Joo Won 주원 [Current Drama 2024 - The Midnight Studio/ 야한(夜限) 사진관]

[aynat]

To all who are keeping this thread alive, I want you to know I read everything you post and am enjoying it so much! I'm 55 and have two children of my own around JW's age. So I view him as a parent. I started learning about him when I watched Cantabile Tomorrow. I am a music teacher who teaches piano and violin so this drama was very endearing to me. I have since watched just about everything he and Shim Eyung Kyung have done. They are my two favorite actors amongst all including all the actors here in North America. I hardly ever post because I'm so busy teaching, but don't feel that no one is reading. I bet there are many others like me. Happy posting!!!

[kittyna]

9 minutes ago, aynat said:

To all who are keeping this thread alive, I want you  to know I read everything you post and am enjoying it so much! I'm 55 and have two children of my own around JW's age. So I view him as a parent. I started learning about him when I watched Cantabile Tomorrow. I am a music teacher who teaches piano and violin so this drama was very endearing to me. I have since watched just about everything he and Shim Eyung Kyung have done. They are my two favorite actors amongst all including all the actors here in North America. I hardly ever post because I'm so busy teaching, but don't feel that no one is reading. I bet there are many others like me. Happy posting!!!

 

Oh, wow...such words of love. Thank-you so much! 

 

As someone who sees JW as a peer, I do wonder what it's like to see him from a different perspective: that of a parent or elder. So, please, feel free to share at any time.

[moonstrike]

On 11/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, kittyna said:

His comments on his appearance give me pause, though - in a good way. I like that he's not afraid of looking older or less-than-perfect, that he realizes that things like fine lines or acne scars are just a part of life and a testament to everything he's been through. Granted, I do think that, as an actor, he probably has to deal with things like that less then most of us - or, at least, has better means to deal with them - but I like that he's not one of those celebrities who's determined to maintain his "flower boy" looks.

And Because of that, he will absolutely be a good actor more than now. He is not restrained because of some image and can adjust any role. he has also become a great actor in the country because of it.

 

On 11/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, kittyna said:

I also like that he's a bit more cautious. Yes, I know that that might make him look less manly, but that aversion to taking risks is matched with a strong determination and endurance once he puts his mind to someone. So, for instance, we're seeing that now: he can take just about everything the military throws at him, but he won't act recklessly and do something dangerous just for the thrill.

I don't know but i always see joo won looks manly whatever he does. Hehehe... 

 

And i like his behaviour that like to be cautious. As i say, i like people that have mature mind and joo won already have that. He has wise though and whenever he answer a question in interview, he will be very honest and carefull at the sometime. He will thinking very deeply even when the question is very simple like he answer a question that very serious. I always impressed by his action and of course his answer in every interview. Honest and Wise. 

On 11/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, kittyna said:

"I'm not going to bungee jump, for example" - lol Silly oppa, you already have

Hahaha... i also thinking the same way as you... he already did that in 1N2D. I can see his face become pale so sudden. He is very scared that time but he forced himself to do that scary thing for the show. He said in lifelog that after he said he want to jump, he regret it immediately.

 

On 11/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, kittyna said:

I'm not going to lie - I was one of those fans who thought he actually did have a crush on Choi Kang Hee for real at that time. Although I only watched 1N2D and "Level 7 Civil Servant" in 2016, way after the fact, when I heard that JW might have had real feelings for CKH back then, I believed it, after looking at his behaviour in this episode, as well as the behind the scenes videos. But, since I was looking back as a viewer in 2016, I also knew that nothing romantic actually came out of it, although JW and CKH stayed friends (which I thought was just so sweet).

Actually, he already said that he has feeling for real ton choi kang hee. But one time, choi kang hee said in some interview she don't want to date celebrity or actor. And because the netizen knew that joo won crussing on her, some of them got mad on the comment. But joo won and her still became friends even when the article is in public. Poor Joo won, i can see he really like choi kang hee when i saw the bts video and 1N2D. 

 

On 11/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, kittyna said:

 

I suppose, in hindsight, we'll never know the truth of what his feelings were for her back in 2013 - but that doesn't matter. What matters to me is, like you're saying, that JW's a gentleman who is kind to the women around him, regardless of whether they're friends (girls like UEE, CKH, and other co-stars), relatives (I think of Moon Chae Won as his "cousin"), lovers (BoA), or even strangers (his fans).

Yeah... every co star that already work with him, younger or older always say that he is very sweet and caring. The younger co star like jin se yeon and park hye soo and many more always said that joo won always took care of them behind the camera and sometimes tease and play with them. Such a lovable Sunbae... 

 

And the older co star say that joo won is always act like a baby behind the camera. He will encourage and make the shooting location feels more happier. They really adore joo won so much. Even Kim Tae Hee wants a child like joo won. She really know that our joo won is a good and cute kid... hehehe.

On 11/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, kittyna said:

And aww...it's so sweet that Appa and Umma Moon go to his fanmeetings! I wonder if it's because they want to support him wherever he goes, or if he doesn't want to stay away from them for too long, so will bring them with him when he travels - or maybe it's both. Actually...most likely it is both

But we cannot see his mother face... i really curious about his mother that make joo won a good person like now. How good she is. He always talk about his mother in interview when the interviewer asking about his parent. And he also love his parent very much. He said that he often send a message or call them during break time.

 

On 11/26/2017 at 11:05 PM, aynat said:

To all who are keeping this thread alive, I want you to know I read everything you post and am enjoying it so much! I'm 55 and have two children of my own around JW's age. So I view him as a parent. I started learning about him when I watched Cantabile Tomorrow. I am a music teacher who teaches piano and violin so this drama was very endearing to me. I have since watched just about everything he and Shim Eyung Kyung have done. They are my two favorite actors amongst all including all the actors here in North America. I hardly ever post because I'm so busy teaching, but don't feel that no one is reading. I bet there are many others like me. Happy posting!!!

Thanks for the words. Its nice that you love joo won too... you can also post every thought you have in this thread. We absolutely appreciate it.

 

By the way, @airplanegirl and @kittyna i reaaallly curious about the next chapter of the fanfic... are you working on? Or making a new one? I am really waiting for it.

 

Here is the new post i found on instagram...

 

This is palbong bakeryyyy... after seven years i can see it again...

Joo won sneezing guys... i found it very funny.

 

And for the final today,  joo won's chibi!!!!

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by LyraYoo
please compress under spoiler tag multiple photos , thank you ^^

[airplanegirl]

2 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

By the way, @airplanegirl and @kittyna i reaaallly curious about the next chapter of the fanfic... are you working on? Or making a new one? I am really waiting for it.

Currently working on it! 

[kittyna]

54 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

By the way, @airplanegirl and @kittyna i reaaallly curious about the next chapter of the fanfic... are you working on? Or making a new one? I am really waiting for it.

 

Same here - you know me, my stories tend to end up really complex, and so they take a while to write. But it's coming, so no need to worry!

 

56 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Hahaha... i also thinking the same way as you... he already did that in 1N2D. I can see his face become pale so sudden. He is very scared that time but he forced himself to do that scary thing for the show. He said in lifelog that after he said he want to jump, he regret it immediately.

 

Given that, I'm extra proud that he decided to take one for the team, then. The fact that he was scared made him relateable - but the fact that he did it anyway for the benefit of his team says a lot about his determination and commitment.

 

I remember one particular moment from that scene on 1N2D, actually. When Cha Tae Hyun was preparing to jump, JW actually felt his pulse: he touched CTH's neck, and then touched his own. So, when JW was preparing to jump, Uhm Tae Woong did the same thing to him, and was all like, "Wow...your pulse really does just go up!"

 

Another thing that stood out about JW's jump is that he actually fell head-first - which has gotta be just ten times more terrifying

 

Okay - I gotta run for now, but I'll be back with more replies, as well as some new stuff (pics, though - not fics!)

[kittyna]

And...I'm back!

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Actually, he already said that he has feeling for real ton choi kang hee. But one time, choi kang hee said in some interview she don't want to date celebrity or actor. And because the netizen knew that joo won crussing on her, some of them got mad on the comment. But joo won and her still became friends even when the article is in public. Poor Joo won, i can see he really like choi kang hee when i saw the bts video and 1N2D. 

 

Oh, okay. I see. Again, personally, since I only found out about three years after everything, I was just like, "Oh, so they didn't end up dating? Okay. Whatever." I was neither upset on JW's behalf, nor mad at CKH for turning him down - she is perfectly within her rights to do so, after all.

 

But it was still really sweet that they still kept on talking about each other in interviews afterwards, purely as good friends. I remember CKH saying that she would call JW if she wanted a friend to chat with late at night (the way she put it was, "He drinks coffee all day, so he's always up at night." ), and JW seems to feel the same way, with all the times he's mentioned that he feels healed or cleansed after talking with her.

 

By the way, that reminds me of this part on 1N2D, where JW had to do the "night watch" activities because part of his punishment for losing the games was not being allowed to sleep. At this point, there were two things he had to do: one, to sing a song and explain what it means to him; and two, to call a celebrity friend in the middle of the night. So he sang a song that reminded him of his first love (his high school girlfriend), and tried to call Joo Sang Wook, Choi Kang Hee, and Park Ki Woong.

 

I'll leave the rest for you to watch.

 

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... every co star that already work with him, younger or older always say that he is very sweet and caring. The younger co star like jin se yeon and park hye soo and many more always said that joo won always took care of them behind the camera and sometimes tease and play with them. Such a lovable Sunbae... 

 

And the older co star say that joo won is always act like a baby behind the camera. He will encourage and make the shooting location feels more happier. They really adore joo won so much. Even Kim Tae Hee wants a child like joo won. She really know that our joo won is a good and cute kid... hehehe.

 

Aw...no wonder he has so many friends, then I never cease to be surprised at how many people he knows, or how many people praise him and his personality.

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

But we cannot see his mother face... i really curious about his mother that make joo won a good person like now. How good she is. He always talk about his mother in interview when the interviewer asking about his parent. And he also love his parent very much. He said that he often send a message or call them during break time.

 

I wonder if his parents are also on the introverted side. JW has mentioned in some interviews that his family has tried to be really careful after he became famous, because they didn't want to do anything that might reflect negatively on him. I suppose the safest and easiest way to do that would be to just stay out of the limelight, wouldn't it?

 

Finally, thanks for the pictures!

 

Re: the sneezing video - No lie, I cracked up when I saw that. Not just because it's cute that that got caught on video (because I saw it on "Life Log" already), but because I actually stumbled across this on allkpop yesterday: Celebs who unintentionally proved they have 'real' noses

 

And somehow that combination - seeing that article yesterday and this video today - just seemed really funny for some reason.

 

Re: the bakery photo - I actually have a funny story from when I went to Seoul with my family last year. When we went N'Seoul Tower on Namsan, we knew that it was a popular drama filming site. However, in addition to the love locks and the tower itself, we were trying to find the clock tower that's mentioned on "King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu", where Kim Tak Gu and Shin Yu Kyung were supposed to meet:

 

Spoiler

 

 

Well, we got to Namsan, explored the tower and did all the stuff that tourists did there. But then the question was: where on the mountain was that clock??? We just couldn't find it. I remembered that Kim Tak Gu had had to climb a really long staircase to get there, and while we found a number of such staircases on the maps they had on the signs, there was no indication that any of them led to a garden with a clock tower. So, after a while, and after realizing that we were probably on the wrong side of Namsan to begin with (that hill is HUGE), we just gave up.

 

It was only afterwards that I discovered what was really going on: the clock tower actually doesn't exist. I looked up photos online after returning to Canada, and found out what that place actually looked like.

 

Spoiler

 

Well, at least I'll know that if I were ever to go to Cheongju, I'd have better luck finding a "Kim Tak Gu" filming site - but thanks for the tip, since I remember them saying the bakery was in Incheon in the drama, so I would have been off by several cities if I actually tried searching there

 

And now, time for my miscellaneous pictures for today. Since I was just talking about JW and CKH on "Level 7 Civil Servant" earlier, today will be some of my favourite behind the scenes photos featuring the two of them:

 

lol - So cute; they're like two little kids here

 

 

The next two were from when they were filming the selca scene. I don't know if there were specific poses called for in the script, or if they were asked to improvise.

 

So there's the pose that made it into the final version...

 

 

And then there's this other one they tried

 

 

Spoiler

In the behind the scenes video, you see that they were both facing the camera at first, but then JW suddenly turned and pecked CKH on the cheek. What I don't know is if he was doing that in character (i.e. Han Gil Ro sneaking a kiss), or if he himself was literally trying to sneak one.

 

 

 

[moonstrike]

On 11/27/2017 at 12:07 AM, airplanegirl said:

Currently working on it! 

 

On 11/27/2017 at 1:07 AM, kittyna said:

 

Same here - you know me, my stories tend to end up really complex, and so they take a while to write. But it's coming, so no need to worry!

Will wait for it!!!

On 11/27/2017 at 1:07 AM, kittyna said:

Given that, I'm extra proud that he decided to take one for the team, then. The fact that he was scared made him relateable - but the fact that he did it anyway for the benefit of his team says a lot about his determination and commitment.

Reading your post makes me think of the words that joo won's friends and relatives that says joo won always help his friends during free time and even when he is busy.

 

In lifelog, his senior also said that he always helped his seniors make the stage during the holidays even when he was not given the task at that time. he immediately said he would do it.

 

The senior also says joo won is like clean cotton and also a very nice person. I'm smiling like crazy while watching it.

 

On 11/27/2017 at 1:07 AM, kittyna said:

Another thing that stood out about JW's jump is that he actually fell head-first - which has gotta be just ten times more terrifying

Yeah... really scary. Remembering his pale face makes me want to hug him. 

Here is the video:

 

 

I like his courage to jump from the bunge jumping. I could not even bear to imagine I climbed the ladder to go up. And when I look at the clip again, I really feel that Joo Won's leap is the coolest. when the others just jumped the as usual, Joo won jumped while acrobatic in the air. plus the fun music makes him look even cooler.

 

After joo won has jumped and swung in the air, I can see that he is proud of himself for being terribly brave in defeating his fear and jumping from a great height.

 

On 11/27/2017 at 2:32 AM, kittyna said:

 

But it was still really sweet that they still kept on talking about each other in interviews afterwards, purely as good friends. I remember CKH saying that she would call JW if she wanted a friend to chat with late at night (the way she put it was, "He drinks coffee all day, so he's always up at night." ), and JW seems to feel the same way, with all the times he's mentioned that he feels healed or cleansed after talking with her

Yeah... they are still close friends till now. I'm also happy to hear choi kang hee close to joo won even after the news. because usually after such news spreads, they would look awkward even to be close together. But joo won-choi kang hee case is different. Joo won still take care of her even though he now he can't be more than that (he is so nice...) and choi kang hee still adore joo won... 

 

On 11/27/2017 at 2:32 AM, kittyna said:

 

Aw...no wonder he has so many friends, then I never cease to be surprised at how many people he knows, or how many people praise him and his personality

After i know him, I start looking for various videos and interviews that he follow. from all that I see that all his friends and relatives always say that joo won is a good person. I also see it myself from his behavior in lifelog and on 1N2D.

 

Yoo hae jin (its him) and Jung Woong In (yong pal) is for example. when they are asked what kind of person joo won, they say joo won is a good person and never changes... he remains the same even after his popularity increases.

 

Even the director of baker king kim takgu who opposes joo won at first for casting as gumajun likes him after seeing his sincerity and the spirit that joo won shows to play his role. I've read the article where the director praised joo won for his hard work in the baker king drama. he says joo won and yoon si yoon are the key of kim tak gu success.

 

Many directors praise joo won in interview because of his personality and also his acting ability. (You can see it on youtube and article) Such as the director of kim takgu, the director of ojakgyo who is also the director of good doctor (I think), the director of the its him movie, the director of the catch me movie, the director of the bridalmask and also the director of yongpal who is also the director of my sassy girl. All of them is impressed by joo won sincerity.

 

And he also has many friends. Even with just few days, he can make friends. For example, the army. When i see the clip of the festival, i feel joo won is already close to other celebrity that involves in the festival. Such as lee jang woo, im si wan, ryeo wook, geon il and also do sang woo. But i think he is closer to do sang woo and ryeo wook.

 

And also his army friends, there are some photos and post that joo won's army friends post in instagram or DC gallery. They said that joo won is a very nice person and a great Sunbae. Joo won often helps them when having trouble wearing something or while doing the exercises. They also sharing joo won's imppression in the army. They said, at first joo won is a quite and calm instructure but after knowing him, he is a funny person and often tell jokes. He also share his story with them about intertainment industry.

 

In this photo, you can see that joo won is hugged by his friend... so cute. You can feel that he is loved by his friends there.

 

And another example is, joo won with u-know yoon ho. They meet because they are involved in a project to perform at the university and bring a song. although they only met a few times, they already seems close and even yoon ho send messages and photos to joo won before he leaves for the military. in video bts also we can see they are close and embracing each other.

 

There are more example that i found and I haven't write it here but now i can't write that long. My hands getting stiff now. Hehe...

On 11/27/2017 at 2:32 AM, kittyna said:

I wonder if his parents are also on the introverted side. JW has mentioned in some interviews that his family has tried to be really careful after he became famous, because they didn't want to do anything that might reflect negatively on him. I suppose the safest and easiest way to do that would be to just stay out of the limelight, wouldn't it?

Yeah... i also think like that too. His parents is never show their face on camera because after people know that they are joo won's parent, they will become more careful than before the public know. And also joo won don't want his parent to be uncomfortable so he let his parent like where they are.

 

On 11/27/2017 at 2:32 AM, kittyna said:

the sneezing video - No lie, I cracked up when I saw that. Not just because it's cute that that got caught on video (because I saw it on "Life Log" already), but because I actually stumbled across this on allkpop yesterday: Celebs who unintentionally proved they have 'real' noses

I laughed because of that video... he is very adorable... and of course joo won has real nose... you can see it when he play games in 1N2D that he make his nose like a pig.

Here is the video:

(The hyungs said he is very cute... hehehe)

 

On 11/27/2017 at 2:32 AM, kittyna said:

the bakery photo - I actually have a funny story from when I went to Seoul with my family last year. When we went N'Seoul Tower on Namsan, we knew that it was a popular drama filming site. However, in addition to the love locks and the tower itself, we were trying to find the clock tower that's mentioned on "King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu", where Kim Tak Gu and Shin Yu Kyung were supposed to meet:

Woow...  you've been to korea .... how is in there?

 

I'm jealous. i really want to go there to meet with joo won when he hold fansign but i have to wait another year and a half for that.

 

On 11/27/2017 at 2:32 AM, kittyna said:

In the behind the scenes video, you see that they were both facing the camera at first, but then JW suddenly turned and pecked CKH on the cheek. What I don't know is if he was doing that in character (i.e. Han Gil Ro sneaking a kiss), or if he himself was literally trying to sneak on

I think its in the character or its in the script. Because Choi kang hee does not look surprised and just smiling as usual.

 

Hey... i found this on instagram. Its my first time see this photo. He looks great with kim ah joong.

 

Spoiler

 

 

I like his hairstyle in this photo. Short and clean. I think he cut his hair short because he was shooting (its him) back then.

Spoiler

 

His pose!!!! So manly and cool.

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

 

For the final,,, Yongpal BTS!!!

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by LyraYoo
please compress under spoiler tag multiple photos , thank you ^^

[kittyna]

@moonstrike Ya...I was going to do some writing this morning, but got sidetracked by the Instagram account you've been sharing from *aegyo pout*

 

lol - But it's okay. It's a good thing in the long run. I remember, prior to joining this group, that I was worried about how I could sustain the JW support on things like my Pinterest page for two years without anything new. While there were certainly a lot of photos floating around there that I could collect and cycle back out...there just weren't that many in the grand scheme of things. Remember how I'd said that while a number of Hallyu stars' pictures would come up automatically just by my following generic Hallyu accounts, but I had to actively search for JW's pics? Yeah. That was then.

 

But with this site and all the places you've been recommending...it's like a constant flow now, and I've built up a massive queue of things that I've saved on a private Pinterest board that I could cycle out bit by bit in the future.

 

So thanks - even if that means you'll now have to wait a bit longer for the fic

 

9 hours ago, moonstrike said:

I like his courage to jump from the bunge jumping. I could not even bear to imagine I climbed the ladder to go up. And when I look at the clip again, I really feel that Joo Won's leap is the coolest. when the others just jumped the as usual, Joo won jumped while acrobatic in the air. plus the fun music makes him look even cooler.

 

After joo won has jumped and swung in the air, I can see that he is proud of himself for being terribly brave in defeating his fear and jumping from a great height.

 

I don't think JW's necessarily scared of heights in a general sense - there's another moment on 1N2D where, after he had climbed on top of a cupboard that was taller than he was in a game of hide and seek (like, I remember he literally had to vault himself up there), he just jumped straight down like it was nothing. But I imagine that he, like most people, has a threshold. And bungee jumping is definitely on the scary side of that threshold for him.

 

I remember the writers on Dramabeans, in their recaps for 1N2D, saying that Joo Won always commits 100%, and that that's what makes him interesting to watch. They were talking about another episode then, but I can see that point applying here as well.

 

And yes, I love how proud of himself he looks in the self-cam afterwards. It looks like, as scared as he was at first, that he ended up enjoying it after all.

 

By the way, I can't be the only one who wonders: do you think his stunt action training for "Gaksital" kicked in when he finally made the jump? As though he decided to just not think about it anymore, and so instinctively jumped the way he was probably taught for that role? Or am I just overthinking things now?

 

9 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... they are still close friends till now. I'm also happy to hear choi kang hee close to joo won even after the news. because usually after such news spreads, they would look awkward even to be close together. But joo won-choi kang hee case is different. Joo won still take care of her even though he now he can't be more than that (he is so nice...) and choi kang hee still adore joo won... 

 

Same. I love that even if things don't end up working out for him romantically, JW never holds that against the woman. So I know he's still in touch with his girlfriend from high school, and it makes sense that he would stay friends with someone like UEE or Choi Kang Hee.

 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I hope he'll stay friends with BoA too in the long run; they've been friends for so long prior to dating that it would be really sad if the original friendship got wrecked by the break-up 

 

9 hours ago, moonstrike said:

After i know him, I start looking for various videos and interviews that he follow. from all that I see that all his friends and relatives always say that joo won is a good person. I also see it myself from his behavior in lifelog and on 1N2D.

 

Yoo hae jin (its him) and Jung Woong In (yong pal) is for example. when they are asked what kind of person joo won, they say joo won is a good person and never changes... he remains the same even after his popularity increases.

 

Even the director of baker king kim takgu who opposes joo won at first for casting as gumajun likes him after seeing his sincerity and the spirit that joo won shows to play his role. I've read the article where the director praised joo won for his hard work in the baker king drama. he says joo won and yoon si yoon are the key of kim tak gu success.

 

Many directors praise joo won in interview because of his personality and also his acting ability. (You can see it on youtube and article) Such as the director of kim takgu, the director of ojakgyo who is also the director of good doctor (I think), the director of the its him movie, the director of the catch me movie, the director of the bridalmask and also the director of yongpal who is also the director of my sassy girl. All of them is impressed by joo won sincerity.

 

And he also has many friends. Even with just few days, he can make friends. For example, the army. When i see the clip of the festival, i feel joo won is already close to other celebrity that involves in the festival. Such as lee jang woo, im si wan, ryeo wook, geon il and also do sang woo. But i think he is closer to do sang woo and ryeo wook.

 

And also his army friends, there are some photos and post that joo won's army friends post in instagram or DC gallery. They said that joo won is a very nice person and a great Sunbae. Joo won often helps them when having trouble wearing something or while doing the exercises. They also sharing joo won's imppression in the army. They said, at first joo won is a quite and calm instructure but after knowing him, he is a funny person and often tell jokes. He also share his story with them about intertainment industry.

 

[...]

 

In this photo, you can see that joo won is hugged by his friend... so cute. You can feel that he is loved by his friends there.

 

And another example is, joo won with u-know yoon ho. They meet because they are involved in a project to perform at the university and bring a song. although they only met a few times, they already seems close and even yoon ho send messages and photos to joo won before he leaves for the military. in video bts also we can see they are close and embracing each other.

 

There are more example that i found and I haven't write it here but now i can't write that long. My hands getting stiff now. Hehe...

 

Thanks for all those stories. There isn't much more for me to say than that I agree with you

 

9 hours ago, moonstrike said:

I laughed because of that video... he is very adorable... and of course joo won has real nose... you can see it when he play games in 1N2D that he make his nose like a pig.

 

To be honest, even before I knew about this particular tell, I thought that JW didn't get his nose done. For me, there were two major reasons why I thought that:

 

1. The bridge, especially the part that's just in between the eyes. One of the reasons why I think the article mentioned Jang Geun Suk is because he has a rather high and narrow nose bridge by Asian standards - so it looks like the shape that's desired in plastic surgery. JW, though, doesn't. It can look that way, especially in photo shoots, but that's from contouring makeup, lighting, and possibly some Photoshop. But if you look at him in his own Instagram photos, or in pictures from public events, you could see that while he does have a large nose (i.e. it does extend out a good deal from his face), the top part of the bridge is pretty broad and flat by Hallyu standards.

 

BUT I also know how subtle Korean plastic surgery can get, so that's not the biggest clue for me. This is:

 

2. If having silicon, injections, fillers, etc. affect how the nose moves, wouldn't that also affect the actor's emotive range (i.e. the degree to which they can express emotion)? JW was in theatre - he has been ever since high school. And since we won't likely see their faces up close anyway, I imagine that theatre actors would prioritize just about everything else over looks: talent, skill, range, etc. So for someone in his position, why sacrifice one's emotive range in favour of a more desirable appearance? To me, knowing JW's commitment as an actor, that just wouldn't make sense.

 

In other words, I don't think JW has had much done by way of plastic surgery (there's no way I could guarantee he's 100% natural, but he's certainly natural enough for my liking), not because I could "see" one way or another - but simply because I think, for an actor like him, the risks would outweigh the benefits.

[kittyna]

11 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Woow...  you've been to korea .... how is in there?

 

I'm jealous. i really want to go there to meet with joo won when he hold fansign but i have to wait another year and a half for that.

 

I didn't have the time to respond to this earlier, so here goes!

 

Yes, I went to Seoul - no, I did not see JW, nor any other celebrity for that matter. Unless he happened to be one of the hundreds of people walking around I saw while going around the city myself (so, for instance, I went to Cheonggyecheon, and I know from JW's Instagram that he hangs out there), I saw no sign of him.

 

I have blogged a few times about my trip, if you want to see them. They're pretty generic, non-Hallyu-themed posts, but I'll post a link here anyway, because I do talk about some of the places I visited: https://kittyna-littlebigthings.blogspot.ca/search/label/Seoul

 

I think you joined the site after I shared about my experiences in Seoul on this thread, @moonstrike, but I will say it again: Seoul has a lot of Hallyu-related stuff to offer, but unless your bias is a really big name Hallyu star or the current "it" star at the time of your visit, you can't be exclusive in what/whom you seek out. So one of the things that I did was keep an unofficial tally of the celebrity references I saw: cardboard cut-outs, poster ads, merchandise and memorabilia, television CFs, etc. And it's really highly concentrated among a handful of people: mostly K-pop idols whom I didn't recognize, but as far as male actors are concerned...Song Joong Ki, Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Jong Suk, Park Hae Jin and Lee Min Ho were the big ones I remember finding some reference to just about everywhere. If you were to go now, you can add Park Bo Gum to the list.

 

So unless you happen to know where you can, say, find a Mountia or GGIO2 display, don't expect to find any reference to JW just out on the street without context. Granted, he is popular in his own way, but it's not in the endorsement/CF/massive-fan-following-with-merchandise sort of way. He's got a version of popularity that's all his own: more domestic than international (as the "patriotic actor" label would attest), and not something that's marketable in a tangible way.

 

If I were to go to Seoul again in the future, though, I would want to keep an eye out for the fan-painted murals that have popped up over the years, though - if anyone knows where they're located, please give us a heads-up!

[kittyna]

Just popping by quickly with pics, and then I'll focus on my fic-writing as far as this forum is concerned - in the final stretch for this new story, guys, so hope I don't get a rather inconvenient burst of writer's block  

 

The Instagram accounts from which we've been sharing images a lot lately have some really nice fanart, so that's my focus today.

 

Cute "Nae Il's Cantabile" chibis - the drawing is, again, by 아사 (anomisa)

 

 

I love this pencil sketch - and I love how JW's eye is recognizable just by itself:

 

 

This sketch is really nice, too.

 

 

Finally, some really great pieces for "Good Doctor". These ones are in the bishounen style (i.e. the one oftentimes seen in anime and manga).

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[moonstrike]

Hey... i found this video on soompi forum. His fans is really creative.. hahaha. The video title is gaksital's man. Its the combination of princess man and gaksital. So great.

 

 

And this one is combination of gaksital and uhm tae woong drama man from the equator.

 

 

And this one is so trueeee.....

The most important thing is adorable even when sleepy!




AMAZING!

[moonstrike]

Joo won in single magazine. So cute... its like he is talking to me.

 

(Interviewer's part in bracket)

JW: You are here…

JW: It’s must be hard on you today, how do you like it here?

(After the drama was completed, what have you been doing?)

JW: I’ve been doing interviews, autograph sessions and fan meetings..

(That’ true, it really is fortunate to have the time to travel like this)

JW: Yes it is Because of you, it’s even better (laughs)

(This is my first time to Cheorwon, is there any fun place around here?)

JW: There is a Hantangang River at the side here(shows river)

You can cycle around here, there are many bicycles. Riding on a bicycle, cycling along quietly, it’s really good

(If you come here with a girlfriend, won’t it be great?)

JW: Yes, it is. That’s why I came here with you. (laughs softly)

(Besides this place, is there any others which you would recommend?)

JW: Hmmm…recently I went to Cheongbukchaecheon(may have translated wrongly),  there are many scenic places there to admire.

If you go up to XX mountain, there is also a lake there. It’s really a magnificent sight. I’d like to go with you. (laughs)

(Among your celebrity friends, is there anyone whom you can go travelling with?)

JW: No. Because after the production ended, everyone was very busy. To be able to go on a trip together seems very difficult.

(What will you like to do when you travel?)

JW: If I travel, I’d like to take photographs…and to eat meat, haha.

(Yes, you are going to start filming the new drama soon?)

JW: It’s called Secret Battle of Man & Woman, I act as government agent. It is very different from the roles which I have played before. Very cool, very “namja” (man), an awesome role.

Phone rings…

JW: What to do…I have to go…Take a good rest and have fun

*HUGS*

JW; I will contact you again...

*waves* and goes off.

Chinese translation: minidadalove on Joo Won Tie Bar 朱元吧

English translation: mrdimples@soompi

Source: Thesingle

[moonstrike]

 

TVN Enews Joo Won Cut

chinese translation : minidadalove on Baidu Joo Won Bar
JW: TVn Enews viewers, how are you? I am Joo Won. I am very happy to see you
In Gaksital, in his first time taking on a major leading role, he has left an deep impression on people.
Joo Won is currently studying in Sungkyunkwan University, Performing Acts.
"As he is, has Joo Won ever received a scholarship?"
"I hear that he is always very diligent. " 
Although he is busy filming dramas and variety shows, Joo Won still studies conscientiously
It is said that he even obtain a scholarship for his remarkable results. 

 

As expected, our joo won is really a hard working person. He said that he is tired when shooting gaksital but i don't know that he is entering university too. I can't imagine how tired he is...

 

This is the full video:

 

「tvN E News」

I think this vid is about stars who studied or studying in Sungkyungkwan Uni. See JW from 1.30 

 

 

Sungkyunkwan University, the Birthplace of A+ Celebrity Students

2012-11-07 00:03  l   CJ E&M enewsWorld Grace Danbi Hong
 
Despite all the busyness that comes with being successful celebrities, stars enrolled at the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University prove that they’re completely capable to juggling their fame and studies. 
Enews examined four celebrity students and what kind of things they’ve achieved while enrolled at Sungkyunkwan University. 

Ku Hye Sun transferred to Sungkyunkwan University to study directing, never missing a single class and earning plenty of scholarships and being at the top of her class. 

Likewise, Joo Won is known as a diligent student on the Sungkyunkwan campus. He also receives top scores and scholarships, as well as praises from his professors for always attending class despite his schedules.

The nation’s little sister, Moon Geun Young, grew up to be a hard-working student, who poured two years into her education. She took a brief break to film a drama, but once it was done, she went straight back into her schoolwork, determined to finish off what she’s started. No wonder she has an above 4.0 GPA. 

[airplanegirl]

Erm... I’m sorry lol? Chapter 4

[kittyna]

@moonstrike Interesting mash-up videos. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I clicked on them, but certainly not that. Watching the second one in particular reminded me why I still want to see JW play a straight-up villain at some point after his enlistment - he's done a number of sympathetic villains and antiheroes like Gu Ma Jun and Lee Kang To before, but I mean just full-on evil bad guy.

 

And I was also reminded by why I decided I liked Uhm Tae Woong as an actor after watching "Man from the Equator" as well - that hospital scene was some pretty epic and heartbreaking stuff!

 

The Sungkyunkwan University video was really interesting, too. I already knew Joo Won and Song Joong Ki studied there, but didn't know about Gu Hye Sun and Moon Geun Young  

 

It's crazy that JW was able to keep up with school work while also acting professionally - whether on stage or on screen. I do wonder, though, whether he just took his time with it, going beyond the usual 4 years. I don't know - that's the way I'm imagining someone in his situation would make it work, but I don't know for sure how he did it for real.

 

@airplanegirl Thanks for the fic update! My new story should be done soon, and I'll share it then.  

 

In the meantime, some more pics from my collection to tide us over - no theme this time, just sharing stuff I like:

 

 

Just a quick FYI: most of my "My Sassy Girl" photos, along with other pictures from historical dramas, are actually in my Hanbok picture collection - https://www.pinterest.ca/kitty_na/korean-wave-traditional-clothing/historical-hanbok/ - and that's where these ones are from, too.

 

Scholar JW, to continue with the whole Sungkyunkwan theme.

 

You know, with how old that university is, if Gyun Woo were a real person, that's literally where he would have studied.  

 

 

Personally, I really love the grey + dusty pink ensemble they put him in towards the end of the drama. He wears those colours really well.

 

 

[kittyna]

Okay, guys - the new fic is ready, so here goes!

 

Title: Bushidō

Drama: "Gaksital"

Characters: Kimura Shunji, Lee Kang To, Kimura Kenji

Premise: "Wake up, Kimura Shunji! The Bushidō that you taught me, all those years ago - that only exists in books. This! This is the real world!" (Yes, I'm using a line from the story itself as the premise - because it was having this bit come into my head that inspired the entire thing )

Warnings: Some Japanese profanity/racial slurs, Discussion and depiction of corporal punishment 

 

(I cannot - cannot - stress that second warning enough. While I did try to keep things as tame and non-graphic as possible, I do realize that this could be triggering for some people. So, if that applies to you - please, your mental health comes first. Take whatever preparations you need before reading this fic, or, if you're not feeling up to it, just skip this one entirely.)

 

Notes on Language

Although most of the dialogue in "Gaksital" was in Korean, with only a few Japanese words and phrases here and there, I imagine that in "reality", the characters were speaking Japanese for the most part. However, since this is a K-drama forum, I can't expect all the Japanese words/phrases I use in the story to be familiar. So, in advance, here is a brief glossary of terms, in the order in which they appear.

 

Seiza - Word used to refer to the traditional Japanese kneeling position

Agura - Word used to refer to sitting cross-legged

Yoku dekimashita - Good job (Note: There are numerous Japanese phrases with that meaning; this one is usually used by teachers to their students)

Bushidō - Literally "The way of the warrior"; the set of moral and cultural rules created to guide the Japanese samurai class (see Author's Note for more)

Hai - Yes

Keijō - Japanese name for Seoul during the time of the Occupation (Note: The drama uses its Korean equivalent, Kyeongsung, but I thought it would make more sense for Shunji to use the Japanese version.)

Sensei - Teacher (i.e. "Kimura-sensei" means "Teacher Kimura")

Nante kotta - Japanese expression of shock similar to "Oh, my God!" in English (Note: This is actually a contracted version of the full phrase, "Nante koto da")

Gomen/Gomenasai - Sorry (Note: "Gomen" is more casual, while "gomenasai" is more formal)

Matte! - Wait!

Chōsenjin - A Japanese racial slur used to refer to Koreans

Oniisan - Older brother (Note: Used when speaking to one's older brother)

Kudasai - Please

Baka/Bakayarou - Idiot (Note: While both terms mean the same thing, they have different weight. "Baka" while still an insult, is generally lighter in tone, and may even be used jokingly between friends. "Bakayarou", on the other hand, is harsher and actually counts as profanity. If you pay attention to the Japanese dialogue in "Gaksital", it's usually "Bakayarou" that is used.)

Otousan - Father (Note: Used when speaking to one's father)

Arigato gozaimasu - Thank-you very much

 

One last note on "Chōsenjin" - Because it literally means "person from Joseon", I want to distinguish between when Japanese characters are referring to Koreans in an insulting manner or not. So, in this story, I only the Japanese word directly when it's meant as an insult, and translate it into English (i.e. "Joseon person/boy/girl/etc.) when it's just meant as a descriptor with no racist intent.

 

This story was written as the sequel to an earlier fic, The Strange One so you may want to read that one first. I did try to make this story understandable without it, but reading the other story will give you a better sense of how I am imagining the characters and their backgrounds.

 

In this case, picking up from fleshing out the flashback scene of Episode 9 of "Gaksital", I am looking at the events in Episode 2 of the drama in particular. The flashback scenes in this story either take place during the events of The Strange One or up to a year or two afterwards. Just so you have an idea of where we are in terms of timeline  

 

Once again, please do not repost this on any other website without my permission! If you want to share it, just share the URL - thanks!

 

Spoiler

Bushidō

 

“Hey, Kang To! Come over here for a second; I want to show you something.”

 

Immediately, the Joseon boy got up from his small desk, where he had been diligently copying out the passages from the reader Shunji had assigned him, stepping across the room and sitting down in front of Shunji’s own desk.

 

Shunji peered down beyond the table’s edge towards the floor at Kang To’s feet. “Seiza,” he said, prompting his friend to move into the formal kneeling position. Most Joseon people – and most Japanese boys, more often than not – found it uncomfortable to stay in seiza for long, preferring instead to sit agura – cross-legged – instead. Shunji was of a mind to agree with them, so despite his role as the teacher and Kang To’s as the pupil, he only required the Joseon boy to adopt seiza on one of two occasions: when he wanted to discuss something serious, or when he wanted to discuss kendo, where seiza was the norm.

 

This time, it would be both.

 

Carefully, Shunji placed a large sheet of paper on the desk between them. On it were a series of characters he had written not with a pen, but a calligraphy brush.

 

“Do you know these words?” he prompted.

 

Kang To’s eyes scanned briefly over the page, before slowly, carefully so as to enunciate everything just so, he read, “Righteousness, courage, compassion, respect, honesty, honour, loyalty.”

 

Shunji nodded in approval. “Yoku dekimashita,” he said. “Your pronunciation’s getting better – keep it up.”

 

Pausing for a moment to return the smile that appeared on his friend’s face, he then continued. “These,” he gestured down the page to encompass all eight terms, “are the main virtues of Bushidō. They are the principles that guide all of us Japanese, but especially those who pursue the art of war. So that includes martial arts like kendo, and,” he glanced up to look Kang To pointedly in the eye, “the Imperial Police. If you want to become a police officer, it is not enough to know kendo and win the tournament.” He pointed at the Joseon boy’s chest. “You have to always choose the right and honourable path. Control your heart as well as your body. Understand?”

 

Kang To grinned brightly. “Hai!”

 

~~~~~

 

Finally, after thirteen years of searching, he had found his beloved Esther again.

 

And who would have thought that she would now be so close? When they were children, Shunji had seen her in an entirely different city, but now, she was a performer at the Far East Circus just outside of Keijō. Only by lucky circumstance had he run into her again, but he was not about to lose his opportunity to rekindle their friendship – and maybe start something new besides.

 

One last time before leaving the apartment, Shunji checked his reflection in the mirror. His suit was neat, his hair properly coiffed. The only part that was off was the bowtie, which sat ever so slightly askew. With a sheepish grin at his own schoolboy eagerness, he adjusted the tie until it, too, was perfect.

 

There. I’m ready now.

 

Just then, however, a voice called from the landing outside.

 

“Kang To-yah! Shunji-yah! Are you home? Hyung’s here!”

 

Recognizing the voice, he couldn’t help but smile to himself. Only Lee Kang San, Kang To’s innocent and childlike older brother, would dare call out to him in the Joseon language – but where other Japanese might interpret that as insubordination, Shunji recognized it as the man’s attempt to communicate in the only way he knew how.

 

Before he had even made it to the door, though, Kang San opened it himself and jogged inside. “I’m looking for Kang To,” he began, eyes scanning the room as though he could spot his younger brother hiding in a corner. “Is he here?”

 

“Kang To’s not here right now, I’m afraid,” Shunji replied quietly in the Joseon language, as he always surreptitiously did when Kang San was around. “He’s been working overtime, with all the new cases that have come up.” Noting Kang San’s agitation, he continued, “Why? Is something wrong?”

 

“Tonight is abeoji’s memorial, and eomeoni wants him to come home. He should come. It’s his duty as a son, and I think abeoji would miss him, too.”

 

Shunji’s eyes widened in surprise. “Jinjja?” He winced in sympathy. “Kang To really should remember important things like this.…” he muttered to himself.

 

Still, for Kang San’s benefit, he did his best to adopt a reassuring smile. “Tell you what: I’m just on my way out now, so why don’t I go down to the precinct and remind him what day it is. You know Kang To – once he’s focused on work, he forgets about everything else.”

 

It seemed to take Kang San a moment to register everything Shunji had just said, but once he did, he must have fixated on the “going out” part, as his gaze immediately shifted to take in how Shunji was dressed. “Wa…you’re pretty tonight! Are you meeting a girl?”

 

Shunji bit back a nervous laugh. “What…what are you talking about?”

 

His skittishness must have clued Kang San in, though, because his face broke into a knowing grin. “I knew it! That girl – is she pretty? Is…is her butt big?”

 

Feeling the blood rush to his face despite himself, Shunji moved to change the subject. He knew that if he didn’t go now, he wouldn’t make it to both the precinct and then the circus in time. “Hyung, you should head on home now. Your mother will be waiting for you. Don’t worry; I’ll find Kang To and tell him he must go home to see you, no matter what. I’ll drag him out myself if I have to.”

 

Kang San’s face dimmed as he nodded glumly. “Shunji-yah, I miss Kang To. I haven’t seen him today. Or yesterday. Or the day before…” He trailed off before his face brightened again, just a bit.

 

“But that girl – are her breasts big, too?”

 

This time, Shunji couldn’t hold back his laugh. “Hyung, it’s not like that!” he chuckled as he guided Kang San back out onto the landing, then down the stairs to the front door. Shaking his head in helpless amusement, he added, “You know what? Just go. You head on home and wait. I’ll find Kang To and bring him over.”

 

Once he was alone, Shunji grabbed the bouquet he had ordered for the occasion and got on his bicycle. There were certainly moments when Kang San was distinctly anything but childlike! Yet, Shunji wondered as he cycled down the hill road towards the city, was his excited anticipation at meeting the girl whom he thought of as his first love really all that different? Perhaps Kang San was just more frank about it than he, Kimura Shunji, could bring himself to be.

 

Shunji’s reverie stopped, however, as he rode up to the Jongno Police Station; for just as he arrived, the doors suddenly banged open. Two officers with grim expressions on their faces were forcibly escorting a man outside. The man struggled to break free, calling out over his shoulder into the building behind them.

 

“No! You can’t! Lieutenant! LIEUTENANT!!”

 

As Shunji watched, astonished, the two officers shoved him down, sobbing, onto the pavement, not even looking back to see how the man had fallen as they turned back and disappeared into the building. Eyes widening in recognition, he scrambled off his bicycle and dashed to the man’s side.

 

 “Abe? Is that you? What are you doing here?”

 

Hearing the familiar voice, the police officer sat up. “Oh, Kimura-sensei! Shunji! It’s you!” he cried out through his tears, grabbing Shunji’s hands in his own. “There’s no time – you have to do something!”

 

“Why? What’s the matter?” He knew Abe to be Kang To’s most loyal subordinate and closest friend within the police force. However, he also knew from his Joseon friend that this officer, although a kind and gentle soul, also had a nervous disposition and was prone to fits of agitation. Trying to figure out if this was one of those instances, he prompted, “Just calm down for a second. What’s going on?”

 

“Your brother’s gone mad!”

 

Shunji’s heart leapt up in his throat. “What?” he gasped. “Kenji?”

 

Abe nodded vigorously. He was dangerously close to hyperventilating, and was struggling to get his words out. “He…he says that…that Lieutenant Lee…is a traitor. That…that he’s help- helping Gaksital!”

 

 Shunji grabbed Abe by both shoulders. “Look at me, Abe – look at me!” Once their eyes met, he continued in as soothing a voice he could muster in light of his own rising panic, “You need to slow down, or I won’t be able to make out what you’re saying.” He guided Abe through several deep breaths, until his shuddering sobs began to subside. Only then did Shunji dare to ask:

 

“Where’s Kang To now? Did…did my brother do something to him?”

 

No…no, he wouldn’t have. Kenji’s got a temper, but he’s not an idiot. Surely this wouldn’t turn out like back then!

 

Abe gulped, his tears threatening to start up again. “He’s got Lieutenant locked up right now. I…I tried to see him, but Detective Koiso threw me out as soon as he saw me. But what I managed to see…I saw…Shunji, he’s hurt really badly.”

 

As the words sank in, he felt a dread calm descend over him.

 

“How…how badly?”

 

“I could hear them from outside. Superintendant Kimura, Detective Koiso…they just wouldn’t stop hitting him. And I saw…I saw…by the time I got there, Lieutenant was just lying on the floor. Bruised…bloody….he…he wasn’t moving.” Shaking his head, Abe dissolved into shaking sobs once more.

 

Shunji startled back, the words running through him like an electric shock. This…this was bad. Kenji. And Koiso. And Kang To alone with them, entirely at their mercy….

 

He had to go in there. See for himself how bad it was. And put a stop to it. Before it was too late.

 

“Stay…stay here,” he gasped out as he scrambled to his feet. He struggled to keep his voice steady. “I’ll go talk to my brother. We’ll get Kang To back out, I promise.”

 

As he turned to go, he felt Abe grasp his hand in a desperate grip.

 

“It’s…it’s not true, is it? Lieutenant…he’s not a traitor, is he?”

 

“No. No, he’s not,” Shunji said, trying to smile in reassurance as he took his hand out of Abe’s. “I know Kang To well enough to know that, at least.”

 

What little pretence at calm he had, though, disappeared as he dashed towards the building. Instead, what replaced it was a rapidly rising wave of dread.

 

Lee Kang To and Kimura Kenji were no strangers to violence. Indeed, that’s how Shunji had seen his current friend for the first time: lying prone on the floor of the dojo as Kenji beat him nearly senseless with his kendo sword. Ever since that day, Shunji had wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t wandered into the dojo at just that moment:

 

When would Kenji have stopped? Or…would he have stopped at all?

 

Shunji had never allowed himself to dwell on such thoughts for long, but he couldn’t ignore them any longer.

 

Prior to tonight, he’d thought such outbreaks of violence were things of the past.

 

And he hated that he was wrong

 

~~~~~

 

It was good to finally have a place of his own. Away from father, away from Kenji, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

 

The fact that it was closer to the school didn’t hurt, either.

 

To be fair, it wasn’t much: just the upstairs bedroom of a boarding house on the outskirts of Keijō. But for what he could afford with his simple teacher’s salary – he wouldn’t ask his family for money, even if his life depended on it! – it was quite comfortable. There were large windows framed by lace curtains to let in the sunlight, a large bookshelf and spacious closet for him to hold all of his belongings, enough space on the floor to spread out at least two sleeping mats should he ever have guests over, and the shared kitchen and bathroom were decent enough.

 

The only thing missing, Shunji thought as he took in the room around him, was a place to put his collection. There it was in front of the closet door: the large box full of the various Joseon artifacts and household items he had accumulated over the years.

 

He couldn’t remember when it had started, just that even as a child, he had been fascinated by his old nanny’s handicrafts: embroidered handkerchiefs and cloth pouches, simple woven sandals and baskets. He had loved sitting curled up beside her as she worked; there had been something so nurturing, so mothering about her in those moments, that she and the items she made had helped fill the void in his heart that his own deceased mother had left behind. And she must have noticed that, too, because she had then started to choose select pieces to give to him.

 

In the years that followed, as he grew to adulthood, Shunji had sought the means to add to his growing collection himself. Many times, he had gone to the market, trying to buy whatever pieces he found interesting, or seeking out craftsmen who were desperate enough for the income to turn a blind eye to the fact that he was Japanese. Later, he had enlisted his Joseon friends, Kang To and Tamao, into his enterprise: sending them in his stead or needling them into giving him anything from their own homes that were becoming old and worn instead of throwing them away.

 

But now…what was he to do with all of this stuff?

 

He could, perhaps, choose a few items to display – things like textiles or vases. But the everyday objects – the baskets and shoes woven from straw, the common bottles and jars – those were harder.

 

And then, it hit him. There was no point in accumulating all of these items if they would never be shown – and who better to show than the children? His students were Joseon, but were growing up in a world where everything Joseon was seen as ugly and plain, and everything Japanese was beautiful and valuable. But it didn’t have to be this way; Shunji, after all, saw beauty in these objects, and he wanted his students to see that as well. Perhaps, if he had a word with the headmaster, some of these objects could be displayed in his classroom – he might even be able to ask the children to help him add to the collection. A vision came to his mind of his classroom, several years into the future: Japanese culture taught, Joseon culture preserved…the best of both worlds.

 

Just then, he heard what sounded like a startled yelp coming from downstairs. Then, several seconds later, the voice of his landlord’s teenaged son echoed up the stairs.

 

“Kimura-sensei! There’s someone here to see you – says he’s a friend of yours!”

 

It must be Kang To. Just the other day, shortly after moving into this place, he had left his new address at the police precinct; his friend had been off on patrol as a new member of the force, and the officers he’d found had promised to pass the information on to him.

 

But, then, why did the boy sound so nervous?

 

No time to worry about that now, though, as, with a smile growing on his lips, Shunji rushed out onto the landing. Sure enough, there was Kang To, leaning against the railing at the bottom of the stairs. His Joseon friend had been looking elsewhere, but now, at the sound of footsteps, he turned and glanced up at him.

 

Already halfway down the stairs, Shunji felt himself stumble to a halt, his greeting dying before he could even get it out.

 

“Nante kotta – what happened to you?”

 

No wonder the landlord’s son had sounded afraid – Kang To looked terrible. He had a black eye, the bruise swelling and spreading down to the cheekbone underneath like ink. There was blood, too, from what appeared to be a nasty cut on his lip. He was standing there, blinking lethargically, swaying slightly on his feet, his white-knuckled hands tightly grasping onto the railing.

 

Once he found himself able to move again, Shunji vaulted down the remaining steps, reaching his friend’s side in an instant. “It’s all right,” he whispered into Kang To’s ear, “I’ve got you.” As Kang To released his hold on the balustrade and shifted his weight to lean against his shoulder, Shunji hurriedly thanked the landlord’s son for his help. Slowly, carefully, he half-supported, half-carried his friend up the stairs to his room, only releasing his hold long enough to fumble the door open before they both collapsed inside.

 

“Goodness, you’re heavier than I thought,” Shunji murmured as he settled Kang To down on the floor, seating him against the wall beside the closet door. When his attempt at levity was only met by a blank, listless stare, he gave up, turning instead to the still-unpacked boxes in the corner. Cursing himself for failing to get his things organized sooner, he rummaged for his first aid supplies.

 

Some minutes later, having found medicines and bandages, Shunji hurried back to Kang To’s side. After wetting his handkerchief with the antiseptic, he took his friend’s chin in his hand, turning his face so that his injuries were visible in the sunlight streaming in through the window. Slowly, gently, he touched the handkerchief to the cut on the other man’s lip.

 

Instinctively, Kang To jerked back with a hiss, but then suddenly stopped and tensed up, biting back a scream.

 

“Kang To? What’s wrong?”

 

“It’s…it’s nothing,” his friend whispered through gritted teeth.

 

“It is most certainly not nothing,” Shunji interjected, moving to unbutton his friend’s shirt. Kang To tried to push his hands away, but since he was the uninjured one of the two, Shunji won out in the end.

 

He sucked in a sharp breath at what he saw.

 

Kang To’s face was not the only part that was hurt. Where his shirt had fallen open, Shunji could see that his torso, too, was covered with bruises. Some were fresh and a dark purple, but others must have been caused a few days ago, for they had already faded into shades of yellowish green. What drew his eye, however, was one particularly large and dark spot on Kang To’s side.

 

It…it couldn’t be what Shunji thought it was, could it?

 

Gingerly, he touched his fingers to the bruise. Although he did so with the lightest of touches, Kang To immediately seized his wrist one hand, his grip tightening as he once again tensed in pain.

 

“Don’t touch me,” he hissed. “I already told you – it’s nothing. I’m all right.”

 

Shunji met his friend’s glare with one of his own. “Nothing? I’m not a doctor, and even I can tell: your ribs are bruised, possibly even cracked. How can that possibly be nothing?!”

 

Too late, he noticed how Kang To flinched, ever so slightly, at his raised voice.

 

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Shunji pressed on. “Gomen. I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m not angry at you, I promise. I just want to know: what happened? Who did this to you?”

 

Kang To’s eyes shifted down to the ground next to him. “Don’t…”

 

“Who was it?” Shunji pressed on. “Was it your neighbours? Those thugs from the tavern who stir up trouble for you all the time? Or was it some sort of criminal? Have you been tracking down a gang? Come on, Kang To – just tell me!”

 

“I can’t.”

 

That gave Shunji pause.

 

“Why?” He scooted over to the side and crouched down on the ground so he was once again looking his friend in the eye. “Didn’t you come here for my help?”

 

Kang To hesitated. “Hai. But –”

 

“So why can’t you tell me?”

 

“What would you do if I did?”

 

“Why, I’d go to the police, of course. I’d tell them that one of their officers has just been assaulted and –”

 

“Like that’s going to help!”

 

Shunji stopped short, his words dying on his lips.

 

It…it couldn’t be.

 

Too late, he remembered what Kenji had told him a year ago, back when Kang To had just won the kendo tournament that qualified him to become a police officer.

 

But…it couldn’t be, right? Kenji…Kenji wouldn’t do something like that, would he?

 

Seeing the incredulous look on Shunji’s face, Kang To’s lip curled in a sardonic smile.

 

“Bingo,” he sneered. “You got it. It was your own precious Imperial Police who did this to me – so what’s reporting them going to do?”

 

For a long moment, Shunji sat on the floor, unable to speak, unable to even think. Finally, he could get his mouth to move.

“Why?”

 

Kang To must have realized that with the truth out, there was nothing left to hide. Slowly, as Shunji silently worked to treat his injuries, he explained. At times, his words broke off into pained gasps, but never once did he give up until the entire story came out:

 

“Discipline is everything in the police force – you should know that mistakes are harshly punished. But even more important than that to these people is the need to save face. So when an officer is reprimanded and struck by his superior officer, he can simply take it – but he won’t. He never does. Instead, he will pass on his anger by placing the blame for the infraction on one of his juniors – and beat him instead, even harder than he had been struck himself. The officer who was thus beaten, in order to regain his pride, now does the same, seeking out one of his juniors to punish. And down the line it goes, until it gets to those of us on the bottom: the new recruits.

 

“Now, out of all of us rookies, who do you think is the preferred candidate for being the precinct’s punching bag?”

 

Kang To glared up at Shunji, hot angry tears glistening in his one good eye. “Never, not even once, have I done anything wrong. I’m not an idiot, after all; I know my place. But when it comes to venting their rage, our superiors don’t think about who is most deserving of blame – only who is easiest to hit. Even when it’s clear to everyone that it was one of my peers who had done wrong, they would come after me. And no matter how hard I’ve tried to hide, they have always found me.”

 

It took several long agonizing moments for the truth to sink in. Then, once it had, all Shunji could say was, “That’s not fair.”

 

“No, it isn’t,” Kang To agreed. “But there’s no point trying to fight it. Do you know why?”

 

He knew the answer, but could not bring himself to speak.

 

“Because to them, I am nothing. Those virtues of Bushidō that you had taught me about? Righteousness, honour, compassion? Those only apply to your fellow man. And to these people, I’m just a Chōsenjin.”

 

Finally, no longer able to hold it back, a sob broke out through Kang To’s lips.

 

“I’m not complaining. I knew in advance that this was what it was going to be like. But…but it still hurts, you know?” Kang To looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Tell me: what am I, in the eyes of you Japanese? Am I…am I even a person?”

 

~~~~~

 

Abe, of course, knew none of this. Shunji was sure of it. After all, he had joined the Imperial Police a few years after Kang To did – and by that time, Konno, the Police Director for all of Keijō, had seen the Joseon recruit’s potential and taken him under his wing.

 

No one who still respected his job had dared to touch Director Konno’s favourite ever since.

 

So why was Kenji doing that now? It didn’t make sense.

 

Shunji had to hurry. It had taken him several minutes to get the story out of Abe – several precious minutes that, for Kang To, could have made the difference between life and death.

 

The first thing he noticed upon entering the police station was the noise. An alarm had gone off, its harsh clanging sound echoing throughout the building. Unnoticed in the chaos, he saw a group of officers dashing past him in the corridor, guns drawn and at the ready.

 

“Hurry! Don’t let him get away!”

 

Could…could it be?

 

Quickening his steps, Shunji followed the officers toward the stairs that led up to the second level. Just then, he heard an enraged roar burst out from above.

 

“GET BACK!!”

 

Kang To.

 

That was Kang To’s voice – he was sure of it.

 

For the first time since he had found out what had happened, Shunji allowed himself a small speck of hope.

 

Somehow, by some miracle, Kang To had escaped.

 

But that hope disappeared just as quickly at what Shunji heard next as he dashed up the stairs.

 

“You know, your behaviour is really helping you right now,” Kenji’s voice drawled sarcastically from above. “This is just adding to the evidence that you are Gaksital’s accomplice.”

 

“Shut up!” What Kang To said next chilled Shunji to the bone: “Yes, shoot me already if you want – I swear, I’ll just take him down to hell with me!”

 

Shunji burst out over the top step of the staircase and into the room beyond. Without even pausing to look at who else was there, he dashed in between Kang To and the group of officers who stood in front of him, guns at the ready.

 

“Matte, matte, matte!”

 

The officers he was facing blinked in confusion as he scanned the group for some sign of his brother. But he couldn’t see him.

 

Where on earth was Kenji?

 

“Shunji?”

 

Shunji’s eyes flickered over his shoulder at the surprised voice behind him.

 

No. It couldn’t be….

 

“Oniisan?”

 

In that moment, all the pieces – what he had heard on the stairs, what little he had seen as he dashed into the room – clicked together.

 

Kang To had escaped.

 

And he had taken Kenji hostage.

 

Now what?

 

Quick. Think fast. What could he do to make sure neither his brother nor his best friend got hurt?

 

Still wracking his brain for a solution, Shunji’s eyes scanned over the group of officers. “Put your guns down, kudasai,” he stammered out.

 

“Baka – what are you doing?” he heard Kenji call out behind him.

 

“It’s all right,” he barreled on, patting himself on the chest with one hand. “I’m Kimura Shunji, your Chief Kimura’s younger son.” He spread out his arms in attempts to shield the pair behind him from those in front. “Someone could get hurt if we go on like this. So, please, put your guns down.”

 

There was no response. He had to think of something else – fast.

 

Shunji whirled around, arms still spread out, to look his friend in the eye. “Kang To,” he implored. “Calm down. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can talk this out –”

 

“I can’t!”

 

In an instant, Shunji took in Kang To’s wild eyes, the slight tremor in his voice, the way he had to force himself not to let the gun shake in his hand.

 

He was terrified.

 

“Stay out of this, Shunji!” he cried out now. “You don’t know anything! I have no choice – this is the only way I can clear the false charges against me!”

 

Just then, Kenji, probably realizing that Kang To had let down his guard in his agitated state, swiftly elbowed him, sending him stumbling backwards, the gun he had been holding flying out of his hand.

 

At the sudden movement, the room exploded into chaos.

 

In the corner of his eye, Shunji saw a blur flash past him. Instinctively, he lashed out at it, just managing to intercept Koiso, who had charged forward with his pistol. A shot rang out, the bullet thankfully flying up into the air, away from its target. Quickly, before Koiso could fire again, Shunji grabbed him by the arm and shoved him back, straight into the group of officers just behind him.

 

He had no time to check on whether they fell, however. Instead, his eyes flicked over to where Kang To and Kenji were standing earlier – just in time to see his friend kick his brother to the ground.

 

The coast was clear.

 

Just for an instant, their eyes locked. And then, to Shunji’s astonishment, Kang To turned and ran at full speed towards the window, crashing through it to the stone-paved courtyard below.

 

Baka. What was he thinking? They were on the second floor!

 

Fearing the worst, Shunji dashed towards the broken window, but Kenji got there first, his pistol drawn and ready to fire. He lunged forward beside his brother, his eyes desperately scanning the ground below for any sign of his friend.

 

There Kang To was, on the stone pavement, surrounded by shards of broken glass. He was struggling to get up, one leg twisted awkwardly beneath him.

 

And Kenji was ready to shoot at any moment.

 

He had to get the gun.

 

Blindly, never daring to take his eyes off Kang To for even a second, Shunji groped for the gun in Kenji’s hands. Finally, after a moment that felt like forever, he felt cold metal at his fingertips. Feeling a rush of relief, he grasped onto the gun and yanked it as hard as he could towards himself, to Kenji’s surprise.

 

“What the – you little – let go of me!”

 

He saw Kang To freeze, startled at the noise coming from above. He glanced up towards the window, eyes widening in fear when he saw Kenji’s gun.

 

No, this wasn’t good enough.

 

With all the strength he could muster, he tried to wrestle the gun – wrestle Kenji – away from the window. But his brother had always been both taller and stronger than he was, and was now trying just as hard to pull the gun back.

 

Shunji could feel his arms beginning to shake. He couldn’t hold on like this much longer.

 

What are you doing, Kang To? Don’t just sit there – run!

 

Although he had not spoken the words aloud, it Kang To must have sensed them. Wincing in pain, he scrambled to his feet and was off, dashing up and over the fence before limping away into the night as fast as he could.

 

Finally – finally! – Shunji felt Kenji’s grip go slack once Kang To was gone. Not entirely, but just enough that he was now able to wrench his brother away from the window, sending him stumbling backwards into a nearby desk. For a moment, he stood, panting, glaring down at his brother, but was then sent careening backwards himself in an explosion of pain.

 

Gripping tightly onto the table he had staggered into, he waited for his ears to stop ringing, his head to stop spinning. Gingerly, he touched the side of his jaw with his hand.

 

Kenji…had punched him?

 

“Call Chief Kimura,” Shunji heard his brother say. “Now!”

 

Panting from exertion, still reeling in pain from the sudden blow to his face, Shunji rounded on his brother.

 

“Are you crazy? There’s nothing wrong with Lee Kang To – he’s loyal to the Empire!”

 

“Shut up!” Kenji pointed an accusing finger at his chest. “Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

 

But Shunji was not about to let his brother change the subject so easily. “You honestly thought that Kang To was working with Gaksital? And so you went after him? Are you crazy? You know he’s Director Konno’s man – did you want to lose your job?”

 

Suddenly, a glimmer of suspicion flickered in the back of his mind.

 

“Oniisan - does father know about this?”

 

Kenji barked out a smug laugh. “And what if he does? What are you going to do: fight him?”

 

Ah. So that was it.

 

Shuddering with rage, Shunji took a step closer to his brother. “I should have known. This was father’s idea, wasn’t it? All your life, you’ve just done whatever he told you to.” His voice rose into a shout. “You’re just his toady – do you even have a mind of your own?”

 

In a flash, Kenji charged forward and grabbed his shirtfront with both hands.

 

“Listen, you little –”

 

“Sir. It’s the chief,” Koiso called out from the desk, the phone ready in his hand.

 

“I’ll deal with you later,” Kenji growled out, releasing him with a harrumph. Grabbing the phone from Koiso, he barked out a report to his father:

 

“Lee Kang To has just escaped from jail – with Shunji’s help.”

 

Shunji’s eyes widened in dread when he heard his brother’s words.

 

A pause.

 

“Which Shunji? Which one do you think?” Kenji’s gaze shifted to look him straight in the eye. “The teacher at Namsan Elementary School. Kimura Shunji. Our Shunji.”

 

“Oniisan,” he began, but was cut off when his father’s shout of rage blared out from the receiver:

 

“He did what?!”

 

“Shunji actively helped Lee Kang To escape,” Kenji repeated. “What should we do?” There was a brief pause as his father answered, but then his older brother rolled his eyes. “No, not him,” he purred. “I know how to handle him. I mean Lee Kang To. What should we do about him?” With a knowing smirk, he pulled the receiver away from his ear, allowing Shunji to clearly hear his father’s response:

 

“Find him – then kill him!”

 

The weight of his father’s words descended on him like a ton of bricks. Shunji’s heart started to pound in his ears. He couldn’t breathe. His feet were glued to the floor.

 

Powerless and numb, he could only look on as Kenji turned to the officers surrounding them.

 

“You heard what the Chief said,” he began. “You saw what Lee Kang To did. He’s a traitor. He doesn’t deserve to live. I want all of you to go out there and find him. And once you do, don’t bother trying to arrest him. Just kill him on sight. Understand?”

 

“HAI!!”

 

In seconds, all of the officers had gone, leaving Shunji alone with his brother. He still found himself unable to move, however. All of his strength seemed to have left him ever since he’d heard his father’s orders. He couldn’t even make a move to resist when Kenji took out a pair of handcuffs and locked them onto his wrists.

 

All he could think of now was Kang To. He knew his friend was somewhere out there. Alone. Afraid. Where could he go? In the past, his Joseon friend had fled to him in times like this, but that was no longer an option. Could he go home? He wouldn’t – not with people trying to kill him. Kang To was many things, but he was not one who would cause danger to Kang San or his mother if he could help it. A neighbour? There would be no help there; his own people would turn him away, taking his plight as just punishment for his treachery. Director Konno? He would be safe there, but surely, Kenji’s men knew that, too, and were already on their way there to intercept him.

 

And what if…what if Kang To never even made it? Shunji had no way of knowing how badly his friend was hurt. For all he knew, Kang To could have already succumbed to his injuries, collapsing from pain, exhaustion, or blood loss somewhere in the streets. And if, in such a vulnerable state, Kenji’s men found him….

 

“You know why I am doing this, don’t you,” he heard Kenji say at the edge of his consciousness. “You were caught red-handed in the act of aiding and abetting a known traitor – so now you have to pay the price.”

 

“Why?” Shunji finally managed to stammer out. “Why are you doing this? You know Kang To is innocent – why are you trying so hard to frame him?”

 

He felt himself stumbling forward as Kenji jerked on the handcuffs. Just inches away, his brother’s eyes glared deeply into his own.

 

“You honestly don’t know? By helping Lee Kang To, you’ve just put a knife at our throats.”

 

Shunji blinked in confusion. “What? What do you mean?”

 

“He’s a mad dog. He can’t be controlled – not like the other Chōsenjin.”

 

Shunji’s eyes narrowed as the realization sank in. “So you want to get rid of him.”

 

Kenji let go of the chain and proudly stepped back. A smug smile began to tug at his face. “To be honest, Shunji, you two had this a long time coming. I’d warned you, ages ago, but you didn’t listen.”

 

~~~~~

 

“Bakayarou!”

 

Against his better judgment, Shunji couldn’t hold back a flinch as the porcelain cup flew just inches from his head, smashing into smithereens on the wall behind him. Gasping and shaking in fright, he glanced warily at the enraged man before him.

 

“O- otousan, I –”

 

“Don’t you dare ‘otousan’ me!” his father roared. “The gods never gave me a son like you.”

 

Shunji could only stand in stone silence as his father resumed his agitated pacing around the room.

 

“Imagine – the son of a chief of police, failing the entrance examination. And not only that – failing because he lost to some damned Chōsenjin!” His father stopped in front of him and glared penetratingly in his eyes. “What have you to say for yourself?”

 

He wanted to speak, wanted to just open his mouth and say something to defend himself.

 

But he couldn’t.

 

What was there to say, after all? His father was right; he had lost the kendo tournament, the special spot reserved in the police academy for the winner – to Kang To.

 

Better his father thought he had just been stupid than for him to know the truth.

 

Finally, after a long silence, Shunji glanced down at the floor and murmured, “Gomenasai. I…I know how important this was for you.”

 

“Don’t lie to me.”

 

Shunji’s body tensed in dread.

 

“Your brother already told me what you did. That you didn’t lose in a fair fight. You. Let. Him. Win.”

 

For the first time since the lecture had started, Shunji heard his brother’s voice calling out from the back corner of the room.

 

“I tried to warn him, otousan, but he just wouldn’t listen.” A dramatic sigh for effect. “I thought when all this started that Shunji was just going through a phase, that he would know what he should do when push came to shove. But it looks like he’s stepped in deeper than we’d thought. Where the Empire needs those who are strong, he has grown soft.”

 

Shunji shot his brother a glare, cursing him in his mind. For as long as he could remember, Kenji had been like this: always knowing what to say to curry their father’s favour. And the craziest part? He couldn’t even call his brother out for being a fake.

 

Kenji genuinely meant what he said.

 

“I think, otousan, that he needs to be taught a lesson – wouldn’t you agree?”

 

Shunji knew what that meant. This cycle had happened so many times in his life that he could practically recite it like an actor with a well-practiced play. Sure enough, he saw his father give Kenji a curt nod, at which point his brother retreated to the corner where a thin bamboo cane leaned against the wall. Once it had been brought over, his father took the cane from Kenji’s hand. Then, shooting Shunji a stern glare, he pointed with it at an empty spot on the floor.

 

“Kneel.”

 

For as long as he could remember, both he and Kenji had lived in fear of their father’s punishment, and both knew that, at this crucial moment, he was not to be disobeyed, lest they send him even more into a rage.

 

But whereas he normally would simply meekly kneel in front of his father, swallowing his pride just to get the ordeal over with, this time, Shunji stood his ground.

 

“No.”

 

His father’s face, already red with anger, grew darker still.

 

“What?”

 

“I won’t. Not this time.” He returned his father’s glare with one of his own. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

 

“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” he heard Kenji’s voice mutter behind him. Suddenly, before he could register what was happening, a hand gripped tightly on the back of his neck and pushed downwards. Caught off guard, Shunji felt his legs buckle, and he fell hard on his knees, his brother’s hand still holding him down.

 

“Behave,” Kenji hissed into his ear before finally releasing the hold on his neck.

 

By now, he knew his father must already have moved behind him as well. He would only have a few seconds to prepare himself. With a knowledge born from years of experience, Shunji’s hands curled into tight fists, and he pressed them down against his thighs, bracing himself for what was to come.

 

The first blow was always the worst, a sharp, stinging pain flashing across his shoulders. As the remaining lashes continued to rain down, Shunji pressed his lips tightly together, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor.

 

When he was a child, he had learned to do this so that he would not cry. But for years now, now that he was older…things were different. It was no longer tears he had to fight back, no. Instead, with each stinging blow, he felt rising within him a tide of anger and resentment. With each lash, as the hatred threatened to overwhelm him like a flood, he would force it back down. Swallow it, so that it would never see the light of day.

 

Righteousness. Courage. Loyalty. Respect. Honour.

 

That’s what truly mattered.

 

That was Bushidō.

 

As suddenly as the beating began, it was over. Shunji felt rather than saw his father stop, then heard him cast down the cane on the floor with a clatter. That was followed by the sound of footsteps, a sliding door clacking open and shut.

 

He was alone.

 

Or so he thought.

 

“That was father’s idea of a punishment. But I…I have other ideas.”

 

Shunji glanced warily up at his brother, who now stood before him, arms crossed across his chest.

 

“You know, it’s funny. Father has already promised to find me a position alongside him in Jongno. And, if I recall correctly, going by his place of residence, once Lee Kang To completes his training, he’ll probably be placed there as well.”

 

As quickly as the pain searing across his shoulders and back would allow, Shunji scrambled to his feet.

 

“Oniisan. You…you wouldn’t dare!”

 

“And why not? I’ve already done it once before. That day in the dojo, I’d made Lee Kang To kneel, just like you.” Kenji raised an eyebrow in pointed emphasis. “And I can make him do it again.

 

“Congratulations, Kimura Shunji. You have just sent the sheep straight into the lion’s mouth.”

 

~~~~~

 

Time certainly had a way of standing still here inside the detention cell. There was, after all, no clock: only a bare floor, bare walls, and iron bars on one side. Without any sign of life from outside, there was no way to mark the passing minutes and hours.

 

In the deep darkness of the night, lit only by a harsh lamp hanging from the ceiling in the corridor, Shunji had found himself completely and utterly alone, with only his thoughts and memories to keep him company.

 

Prison was a place of broken promises. Of what-ifs. Of could-have-beens.

 

He had promised Kang San he would bring Kang To home…he didn’t.

 

He had hoped to see Esther perform and rekindle their love…he couldn’t.

 

He had wondered whether Kang To would survive the night…there was no answer.

 

And Shunji knew, deep in his heart, that he had had it easy. After all, within minutes of his arrest, Kenji had simply shoved him into this cell and locked the door. There had been no interrogation, no torture.

 

Others, he knew, had not been so lucky.

 

No wonder Kang To had been so desperate to escape. No wonder Kang San, who must have been imprisoned, interrogated – tortured – for weeks on end, had been driven mad.

 

“Hey! Kimura-sensei!”

 

The voice stirred Shunji out of his dark thoughts. Slowly, he turned his head to find Koiso, Kenji’s man, standing outside, fishing out a key to unlock the door.

 

“Get up – Director Konno wants to see you.”

 

Wordlessly, still unable to believe what was happening, Shunji stood up and allowed himself to be led out of the cell, through the central office, and upstairs between two rows of men standing at attention to the director’s office. Once they arrived, Koiso knocked firmly on the door, announcing their presence.

 

As the officer turned to leave, Shunji called out to him.

 

“Do you know what this is about?”

 

Koiso shrugged. “You’ll find out soon enough. I just follow orders,” he replied, and then he was gone.

 

Shunji knew Konno was waiting for him inside, but still, he hesitated before going inside. For a long moment, he simply stood there in the corridor, one hand pressed up against the door. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, and he both hoped and dreaded the answer to all of them.

 

Why did Konno want him?

 

What did Konno know?

 

Was…was Kang To all right?

 

Realizing with a start that he could not delay any longer, Shunji took a deep breath and nodded to the two officers standing guard. The men returned his nod and then pulled the doors open, stepping aside to allow him entrance into the room.

 

The Director’s office was larger than he had thought it would be. On the far end of the room, there was, as expected, the man’s desk, with the Imperial Japanese flag hanging on the wall above it. But what drew Shunji’s eye now was the conference table just past the entrance. He saw his father sitting at one of the chairs, Kenji standing respectfully behind him. At the head of the table was a man whom Shunji had never seen before – that must be Konno. And beside him….

 

Shunji just barely managed to hold back a sigh of relief to see Kang To standing there: bruised, bandaged – but alive. At the same time, he saw a similar look pass briefly over his friend’s features as his gaze scanned Shunji up and down, as though checking him over for any injuries. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but Konno spoke first.

 

“Kimura Shunji, tell me the reason why you helped Lieutenant Lee Kang To escape from prison.”

 

He took a moment to gather his thoughts together. As he did, he glanced at his father and Kenji, and then across to Kang To on the other side. He could see the warning glares from the former, the fearful glance from the latter.

 

For years now, he had known where he stood in their feud, whose side he was on. But that didn’t make saying it publicly any less intimidating. And it pained him to see that while Kenji and his father seemed to already know what he was about to say, Kang To seemed to still have doubts in his mind.

 

“Lee Kang To,” he began, choosing finally to look straight ahead and not meet any of their gazes, “is loyal to His Majesty, the Emperor, and to our great Japanese Empire. Even though his family disapproves; even though he is hated by the Joseon people for his choice.” Ignoring the icy glare Kenji was sending his way, his eyes shifted to meet Kang To’s. “He has already given up everything to fight for us. What could he possibly gain by turning his back on us now? Knowing that, I cannot just stand by and watch as someone tries to kill him by falsely charging him as Gaksital’s accomplice.”

 

“Kill him by false charges?” he heard Kenji sputter in affected disbelief. “What are you talking about?”

 

“I can only think of one reason why Lee Kang To would be targeted in this way,” Shunji continued, his voice growing in conviction. “Because he is a Joseon person.”

 

Yes. That’s what it was. He could hear in his mind the words Kang To had said to him all those years ago – and from the look in Kang To’s eyes, he must be hearing them now in his own memory, too:

 

“Because to them, I am nothing….To these people, I’m just a Chōsenjin….Tell me: am I even a person?”

 

Finally, Shunji found himself able to look Director Konno straight in the eye.

 

“And if someone like Lee Kang To – someone who has already denounced his own blood to join the Imperial Police – was killed simply because he was of Joseon descent, simply because he made a good scapegoat, then who in Joseon would ever be loyal to our Empire again?”

 

He could hear Kang To sharply take in a breath, could see him shudder as he exhaled, could see the tears glistening in his eyes.

 

It had taken Shunji far too long – but he now finally understood what Kang To had been going through all these years. All his life, even.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by slow, appreciative clapping. It was Director Konno, a small smile beginning to tug at his lips. He turned to look at the police chief. “You have such a great son here,” he said, gesturing towards Shunji. “I envy you.”

 

It was, they all knew, not a true compliment.

 

Shunji’s father was the first to break the awkward silence that followed. “Let’s stop with the formalities and get straight to the point.”

 

“The truth is,” Konno began, “I cannot trust Sasaki’s word entirely. A convicted criminal with a grudge against Lee Kang To, he’d be willing to say anything to take him down. What we need is proof. Whether Lee Kang To is, in fact, Gaksital’s accomplice…he only needs to capture him and the truth will be revealed.”

 

“And if he can’t?”

 

“If Lee Kang To cannot capture Gaksital, then I will have reason to doubt.”

 

Shunji saw his father lean forward challengingly in his seat. “Not just doubt – but believe. If Lee Kang To fails to capture Gaksital, you must accept that the reason for his failure is that they are accomplices.”

 

“Fine,” Konno said, although Shunji could hear the strain in his voice, as though the word needed to be forced out of him.

 

All this time, Kang To had stood silently, powerless to speak although it was his life and death they were speaking about. Konno now turned towards him. “You can catch him in a few days, can’t you?”

 

Shunji’s relief at having saved Kang To from his father melted away once again. So much was hanging in the balance. Surely Kang To would not put his life on the line for…for that!

 

“Three days,” Kang To blurted out. “Give me three days – and I promise that I will capture him within that time.”

 

It was a good thing, Shunji noted, that no-one was paying him any heed right now, because he was unable to stop his jaw from dropping.

 

Three days? What could Kang To possibly do in three days? And if he failed…

 

This was madness!

 

“And once I do,” his friend continued, looking pointedly at his father. “I, too, will find out the truth: why someone would try to kill me by hiring a man to impersonate Gaksital.”

 

The meeting ended soon after that, as Director Konno dismissed everyone. Shunji was the first to be granted leave from the office, but although he was now free to go as he wished, he lingered outside the door. He waited as first his father and then Kenji stepped out; both shot him icy glares as they passed, but neither deigned to say anything in front of so many witnesses. Finally, some moments later, Kang To emerged; a small smile appeared on his face when their eyes met.

 

“Arigato gozaimasu,” he said, giving Shunji a slight bow in appreciation. Then, his posture ramrod straight as though bracing himself against the pain of his injuries, he marched briskly towards the stairs and down to the main office on the second floor.

 

Shunji followed at a distance, and observed, from a vantage point at the bottom of the stairway, a side of Kang To that he rarely got to see. In a stern, authoritative voice, his friend called Abe and several other officers to him. He spoke urgently to each of them in turn, clearly giving them orders. Once Kang To had finished, his men saluted and were off, each with his own task.

 

Finally, after the initial flurry of activity had passed, Shunji allowed himself to step closer. He walked up behind his friend and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

 

“Could we talk for a moment?”

 

Biting back an annoyed reprimand at the interruption, Kang To nodded. Moments later, he and Shunji were alone inside a small storeroom.

 

“Whatever this is about,” Kang To began with a huff, “you had better make it quick. Can’t you see that I have work to do?”

 

“That’s what I want to talk to you about,” Shunji said. He paused a moment before going on. “Promise me.”

 

“Promise you what?”

 

“Promise me that no matter what, you will remember what I told you: to control your heart as well as your body.”

 

Kang To’s eyes softened slightly, and he gave a knowing nod.

 

“You’re talking about those virtues again, aren’t you?” he said. But then, to Shunji’s surprise, he pursed his lips into a grim line and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t promise that.”

 

That was certainly not what Shunji was expecting. All these years, he had tried to impress upon his friend the importance of staying on the right path, of choosing to do the right and honourable thing, of rising above everyone else by being morally better than them.

 

His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

 

“Because I know you won’t like the plan I have in mind for how to find Gaksital, that’s why,” his friend replied, the frustrated edge returning to his voice. “It’s not something that would fit your principles – but I have no choice. You heard them; I only have three days.”

 

Having said this, Kang To stepped past him to reach the door leading out to the corridor. “Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I have to get going. We can talk about this later.”

 

“You stay right there, Lee Kang To!”

 

The words were out before Shunji could even realize that he was saying them – and Kang To, too, seemed to have been startled by his outburst, as he did stop where he was and turn back around.

 

“What did you say?"

 

For a moment, Shunji wanted to apologize and brush the incident off like nothing had happened, but he found that he couldn’t. All the frustration he had felt on Kang To’s behalf, all the anger he had felt at how his friend was being treated by his own people…he couldn’t hold it back anymore.

 

“I don’t know what it is you’ve got planned, but the fact that you’re saying that I won’t like it means that you know that it’s wrong. And you’re now telling me that you have no choice? Because you only have three days?

 

“You were the one who said you needed three days! You! And no-one else! You could have – no, you should have – asked for more time if that would make the difference between a method that goes against your conscience and one that lets you sleep at night. You know you’re better than this, Kang To! I know you’re better than this – because I taught you what you know. I made you who you are –”

 

He was unable to go on, however. Something in his words must have provoked Kang To, because the next thing he knew, Shunji felt himself being roughly grabbed by his collar and shoved back against the wall.

 

Kang To, his face just inches away, held him in place, his eyes blazing.

 

“Wake up, Kimura Shunji!”

 

Startled into silence, gasping both from his intense burst of emotion and being winded by the force of his collision against the wall, Shunji could only stare wide-eyed at the ferocious look on Kang To’s face.

 

He had seen his friend angry before – but not like this.

 

“He’s a mad dog. He can’t be controlled.”

 

Is…is this what Kenji was talking about last night?

 

“The Bushidō that you taught me, all those years ago – that only exists in books. This!” Kang To’s grip on his jacket tightened until his knuckles turned white. “This is the real world!”

 

Shaking from his own outburst, Kang To suddenly released his hold on Shunji and stormed several feet away. There, his back turned, he continued, “Do you know why I asked for just three days to capture Gaksital? It’s so that your father and your brother won’t have enough time to try to kill me again!”

 

Kang To’s shoulders began to sag, and Shunji could almost see him folding in on himself, shrinking back down from the angry devil he had just been moments earlier to the vulnerable young boy that he knew.

 

“Of course I can choose the better way, as you put it. And I want to. I really do. But to choose that way is to die. And I have to live. Not just for myself, but for my mother and brother as well. And if that means I have to be like Kenji, or your father, then I will. Be. Like. Them.”

 

As soon as he had finished speaking, Kang To walked briskly to the door, a hand brushing up against his eyes. Then, without even so much as a glance in Shunji’s direction, he was gone, the door swinging shut behind him.

 

For a long moment afterwards, Shunji stayed rooted in place, trying but failing to process what had just happened.

 

Not even an hour ago, he had thought he could finally fully understand Lee Kang To. But he was wrong.

 

Author's Note (in "Hidden Contents" because of spoilers)

 

Spoiler

I'm not going to lie. This was not an easy story to write. It's probably the darkest one out of all the fics I've posted on this forum thus far, and we're just in Episode 2 of "Gaksital". If I keep this up, things are only to get crazier from here on out.

 

Just like how I wanted to look more deeply and critically at Shunji and Kang To's friendship in the  prequel to this fic, this installment has some major running themes: Bushidō, and the cycle of abuse (i.e. when victims of abuse become abusers themselves).

 

Bushidō began as a moral code that was meant to keep Japan's samurai from, well, killing each other off. So it was a code of conduct that valued gentlemanly and moral behaviour, especially when it was formally recorded as the virtues I listed in the story.

 

I see Shunji as being a very idealistic person in the beginning of "Gaksital", before he joined the police force and started turning to the dark side himself. So, in my opinion, it made sense for him to not only try to live his life according to what he believed Bushidō stood for (as can be seen in the scene where he forces himself not to hate his father for his abuse), but also try to teach Kang To the same thing.

 

But here's where the problem lies. By the time we get to Imperialist Japan, which is certainly the point in Japanese history we're talking about, Bushidō had been reworked to serve Japan's military agenda. So, for instance, rather than preaching loyalty to some higher moral good, it was now loyalty to the Emperor. Courage went from being shown through the willingness to take responsibility for one's actions to shows of bravado and toughness, even to the point of death.

 

Given that, Bushidō was also used to justify the various atrocities that were committed by Japanese authorities during this time. And it was not just something that was directed at Koreans, Chinese, Filipinos, or others who had been conquered by the Imperial Japanese Army. Japanese soldiers, too, were subject to the same cruelty - what Kang To told Shunji about the rampant physical abuse within the Imperial Police was real. Senior officers who had been reprimanded would take out their rage on junior officers, who would then attack the regular soldiers, who would then attack any enlisted/conscripted Korean soldiers in their midst. These Koreans, at the bottom of the pecking order, had no-one to attack in turn - and the inability to fight back made them appear even weaker than the Japanese already believed they were. In wartime, then, it was these same Korean conscripts who were the cruelest to captured enemy soldiers, because those were the only ones who were below them.

 

Transfer that to the police force, and I think you can see how Kang To wound up as messed up as he did in the early episodes of "Gaksital".

 

Before I end this off, I do want to say something quickly about Kenji. I know he's a jerk in the drama, and he's a jerk in this story, too. But he, too, was a victim, in my opinion. He would have grown up with his father's abuse, learning to be the "good" son to make it stop. But he still has that seed of resentment and anger that needs a target - and from what I could see from the drama, Kang To was that target.

 

I noticed, in the scene in Episode 9 where Kang To was beaten in the dojo, that this was not something random or uncontrolled. It's not like one of the guys just lost his temper and hit Kang To. What I saw in the first seconds of that flashback was Kang To kneeling on the ground, surrounded by the Japanese boys, before they took turns hitting him. There was something disturbingly ritualized and calculated about the attack - and considering that Kenji was looking on as the ringleader before joining in himself, I wonder if the whole thing was his idea, and possibly a re-enactment of what he had to go through at his father's hands.

 

Finally, coming back to Shunji once again. As with the previous story, there are certain slippages in his character that reveal, despite his good intentions, the seed that ends up becoming his darker side as the drama progresses. I included a number such hints in this story - could you spot them?

 

If anyone wants to read my other fics, they can all be found under the "About Me" tab on my Soompi profile page.  

[moonstrike]

 

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

@moonstrike Interesting mash-up videos. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I clicked on them, but certainly not that. Watching the second one in particular reminded me why I still want to see JW play a straight-up villain at some point after his enlistment - he's done a number of sympathetic villains and antiheroes like Gu Ma Jun and Lee Kang To before, but I mean just full-on evil bad guy.

Yeah... the time when he will be play that role is my happiest day... i want him to potray an evil guy but the guy is has a reason why he become like that. Or a protagonist that has badass masculine side... after his discharge, he will absolutely has that masculine aura radiating around him.

 

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

 

It's crazy that JW was able to keep up with school work while also acting professionally - whether on stage or on screen. I do wonder, though, whether he just took his time with it, going beyond the usual 4 years. I don't know - that's the way I'm imagining someone in his situation would make it work, but I don't know for sure how he did it for real.

which made me even more surprised was that he also received a scholarship. even the professors there praised him because he remained diligent in attending classes while he was busy.

 

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

@airplanegirl Thanks for the fic update! My new story should be done soon, and I'll share it then.

Thanks for the fanfic @airplanegirl... @kittyna i will wait for your fanfic to update too...

 

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

Personally, I really love the grey + dusty pink ensemble they put him in towards the end of the drama. He wears those colours really well

I like when he wears a soft looking colour outfit. It makes him more gentle and calm and of course more handsome. Hihihi...

 

Remember when i said that all of the director that already work with him is praising him after knowing and make a project with him together.

Here is one proove, back then in 2012, bridal mask producer said this:

 

"Bridal Mask Producer Lee : “Since we started filming from this February, Joo Won has always displayed honesty, many actors should learn from him. With this production, he has again proven that he is indeed the most excellent blue chip. I believe whatever piece of work that is given to him, he will receive very good evaluation. I am very sure that among Korea’s 20th century this generation’s actors, he is the most outstanding one.

Joo Won’s agency, Sim Entertainment representative Shen expressed: “Compared to when he first debut, he is even more outstanding now. He is always extremely polite, very honest. This is one of Joo Won’s strongest point. Determined and sincere, regardless of whether in Bridal Mask and 2N1D, he has perfectly delivered to the audience"
So true!! specially last sentence said by Bridal Mask Producer!! I can sense that in no time he will the superstar of his generation!! Joo Won Fighting!!

 

 

And since we talk about bridal mask stuff, i want to share a video too... someone that upload this video first said everyone glad to see joo won's playful side. And me too!

 

 

[kittyna]

23 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Thanks for the fanfic @airplanegirl... @kittyna i will wait for your fanfic to update too...

 

 I just did - go back through this page, and you should spot it, if you haven't already  

[moonstrike]

41 minutes ago, kittyna said:

 

 I just did - go back through this page, and you should spot it, if you haven't already  

Sorry, didn't see it... hehehe... by the way. Your story is really impressive....and dark. I imagine joo won as lee kang to that act like a jerk here. And you also potray shunji really good here, i can feel his kind heart is stabbed because of his friends behavior.

[moonstrike]

13 hours ago, kittyna said:

It's crazy that JW was able to keep up with school work while also acting professionally - whether on stage or on screen. I do wonder, though, whether he just took his time with it, going beyond the usual 4 years. I don't know - that's the way I'm imagining someone in his situation would make it work, but I don't know for sure how he did it for real.

Maybe this interview will answer your question... this interview is from 2012... enjoy.

Joo Won Q&A on “Joo Won Official Mobile on Smartphone” (Japanese fans)

 

Q: (after more filming experiences) Have you gotten over your phobia of insects?

JW: As we continue filming, I will get used to it. Be it the insects or the weather, I am almost used to it all. Gradually, I am also getting used to creepy crawlies and insects, I feel that we get along pretty well.

Q: You have received a lot of love from the Uhm siblings, have you received any words of advice or suggestion?

JW: More than advice, I have received a lot of courage and comfort from words like “Cheer up!” “You have done well!” If I could sing with Jung Hwa noona, that will be a delight and also very interesting. Noona is a celebrity who dazzles with charisma, I feel honoured to be put together with her.

 

Q: Joo Won, out of “Joy”, “Anger”, “Sorrow” and “Happiness” acting; which one are you best at? And which are you worst in?

Joo Won: All of the 4 emotions are rather hard. I am not very sure myself. But audience always say that amongst them, my acting of “Anger” is the best. All the emotions are very hard, so it is absolutely necessary to prepare for them. I will do my best to deliver all the emotions well.

 

Q: In your tweets, you mentioned that after Bridal Mask filming ended, you played Star Craft with the director, Ki Woong and Chae Ah and spent an enjoyable time together. Then, in Star Craft, who is the best?

JW: The director is the best! I am the weakest..When men and women mix, I am the worst..Because I don’t really play games and I am not the type who would. It’s because it’s fun, that’s why we started playing, slowly the pressure accumulates, so I can’t. Anyway, the director is the best and I am the weakest.

 

Q: We have seen reports of you attending university classes (so handsome!) You have gone back to school after a long break, how do you feel?

JW: Very happy! I am also very happy when I attended classes. Because I have not been to school for a long time, being able to sit for classes as a student, it’s a very joyful experience. But because many students kept taking photos during class, so I couldn’t focus on the lesson. In short, I really enjoy student life.

 

Chinese Translation: m217tw on Joo Won Bar Baidu

English Translation: mrdimples@soompi

Source: sp.joowon.mobi/

 

Spoiler

Guys... i just found this interview in some thread and want to share it again because i think this interview will make you know him better. Enjoy...

Joo Won does not play “Push and Pull” love games – 

Singles Magazine November 2012 Interview

 

Whether it is acting or love, Joo Won does not like himself to be trembling with fear and trepidation. He believes that true feelings do not need pretense or lies. Joo Won will not do those “push and pull” love games which will cause true feelings to deteriorate.  

If Narcissus lives in this world, he will fall in love with his own reflection in the water and jump in without any hesitation. However he will definitely be grabbed in the arm by his fans who love him more than they love themselves. An actor’s job is a narcissistic and self-delusional one. And it is necessary to be so. Otherwise, you will lose the ability to portray the character with confidence and brilliance. In “Baker King Kim Tak Gu” he was Joo Won, the highly anticipated newcomer. In the past year, he has lived like that Narcissus who was adored and loved by the gods. In “Ojakgyo Brothers” he co-starred with Uee and showcased his acting of sweet love. He also appeared in the horror movie “Don’t click” and together with Uhm Tae Woong and Jung Jin Young sunbaes, he acted in “Special Investigation Unit”. There is also the national variety show “1N2D”. This time, it was his first undertaking as the lead actor in “Bridal Mask”. A $10 billion won production, a democracy fighter, the new Korean hero, all these words make one feel burdened.

“There was tremendous stress. The production costs were very huge, the script was excellent, the actors and production staff were outstanding, so if the drama did not succeed, I felt it was my responsibility. So I became the drama’s biggest factor for success or failure. This type of stress, even after the drama filming ended, was not able to disappear.” People were worried about him as this was his first time taking on a major lead role; they were concerned if he was able to cross the threshold smoothly. In this rather long drama, Joo Won has portrayed and brought to life Lee Kangto perfectly and outstandingly. He described his state as “Kangto phase”. “To me, he was a character who was filled with tremendous pain. From the first episode to the tenth episode, the undulating emotions made it very difficult for me. But when I thought “Lee Kangto IS this person”, I just cast aside all my own feelings and emotions. Would a normal person kick his own brother? Right after his brother died, his mother died too, it was practically unimaginable to act these out. I had to immerse myself totally into the drama, and at the end of it, my blood pressure rose. Instead of saying I empathized with Lee Kangto, it’s better to say I understood the character and there was nothing about him that I could not accept. So, as I act as Kangto, I became him.”

 

First time being the main actor, leading the entire drama, Joo Won has brought upon himself to add extra to certain aspects and he is more detailed than one can imagine. He totally does not care how he will appear on film when he was acting as Lee Kangto. “Was it strange when I act? Sometimes I will have these thoughts. There were times when I was curious if I looked good. So there was a time when I devote my attention on how my face appears. But, this time I cast it all away. Whether a double chin showed up or wrinkles, runny nose or spittle, I never cared.” So, it began like this and always striving in that direction.

When the drama reached the middle portion, all the reviews and criticisms of his acting skills were overwhelming. But following that, problems arose in other areas. They say acting experience is shown in the management of one’s body. From March this year, Joo Won has been continuously filming. Although there were always people leaving and entering the set all the time, Joo Won was the one who filmed day and night. So when the drama reached the middle, Joo Won’s health became very bad and he missed out doing his best in many exciting scenes which needed focus. This is the part which Joo Won regrets.

Joo Won first starred in the unforgettable “Baker King Kim Tak Gu”. Although it was as if he has fallen from the sky, people were not discussing about his acting skills. On the contrary, he is an actor who got along infamously well with his co-actors. “I did not hope to get too high an evaluation but I only hope that when people see me in the drama, they will not think of Joo Won but as the character in the show. I wanted to be able to resonate with the character. I do not wish for myself alone to dazzle, I am only faithful to the script and to the character.” In this world of actors, where one can become a star overnight, after he acted in “Bridal Mask”, even a three year old child can recognize him. Previously, the majority of the fans were around the 20s to 30s age group, now there are a lot of very young children. Their screams are also beginning to change. After “Bridal Mask” Joo Won has achieved a certain level of influence.

 

“I feel that my strength is that I am more sensitive in thoughts and emotions. If the character feels pained, I will also feel unbearably pained. It’s just like you feel worried and frightened for the friend beside you. “

If we have to say what is the biggest change in Joo Won, it would be the impression he gives to people. This actor has a face that can be either kind or evil. If it is your first time meeting him, you definitely will not think of good boy or maknae etc. But on 1N2D, no matter how he gathers his brows or makes his eyes, in the viewers’ hearts he already has a firm place as the adorable, obedient child. “It’s not because of variety that I purposely put on such a front. Because it is impossible to create a certain image on variety show even if you try very hard. When the show first started, I couldn’t even say a single sentence, I could only shout “1N2D!”slogan. In the beginning, I was very overwrought as to how to express and show myself. But now, it is just me. I don’t worry about my expressions, only when I watched the scene, then I will go “Hehe”. The Joo Won in 1N2D is the real Joo Won or rather we should say a part of Joo Won. “I act aegyo only when I am with my family members and the hyungs. I will not be the same in front of the sunbaes, with my friends, I will again be different and will younger hoobaes, I will also be different. We do not know when it started but “Kind Maknae” has always been appearing alongside his name. “Isn’t it good to leave people an impression that you are kind? I want to work hard to be a person who is good to others, so there will not be fights or unpleasant incidents. Good is just good.”

Inadequacy leads to need, need leads to change. I cannot see any shortcomings in Joo Won. Unexpectedly, he said he has many inadequacies. When asked what it was, he immediately said “Lack love”. “It’s not that I do not receive enough, actually I received love from many people, from family, from friends, from the company’s colleagues. A person always hopes to receive love, so I am likewise. If someone dislikes me, I will spend the whole day wondering where did I do wrong. My personality is especially cautious and timid. For example, if there is one person among 100 who said he hates me, I will always mind about that person. Or if someone leaves a mysterious comment on the internet, I will go : “Who is this person? Why does he hate me?” Although this type of thinking is useless, I still hope that everyone loves me, I also like their self-confidence.”

His attitude of liking and respecting others, not even needing to be self-absorbed, should allow him to successfully walk this route to become a good actor. His kind and gentle personality also shows on film sets. During breaks, he will go to the camera crew, the sound crew, running here and there, joking and making everyone happy. “If the atmosphere on the set is good, I will be able to concentrate better. There has never been anyone who treated my carelessly. Neither do I carelessly treat or disrespect friends. Although some will say it’s common to scold or throw things at your friends, I am not like that. Of course my friends do not treat me like that either.”

 

In middle school 3^rd year, Joo Won joined the drama club; there he first experienced the joy of being an actor. Not only did he find acting interesting, the feeling after completing a production together with friends was even better. Hence, he chose to study Drama & Film in Arts high school. But he did not make any special preparation nor had any plans; he simply thought that he would join auditions after he graduate. Then he will officially begin his career as an actor. In the end, he was discovered by a Musical sunbae while he was cleaning the side of the stage in the university central theatre and singing at the same time. After one production started, another followed and yet another came along, and just like that he stepped onto the musical stage. He had thought that he will be a Musical actor his entire life but as fate would have it, a very good opportunity got him introduced to the entertainment agency and he has been working for them to the present.

The road has been very smooth and opportunities kept coming continuously to him who is neither demanding nor greedy. During this period, he has perfectly portrayed all sorts of characters who were full of angst and sorrows. The way he has so smoothly become an actor is amazing. “The pain and anguish in one’s heart is different for each person. To another person, the pain may not be obvious but to the person suffering, the sadness and misery is indescribable. A person might be the most pitiful in the eyes of others but he himself might feel that he is the happiest person in the world. I am very sensitive where emotions are concerned. So if there is someone who is sad, I will also feel sad. Sometimes when I read a book and reach some sad parts, I will cry until my eyes look swollen the following day. Or sometimes on an unexpected rainy day, tears will flow as I walk along the roads. When the character I portray gets hurt, I will not be able to take it and will be broken-hearted like crazy. The feeling is just like he’s a real person that is beside me; I will be worried for him.”

 

Up to now, he has been in love 2 times. Besides he said that his ideal type is a girl who is kind like a bear. This is either coming from someone who has not been in love before or some who has been in love many times, only then will a man be able to reach such a state. After he heard this, he laughed and said “If it is like this, then I must be very wise. Actually I have a lot of thoughts, ever since I was a child, I thought about issues concerning marriage, the conclusion is that only that type of girl is most suitable for me. To other men, maybe the “fox” (sassy and naughty)  type of girl is more suitable, but I cannot grasp the heart and mind of such a girl. I am someone who cannot read into things, I like the type of girl who is able to accept the original me, not play “push and pull” games, if she likes, she likes. If she loves, she loves. If she is very extreme, then it will become boring, after I get married and still have to be walking on eggshells like in courtship days, then it will be tiresome.  I hope she’s the type who I will feel very comfortable once I am with her. No matter what topic we are on, we’d have a common language, a relationship where we understand each other. “ No wonder I like him as a man... reminds me someone. LOL. Yes sweetie, you should have someone who loves you as you. Understand you as you. Accepts you as you. Laughs like you. Lives like you. Cry like you. Who is open to you no matter what the circumstances are. And vice versa.

 

His favorite movies are “The Notebook” and “Romeo and Juliet”, he has watched them no fewer than 30 times. The Notebook is also one of my fave movies. Never thought he likes that too. But every time when he reached the same scene, he will still cry. Those romantic movies which touched on the complexities of human emotions are the ones who move him. Although he has filmed both dramas and movies, he feels that standing on the stage, in front of an audience and being able to show himself as the actor is priceless, because only in that, can an actor take pride. Just like the boy he was then during middle school, enjoying and acting in the company of others, he is still very much the same, enjoying being on the film set and working with other people. He does not have big ambitions, flowing with the natural passage of time, he continues to accumulate experience, he feels that this is what makes him most attractive as an actor.You had become attractive just by being you sweetie, that made me into your loyal fan.

 

Joo Won, as what we know, rather than a slick, polished, venomous snake-like man, he is more like a man with whom I live with every day, and who only loves me, so soft and gentle.That is why you are our cutie baby.:x . He is just like this, totally an actor who is faithful to his acting and does not love to push & pull.

 

Chinese translation: 由米35 on Joo Won Bar Baidu

English translation: mrdimples@soompi

Source: tvdaily