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For more photos, please see "We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae" (Parts 1,2,3)
Saturday 28 February 2009
Diary of a Star-Chaser (Part 2 - At Osaka Fan Meeting)
(An eyewitness account of Jo Hyun-Jae's Fan Meetings in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, in June 2008)2008.6.22 (Sunday) Osaka's NHK Hall
I had it from a reliable source that in Osaka Jo Hyun-Jae had a rehearsal soon after he arrived from Seoul in the afternoon of June 21. Two lucky Japanese fans in Osaka (and another two in Tokyo) were selected to watch the rehearsal. On the day of the Fan Meeting, JHJ arrived at NHK Hall at 11:30 a.m. (This is from another eyewitness.) The meeting begins at 2 p.m. This just shows how seriously Hyun-Jae takes his work.
At a little after 12 noon, JHJ fans were already gathering in the lobby of the NHK hall. Everybody was very excited and anticipation was in the air. At 1 p.m. we were allowed to enter; the queue was moving slowly because there were so many people. When we got to the top of the escalator, we saw many huge posters of JHJ -- all unspeakably handsome! And there were all these JHJ souvenirs spread out on several tables. So we started charging at once! I made a beeline for the photo albums. They are BIG and BEAUTIFUL, with many previously unpublished photos of JHJ and his signature. I also collected a set of cups (2) with different JHJ photos on each, and cell phone straps (with JHJ's signature.)
Clutching my precious purchases, I entered the hall which could hold 1500 people (full house.) Three huge JHJ banners were hung on stage, one on each side of JHJ in a black suit, and a set of three in the centre of JHJ in a grey cotton cardigan and white T-shirt with grey-and-yellow striped sleeves. Just looking at these made my heart beat to an unnatural rhythm.
A little after 2 p.m. the lights dimmed. Wah.....wah.....wah..... screams could be heard all over the main auditorium and the 1/F balcony. Suddenly projected on the big screen was a pair of black leather shoes. Then the camera panned to reveal a pair of ash-white trousers and then a jacket. It stopped at the neck! By that time everybody in the audience knew that it was JHJ backstage. Screams were reaching fever pitch. Drum roll......and Hyun-Jae appeared on stage left, walking to centre stage. Everybody was screaming at the top of their lungs.
The vision that appeared before our eyes was Hyun-Jae in an ash-white suit (short jacket -- must be this year's style), black shirt with polka dot lining (strategically revealed at the open collar), black leather shoes, and short hair (in the "3 Dads/1 Mom" style.)
Hyun-Jae started to sing. I didn't understand a word but it was beautiful music. I have only heard him sing on MVs before. On stage he sounded much better and stronger; his voice was a rich, deep baritone. When he finished, the applause was deafening.
Then the Master of Ceremony (MC) and the interpreter appeared on stage, and they all sat on high stools, the two women on either side of JHJ. Hyun-Jae sat with his left foot on the lower crossbar of the high stool and his right foot on the floor in a pose that could only be described as elegant. (Try sitting on a high stool for over an hour with your back straight up and you'll know how difficult it is to maintain such a pose.) The MC started with her questions, which Hyun-Jae answered in his characteristically terse way (not many words.) The interpreter was translating simultaneously and she was doing a good job, because almost as soon as the Japanese MC finished asking her questions, Hyun-Jae was ready to answer. (The interpreter was the same one as in the last Japan Fans Meeting a year ago.)
On the big screen appeared first Lee Dong Gun (whose younger brother's funeral JHJ attended a few months earlier) and then JHJ's co-stars in "3 Dads/1 Mom" -- Shin Shing Rok, Jae Hee, and Eugene. I think they were wishing JHJ success with the Fans Meeting (the last two words were spoken in English.) Lee appeared thinner, Shin looked exactly the same as in 3/1, Jae was sporting a smart new hairstyle, and Eugene -- I did not recognize her at first (without the wigs she wore in 3/1). Her real hair was very short which made her face look very round and full.
On stage Hyun-Jae was like a bright-eyed little boy who was curious about everything. He kept turning his head to look at his friends on the big screen. I guess the MC's questions were about JHJ's various TV dramas. I could hear the words "Seo Dong Yo", "Only You", and Andrea.
I did not understand a single word of Japanese or Korean, but I was caught up in the fervour of the moment. I laughed when everybody laughed, and I clapped when everybody clapped. We all know JHJ is a man of few words. But he seemed to be warming up after a while, and even spoke more than ten words at a time (Just kidding!) Seriously, he must have become more humourous because his answers were evoking constant laughter. We laughed and he smiled. We laughed some more and he smiled some more. The atmosphere was warm an electrifying.
After more than an hour, Part 1 came to an end. JHJ went backstage, waving and bowing. On the big screen appeared various scenes from his TV dramas which brought back happy memories.
After an interval of about ten minutes, JHJ re-appeared --- on the 1/F balcony! He had changed into casual wear -- a white collarless T-shirt, black vest, black trousers, and white canvas shoes -- and he was so drop-dead gorgeous! He made his way across the whole balcony before coming down to the main auditorium which he criss-crossed, so that everyone had the chance to see him up close. He passed right in front of me, but the fans on the other side grabbed hold of him, so I didn't even manage to touch his back!
Part 2 was games, one of which was "Stone, Paper, and Scissors". Everybody stood up and played against JHJ. If you lost, you sat down. After three or four rounds, JHJ had already defeated most of us. Only 7 or 8 people were left and they were invited on stage to play with JHJ. The last two left standing received prizes and got to shake JHJ's hand.
Another game was "Wheel of Fortune". The lucky few that JHJ invited on stage turned the wheel to see what they could win. (Hyun-Jae was very considerate to his fans; the first one he picked was from the 1/F balcony.) The luckiest one of all got a HUG! The Japanese girl was shy but Hyun-Jae was shyer. There was a lot of foreplay before they finally came together for a brief second. Her head barely reached his chest, and I could see she was about to faint from the excitement.
In Part 3 fans competed for the gifts that JHJ brought with him, among which were DVD sets of "Seo Dong Yo" and "Only You", won respectively by an old lady and a young girl who both looked overwhelmed.
The most bizarre part of the afternoon was JHJ demonstrating the art of eating. Actually he was supposed to be a culinary judge. A food cart was wheeled out on which were a number of dishes. JHJ first tasted some kind of pancake. He took a small bite but was made to take another bite by the MC. Hyun-Jae's table manners were impeccable. He wiped his mouth and drank from a glass of water before trying the spaghetti. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was to eat spaghetti in front of 1500 people? with 3000 eyes watching every movement of your jaw? While he was trying to swallow, the MC kept talking to him, so he had to turn his back to the audience to gulp it down. He was so polite and well-bred! This happened twice because he had to sample two different kinds of spaghetti. I think it is torture.
Next the MC said something which of course I did not understand. The Japanese lady sitting next to me said (in English): "Stand up! Stand up!" I stood up without understanding why. Then she said: "Go out! Go out!" and pushed me towards the stage. I saw Taiwan's Greencup and, being the smart JHJ fan that I was, I guessed overseas fans were invited to meet Hyun-Jae. Actually we stood just beneath the stage, about 8 or 9 of us, and each of us was asked where we were from. The man on my left said "Taiwan" (yes, JHJ does have male fans!) and I said "Beijing, China", followed by Bigcat from Hong Kong and Greencup from Taiwan. The last person was from Italy (at least that's what I heard.)
All this time I was standing about five feet from Hyun-Jae and I was staring (yes, staring, very rude, I know, but I couldn't help it.) I was so near to him and I could see him so clearly. Oh, my God! He was so "beautiful"! This was what the Japanese lady sitting next to me was saying all afternoon -- "He is so beautiful! the most beautiful in Korea!" And I answered: "In the world!" Yes, up close he was even more "beautiful"!
Without understanding Japanese, somehow I knew we were asked to play "Stone, Paper, Scissors" with Hyun-Jae. I played "Scissors" and Hyun-Jae used "Stone", so I lost. I knew I was supposed to go back to my seat, but I didn't want to take my eyes off Hyun-Jae. I had never been so thick-skinned in my life. I just stood there and kept staring, until the other losers started leaving. I cursed myself for losing, but I was losing my head in Hyun-Jae's presence. The two winners were Taiwan's Greencup who won JHJ's shirt and a leather bracelet (I'm so happy for her!) and a Korean fan from CAFE who won JHJ's jeans and also a leather bracelet. Lucky girls!
At some point the audience dedicated to JHJ the song in "3 Dads/1 Mom" that the three fathers sang for the baby girl on her first birthday -- "You Were Born Out Of Love". Hyun-Jae stood there solemnly receiving the tribute, even though the singing was out of tune sometimes, and he smiled and bowed and thanked us. After another brief intermission, it was "handshaking" time. The organizers moved very quickly and efficiently. A small table was set up on stage left. The fans lined up and took turns to shake Hyun-Jae's hand. Then they were led to centre stage where two identical stands were erected for fans to take a photo with Hyun-Jae in groups of 30. The front row had 11 chairs (the centre one for Hyun-Jae); the two back rows were standing room only.
When it was my turn, I was pleasantly surprised (and very moved) that Hyun-Jae actually "shook" my hand and looked me in the eyes. His hand was soft and his grip was firm. He really took his fans seriously. Gazing into his big, beautiful eyes gave me a dizzy feeling.
I half-walked, half-stumbled to the stand and discovered I was just one seat removed from Hyun-Jae. Bigcat very generously offered her seat to me so I could sit next to Hyun-Jae. When he came over, I could not take my eyes off him. His face looked even more "beautiful" when it was less than six inches away. His profile was like that of a Greek statue. His skin was very fine and his complexion flawless. When he smiled (at us, not at me in particular), I was ready to drop dead from the ecstasy. It was all like a dream, a dream come true! I could not remember how I got off stage.
There were a few children in the audience. When they went on stage for their photo shot, they were placed next to JHJ. It was heart-warming to see Hyun-Jae put his arm around the child (children in one case -- twin girls.) I could see Hyun-Jae loved children and he would be a good father when he had children of his own.
I was still on cloud nine when finally the handshaking part was over and JHJ came on stage again to sing another song and to say goodbye. Part of the proceeds of the show was donated to charity, and JHJ presented a cheque to a representative of the charitable organization, to thunderous applause.
Finally the MC presented JHJ with the fans' messages in an album. While we were waiting in the lobby, we were given cards (the size of a business card) on which to write a message to JHJ, to be dropped in a box at the entrance of the auditorium. JHJ read out a few; the rest presumably he would take back to Korea. When he has nothing better to do in the army, I hope he will take out this album and perhaps come across mine that reads:
"To: Mr. Jo Hyun-Jae (in Korean) FIGHTING! From China with love 2008.6.22"
Time's up but nobody wanted Hyun-Jae to go, so we kept on applauding and applauding until he came on stage again to say "Thank You" and "Goodbye" one last time.The Fans Meeting was billed as 2 - 5 p.m., but it actually lasted till 6:30 p.m. And I had to catch a 9 p.m. flight to Tokyo. I'll not tell you about my mad dash to Kansai Airport. It was nothing compared to JHJ's 4 1/2 hours on stage, most of it standing, and shaking 1500 hands and posing for photos with 1500 divided by 30 groups of fans (you do the math), all the time maintaining his elegant pose and sincere manners and genuine smile -- all from the heart!
(TO BE CONTINUED)
(Originally published in JoHyunJaeChina)
I had it from a reliable source that in Osaka Jo Hyun-Jae had a rehearsal soon after he arrived from Seoul in the afternoon of June 21. Two lucky Japanese fans in Osaka (and another two in Tokyo) were selected to watch the rehearsal. On the day of the Fan Meeting, JHJ arrived at NHK Hall at 11:30 a.m. (This is from another eyewitness.) The meeting begins at 2 p.m. This just shows how seriously Hyun-Jae takes his work.
At a little after 12 noon, JHJ fans were already gathering in the lobby of the NHK hall. Everybody was very excited and anticipation was in the air. At 1 p.m. we were allowed to enter; the queue was moving slowly because there were so many people. When we got to the top of the escalator, we saw many huge posters of JHJ -- all unspeakably handsome! And there were all these JHJ souvenirs spread out on several tables. So we started charging at once! I made a beeline for the photo albums. They are BIG and BEAUTIFUL, with many previously unpublished photos of JHJ and his signature. I also collected a set of cups (2) with different JHJ photos on each, and cell phone straps (with JHJ's signature.)
Clutching my precious purchases, I entered the hall which could hold 1500 people (full house.) Three huge JHJ banners were hung on stage, one on each side of JHJ in a black suit, and a set of three in the centre of JHJ in a grey cotton cardigan and white T-shirt with grey-and-yellow striped sleeves. Just looking at these made my heart beat to an unnatural rhythm.
A little after 2 p.m. the lights dimmed. Wah.....wah.....wah..... screams could be heard all over the main auditorium and the 1/F balcony. Suddenly projected on the big screen was a pair of black leather shoes. Then the camera panned to reveal a pair of ash-white trousers and then a jacket. It stopped at the neck! By that time everybody in the audience knew that it was JHJ backstage. Screams were reaching fever pitch. Drum roll......and Hyun-Jae appeared on stage left, walking to centre stage. Everybody was screaming at the top of their lungs.
The vision that appeared before our eyes was Hyun-Jae in an ash-white suit (short jacket -- must be this year's style), black shirt with polka dot lining (strategically revealed at the open collar), black leather shoes, and short hair (in the "3 Dads/1 Mom" style.)
Hyun-Jae started to sing. I didn't understand a word but it was beautiful music. I have only heard him sing on MVs before. On stage he sounded much better and stronger; his voice was a rich, deep baritone. When he finished, the applause was deafening.
Then the Master of Ceremony (MC) and the interpreter appeared on stage, and they all sat on high stools, the two women on either side of JHJ. Hyun-Jae sat with his left foot on the lower crossbar of the high stool and his right foot on the floor in a pose that could only be described as elegant. (Try sitting on a high stool for over an hour with your back straight up and you'll know how difficult it is to maintain such a pose.) The MC started with her questions, which Hyun-Jae answered in his characteristically terse way (not many words.) The interpreter was translating simultaneously and she was doing a good job, because almost as soon as the Japanese MC finished asking her questions, Hyun-Jae was ready to answer. (The interpreter was the same one as in the last Japan Fans Meeting a year ago.)
On the big screen appeared first Lee Dong Gun (whose younger brother's funeral JHJ attended a few months earlier) and then JHJ's co-stars in "3 Dads/1 Mom" -- Shin Shing Rok, Jae Hee, and Eugene. I think they were wishing JHJ success with the Fans Meeting (the last two words were spoken in English.) Lee appeared thinner, Shin looked exactly the same as in 3/1, Jae was sporting a smart new hairstyle, and Eugene -- I did not recognize her at first (without the wigs she wore in 3/1). Her real hair was very short which made her face look very round and full.
On stage Hyun-Jae was like a bright-eyed little boy who was curious about everything. He kept turning his head to look at his friends on the big screen. I guess the MC's questions were about JHJ's various TV dramas. I could hear the words "Seo Dong Yo", "Only You", and Andrea.
I did not understand a single word of Japanese or Korean, but I was caught up in the fervour of the moment. I laughed when everybody laughed, and I clapped when everybody clapped. We all know JHJ is a man of few words. But he seemed to be warming up after a while, and even spoke more than ten words at a time (Just kidding!) Seriously, he must have become more humourous because his answers were evoking constant laughter. We laughed and he smiled. We laughed some more and he smiled some more. The atmosphere was warm an electrifying.
After more than an hour, Part 1 came to an end. JHJ went backstage, waving and bowing. On the big screen appeared various scenes from his TV dramas which brought back happy memories.
After an interval of about ten minutes, JHJ re-appeared --- on the 1/F balcony! He had changed into casual wear -- a white collarless T-shirt, black vest, black trousers, and white canvas shoes -- and he was so drop-dead gorgeous! He made his way across the whole balcony before coming down to the main auditorium which he criss-crossed, so that everyone had the chance to see him up close. He passed right in front of me, but the fans on the other side grabbed hold of him, so I didn't even manage to touch his back!
Part 2 was games, one of which was "Stone, Paper, and Scissors". Everybody stood up and played against JHJ. If you lost, you sat down. After three or four rounds, JHJ had already defeated most of us. Only 7 or 8 people were left and they were invited on stage to play with JHJ. The last two left standing received prizes and got to shake JHJ's hand.
Another game was "Wheel of Fortune". The lucky few that JHJ invited on stage turned the wheel to see what they could win. (Hyun-Jae was very considerate to his fans; the first one he picked was from the 1/F balcony.) The luckiest one of all got a HUG! The Japanese girl was shy but Hyun-Jae was shyer. There was a lot of foreplay before they finally came together for a brief second. Her head barely reached his chest, and I could see she was about to faint from the excitement.
In Part 3 fans competed for the gifts that JHJ brought with him, among which were DVD sets of "Seo Dong Yo" and "Only You", won respectively by an old lady and a young girl who both looked overwhelmed.
The most bizarre part of the afternoon was JHJ demonstrating the art of eating. Actually he was supposed to be a culinary judge. A food cart was wheeled out on which were a number of dishes. JHJ first tasted some kind of pancake. He took a small bite but was made to take another bite by the MC. Hyun-Jae's table manners were impeccable. He wiped his mouth and drank from a glass of water before trying the spaghetti. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was to eat spaghetti in front of 1500 people? with 3000 eyes watching every movement of your jaw? While he was trying to swallow, the MC kept talking to him, so he had to turn his back to the audience to gulp it down. He was so polite and well-bred! This happened twice because he had to sample two different kinds of spaghetti. I think it is torture.
Next the MC said something which of course I did not understand. The Japanese lady sitting next to me said (in English): "Stand up! Stand up!" I stood up without understanding why. Then she said: "Go out! Go out!" and pushed me towards the stage. I saw Taiwan's Greencup and, being the smart JHJ fan that I was, I guessed overseas fans were invited to meet Hyun-Jae. Actually we stood just beneath the stage, about 8 or 9 of us, and each of us was asked where we were from. The man on my left said "Taiwan" (yes, JHJ does have male fans!) and I said "Beijing, China", followed by Bigcat from Hong Kong and Greencup from Taiwan. The last person was from Italy (at least that's what I heard.)
All this time I was standing about five feet from Hyun-Jae and I was staring (yes, staring, very rude, I know, but I couldn't help it.) I was so near to him and I could see him so clearly. Oh, my God! He was so "beautiful"! This was what the Japanese lady sitting next to me was saying all afternoon -- "He is so beautiful! the most beautiful in Korea!" And I answered: "In the world!" Yes, up close he was even more "beautiful"!
Without understanding Japanese, somehow I knew we were asked to play "Stone, Paper, Scissors" with Hyun-Jae. I played "Scissors" and Hyun-Jae used "Stone", so I lost. I knew I was supposed to go back to my seat, but I didn't want to take my eyes off Hyun-Jae. I had never been so thick-skinned in my life. I just stood there and kept staring, until the other losers started leaving. I cursed myself for losing, but I was losing my head in Hyun-Jae's presence. The two winners were Taiwan's Greencup who won JHJ's shirt and a leather bracelet (I'm so happy for her!) and a Korean fan from CAFE who won JHJ's jeans and also a leather bracelet. Lucky girls!
At some point the audience dedicated to JHJ the song in "3 Dads/1 Mom" that the three fathers sang for the baby girl on her first birthday -- "You Were Born Out Of Love". Hyun-Jae stood there solemnly receiving the tribute, even though the singing was out of tune sometimes, and he smiled and bowed and thanked us. After another brief intermission, it was "handshaking" time. The organizers moved very quickly and efficiently. A small table was set up on stage left. The fans lined up and took turns to shake Hyun-Jae's hand. Then they were led to centre stage where two identical stands were erected for fans to take a photo with Hyun-Jae in groups of 30. The front row had 11 chairs (the centre one for Hyun-Jae); the two back rows were standing room only.
When it was my turn, I was pleasantly surprised (and very moved) that Hyun-Jae actually "shook" my hand and looked me in the eyes. His hand was soft and his grip was firm. He really took his fans seriously. Gazing into his big, beautiful eyes gave me a dizzy feeling.
I half-walked, half-stumbled to the stand and discovered I was just one seat removed from Hyun-Jae. Bigcat very generously offered her seat to me so I could sit next to Hyun-Jae. When he came over, I could not take my eyes off him. His face looked even more "beautiful" when it was less than six inches away. His profile was like that of a Greek statue. His skin was very fine and his complexion flawless. When he smiled (at us, not at me in particular), I was ready to drop dead from the ecstasy. It was all like a dream, a dream come true! I could not remember how I got off stage.
There were a few children in the audience. When they went on stage for their photo shot, they were placed next to JHJ. It was heart-warming to see Hyun-Jae put his arm around the child (children in one case -- twin girls.) I could see Hyun-Jae loved children and he would be a good father when he had children of his own.
I was still on cloud nine when finally the handshaking part was over and JHJ came on stage again to sing another song and to say goodbye. Part of the proceeds of the show was donated to charity, and JHJ presented a cheque to a representative of the charitable organization, to thunderous applause.
Finally the MC presented JHJ with the fans' messages in an album. While we were waiting in the lobby, we were given cards (the size of a business card) on which to write a message to JHJ, to be dropped in a box at the entrance of the auditorium. JHJ read out a few; the rest presumably he would take back to Korea. When he has nothing better to do in the army, I hope he will take out this album and perhaps come across mine that reads:
"To: Mr. Jo Hyun-Jae (in Korean) FIGHTING! From China with love 2008.6.22"
Time's up but nobody wanted Hyun-Jae to go, so we kept on applauding and applauding until he came on stage again to say "Thank You" and "Goodbye" one last time.The Fans Meeting was billed as 2 - 5 p.m., but it actually lasted till 6:30 p.m. And I had to catch a 9 p.m. flight to Tokyo. I'll not tell you about my mad dash to Kansai Airport. It was nothing compared to JHJ's 4 1/2 hours on stage, most of it standing, and shaking 1500 hands and posing for photos with 1500 divided by 30 groups of fans (you do the math), all the time maintaining his elegant pose and sincere manners and genuine smile -- all from the heart!
(TO BE CONTINUED)
(Originally published in JoHyunJaeChina)
Friday 27 February 2009
JHJ Osaka Photo Exhibition (4) the DVD corner
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For more photos, please see "We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae" (Parts 1,2,3)
Thursday 26 February 2009
A tribute to Jo Hyun-Jae
There is a poet among us. Angie, who goes by the pseudonym of "Where on earth is the antidote" on JoHyunJaeChina, has dedicated this poem to Jo Hyun-Jae. The original is in Chinese and is printed after the translated version. If you cannot read Chinese, then you have to take my word for it that the Chinese version is far superior to the English.
LOVE YOU, WANDERING FOOTPRINTS
If you are a kind of poison, the look in your eyes is the poison's fuse
This winter I lost my resistance
This poison's fuse started an endless quest
I had thought I love only your on-screen glamour
But in time I became enamoured with your out-of-this-world stance
A thousand years ago, did we make a beautiful promise?
Poised on time's divide, did you momentarily turn around?
Had we really met, there would be indelible memories
From your ethereal smile, from your deep-ebbing sorrow
From your modest fortitude, from the profound love in your eyes
I begin to find traces of our love and remembrance
If...if former destiny is ultimately just a dream
I'd rather be steeped in the tender dream and never awake
Perhaps in this life I will never love like this again
I would still remain satisfied and solitary for loving you from afar
Even if an antidote for my heart cannot be found at the ends of the earth
I am still your eternal wanderer
I will go on silently
With a tranquill heart, at the fringe of your blessed existence
Until one day, the years are gone
Dust and wandering have settled
Turning around in the setting sun, at least in this life
I have left behind footprints of my love for you
(Original Chinese version published in JoHyunJaeChina two days before Valentine's Day)
LOVE YOU, WANDERING FOOTPRINTS
If you are a kind of poison, the look in your eyes is the poison's fuse
This winter I lost my resistance
This poison's fuse started an endless quest
I had thought I love only your on-screen glamour
But in time I became enamoured with your out-of-this-world stance
A thousand years ago, did we make a beautiful promise?
Poised on time's divide, did you momentarily turn around?
Had we really met, there would be indelible memories
From your ethereal smile, from your deep-ebbing sorrow
From your modest fortitude, from the profound love in your eyes
I begin to find traces of our love and remembrance
If...if former destiny is ultimately just a dream
I'd rather be steeped in the tender dream and never awake
Perhaps in this life I will never love like this again
I would still remain satisfied and solitary for loving you from afar
Even if an antidote for my heart cannot be found at the ends of the earth
I am still your eternal wanderer
I will go on silently
With a tranquill heart, at the fringe of your blessed existence
Until one day, the years are gone
Dust and wandering have settled
Turning around in the setting sun, at least in this life
I have left behind footprints of my love for you
(Original Chinese version published in JoHyunJaeChina two days before Valentine's Day)
[給显宰] 愛你, 流浪的足跡
如果说你是一种毒 你的眼神便是毒药的引
这个冬天 我失去了抵抗力
因为这毒引 开始一场没有尽头的寻觅
原以为 只是爱你银幕上的风采
渐渐地 却沉沦于你 纷扰中遗世独立的姿态
千年以前 是否许下美丽的誓言
在时间的渡口 可曾有过刹那的回首
真的见过你 就会有些不灭的记忆
从你云淡风清的微笑 从你深沉逆流的悲伤
从你嘴角的谦卑坚毅 从你眸中的深情如许
我开始寻找 爱过念过的痕迹
如果 如果前缘 最终只是一场梦
我宁愿沉沦在温柔的梦中 不要醒来
也许 这一世 不再会有倾心的相遇
我也会隔着远远的距离 尝遍爱着你的满意与孤寂
就算 到天涯 也寻不着心中的解药
我也依然是你 永远的流浪者
我会不动声色地走下去
用安静的心 守护在你的幸福之外
直到有一天 岁月都已过去
尘埃和流浪 都已止息
斜阳下回首 至少这一世
我留下过 爱你的足迹
本文来自：赵显宰中文网 转载请注明出自【www.johyunjaechina.com】 作者：天涯何处有解药 本贴地址：http://www.johyunjaechina.com/viewthread.php?tid=6927这个冬天 我失去了抵抗力
因为这毒引 开始一场没有尽头的寻觅
原以为 只是爱你银幕上的风采
渐渐地 却沉沦于你 纷扰中遗世独立的姿态
千年以前 是否许下美丽的誓言
在时间的渡口 可曾有过刹那的回首
真的见过你 就会有些不灭的记忆
从你云淡风清的微笑 从你深沉逆流的悲伤
从你嘴角的谦卑坚毅 从你眸中的深情如许
我开始寻找 爱过念过的痕迹
如果 如果前缘 最终只是一场梦
我宁愿沉沦在温柔的梦中 不要醒来
也许 这一世 不再会有倾心的相遇
我也会隔着远远的距离 尝遍爱着你的满意与孤寂
就算 到天涯 也寻不着心中的解药
我也依然是你 永远的流浪者
我会不动声色地走下去
用安静的心 守护在你的幸福之外
直到有一天 岁月都已过去
尘埃和流浪 都已止息
斜阳下回首 至少这一世
我留下过 爱你的足迹
JHJ Osaka Photo Exhibition (3) the glass display case
For more photos, please see "We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae" (Parts 1,2,3)
Wednesday 25 February 2009
Diary of a Star-Chaser (Part 1 - At Kansai International Airport)
In the west this is called recycling. To Cantonese speakers, it is "frying cold rice". What is it called in other languages or dialects?
The following is the first of three articles that Maria wrote after the Japan Fan Meetings last year (originally published in JoHyunJaeChina.) This is in response to the first comment left on this blog by MDH who wondered if we ever met JHJ.
DAIRY OF A STAR-CHASER (PART 1)
(an eye-witness account of Jo Hyun-Jae's Fan Meetings in Osaka and Tokyo in June 2008)
I cannot remember who said once you have seen Jo Hyun-Jae, you're dead! Well, I've seen him not ONCE, but TWICE! No, THRICE! -- at Kansai International Airpot, and at the fan meetings in Osaka on 2008.6.22 and Tokyo on 2008.6.23. And now I have become a diehard JHJ fan for life!
2008.6.21 (Saturday) Osaka
My first glimpse of Hyun-Jae was at Osaka's Kansai Airport on 2008.6.21 at 2:30 p.m. when he walked into the Arrivals Hall (South Gate), having arrived on JL962 from Seoul a little earlier. I had been standing there for over two hours, along with over 200 Japanese fans (all women), some of whom had been waiting since 10 a.m.!
I was craning my neck, peering at every passenger who emerged, and fidgeting with my camera. Suddenly there was a flash of light, like rays of sunshine! A tall figure in a white ski cap, sunglasses, short-sleeved white shirt, black trousers, and white surfsider shoes (no socks) appeared. Before I could react, he was striding towards his waiting fans, smiling and bowing.
I was standing on the other side of the exit, pretending to meet other passengers, otherwise I would have to stand at the end of the long line of 200+ Japanese fans. I rushed after him, snapping like mad. He stopped a couple of times to accept flowers from his fans, smiling and bowing all the time (so polite!) By the time I reached the end of the line, Hyun-Jae (and his entourage) was entering the elevator. Good thing it was a glass elevator because I could still see Hyun-Jae waving at us as the elevator was going up.
When everything was over (like a dream), I checked my camera and discovered that I did not manage to take a single decent shot of Hyun-Jae (except the one of him in the elevator.) Every photo showed somebody's hand or the back of a head or the air or (best) half of Hyun-Jae (the right side of his body.) (Sigh!) My hands were shaking too much; my legs were trembling; my eyes could not focus; in short, I was not functioning like a normal human being in the presence of our Prince Charming (about 8 feet away at the shortest distance.)
You know, my biggest discovery from this close encounter is -- Hyun-Jae is NOT really photogenic! By that I mean he looks so much more handsome in person than in photos or on the TV screen. I would not have thought this is possible if I had not seen him with my own eyes! How could someone who is already perfect in every respect be MORE PERFECT in the flesh!
He was just wearing the most basic clothes -- white shirt and black trousers (the shirt worn outside of the trousers), and yet somehow he made them look like the most glamourous garments in the word. There was an aura about him -- he seemed to be radiating light! I was so blinded my mind went blank. My heart was beating so violently that at one point I thought I was going to have a heart attack!
After he was gone, his Japanese fans were comparing and sharing videos and photos. I joined them; we didn't know one another but we chatted like old friends. Actually they could not speak English and I could not speak Japanese, but we spoke a common language. We were all going ooh.....aah.....wow..... Hyun-Jae!!!!! Ajumas were behaving like silly little girls, and it was a lot of fun! Everybody was looking forward to the fan meeting the day after.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Tuesday 24 February 2009
JHJ Osaka Photo Exhibition (2) the gallery
For more photos, please see "We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae" (Parts 1,2,3)
Monday 23 February 2009
JHJ Osaka Photo Exhibition -- the story in pictures (1) the entrance
For more photos, please see "We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae" (Parts 1,2,3)
JHJ's jasmine tree is blooming
Thanks to Bigcat of JoHyunJaeHongKong, we can see these pictures of the beautiful jasmine tree that Jo Hyun-Jae planted on his visit to Thailand for the fan meeting in July, 2008.
Bigcat was there for the planting ceremony, and she has paid a return visit in February 2009.
The jasmine tree is flourishing, with a flower in full bloom and flower buds. Of all the trees that were planted last year, JHJ's tree is faring best. The Thai fans have been taking good care of this precious tree.
In time it will grow bigger and stronger, just as we wish Jo Hyun-Jae will grow in fame and fortune.
Photos courtesy of http://johyunjaefans.invisionplus.net
Bigcat was there for the planting ceremony, and she has paid a return visit in February 2009.
The jasmine tree is flourishing, with a flower in full bloom and flower buds. Of all the trees that were planted last year, JHJ's tree is faring best. The Thai fans have been taking good care of this precious tree.
In time it will grow bigger and stronger, just as we wish Jo Hyun-Jae will grow in fame and fortune.
Photos courtesy of http://johyunjaefans.invisionplus.net
Jo Hyun Jae completes 40 km trek
The following news was reported on CarpeDiem Korea which had confirmed with Jo Hyun Jae's management company.
A note was left on CarpeDiem's bulletin board on Feb.20, 2009 by a fellow soldier who underwent the same military training as Jo Hyun Jae.
Jo Hyun Jae went on a two-day 40 km camping night military training and successfully completed the exercise.
The writer also says JHJ is a regular guy and is well-liked by his fellow soldiers.
Private First Class Jo Hyun Jae -- We are so proud of you! You are doing your duty to your country and serving as an ordinary soldier. You will emerge from the military as a better and stronger person.
A note was left on CarpeDiem's bulletin board on Feb.20, 2009 by a fellow soldier who underwent the same military training as Jo Hyun Jae.
Jo Hyun Jae went on a two-day 40 km camping night military training and successfully completed the exercise.
The writer also says JHJ is a regular guy and is well-liked by his fellow soldiers.
Private First Class Jo Hyun Jae -- We are so proud of you! You are doing your duty to your country and serving as an ordinary soldier. You will emerge from the military as a better and stronger person.
Sunday 22 February 2009
I spread my dream in the sky
Last night in a dream I saw my long-forgotten self -- as a child
With both hands full of rainbow-coloured glass beads
That forgotten child who was so happy with the marbles
Who has since been tamed by the world
Now longs to relieve myself of the burdens of life
To face life steadily, truthfully, calmly
To find that forgotten rainbow light -- my dream
I grasp it tightly with both hands
Running towards the open skies
Even if times are tough, facing a tempestuous world
I will never again be afraid to embrace my dream
Like in childhood, I can go barefoot, jumping for joy
In the ever-changing world, among fleeting clouds
To be together with my dream
That sea that I am afraid of now speaks softly to me
I am reborn with my dream
Nobody will hear me whispering to the world
Spread that forgotten dream in the sky
This is the third song on Jo Hyun-Jae's CD -- the best of the best, in my opinion. I know it is presumptuous to re-write the English lyrics, especially since the CD jacket comes with English translation. But since the original lyrics are in Korean, I have exercised poetic licence and offered my own version here. The lyrics are so beautiful (as is JHJ's rendition of the song) that they bear being re-translated. Could these lyrics be a mirror image of JHJ's life?
With both hands full of rainbow-coloured glass beads
That forgotten child who was so happy with the marbles
Who has since been tamed by the world
Now longs to relieve myself of the burdens of life
To face life steadily, truthfully, calmly
To find that forgotten rainbow light -- my dream
I grasp it tightly with both hands
Running towards the open skies
Even if times are tough, facing a tempestuous world
I will never again be afraid to embrace my dream
Like in childhood, I can go barefoot, jumping for joy
In the ever-changing world, among fleeting clouds
To be together with my dream
That sea that I am afraid of now speaks softly to me
I am reborn with my dream
Nobody will hear me whispering to the world
Spread that forgotten dream in the sky
This is the third song on Jo Hyun-Jae's CD -- the best of the best, in my opinion. I know it is presumptuous to re-write the English lyrics, especially since the CD jacket comes with English translation. But since the original lyrics are in Korean, I have exercised poetic licence and offered my own version here. The lyrics are so beautiful (as is JHJ's rendition of the song) that they bear being re-translated. Could these lyrics be a mirror image of JHJ's life?
Saturday 21 February 2009
JHJ Osaka Photo Exhibition Ends
The official JHJ Fan Club has announced the satisfactory conclusion of Jo Hyun Jae's Photo Exhibition in Osaka, held from February 5 to 17, 2009.
Many thanks to Japanese fans for their enthusiastic participation.
These three photos are posted for the benefit of those fans who could not visit the exhibition site.
Our appreciation to the Japanese staff for all their hard work.
***M & M would like to extend special thanks to Miki (of the official JHJ Fan Club) who has been a great help. You have gone beyond the call of duty and exemplified all the best in JHJ's fans and followers. We feel very reassured that JHJ is in good hands.***
Friday 20 February 2009
We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae (Part 3)
DAY 3 (2009.2.15)
Our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:25 p.m., so we still had the whole morning to spend at the photo exhibition. We were there promptly at 10 a.m.
We did the usual routine -- took more photos, watched the video (for the Nth time), checked out the souvenirs, and posted more messages. We were like two old-timers, even acting as volunteer ushers -- directing newcomers to the right sections.
We loitered there all morning, savouring every moment, saving every data on our P.C. (memory) -- they had to last till at least June 2010.
We saw a Japanese man who was acting suspiciously. Actually he was openly taking pictures and videotaping which was suspicious since such activities were supposedly prohibited. We guessed he must have been commissioned by the authorities. Since M and I could only take photos of one another, I decided to give this professional a chance to prove his skills. I asked him to take a picture of M and me, actually two -- one with JHJ's breathtakingly handsome photo at the entrance and one with the flowers. The latter included Lee Dong Gun, unfortunately, because the man apparently did not understand my sign language when I indicated I did not want Lee in the picture. The whole of Lee was there in the photo, but I lost half of my right arm. Professionals do things differently from you and me.
M and I did one last round -- to make sure we didn't miss anything. And then we said our Goodbyes to Hyun-Jae. I don't know if M would kill me if I reveal here HOW we said Goodbye. We looked lingeringly at those big posters (the ones outside) and we couldn't help but caress Hyun-Jae's face.....and hair.....and eyes.....and nose.....and ears........We even contemplated (for a crazy moment) stealing the posters (the official fan club staff was off on weekends), but desisted for fear of making newspaper headlines.
And we almost missed Hyun-Jae's autograph! As we were leaving, we noticed two panels (facing outside) covered with writing. On closer examination, we realized those were stars' signatures. We quickly scanned for Hyun-Jae's which was difficult to find (even though it was right in the centre of one panel) because it was easily lost amidst all the other more fanciful names with flourishes. His signature was pure and simple and had no decorations, unlike many of the others.
After lunch at a restaurant called English Teatime in Kintetsu, we took the train to Kansai Airport. We were listening to Hyun-Jae's songs on our MP3s and almost didn't hear the announcement that cars 1 - 4 were going to Kansai and cars 5 - 8 somewhere else, and that the cars would be disconnected at a certain station. As it turned out, we were in car 4.
In the course of eight months (since June 2008), I have become a seasoned star-chaser. But the only star in my firmament is JO HYUN-JAE.
NOTE: Jo Hyun-Jae's Photo Exhibition was held in Osaka Feb. 5 - 17, 2009.
Our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:25 p.m., so we still had the whole morning to spend at the photo exhibition. We were there promptly at 10 a.m.
We did the usual routine -- took more photos, watched the video (for the Nth time), checked out the souvenirs, and posted more messages. We were like two old-timers, even acting as volunteer ushers -- directing newcomers to the right sections.
We loitered there all morning, savouring every moment, saving every data on our P.C. (memory) -- they had to last till at least June 2010.
We saw a Japanese man who was acting suspiciously. Actually he was openly taking pictures and videotaping which was suspicious since such activities were supposedly prohibited. We guessed he must have been commissioned by the authorities. Since M and I could only take photos of one another, I decided to give this professional a chance to prove his skills. I asked him to take a picture of M and me, actually two -- one with JHJ's breathtakingly handsome photo at the entrance and one with the flowers. The latter included Lee Dong Gun, unfortunately, because the man apparently did not understand my sign language when I indicated I did not want Lee in the picture. The whole of Lee was there in the photo, but I lost half of my right arm. Professionals do things differently from you and me.
M and I did one last round -- to make sure we didn't miss anything. And then we said our Goodbyes to Hyun-Jae. I don't know if M would kill me if I reveal here HOW we said Goodbye. We looked lingeringly at those big posters (the ones outside) and we couldn't help but caress Hyun-Jae's face.....and hair.....and eyes.....and nose.....and ears........We even contemplated (for a crazy moment) stealing the posters (the official fan club staff was off on weekends), but desisted for fear of making newspaper headlines.
And we almost missed Hyun-Jae's autograph! As we were leaving, we noticed two panels (facing outside) covered with writing. On closer examination, we realized those were stars' signatures. We quickly scanned for Hyun-Jae's which was difficult to find (even though it was right in the centre of one panel) because it was easily lost amidst all the other more fanciful names with flourishes. His signature was pure and simple and had no decorations, unlike many of the others.
After lunch at a restaurant called English Teatime in Kintetsu, we took the train to Kansai Airport. We were listening to Hyun-Jae's songs on our MP3s and almost didn't hear the announcement that cars 1 - 4 were going to Kansai and cars 5 - 8 somewhere else, and that the cars would be disconnected at a certain station. As it turned out, we were in car 4.
In the course of eight months (since June 2008), I have become a seasoned star-chaser. But the only star in my firmament is JO HYUN-JAE.
NOTE: Jo Hyun-Jae's Photo Exhibition was held in Osaka Feb. 5 - 17, 2009.
We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae (Part 2)
DAY 2 (2009.2.14)
It's Valentine's Day! We're going to spend Valentine's Day with Hyun-Jae! (or rather his photos.) The very thought warmed our hearts.
At 9:50 a.m. we were already waiting at the entrance of Kintetsu. When the second hand of the clock hit 10 p.m., we were allowed to go in. We headed for the lift, went up to the 5/F, and made a beeline for that smiling JHJ photo.
The first thing we noticed was a new flower basket (from JHJ's Hiroshima fans.) The placing of this basket caused the Lee Dong Gun photo to be obstructing somewhat Hyun-Jae's. M and I looked at one another, and without a spoken word, we rearranged the two photos, so that Hyun-Jae's was now (slightly) in front.
No staff was up and about yet, so with professional speed we snapped pictures of everything. Until we got caught red-handed and were scolded (in polite Japanese way.) We just bowed and smiled, and our skin thickened by an extra mm.
Then we posted new messages on the notice board. Several messages were taken down (including ours of the day before) because the board was full, I suppose. This time we wrote in Chinese: I also wrote one for JoHyunJaeChina and JoHyunJaeTaiwan and another one for JoHyunJaeHongKong -- to wish Hyun-Jae Happy Valentine's Day and happiness forever.
We settled down to watch the DVD (actually it's just an extract) which soon drew a crowd. It was standing room only. I gave up my seat to a little old lady. I'd already watched it 6 or 7 times the day before (while M was attempting to register with the official fan club.)
It's Saturday. More and more people came, mostly ajumas, some with their husbands (who sat patiently through the course of the video) and children (who not so patiently listened on their MP3s or played on their PlayStations.)
We bought more JHJ souvenirs. We reckoned this was the most direct and practical way to line Hyun-Jae's pockets while he was drawing a soldier's pay. M bought another wall calendar, and the shop girl gave her a bag that could only hold half of it. We solved this problem by going to the Bedding Department (on a different floor) and asking for a big shopping bag (the kind used to hold pillows or blankets.) JHJ fans are smart people!
We had arranged to meet our Japanese friends Makky and Bell whom I had not seen since the Korea Fan Meeting in July 2008. Somehow we missed each other at the August 5 farewell in Seoul. M was meeting them for the first time and soon everybody was chatting like old friends. My observation: JHJ fans are all people with big hearts, full of love for their idol and fellow fans (at least those I've had the privilege of meeting.)
Makky and Bell took us to Osaka's Korea Town where we had lunch (in a Korean restaurant, of course!) We exchanged notes and traded tidbits about Hyun-Jae. Makky's JHJ site's anniversary was coming up on February 24. We told them of our plans to start this English blog. After lunch we went to source (unofficial) JHJ souvenirs, most of which we had already bought in Seoul.
And then it was tea time. Makky and Bell said there was an interesting tea house where one could sometimes run into people of the entertainment industry. It's a very small place, decorated with Korean stars' memorabilia (but not even a photo of Hyun-Jae!) Already seated at a table were two friends of Makky's -- one and one-third JHJ fans. The one-third was because this Japanese lady had three loves, as evidenced by the three cell-phone straps of three Korean actors (one of which was Hyun-Jae.)
After saying good-bye to Makky and Bell around 5 p.m., we went back to the JHJ photo exhibition. We were pleasantly surprised it was still pretty crowded. Many of the JHJ souvenirs were gone, but the CD had still not arrived. I asked the shop girl and she made a phone call, after which she just said "Wait" (in Japanese.) I waited 10 minutes and asked her to call again, with the same result. I waited another 5 minutes and "made" her call again. I stood right in front of her and exerted some pressure with my formidable presence (Ha!Ha!) Actually I just looked at her beseechingly, but that was enough to produce results. She got off the phone and held up 3 fingers, struggling to find the English words. I suggested hopefully: "3 hours?" "No, no, no." "3 days????!!!!" I shrieked. "No, no, no." She got agitated and then disappeared behind a door. I was trying to decide whether I should pursue her when she reappeared with another shop girl who uttered the magic words: "30 minutes." Thank God! 3 fingers meant 30 minutes? Oh, well!
M had gone back to our hotel to deposit our spoils (JHJ souvenirs bought at the exhibition earlier and at Korea Town), so I whiled away the time by watching the "Last Story" DVD again. No sooner had I pressed "Start" than all seats were taken. Again, I gave up my seat to a fellow fan since I had watched this video so many times already.
I timed my watch, and, as soon as 30 minutes had passed, I went up to the counter again. The girl saw me approaching and held up the CD, half in protest, half in surrender. She was going to charge it when I said: "No!" She looked shocked but I smiled and held up five fingers. "Five?" Boy! Was she impressed! "And another photo album."
I met up with M and we did the rounds again, scrutinizing each photo of Hyun-Jae, committing it to memory. Poor Lee Dong Gun! His photos were totally neglected, as were his souvenirs. Out of pity, M bought one of his cell phone straps (for old time's sake -- he was an old flame.) There were also lots of souvenirs of other stars like Pei Yun Jun, Kwon Sang Woo, and Lee Byun Hyun -- photo albums, photo sets, necklaces, rings, magazines, Valentine stuff -- but there were no takers. Everybody who was there came for Hyun-Jae.
We were about to leave for dinner when we ran into that Japanese lady again. This was the JHJ fan who bought a wall calendar but had to clutch it under her arm. We tried to tell her at our second chance encounter that she could get a bag big enough to hold it on the 8/F Bedding Department, using sign language and writing Chinese and drawing pictures. We were now meeting for the third time in one day, and we could see she was carrying the wall calendar in a big shopping bag. She rushed up to us and shook our hands, saying "Thank you" in Japanese over and over again. JHJ fans looked out for one another, that's all. M said: "Has she been here all day?" I said: "She could say the same about us."
We went downtown and looked around for a place to have a "romantic" Valentine's Day dinner. We saw many young couples going down a dark flight of stairs and caught the name of the restaurant - "Love". That's it! Let's try this. After venturing down two flights of stairs, we found ourselves at the foyer of the restaurant -- with a bridge and stream! We were led to our private cubicle after traversing alleys and steps. And we had our own Osaka JHJ as our waiter -- a fresh-faced good-looking kid (a trainee) who resembled somewhat Hyun-Jae in "First Love". We enjoyed the decor, the ambience, the service, and, of course, the food. We only wished it wasn't quite so dark so we could read the menu more easily.
Our Valentine Day's adventures came to an end with our listening to Hyun-Jae's songs which accompanied us into deep slumber.
It's Valentine's Day! We're going to spend Valentine's Day with Hyun-Jae! (or rather his photos.) The very thought warmed our hearts.
At 9:50 a.m. we were already waiting at the entrance of Kintetsu. When the second hand of the clock hit 10 p.m., we were allowed to go in. We headed for the lift, went up to the 5/F, and made a beeline for that smiling JHJ photo.
The first thing we noticed was a new flower basket (from JHJ's Hiroshima fans.) The placing of this basket caused the Lee Dong Gun photo to be obstructing somewhat Hyun-Jae's. M and I looked at one another, and without a spoken word, we rearranged the two photos, so that Hyun-Jae's was now (slightly) in front.
No staff was up and about yet, so with professional speed we snapped pictures of everything. Until we got caught red-handed and were scolded (in polite Japanese way.) We just bowed and smiled, and our skin thickened by an extra mm.
Then we posted new messages on the notice board. Several messages were taken down (including ours of the day before) because the board was full, I suppose. This time we wrote in Chinese: I also wrote one for JoHyunJaeChina and JoHyunJaeTaiwan and another one for JoHyunJaeHongKong -- to wish Hyun-Jae Happy Valentine's Day and happiness forever.
We settled down to watch the DVD (actually it's just an extract) which soon drew a crowd. It was standing room only. I gave up my seat to a little old lady. I'd already watched it 6 or 7 times the day before (while M was attempting to register with the official fan club.)
It's Saturday. More and more people came, mostly ajumas, some with their husbands (who sat patiently through the course of the video) and children (who not so patiently listened on their MP3s or played on their PlayStations.)
We bought more JHJ souvenirs. We reckoned this was the most direct and practical way to line Hyun-Jae's pockets while he was drawing a soldier's pay. M bought another wall calendar, and the shop girl gave her a bag that could only hold half of it. We solved this problem by going to the Bedding Department (on a different floor) and asking for a big shopping bag (the kind used to hold pillows or blankets.) JHJ fans are smart people!
We had arranged to meet our Japanese friends Makky and Bell whom I had not seen since the Korea Fan Meeting in July 2008. Somehow we missed each other at the August 5 farewell in Seoul. M was meeting them for the first time and soon everybody was chatting like old friends. My observation: JHJ fans are all people with big hearts, full of love for their idol and fellow fans (at least those I've had the privilege of meeting.)
Makky and Bell took us to Osaka's Korea Town where we had lunch (in a Korean restaurant, of course!) We exchanged notes and traded tidbits about Hyun-Jae. Makky's JHJ site's anniversary was coming up on February 24. We told them of our plans to start this English blog. After lunch we went to source (unofficial) JHJ souvenirs, most of which we had already bought in Seoul.
And then it was tea time. Makky and Bell said there was an interesting tea house where one could sometimes run into people of the entertainment industry. It's a very small place, decorated with Korean stars' memorabilia (but not even a photo of Hyun-Jae!) Already seated at a table were two friends of Makky's -- one and one-third JHJ fans. The one-third was because this Japanese lady had three loves, as evidenced by the three cell-phone straps of three Korean actors (one of which was Hyun-Jae.)
After saying good-bye to Makky and Bell around 5 p.m., we went back to the JHJ photo exhibition. We were pleasantly surprised it was still pretty crowded. Many of the JHJ souvenirs were gone, but the CD had still not arrived. I asked the shop girl and she made a phone call, after which she just said "Wait" (in Japanese.) I waited 10 minutes and asked her to call again, with the same result. I waited another 5 minutes and "made" her call again. I stood right in front of her and exerted some pressure with my formidable presence (Ha!Ha!) Actually I just looked at her beseechingly, but that was enough to produce results. She got off the phone and held up 3 fingers, struggling to find the English words. I suggested hopefully: "3 hours?" "No, no, no." "3 days????!!!!" I shrieked. "No, no, no." She got agitated and then disappeared behind a door. I was trying to decide whether I should pursue her when she reappeared with another shop girl who uttered the magic words: "30 minutes." Thank God! 3 fingers meant 30 minutes? Oh, well!
M had gone back to our hotel to deposit our spoils (JHJ souvenirs bought at the exhibition earlier and at Korea Town), so I whiled away the time by watching the "Last Story" DVD again. No sooner had I pressed "Start" than all seats were taken. Again, I gave up my seat to a fellow fan since I had watched this video so many times already.
I timed my watch, and, as soon as 30 minutes had passed, I went up to the counter again. The girl saw me approaching and held up the CD, half in protest, half in surrender. She was going to charge it when I said: "No!" She looked shocked but I smiled and held up five fingers. "Five?" Boy! Was she impressed! "And another photo album."
I met up with M and we did the rounds again, scrutinizing each photo of Hyun-Jae, committing it to memory. Poor Lee Dong Gun! His photos were totally neglected, as were his souvenirs. Out of pity, M bought one of his cell phone straps (for old time's sake -- he was an old flame.) There were also lots of souvenirs of other stars like Pei Yun Jun, Kwon Sang Woo, and Lee Byun Hyun -- photo albums, photo sets, necklaces, rings, magazines, Valentine stuff -- but there were no takers. Everybody who was there came for Hyun-Jae.
We were about to leave for dinner when we ran into that Japanese lady again. This was the JHJ fan who bought a wall calendar but had to clutch it under her arm. We tried to tell her at our second chance encounter that she could get a bag big enough to hold it on the 8/F Bedding Department, using sign language and writing Chinese and drawing pictures. We were now meeting for the third time in one day, and we could see she was carrying the wall calendar in a big shopping bag. She rushed up to us and shook our hands, saying "Thank you" in Japanese over and over again. JHJ fans looked out for one another, that's all. M said: "Has she been here all day?" I said: "She could say the same about us."
We went downtown and looked around for a place to have a "romantic" Valentine's Day dinner. We saw many young couples going down a dark flight of stairs and caught the name of the restaurant - "Love". That's it! Let's try this. After venturing down two flights of stairs, we found ourselves at the foyer of the restaurant -- with a bridge and stream! We were led to our private cubicle after traversing alleys and steps. And we had our own Osaka JHJ as our waiter -- a fresh-faced good-looking kid (a trainee) who resembled somewhat Hyun-Jae in "First Love". We enjoyed the decor, the ambience, the service, and, of course, the food. We only wished it wasn't quite so dark so we could read the menu more easily.
Our Valentine Day's adventures came to an end with our listening to Hyun-Jae's songs which accompanied us into deep slumber.
We spent Valentine's Day with Jo Hyun-Jae (Part 1)
Actually, with his photos. On the spur of the moment, M and I decided to go to Jo Hyun-Jae's photo exhibition in Osaka. It's very last-minute, rush-rush, but with super-efficiency we took care of all the logistics in two days.
DAY 1 (2009.2.13)
We met up in Hong Kong and left for Osaka on Friday, Feb.13 (Black Friday!) As soon as we checked into our hotel, we headed straight for the exhibition site in Kintetsu Department Store which was right next door.
The photo exhibition was nestled in a corner of the Ladies' Wear Department on the 5/F. From the end of the central corridor we could see Hyun-Jae smiling at us, and we sprinted towards him. (Actually it's a larger-than-life photo of JHJ in a white shirt with a faux black tie and with his hands in his pockets.)
A little to the left were two BIG framed photographs on stands. Two? I did a double-take -- Hyun-Jae was on the left, and his friend Lee Dong Gun was on the right. Turned out this was a joint photo exhibition (but in name only -- because everybody came for JHJ.) The photos were surrounded by gorgeous baskets of flowers -- all for Hyun-Jae. The Hyun-Jae photo was basically the same one as the one at the entrance, but this time he's not smiling, just looking cool!
Several more giant posters came into view. We greedily devoured everything -- it's a visual feast! Then we saw a young lady sitting at a desk (turned out to be a staff member of the official JHJ Fan Club. ) We asked her if we could buy the posters and she said No.
"But we came all this way just for this!"
"From where?"
"Hong Kong." (from M) "U.S.A." (I flew from L.A. just two days ago.)
"Wow! Really?"
"Yes, really!"
"But you still can't buy these posters because they're not for sale."
"Let's check out the photos first," I said to M. (After all, that's what we came for.) The first photo was a bird's eye view of the June 23, 2008 Tokyo Fan Meeting, second part (JHJ in casual clothes.) I scanned the packed auditorium but could not find myself. The other 40-something photos were mostly taken at either the Tokyo Fan Meeting or Osaka Fan Meeting (June 22, 2008), plus Hyun-Jae in T-shirt and jeans at rehearsals and entering the venues. Two were of Hyun-Jae at the "G.P.506" press conference.
We did a quick round of the photos and came to a glass display case, within which were the following precious items:
1. a red-and-white pullover sweater (no label, so we guessed hand-knitted by Mrs. Jo, his Mom.)
2. a narrow black-and-purple striped tie (from his teenage days?)
3. "G.P.506" poster
4. Hand-written 2008 Christmas card to official JHJ Fan Club members (read: Japanese -- made us very jealous!)
5. Two autographed photos
6. Three previously unpublished photos
Next to this was a mini-theatre where the "Last Story" DVD was being played (and there was no shortage of viewers.) It was a shock to hear my own disembodied voice saying: "Beijing, China." It was that memorable moment at the Osaka Fan Meeting when overseas fans were invited to go to the stage and each asked where he/she was from. What followed of course was the 7 or 8 of us playing "Stone, Paper, Scissors" with Hyun-Jae and me losing (Sigh!) The lucky winners were Greencup of Taiwan and a member of CAFE Korea who appeared for more than a minute on the video, immortalized forever!
The JHJ souvenirs were in another room beyond. Items on sale included the wall calendar, photo album, "Seo Dong Yo" DVD (2 volumes only), "3 Dads/1 Mom" DVD, "Only You" OST, "3 Dads/1 Mom" OST, magazines with JHJ on the cover, and two sets of photos. The desk calendar and the CD were sold out! We were told more CDs would be delivered the next day, and they were taking orders for the desk calendar.
There was a notice board on which fans posted messages for Hyun-Jae. There was hardly any space left, but I managed to squeeze one in at the bottom -- "Dear HJ, You are my favourite actor in the whole world!" 95% of the messages were written in Korean which really surprised me. Presumably most of these messages were left by JHJ's Japanese fans, so either: (1) they were all proficient in Korean, or more likely, (2) they all prepared a message in Korean. And all I could write was Hyun-Jae's name in Korean and "Fighting!"
We went back to Miki, the official JHJ Fan Club staff, and told her we wanted to join. She asked if we had a credit card because they did not accept cash. I left M to start the process of registering while I wandered all over the place again. And I walked around (occasionally sitting down) for more than an hour (no exaggeration) and she's still not done. Problems: telephone number not accepted, e-mail address not accepted, credit card not accepted. They tried and tried. We used all four credit cards (from different international banks) that we had between us and all were rejected. Miki said foreign credit cards usually had this problem. By the time I could memorize all the details at the exhibition site, I told M it's time to give up. We're doomed to be on the outside looking in. We were going to take one last look and call it a day.
While we were poring over the souvenirs, Miki came to us excitedly and said she had found a way to get round the hurdles. Poor girl made over a dozen phone calls for us. So we started all over again. Still it wasn't smooth sailing all the way. I had to use two different e-mail addresses before I was accepted. But everything still hinged on one final detail which I'm not at liberty to disclose here. When that last piece of the puzzle falls into place, then we can become members of the official JHJ Fan Club. By the time we were finished, it was 8 p.m. -- closing time of the photo exhibition, end of Miki's work week, and three hours after our arrival at the site. We were very grateful to Miki for devoting over two hours to helping us, though we wished they wouldn't make it quite so hard for us non-Japanese JHJ fans. Still, our persistence paid off (at least we hope so.)
And then we remembered it was Black Friday.
DAY 1 (2009.2.13)
We met up in Hong Kong and left for Osaka on Friday, Feb.13 (Black Friday!) As soon as we checked into our hotel, we headed straight for the exhibition site in Kintetsu Department Store which was right next door.
The photo exhibition was nestled in a corner of the Ladies' Wear Department on the 5/F. From the end of the central corridor we could see Hyun-Jae smiling at us, and we sprinted towards him. (Actually it's a larger-than-life photo of JHJ in a white shirt with a faux black tie and with his hands in his pockets.)
A little to the left were two BIG framed photographs on stands. Two? I did a double-take -- Hyun-Jae was on the left, and his friend Lee Dong Gun was on the right. Turned out this was a joint photo exhibition (but in name only -- because everybody came for JHJ.) The photos were surrounded by gorgeous baskets of flowers -- all for Hyun-Jae. The Hyun-Jae photo was basically the same one as the one at the entrance, but this time he's not smiling, just looking cool!
Several more giant posters came into view. We greedily devoured everything -- it's a visual feast! Then we saw a young lady sitting at a desk (turned out to be a staff member of the official JHJ Fan Club. ) We asked her if we could buy the posters and she said No.
"But we came all this way just for this!"
"From where?"
"Hong Kong." (from M) "U.S.A." (I flew from L.A. just two days ago.)
"Wow! Really?"
"Yes, really!"
"But you still can't buy these posters because they're not for sale."
"Let's check out the photos first," I said to M. (After all, that's what we came for.) The first photo was a bird's eye view of the June 23, 2008 Tokyo Fan Meeting, second part (JHJ in casual clothes.) I scanned the packed auditorium but could not find myself. The other 40-something photos were mostly taken at either the Tokyo Fan Meeting or Osaka Fan Meeting (June 22, 2008), plus Hyun-Jae in T-shirt and jeans at rehearsals and entering the venues. Two were of Hyun-Jae at the "G.P.506" press conference.
We did a quick round of the photos and came to a glass display case, within which were the following precious items:
1. a red-and-white pullover sweater (no label, so we guessed hand-knitted by Mrs. Jo, his Mom.)
2. a narrow black-and-purple striped tie (from his teenage days?)
3. "G.P.506" poster
4. Hand-written 2008 Christmas card to official JHJ Fan Club members (read: Japanese -- made us very jealous!)
5. Two autographed photos
6. Three previously unpublished photos
Next to this was a mini-theatre where the "Last Story" DVD was being played (and there was no shortage of viewers.) It was a shock to hear my own disembodied voice saying: "Beijing, China." It was that memorable moment at the Osaka Fan Meeting when overseas fans were invited to go to the stage and each asked where he/she was from. What followed of course was the 7 or 8 of us playing "Stone, Paper, Scissors" with Hyun-Jae and me losing (Sigh!) The lucky winners were Greencup of Taiwan and a member of CAFE Korea who appeared for more than a minute on the video, immortalized forever!
The JHJ souvenirs were in another room beyond. Items on sale included the wall calendar, photo album, "Seo Dong Yo" DVD (2 volumes only), "3 Dads/1 Mom" DVD, "Only You" OST, "3 Dads/1 Mom" OST, magazines with JHJ on the cover, and two sets of photos. The desk calendar and the CD were sold out! We were told more CDs would be delivered the next day, and they were taking orders for the desk calendar.
There was a notice board on which fans posted messages for Hyun-Jae. There was hardly any space left, but I managed to squeeze one in at the bottom -- "Dear HJ, You are my favourite actor in the whole world!" 95% of the messages were written in Korean which really surprised me. Presumably most of these messages were left by JHJ's Japanese fans, so either: (1) they were all proficient in Korean, or more likely, (2) they all prepared a message in Korean. And all I could write was Hyun-Jae's name in Korean and "Fighting!"
We went back to Miki, the official JHJ Fan Club staff, and told her we wanted to join. She asked if we had a credit card because they did not accept cash. I left M to start the process of registering while I wandered all over the place again. And I walked around (occasionally sitting down) for more than an hour (no exaggeration) and she's still not done. Problems: telephone number not accepted, e-mail address not accepted, credit card not accepted. They tried and tried. We used all four credit cards (from different international banks) that we had between us and all were rejected. Miki said foreign credit cards usually had this problem. By the time I could memorize all the details at the exhibition site, I told M it's time to give up. We're doomed to be on the outside looking in. We were going to take one last look and call it a day.
While we were poring over the souvenirs, Miki came to us excitedly and said she had found a way to get round the hurdles. Poor girl made over a dozen phone calls for us. So we started all over again. Still it wasn't smooth sailing all the way. I had to use two different e-mail addresses before I was accepted. But everything still hinged on one final detail which I'm not at liberty to disclose here. When that last piece of the puzzle falls into place, then we can become members of the official JHJ Fan Club. By the time we were finished, it was 8 p.m. -- closing time of the photo exhibition, end of Miki's work week, and three hours after our arrival at the site. We were very grateful to Miki for devoting over two hours to helping us, though we wished they wouldn't make it quite so hard for us non-Japanese JHJ fans. Still, our persistence paid off (at least we hope so.)
And then we remembered it was Black Friday.
Wednesday 18 February 2009
Wuli Jo Hyun Jae
Profile
Name: 조현재 / Jo Hyun Jae (Jo Hyeon Jae)
Profession: Actor
Date of Birth: 1980-May-09
Height: 180cm
Weight: 65kg
Family: Two elder sisters
Star sign: Taurus
Blood type: A
Education: Dongook University
TV Series
One Mom and Three Dads (KBS2, 2008) – Han Soo Hyun
Seo Dong Yo (SBS, 2005) – Jang/Seo Dong/King Mu
Only You (SBS, 2005) – Han Yi Joon
Nine Tailed Fox (KBS, 2004) – Kang Min Woo
Ray of Sunshine (SBS, 2004) – Jung Eun Sup
Star's Echo (MBC/Fuji TV, 2004) – Sung Jae
First Love (SBS, 2003) – Han Young Woo
Love Letter (MBC, 2003) – Lee Woo Yin/Andrea
Daemang (SBS, 2002) – Regent Prince
That's Good (SBS, 2001) – Hyun Jae
Father and Son (SBS, 2001) – Jong Du
Kaist (SBS, 1999) – Dong Wha
Movies
G.P. 506 (2007) – 1st Lt. Yoo Jeong U
Joy of Love (2004, short internet film)
Untold Scandal (2003) – Kwon In Ho
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