Joo Won 주원 [Upcoming Movie "Carter" 2021]

[kireeti2 1,745]

It's official, Joo won will start filming of his next project "FIRE FIGHTER" on may 18 of this year

[kittyna 3,258]

8 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I guess I am half right, at least  my guess about time period of drama was right. Not like My Sassy Girl story line, maybe similar characters? Is this after marriage of Gyeon Woo and Princess Hye-myung ?

 

 - Okay, I'll just come right out and say it, since at the rate the writing is going, I will most likely end up finishing later than I'd anticipated.

 

Not so much the sequel route, but the prequel route. This is actually a set of eight little vignettes showing what JW's drama characters might have been like as kids from the point of view of their mothers. In other words: this was my intended Mother's Day contribution  But since that's coming up on Sunday, and I''m not even halfway through all of these scenes (I haven't been writing in chronological order, but just in the order I've come up with ideas), it'll end up being a belated Mother's Day tribute.

 

Those three snippets I just posted? They're from three different characters entirely - knowing that, which ones do you think they are?  

 

Moving on to other things: some really interesting fanart.

 

 

[kireeti2 1,745]

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

 - Okay, I'll just come right out and say it, since at the rate the writing is going, I will most likely end up finishing later than I'd anticipated.

I know,my guess work was pretty lame

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

Not so much the sequel route, but the prequel route. This is actually a set of eight little vignettes showing what JW's drama characters might have been like as kids from the point of view of their mothers. In other words: this was my intended Mother's Day contribution  But since that's coming up on Sunday, and I''m not even halfway through all of these scenes (I haven't been writing in chronological order, but just in the order I've come up with ideas), it'll end up being a belated Mother's Day tribute.

Aww, that's so sweet of you

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

Moving on to other things: some really interesting fanart.

Come to think of it, Zorro and Bridal Mask have a lot of similarities, both were fighting occupation of foreigners  and both will lose their loved ones

[kittyna 3,258]

21 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Thumps up for slipping in few teachings of Confucius , I hope it'll be both engaging and morally enriching to read.

 

Missed responding to this earlier, so I will now  

 

Thanks for the thumbs-up  Doing the research for that particular vignette has been interesting, actually, because I was aware of some of the core ideas in Confucian thought (both from my own family and from exposure to Korean culture via Hallyu), but I hadn't actually sat down and read parts of The Analects or other classic texts (in English translation, of course) before. So it's been a bit of an eye-opener for me as well - that first line I have Gyun Woo saying, for instance, is a proverb I've grown up with, but I hadn't known that this was where it came from. By the way, it's also way more concise in Chinese than any English translation I've seen; something more literal would be "Three people walking together; one must be my teacher". Or something like that.

 

(And no, I didn't get sucked down a research rabbit hole for this fic, what are you talking about?  )

 

I'll make sure to post my sources in the Author's Notes when the time comes, in case anyone's interested  

 

10 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Aww, that's so sweet of you

 

I don't know how sweet it is, actually, since this is for fellow JW fans and not the actual mothers out there  But that being said, the parent-child relationships in these dramas do deserve more credit, so this has been fun to write so far. You can expect a more interactive Mother's Day themed post in the near future as well.

 

10 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Come to think of it, Zorro and Bridal Mask have a lot of similarities, both were fighting occupation of foreigners  and both will lose their loved ones

 

lol - I've heard of Zorro (and recognize his look and his mark, of course), but I'm not familiar with his actual story. So I'll take your word for it  

 

In the meantime, today, I'm whipping up the JW Drama Girls edition of Scattergories!

 

Spoiler

Scattergories - JW Drama Girls/Female Leads Edition

 

Quick rundown of the rules:

• Don't overthink this - just go with your gut response
• You are allowed to repeat or leave out any characters of your choice
• You are invited to provide reasons or further explanation for any of these, but just the name(s) is good, too.

So here goes - enjoy!

 

1. The one that I think is the best girlfriend

2. The one that would annoy me in real life

3. The one that I'd want to be best friends with

4. The one with the house/apartment I'd most want to visit

5. The one with the best fashion sense/style

6. The one that I think is the girliest

7. The one that I think is the biggest tomboy

8. The one that I'd want beside me in a fight/argument (i.e. you're working together against a common opponent)

 

[kireeti2 1,745]

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

1. The one that I think is the best girlfriend

Cha Yoon-seo- She is fun to hang out, sweet and strong at the same time. I think she as high emotional intelligence out of all the JW drama female leads, which implies that she is empathetic and understanding that's important quality to have in any partner male/female 

 

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

2. The one that would annoy me in real life

Shin Yoo-kyung- I think she is more or less like Gu Ma Jun, so I think it she is also annoying like him

 

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

3. The one that I'd want to be best friends with

Seol Nae-il- She is loyal,fun to hang out and will always be with you in good and bad times

 

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

4. The one with the house/apartment I'd most want to visit

Baek Ja-eun

 

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

5. The one with the best fashion sense/style

Han Yeo-jin- Maybe it's because of her looks, but she looks good in any outfit she choose to wear, she looked stunning even in hospital gown

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

6. The one that I think is the girliest

In Joo won's drama feel leads are not girliest, most of them are independent and strong. But if we have to pick one, it would be Baek Ja-eun, at beginning of the drama she does act girly but like a spoiled brat, eventually her character arcs into mature and understanding

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

7. The one that I think is the biggest tomboy

Well it was hard to choose between Cha Yoon-seo and princess Hye-myung, becasue both of them neck to neck in terms of tomboy behavior, but I'll choose Princess Hye-myung because she can jump high walls of her palace and can also drink well(not that these are the criteria for tomboy, but too unconventional of lady-like characters)

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

8. The one that I'd want beside me in a fight/argument (i.e. you're working together against a common opponent)

Han Yeo-jin- She'll not only win over your opponent but also destroys them,so that they'll not cause any trouble further

6 hours ago, kittyna said:

Doing the research for that particular vignette has been interesting, actually, because I was aware of some of the core ideas in Confucian thought

No wonder your writings are full of logic ,maturity and calmness

[kireeti2 1,745]

I wonder, what they are talking about? The body language of joo wonie shows that they have become pretty close and I might add they look great together with those couple-outfit . This what I like about joo won, he gets close to everyone regardless of gender, especially with his seniors. One of the reasons might be he wants to learn from them, so that he can improve his acting skills.

[kittyna 3,258]

Again, I'll do replies first, then come back with my Scattergories response.

 

6 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Shin Yoo-kyung- I think she is more or less like Gu Ma Jun, so I think it she is also annoying like him

 

I hadn't thought of that before, actually. But I see what you mean. Most of the female leads in these dramas are strong-willed, but Yu Kyung does take it to the point of being stubborn (i.e. something that could be a strength in moderation becomes a flaw when there's too much). The one thing I do know is that, despite being childhood sweethearts with Kim Tak Gu, she'd probably clash with him a lot if they actually wound up together as adults.

 

6 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Well it was hard to choose between Cha Yoon-seo and princess Hye-myung, becasue both of them neck to neck in terms of tomboy behavior, but I'll choose Princess Hye-myung because she can jump high walls of her palace and can also drink well(not that these are the criteria for tomboy, but too unconventional of lady-like characters)

 

Ooh...that is a tough choice. Can't wait for my turn  

 

6 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I wonder, what they are talking about? The body language of joo wonie shows that they have become pretty close and I might add they look great together with those couple-outfit . This what I like about joo won, he gets close to everyone regardless of gender, especially with his seniors. One of the reasons might be he wants to learn from them, so that he can improve his acting skills.

 

JW does have a certain magnetism or charm that applies specifically to when he's the hoobae or the younger person in a relationship. Whether it's in musicals, in dramas, or even just out and about in variety shows like 1D2N or Joo Won's Life Log, he just seems to appeal to his sunbaes/elders very naturally. Like, he doesn't really have to do anything because they just end up liking him anyway? Something like that.

 

Maybe it's because he was so often the youngest (or one of the youngest) growing up or in the early stages in his career - I think it was only starting from Nae Il's Cantabile that he wound up being one of the oldest in the main cast, with the leadership responsibilities that implies in Korean culture.

[kireeti2 1,745]

3 hours ago, kittyna said:

I think it was only starting from Nae Il's Cantabile that he wound up being one of the oldest in the main cast, with the leadership responsibilities that implies in Korean culture.

I can only imagine, what kind of senior he would be, Like the one who is never late for an appointment, first to come to the set and last to leave, nurturing and strict at the same time. I heard in one of his interview or in an article that he wanted  Shim Eun-kyung  to take the role for Nae-Il role. We was not wrong about her acting skills; she went to win best actress award in Japanese film academy for her role in the movie "The journalist"(First Korean actress to receive it), I pretty sure joo won would have been proud of her hearing this. Even he met BOA by acquaintance in other to give her tips for acting, unfortunately it didn't had a happy ending

[kittyna 3,258]

So here are my Scattergories responses:

 

1. The one that I think is the best girlfriend - Cha Yoon Seo

 

I love how she's always there for Park Si On: first as a mentor, then as a friend, and finally as a girlfriend. She has a really good intuitive sense of when he needs to be comforted and when he needs to be reminded or reprimanded, and I think that's a quality a girlfriend needs to be able to bring into a relationship.

 

2. The one that would annoy me in real life - Oh Mok Dan

 

As much as her tenacity can be her strength, she can also become stubbornly obsessed with her ideals and personal goals to the point of making rash decisions. I think that, in as dangerous an environment as the one in Gaksital, that would get really annoying to have to deal with on a regular basis after a while.

 

3. The one that I'd want to be best friends with - Cha Yoon Seo

 

For the same reasons as #1, so I won't say more here  

 

4. The one with the house/apartment I'd most want to visit - Han Yeo Jin

 

Personally, I think that it would be neat to be able to see what it's like to live in such a huge mansion, even if it's just once. It doesn't hurt that as far as rich K-drama characters are concerned, she actually seems to have a very classy and sophisticated sense of taste.  

 

5. The one with the best fashion sense/style - Cha Yoon Seo OR Han Yeo Jin

 

I think Cha Yoon Seo has a really nice casual "girl next door" style that's both pretty and practical/comfortable. As for Yeo Jin, she's the master of power dressing out of all of these characters: even working from home in a wheelchair, she immediately dominates the room just from her appearance (clothes, hair, makeup) alone.

 

I do want to give a quick shoutout to Hye Myung, though - period dramas are also called costume dramas for a reason  

 

6. The one that I think is the girliest - Seol Nae Il

 

She's completely obsessed with romance and also has a number of more conventionally feminine hobbies (e.g. sewing, making crafts, etc.). I also notice that she has a very feminine style of dress and seems to prefer pastel colours in her decor.

 

7. The one that I think is the biggest tomboy - Hye Myung OR Oh Mok Dan

 

While tough and independent girls seem to be the norm across JW's dramas, these two give me the biggest impression of wanting to actually be boys if they could. Hye Myung, I think goes without saying. As for Oh Mok Dan...she's actually a very tough and courageous girl for her time (plus, she actually wears pants - which was definitely unusual), and can definitely hold her own in a fight.

 

8. The one that I'd want beside me in a fight/argument (i.e. you're working together against a common opponent) - Hye Myung

 

While Yeo Jin would also be a good choice, @kireeti2, I think I'd actually be terrified of her tactics (just like Tae Hyun is in the drama); she has a tendency to go further than actual self-defence, and I'm not sure if I want that. Instead, I'm going with Hye Myung due to her wit and determination: when she believes she's doing the right thing, she's never going to give up. She thinks quickly on her feet, and can come up with the perfect comeback should I ever get stuck  

[kireeti2 1,745]

Kim Hee-sun nominated joo won to take part in  challenge for "Thanking the health workers", for their efforts in fighting covid-19. But it was started by BOA, I hope he participate in this challenge and thanks the health workers for their efforts against the fight in covid-19 pandemic. This will show his gratitude and maturity at the same time, and we'll also know that if he had moved on or not . It is also strange that BOA started this challenge after joo won made a video dedicated for thanking health workers in curbing covid-19, and also joined Tik Tok after Joo won joined, I know that I am peddling conspiracy theories, but it would be great if they get back together(A fan can only dream). Conspiracy theories aside, it is heartwarming to know that they both think in similar way.

 

[kittyna 3,258]

4 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

But it was started by BOA, I hope he participate in this challenge and thanks the health workers for their efforts against the fight in covid-19 pandemic. This will show his gratitude and maturity at the same time, and we'll also know that if he had moved on or not

 

If you think about it that way, it's not so much that participating would show JW's maturity, but that not participating would be a sign of immaturity. Like, if he's going to let a past relationship get in the way of making a gesture to thank healthcare workers...he's got issues.

 

So I don't think there's any real need to worry about JW in that respect. The only reason I could think of for turning down Kim Hee Sun's challenge would be that he's already done it once - but even that's a bit of a stretch given what we've seen of JW's character so far.

 

22 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I can only imagine, what kind of senior he would be, Like the one who is never late for an appointment, first to come to the set and last to leave, nurturing and strict at the same time.

 

We already know JW is that sort of sunbae, because UEE revealed really early on (during promotions/interviews for Ojakgyo Brothers) that he was like that in university.   She also said that JW was the sort of person who would reprimand his hoobaes in really formal language: like, many people get increasingly informal whenever they're upset (think of all those dramas where team leaders start screaming and cursing), but he did the uber-formal "I'm very disappointed" approach.

 

So JW's hoobaes - and, eventually, even his sunbaes - could never get away with slacking off, since he was that good of an example of diligence and perseverance on set.

 

22 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I heard in one of his interview or in an article that he wanted  Shim Eun-kyung  to take the role for Nae-Il role. We was not wrong about her acting skills; she went to win best actress award in Japanese film academy for her role in the movie "The journalist"(First Korean actress to receive it), I pretty sure joo won would have been proud of her hearing this.

 

I know that JW wanted Eun Kyung for Nae Il's Cantabile, and he also wanted Choi Kang Hee for Level 7 Civil Servant. I'm not sure what that says about his track record for choosing co-stars, to be honest, because both casting decisions wound up rather controversial. I do think JW knew what he visualized in the female leads and he had his ideas on who would do a good job portraying them, but I know that SEK wound up being heavily criticized for her performance and CKH for the age gap.

 

Mind you, Nae Il is, in my opinion, a really tough role to play, and SEK didn't have things easy: it was her first real acting role as an adult, and transitioning from being a child star to an adult actor is rough under any circumstances. Add that to the general "you can't please everyone" vibe of a drama remake or adaptation (i.e. you either alienate original fans of the Japanese version by changing things, or you put off potential new audiences by adhering to a Japanese comedic style - which is very different from the Korean one), and it was hard to strike a balance at all. Whether Nae Il's Cantabile succeeded as a general whole is not for me to judge: I haven't watched the Japanese version, so I have nothing to compare it to. But what I did observe is how the director and actors changed styles while filming, making some of Nae Il's quirkier moments feel really unnatural and over-the-top in contrast. Cha Yoo Jin (i.e. JW) definitely got the easier end of the deal here.

 

Finally, just because I can, here are a couple more little snippets from the fic I'm working on. Since we already know what this is going to be about now, I won't hide the names like I did earlier:

 

Spoiler

Eomeonim freezes, her switch caught mid-air, when I throw open the doors to her room and step inside. Pointedly ignoring her, I look over at my son.

 

“Come here, Ma Jun-ah; it’s alright.”

 

He doesn’t need to be told twice, bursting into tears as he runs into my arms as quickly as his smarting trembling legs would allow. “Eo-eomma,” he sobs, “Halmeoni, she….”

 

“Hush now,” I whisper soothingly, patting him gently on the head. “I understand. Go to your room, and forget everything that’s happened here; I’ll be with you in a moment.”

 

Only after Ma Jun has run out of the room, one hand roughly brushing away his tears, do I turn around to face my mother-in-law.

 

“Oho,” she harrumphs, a strange sound from a different time. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on? You think you can simply barge in here and do whatever you want now?”

 

“And what’s wrong with that?” I retort. “When it comes to the business, or how this house is run, I won’t interfere. But I’m Ma Jun’s mother: it’s my right to decide how to bring him up.”

 

“That’s the problem with you and your generation: stubborn, ungrateful, no respect for your elders whatsoever.” She glowers up at me. “You’re lucky I raised my son better than that. I raised him to value diligence and to appreciate the hard work of others.”

 

I sneer. “And to seek out a mistress when his wife had two daughters in a row.”

 

Her jaw drops. “Mwo?! How dare you–”

 

“Enough, Eomeonim!” I snap, my voice finally rising into the shrill shriek that annoys her the most. “I did what you asked! I gave you a grandson! And if you only knew what I went through–”

 

I stop myself mid-sentence, cursing mentally at how close I’d come to blurting out my secret.

 

~~~

 

“Ya, Maknae-yah – cut that out, you’re making a mess. Look at how neat your brother is.”

 

Tae Pil freezes, his starch-covered hands just inches apart. Lips pressed together sheepishly, he glances cautiously at me, then at Tae Hui beside him, who’s still busy carefully spreading a thin layer of starch on the table. For a second, it looks like he’s actually going to obey, but then, as always, he lets loose again, clapping his hands repeatedly. “But Eomma!” he says, crowing with laughter, “It’s snowing!”

 

The sudden cloud of starch in the air startles Tae Hui. He turns towards Tae Pil with a visible jolt, staring wide-eyed as the white powder lands in a light covering over both of them. As Tae Pil giggles, ignoring my orders for him to stop, Tae Hui looks carefully between his younger brother and the starch in front of him. Then, to my astonishment, he carefully presses both hands down on the table and gives a single resounding clap.

 

Tae Pil’s giggles turn into a shriek of laughter as I gape at the new troublemaker. “Ya, Hwang Tae Hui,” I gasp. “Not you, too – what will your Halmeoni say?”

 

“Gwenchana, Tae Sik’s mother,” my mother-in-law replies, still stirring the rapidly thickening glutinous rice mixture without even skipping a beat. “What young boys don’t enjoy making a mess every now and again?” She looks pointedly at them. “As long as they’re willing to clean up after themselves, let the little monkeys have their fun.”

 

Tae Hui nods in silent agreement, but Tae Pil pipes up. “Silly Halmeoni, we’re not monkeys. Hyung’s born in the year of the dog, and I’m a piggy.” Like most five-year-olds, he immediately starts oinking to prove his point.

 

His older brother looks him over, pouting slightly with how deeply he’s thinking. “But you can’t be a pig, Tae Pil-ah – you’re not fat.”

 

“I can be,” he chirps back, spreading his arms wide, “if I eat all this food.”

 

So if you're counting, that means I've got five down, with three more to go  

[kireeti2 1,745]

3 hours ago, kittyna said:

So if you're counting, that means I've got five down, with three more to go  

Are you making mash-up of all the series of Joo won?

 

3 hours ago, kittyna said:

JW was the sort of person who would reprimand his hoobaes in really formal language: like, many people get increasingly informal whenever they're upset (think of all those dramas where team leaders start screaming and cursing), but he did the uber-formal "I'm very disappointed" approach.

It shows that joo won can be trusted with giving him power/authority. When Yoo Hae-jin said that joo won was very upright person and never compromises on his values, I thought it was just for show, but the more I get to know him, the more I have started respect him not only for his acting but also for his principle and always staying the way he was, I mean retaining his down-to-earth nature, not many

people can handle fame that they get from film/drama industry(if you know what I mean), I guess his handling of fame can also be attributed to his family.

3 hours ago, kittyna said:

So JW's hoobaes - and, eventually, even his sunbaes - could never get away with slacking off, since he was that good of an example of diligence and perseverance on set.

This is my personal opinion, but I like how he keeps his relationship with his hoobaes strictly professional, especially with female actors. In some cases seniors would start relationship with their juniors, which I find it a bit hard to digest/accept(only in cases of huge age gap like 10 years or more)

[kireeti2 1,745]

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

So I don't think there's any real need to worry about JW in that respect. The only reason I could think of for turning down Kim Hee Sun's challenge would be that he's already done it once - but even that's a bit of a stretch given what we've seen of JW's character so far.

I really hope joo won will  participate in challenge. It's gesture for thanking health workers for their fight in curbing covid-19 virus. But I think joo won's  video is different from challenge, it is more like a spreading awareness to wash your hands for 20 secs, wear mask when your sick and practice physical distancing.

[kittyna 3,258]

2 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Are you making mash-up of all the series of Joo won?

 

Bingo!  Which is why this probably won't be done in time for Mother's Day on Sunday - kinda hard to come up with eight mini-fics in a short time frame, especially since it's a first time for me with some of these dramas. Still, it's been fun so far, and at least it's not an actual crossover (i.e. characters from multiple shows interacting with each other in the same space). That would get really confusing!

 

Also, I will have something else fun ready in time for Mother's Day itself despite this delay - so stay tuned for that later this weekend! 

 

2 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

It shows that joo won can be trusted with giving him power/authority. When Yoo Hae-jin said that joo won was very upright person and never compromises on his values, I thought it was just for show, but the more I get to know him, the more I have started respect him not only for his acting but also for his principle and always staying the way he was, I mean retaining his down-to-earth nature, not many

people can handle fame that they get from film/drama industry(if you know what I mean), I guess his handling of fame can also be attributed to his family.

 

If nothing else, he knows why he wanted to go into acting in the first place, and that hasn't changed regardless of how famous (or not) he is.

 

Granted, there have been plenty of times where JW's characters/roles have done things that would most probably go against his own personal morals (Sweet Sixteen - the Chinese film - is the most notable example, but I think a number of others apply here as well), but the thing I appreciate about JW as an actor is that he can clearly distinguish between his character and himself. It was, I'll admit, the exact opposite of what I expected an overtly Christian actor would do (since I grew up with the whole "What Would Jesus Do?" movement and that could entail turning down roles that were morally sketchy), but seeing the contrast between dark/immoral characters and JW being the real-life marshmallow that he is has helped a lot  

 

And I don't say "real-life marshmallow" lightly - it's been said that he's pretty much Park Si On minus the autism  So, good-natured, idealistic, innocent in his motives when dealing with others, but still with a clear personal sense of right/wrong.

 

2 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

This is my personal opinion, but I like how he keeps his relationship with his hoobaes strictly professional, especially with female actors. In some cases seniors would start relationship with their juniors, which I find it a bit hard to digest/accept(only in cases of huge age gap like 10 years or more)

 

lol - I like that JW tends to aim for friendship with his co-stars first. Whether any feelings develop after that point is his business; I don't think it's impossible, but whether or not he does is, again, his life and his choice.

 

Mind you, people will talk and try to ship actors/actresses anyway. And that annoys me to no end because I perceive that as a huge violation of the actors' privacy and a lack of respect for them as actual human beings.

 

2 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I really hope joo won will  participate in challenge. It's gesture for thanking health workers for their fight in curbing covid-19 virus. But I think joo won's  video is different from challenge, it is more like a spreading awareness to wash your hands for 20 secs, wear mask when your sick and practice physical distancing.

 

I see. In that case, I'd like that, too - but even more than that, I want it to be genuine. The thing about challenges like this is that there's so much pressure to conform (because people fear others would think of them as bad or uncaring if they don't participate), and when it's celebrities involved, that effect just gets magnified. So, from that standpoint, if JW wants to do it, then I'm all for that; but if he doesn't, then I won't question his decision either.

[kireeti2 1,745]

5 hours ago, kittyna said:

Granted, there have been plenty of times where JW's characters/roles have done things that would most probably go against his own personal morals (Sweet Sixteen - the Chinese film - is the most notable example, but I think a number of others apply here as well), but the thing I appreciate about JW as an actor is that he can clearly distinguish between his character and himself. It was, I'll admit, the exact opposite of what I expected an overtly Christian actor would do (since I grew up with the whole "What Would Jesus Do?" movement and that could entail turning down roles that were morally sketchy), but seeing the contrast between dark/immoral characters and JW being the real-life marshmallow that he is has helped a lot  

 

And I don't say "real-life marshmallow" lightly - it's been said that he's pretty much Park Si On minus the autism  So, good-natured, idealistic, innocent in his motives when dealing with others, but still with a clear personal sense of right/wrong.

In my personal opinion, joo won would be an excellent antagonist, In sweet sixteen movie he just blew my mind, seeing him do such role made me appreciate more for his acting skills, but like you said his real-life marshmallow character of his was holding him back to give his 100%, that's what I felt about his role as an antagonist. Nevertheless, he can total own any character given to him.

 

5 hours ago, kittyna said:

Mind you, people will talk and try to ship actors/actresses anyway

Yeah, that shipping business is okay as long as it stay with their roles, but people take it a bit further by shipping them in real life. If an actor falls in love with every co-actor he acts with then we would rendered useless. But in joo won's its like open book, he would said he had developed feelings for his co-actor, but it is only to bring his character to life, and also with UEE he said he wouldn't had mind dating her, but they remained as only friends.

5 hours ago, kittyna said:

I see. In that case, I'd like that, too - but even more than that, I want it to be genuine. The thing about challenges like this is that there's so much pressure to conform (because people fear others would think of them as bad or uncaring if they don't participate), and when it's celebrities involved, that effect just gets magnified. So, from that standpoint, if JW wants to do it, then I'm all for that; but if he doesn't, then I won't question his decision either.

I think joo won is too nice of a guy to reject his senior's request , I will also support him no matter what is decides to do.

 

5 hours ago, kittyna said:

it's been said that he's pretty much Park Si On minus the autism  So, good-natured, idealistic, innocent in his motives when dealing with others, but still with a clear personal sense of right/wrong.

I think in an date interview of KBS, he did said he is close to Si-on's character. I too agree with him, we can also see his similarities in 2Days 1night program, but I do think now he might have changed a lot, I meant in terms of maturity.

[kireeti2 1,745]

This off topic: For what its woth, I am glad Joo won doesn't have toxic fans like other stars, and glad he is not a Korean-wave stars. In the name of Korean-wave star, fans are just attacking everyone for the failure of TKEM, no one is talking about his acting, like all he did was just stand,sit,smile and walk,that's it, no change in his facial expression, on top of that, they are blaming female lead for the failure, saying things like: She is annoying,no chemistry,not pretty enough. For god sake, she learnt to do Taekwondo for this series, and her acting is far superior than male leads. By looking at the comment section and the way his fans are blaming everyone except the male lead's performance, shows the amount of ignorance and lack of sensibility.

https://www.soompi.com/article/1399166wpp/the-world-of-the-married-remains-no-1-as-the-king-eternal-monarch-falls-to-its-lowest-ratings-yet

 

[kittyna 3,258]

9 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

In my personal opinion, joo won would be an excellent antagonist, In sweet sixteen movie he just blew my mind, seeing him do such role made me appreciate more for his acting skills, but like you said his real-life marshmallow character of his was holding him back to give his 100%, that's what I felt about his role as an antagonist. Nevertheless, he can total own any character given to him.

 

Considering that his first K-drama role was as an antagonist, I don't think anybody can dispute that  I don't know how much credit should go to the screenwriter, the director, or JW himself, but together, they managed to make Gu Ma Jun a really three-dimensional character, as far as villains went. Yes, there were times when Ma Jun's actions or reactions were exaggerated (like, he's clearly overreacting to what's happening in those moments or he's clearly trying too hard to push Kim Tak Gu down), but everyone involved managed to pull it off in such a way that you can't help but feel some sort of sympathy for Ma Jun. Or, at least in my case, you want to see him repent rather than get punished.

 

As for other antagonistic roles, I think the closest JW's come to that would be Sweet Sixteen, but Gaksital (at least the beginning) would be a close second. I haven't watched Sweet Sixteen, but from what I heard, the script originally had JW's character be more three-dimensional as well (or, at least, he was able to imply that in this interview - I timed it to start at the moment I wanted, but the whole thing's worth watching)...but then, a lot of his scenes didn't make it into the final cut of the film, so you really just end up with him as the bad guy. I'm...not sure that's what he signed up for, to be honest, but I guess that's life.

 

9 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Yeah, that shipping business is okay as long as it stay with their roles, but people take it a bit further by shipping them in real life. If an actor falls in love with every co-actor he acts with then we would rendered useless. But in joo won's its like open book, he would said he had developed feelings for his co-actor, but it is only to bring his character to life, and also with UEE he said he wouldn't had mind dating her, but they remained as only friends.

 

He's said numerous times that developing feelings while shooting is natural/normal for him, but that the real test of those feelings would be how long they last afterwards. I do think it's possible he went from feelings as an actor to an actual crush/being in love in some instances, but what - if anything - comes out of that depends on so many other factors, too: schedules, contractual obligations (e.g. I remember UEE saying in reference to dating JW that she's an "idol star", so maybe there were restrictions on whether she could date publicly), the actress's feelings (e.g. Choi Kang Hee saying that she's not interested in dating a fellow celebrity at all,;Moon Chae Won saying it won't happen because she and JW have the same surname and therefore might be related; Kim Tae Hee already being happily with Rain), etc.

 

9 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I think in an date interview of KBS, he did said he is close to Si-on's character. I too agree with him, we can also see his similarities in 2Days 1night program, but I do think now he might have changed a lot, I meant in terms of maturity.

 

If all a person saw of JW's real life persona was 1N2D, then they would end up getting really confused by, say, his performance during his enlistment.  People are allowed to grow and evolve over time - actually, they should. So why shouldn't that hold true for someone like JW as well?

 

That's one thing I like about JW's publicity, actually: he doesn't do as many interviews/variety shows as your typical Hallyu star, but what he does are spaced out really nicely, so you can see how he's grown as a person. The cute maknae from 1N2D (2012-2013) and Win Win (2012) is very different from the self-assured and confident young man you see in Healing Camp (2015). And he's let fans in on that whole process.  

 

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

This off topic: For what its woth, I am glad Joo won doesn't have toxic fans like other stars, and glad he is not a Korean-wave stars.

 

JW made it clear really early in his career that he wouldn't tolerate toxicity or rivalries among his fans. He encourages his fans to be kind to each other, but also (and this can be the real challenge in Korea) to other celebrities and their fans.

 

The Hallyu fandom culture (whether at-home or international) expects extreme loyalty from fans: like, your bias can do no wrong, and anyone (even a fan) who says so is a hater who's trying to take them down. That even extends to situations where, really, things can go wrong without anyone being at fault, like low ratings: that's not anyone doing anything wrong, but people get really worked up about it anyway and want to blame something or someone for their bias's drama not doing as well as anticipated. To be fair, I can't rule out the possibility that that same fandom culture was a factor behind comments about, say, Shim Eun Kyung's acting when Nae Il's Cantabile didn't do well.

 

As for me personally, I actually go the other way: if I choose to like someone as a person, it's only because that person's character has managed to earn my respect. As a result, I tend to view my biases more critically than I do anyone else: like, I really don't care if other celebrities commit crimes or get into scandals, but I do expect someone like JW not to (and if he ever does, my caring for him would be the same that you see with Kim Tae Hyun: I'd withdraw from the fandom until he's earned my respect back again).

 

Incidentally, one of the unexpected results of JW's wishes for his fans has been his relative underdog status as a Hallyu star. We see from the size of his fandom that, really, he could be up there if he wants to be. But what's happened is that his fans are generally more quiet online in things like popularity polls/surveys, chat forums, etc. And so the news media, merchandise manufacturers/retailers, etc. tend not to notice him.

 

Finally, I want to end off with this funny moment from the Alice set:

 

 

I don't know what his team was up to...but what???

[kireeti2 1,745]

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

Shim Eun Kyung's acting when Nae Il's Cantabile didn't do well

This was exactly on my mind when  was writing about the topic, she got blamed fro not reason. Her depiction of Nae-il was flawless. It was sloppy editing and writers issues. I have seen the Japanese version also, both were similar except the ending part and in Japanese version Nae-il family got more screen time, perhaps doing the same thing in Korean version would have been a hit. Fun fact: Naeil in Japanese version played as cha yoon-seo of Japanese version good doctor.

It also amazes me that Joo won has Japan fan base also, we can say he is more popular in Japan than in south Korea, thanks to his Good Doctor drama. This despite starring in an anti-Japan drama, speaks volumes of his PR management.

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

anyone else: like, I really don't care if other celebrities commit crimes or get into scandals

Are you pointing at "Burning scandal"? I was really baffled that people were supporting them despite knowing that they have committed a crime, Sharing pictures of women online serious crime(because you cannot delete them once it goes online, it is forever online as long as internet exist), regardless of the profession of those women. I don't even want to take those criminals name, The language which he used in chatting room was just like a sexual predator, and people were upset, not because of scandal, but the shows in which those criminals were participating got cancelled, this was the first thing they can think about, not the safety of the young girls/women who'll be joining in film/drama industry

 

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

Incidentally, one of the unexpected results of JW's wishes for his fans has been his relative underdog status as a Hallyu star. We see from the size of his fandom that, really, he could be up there if he wants to be. But what's happened is that his fans are generally more quiet online in things like popularity polls/surveys, chat forums, etc. And so the news media, merchandise manufacturers/retailers, etc. tend not to notice him

I think that underdog status is blessing in disguise, because the more fans base he has the more possibility of toxic fans. Even his break-up was smooth in media is because of less fan base, nevertheless, I do want his dramas to succeed and win lot of awards.

 

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

JW made it clear really early in his career that he wouldn't tolerate toxicity or rivalries among his fans. He encourages his fans to be kind to each other, but also (and this can be the real challenge in Korea) to other celebrities and their fans.

I didn't know that, I am recent fan of Joo won, like I was introduced into Kdrama world last October courtesy Good Doctor. But I am glad joo won made it clear.

 

2 hours ago, kittyna said:

I don't know what his team was up to...but what???

I think they were trying to cool him down, joo won is really sensitive to heat, you can see it in "Fatal Intuition" movie BTS. His team really adores him and he also loves them very much, because those are only people with which he spends his time a lot. But I do wish he would find his soulmate or at least partner with which he can stay for rest of his, and want to see him in "The return of superman" variety show with his kids(I am rooting for him to have daughters)

[kittyna 3,258]

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

This was exactly on my mind when  was writing about the topic, she got blamed fro not reason. Her depiction of Nae-il was flawless. It was sloppy editing and writers issues. I have seen the Japanese version also, both were similar except the ending part and in Japanese version Nae-il family got more screen time, perhaps doing the same thing in Korean version would have been a hit.

 

Yeah, adding more about Nae Il's family would have been fun - even if just showing phone conversations or things like that. From what little we see, her mom sounds like just as much of a fun character as Yoo Jin's mom is, and their way of messing with Yoo Jin during that brief visit was hilarious.  (Yes, Yoo Jin is my favourite out of all of JW's characters to tease, which you might have figured out from my fics already - sorry not sorry )

 

As for Shim Eun Kyung's acting, I think she did fine with what she was given. Any flaws in her portrayal, I took to be flaws in Nae Il's character - but that's also what was fun about it. Nae Il isn't perfect: she is that "extra" and over-the-top and she is the sort of character who means well, but ends up unintentionally selfish as a result (i.e. she focuses so much on what she wants in a friendship or a romantic relationship that she's slow to sense what other people might actually want or need). So I can see why some viewers were put off by Nae Il as a character - but pinning that solely on Shim Eun Kyung as an actress isn't entirely fair.

 

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

It also amazes me that Joo won has Japan fan base also, we can say he is more popular in Japan than in south Korea, thanks to his Good Doctor drama. This despite starring in an anti-Japan drama, speaks volumes of his PR management.

 

Actually, JW has a huge fan base in Korea, too. I don't know exact numbers or anything, but that's at least partially reflected in his "Prince of Ratings" reputation: since ratings are compiled by observing Korean audiences, it's telling that he tends to do really well there. For example, back in 2015, there was this article listing JW as one of the top Korean actors in his peer group - not for international/Hallyu popularity, but for how well-received he was back home. (The comments section of that article is a riot, though - you'll want to take it with a grain of salt, even the ones praising JW)

 

Which is why, say, finding information about JW in English-language Hallyu news sites or finding JW-themed merchandise in Seoul (trust me: I tried) is tough. Those are things that appeal to international fans, and JW's always been a bit of the underdog there - but what he has instead is a very loyal domestic/Korean following, among guys and girls alike (even more so now with how well he did during his enlistment).

 

In regards to Japan more specifically, with the exception of Gaksital (which does, interestingly enough, still have its Japanese fans, too - they like his acting range), most of JW's dramas have really taken off. It started with King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu (such that when it was released in Japan, JW and Yoon Si Yoon did a whole promo trip there), and continued with Level 7 Civil Servant (for which he hosted a fanmeeting in Tokyo), Good Doctor, and so on.

 

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

Are you pointing at "Burning scandal"? I was really baffled that people were supporting them despite knowing that they have committed a crime,

 

Not just Burning Sun, but others as well. I've been watching K-dramas since 2015, so I've seen my fair share of these scandals, court cases, etc. centred around drug offenses, sexual harassment/assault, prostitution, people just being general jerks online...you get the idea. I don't like it - I started off with Hallyu in hopes that I could get away from all that stuff, since it's so prevalent in Western entertainment industry circles - but, well, Korean celebrities are still human, with all the vices that could bring.

 

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

people were upset, not because of scandal, but the shows in which those criminals were participating got cancelled, this was the first thing they can think about, not the safety of the young girls/women who'll be joining in film/drama industry

 

To be fair, I can understand the frustration about show cancellations to some extent, because cancelling a show doesn't just penalize the cast/crew member who committed the offense, but everybody else who was involved with it as well. So, say, 1N2D was one of the casualties of the Burning Sun scandal specifically - and while you could say that's fair consequences for the cast member who did wrong, what about those who were innocent? So as far as that's concerned, I can understand.

 

K-entertainment scandals can get really crazy really fast, and it's happened before that fans and anti-fans alike get really vindictive and start pointing fingers everywhere. Celebrities who do wrong are implicated, of course, but so are their friends and associates - e.g. again with Burning Sun, before the full list of the celebrities involved was released, netizens were speculating about a whole ton of other celebrities (who turned out to be innocent) simply because they were friends with one person in that group. It was nuts, and comment sections of articles got really toxic (like, people tried to cover things up by using initials rather than names, but imagine, hypothetically, someone saying, "So-and-so took those pictures and shared them with his friend - and you know who hangs out with him a lot? JW.")

 

Not that anyone implicated JW in this process; I'm just using his initials as an example of what it'd feel like to read comments like this before anything's been confirmed by law enforcement  

 

So on top of being offended - and rightfully so - at those who do wrong, we also need to be careful not to punish either the victims (whose names also apparently got leaked online - like, ew) and innocents who just happened to know the perpetrators. And I will admit to feeling genuinely anxious if someone who has some connection with JW gets into a scandal - because this sort of thing really does happen.

 

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

I think they were trying to cool him down, joo won is really sensitive to heat, you can see it in "Fatal Intuition" movie BTS.

 

I see - thanks for the heads-up. I didn't know that  

 

7 hours ago, kireeti2 said:

But I do wish he would find his soulmate or at least partner with which he can stay for rest of his, and want to see him in "The return of superman" variety show with his kids(I am rooting for him to have daughters)

 

Aw...that'd be cute. Sometimes I hope that JW could appear on a show like Return of Superman as a one-time guest, but it hasn't happened yet.

[kittyna 3,258]

So I said that I would put together an interactive for Mother's Day this weekend (since the fic's not finished yet). Well, I hope you guys aren't sick of this format yet, because it's another round of Scattergories.

 

Spoiler

For those who prefer the tournament-style polls instead, don't worry - there will be one coming in the future. It's just not the sort of thing I can run with just a couple of days' notice  

 

Since this is in celebration of Mother's Day, the questions are all going to be somewhat related to that theme:

 

Spoiler

Scattergories - Mother's Day Edition

 

Quick rundown of the rules:

• Read the prompts carefully: questions might be about the JW drama girl (i.e. the female lead), the JW drama mom (i.e. the mother of JW's character), or both! (I'll put those words in bold to make it easier)
• Don't overthink this - just go with your gut response
• You are allowed to repeat or leave out any characters of your choice
• You are invited to provide reasons or further explanation for any of these, but just the names or a description (e.g. "so-and-so's mom" - since not all of them are actually named) is fine

So here goes - enjoy!

 

1. My favourite JW drama mom

2. My least favourite JW drama mom

3. My favourite mother-son relationship in a JW drama

4. The JW drama mom nobody should mess with

5. The JW drama girl who I'd most want to see as a mom

6. The JW drama mom(s) who's the most like mine

7. The JW drama mom who I'd want to become friends with (note: just friends - you don't have to want to be her kid)

8. My favourite "mother-in-law"/"daughter-in-law" relationship (i.e. your favourite relationship between a JW drama girl AND a JW drama mom)

 

That's it for now - enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!