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

[Tasia]

Taken from IG Story of account @uuujooo7 in Instagram 

Credit to owner (who captured the IG Story and posted it on their instagram.

Thanks, @midori.zumoon  

 

Even his back is sexy.. 

 

 

[tokkimoon]

4 hours ago, Tasia said:

Taken from IG Story of account @uuujooo7 in Instagram 

Credit to owner (who captured the IG Story and posted it on their instagram.

Thanks, @midori.zumoon  

Even his back is sexy.. 

 

You know the one thing that is cool about Joo Won is his sense of creativity.
His instagram pictures are always so aesthetic.
Too bad he didn't post this picture he was taking... lol... or maybe he will post it later.
I wish my instagram photos came off chic as his, heck... even my selfie game is not up to par as his. Lol.
He takes the coolest artsy photos! I'm just glad he even has an instagram.

Remember the days where we would wait for a tweet on twitter or a selfie on Weibo? LOL.

Also... that picture makes me want to hug him from behind.

[Tasia]

20 minutes ago, tokkimoon said:

Also... that picture makes me want to hug him from behind.

 

Same feeling here  @tokkimoon Hahahaha 

Group back hug?? 

[kittyna]

15 hours ago, tokkimoon said:

You know the one thing that is cool about Joo Won is his sense of creativity.
His instagram pictures are always so aesthetic.
Too bad he didn't post this picture he was taking... lol... or maybe he will post it later.
I wish my instagram photos came off chic as his, heck... even my selfie game is not up to par as his. Lol.
He takes the coolest artsy photos! I'm just glad he even has an instagram.

 

I don't remember which of JW's fans on Instagram noted this, but they observed that most of JW's Instagram posts fall into three categories:

1. Working out
2. Food
3. Aesthetic shots

Which, in combination, is so typically "JW" that I'm really not surprised  

 

15 hours ago, tokkimoon said:

Also... that picture makes me want to hug him from behind.

 

14 hours ago, Tasia said:

Same feeling here  @tokkimoon Hahahaha 

Group back hug?? 

 

Lol - you guys are going on about backhugs, and I'm just like, "I'd count myself lucky just to be on that balcony with him at all...."

[Tasia]

Yeah...  @kittyna  I guess I was just bluffing...

I fainted when I did see JW in front of me (and it's from afar!!)  

But it really was a memorable memory... To be in the same room with him... To see him in person (although from afar).. 

Gosh....

 

[kittyna]

9 hours ago, Tasia said:

I fainted when I did see JW in front of me (and it's from afar!!)  

But it really was a memorable memory... To be in the same room with him... To see him in person (although from afar).. 

Gosh....

 

Maybe you already shared the story when I was on hiatus, but now I wanna hear it  Please?

 

Also, while I can't do the daily pics posts I used to, I do want to contribute something. Again, I don't know if someone's already shared this, but this is my favourite piece of JW fanart that I came across during my Soompi hiatus. Most of their art is for BTS, but as you can see in the description, this was a gift:

 

 

[Tasia]

Oh ok @kittyna

I think I did share that on Soompi, but I couldn't find it since it happened in 2015...

On October 10, 2015, Joo Won visited Singapore...

It was a Saturday... he was scheduled to come at around 7:30 PM at Suntec City.

I went there at around 10:00 AM, together with some of Joo Won's fans from Soompi... Known as Joo Won Cutie International Fan Club... 

 

Joo Won was here for the Fan Meeting for Yong Pal, and he was scheduled to have a Meet and Greet at Suntec City. 

There were some fans had queued before us.. We were at the 4th line on the front row...

 

It was my first time in my almost 40 yrs of life joining this kind of event, but it was just so exciting...

So we waited, while keeping track of Joo Won from the social media... Whether he had landed in Singapore or not, were there anyone welcoming him at the airport, where he was heading, etc etc...

More and more people came and queued... It was just incredible...

Youngsters, middle-aged, even little girls! He sure has a lot of fans!!!

 

He came a bit later than scheduled... 

When he came, we screamed our lung out and he walked handsomely and waved and smiled at every directions...

He was more handsome in real life... He's just so handsome...

We screamed when he waved at us... when he greeted us... We just couldn't content the excitement to see him and just scream his name over and over again...

His voice when he greeted us was so... handsome...

He spotted one of our chingus who had been a loyal fan of Joo Won and followed Joo Won's every concert, who flew from KL on that day just to see Joo Won... and he smiled and he waved at her... He didn't wave at me, but I felt his warmth on his smile and gaze. (I could feel it because that chingu was standing next to me.)

Gosh... It's so thrilling... 

 

However............

Unfortunately due to my condition, I blacked out in the middle of the crowd... 

Next thing I knew, 2 guards dragged me out of the crowd... And that was it. 

I didn't regret it at all...

I was so, so glad to see him in person..

To breathe the same air under the same building... 

It was just a remarkable moment in my life... 

 

PS: you can read it also in the blog: 
https://joowoncutie.wordpress.com/2015/10/13/joo-won-in-singapore-fan-account/#more-4023

It was created by our chingu, @Ma_Oo who is apparently not in Soompi anymore.... (Miss you chingu!!)

[kittyna]

That sounds like quite an overwhelming experience. I do remember, the one time I went to Korea on vacation, having to dodge out of the way of a bunch of fans who were rushing to see their idol in the Incheon airport - to this day, I still have no idea who it was, but just remember how quickly they ran over with their cameras...and then how quickly it was all over and everything went back to normal. This happened the day I arrived, so it was quite a welcome to Korea, if I may say so

 

1 hour ago, Tasia said:

However............

Unfortunately due to my condition, I blacked out in the middle of the crowd... 

Next thing I knew, 2 guards dragged me out of the crowd... And that was it. 

I didn't regret it at all...

I was so, so glad to see him in person..

To breathe the same air under the same building... 

It was just a remarkable moment in my life... 

 

Well, I know it cut your moment short, but I am glad the security did that and that you were okay. Passing out in the middle of a crowd sounds pretty dangerous.... 

 

1 hour ago, Tasia said:

His voice when he greeted us was so... handsome...

 

Just have to pick this comment out, because I agree. I really like his singing voice (of course), but also his speaking voice. It just sounds really warm and inviting normally...and then (when he's acting) he might start yelling or screaming and then I'm like, "Dang...how does such a gentle-sounding voice suddenly sound so harsh?"

 

Okay, I do have my hypothesis on the whys of that, but it's not something I want to go into here....

 

Point is: quite a distinctive voice  

[kittyna]

Just came across this on Instagram:

 

 

And, well, it got me thinking. First of all, there seems to be a bit of confusion as to which character JW is playing here (the post says "Good Doctor", but that's definitely "Yong Pal"). But secondly, and probably more fun for this forum....

 

Both Park Si On and Kim Tae Hyun are good doctors, whether we mean in terms of skill or character. But if you're not feeling well, who would you rather call?

[flutterby06]

On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 8:49 AM, Tasia said:

Yeah...  @kittyna  I guess I was just bluffing...

I fainted when I did see JW in front of me (and it's from afar!!)  

But it really was a memorable memory... To be in the same room with him... To see him in person (although from afar).. 

Gosh....

 

Woah..It must be overwhelming.

I don't think I'll ever get a chance to see JW. Visiting Korea by matching time with JW's schedule, needs lots of arrangement and I'm the lazy type. But when JW was in the Military and news came that JW will be participating in army fest I was lik "woah! Such a nice way to meet JW without much hassle..I wish I could grab the opportunity."

 

The only international celebrity person I saw is Lionel Messi.. I don't think I should say "saw" it was more like "was present in the same stadium". I was opposite of the field where Team Argentina is practicing. I am not really a Sports lover but I admire Messi a lot. He came in our country for a friendly match in 2011. Ticket price was quite high and ticket was scarce. So I decided to just go for the practice session thinking at least I'd get to see him. Messi has a unique physical structure. So no matter how far he is, one could easily see him..It still feels like a dream!

 

And to us JW fans it's most probably the same. No matter how far he is, being in his presence will definitely give a dreamlike feeling. JW usually appears as a cute down to earth person. I wonder how some of those international fans who almost always present in his events deals with this regularly..the feeling must be amazing! 

 

On ‎9‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 5:22 PM, kittyna said:

Both Park Si On and Kim Tae Hyun are good doctors, whether we mean in terms of skill or character. But if you're not feeling well, who would you rather call?

 

I've nothing to say in terms of Skills. But Character wise..

 

Park Shi On.. He's someone who will be more like a cute friend with whom I can had a good laugh. Park Si On can be cute, cool, and compassionate and spending time will be really relaxing and comfortable. You know he's a good buy but it takes a bit more time to fathom the intelligent side of Park Si Won underneath the childlike persona. So I'll adore him since the beginning but won't be attracted right away.

 

On the other hand Kim Tae Hyun is a humorous guy but his confident persona and charming self is enough to attract someone without much effort. That will be overwhelming in my case. I'm not saying that Kim Tae Hyun is not a friendly guy rather just pointing out his persona to charm people in a different and instant way. And I may not be ready to fall in love just after meeting a person few times. 

 

What I love about both is they they are both down to earth persons. They're also persons who are happy with little things in life. I love those kind of person who despite having a difficult life doesn't complain much and full of hope. Special mention to Kim Tae Hyun in this regard: I'm proud of him how he left Yeo Jin's palace when he saw how that place can have a twisted effect on people. He knew exactly what he wants and doesn't want in his life. He was like " I love you. But I hate this. So I don't want to kill my love for you in such a way. So call me when you're ready to leave this twisted life. I'll wait." He's a keeper. 

 

Oh I can't praise both enough...But yeah Park Si On. 

 

Here's a sneak peak of JW's interview of Garzia, Korea. Answering questions using Five Syllable ..

 

 

Handsome Joo Won looking way too much handsome for Brentwood..

 

 

Why is his side profile soo ...

 

 

[kittyna]

I'll get to replying in a sec, but before that....

 

The birthday mural's ready!

 

 

 

I think it's cute that this is the annual thing that JW's fans do for his birthday - the art's always so heartwarming and wholesome in style, and it's clear they have so much fun with it.  

 

I do have something planned for the birthday - but since it's still the morning of Sept. 29 for me here (crazy time zones), I'll wait until tomorrow.

 

7 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

The only international celebrity person I saw is Lionel Messi.. I don't think I should say "saw" it was more like "was present in the same stadium". I was opposite of the field where Team Argentina is practicing. I am not really a Sports lover but I admire Messi a lot. He came in our country for a friendly match in 2011. Ticket price was quite high and ticket was scarce. So I decided to just go for the practice session thinking at least I'd get to see him. Messi has a unique physical structure. So no matter how far he is, one could easily see him..It still feels like a dream!

 

And to us JW fans it's most probably the same. No matter how far he is, being in his presence will definitely give a dreamlike feeling. JW usually appears as a cute down to earth person. I wonder how some of those international fans who almost always present in his events deals with this regularly..the feeling must be amazing! 

 

I've never had a chance to meet a celebrity in real life before - not up close, anyway. The closest I've been would be something similar to what you describe: watching a musical with a famous musical theatre actor playing the lead, and watching a figure skating show featuring Canada's most recent Olympic medalists (which was really awesome - I was way up on the balcony, but still got a thrill knowing I was watching the routine that had won us gold at Pyeongchang last year)

 

Spoiler

Putting this in spoilers since it's not directly JW-related - but if anyone wants to see the routine in question, it's right here:

 

 

 

Still, I sometimes do wonder what it would be like to have an up-close encounter - with any famous person, really, but I also know myself well enough to know that I'd be more likely to recognize a Korean actor than a good number of the popular Hollywood ones now. But I don't know if anyone I know has actually come to my city (Toronto) recently - the closest I could think of was the time that Park Bo Gum and Go Kyung Pyo went to Niagara Falls, which is a 2-hour drive away. *shrugs*

 

I think, though, that if I were to just come across JW by chance (which would be more likely in my imaginings than my going to something like K-Con or a fan meeting)...I would probably lose my opportunity to greet him simply because I'd be so unsure that this is for real. Like, what if I think I see him and try to approach him only to find out it's some random guy who just looks similar? (I know it's the consensus here on Soompi that he's got a very distinctive face, but even he got mistaken for Kang Dong Won before he got famous, so I can honestly see that pattern continuing.) That would just be so freaking awkward, you know?

 

So maybe I would prefer to just stay at a distance  Save myself the embarrassment....

 

7 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

I've nothing to say in terms of Skills. But Character wise..

 

Really enjoyed reading your response, @flutterby06! I didn't quote it all here, but I am replying to the whole thing.

 

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure who I'd prefer myself, even though I was the one to pose the question. Both Park Si On and Kim Tae Hyun have things that could turn you off as a first impression, but both prove to be really good-hearted people once you get to know them.

 

What I like about Park Si On is that he wears his caring on his sleeve. He might have a really awkward manner about him - and, in an emergency, I can see how that would throw off some patients or make them worried that he's not professional enough - but I think his heart would shine through really quickly, which is why he's especially good with kids. I imagine he'd be the sort of doctor who could, say, be really gentle while giving a patient a not-so-pleasant diagnosis, or who would constantly check in on a patient post-surgery to see how they're feeling, if they're comfortable, etc.

 

As for Kim Tae Hyun...his biggest challenge will probably be the first impression he makes, to be honest. He's crass, he's bold, he talks like a gangster (i.e. a good deal of cussing), but if there's one thing working for him, it's that he's honest. He tells it like it is, and does so in this breezy, casual manner that - if it happens to be your thing - can be really comforting and reassuring. Like, I see him talking to patients like he would to a friend, and we actually see him doing that to Han Yeo Jin (which weirds her out at first, but she gets used to it).

 

7 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

What I love about both is they they are both down to earth persons. They're also persons who are happy with little things in life. I love those kind of person who despite having a difficult life doesn't complain much and full of hope. Special mention to Kim Tae Hyun in this regard: I'm proud of him how he left Yeo Jin's palace when he saw how that place can have a twisted effect on people. He knew exactly what he wants and doesn't want in his life. He was like "He was like I love you. But I hate this. So I don't want to kill my love for you in such a way. So call me when you're ready to leave this twisted life. I'll wait." He's a keeper. 

 

Same. The thing about Kim Tae Hyun is that, unlike Park Si On, he's not innocent. He's not a childlike person who can only see the good in people or who blocks out the bad things he sees (including the bullying and his father's abuse) because he cannot understand why they happen. Yeo Jin describes Tae Hyun as an innocent humanist, but I see him as someone who actively chooses to be that way. Think about it: how much crap has he had to go through so far, and how much evil must he have witnessed/experienced all his life? He's from the wrong side of the tracks, he's grown up with a father who's not only a known gangster but is also a violent alcoholic, he's spent a good chunk of his adult life at least tied to that same criminal underground (he's their doctor, which means he must know all the stuff that they get into to end up with those injuries), he's pretty much constantly putting his life on the line...and that's all before he even gets to the 12th floor of Hanshin - which, in his mind, is far worse than all the gangsters combined.

 

In his dialogue and his character, I can see that all these experiences have scarred and embittered him. Here in North America, guys like him are the ones we see in the news: those who end up just giving in and joining a gang (where the most likely way out is either getting arrested or killed), or becoming so jaded and angry at the world at large that they end up going on a shooting rampage or something else of the like. And, yet, despite all that, Tae Hyun goes in the opposite direction. He chooses to be a good person and to do the right thing; not only that, but I see him trying to reach out to similar victims of abuse and exploitation (the Chinese migrant worker in the ICU, the girl who was raped by a celebrity, the striking factory worker who attempted suicide, the undocumented immigrant family near the church, all the way down to Yeo Jin herself). He may not always be gentle (that speech to the rape victim understandably makes some viewers cringe), but he's also got an important message, born out of his own life experience: that choosing to do the right thing and not letting the bad guys win is far more healing than taking revenge.

 

8 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

Handsome Joo Won looking way too much handsome for Brentwood..

 

Love this shot, too  I think it looks very American-style, which I wasn't expecting to see him pull off so well.

 

And here's one of my personal favourites from this set

 

 

 

So dapper!

[Tasia]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAREST

JOO WON

Wish your dramas and movies will be successful

Wish you release an album

Wish you healthy, happy, wealthy, and prosper...

Wish you become blessings to those around you...

Wish you and your loved ones are happy and blessed always...

BE HAPPY

BE HEALTHY

BE PROSPEROUS

 

Thank you for being born into this world...

 

LOVE YOU!!!   

[Tasia]

Let's celebrate Joo Won's Birthday today!!!

 

Credit to all fans who posted on Instagram...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[valinor500]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR JOO WON!!!

 

I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!!!

 

[Tasia]

He uploaded a picture on Instagram!!!

Hellooo Birthday boy!!

Thank you for updating you SNS... 

 

 

 

[airplanegirl]

I can't even believe that he's now 33. When I first saw him on Kim Takgu, he was only 22 or 23. I just can't believe how much time has passed since then. I hope he has a good birthday with his family and loved ones, and to see him back in dramaland soon-ish. I don't mind him taking his time to choose a role or to wait till the script is good enough. 

[kittyna]

Happy birthday to Joo Won!

 

 

Wow...all the stuff that people have posted on Instagram is so nice - thanks for sharing!

 

I don't nearly possess the Photoshop skills to be able to pull off any of that stuff. If I want to jump in with a Birthday Special, I can only do it with what I already know: writing.

 

Generally speaking, I don't write fics starring real people - ethically, that's just weird in my opinion. Fortunately, though, in my massive stockpile of Seolleim in Salzburg updates, I do get around to both Seol Nae Il and Cha Yoo Jin's birthdays (which, after pausing the footage and reading the documents that show up on screen I've figured out to be Jan. 3, 1995, and Feb. 17, 1992, respectively). So, although the fics these scenes are drawn from will actually be uploaded early next year, I'm releasing these excerpts now, so that even if it's not quite JW himself in these moments, at least it's still something fluffy and heartwarming with his face and voice 

 

So here's Nae Il's:

 

Spoiler

We end the piece with a soft chord: fingers splayed, our heads hovering just inches over the keys. In perfect unison, moving as one, we press down just an increment deeper, cementing the chord one last time before, still together, we release, letting the sound fade away around us.

 

Slowly, letting out the breath I had been holding for the chord’s duration, I open my eyes. I had turned my ear toward the keyboard in order to better hear the music, and now I see that Nae Il has done the same, her posture mirroring mine.

 

“Wae?” Her rapturous expression makes me chuckle despite myself as we both straighten back up. “Was it that good?”

 

“Ne, Orabang,” she murmurs, her eyes still closed as if the music is still echoing somewhere in her head. “It’s so, so good.” She opens them with a contented sigh. “Just think: soon, we’ll be playing this. In front of everyone.”

 

“Geu rae.” Nae Il’s left hand is still resting idly on the keyboard; giving her a fond smile, I place my right hand gently overtop of it, loosely wrapping my fingers around hers. “I take it that means we’re including this one in our programme?”

 

“Of course!” Her hand worms its way free, but only so she could wag an emphatic schoolteacher’s finger at me. “Other pieces, we can fiddle around with – but this one, Schubert’s Fantasie? It’s staying. No matter what, Orabang, we’re playing this one.”

 

“Arasseo.” I start counting out the pieces we’ve picked so far on my fingers. “So that makes two Mozarts – Magic Flute and Orgelstück – Rachmaninoff’s Italian Polka, and this.”

 

Nae Il nods readily, but my brow furrows in thought. “When did you say we needed to send this in by, Seollebal?”

 

She shrugs. “Yoon Hoo-sunbae didn’t say. He just said that the sooner we get it in, the sooner he and Rising Star could get promotions started.” The smile melts from her face. “Wae? Is something wrong?”

 

“Ani,” I answer hastily, shaking my head to reassure her. “It’s just that we’re still not at one hour yet.”

 

That’s how much time we’ve been allotted for this concert, courtesy of some careful planning on Lee Yoon Hoo’s part. Nae Il and I had gotten the formal invitation just after Christmas: an offer to include a full-scale four-handed piano performance to our schedule in February.

 

“I know it’s not much time to plan,” he had confessed sheepishly during the video chat when he’d brought this up. “But you two are Haneum’s best pianists by a long shot, and that one little Schubert piece you did last summer really drummed up a lot of interest.”

 

Now, as usual, Nae Il is quick on the uptake. “You want to add one more?”

 

“Or a couple.” Quickly, I do the calculations in my head. “We still have about twenty minutes to fill….” I turn to face her. “You wouldn’t happen to have any ideas already, do you?”

 

“Do you?”

 

I shake my head.

 

“Well, then,” Nae Il says, slapping her hands on her thighs before standing up. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

 

She goes to the bookshelf where we keep our collection of piano scores, humming some nonsense ditty to herself as she hovers a finger over the spine of each book. Finally, after a moment’s searching, she makes her choice, snatching it off the shelf with a flourish.

 

“Here, Orabang.” She passes the thin paper-bound volume to me. “What about this one?”

 

I glance down at the title. “Bilder aus Osten?” Chuckling softly, I wave the book in her direction. “Trust you to pick a Schumann, Seollebal.”

 

“Of course!” She shoots me a pointed look, her hands now resting loosely on her hips. “I can’t help it. I just keep thinking that had it not been for his injury, Robert Schumann would have composed a ton of these,” she adds, just a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

 

“Geu rae,” I concede. “That’s true enough.”

 

It’s that same age-old question that Nae Il and I have kept asking ourselves ever since we first started seriously looking at Clara and Robert Schumann and their music: what if? What if Robert had been just as good a pianist as Clara was? What if they could have played together as we do now? What if their marriage, happy as it was despite all their troubles, had not been cut so tragically short?

 

All those lost opportunities for beautiful music, now placed into our hands.

 

“So…” Nae Il drawls hopefully, noting my long silence, “what do you think?”

 

“Alright, then,” I agree with a nod. “Schumann it is.” Holding the book firmly by the spine with one hand, I flip quickly through the pages with the other. “It’s been a while since we’ve played this, but if I recall correctly, the whole set is just under twenty minutes, so it works just fine.”

 

Nae Il beams, bouncing on the balls of her feet and clapping her hands in excitement. “Komawoyo, Orabang – you’re the best!”

 

“Well, that’s settled, then.” Heading over to my desk in the centre of the room, I jot down the titles we have decided upon in my notebook. Just as I’m on the verge of writing down the Schubert, however, I pause. “By the way, Nae Il-ah – where do you want Bilder to go?”

 

“After the Rachmaninoff,” she answers promptly. “I want the Schubert to be the finale.”

 

“Geu rae,” I say in response, making a note of that. “Arasseo.” Once I’m done, I tap the page once with my pen to finalize our choice before tearing it briskly out of the book. “Here.” I hold out the paper to her. “That’s our programme. Do you want to pass it on to Lee Yoon Hoo, or should I?”

 

Without a moment’s hesitation, she snatches it out of my hand with a word of thanks. A second later, though, she tilts her head coyly at me. “Are you sure, Orabang? You’re actually letting me be the one in charge of this? With Yoon Hoo-sunbae?”

 

As if I needed any other reminder.

 

I draw myself up to my full height. “Like it or not, Seollebal,” I say drily, “we do have him to thank for this opportunity. And besides,” I add more softly, “it’s good practice for you.”

 

She blinks up at me. “Is it?”

 

“Mm.” As she looks down at the paper in her hand, I explain, “You’ll be having your graduation recital this spring, followed by what I expect will be the beginning of your own solo career. It’ll be good for you to learn how to do all the logistics now, instead of waiting until the stakes are higher.”

 

“Ah….” Throwing her head back slightly, Nae Il nods. “I see.”

 

“And now,” I say, closing my notebook with a satisfying clap and putting it away, “it’s time for your cake.”

 

“My cake?” Nae Il’s eyes widen into her most innocent-looking expression. “What cake?”

 

“‘What cake’?” I laugh. “Ya, Seollebal – don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your own birthday! Especially since” – I raise a wry eyebrow – “you picked out the cake yourself.”

 

“Of course I remember, Orabang!” she quips back, flashing me a mischievous grin. “But can’t I at least act surprised for once? It’s not my fault I was born too close to New Year’s for there to ever be a decent celebration.”

 

“And you think being born just after Valentine’s is any better?”

 

“Point,” Nae Il agrees with a helpless shrug. “But of course,” she adds thoughtfully a second later, “in the future, when we’re married, that might mean some really awesome birthday s–”

 

“Ya!”

 

“Alright, Orabang,” she laughs, leaving the rest of her devilish thought unsaid at the sight of my mortified expression, “you win this round.”

 

“Well, then” – calming myself back down with a cough, I extend my hand in invitation – “shall we?”

 

She takes it eagerly and together, we head over to the kitchen. Nae Il busies herself with the plates and cutlery, carrying them off into the living room next door. That leaves me in charge of the cake.

 

In reality, it is not an entire cake. Since there are just two of us here, neither of us see any point in getting something that is meant to feed a crowd. Instead, ever since we moved here to Salzburg, we’ve had our own birthday tradition: two slices of cake – flavour the birthday person’s choice, of course – from Fürst.

 

This time, as expected, Nae Il has chosen her personal favourite: the Mozarttorte, a chocolate layer cake, each slice topped with half a Mozartkugel. Carefully, I take both slices out of the box and place them together on a plate, sticking a candle in one of them before carrying the whole lot to the dining table.

 

Nae Il divides the slices between our two plates, arranging everything artfully on the table, while I duck back into the kitchen for a lighter. Then, after singing the birthday song to her – only because she insisted, though – she passes me her phone so that I could capture the moment right when she gears up to blow out the candle, leaning in so close that her face is illuminated by its warm glow. As I put the extinguished candle off to one side, saving it for my own birthday a month from now, Nae Il claims her piece of cake, not even waiting for me before heartily digging in.

 

Unable to resist, I snap a quick photo on her phone before sliding it back across the table to her. As soon as she lays eyes on it, she bursts out laughing.

 

“Ya, Orabang!”

 

Startled, I glance up at her. “Wae?”

 

“If you’re gonna take a picture like this,” she quips, snatching up her phone, “at least do it right.” She fiddles with it for a moment, pressing several times with her finger, before passing it back to me. “Here. Try it like this.”

 

I do as I’m told, angling the phone at her as she scoops up a forkful of cake. When she looks up at me, fork held at the ready, the image on the screen changes: a floral garland appears on her head, and a healthy flush blooms on her cheeks as she tilts her head slightly to the side, holding out the fork in invitation.

 

“Aish…” I mutter softly to myself as I take the picture. “Trust you to do something like that, Seollebal.”

 

“Why not?” she retorts as, once again, I return the phone to her. “Don’t you think it’s cute?”

 

“On you, it is.” One corner of my mouth twitches up in a fond smile as I finally start on my own slice of cake. “But don’t you even think about trying a sticker like that on me.”

 

“Ne, arasseo.” Nae Il takes her next bite in silence, simply savouring the taste of rich chocolate in her mouth, but once she has swallowed, she lets out a wistful sigh.

 

I blink at her in surprise. “Wae?”

 

“Too bad we won’t be able to do this for your birthday this year, Orabang.”

 

“Gwenchana,” I answer with a shrug. “I’ve never been one for big celebrations anyway. And besides” – I point down at the table with my fork – “don’t forget where we’ll be when the time comes.”

 

Slowly, a light grows in her eyes. “In Seoul.”

 

“Not only that,” I remind her, “but it’s the exact same day as our duet concert. In all honesty, Nae Il-ah, I’d much rather be spending my birthday doing that than this.”

 

She smiles warmly at me. “Geu rae. That’s true enough.”

 

We both keep on eating our cake in companionable silence, but soon, Nae Il speaks up again.

 

“By the way, Orabang – what should we use for our name?”

 

Startled, I stare across the table at her. “Mwo?”

 

“You know – for our duet.”

 

As comprehension sinks in, I let out a soft chuckle, ruefully shaking my head. “Honestly, Seollebal, do we need that?”

 

“We do,” she insists, “if you want this to be more than just a one-off thing.”

 

“And I suppose,” I retort dryly, “that you already have an idea for that.” When she gives me her most innocent-looking face, I laugh a second time. “Ya, Seollebal, don’t look at me like that. Remember: I know you; you wouldn’t be bringing this up at all unless you’ve already made up your mind about it.”

 

“Ne!” She leans forward in her seat, propping both elbows on the table, her hands woven together in the middle. “Personally, Orabang, I was thinking of ‘RaRo’.”

 

“‘RaRo’?” It takes me a moment to register the meaning behind the name. “You mean, like in ‘Meister Raro’?”

 

Nae Il nods, a smugly satisfied smile on her face.

 

“Ya, Seollebal – you’re obsessed!” I laugh. Then, after a brief pause, I give her a fond smile. “But at least, unlike The Sound of Music, this is one obsession I can actually get behind.”

 

I punctuate my statement with a wink, which makes her burst into gleeful giggles.

 

“So, can we, Orabang?”

 

“But wouldn’t it sound just a bit silly, though?” I ask, still trying to figure this out. “Think about it: ‘RaRo Duo’…’RaRo Duet’….”

 

“Aniya – I don’t mean it like that!” Nae Il blurts out, wagging her fork in place of a scolding finger. “Of course that sounds silly – especially ‘RaRo Duo’. I mean just ‘RaRo’. Plain and simple.” She leans back in her seat, crossing her arms in front of her chest in smug pride. “Those who know the history – that it’s a combined version of both Clara and Robert Schumann’s names – will get it. And those who don’t…well,” she adds pragmatically, “at least they won’t murder the pronunciation.”

 

I mull it over a moment longer, silently mouthing the name to myself, trying to imagine how it would sound in both Korean and German. “‘RaRo’…’Ra…Ro’.” Finally, I concede with a nod. “You’re right, Nae Il-ah; it does have a nice ring to it.”

 

“See?” she chirps. “What did I tell you?” Beaming, she deftly scoops up the half-Mozartkugel – all that is left of her cake – onto her fork, then holds it out to me. “To RaRo?”

 

It takes me a moment to grasp her intention, but once I do, I copy her gesture, touching my fork lightly to hers.

 

“To RaRo.”

 

And now to Yoo Jin's:

 

Spoiler

“You know, Nae Il-ah, you don’t have to wear a black dress if you don’t want to.”

 

Nae Il stops in the middle of pulling a short wisp of hair loose from the front of her neatly braided style. In the dressing room mirror, I see her make a strange face. “What do you mean?”

 

I gesture up and down with my hand to point out her outfit. “Don’t you usually prefer something more…vibrant for a concert performance?”

 

She rounds on me. “I do, Orabang. But this is RaRo – I should match you whenever I can. Besides,” she adds, holding out her skirt with one hand and turning slightly side to side, “I like this dress. Do you?”

 

I crack a small smile at her. “Ne,” I answer promptly, my nod encompassing the entirety of her long black gown: its gently sweeping horizontal neckline that, once again, leaves her shoulders exposed; its subtle lace overlay on the bodice and long sleeves; its long flowing skirt that flares out just slightly from her hips. “Of course I do; it’s beautiful

 

“But, Seollebal,” I add a second later, “are you done with the mirror yet?” One corner of my mouth twitches up in a smirk. “This is my dressing room, not yours; and” – I gesture to show that, unlike her, I’m still in my shirtsleeves – “I’m not finished yet.”

 

Nae Il springs back from the dressing table with a soft yelp. “Oh! Right. About that….” After one last check in the mirror, she scurries out of the way, letting me finally get close enough to have a good view as I tie my bowtie.

 

A dark blur of motion out of the corner of my left eye makes me pause, however. “And just what on earth do you think you’re doing?”

 

“Nothing!”

 

I hear jangling from the wardrobe beside me and smother a laugh. “Ya, Seollebal – jinjja?”

 

Sure enough, Nae Il’s reflection bobs into view beside me, my tailcoat held in her hands by both shoulders. “You were the one who said you weren’t finished, Orabang. So, I’m here to help you.”

 

I start to say that I am perfectly fine putting it on myself, but when her hopeful smile melts into an exaggerated pout, I relent with a sigh. “Geu rae; arasseo. Whatever you say, Seollebal.”

 

She beams at me, immediately restored to her usual cheerful self.

 

Once again, I’m forced to bite back a laugh at her antics. “You’d better not be letting the tails touch the floor, though – not unless you plan on cleaning them yourself.”

 

Noting the mischievous tone in my voice, Nae Il tosses her head with a mock-disdainful scoff. “Ya, Orabang,” she laughs, “I’m not that short!”

 

I chuckle softly. “Jeongmal?”

 

She squawks again in protest, but there is no real fire in it, this being an old joke between us. To be fair, the difference in our heights is really only a problem when we’re at home: without shoes, Nae Il only comes up to my shoulders. But tonight, with the heeled pumps she tends to wear for performances, she’s raised up enough that I can actually see her dancing eyes reflected in the mirror as she moves to stand behind me.

 

I finish with my bowtie, then reach both hands out behind my back. Nae Il, right on cue, slips the armholes of my tailcoat on over my wrists, helping the sleeves up my arms as I shrug the coat on in one fluid motion. As she brushes the shoulder seams smooth with both hands, I grab onto the front and give the coat a sharp tug so it falls perfectly into place.

 

This, then, is how Eomma finds us when, seeing that Nae Il had left the door ajar, she glides in with only a quick knock on the wall for advance notice.

 

“So this is the coat you were so desperate to call home about back in January.” She gives me a quick once-over, then flashes an appreciative grin. “Looks good.”

 

Nae Il beams, sidestepping to link arms with me. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?” she giggles. “I’d thought Orabang couldn’t possibly look better than he did the day of the Rachmaninoff concert – turns out I was wrong.”

 

She makes to say more, but I stop her with a subtle nudge from my elbow. “Looks, however,” I add to Eomma, “don’t nearly matter as much as confidence.”

 

Eomma meets my level gaze with one of her own. “And are you?”

 

“Of course,” I answer smoothly. “We’ve practiced, we’ve prepared…what more is there to worry about?”

 

Nae Il takes the brief silence that follows as her cue to leave, promising to wait for me at the stage door. “After all,” she says, ducking past me on her way out, “it’s your birthday; it’s only right that you two have your mother-son moment.”

 

Sure enough, no sooner has the door closed behind Nae Il does Eomma make straight for one of the chairs lined up against the wall, beckoning for me to join her. By the time I’ve taken the seat beside her, she is already rummaging about in her large purse. She pulls out a small gift-wrapped parcel and holds it out to me with a smile. “Happy birthday, Yoo Jin-ah.”

 

From its shape and size, I know it to be yet another addition to my ever-growing collection of recordings; and considering that it’s from Eomma, I know it will be of one of my favourite composers or artists. “Komawo,” I say simply, tucking it away behind me to open later.

 

She accepts my thanks readily, but tuts a second later. “I shouldn’t have to come all the way here just to see you,” she points out wryly. “Would it have killed you to come by the shop at least once after the last time?”

 

I shrug. “You know I’ve been busy.”

 

“So busy you haven’t even been able to get your own coffee?” Without warning, she cups my chin with one hand, turning my face to examine me in profile. “Aigoo…just look at you: one week since I last saw you, and already, you’re losing weight.”

 

Flustered, I shake myself free. “Aniya,” I protest as once again she starts rummaging in her purse. “It’s not like that. You know how it is, Eomma: all the stuff that goes into a performance–”

 

I cut myself off, though, when I see the small beige tube in her hand.

 

“Ya.” Slowly, cautiously, I scoot back away from her as far as my chair would allow. “You – you can’t honestly be thinking–”

 

Wearing her most innocent-looking expression, she bats her eyes at me. “Wae?”

 

I make a face. “Shiro.”

 

“Well, you’re just going to have to get used to it,” she retorts.

 

My jaw drops. “I – I do not–”

 

“What’s so wrong with a bit of makeup, huh?” She shoots me a pointed look. “It’s not like you don’t use products to begin with.”

 

“That’s skincare; that’s different.”

 

She anticipates my next move with a knowledge born from years of experience, grabbing both of my wrists and pressing them down into my lap. “Just hold still,” she chides me, deftly dabbing some concealer under each eye before I could pull back. “You haven’t been eating or sleeping well lately – we can’t risk you going on stage looking like a panda bear.”

 

She moves quickly despite my continued protests, stroking briskly with her fingers to blend the concealer in with my skin; as she works, she mumbles softly to herself: ”Good thing you seem to get your colouring from me….Why, if you were as dark as, say, Lee Sun Jae, then….”

 

I roll my eyes. “What would Abeoji think if he saw us like this?”

 

This time, my defiance has struck a nerve. With a sharp breath, Eomma rears back away from me. “Well, your father’s not here right now. And good riddance.”

 

A twinge of guilt pierces me in the chest. My voice softens despite myself. “Eomma….”

 

“His own son’s birthday.” Her voice breaks, so she tries again. “His own son’s birthday, and a concert premiere to boot. Of all the possible days for him not to show up….”

 

It takes a moment for her to steady her trembling hand, but she soon collects herself and moves on to foundation, dabbing it onto my face with the accompanying sponge. Still, there is no hiding her resentful hatred of my father, just simmering beneath the surface.

 

I twist one hand free to rest it upon the one she has in my lap with a reassuring squeeze. “I thought you didn’t want Abeoji to come here tonight.”

 

“You’re right,” she retorts sharply. “I don’t. But you do.” Noting my surprise, she shoots me a look. “Don’t think I don’t know: you fear his criticism, but you still want him to see what you’ve become.” She curses him under her breath. “Never mind me; you’d think that he could realize that much, at least.”

 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, Eomma, he did send a note.”

 

“Yoo Jin-ah….”

 

“Besides, if Nae Il and I get our way, I’ll be seeing him soon enough.” When Eomma tilts her head quizzically at me, I move to explain. “I plan to host my own solo recital in Salzburg, at the same time as hers this spring. There’s no way Abeoji would miss out on that.”

 

Eomma pauses in the middle of putting away her makeup kit. “Now, now, Yoo Jin-ah: don’t you go living your life for someone else….”

 

“Gwenchana,” I reassure her. “This isn’t just about Abeoji; I want to do this, too. Because I can’t help thinking about something Nae Il said to me: that just like I have my dreams, Abeoji has his. And if it’s in my power to fulfill that dream – and I know now that I finally can – then why not?”

 

For a long moment, Eomma doesn’t say anything. But then, a warm smile growing on her face, she reaches over and claps me on the shoulder with her clean hand. “Geunde,”  she concedes at length, “you’re right about that.” She switches to cupping my cheek, but stops short of pinching it the way she would have done when I was little. “You and Nae Il, both – every single time I see you, you’ve grown up just that little bit more.

 

“And now,” she adds, standing up with one last affectionate pat, “it’s time. Go out there, Yoo Jin-ah, and show the world what you’ve got.”

 

We part ways just outside of the door: Eomma heading back out to the main body of the concert hall, and I – after checking one last time that I’ve locked up properly – heading for the stage door.

 

True to her word, Nae Il is already there, lighting up with a warm smile as soon as she sees me.

 

Returning the greeting, I gesture towards my face. “What do you think? Do you notice anything?”

 

She peers up at me, eyes squinting slightly to see me better. After a moment’s such scrutiny, she shakes her head. “Ani. Why? Was I supposed to?”

 

I, too, shake my head, but it is actually the sigh of relief that follows that clues Nae Il in.

 

“Gwenchanayo, Orabang; I understand.”

 

“Mwo?”

 

“Who do you think laced me in this time?” she quips, tossing her head to hint at the back of her dress. She raises a suggestive eyebrow; her voice drops down to a deep throaty purr. “You know I can’t do it all by myself.”

 

I shake my head again, this time in efforts to dispel the particularly vivid memory her words have just conjured up in my mind. As Nae Il, the minx, bites back a triumphant smile at my reaction, I hasten to change the subject. “I also told Eomma: about my recital.”

 

Sure enough, she takes the bait. “What’d she say?”

 

“She approves,” I answer tentatively, then shake my head. “But I’d do it anyway, even if she didn’t.”

 

Nae Il chuckles at that, but just as she might have said something more, an usher appears by our side.

 

“We’re on in two; are you ready?”

 

I bow slightly, answering for both of us. As the usher turns his face away, speaking into his walkie-talkie with hushed tones, I offer Nae Il my hand. “Shall we?”

 

She takes it with a smile, intertwining her fingers with mine so that she’s the one holding me, not the other way around. I feel a slight pressure: her palm pressing against mine as she gives it a reassuring squeeze.

 

We stay like this as the usher opens the stage door for us, as we cross the stage to take our bows to the audience and assume our places at the piano under the spotlight.

 

RaRo. That’s who we are, Seol Nae Il and I.

 

Together. Hand-in-hand. Just how it’s supposed to be.

 

Joo Won-oppa:

I hope that, like these characters, you spend all your birthdays like this: doing what you love most, with the people who love you most.

[flutterby06]

All the best wishes for Joo Won on his birthday..Hope all the interesting and impressive dramas/movies/projects find him so that he can perform to his heart's content (and make us, his fans happy ).

Happy Birthday! 

 

Source: https://twitter.com/kpoptweettrend/status/1178475417021403136

 

From JW's IG Story..

 

Hope his wish gets fulfilled..

[flutterby06]

On 9/29/2019 at 8:18 PM, kittyna said:

The birthday mural's ready!

 

 

I think it's cute that this is the annual thing that JW's fans do for his birthday - the art's always so heartwarming and wholesome in style, and it's clear they have so much fun with it.  

 

It's such a welcoming activity of JW Supporters.. I forgot where I saw it but this year they painted the mural around a school and some students participated in it.

 

JW also shared this photo in IG stories..Fans are saying they're his mate from altraboys.

Look at the baby face..who'd say that he's 32!!

 

[kittyna]

6 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

JW also shared this photo in IG stories..Fans are saying they're his mate from altraboys.

Look at the baby face..who'd say that he's 32!!

 

You're right - or, at least, that's what my attempt to sound out the Korean on the picture suggests.

 

Actually, come to think of it: if these are JW's friends from Altarboyz, then they all look really young - because wasn't JW the maknae by a long shot in the main cast then?

 

My eye's more on the second photo, though. First of all, because I love that outfit on him - I think it's the same from when he went to Born and Bred (that super-fancy Korean beef restaurant that's been blowing up online)

 

 

 

Just a quick aside: I also know this was the moment that, for a number of newer fans, they realized that JW smoked. I knew already years ago, but I do remember how surprised I was when I first found out, so...yeah. 

 

But anyway, the birthday celebration pic looks so nice!