be doing something right.

We are on good terms with the various fan clubs (actually we don't know that many; we don't socialize.) We don't get involved in fan club politics. All of the JHJ fans we've met are really nice people, all working tirelessly on his behalf. If they cannot get along (turf war? personality conflict?) it's none of our business. We don't ally ourselves with anybody; we are free agents. We just do our own thing. We work independently; we are beholden to no one (except JHJ.)

JHJ has given us so much joy in our otherwise boring lives that we just want to share the joy, to spread his dream in the sky (as he puts it in his song.) At the end of "A Frozen Flower" (Did you read my review on May 14?) when they are both mortally wounded, the King asks Hong Lim: "Tell me: Have you ever loved me? if only for one day, one moment?" I ask you now: "Did you miss us? (yesterday when we're off), if only for one instant?"


* We received a reply from the Official JHJ Fan Club on May 18, confirming photos and such may not be posted anywhere else.

P.S. New JHJ photos and a video were posted on the Official JHJ Fan Club website on May 18, and another 3 videos on May 19 and the last video on May 20. Are we sharing this time? Nah! Once bitten, twice shy.

JHJ read my birthday wishes!

A month before Jo Hyun-Jae's birthday on May 9, EVERKorea asked overseas fans who wished to send birthday wishes to him to do so, following a certain format.

Fans from johyunjaeChina and johyunjaeTaiwan sent over a hundred birthday wishes which EVER compiled into a hand-made booklet (Photo 1), covering six pages in total. (Photo 2 shows one of the pages.) (There are two booklets altogether, one containing birthday wishes from Korean fans and the other from overseas fans, I guess.)

On May 18, johyunjaeChina received a letter from EVERKorea describing what happened when they brought JHJ the birthday gifts:

On Hyun-Jae's birthday, as office-bearers of the official website EVERjohyunjae, we met him at the guest reception area [of the camp.] We gave him the birthday presents. Have you seen the Master's post on this?

Hyun-Jae looks very healthy. I feel he is a real man.....^^

He speaks a little faster than he used to. Seems like everyone who enters the military undergoes some minor changes.

The way Hyun-Jae looks and speaks has changed somewhat because of military life. He's more manly ^^

But his eyes and the way he treats his fans are exactly the same as before. We could feel his love and gratitude to his fans.

When we gave him the "Happy Birthday" hand-made booklet, he looked through it very slowly, very closely, leafing over every page, saying "Thank You" all the time.

He said: "I will carry your hearts, all your hearts, in my heart and cherish them."

When he was saying this, he put his hand over his heart, several times.

I was thinking: He is a man of few words, so he uses this gesture to express his feelings.

Thank you all!

Thank you for telling him that fans from China and Taiwan care about him.

We feel we can prepare the best present for Hyun-Jae because of all the warm wishes of so many fans from all over the world.

The hand-made booklet is all the more wonderful because of your participation.

P.S. Above is the letter from EVERKorea to johyunjaeChina. I saw my birthday wishes in the booklet! (Photo 2 - right page, top left) Mine reads simply (in Korean and Chinese):

"Happy birthday! May you be blessed!"

JHJ read my birthday wishes!!!!!

(Credit: Thank you, johyunjaeChina, for the photos and the news!)

Andre Kim Fashion Extravaganza

Jo Hyun-Jae was the lead male model in the Andre Kim Fashion Extravaganza which was held in Wuxi, China on July 12, 2007. His female partner was Park Sol Mi ("Winter Sonata", "All In".) We don't know what you think of Andre Kim's garments, but after watching his shows before and after this one, we can confirm that the only model who can wear his clothes is our JHJ.

(Credit: names on photos. Thanks!)

"Joy of Love" is a joy to watch

The first time I saw "Joy of love" (2004), I was awe-struck! This internet short film is so sophisticated, so polished, so slick (in the best sense) that I could not believe it is the work of a relatively young Korean director E J-Yong (of "Untold Scandal" fame.) I've since watched it many times, and every time I marvel at what a flawless little gem it is!

It starts traditionally enough in a darkened cinema, where the male and female protagonists "meet" without contact. They both happen to be watching a French movie, separately. If you pay attention to the French dialogue, you'll see it is about the break-up of a relationship. The woman is leaving the man; she says she doesn't love him and she is now very happy with another man. The man's parting words to her are: "You're making a mistake!"

Scene 2 finds the man accessing some kind of online dating service. Everything is very high-tech. He types in MEMBER and the computer does a biometric verification of his iris (which is unique in every individual) and his ID is displayed on the computer -- TRAVIS 1984 (year of birth?). He then makes his selection --PREVIOUS SELECTION (so they've met before), and chooses the meeting time and place -- 2010.10.15 9 p.m. Cafe #5. Suddenly you realize this is set in the future! Viola! He then downloads an 8-pronged gadget that he sticks to the nape of his neck. The computer announces he has three more times left (out of ten), so he's a regular customer.

Scene 3 shows the man arriving at the cafe. He is now dressed in a black suit and white shirt (no tie.) He sits at the bar to wait for his date. He touches NOTHING in front of him and a MENU appears in the air. He selects his coffee which also seems to appear out of the blue. He looks at his watch which is invisible until he touches his wrist -- it shows 9:01 p.m. A woman in a black pant suit appears and almost walks past the man when the gadgets on the respective napes of their necks "recognize" one another. The man and the woman greet each other like lovers. She drinks his coffee without asking and tells him she thinks of him a lot. Then they leave to go to dinner and she puts her arm in his in the most familiar manner.

A few shots of night scenes follow and in scene 4 they are in bed (presumably they spend the night together in a hotel room.) The man is just waking up from a nightmare. He presses a button and the scene at the window changes from darkness to light. The woman wakes and yawns, and the man tells her he dreams last night that she's leaving him. The woman laughs and says: "That's why you have to be good to me while I'm around. It starts with "I love you", but one "Goodbye" and it's over." And then: "Know what I like best? Spending a Sunday afternoon like this -- lazing in bed with my lover." Then they embrace and kiss -- just like any lovers.

Scene 5 is again set at the cafe. They are talking about love and death. The man says he would like to die in his lover's arms, to which the woman replies it's not fair to die and leave your lover behind. But how to die at the same time? The woman says the best thing is to die on the same day in their 60s. The man says he wants to meet the woman who would die with him and the woman pretends to be offended. Just the usual lovers' banter. Suddenly the gadgets at the nape of their necks flash red. The expression on their faces changes radically, suddenly becoming cold and uncaring. They don't even look at each other. They are like two complete strangers. The man just gets up and leaves (without a goodbye) and the woman doesn't care at all. The last lingering shot of the woman's face depicts utter boredom and indifference.

That's the end as far as the story is concerned. This short film closes with a return to the online dating service whose logo is a red heart flanked by a triangle on the left and a square on the right, with the words:

The service for those who have suffered the pain of love

Experience only the joy of love

Would you like to enter?

Then the very beautiful music comes on and the credits start rolling. The actors are on stage barely 9 minutes (superb editing!) and the whole short film is 11:10 minutes, including the music and credits at the end.

My reaction after watching "Joy of love":

1. Gosh! What a cleverly devised and deftly executed little film!

2. Wow! JHJ is so breathtakingly handsome (with or without clothes)! He is "prettier" than the actress Lee So Yun.

3. He has such fine skin -- the face, the neck, the upper body.

4. What an ironic statement on human relationship!

5. Is this the "brave new world" of the future?

The title is of course ironic. The "joy" is unreal -- bought and manufactured, a temporary respite from the pain of life. "Love" is non-existent. The relationship between the man and the woman is physical, sexual, and temporary. Is this what the future holds for men and women? For those who have been hurt in love, the solution is NOT to enter into a serious relationship again. Instead there is no harm in make-believe. You get a night and a day of erotic ecstasy. If you're satisfied, you can try it again (with the same partner) next time. If you're not satisfied, you can always pick a different type. It's all just a commercial transaction. And then I'm suddenly seized with a horrible thought -- what's the difference between this and a call girl service?

If this is a conventional dating service (as in our world today), the man and the woman might find they have some things in common. For one thing, they both like French films. For another, they have similar tastes in clothes -- both dressed in black suits.

The most disturbing thing in this little film is the abrupt end to the relationship. Two people engaged in such an intimate conversation suddenly breaks off and behave as if the other is transparent. They become cold and stiff and indifferent -- the man just leaves and the woman doesn't even cast him a glance. Everything that happens the night before means nothing -- just a pastime. Where is the love? Where is the joy?

Jo Hyun-Jae was barely 24 when this internet short film was made. He plays Travis to perfection here. Every move, every word, every look speaks volumes. I've seen a behind-the-scenes short film on the making of "Joy of love", and I'm very impressed by the meticulous way they rehearse for each and every scene (though only a couple of minutes in the finished format.)

I love "Joy of love" (if only because it shows a half-naked JHJ! Just kidding!) I enjoy watching it, and it makes me think afterwards. How many Korean dramas, and, for that matter, any movie in any language, can do that?

He wants to be close to his fans

(From Korean magazine DVD MAGAZINE Vol.3, April 2009 -- Part 2 (Edited)

Before Jo Hyun-Jae entered the army on August 5, 2008, he has been trying to get close to his fans. His reputation has expanded beyond Korea and spread all over Asia. In 2005 he had his first fan meeting in Tokyo, Japan. In 2006 from November he met his fans in succession in Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo. In 2007 there was the Korea Expo (Face in Japan) event. And again in June 2008 fan meetings were held in Osaka and Tokyo and a dinner show in Nagoya. Finally in August there was a fan meeting and charity activities in Thailand. Jo Hyun-Jae went all over Asia to get close to his fans.

On July 19, 2008, a month before his enlistment, Jo Hyun-Jae held his last fan meeting in Seoul for his Korean fans. Fans from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand also attended.

Jo Hyun-Jae prepared special presents for his fans, so they will have something to remember him by while he is in the army -- a CD and a photo album.

During his last fan meeting in Seoul, he sang the songs from his as yet unreleased CD. While singing, he kept thinking of the way his fans have treated him and could not continue. Seeing him choke made his fans cry too. The auditorium became a sea of tears.

The CD is full of Jo Hyun-Jae's love for his fans. There is a song in it - "Words you said to me" - that is composed of words that Jo Hyun-Jae wrote down in a long letter which the songwriter then set to music.

This CD is not available from the usual outlets but can only be purchased through the official fan clubs. The response has been so overwhelming that in Korea and Japan it could now be downloaded as a digital single on the web.

Even after he entered the army, Jo Hyun-Jae was still thinking of his fans. Whenever he was out on leave, he would always leave a message for his fans on the fan club websites: www.everjohyunjae.co.kr and cafe.daum.net/hyunjaelove.

The message that Jo Hyun-Jae left one day before his enlistment says: "I'll miss my family, friends, and fans. I'll be a good soldier. And I'll be back sooner than you think."

In November 2008 when he was out briefly, he wrote: "I am now a dog soldier: I train and patrol with a military dog every day, so I'm very healthy. Fans' letters and presents give me a lot of strength."

Jo Hyun-Jae's other messages for his fans:

Dec.24, 2008
Hello everybody! Have a happy Christmas! You have sent me a lot of encouraging letters and presents. My storage box is not big enough to hold them. I don't know how to thank you.

Mar.3, 2009
I've been promoted to PFC (Private First Class) and I have more and more soldiers under me. Severe winter training has been completed. During my free time I play basketball with my seniors and juniors. Also many thanks for the letters and chocolates for White Valentine. I had a shock when I saw all the presents; I was very touched by your sincere concern. I couldn't eat them all myself, so I shared them with my camp-mates.

Last summer Jo Hyun-Jae was seen off by over 200 fans from Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand and entered Camp 306 for five weeks of basic military training. After that he was assigned to one of the military bases at Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province.

It has now been eight months and he has been promoted to PFC. He looks back to the early days in the army when he was worried how he would get along with his fellow soldiers because he was older than the average recruit. I would very much like to ask Jo Hyun-Jae himself how he was getting on with his younger colleagues, but since it was impossible, I called his management office and asked about his latest news. This is what I was told: "He's the oldest in his unit, but this has not proved to be a problem; in fact, everyone is very good to him." And in Jo Hyun-Jae's own words: "This is the first time I'm experiencing life in a unit, so it's a little hard at first. But everyone has been very kind to me, so I adjusted very quickly. Now on every weekend I play sports with my camp-mates and am leading a very healthy life."

That business about his getting the autographs of the Korean girl group "Wonder Girls" has become famous. The special things that Jo Hyun-Jae would do for his camp-mates have become a hot topic.

The first time off for a soldier has special meaning. Asked how he spent his first leave, Jo Hyun-Jae said: "I spent a leisurely holiday with my much-loved family." He also told me that apart from the set military meals, he also wanted to try other food. Normally he is not very fond of Chinese food, but when his family or management company staff visit him, they would bring Chinese food.

I have heard Jo Hyun-Jae goes to church every Sunday, and on weekends he plays basketball or football with his camp-mates. He is indeed leading a very healthy and vigorous life in the military.

As to whether he has lost any weight under the rigid military training, he said: "No, I haven't lost any weight. I've become fitter and healthier because of military service."

He quit smoking in early 2009, so he has not been smoking for three months now. (Editor: this was an April issue, so to date actually JHJ has quit smoking for 5 months.)

Before his enlistment, Jo Hyun-Jae had planned to serve one year as a regular soldier and then apply to be an entertainment soldier in his second year, but now he wants to continue as a regular soldier.


(THE END)

His heartache makes our hearts ache

(From Korean magazine DVD MAGAZINE Vol.3, April 2009 -- edited for length and sequence.)

Remember that first love? Let us recall the young Jo Hyun-Jae, so gentle and sweet, so shy and pure. His face looks absolutely unsullied by this world. It does not seem he has had a rebellious phase; he is always so amiable.

I first met him in the summer of 2000. The silent and deep look in his eyes made you feel you're being absorbed into them. He was among the cast of the 1999 SBS TV series KAIST which depicts friendship and love among young people. I remember being shocked when I realized this was his first acting role in a TV series. His appearance is more attractive than the lead actor, and his performance is deeply touching.

In his first ever appearance in KAIST, in the story "145 km. Love" he plays a university student in the biology department who is carrying on a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend who lives 145 km. away. The setting for KAIST* is a university in Dae Jeon. His girlfriend is in Seoul, and for love he has to commute between Dae Jeon and Seoul on a motorcycle -- I feel sorry for him. When I saw the very charming and always smiling Jo Hyun-Jae playing his role of the young man who is caught between his studies and love, I was most impressed and deeply attracted, and so was the general audience.

Since his debut in KAIST, Jo Hyun-Jae has participated in the weekend series "Father and Son" (SBS 2001) and the situation comedy "That's Good" (SBS 2001) which witnessed an improvement in his acting skills. And since his vivid portrayal of the Crown Prince in the 2002 SBS drama "Great Ambition" (Dae Mang), his pure and dazzling appearance, his serene and deep eyes, and his unique baritone voice have prepared him for his brilliant collaboration with Soo Ae and Ji Jun Hee in the 2003 MBC drama "Love Letter".

As Andrea in "Love Letter", Jo Hyun-Jae plays the novice priest torn between his love for God and his love for a woman. This touching love story affects even the actor himself. No wonder the audience all cry with him. The famous setting for the drama, the very elegant Junglin-gong Yakhyun Catholic Church, has become even better known because of "Love Letter".

Following the very moving story of Andrea, Jo Hyun-Jae portrays the agonizing experience of Young Woo in SBS' "First Love" (2003) who has to accept that the girl he loves is in love with someone else. His heartache makes our hearts ache too.

And then in 2004 Jo Hyun-Jae portrays a songwriter in the MBC/Fuji TV Korean-Japanese joint production "Star's Echo", a pastry chef in SBS' "Sunshine", a special forces agent in KBS' "Forbidden Love"; in 2005 an heir to a commercial empire in SBS' "Only You" and the King of Baekjae in "Seo Dong Yo", also by SBS; in 2008 an investment manager in KBS' "3 Dads/1 Mom"; and as a young scholar in the movie "Untold Scandal"(2003) and Lieutenant Yoo in his latest movie "G.P.506" (2008) -- over the years the very versatile Jo Hyun-Jae has been playing a variety of roles.

Jo Hyun-Jae has proved he is a many-sided actor, and through his various works, now expressing tender love, now manifesting macho toughness, he has established his popularity in these eight years. As a result, he has won a number of prestigious awards:
2003 SBS Best New Actor
2005 SBS Best Loved Actor (voted by under 20s)
2006 42nd Baeksang Arts Award- Most Popular Actor
2007 Andre Kim Best Star


(TO BE CONTINIED)

* Editor's note: KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) is a research university located in Daedeok Science Town, Daejeon, in South Korea. KAIST was established in 1971 as the nation's leading science and technology institution and is considered the MIT of South Korea.