[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

My friend told me he mentioned he is reviewing a new project and mentioned a name but she doesn’t know if that is meant to be “published” so she’d rather not say. The title sounds familiar to me though. I think we heard it before as a rumor. Does anyone remember the name of the rumored drama we heard prior to him working on “Family”? 

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@Kate Llama Such an apt description for how I also felt about Midas: Not bad, but soulless. 

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@azureblue7 Lol! Hyuk looking like a cutout picture! He only moved slightly between pictures 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@azureblue7 I think its the same person you posted before, from the camping van place. Its just that in that other picture the other person’s face is covered. 
 

@Biology Lesson I agree about LGs look Vs Daniel although ironically I didn’t like Daniel’s look because I didn’t like his hair color at first (but thats just my taste) And with Lee Gun, I thought he looked very pretty but very eccentric, like a manga character. And interestingly I know at least two people who love that look for him the best, one is a friend of mine who is usually not impressed by JH’s looks but loved LGs look with the floofy hair and my mom! The other day as we were rewatching she said: Wow he was sooooo handsome in this! So PRETTY! and kept repeating it for the next episodes. She actually liked the longer hair more than the short hair. However, she does love his look as Piljoo (I think thats her favorite character too) 

 

About Midas, I always felt attraction from In Hye towards him. It was not as obvious as Mal Ran’s but I remember not being surprised by her actions at the hotel. It was him who I couldn’t figure out. Now I wonder if I should watch Midas again! 

 

 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Biology Lesson Ive noticed in most dramas, there is constant mention of the male lead’s look, especially when they are the rich guy. Even if casually someone will at least comment: “A handsome man came and asked for you etc”.
 

In SOGC, the nanny was so obsessed with the second lead’s looks. She was so annoying with that. Only our Gaebong had good taste. 
 

And I agree, I have not noticed much of this in JHs shows lol Its very unrealistic. But Ill start to pay attention now. Lets see if we spot some instances of character’s acknowledging the FACTS for once. I believe Omma did say Lee Gun is handsome but they don't seem to consider it his most noticeable characteristic (I guess in that case, I can see why lololol) 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Biology Lesson I crave to see JH playing a character that is emotional and wears his heart on his sleeve again, but in a good story of course. He is excellent at the cerebral charismatic poker faced dudes but Im ready for brimming with tears vulnerable Hyuk again! Gimmmeee

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Biology Lesson When I compare my opinion of this rewatch with my first watch, I think I’ll see so many differences!  Its like I can’t even agree with myself. I enjoyed the comedy too. My only pet peeve still, is JH using the laugh a bit much. But, as a character, Wang So is just…I do love him! He is so hurt, vulnerable but forgiving, kinda innocent, fierce, loyal to a fault, wild but smart. And we see his growth from a cursed prince “raised by wolves” to the only guy who deserved to be king in that crazy court. I bought every second of him. My baby!

 

I forgot to mention how much I loved and felt his scenes with his brother The King who was going mad. He was so caring of his brother. That whole part felt so real. 
 

P.S Im watching Lee Gun and gahhh Im crazy about this guy too! Those scenes when he was harsh with Mi Young when she moved to his house. He is so perfectly coldly angry that I feel like Im Mi Young and I want to cry and melt! Why he is so sexy when he is being a badddd boy? He really! So rude and so sexy lololol. Well Im now at the part where he likes her again and is saying “Im an object, Im not an object” etc 

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@azureblue7 Thank you! Their rapport is so nice. Friendly, warm but respectful. I love that she loved Lee Gun so much 

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Gosh I'm still under the SOGC spell! I think I went crazy! I love this kiss, its not because its technically spectacular or anything, or like we can see much, but, its because of their faces and angst before the kiss

 

 

 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Prettysup Did someone say he is looking for an agency or did he say he wanted to be independent? It would be nice to know his plans, and again I keep thinking something might get revealed during his fan meeting (but its also possible that we'll find out nothing) I don't know, but wouldn't it be easier for him to join an agency than to roam free?  He sounds like a guy who likes the routine of going to a workplace, etc

 

Glad The Killer will be on Netflix Korea! Hope it performs and hope it gets even more distributed worldwide 

 

 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@azureblue7 They both overthink things like introverts, even before saying “Hi”. Their instinct is to be careful not to make others uncomfortable (which by no means is the same as being passive or lack assertiveness, it just means they do think and maybe overthink before approaching new people and situations). It endears me to them and I can relate. Introverts can be at peace and happy in general but there is a degree of undeniable social anxiety and stress that comes with being this way and never goes totally away. Socializing takes an effort and it drains their energy. Introverts also tend to be good observers which is great for an actor, I think. 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

Thanks @azureblue7 for posting this! So at the time JNR said she is even more shy than JH is wow! I think she may be more shy than I am lol. Very interesting. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cs6QBG-pnaJ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Biology Lesson Yes! And it really sounds like a good premise for the show!
 

Kang Hoon is a new actor. I saw him as the bad guy in The Red Sleeve. I think he may have been the lead in a recent drama. 
 

Also, Im now rewatching FTLY. And I love it as much as always  Family has not affected my love for FTLY at all. Honestly, when I watch FTLY I get immersed so fast. That drama is really extraordinary (to my taste) 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Prettysup I think they said CTH pitched the idea? Maybe JH pestered him until he tired him out 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@azureblue7 Im actually excited for this one. Im desperate to see him again. I hope this one has ratings! Did the Dragon Brothers go to Mongolia before? I remember that Hyukie did but I didn’t find the show with subs and didn’t get to watch it. Gumi told me it was one of the most fun, non drama appearances by JH. I do hope he gets to ride horses and have a lot of fun. 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

Guys! Whats this? New variety project with the Dragon Bros?

 

 

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@Prettysup I think he doesn’t cut his hair just to keep possibilities open. I can’t wait for his Tokyo fan meeting. I hope he reveals something, anything even if it is “Im taking a break for a year” I’ll probably cry and faint but I’d rather know 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Prettysup Yea, but its not the first time I read such comments in his IG. Previously they claimed the same about some other woman. However those accounts who claim this are newly opened and have no followers. They are trolls. I mean I don’t know his personal life but the credibility from those accounts is zero. 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

I just finished watching SoGC and Im so deep in my feels right now I feel like I need to express it. Gosh! I think I loved this rewatch much more than my first watch. It absolutely helped that I already knew the flaws of this drama, the fact that I was craving JH in romantic mode so much and the fact that I never binged this drama before, so I had forgotten about much of the plot and this allowed me to enjoy it

 

Here my random thoughts if anyone cares to read

 

Spoiler

Because of how flawed the drama is, especially on the surface (it looks and feels low budget) I hesitate to recommend it for a new JH fan, but I think anyone who already knows his best work, should definitely give this a try. It gave us something other JH characters rarely are able to deliver, pure romance (well except for Oh Joon and Lee Gun). To me this drama is an amazing guilty pleasure.

 

The drama seems to lack "acting" direction, but story wise, there is a logical arc that is being followed, a hero's journey, a lot of heartfelt moment, well thought out supporting character, a believable heart tugging relationship between the leads, chemistry, character development. One complaint I remember my friend had was that the dialogues were "too straightforward", characters actually said what they were thinking instead of leaving anything to the imagination  but you know what? I actually love that about this drama. Yes, its maybe less "complex" and "stimulating" bla bla bla but whatever, sometimes I just want to know what the characters are thinking and not having to guess. My only complaint for the writer would be the ending, which was stuck there like it came from another story. It was rushed and was out of character. And yes, if we nitpick, some of the conflicts toward the end were contrived but all of this is surpassed by the aspects that I love about the drama. 

 

Speaking of the acting direction, and just to get all the "bad" stuff out of the way, one aspect that still is a sore point for me is the fact that JH used the "Lee Gun laugh" excessively with this character. The first time I watched SoGC I hated this, and it did cloud my appreciation for the character. I wish he hadn't done that. This is a drama where JH not always hit the right notes, he overdid much of the comedic parts and a couple of the dramatic parts, but, its also a drama where, he also hit some notes so strongly that, he made me cry. Its like he was all over the place with this character, not perfect in any way, but the vulnerability was raw and unleashed and in those moments I really felt him (reminds me of how I felt for him in Tree with deep roots) and also at times, I thought of his performance in Chuno (where he also went overboard but it fit the drama better).  

 

Wang So was obnoxious to me for the first 4 or 5 episodes (because of the OTT comedic acting and the shouting mostly), however, at the same time, I felt moved by him, especially on those scenes with his mother. As usual JH was perfect in the quieter scenes and speaking with his eyes. By ep 5 things start to come together, and as Wang So starts to show his serious side, his "comedic" side bothers me less and less. The comedy in this drama, does work for me, for the most part. 

 

The romance was my favorite part, it got progressively stronger and therefore more precious to me. I dont care too much for the main couple on their first encounters (he never even saw her face), it was all rushed and one sided, but as soon as they meet again (and she becomes Gaebong) the sparks are there. I liked the chemistry right then but not super crazy about their first dialogues yet, Wang So was still a bit obnoxious but later, slowly but surely, I bought it. This is a couple that started as friends, they were physically attracted to each other (him thinking she was a man and still falling for "him" was fantastic, funny and sexy, its one of the best versions of this trope I've seen) but on top of the physical attraction there was this vulnerability and need for affection that bonded them combined with the fact that both were smart and she was especially wise. From his side, especially, it was so easy to understand why he fell for her. He went to her seeking political advice, they strategized together but also, went to her for warmth, friendship, love, everything. And then, when their relationship became more difficult, I was already so into them that I could feel their pain every time they separated, it felt like they were physically hurting. If felt like their life became unbearable without the other (which is why the ending sucks). This couple had so many precious moments, funny, heartwarming, painful, all of it. They actually had conversations!!! And they expressed their feelings to one another, even when they were hiding their true identities, they were always the most "themselves" to each other. He also learned a lot from her leadership skills and I loved how they handled this because it felt very organic. I mean this is another trope we see often, and a character like hers could've come off as sanctimonious and preachy but I never felt that way about her. Oh Yeon Seo made me believe her love for Wang So and made me believe her character in general. They both made me cry, every time they said goodbye (and it was a lot of times lol) except on the penultimate scene of them (stupid writer) I want to do a collection of their best scenes, maybe one day but one that comes to mind was when Wang So comes out of the palace after being insulted horribly by his mother (this woman really shattered his self esteem)and Gaebong is waiting for him, worried and starts scolding him and he says "How does one person anger feels like a cut in the flesh but another person's anger feels so warm" And then he hugs him/her and asks to stay like that for only a little bit (It reminded me of Bangwon and Hwi and that scene on the bridge, but with characters that are completely different of course). 

 

Besides the relationship with Gaebong, this time I also appreciated all the other relationships. Wang So and Yeo Won, also had an important "connection". It was more intellectual than emotional but its still interesting and I loved how it slowly developed. Honestly, I would've been ok with the ending if they had had Shin Yool die, (even if it had broken my heart) because they actually established that she would die any minute during the drama. In fact they could've left it like that, an open ending where we know she'll die young but don't know when. Instead, they could've given us more of Yeo Won  and Wang So, because that relationship was also important. Yeo Won, was well acted by Lee Honey, and there was that one particularly epic scene when Wang So said she was like an animal, and she exploded. I'm curious to see how JH and her would do in a story where they are the leads. 

 

First time around I was so annoyed but Wang Wook that I ignored him, but he was not a bad second lead. He had a nice character development, his own strong motivations and I appreciated his moments with Shin Yool (Gaebong) and also with Wang So. I think the actor did well with his role. 

 

I loved all the characters in Cheonha Trading Company, even the court lady who the first time around was so annoying to me because she was so harsh towards our Wang So lol They were OTT but a funny bunch, especially the silly younger brother, who btw, also developed as a character. 

 

Some supporting characters had a moment to shine, and they did so well in those. like the bodyguard Seo Won, he had one scene with Shin Yool that made me cry. And I always worried for Cheon Ok, even though she was just a supporting character.  

 

Finally, yes, as said before, the dialogues were not "subtle" people very straightforwardly stated their feelings, intentions, and I totally understand why this is considered "lazy" as opposed to do it all with the acting (show me dont tell me) and it is lazy and soap opera ish when characters talk to themselves, but you know what? Sometimes my brain is tired, and I dont want to be guessing. Wang So provided me satisfaction that heals my frustration with Daegil in Chuno for example. I was forever traumatized by how Daegil and Unnyun never actually had a conversation addressing their past. Everything was communicated through gazes and actions and yes, I did feel so much for them but gossshhh the frustration!!! Whereas Wang So, gosh, that guy talked so much lol (his last love speech was damn long lol) and yes, it was  corny and cheesy but I needed this! My heart needed to see JH in a role like this. He really is suitable for cheesy romance lol He is such a cheesy man!  I love him for it. 

 

Will he ever play a real romance again? I want to cry if he doesnt ever

 

So yeah, this type of drama would win no Oscars, but its such a fun and heart touching ride. Woohoo! Now, what do I watch next? 

 

I wish there were more MVs of this drama

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

1 hour ago, Biology Lesson said:

Intersthing thing in the comments, I'm seeing many asking for a second season. one comment came right out and said it:

"Can you make season 2 please season 1 is inadequate to meet our satisfaction. But we are still grateful that you did it for us. Anyway, keepsafe always"

 

 

 

 

@Biology Lesson Wow! I was thinking of saying something but didn't know how the phrase it in a way that is not harsh. Especially since he posts so little lately I didn't want to bum him out and scare our Unicorn away. She did well I think. 

 

Now that you described how he was in Urban Cop I think I'm liking the idea of him being a cop again. But, hopefully in a drama that cares more about his character development than the cases (like Beautiful Mind which was more about LYO than the hospital) Jang Hyuk needs to play more "nerds" lol. Its a little bit of a way to play himself haha

 

I loved Memento! Those premises of the Aamir Khan movies you mentioned sound really good (although a bit convoluted but, somehow I feel they would appeal to koreans).

 

 @YouwinJH You really should watch more of Robber. He really goes to extents I wouldn't be able to forgive in any other lead character. He makes me feel much more, everything, than any serial killer. His role in Ordinary Person was effective but nothing to write home about. He is just like he said, a "wall" in front of the hero. That movie is much more about the lead. The movie itself is not bad, however. I think I was more tickled and impressed by his role in The Client. 

 

I'm all for an epic adventure but what I cant get on board with those movies is the lack of nuance. Its a little much. 

 

I was just watching an interview of Bill Hader on the Conan O'Brien's podcast. I love these two btw, but thats beside the point. It was so interesting and some of the things he said reminded me of our convos with Biology a few days ago

 

I haven't watched Barry but it is a "dark comedy" starring, written, produced, etc by Bill Hader about a hitman who suddenly feels inspired by one of his targets, to become an actor. 

 

Ill hide this because its kind OT, although related to previous convos but still 

 

Spoiler

One thing he said was that, the other main writer in the show is his highschool friend. And he really appreciates his presence because he is the only one on set who dares to tell him what he really thinks in a matter of fact way, cause he has no reverence for him. To him he is not "the boss" Bill and Conan started to talk about how valuable it is to not surround oneself with Yes men. Bill spoke about one time when he was very satisfied with the scene he just filmed, and his friend told him "It felt like acting" Bill got all mad, but he did another take. So yeah, next time we hear a director say he didn't have to direct, we definitely worry! Actors need that second, third, fourth opinion. 

 

He also talked about the struggle to balance the comedy and extreme violence in his show. Well, I haven't watched it but from what they were saying in the interview, it deals with pretty dark stuff. According to Conan is handled brilliantly but I read a comment saying they didn't think the tonal shift in Barry actually works. It made me curious to check it out.

 

He tells an example of how there was an important character's death and he wanted it to be remembered all the time through the show and the other writers said, "but where's the comedy in that"? and Bill said that its just because he thinks that's how people would react in real life. He also said that the challenge is to identify those moments of humor that do not feel organic and cut them. I kept thinking about Family and all the things that went wrong. 

 

Here is the video in case anyone wants to check it out. They start talking about the show's tone at minute 4:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, I watched some episodes of FTLY and woooowww the feels hit hard so fast with that drama. Anyway, Im all over the place! Inspired by my impromptu rewatch decided to post the deleted scenes  on my IG (as recorded with my phone, pardon the shakiness). I did two today, will upload the rest between tonight and tomorrow. 
 

https://instagram.com/bangwons_earring?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

So, even though I'm working, its Friday and my mind is wandering lol

 

@YouwinJH For some reason Ive been reminiscing about things and my mind started to remember that before I got into kdrama, I briefly got curiosity about Bollywood movies and I watched a couple. The only actors whose names I remember are SRK, Amir Khan and Kajol, and I realize that you mentioned them earlier. Im aware they are huge in that industry. 

 

I was thinking of how we are hoping JH plays a really complex and deep character and keep referencing american and british shows, but I think kdrama is somehow more keen on sentimentalism? and not so much on psychological complexity or realism? They also always lean somehow on "cheesiness" and tropes. In fact, early kdramas were very much like telenovelas and I don't think they have completely shaken that from them. Kdramas are rarely "raw", people rarely look realistic, especially the protagonists, always get hurt "aesthetically", its kind of absurd how they always have a tiny scratch after a huge fight, which puts them in a fantasy realm, no matter what the topic is. This is the reason I cant really picture JH in those shows you sometimes mention, even though he definitely has the expressiveness and subtlety to pull them off (when he decides to be subtle). However, Bollywood seems to have more of that "soapy", "cheesy" energy that kdramas have and in fact, the ones I watched were extremely over the top, though I did find them entertaining and moving (but one needs to be in a certain mood to enjoy them, I think)

 

I was told the movies I chose to watch were actually not the best lol! so maybe Im judging the whole industry based on wrong examples but, these are the movies I watched

 

SRK and Kajol - Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

SRK - Rad Ne Bana Di Jodi

Amir Khan and Kajol - Fanaa

 

The first two were pure rom com, I had fun with them but I was told the second one is considered really bad lol, I didnt notice, I thought it was the style and since it was all new to me, I wasnt judging, But Fanaa to me, was very strange. 

 

Ill hide the plot comments because even though its an old movie, if anyone wants to ever watch it, this spoiler kinda ruins it

 

Spoiler

The first half of the movie was completely a rom com, and I disliked that part, I stuck with it out of curiosity, since I was experimenting a whole new industry I was determined to give it a chance. But then, for the second half, it turned into a drama! a very dark one, because the main lead, was not a tourist guide as we thought but a terrorist. Despite the ott situations and cheesiness, I remember really enjoying Amir Kahn's eye acting in that second half. His character was also, a very compelling anti hero. The saddest thing is that there was no way out for him. He was truly damaged. Still, the contrast between the first half and second half was very jarring. And of course it takes some adjustment to accept the singing in the middle of such drama. So I don't know if I could consider this a "good" movie? it did lack subtlety (in that sense kdrama is more to my taste, imo), but the premise is something that I could see adapted into kdrama for example. And that kind of anti hero is what JH is an expert on.

 

Btw, Ive also watched RRR and Baahubali, which I know are not "Bollywood" but they were also not to my taste. There is zero nuance in those characters, and I suppose that is the style but, I don't get it lol 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@YouwinJH I can see you are into James Spader energy lol Jang Hyuk’s take on those kinds of characters would be fun

 

But right now, given the bad aftertaste of Family, Im hoping he does something less heavy and more heartwarming. For now I just saw many scenes of SoGC and was remembering how satisfying the romance was for so many episodes. 
 

Its also very easy to feel for WangSo because he is such an underdog from the start. I think I was missing that too. 
 

And for “something different”, Ive always wanted him to play an awkward nerdy professor or sth like that. 
 

I like the idea of the addict (for when Im in a different mood) but not a detective. Kdrama is not very good with that genre. They focus too much on the cases and neglect the main characters. 
 

The drama “Move to heaven” made me appreciate Lee Je Hoon very much. This is a drama that was surprisingly well crafted, tight and very moving. I think JH would be perfect in a drama like that and that character especially. 
 

“An ex-convict and Geu-ru's estranged uncle who becomes his guardian upon release from jail. He is blunt, smokes cigarettes, and moonlights as an underground MMA fighter. He was sent to jail after putting his protégé Su-cheol into a coma during a fight. Despite his background, he is still entrusted to take care of Geu-ru after his release, and is instructed stay and work with Geu-ru for a three-month probationary period. Although he initially does so for financial gain and appears to be ignorant of Geu-ru's condition, he slowly gets to know Geu-ru as they both work together as trauma cleaners for Move to Heaven, gaining a new outlook on life and allowing him to discover the truth about his half-brother and Geu-ru's father Jeong-woo, whom he mistook had abandoned him when he was still very young”. 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

Jang Hyuk posted a bts video of Family on his IG 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CstHvo7A8-_/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Biology Lesson Ive started watching Shine or Go Crazy again. I started with the White Tiger scenes but I plan to watch in order with my mom this weekend. The drama looks dated and cheap but awww it has so much heart! And he had such nice chemistry with Oh Yeon Seo. I keep forgetting because it aired right after FTLY so I was pretty harsh with it but now I can enjoy it more. Its such a guilty pleasure.

 

To me in order to feel the romance I also need the woman to look at him with loving eyes. Oh Yeon Seo’s character was so into him from the get go. That was really nice. 
 

I wouldn’t mind a story like this full of tropes but better made (visually) and with better direction. In fact, tbh I think JH can regulate himself better nowadays. Even when he goes OTT he definitely is more controlled. 

 

So, imagine a SoGC but fixing everything that wasn’t good with it. I want something like that, with heart, action, feels, romance, angst and him looking beautiful even if its tropey.

 

Of course I also want him to do things he’s never done before. And yessss an 8 ep series for Netflix (but a good one, because they also are doing some bad ones) would be fantastic!!! 

[Jang Hyuk 장혁]

@Biology Lesson You are so right about how kdramas don't go deeper with the serial killers. And yeah Ive read many times about the connection between their violence and sex. In fact, isn’t it true that many of them have an inability to feel any satisfaction with a normal sex encounter, precisely because of their lack of empathy and they find other ways to “feel” something, stimulation, by hurting others, etc? 
 

I kind of want JH to focus more in movies now. I have been satisfied by his latest ones, The Swordsman, Paid in Blood and The Killer. Plus, he shouldn’t abandon those new fans he got in the action world. But if he could add more heart and sexiness and a bit more complexity in them, that would just be fantastic! And of course we need his next movie to get more recognition.