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

[moonstrike]

19 hours ago, kittyna said:

I think Sung Si Kyung was really just slightly taller than JW, but he was definitely broader in the shoulder and chest than JW was, so he looked a lot bigger than just their height difference would suggest. So seeing them together really gave off a cute hyung-dongsaeng vibe, because they didn't just act the part, but looked it, too.

Yeah... i also think like that too... when sung shi kyung and joo won standing side by side, i feel that sung shi kyung is just a little bit taller than joo won... and because of his broad shouder and his big muscles, he seems taller and bigger.. by the way, do you know sung shi kyung height? I remember the member said sung shi kyung is 188 cm. So he has the same height with kim young kwang... but maybe because kim young kwang is thinner than sung shi kyung, so i see kim is taller than him.

 

Talking about hyung dongsaeng relationship.. i found this video on youtube... this is so cute and lovely... look how they holding each other hand. Even though we know they do that because they don't want one of them run and win the game... but its just too cute looking they hold each other hand like a kid.....

 

And this is when sung shi kyung said that everyone will envy him because he can cling to joo won and sleep beside him... After that, uhm tae woong appear and want to hug joo won too but sung shi kyung is jealous or unwilling so he told uhm tae woong to go and pet the dog... so funny. 

 

P.s: we can see our cutie sleep and snoring even though its just soft snore... he also immediately fell asleep after touching the bed...

 

Everytime i see joo won sleep in 1N2D, i think he is a quite sleeper. I rarely see him snoring or make many moves when he sleeps. Even the hyungs said joo won is like a corpse when he sleep because he doesn't move when he sleeps. He is soooo quite when he sleeps... and in the morning, he will wake up first and run to finish the morning mission first with his sleepy face... 

 

 

And this is when joo won is terrified becausr of the moth in his room. He is all calm before he realize theres a bug inside his room. But after he knew it, he went straight away and escaped from his room... he even said that he better sleep in the tent than his room... hahaha... he is really scared of moth...

 

Photo corner... ❤❤❤ today i found many interesting photos...

 

My favorite... joo won with some kids.. he is so lovable...❤❤❤

 

Joo won with his cute puffed cheeks... plus his meong face...

 

Yoon shi yoon and joo won... ❤❤ baker king days (2010).

 

His smile in this picture is so lovely... he looks so happy..❤

 

Joo won with his cute baby face...  

❤❤❤

Spoiler

None of it is new. It's just them posting old interviews, there are English translations of these interviews floating around.

Oohh... maybe because i can't understand. So i didn't realize that the interviews is already translated to english...

[kittyna]

43 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... i also think like that too... when sung shi kyung and joo won standing side by side, i feel that sung shi kyung is just a little bit taller than joo won... and because of his broad shouder and his big muscles, he seems taller and bigger.. by the way, do you know sung shi kyung height? I remember the member said sung shi kyung is 188 cm. So he has the same height with kim young kwang... but maybe because kim young kwang is thinner than sung shi kyung, so i see kim is taller than him.

 

I seem to recall that Sung Si Kyung is 186 cm tall, so the actual height difference between him and JW is negligible. But as I'd said before with the actresses, celebrities' height and weight statistics are usually approximate, and some people will even release "official" numbers that might not be true to life. 

 

I do believe when people say that JW is 185 cm tall, though, because he also looks it as well.  

 

43 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

P.s: we can see our cutie sleep and snoring even though its just soft snore... he also immediately fell asleep after touching the bed...

 

Everytime i see joo won sleep in 1N2D, i think he is a quite sleeper. I rarely see him snoring or make many moves when he sleeps. Even the hyungs said joo won is like a corpse when he sleep because he doesn't move when he sleeps. He is soooo quite when he sleeps... and in the morning, he will wake up first and run to finish the morning mission first with his sleepy face... 

 

I think it's because JW is exhausted by the time bedtime comes around on 1N2D - he did say that that show was when he would actually be able to catch up on sleep (since drama filming schedules have even longer hours). And even then, the reality of the 1N2D schedule is insane: I didn't notice it at first until there was one episode (the same one you're mentioning, in fact) where the bedtime bokbulbok took place indoors and there was a clock visible in the room the entire time...they were playing those games at midnight. So, by the time the games have been played, and everybody's ready to go to bed, you're easily talking 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. - and then they have to be up at 7:00 or 8:00 the next morning for the breakfast games.

 

I know from "Win Win" and "Life Log" that that's about as much sleep as JW gets on a normal, no-drama-shoot day, but it still sounds exhausting to me. And to imagine that he'd only get to sleep like that once every two weeks while he was filming 1N2D...no wonder he's always the first to fall asleep 

 

43 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

And this is when joo won is terrified becausr of the moth in his room. He is all calm before he realize theres a bug inside his room. But after he knew it, he went straight away and escaped from his room... he even said that he better sleep in the tent than his room... hahaha... he is really scared of moth...

 

That's not a moth in there - it's either a bee or a wasp.  I know, because I'm completely terrified of the things as well.

 

Before I get to my photos for today... @moonstrike, you may have to backtrack, but there's a new fic you missed

 

And now - pictures!

 

People have been posting a lot of older photos lately, but I think I'll save those for Thursday's throwback. For now, here are some other newcomers to my collection:

 

Spoiler

Another one of my favourite shots of JW on 1N2D - he's been running around all day due to the race, and at this point, he's also just finished literally fighting Sung Si Kyung at the finish line (SSK had tried to yank him away from the flag pole, and he'd tried just as hard to hang on), but seeing him look both so tired and so happy at the same time is cute.

 

By the way, you also get a good look at just how long his hair got while he was filming "Gaksital".

 

 

Don't know how to describe this one, save that I think it's funny that he's holding the cup in his teeth

 

 

Don't see him in this colour much, but it looks good

 

 

This shot is so funny!

 

 

At a Mountia fansign four years ago (2013)

 

 

With Jung Woong In hyung

 

 

By the way, one last writer's announcement: I've done fics for "Gaksital" and "Nae Il's Cantabile", and I will continue to add to those. However, I think I'm also ready now to add "Good Doctor" to my repertoire as well. It took me a while to really feel that I could pull it off - since there are just so many different ways writing Park Si On could go wrong (either in terms of being inaccurate or being disrespectful to people with autism - no wonder JW was nervous!). But I think I'm ready now, and have a plan for how to proceed. So stay tuned!

[kittyna]

So, it turns out that today, I stumbled across yet another massive JW photo collection on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/liezel_porras/joo-won-my-heart/

 

Again, as is usually the case when this happens, I queue the vast majority of pictures I like to cycle them out later. However, here are some that I would like to show you guys right now:

 

Spoiler

"Yong Pal" Fanart

 

 

And I love this shot from the show, as well

 

 

Another version of the fan-made Photoshop giving JW angel's wings:

 

 

A pose JW used in one of my favourite "Yong Pal" photos (right), he'd also used in "Nae Il's Cantabile" (left)

 

 

Collage of JW in police uniform - "Ojakgyo Brothers", "Gaksital", and "Catch Me"

 

 

JW with a fanmade cardboard cutout of Cha Yoo Jin

 

 

[moonstrike]

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

I think it's because JW is exhausted by the time bedtime comes around on 1N2D - he did say that that show was when he would actually be able to catch up on sleep (since drama filming schedules have even longer hours). And even then, the reality of the 1N2D schedule is insane: I didn't notice it at first until there was one episode (the same one you're mentioning, in fact) where the bedtime bokbulbok took place indoors and there was a clock visible in the room the entire time...they were playing those games at midnight. So, by the time the games have been played, and everybody's ready to go to bed, you're easily talking 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. - and then they have to be up at 7:00 or 8:00 the next morning for the breakfast games.

Yeah... its very tiring and exhausting. First, he must leave early in the morning in order to arrive at the shooting location on time. then he should complete the mission without eating breakfast or anything until afternoon. And don't forget that he leave straight from drama shooting location to 1N2D location so he already tired before he start the show. He can only sleep in the car.

 

He must win his mission to get food but there are times when he lost and did not get any food until night.. and he might be sleeping with empty stomach. 

 

They're sleep time is so late. Because they have to play late night bokbulbok for the show. Sometimes they sleep at 1 a.m or 2 a.m and have to get up at 7 a.m. Just imagine that makes feel their tiredness...

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

That's not a moth in there - it's either a bee or a wasp.  I know, because I'm completely terrified of the things as well.

Hmm.. maybe you're right. Actually I said its a moth because the title of the video is 왕벌 means big moth... 

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

Before I get to my photos for today... @moonstrike, you may have to backtrack, but there's a new fic you missed

Ooo.... yeah. Thats very interesting because you made the story based on second male lead POV. From your fanfic, we can imagine what is lee yoon ho thinking in his head. 

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

Another one of my favourite shots of JW on 1N2D - he's been running around all day due to the race, and at this point, he's also just finished literally fighting Sung Si Kyung at the finish line (SSK had tried to yank him away from the flag pole, and he'd tried just as hard to hang on), but seeing him look both so tired and so happy at the same time is cute.

 

By the way, you also get a good look at just how long his hair got while he was filming "Gaksital".

Hahaha... i remember that sung shi kyung is trying to make joo won away from the flagpole with some garlic in his hands. He tried to make joo won eat that garlic but fortunately joo won can fight back and still clinging to the flagpole and finally win the race. 

 

I also remember that he got there by running. I feel pity to the staffs that has to follow joo won running. And as always, joo won is so kind.

He realize that the staff don't have same energy and power as him so he join(?) Some strangers car and stop running for the sake of the staffs. And finally can reach the location first. 

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

By the way, one last writer's announcement: I've done fics for "Gaksital" and "Nae Il's Cantabile", and I will continue to add to those. However, I think I'm also ready now to add "Good Doctor" to my repertoire as well. It took me a while to really feel that I could pull it off - since there are just so many different ways writing Park Si On could go wrong (either in terms of being inaccurate or being disrespectful to people with autism - no wonder JW was nervous!). But I think I'm ready now, and have a plan for how to proceed. So stay tuned!

I'm really waiting for it. Since i like Good Doctor too, so i can imagine that i will like that story so much. ❤❤❤

 

Photo time...❤

 

Joo won in his highschool day... he is wearing a uniform!!!

 

Ooohh... and i also find this video on youtube... the lead cast of My Sassy Girl childhood photos. You can see that there is not much different with joo won's face...he is still the same...❤❤

 

[kittyna]

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... its very tiring and exhausting. First, he must leave early in the morning in order to arrive at the shooting location on time. then he should complete the mission without eating breakfast or anything until afternoon. And don't forget that he leave straight from drama shooting location to 1N2D location so he already tired before he start the show. He can only sleep in the car.

 

He must win his mission to get food but there are times when he lost and did not get any food until night.. and he might be sleeping with empty stomach. 

 

They're sleep time is so late. Because they have to play late night bokbulbok for the show. Sometimes they sleep at 1 a.m or 2 a.m and have to get up at 7 a.m. Just imagine that makes feel their tiredness...

 

This is why, in some ways, I prefer the second half of 1N2D Season 2 to the first half. The new PD's style was slower-paced than Bird PD's, which might not be as fun to watch if the games and challenges were your thing, but for the most part, I like that the guys were almost guaranteed to be able to eat something or have rest time. And his whole idea of just splitting them up into pairs or small groups and sending them out to just explore different places as they saw fit...that was a style that also worked really well with JW's personality, and you could see just how much he's in his element in those scenes.

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

I also remember that he got there by running. I feel pity to the staffs that has to follow joo won running. And as always, joo won is so kind.

He realize that the staff don't have same energy and power as him so he join(?) Some strangers car and stop running for the sake of the staffs. And finally can reach the location first. 

 

lol - I remember how that sort of became a running joke (pun not intended) on 1N2D: that JW would just run off into the distance, leaving the cameramen just standing there or trying their best to follow him.  Lee Su Geun kept telling him over and over again not to do that; sometimes, like in this episode, he listens, but other times, he gets so into the game that he forgets.  

 

I think JW's actually the fastest runner in the 1N2D Season 2 cast...at least he looks it.

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Ooo.... yeah. Thats very interesting because you made the story based on second male lead POV. From your fanfic, we can imagine what is lee yoon ho thinking in his head. 

 

lol - I'm not gonna lie: as of right now, I still have an easier time writing from the perspective of a different character interacting with JW's character (so, for example, writing a story about Cha Yoo Jin from Lee Yoon Hoo's perspective, or writing about Lee Kang To from Kimura Shunji's perspective) rather than from JW's character's own perspective.

 

It's not like I can't write from the point of view of the characters JW plays - since you know I've done it before - but...maybe it's because so much of what I do on this forum is about trying to express how I see JW from my own perspective, that's a voice that's generally easier for me to use in my fiction writing as well.

 

I do hope to be able to do more from his characters' perspectives, though - it'll just take some getting used to.  

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Ooohh... and i also find this video on youtube... the lead cast of My Sassy Girl childhood photos. You can see that there is not much different with joo won's face...he is still the same...❤❤

 

Oh, wow...they really did try to include everybody, didn't they? I was expecting the four main leads, but then they started going into more and more supporting actors, and...finding all those pictures must have been a lot of work. I'm impressed!

 

I still wish that JW would release some childhood pictures where he's smiling so brightly that the dimples show, though.... I'm not complaining, since the usual "meong" face expression is cute, too, but...I wanna see mini-cutie-smile!!!

 

So here's the new stuff for today!

 

First off, a couple of singing videos - these are both from his appearance on the show "Lee Seung Yeon and 100 Women".

 

Can we just talk about how high his voice can go in this first video? Like, I know it's his falsetto voice and all, but seriously...dang!

 

 

 

Secondly...photo time!

 

Spoiler

"Good Doctor" Fanart - Art by Nina Astiningsih

 

 

Loving this promo shot for "Yong Pal"

 

 

Dressing room photo - and "meong" face

 

 

JW wearing his kendo uniform as Lee Kang To in "Gaksital" - You get a really good look at the clothes in this shot; more so than others I've seen from the same set. So, just for background: the top is called a kendogi (it's different from kimono in that it's a hip-length shirt), and the trousers that are tied at the waist are called hakama (they're usually a part of men's Japanese clothing in general, and not just worn for martial arts).

 

 

A few more collages of pictures JW did for Beansbins Coffee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, because it's really cold and snowy where I am right now.... (apologies if it's a repeat; I sometimes lose track now)

 

 

Here's hoping JW stays warm, too!

 

[kittyna]

Found a few more fanart pieces by Nina Astiningsih , the artist who did the "Good Doctor" piece I shared earlier today.

 

"Yong Pal"

 

 

And two for "My Sassy Girl"

 

 

 

Aren't they pretty? 

[kittyna]

It's quieter here than usual today... lol - Is it a bit sad that I've pretty much memorized what the daily routine looks like now?

 

(Please don't answer that. I'm just thinking "out loud").

 

Anyway, I'm dropping by to do today's Throwback Thursday feature. I'd said before that I'd noticed a ton of older images of JW showing up on various Instagram and Pinterest accounts, so this is just going to be a mixed bag of those. So no real pattern or theme - just miscellaneous old stuff  

 

Spoiler

This is one of the few throwback photos I've seen that's got an actual date stamp: July 24, 2008.

 

 

 

 

I think these next two were from the promo tour for "King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu" in Japan he did with Yoon Si Yoon - I definitely recognize the outfit in the second image, but the first one also has a similar look/style.

 

 

 

According to the article where I had first found this (https://www.hancinema.net/joo-won-to-star-in-my-sassy-girl--drama-93150.html ), this had originally been posted on JW's Instagram with the caption "22 not afraid #challenge". I haven't tracked down the original yet, so I'll make do with this copy for now.

 

 

[moonstrike]

forgive me... yesterday I have a pretty time-consuming task. I did not even have proper sleep because I have to finish that the task.

 

On 12/13/2017 at 11:17 PM, kittyna said:

This is why, in some ways, I prefer the second half of 1N2D Season 2 to the first half. The new PD's style was slower-paced than Bird PD's, which might not be as fun to watch if the games and challenges were your thing, but for the most part, I like that the guys were almost guaranteed to be able to eat something or have rest time. And his whole idea of just splitting them up into pairs or small groups and sending them out to just explore different places as they saw fit...that was a style that also worked really well with JW's personality, and you could see just how much he's in his element in those scenes.

Yeah... we can tell the difference between Bird PD and Ham PD. Bird PD followed the 1N2D season one's challenging and exhausting show. And the punishment is also a bit harsh than Ham PD. If the member lose some mission, the member have to sleep outside. Even though its winter, they will do it. And also they will not get any food and dinner so they might be sleep with empty stomach until morning. But if they don't get breakfast too, they will be ruined. 

 

And its understandable that Joo won will get upset if he doesn't get food and dinner. Since he is going straight from shooting location to 1N2D location without having breakfast and proper sleep. But he still doing the show with a great energy.

 

Its so different from Ham PD's methods. He made the show more relaxed by just walking around Korean tourism scene. and also the punishment given to the members is not too heavy. if they lose the mission, they will still be given food but the food that they receive is not as good as the first winner.

 

And as you said, Ham PD's methods is more compatible with Joo Won because looking at his personality that he shows in 1N2D, he always express his emotions with action and not so often with words. Like when he is interested, he will smile brightly and his eyes will looking straight to the person or something that makes him interested. Or when he is sad and upset, he will pout his mouth and his eyes will looks like want to cry. Like in one episode in 1N2D where he doesn't get any beef because he lose a game. He looks very upset. We can tell because he always talk about it in the morning after that "incident" happened.  

 

On 12/13/2017 at 11:17 PM, kittyna said:

 

I think JW's actually the fastest runner in the 1N2D Season 2 cast...at least he looks it.

Its not that he looks like it but he really like that. He always win everytime there's a game that involves speed and agility like running even though he started running late than any other member. And also joo won also has an advantage if there are games that use distance as a measure of victory. because as we know that joo won has a tall and fit body. 

 

The member also believe and rely on joo won and sung shi kyung when there's a game like running and game that using strength. Because they said that joo won and sung shi kyung have athlete body (healthy, tall, and big). 

 

On 12/13/2017 at 11:17 PM, kittyna said:

I do hope to be able to do more from his characters' perspectives, though - it'll just take some getting used to.

Really waiting for it! Because i have much interest in joo won's character in the drama. Its like his character has many emotions they can't express that makes our heart ache. Like Gu ma Jun in baker king. He can't express his feelings easily. If his heart say "Its delicious." He will say the opposite. So many people is feel sorry for the character because it never gets the attention of the people around him so he did bad things to kim tak gu.

 

And also Lee Kang To, bridal mask. This character is also has many feelings that he can't express. Feelings when his mother and brother died in front of him. Feelings when he is hated by all of korean people. Feeling when his beloved wife die because of his best friend. And also the feelings that he has when he look at his friends that encourage him died because of war. 

 

On 12/13/2017 at 11:17 PM, kittyna said:

I still wish that JW would release some childhood pictures where he's smiling so brightly that the dimples show, though.... I'm not complaining, since the usual "meong" face expression is cute, too, but...I wanna see mini-cutie-smile!!!

Me too.!! It will be daebak when the photo is out. We know that he like to smile but why is the photo that we see is always the photo when he has his meong face... its still a mystery. Hahaha... 

 

One photo that i see him smiling is the photo of his highschool days. 

 

On 12/14/2017 at 1:42 AM, kittyna said:

Aren't they pretty? 

The fanart is so pretty. And also very detail. She can draw the detail that are on joo won's clothes.

 

This photo time!!!

 

I found this on instagram. The best cuisine that can be made by joo won is eggs tomato sauce.

Without any salt or pepper. Joo won is sure can cook well.

 

I have seen him cooking in 1N2D and also in Life log. He also cooking in running man. From this, i can surely say that joo won can cook really well without guidance. Its not like some men that even don't know the basic in the kitchen. 

 

I've tried this recipe and the result is pretty good. I like it very much since i also like tomato sauce and egg. It taste better if you eat it with rice. 

 

This is so cute... i really looking forward for this drama

 

The Serious handsome man Cha Yoo Jin

 

WHO IS THE REAL JOO WON??? THIS IS SO FUNNY THO. I laugh so hard because of this photo. 

 

I love joo won when he sings. it's like he sings his heart out sincerely. He always close his eyes and feel the song. 

 

[kittyna]

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

forgive me... yesterday I have a pretty time-consuming task. I did not even have proper sleep because I have to finish that the task.

 

It's okay - that's why I'd said "Please don't answer me" when I'd said it was really quiet here. I know people get busy - I just do that to make a mental note to slow down my own output so I don't end up flooding this site more than I already do

 

So make sure you get properly rested tonight  

 

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... we can tell the difference between Bird PD and Ham PD. Bird PD followed the 1N2D season one's challenging and exhausting show. And the punishment is also a bit harsh than Ham PD. If the member lose some mission, the member have to sleep outside. Even though its winter, they will do it. And also they will not get any food and dinner so they might be sleep with empty stomach until morning. But if they don't get breakfast too, they will be ruined. 

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Its so different from Ham PD's methods. He made the show more relaxed by just walking around Korean tourism scene. and also the punishment given to the members is not too heavy. if they lose the mission, they will still be given food but the food that they receive is not as good as the first winner.

 

 

1N2D doubles as both a game show and a travel show - so I think that Bird PD emphasized the former and Ham PD (I didn't even know he had a nickname until now - thanks!) emphasized the latter.

 

JW was equally good and interesting to watch in both halves of Season 2. I just think that Ham PD's style matched JW's variety personality better. Skill in games and athletics aside, JW is ultimately a more quiet person - and I think Ham PD's style really worked well with more introverted cast members like him.

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

And as you said, Ham PD's methods is more compatible with Joo Won because looking at his personality that he shows in 1N2D, he always express his emotions with action and not so often with words. Like when he is interested, he will smile brightly and his eyes will looking straight to the person or something that makes him interested. Or when he is sad and upset, he will pout his mouth and his eyes will looks like want to cry.

 

Yeah, I definitely think JW's forte on 1N2D was his nonverbal communication. So...not the things he says out loud, but all the ways he shows what he's thinking or feeling without having to say anything at all. Things like facial expressions or gestures...he's good with those. But that means that he does need a film crew that is sensitive to that in order for it to be shown on screen - so if the editors just focus on who's talking, you'd never notice JW doing that in the background. And that's how some people wound up thinking he was useless on the show - they missed all the stuff he was doing that could be seen but not heard. In variety...you have to compete with your fellow cast members for attention, and JW just isn't that sort of person.

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

The member also believe and rely on joo won and sung shi kyung when there's a game like running and game that using strength. Because they said that joo won and sung shi kyung have athlete body (healthy, tall, and big).

 

The conclusion I personally reached while watching 1N2D was that JW was the fastest, and Sung Si Kyung and Uhm Tae Woong were tied for being the strongest.

 

JW is strong, too - but more in the sense of stamina or endurance than in terms of power (e.g. lifting or pushing heavy objects...or people )

 

I'm not always sure that he's all that agile, though. I mean...he is, but sometimes he ends up moving too fast for his own good, which leads to a certain degree of clumsiness.  It adds to his cute maknae image, though, so I'm not complaining as long as he doesn't get hurt.

 

lol - You're reminding me now of the game on 1N2D when JW and SSK had to fight each other for a blanket. You can see that they're both strong in their own way, but I think it's JW's agility and flexility that helps him win this round. He gets a good head start because he reacts sooner than SSK. And although SSK is noticeably stronger than JW - such as when SSK braces himself on the ground so JW can't flip or throw him - JW is able to turn with what little space he has and wrap the blanket around himself.

 

(Okay, the entire bedtime bokbulbok sequence in this episode is awesome - with musical "chairs", fighting for blankets and pillow fights - but I'm just starting the video at the moment I'm talking about)

 

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

I found this on instagram. The best cuisine that can be made by joo won is eggs tomato sauce.

Without any salt or pepper. Joo won is sure can cook well.

 

I have seen him cooking in 1N2D and also in Life log. He also cooking in running man. From this, i can surely say that joo won can cook really well without guidance. Its not like some men that even don't know the basic in the kitchen. 

 

 

Thanks for that! I actually learned to add ketchup to scrambled eggs from him as well - although I don't tell my family that, because it would just be weird  Instead, I just told them, "You know how some people put ketchup on their scrambled eggs? I decided to try adding them while cooking to see what happens." And, yes, it does end up tasting a bit like omurice (yum!)  

 

I definitely think JW's good at cooking - he knows the techniques and how to do things - but he can also be really cutely lost in terms of the planning. Like the time he cooked for the staff on "Life Log" - he had good ideas and knifework, but didn't realize that making such a big pot of soup with water instead of stock or broth would make for a really bland result  

 

I'm responding to this before other things you mentioned, because I just want to say that cooking is another one of my favourite times seeing a SSK-JW tag-team. They both work well together, especially when SSK takes the lead: when they're together, he can just say what he wants to make and knows that he can trust JW to know what to do to help.

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Really waiting for it! Because i have much interest in joo won's character in the drama. Its like his character has many emotions they can't express that makes our heart ache. Like Gu ma Jun in baker king. He can't express his feelings easily. If his heart say "Its delicious." He will say the opposite. So many people is feel sorry for the character because it never gets the attention of the people around him so he did bad things to kim tak gu.

 

And also Lee Kang To, bridal mask. This character is also has many feelings that he can't express. Feelings when his mother and brother died in front of him. Feelings when he is hated by all of korean people. Feeling when his beloved wife die because of his best friend. And also the feelings that he has when he look at his friends that encourage him died because of war. 

 

Well, the story I'm currently working on...won't be that. It's for "Good Doctor", so I still want to ease my way in the way I have done with other dramas so far (i.e. start from someone else's perspective and work my way towards writing from Park Si On's point of view).

 

Actually...this is a story where I think I can give previews without it being too spoiler-y. It will still end up being a dead giveaway whose POV I'm using, though, as well as a good indicator of the overall tone of the fic  

 

Spoiler

That’s weird.

 

Usually, Park Si On would be up by now – I know, because I’ve seen him up even earlier than this at work, and I’ve heard that his schedule tends to run like clockwork.

 

So why isn’t he answering the doorbell?

 

Is he already out?

 

No, that wouldn’t be it. He seems more like the sort of person who would just stay home if he didn’t have work. He likes things to be straightforward. Predictable. He’s not one to just go off on his own somewhere.

 

But he really isn’t answering the door, and I can’t see or hear anything on the other side.

 

Wait.

 

What if…?

 

Quickly, I slide open the panel covering the keypad and enter my old passcode. After an incident like that first time, when I had just barged in by accident after a few drinks too many, most people would make sure to change their code to make sure some weirdo like me can’t do that again.

 

But Park Si On’s not like most people. If he’d already memorized my old passcode, he wouldn’t change it unless someone made him do it.

 

Sure enough, I hear the little chime that tells me that my old passcode is correct. In an instant, I turn the latch and step inside.

 

[....]

 

After setting up two places at the kitchen table, I head over to the refrigerator. To be honest, I’m not all that good a cook. I mean, I can get by with simple things, but am fairly hopeless otherwise. For me, breakfast is something like toast or scrambled eggs, maybe even just a quick coffee and bun from a local bakery on the way to work. So if Park Si On’s expecting anything like soup or banchan with rice…he’ll be disappointed.

 

But when I open the refrigerator door, it’s my turn to be surprised. I know he can’t hear me over the noise of the shower, but I still can’t stop myself from blurting it out.

 

“Ya! Park Si On…you have got to be kidding me!”

 

His refrigerator looks like something out of a convenience store. There are several neat rows of samgak kimbap in a variety of flavours, a few packaged bakery sandwiches, and an equal number of bottles of Banana Milk.

 

That’s it.

 

I know I shouldn’t be surprised, since he had mentioned it before – that time I’d tried to make dinner for both of us – but I didn’t think to take his words that literally.

 

In regards to writing from the point of view of JW's characters more generally:

 

Right now, the only good "voice" I've developed for any of his characters while writing in first person is Cha Yoo Jin. Third person is a bit easier because it's a bit more distant - even if I try to stick to just one character's point of view in a story. But we'll see.

 

I would like to attempt "King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu" at some point in the future as well - but I'd probably need to re-watch some bits to get back into Gu Ma Jun's character and story.

 

4 hours ago, moonstrike said:

WHO IS THE REAL JOO WON??? THIS IS SO FUNNY THO. I laugh so hard because of this photo. 

 

 That is really funny - thanks for sharing!

 

And now...picture time!

 

Spoiler

More dressing room photos - this time, from the GQ shoot that was also featured on "Life Log"

 

 

I really like this behind-the-scenes photo from "Yong Pal". It's not an action shot per se, but you can feel the tension and strength in his body, bracing himself against the floor like that.

 

 

Park Si On "meong" face

 

 

He's so happy to see his fans here

 

 

Miscellaneous cutie faces:

 

 

(This moment from 1N2D was when the hyungs asked him a trivia question and he got stumped - again)

 

 

 

 

[moonstrike]

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

1N2D doubles as both a game show and a travel show - so I think that Bird PD emphasized the former and Ham PD (I didn't even know he had a nickname until now - thanks!) emphasized the latter.

The new PD had his nickname when he first join the show. The one that give him the nickname is Uhm Tae Woong. He said the new PD is like hamster so he named him Ham PD.

 

I also remember he said that Old PD (Bird Pd) is like a bird when he drink soju. He immediately gave the PD nick name even though its his first time met him and its the first episode of season 2. He is unique.... 

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

JW was equally good and interesting to watch in both halves of Season 2. I just think that Ham PD's style matched JW's variety personality better. Skill in games and athletics aside, JW is ultimately a more quiet person - and I think Ham PD's style really worked well with more introverted cast members like hi

In Bird Pd's method, the member have to always talk and make the show interesting. But looking at joo won's personality, he can't talk much because its his character. So the hyung will take that role to replace joo won's place. Maybe because of that, joo won was felt guilty because he can't do his best in variety show and make his hyung work harder to make the show interesting. But the hyungs know that joo won is already do his best as he can so they are okay with that.

 

And we (the audience) especially me is love to see his real personality besides drama and movie. Its okay that he can't talk much in the show but he does his duty well as a maknae in 1N2D. even joo won earned the nickname as a national maknae because of his personality and also his behavior towards the hyungs. He show the audience his real him and the audience loved it.!!

 

But looks like we'll be able to see him join the variety show again after he's back from the military. he once said that he wanted to join the variety show again in one of the interviews. it gives me hope that we will be able to see our cute joo won and also maknae joo won us on variety shows.

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

But that means that he does need a film crew that is sensitive to that in order for it to be shown on screen - so if the editors just focus on who's talking, you'd never notice JW doing that in the background. And that's how some people wound up thinking he was useless on the show - they missed all the stuff he was doing that could be seen but not heard. In variety...you have to compete with your fellow cast members for attention, and JW just isn't that sort of person.

Yeah... i remember some fans said that they were impressed and amazed at Joo Won's treatment and concern towards Kim Jong Min. In one episode, jong min wearing hoodie clothes and also a sweater (I do not know the name). he keeps removing and wearing his sweater in a hurry. and joo won just keep fixing the hoodie position every time kim jong min put it on again. there are also episodes where they visit Joo Won's home. joo won take the initiative to bring kim jong min and kim seung woo food because they have not been able to breakfast. it is one of the behavior and concern of joo won to his hyung in 1N2D. joo won also always accompany and hold his hyung as they walk together.... he is such a nice maknae... there are many more moment that show his care to his hyung but i don't remember it clearly. I need to watch the show again while i wait for him until he comeback...

[moonstrike]

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

The conclusion I personally reached while watching 1N2D was that JW was the fastest, and Sung Si Kyung and Uhm Tae Woong were tied for being the strongest.

because uhm tae woong has a muscular body and sung shi kyung has a tall and big body so of course they got the nickname. joo won gets his nickname because he has long legs and also a tall body. he is also lively and fast in running. but I remember her hyungs saying that Joo won has strong hands when they play flicking foreheads. they say that joo won flicking very hard.

 

Seeing Joo Won's hand, I can imagine how great and warm his hand is. Some fans that already met and do handshake with him said that he has a big and rough hands. Its not like some celebrity that has smooth and soft hands... and surely that hand must have great strength. i like that his hand is rough because its shows his hardships during his highschool... I'm sure he gets his rough hands because he makes his own stage everyday... if he doesn't have any work, he will help his sunbae to make their stage. some article said that joo won uniform pocket is always have hammer and carpentry equipment. Joo won also said that his uniform is so dirty because he wears it when he works. He's really working hard when he's in highschool. 

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

JW is strong, too - but more in the sense of stamina or endurance than in terms of power (e.g. lifting or pushing heavy objects...or people )

I remember in one episode that the member have to carry a woman in order to win the game... the one that carry the woman longer will be the winner. And as expected the winner is joo won... 

 

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

 

I'm not always sure that he's all that agile, though. I mean...he is, but sometimes he ends up moving too fast for his own good, which leads to a certain degree of clumsiness.  It adds to his cute maknae image, though, so I'm not complaining as long as he doesn't get hurt.

There is one episode where he running fast leaving the staff behind to follow him.. its funny that we see the camera is shaking because the staff is running to make sure that they can follow joo won... I remember that he said he can run for a long time like in marathon... 

 

But in the end he chose to hitch-hiking. he doesn't want the staff to running and suffering because of following him. 

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

lol - You're reminding me now of the game on 1N2D when JW and SSK had to fight each other for a blanket. You can see that they're both strong in their own way, but I think it's JW's agility and flexility that helps him win this round. He gets a good head start because he reacts sooner than SSK. And although SSK is noticeably stronger than JW - such as when SSK braces himself on the ground so JW can't flip or throw him - JW is able to turn with what little space he has and wrap the blanket around himself.

Yeah... joo won is have great flexibility... you can see it when he dancing at the pillow game. Talking about dancing, i rather see him dancing after he make his debut in tv.. i miss seeing his dance. Here is some proove.

 

Joo won gangnam style dance... he actually can be an idol but his dream is to be an actor and he nailed it. He is a man with many talents. He can dance, he can act, he can sing, and many more.

 

 

Joo won in altar boyz... in that video, we can see that he has muscular body.. i wonder when he comeback from military service will his body become like this?

 

As i said, he is dancing really well.. what would it be when he is debut as an idol???

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

I definitely think JW's good at cooking - he knows the techniques and how to do things - but he can also be really cutely lost in terms of the planning. Like the time he cooked for the staff on "Life Log" - he had good ideas and knifework, but didn't realize that making such a big pot of soup with water instead of stock or broth would make for a really bland result  

Sometimes he need recipe book to make a dish. If it was just a simple dish, i think he can make it without recipe. Or when he often make the dish during special days like chuseok days or when his parent have birthday. He said that he can make the dish on his own. He even know what is he used to make it. Joo won also can do households course and reaally like neat. I remember in life log, he will always clean his table even though its just a little dust(?). 

 

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

I'm responding to this before other things you mentioned, because I just want to say that cooking is another one of my favourite times seeing a SSK-JW tag-team. They both work well together, especially when SSK takes the lead: when they're together, he can just say what he wants to make and knows that he can trust JW to know what to do to help.

Sung shi kyung will be the chef and joo won will be his assistant. Such a great combination. Because two of them is can cook better than other member. I remember The other member is just use the MSG to make the dish look more delicious..  

On 12/15/2017 at 10:28 PM, kittyna said:

Well, the story I'm currently working on...won't be that. It's for "Good Doctor", so I still want to ease my way in the way I have done with other dramas so far (i.e. start from someone else's perspective and work my way towards writing from Park Si On's point of view).

Waiting for it... since i like Good Doctor very much. I'm curious about shi on's story.

 

Another picture time...

 

He is so handsome... i want to cry... this is the song that joo won sing in festival.. 

 

 

 

[kittyna]

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

In Bird Pd's method, the member have to always talk and make the show interesting. But looking at joo won's personality, he can't talk much because its his character. So the hyung will take that role to replace joo won's place. Maybe because of that, joo won was felt guilty because he can't do his best in variety show and make his hyung work harder to make the show interesting. But the hyungs know that joo won is already do his best as he can so they are okay with that.

 

I remember there was one episode where the hyungs asked Kim Jong Min to teach JW this particular high-pitched squeal that they said could be used to react to beautiful scenery. They then went on a hike together with Sung Si Kyung, and it was funny watching KJM and JW just going back and forth, trying to learn it.  But, yeah: most of his reactions are non-verbal (e.g. the way his eyes go really, really wide and his jaw just drops whenever he's surprised).

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

And we (the audience) especially me is love to see his real personality besides drama and movie. Its okay that he can't talk much in the show but he does his duty well as a maknae in 1N2D. even joo won earned the nickname as a national maknae because of his personality and also his behavior towards the hyungs. He show the audience his real him and the audience loved it.!!

 

I noticed the "National Maknae" nickname, and remember being really proud of him for that. He really is the proper old-school sort of maknae, and I wanted him to be able to act as a role model for other young people in that way. I know I do that in my own life now. So sometimes, say, if I'm feeling lazy and don't want to help out at home, or if I'm tempted to say something rude to someone older than me, I'd then think to myself, "No. JW's the maknae like me, and he wouldn't do that. So I need to be a good maknae like him." And then I'd do the chore, or hold back when I was tempted to talk back to my parents or something like that.  

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

But looks like we'll be able to see him join the variety show again after he's back from the military. he once said that he wanted to join the variety show again in one of the interviews. it gives me hope that we will be able to see our cute joo won and also maknae joo won us on variety shows.

 

I would like to see him try variety again in the future - if for no other reason than to overcome the sense of inferiority that developed while he was doing 1N2D. I think, given his age by then, he'd end up being a hyung rather than the maknae, but I also think that can be good for him. I want him to see that his personality - just as it is, without any changes - is fine as it is, and that he shouldn't have to feel bad for just being himself.

 

So if he's now starting to open up to the idea of doing variety again (he'd been really adamant about it not working for him when he'd first left 1N2D, probably because of his sense of guilt at his own performance) then I'm all for it for the healing it represents  

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... i remember some fans said that they were impressed and amazed at Joo Won's treatment and concern towards Kim Jong Min.

 

I remember those examples. And I also like that JW was really kind and respectful towards KJM from beginning to end. He wouldn't tease him the way the hyungs did - possibly because he's the only one who's younger, but I like to think it's because that's his personality as well.

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Seeing Joo Won's hand, I can imagine how great and warm his hand is. Some fans that already met and do handshake with him said that he has a big and rough hands. Its not like some celebrity that has smooth and soft hands... and surely that hand must have great strength. i like that his hand is rough because its shows his hardships during his highschool... I'm sure he gets his rough hands because he makes his own stage everyday... if he doesn't have any work, he will help his sunbae to make their stage. some article said that joo won uniform pocket is always have hammer and carpentry equipment. Joo won also said that his uniform is so dirty because he wears it when he works. He's really working hard when he's in highschool. 

 

I hadn't paid much attention to JW's hands until recently - I knew I would have to describe them in one of the fics I wrote for "Nae Il's Cantabile", and started looking a lot more closely then. (On a side note, @moonstrike - thanks for the hand print photo you shared once; that really helped!).

 

But I do know that he's a hard worker, and also technically skilled, so it's no wonder that that shows in his hands, too. I think his hands are also a bit rougher, because he was a bit of a late bloomer to the whole "flower boy skincare" idea; so where some celebrities might have started putting a lot of attention on skincare at a young age, he didn't pay it much attention until after his debut. 

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Joo won gangnam style dance... he actually can be an idol but his dream is to be an actor and he nailed it. He is a man with many talents. He can dance, he can act, he can sing, and many more.

 

Well, good thing he's a musical theatre actor, then - he gets to do everything (sing, dance, and act) all at once! I imagine that being an idol would actually be really restricting for him: that being able to just let himself go on stage is what he wants most, and idols' images are so strongly regulated that that's just not possible.

 

Besides, if acting is his main stress relief and emotional outlet, and knowing how stressful idols' lives are...what would he have resorted to then? 

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Sometimes he need recipe book to make a dish. If it was just a simple dish, i think he can make it without recipe. Or when he often make the dish during special days like chuseok days or when his parent have birthday. He said that he can make the dish on his own. He even know what is he used to make it. Joo won also can do households course and reaally like neat. I remember in life log, he will always clean his table even though its just a little dust(?). 

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Sung shi kyung will be the chef and joo won will be his assistant. Such a great combination. Because two of them is can cook better than other member. I remember The other member is just use the MSG to make the dish look more delicious..  

 

I remember the time he said on "Win Win" that both he and his hyung would work together to cook during Chuseok, and that the hosts were really surprised (since they're from a generation in which men who helped in the kitchen were still seen as being unmanly).

 

As for the other 1N2D cast members: Cha Tae Hyun's not bad at cooking, either. Again, his choices when left on his own can be a really childish (like the very first dinner they made together, where he just sliced up sausages and cooked them with eggs), but as an assistant for SSK, he's pretty good as well. Also, I can't speak for the others, but I do know that Uhm Tae Woong gets better at cooking, eventually; I've watched him on "Return of Superman", and although he was pretty clueless at first, he eventually learned how to cook so he could feed his daughter.

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Waiting for it... since i like Good Doctor very much. I'm curious about shi on's story.

 

It's almost done now - hopefully, it'll be ready by the time all you guys over in Asia log in tomorrow (tonight for me, but you get the idea)!  

 

But first - pictures!

 

(By the way, Instagram and Twitter are acting up on my browser's version of Soompi - I use Google Chrome - so pictures aren't showing up properly when I try to embed them. So for the time being, if something's from either of those sites, I'll post the photo and link separately rather than try to embed them.)

 

Spoiler

A promo shot from "Gaksital" that I haven't seen before - Found here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYKkNS_FGaV/

 

Nice profile shot!

 

 

 

Miscellaneous group photos:

 

1. With Shim Eun Kyung for "Nae Il's Cantabile" - Found via Twitter: https://twitter.com/bua2be/status/654651553224130560

 

 

 

2. With Kim Young Kwang in Macau for GGIO2 - Found via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/0rj2ZTtOt0/

 

lol - I love their vintage-style looks here: who do you think pulls it off better?

 

 

3. With Yoon Si Yoon, possibly for "King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu" promotions

 

 

4. With UEE, at an event at Sungkyunkwan University

 

 

5. Moon Cousins! - Found via Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/BarKT_MFy3H/

 

(For those who don't remember: that's the nickname I came up with for the [Moon] Joo Won-Moon Chae Won pairing, since they'd said during "Good Doctor" interviews that they're likely related, even if they don't know how far back the connection is )

 

 

[kittyna]

Yay! The new fic - a.k.a. my first attempt at "Good Doctor" fanfiction - a.k.a. the sort of story I'd wanted to write since this whole fic-writing for Soompi thing started - is now ready!

 

Title: A Different Kind of Smart

Drama: "Good Doctor"

Characters: Cha Yoon Seo, Park Si On

Premise: It's the first real day off Cha Yoon Seo has had in a long time, and she wants to spend it by trying to get to know Park Si On a bit better.

 

Note: This story covers events from Episode 5 of the drama, and may contain spoilers for those who have not yet watched the show.

 

Note on Language: Although the characters speak Korean, and I can reasonably expect some knowledge of common words and phrases from you guys (given we are in a Hallyu fandom forum), I do want to say a few things about how the language works in this story in particular.

 

In short: Park Si On's super-formal way of speaking means that I am using forms of common words and phrases that may be unfamiliar for some people. Most of us know the general distinction between jeondaemal (formal/polite language) and banmal (informal/casual language) in Korean. We tend to associate jeondaemal with the "-yo" suffix, and the banmal with the absence of a suffix; so, for instance, "gwenchanayo" (jeondaemal) vs. "gwenchana" (banmal); "aniyo" (jeondaemal) vs. "ani" (banmal), etc.

 

But the reality in Korean is a bit more complicated than that: there is at least one level that is even more formal than that, and that is the one that Park Si On uses for the most part. Instead of the "-yo" suffix, it'S "-imnida" - which, yes, turns all of these words into quite the mouthful.

 

So just for the sake of clarity, here are the terms that Park Si On uses, followed by their equivalents in jeondaemal and banmal

 

Animida - Aniyo (jeondaemal), Ani (banmal)

Andwaemida - Andwaeyo (jeondaemal), Andwae (banmal)

Gwenchansumnida - Gwenchanayo (jeondaemal), Gwenchana (banmal)

Joesonghamnida - This is the most formal way of offering an apology. From there, in descending levels of formality, to the best of my knowledge, we have "mianhamnida", then "joesonghayo", followed by "mianhayo", "mianhae", and "mian" (So, yes, an entirely different word - and probably one we're all more familiar with)

 

Transferring that same degree of formality into English, though, was a bit harder. While English does have a distinction between formal and informal language, it's definitely nowhere near as clear-cut as it is in Korean! So, for the purposes of these stories, I'm doing it by resorting to a trick other authors have used to make characters sound more "polite" or "proper": not using any contractions at all (e.g. saying "I do not want that" instead of "I don't want that"). It probably ends up sounding even more stilted than Park Si On's formal speech would in Korean, but it's the best that I can do.

 

Finally, one last note. Yes, I know that "doctor" in Korean is actually "uisa" - but when one is speaking to a doctor, it's supposed to be "uisa seonsaengnim" (literally "teacher of medicine"), and when shortened, as would often happen in everyday speech, it becomes "seonsaengnim" as opposed to "uisa". I've noticed both Park Si On and Cha Yoon Seo doing this while rewatching clips to write this fic (sometimes, Cha Yoon Seo takes things a step further in terms of informality, and uses "seonsaeng" without the "-nim" honorific, but Park Si On never does)

 

So, all that being said...on with the fic!

 

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

 

Spoiler

A Different Kind of Smart

 

It’s not often that I get a free day like this.

 

Sure, Sunday is our team’s usual day off, but the thing about being a research fellow is that work never actually stops. Experiments and lab work don’t always fit neatly into our schedules, so I still end up having to go to the hospital to check on things more often than not. And when it’s not that, it’s academic work: reading the newest clinical studies, collecting data and writing papers of my own.

 

When I was a girl, there had been church as well, but not anymore. I’m sure Eomma hates me for that; she still tells me whenever I call home that she spends each week’s service praying for my immortal soul.

 

But what can I say? Heaven, Hell, God…I’d stopped believing in those years ago. It’s been a lot easier this way: seeing the children who are sick, or injured – or dead – I don’t want to think that that’s all decided by some unseen force out there. I’d rather think of it as something that we – as human beings – can control. That we, as doctors, can actually step in and give these kids a chance at life, and that we are not simply fighting against the inevitable.

 

Well, I did – until the incident.

 

Although I can’t say that I agree with Park Si On and his view of Heaven – it is so childishly naïve, after all – I also have to admit that it seems to have helped him come to terms with little Min Hee’s death.

 

It’ll take me a while longer still.

 

Ah, what am I doing? I’m not usually this sentimental!

 

Maybe Park Si On’s starting to rub off on me?

 

No, that’s ridiculous. He and I are nothing alike…right?

 

But then again, his response has made me feel better than anyone else’s: Do Han’s, Min Hee’s parents’…anyone’s. He’s the only one so far who isn’t making me feel like some sort of freak for feeling the way I do.

 

I hadn’t been in much of a mood to do any lab work in the past few days, so I actually don’t have anything in progress there for once. As for my other work? To hell with that. It can all wait until tomorrow.

 

I want to spend this Sunday like a proper day off for once.

 

~~~~~

 

That’s weird.

 

Usually, Park Si On would be up by now – I know, because I’ve seen him up even earlier than this at work, and I’ve heard that his schedule tends to run like clockwork.

 

So why isn’t he answering the doorbell?

 

Is he already out?

 

No, that wouldn’t be it. He seems more like the sort of person who would just stay home if he didn’t have work. He likes things to be straightforward. Predictable. He’s not one to just go off on his own somewhere.

 

But he really isn’t answering the door, and I can’t see or hear anything on the other side.

 

Wait.

 

What if…?

 

Quickly, I slide open the panel covering the keypad and enter my old passcode. After an incident like that first time, when I had just barged in by accident after a few drinks too many, most people would make sure to change their code to make sure some weirdo like me can’t do that again.

 

But Park Si On’s not like most people. If he’d already memorized my old passcode, he wouldn’t change it unless someone made him do it.

 

Sure enough, I hear the little chime that tells me that my old passcode is correct. In an instant, I turn the latch and step inside.

 

“Ya, Park Si On!” I call out as I take off my shoes and step up into the main room. “I rang the doorbell so many times! Why weren’t you answering –”

 

Oh.

 

So that’s why.

 

Too late, I remember what he had said last night: that he had counted thousands of dragonflies and had still been unable to sleep. And that had been before we had sat outside talking for quite some time.

 

Just when did he go to bed last night?

 

All the noise I had been making must have woken him up, though, because I see him stir awake just long enough to roll over so he’s facing away from me. And I could have sworn I heard him whine just a little, too.

 

Stifling a laugh, I can’t help but mouth to myself what he’s probably thinking: Aw…just five more minutes!

 

Immediately, an image pops into my head of Si On in miniature: a child refusing to wake up to get ready for the day.

 

And maybe that’s why I can’t resist the temptation to sneak up behind him and give him a playful smack on the bottom – the same way Eomma used to wake my oppa when he wouldn’t get out of bed to go to school.

 

“Ya! Wake up!”

 

I retreat back to my place beside the bed as Park Si On finally stirs awake. He sits up, his blanket falling away to reveal his shoulders – it had been really hot last night, so it looks like he’d just gone to bed in his boxers. Blinking and rubbing his eyes, he glances blearily around the room until, finally, our eyes meet.

 

Cracking a smile, I give him a little wave. “Annyeong.”

 

In an instant, his eyes widen in surprise and he jolts back as though from an electric shock. He scrambles, limbs flailing, to pull up the blanket to cover himself, but I can’t help laughing when I see that he only managed to drape it across his front, still leaving his back exposed. And the fact that he is actually glaring at me from inside his improvised blanket fort just makes him look ten times funnier.

 

“What are you doing that for?” I call out through my giggles, “I already saw everything last time, remember?”

 

That seems to calm him down for a moment, but only for as long as it takes for him to notice the clock on the bedside table. In a flash, he’s scrambling to get up again.

 

“Bbali, bbali! I have to go to work now!”

 

“Gwenchana,” I call out to him. “Today is Sunday. Sun-day. Remember? It’s our day off.”

 

“Oh,” he murmurs, plopping back down on the bed. He pouts and sits even more slumped over than usual; it’s almost like he’s disappointed that we aren’t on shift today.

 

Then, it hits me. Of course. Park Si On’s new to Seoul and doesn’t know his way around yet. And with his condition, trying to go out without any sort of game plan would be major sensory overload waiting to happen.

 

So he would just end up having to stay at home – and that can’t be fun!

 

But what if I were to go with him….

 

I sit down on the bed beside him. “You haven’t had a holiday since coming to Seoul, have you?” When he turns to look at me in interest, I go on, “Why don’t we go out and do something together? It’ll be fun!” He mulls over it for a bit and then answers with a slight nod.

 

“Is there someplace you want to go? It’s your first time here in Seoul, so you pick.”

 

Chances are, he does have someplace in mind. Maybe even a lot of places. That, too, can get overwhelming.

 

Hm…perhaps I could help narrow down our options a bit.

 

But what does he like?

 

Going by what little I have seen and heard of him so far, I try to guess.

 

“Do you…want to watch a movie?” I ask, remembering how he’d said he wanted to save up money to buy one of those new 3D televisions. When he doesn’t answer, I try again. “Or…go to a restaurant? What about a PC room? They have fun games there.”

 

When he still doesn’t respond to any of those, I know for sure that he does already have someplace in mind.

 

So why doesn’t he just say so?

 

I wonder if talking to Park Si On is like talking to one of our patients. I know, for instance, that some kids are naturally very talkative and will just blurt out what they want – but others are shier and need an adult to gently coax it out of them.

 

And although he is definitely not a child, personality-wise, it looks like he’s the latter.

 

Grinning mischievously, I try a new tactic. “Now, I’m going to count to five,” I say in my best schoolteacher’s voice as I get up and start pacing in front of him, “and if you can’t tell me where you want to go by then, I’m going to decide.”

 

As I slowly count my way up, I can see it’s working. The time limit has given him a sense of urgency, and I could almost see the answer forming in his mind until it’s just there on the tip of his tongue. I’d already gotten to “Three” by that point, so I make sure to wait just a beat longer before drawling out, “Four…”

 

“I- I- I know where I want to go now!”

 

“Oh?” I stop pacing and sit back down beside him. “Where?”

 

To my surprise, Park Si On doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he starts to stand up, but then stops and sits back down, still clutching tightly onto his blanket.

 

“Ah, I see…” I begin, glancing around the room before settling on the kitchenette. “Why don’t I go get breakfast set up? You get changed first, and then you can tell me.”

 

He nods vigorously at that, so I get up and head into the kitchen. Behind me, I can finally hear him getting up and scrounging around in the cupboards and drawers, followed by the sound of retreating steps as he disappears into the bathroom.

 

I hear him turning on the shower as I root through the kitchen cupboards and shelves to find plates and cutlery. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, not since the day we had first met, but I’m relieved to find that he’s left things pretty much untouched from the way they were when this was my place. Everything was still in its original place, even if the bowls, plates, and cups are now placed in neater rows and stacks than I could have ever done.

 

After setting up two places at the kitchen table, I head over to the refrigerator. To be honest, I’m not all that good a cook. I mean, I can get by with simple things, but am fairly hopeless otherwise. For me, breakfast is something like toast or scrambled eggs, maybe even just a quick coffee and bun from a local bakery on the way to work. So if Park Si On’s expecting anything like soup or banchan with rice…he’ll be disappointed.

 

But when I open the refrigerator door, it’s my turn to be surprised. I know he can’t hear me over the noise of the shower, but I still can’t stop myself from blurting it out.

 

“Ya! Park Si On…you have got to be kidding me!”

 

His refrigerator looks like something out of a convenience store. There are several neat rows of samgak kimbap in a variety of flavours, a few packaged bakery sandwiches, and an equal number of bottles of Banana Milk.

 

That’s it.

 

I know I shouldn’t be surprised, since he had mentioned it before – that time I’d tried to make dinner for both of us – but I didn’t think to take his words that literally.

 

Well, there’s nothing much I can do about it on such short notice, so I just randomly grab two of everything and split them up evenly between our places at the table. And not a moment too soon, as he comes in now, wearing a plain T-shirt and slacks, his hair still mussed up from drying it with a towel. Once he spots the food on the table, he bobs a quick bow in thanks before taking the seat across from me and setting to with gusto.

 

I take that as my cue to start eating as well, but I stop after the first few bites and rap lightly on the table to draw his attention.

 

“Si On-ah, do you have any coffee?”

 

I’m beginning to notice the signs that he’s thinking hard about something. Blinking slowly and deliberately several times; murmuring the word, “coffee” to himself as he turns his head to look over the entire kitchenette….

 

After a moment, he turns back to face me and shakes his head. “Animida,” he says, in that carefully enunciated way of his. “I do not have any.”

 

“Oh. Arasseo,” I say, making a mental note to buy a cup later on.

 

I don’t ask for any further explanation, but he gives one anyway.

 

“Most people drink coffee, because they want caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant. It binds to the adenosine receptors in a person’s nerve cells. Because adenosine can no longer bind to the proper receptors, its ability to slow down nerve cell activity is inhibited. Instead, caffeine causes an increase in nerve cell activity. That causes the pituitary gland in the brain to signal the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline. Adrenaline causes an increase in heart rate and respiration, as well as tension in the muscles as part of the flight-or-fight response. That is why drinking coffee can wake someone up.

 

“However, clinical studies have shown that for those with autism spectrum disorder, caffeine can have an inverse effect: causing calming as opposed to stimulating effects.”

 

I can’t help it; my jaw drops as I listen to what Park Si On is saying. I still don’t know how he does it. Most of the time, he could have a hard time saying even the simplest things in an everyday conversation. But then, something – like my request for coffee – can come along and it’s like someone has flipped a switch in his head; next thing I know, he’s spouting off whole excerpts of scholarly articles or using medical jargon to explain what he’s thinking.

 

You’d think that as a doctor, I’d be used to hearing people talk like that – but I’m not. This is still very new to me. And while there are definitely times when his doing this can get annoying – such as when we’re in the hospital and I need a quick, direct answer – we’re not there now, and for once, I can actually sit back and just take it in.

 

Finally, after a long moment, I just let out a breathless gasp. “Wa….that’s…that’s amazing.”

 

But still, in the time since I first started getting to know Park Si On, I’ve also learned to slip in little teaching moments whenever the chance arises. And this is one of those times.

 

“So you don’t have any coffee at home because you don’t drink it in the morning?” When he nods in response, I continue, “Because it doesn’t actually wake you up?”

 

“Ne.”

 

“But you might drink it at work instead when you want to relax.”

 

“Ne.”

 

“Arasseo,” I say, a gentle smile on my face. “Komawo – I actually didn’t know that caffeine can have a different effect on someone with autism.”

 

It’s true. I didn’t.

 

“But,” I add on, “you should still have some here. You might have guests over, and they might want some. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy. We can go to the grocery store later and buy a box of instant coffee mix: you know, the ones that already have sugar and creamer mixed in. You just need to add hot water to those, so it’s really convenient.”

 

He nods again. “Ne, seonsaengnim.”

 

Another lesson.

 

“You don’t need to be so formal all the time: ‘-imnida’ this and ‘-imnida’ that. When we’re not working, you don’t even need to call me ‘seonsaengnim’. You can call me ‘noona’ if you want when we’re not in the hospital, like right now.”

 

Firmly, he shakes his head. “Andwaemida.”

 

I really am curious. “Why not?”

 

“Director Choi told me that I should always speak as formally as I can. It is better to be too polite than for people to think I am being rude.”

 

“I see…” I answer, nodding in understanding. “Well, then, just speak in the way that makes you comfortable, then.”

 

Neither of us says anything for the next few minutes, as we both focus on eating. Once I see that we are both done, I offer to tidy up all the leftover wrappers and bottles, but Park Si On declines. “Gwenchansumnida,” he says, sweeping everything up into a pile before pushing it all into the garbage can, “I can do it myself.”

 

I’m afraid to ask if he means it as an assertion that he can take care of himself, or if he’s still upset at how I had accidentally thrown away the scalpel his hyung had given him the last time I’d tried tidying up. So I don’t. Instead, once he is finished, I ask him where he wants to go for our day off.

 

Again, it seems to take him a moment to jog his memory, but once the answer comes to him, he reacts quickly enough. Getting up from his place at the table, he shuffles quickly to the bookshelf where he retrieves what looks like a stack of small papers. When he comes back, I can see that they are all brochures: the ones that would be put in train stations to advertise attractions to tourists.

 

I watch closely as he flips through them, wondering which one he had had in mind. It’s actually a really clever idea, especially for someone who might have trouble saying where he wants to go out loud: just find the right brochure or picture, and we’re good to go.

 

Finally, Park Si On stops and pulls one pamphlet out of the pile. He sets it down on the table between us, and I turn it so that I’m reading it right-side-up.

 

Well, that’s strange. I wasn’t thinking he would have this in mind.

 

“Everland?” I ask. “Do you want to go to a theme park?”

 

Aren’t theme parks the exact opposite of what someone like Park Si On would enjoy? Someone with autism could find even everyday things overwhelming to their senses – let along a place like that.

 

I doubt he notices the confused look on my face, but he shakes his head anyway. “Animida,” he says before opening up the brochure to show a map of the theme park. He points to one corner on the bottom left of the image. “This,” he blurts out. “I want to go here. Here, seonsaengnim.”

 

Ah. I get it now.

 

“You want to go to the zoo.”

 

“Ne,” he nods, then flashes me a thumbs-up, a bashful grin appearing on his face. “You are very, very smart, seonsaengnim.”

 

Knowing how rare his smiles are, I return it with one of my own.

 

~~~~~

 

It takes us longer than I had anticipated to actually get to Everland. It’s not just because of distance – the park is a ways outside of Seoul, although perfectly accessible via the commuter train – but because, as it turns out, planning any sort of excursion with Park Si On is an adventure in and of itself.

 

He wants to know everything – which bus stop we’ll have to go to, which subway train we’ll have to take…he even wants to know exactly how far apart all those places are! I guess it helps him get a sense of where he is and where he needs to go – I remember now the way he had memorized his entire route from home to the hospital and back, all the way down to how many paces he’d have to take before turning a corner. But trying to predict any of that is really not my strong suit. Thank goodness there are good phone apps for that, or we would have been stuck inside the apartment all morning trying to figure it out.

 

It’s only once we’re on our way that I understand why this matters to him. Before today, I usually just tagged along with him on the familiar route to and from work, with the occasional detour to a grocery store or something. And he had seemed perfectly fine with that. But it’s only now, when we’re both dealing with unfamiliar territory, that I realize just how important planning in advance is to him. I know there’s no way I’ll get it entirely, but since we first met, I have done some reading about autism. And I think I can start guessing what it’s like for him.

 

And I’m astonished. Appalled, too, but mostly astonished.

 

For me, trying to navigate a subway station I’ve never been to before, trying to read the route maps on the wall while crowds of people push and shove past me…those are just annoyances, but otherwise no big deal.

 

But for Park Si On, it is an absolute nightmare. Too many things to see, too many sounds to hear, everything coming in at 100% clarity and volume with no way to judge what’s relevant and what’s just noise – and no one patient enough to just let him take the time he needs to figure it out. I can’t help but notice the whole way there just how many times he’s pushed, how many dirty looks he gets for not moving out of people’s way.

 

But I’m equally blown away by how much he just…takes it. Rather than react to any of that, he just stays focused on the plan, sometimes even finding the right way to go sooner than I do because he’d already memorized our entire route.

 

No wonder he wanted to map it all out in advance. It gives him something to think about: something that could help him tune out everything else.

 

If I were Park Si On, I would want to stay in my own little bubble, too.

 

~~~~~

 

Going to a zoo with Park Si On is like seeing that zoo for the first time.

 

Once we arrived at Everland, it took us a long time to get tickets and then to make our way to the zoo inside the park. The whole way there, I was worried about how Park Si On would take the crowds and the noise. But although he had definitely been agitated – he’d started fidgeting the way he would whenever he got nervous – thankfully, we made it there without any incident. It had then taken me a moment to coax him through the zoo’s entrance: he had stood stock still under the main arch, probably just trying to take it all in, until I had held onto his hand and guided him through.

 

Inside the zoo, though, he is an entirely different person.

 

I thought he was most in his element when we were in the hospital, but I was wrong.

 

At work, he shows his skills and knowledge well enough, but here, I get to see a different side of him. One that is natural, carefree…not Dr. Park Si On the autistic savant, but just Park Si On being himself.

 

One of the first things we do is duck into a souvenir shop to find maps – See? I can learn, too! –so we can figure out which animals to see first. And while I’m looking for that, Park Si On gravitates towards a display of souvenir headbands with animal ears on them. They are cute, but I usually don’t pay them much attention, much less end up buying one. But seeing his interest, I relent, just this once, and let him pick out one for each of us. I only wear mine long enough for us to take a quick selca to share on Instagram later, but he keeps his on the entire time.

 

By the time we get to the animals themselves, all of Park Si On’s nervousness seems to have disappeared. I struggle to keep up as he runs back and forth from one exhibit to the next, only able to catch my breath whenever he stops to stare in open-mouthed awe at whichever ones have caught his eye. It’s a good thing that he can focus on any one exhibit for a long time, as that gives me a chance to rest.

 

To be honest, if Park Si On’s having fun watching the animals, I’m starting to have just as much fun watching him.

 

It’s funny to see how, for instance, he jogs back and forth in front of the sea lion tank, trying to follow a particular specimen as it swims around. He even opens up a little by the time we get to the polar bear exhibit, trying to play with the children standing next to us by imitating the bear in its cage. Although I quickly stop him and usher him away with a murmured apology to their mothers, I can see that the kids don’t seem to mind, and are even enjoying his antics. And sometimes, when we’re watching the animals together, he spouts off little facts and bits of trivia about them; he’s not as knowledgeable about animals as he is about medicine, but he definitely knows more than me!

 

Still, trying to keep up with him is exhausting, and by the time we get to the monkey exhibit, I want a break. As, finally, I manage to catch up with him, I can’t stop myself from blurting out, “Ya, Park Si On! Just how long are you going to keep this up?”

 

He doesn’t notice my exasperation, of course, so I don’t press it any further. Instead, I step up beside him, watching him watch the monkeys scampering around in their habitat.

 

After a moment, I ask, “Do you really like animals?”

 

He nods, eyes still focused on the monkeys. “Ne.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Animals are like children, and children are like animals.”

 

I can’t say I get that, so it’s a good thing that he doesn’t stop there.

 

“Animals and children are both nice and cute. They all play together nicely.”

 

“Ne…I guess you’re right…” I reply. But really, I’m not sure that either animals or children could always be described as “nice” or “cute”. The one thing they have in common that I can see is how active they are, and how hard it can be to rein them in – and I tell Park Si On so.

 

“Besides,” I continue, “animals fight and prey on each other, too. They’re definitely not always nice.”

 

He shakes his head. “Animida. That is different. Animals fight and prey on each other because it is their instinct. They do it because they need food and a place to live. But animals are still nice. They will not hurt each other for no reason.”

 

“You’re right,” I say. This time I mean it.

 

But only because he’s talking about animals – I don’t dare ask about children.

 

Because I know how cruel kids can be, and if Park Si On isn’t aware of that…well, ignorance is bliss.

 

So I try to change the subject, and an idea comes to my mind when I see one of the monkeys in particular. I tap Park Si On on the shoulder and point it out to him. “That monkey is me right now.”

 

He frowns and looks back and forth between the monkey and me in confusion. “Animida. That is not a monkey. The sign says that it is a lar gibbon, which is an ape. Also, seonsaengim cannot be one of them, because seonsaengim is right here.”

 

I laugh when I realize my mistake, then move to explain myself. “Ani – I don’t mean that literally. I mean that the monkey – mianhae, the gibbon – is like me. It’s hot out today and I’m exhausted. And look at him: he must be hot and tired, too, the way he’s just sitting there like that.”

 

That seems to catch Park Si On’s attention, because he leans forward against the railing, staring intently at the animal for a long moment. Suddenly, his eyes widen and, without warning, he turns and runs off again.

 

“Ya! Where are you going?” I yell after him as, once again, I dash to keep up.

 

But this is different from the other times.

 

“Bbali, bbali!” he calls back to me. “We have to get help!”

 

By this time, I have finally caught up and am now standing in front of him, my hands gesturing for him to stop. “Look,” I pant out, “you can’t just go running off like this. There are places here where we’re not allowed to go.”

 

He tries to get past me, but I move to block his way again.

 

“Andwaemida, seonsaengnim. We have to go – bbali, bbali!”

 

“Why?” I burst out. “What’s the matter?”

 

“That lar gibbon is sick! He needs a doctor.”

 

I raise an eyebrow. “And you think you can treat him?”

 

He shakes his head. “Animida.”

 

Well, thank goodness for that!

 

“We have to find a veterinarian,” he continues. “We have to tell them that one of their lar gibbons is not acting normally. Then they can examine and treat him. It is like at the hospital: if no one brings the patient in, how does the doctor know he needs help?”

 

At last, I start to get it. “Arasseo,” I say, stepping forward to put a hand lightly on his arm. “Let’s do that, then.”

 

Quickly, I look around, trying to find anyone who looks like an employee. Finally, I spot a young woman who, by what she’s wearing, looks like a zookeeper; standing on tiptoes, I wave to draw her attention. She beckons us over as we make eye contact – and I’m about to head towards her when I notice that Park Si On isn’t following.

 

I glance back at him. “Gwenchana?”

 

He doesn’t say anything, but I can see him look warily at the zookeeper.

 

“Do you want me to talk to her?” I offer.

 

He nods.

 

“Arasseo,” I say. I point down at the ground at his feet. “Stay right there. Don’t go running off – I’ll be right back.”

 

“Ne!”

 

Hoping that he’ll follow my instructions, I finally walk over to the zookeeper. Thankfully, she has been patient enough to wait for us, and smiles kindly as I describe the gibbon’s odd behaviour. I see concern flash across her features as she thanks me for letting her know, and within seconds, she is on her walkie-talkie, calling for help.

 

I glance back towards where I had left Park Si On, and thank goodness, he’s still there, watching us closely. “Gwenchana!” I call over to him. “They’re getting a vet now!”

 

I can’t help grinning when he gives me a thumbs-up in thanks.

 

~~~~~

 

Sometime later, we are both standing in the zoo’s veterinary centre, watching through the large window as one of the vets examines the sick gibbon. I take a moment to glance around the room in curiosity, noting how it’s set up both similarly and differently from our hospital, but Park Si On’s eyes never leave the doctor and his “patient.”

 

Soon, the vet finishes up and steps out of the examination room. “It was acute enteritis,” he says. “It’s a good thing you two noticed, or we might not have been able to treat him in time.” Seeing the anxious look on Park Si On’s face, he adds, “I’ve given him some antibiotics, so he should be fine soon.”

 

I smile in thanks. “So it’s the same with animals as it is with kids: inactivity is a sign that they’re sick.”

 

The veterinarian nods. “Exactly.” His eyes flicker between Park Si On and I. “Are you two vets, by any chance?”

 

“Aniyo,” I say, shaking my head. “We’re pediatricians. I just know this from the children’s side, not the animals’ side.”

 

“Really?” he asks. He smiles warmly at us. “You two really know your stuff.” He turns to say something to Park Si On, but it is clear to me that it won’t get through. Even as the vet and I are chatting, his eyes have never left the gibbon inside the examination room. And clearly the doctor notes that as well, because I think he says to me what he had been hoping to say to Park Si On directly: “Your friend, especially – I heard that he was the one who noticed first, so kamsahamnida.”

 

I thank him in turn, then tap Park Si On on the shoulder to tell him that it’s now time to go. We both say our thanks to the veterinarian once again, then step back out into the part of the zoo that’s open to the public.

 

We’d had lunch earlier – more of the samgak kimbap and sandwiches from Park Si On’s apartment – but it is now mid-afternoon and I’m craving sugar. It looks like he is, too, because when I ask him whether he wants something to eat, he nods. Finding a rare empty bench close to the snack bar, I guide him to sit down and ask him what he wants. He asks for cotton candy, which I go to buy, adding an iced coffee for myself.

 

As we start on our snacks, I can’t help asking him. “You know, you’re really something. How did you know that the gibbon was sick? Did you study veterinary science as well?”

 

“In my internship,” he replies with a nod. “I did not have many chances to see how small children’s organs were, or how operating on them was different from adults. But animals like people’s dogs were the right size. So I used to go to the town vet on weekends and watch the surgeries there. I knew that animals and children had different anatomies. But I could imagine that the children’s bodies and organs would be the same size as the animals’.”

 

“So you learned veterinary science that way? Just by watching the vets at work?”

 

He nods.

 

“Daebak…” I gasp out. “I’m impressed!” After a moment, I continue, “Do you ever think about becoming a veterinarian instead of a pediatric surgeon, then?”

 

He shakes his head. “I do. But it will not work, because we are both stupid.”

 

The smile melts from my face as his words sink in. “You’re both…stupid?”

 

“Animals are stupid,” he says with a nod. “They do not have logic or reasoning like people do. They just live based on their instincts. If I want to take care of them, I need to be smart like other people. But I am not.”

 

I can’t believe I’m hearing this. “You? Stupid? Who says?”

 

“Everybody. Professor Kim Do Han, Woo Il Kyu sunbaenim, the parents at the hospital, the people this morning on the subway….”

 

Omo…he had noticed that? I had hoped that, somehow, he wouldn’t know what people were saying about him as we’d made our way here to Everland. That he wouldn’t notice the stares, or the ways people nudged each other and pointed as they passed.

 

But he did.

 

Yet, here’s the thing. Even as he’s saying all this – calling himself “stupid”, listing all the times he’s heard it – there’s no bitterness in his voice. No anger or frustration. No sense that this is, in any way, unjust or unfair.

 

But I don’t feel the same way.

 

“Ya, that’s not true!” I blurt out, unable to keep my voice from rising in anger.

 

Hearing the tone in my voice, he shrinks back. “Joesonghamnida, seonsaengnim,” he says.

 

“No need to apologize; you didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“But you are angry at me.”

 

“Ani!”

 

Just then, I realize that people are starting to stare at us – but more importantly, I notice that my raised voice will not help to reassure Park Si On and might just scare him even more. Bobbing a quick apology to the others, I look back at him. Trying to bring my voice back down to a calmer volume, I try to explain.

 

“I am angry, but I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at the people who called you ‘stupid’. I’m angry at them for saying it so many times that you actually believe it – because it’s not true.

 

“You’re smart, Park Si On. You’re even smarter than me. And I don’t mean it the way that Kim Do Han means it: that you’re a savant with a lot of medical knowledge. I don’t mean it the way that Woo Il Kyu means it: that you’re just good at memorizing stuff. I don’t even mean it the way Director Choi does: that you have good spatial senses and can see things differently from us.

 

“What I mean is that you are smart, because you actually care. You want to be a doctor because you actually want to see people being healthy – and animals, too. You’re not like the doctors like Department Chief Go, who are so afraid of failure that they don’t even bother trying. You are so smart that you can even see when a monkey is sick –”

 

“Gibbon, seonsaengnim – not monkey.”

 

I smile despite myself. Something about the way he tries to correct me about that even under such circumstances just seems so bizarrely comical.

 

“Gibbon, monkey, I don’t care. My point is that you can see things that other ‘smart’ or ‘normal’ people can’t,” I add, gesturing the air quotes so he can see that I mean the words sarcastically. “I know that they say that people like you can’t see our emotions, but that’s so not true. Just because you struggle to tell us what you see doesn’t mean you don’t know it’s there. In fact, you were actually the first to even be able to see that I was hurting after what happened to Min Hee, even when I tried to act like everything was okay.”

 

Slowly, I scoot closer to Park Si On and move to lay my arms on his shoulders. But I don’t finish the move to hug him until after he nods his permission.

 

“So don’t you dare let anyone tell you that you are stupid, Park Si On,” I whisper in his ear. “You are way smarter than any of us.”

 

All I get in response is a hiccup, but I smile anyway.

 

I know that that is his way of saying thanks.

 

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

 

Spoiler

Writing this story - and probably anything related to "Good Doctor" for that matter - means a lot to me.

 

And I don't just mean that because it's one of my favourite Korean dramas of all time.

 

To understand this, you'll have to know a little bit of my real-life story. It's all a bit fuzzy for me, but from what I remember of what my mother told me, when I was a toddler in Hong Kong, I was mistakenly diagnosed with autism. I say "mistakenly", because she really thought the doctor was wrong; while it's true that I did not behave like other babies, and some of my behaviours did line up with classic symptoms of autism, there was enough that was different for her to be be convinced that the diagnosis wasn't correct.

 

We came to Canada soon after that, and my parents decided not to act on the diagnosis and just signed me up for a normal public school. It was only after I had been in primary school for a few years that someone figured out the real diagnosis: not autism, but giftedness.

 

The word "giftedness" is a bit of a misnomer. I know that when most people see it, they think it just means someone who's super-smart or talented in something. But that's not actually the case. Giftedness refers to someone who's brain works differently from the normal, which leads to differences in how I learn and process information. Like with autism, giftedness varies from person to person in terms of how it appears. For me, from my own experience, it means that I can learn things faster and at a more advanced level than other kids my age, but my social and emotional development could not keep up. I might know a lot, but was not always able to tell people that - or, as I got older, I would choose not to tell. I would be the kid who decided to sit and read instead of playing with the others, or who could teach myself how to read and the mechanics behind multiplication (i.e. that 2x3 is the same as 2+2+2), yet be unable to tie my own shoes.

 

In other words: giftedness made me look like an autistic savant. Like Park Si On.

 

I do want to make it clear: there are some very major fundamental differences between autism spectrum disorders and giftedness. For example, I do not have the super-sensitive senses that someone with autism would have. That, not social awkwardness, is the key defining feature of autism: a person whose senses are always picking up more - not in terms of having really good sight or hearing, but in the sense that they have a hard time prioritizing or filtering out what's unimportant. Most of the behaviours we associate with autism, then, are ways that people with autism use to try to cope: repetitive motions to calm themselves, repeating words to make sure they understand what's being said to them, sticking stubbornly to routines so that there's less unfamiliar stimuli to process, failure to make eye contact because it makes them uncomfortable, resistance to being touched because it literally feels like more pressure than it does to a person without autism, etc.

 

But despite these differences, what this means for me is that, while watching "Good Doctor", I sometimes felt like I was seeing myself when I saw Park Si On. I, too, have the same tendency to do what some people call an "infodump": just blurt out everything I know on a topic, because all the details matter to me (even if they don't to anyone else). I am the one who would, once I found something interesting, focus entirely on it and not notice anything else (for Park Si On in this story, it's a zoo; for me as a kid, it was history museums). Coincidentally, I can even see things simultaneously from multiple angles: not in the physical sense like Park Si On can, but in that I can see an issue from multiple paths of logic and multiple people's points of view at the same time. Yet, at the same time, I still sometimes have a hard time reading people's emotions, and am quick to assume they are angry or upset with me when they are not.

 

A strange benefit from this is that, just by chance, I have made friends with a number of people with autism over the years. It started off as just sympathy on my part, but eventually, I noticed that the feeling was mutual. I can think of three such friends I have had in the past who, for some reason unbeknownst to me then, were as drawn to me as I was to them. And this was not some sort of friendship circle; these are three separate, one-on-one friendships. Eventually, I realized that it was because, somehow, we were on the same page: that these friends felt like I was hearing them out and taking them seriously when no-one else would - and I was doing that because, at the same time, I saw ways in which they got me like no-one else did.

 

In these experiences, conversations like what I wrote in the end of this fic ("Sorry!" "No need to apologize." "But you're mad at me!" "No, I'm not - I'm angry at *insert something else* here") were a common part of these friendships, as were the mini "teaching moments" that we see Cha Yoon Seo sprinkle in throughout the drama.

 

So, in my own life...I am Park Si On, but I am also Cha Yoon Seo.

 

Writing stories like this, then, is like writing myself.

 

Just a few quick miscellaneous behind-the-scenes tidbits:

 

1. The bit about caffeine and autism is true...to an extent. Again, symptoms of autism vary significantly from one person to the next, so the idea that caffeine has a relaxing rather than stimulating effect is true for some people with autism, but not all. I decided to have Park Si On be a character where that applies, though, because I see that the opposite happens to him: alcohol is a depressant, which works in the opposite way as a stimulant like caffeine (i.e. it makes you drowsy instead of waking you up), but we can see that Park Si On doesn't seem to get drunk, meaning that alcohol does not have the normal effect on him. Extrapolate that the other way, and you get this bit about caffeine.

 

2. I did a lot of little bits and pieces of research for this story: everything from the effects of caffeine as just described, to which zoo they filmed the scene in (it was Zootopia in Everland in Yongin, Korea), to what type of "monkey" was sick (yes, it is a lar gibbon, and yes, gibbons are apes rather than monkeys). Because if I wanted to write Park Si On, it would make sense for me to know what he does  

 

3. I added a quick nod to the real-life Moon Chae Won here as well: she actually has an oppa (although, no, I don't know if the rest of my reference is true to life!).

 

Once again, to access all of my fics and other Hallyu-related writings, you can go to the "About Me" tab of my profile page.

 

Enjoy!

[moonstrike]

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

I remember there was one episode where the hyungs asked Kim Jong Min to teach JW this particular high-pitched squeal that they said could be used to react to beautiful scenery. They then went on a hike together with Sung Si Kyung, and it was funny watching KJM and JW just going back and forth, trying to learn it.  But, yeah: most of his reactions are non-verbal (e.g. the way his eyes go really, really wide and his jaw just drops whenever he's surprised).

Its so funny that joo won followed kim jong min unique voice and also his expression... after he learn that from kim jong min, he immediately practice that everytime he see something fascinating like mountain or beautiful scenery...

 

Before he learn the unique voice from kim jong min, everytime he see something fascinating his jaw will drop and his eyes will sparkling and open widely. After that he will "uwaaahhh" with his old man voice.. he is so expressive...the fans that already heard that ahjusshi voice when they met him in fanmeet said that his voice is so funny and cute... they said he sound like old-man voice because he saw his fans phone that has his photo as wallpaper. Before that the fans, the MC, and Joo won take a selfie together but the fans just use his face as wallpaper although there's also the MC and her in the photo so he is like amazed and he is like not believe his eyes. 

 

The fans said finally she can hear his old man voice that she always hear from phone speaker live in front of her eyes. Such a nice experience... when can i hear that voice live or at least see him in front of my face???

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

I noticed the "National Maknae" nickname, and remember being really proud of him for that. He really is the proper old-school sort of maknae, and I wanted him to be able to act as a role model for other young people in that way. I know I do that in my own life now. So sometimes, say, if I'm feeling lazy and don't want to help out at home, or if I'm tempted to say something rude to someone older than me, I'd then think to myself, "No. JW's the maknae like me, and he wouldn't do that. So I need to be a good maknae like him." And then I'd do the chore, or hold back when I was tempted to talk back to my parents or something like that.  

Yep.. i also very proud of him because of that too. Actually i feel proud because of many things that he does. Its nice that he can be role model for other people. I also feel that his behavior as maknae sometimes is like old school style. I can't explain it with words. You have to feel it with your heart and see it with your own eyes. 

 

I also want to be person like him. Person that very filial to his parents. Person that always do his best whatever he does. Person that always work harder than other people. Person that so sincere and kind. I want to person like that. ❤❤❤

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

I would like to see him try variety again in the future - if for no other reason than to overcome the sense of inferiority that developed while he was doing 1N2D. I think, given his age by then, he'd end up being a hyung rather than the maknae, but I also think that can be good for him. I want him to see that his personality - just as it is, without any changes - is fine as it is, and that he shouldn't have to feel bad for just being himself.

Me too...!! I want to see him play in variety show. If its not 1N2D again maybe it can be like three times meal (is it right?) The one that have yoo hae jin in it. Or maybe we can see him in real man!!! Watching his daily life as a soldier. Or be a guest star in superman is coming... *fanscandreammode* 

 

And also i want to see him as a hyung in variety show... looking at his age, maybe he will has some dongsaeng in the show. I want to see his behavior and his caring towards his younger. It will be daebak that we can see Moon Joon Won and the real Joo won again in variety show. Watching his competitive instinct again and his naughty child like side. 

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

So if he's now starting to open up to the idea of doing variety again (he'd been really adamant about it not working for him when he'd first left 1N2D, probably because of his sense of guilt at his own performance) then I'm all for it for the healing it represents  

He might be different from his previous appearance on variety show. I think he will be a lot better than the past. Since he is learning from his surrounding that variety is like this and that. I can't wait!!! 

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

I remember those examples. And I also like that JW was really kind and respectful towards KJM from beginning to end. He wouldn't tease him the way the hyungs did - possibly because he's the only one who's younger, but I like to think it's because that's his personality as well.

Yeah... i also think like that. Because i remember that he said that he doesn't like people that don't respect the elders... so its not like him if he tease kim jong min like other member did. Sometimes he will just talk with kim jong min with serious tone but after he done he will back smiling at him. Like in this episode where joo won, kim jong min, and cha tae hyun were the same team. Kim jong min is talking to much and makes another member lost his concentration. Even though cha tae hyun and joo won is pissed but we can see the difference between joo won style of mad and cha tae hyun style of mad. In that video, joo won is just talk to jong min to make jong min quite with his serious tone and also demonstrate the incident which is i think its kinda funny. Its different with cha tae hyun that really openly saying that he is mad at him. 

 

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

I hadn't paid much attention to JW's hands until recently - I knew I would have to describe them in one of the fics I wrote for "Nae Il's Cantabile", and started looking a lot more closely then. (On a side note, @moonstrike - thanks for the hand print photo you shared once; that really helped!).

Your welcome... i might be posting a lot of interesting photos in the future... ❤❤❤

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

But I do know that he's a hard worker, and also technically skilled, so it's no wonder that that shows in his hands, too. I think his hands are also a bit rougher, because he was a bit of a late bloomer to the whole "flower boy skincare" idea; so where some celebrities might have started putting a lot of attention on skincare at a young age, he didn't pay it much attention until after his debut. 

Even though he pay attention to his skin. I think joo won is person that pay attention more to his face than his hands. Remember that he has much bruise on his arms and legs. He said he will just let it be and it will heal without medicines. So the bruise will leave a mark a little bit longer because it doesn't get treated.

 

I also remember joo won said that when he has photoshoot, his photo received a lot of edits in the legs because there are some bruises there.

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

Besides, if acting is his main stress relief and emotional outlet, and knowing how stressful idols' lives are...what would he have resorted to then? 

Since he like to sing, he might be will dance and practice his singing skill to relief his stress. Its like kill two birds with one stone. He can practice his singing skill and also relief his stress at the same time. 

 

I remember he said he like ballad genre or calm song. He might be sing a song that makes him cry to make his heart more light (just like i do when i feel sad but i can't cry, so i will find sad song or sad movie to helps my tears down... such a sad yet funny facts).

 

23 hours ago, kittyna said:

I remember the time he said on "Win Win" that both he and his hyung would work together to cook during Chuseok, and that the hosts were really surprised (since they're from a generation in which men who helped in the kitchen were still seen as being unmanly).

Actually, i feel proud and amazed because he can cook and help his mother in the kitchen. Now, its kinda rare seeing a boy can cook and help his mother in the kitchen. 

 

And personaly, i think man that can cook is really cool and charming. I never think that man can cook is unmanly. And you know the reason...

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

Yay! The new fic - a.k.a. my first attempt at "Good Doctor" fanfiction - a.k.a. the sort of story I'd wanted to write since this whole fic-writing for Soompi thing started - is now ready!

 

Title: A Different Kind of Smart

Drama: "Good Doctor"

Characters: Cha Yoon Seo, Park Si On

Premise: It's the first real day off Cha Yoon Seo has had in a long time, and she wants to spend it by trying to get to know Park Si On a bit better.

Wooww.. its nice to imagine what is happening between that scene.. because you can't see it in the drama..and also what is yoon seo thinking about park shi on. Actually i'm expected that will be love scenes like other fanfic. have you ever thought of making a fanfic that contains a light love scene like hugging or just a lovely dialogue between the characters?... I think you will make a nice romantic fanfic... (its just a fan request...)

 

Now... picture timee!!!

 

Joo won funny expression... his want-to-cry expression when cha seonsaeng scold him..❤ in the first photo, he is pouting his mouth with that cute expression. In the second photo, he said he was scared because he is getting scold and yelled by cha seonsaengnim. In the third photo, finally he cry like a baby... (I'm just joking...hehehe but i really mean it when i say he is cute.)

 

I miss his update... 

 

Joo won side looks... he is so handsome... he looks more manly after entering military... looking forward for his appearance after he comeback...❤❤❤

 

[kittyna]

25 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Before he learn the unique voice from kim jong min, everytime he see something fascinating his jaw will drop and his eyes will sparkling and open widely. After that he will "uwaaahhh" with his old man voice.. he is so expressive...the fans that already heard that ahjusshi voice when they met him in fanmeet said that his voice is so funny and cute... they said he sound like old-man voice because he saw his fans phone that has his photo as wallpaper. Before that the fans, the MC, and Joo won take a selfie together but the fans just use his face as wallpaper although there's also the MC and her in the photo so he is like amazed and he is like not believe his eyes. 

 

lol - It always cracks me up whenever I hear JW's "old man voice" (usually in variety shows or some ads), because it's always so unexpected  Especially when you get used to hearing his higher-pitched aegyo voice first, and then that just comes out of nowhere, and...it's like you've never realized his voice could get deeper or huskier like that.  

 

28 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Yep.. i also very proud of him because of that too. Actually i feel proud because of many things that he does. Its nice that he can be role model for other people. I also feel that his behavior as maknae sometimes is like old school style. I can't explain it with words. You have to feel it with your heart and see it with your own eyes. 

 

Yeah, it's the sort of thing you have to feel - different people can perform the same action or say the same words, and it can still feel different based on their personalities and characters  

 

29 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Me too...!! I want to see him play in variety show. If its not 1N2D again maybe it can be like three times meal (is it right?) The one that have yoo hae jin in it. Or maybe we can see him in real man!!! Watching his daily life as a soldier. Or be a guest star in superman is coming... *fanscandreammode* 

 

"Three Meals a Day" would be fun to watch - I've watched a few episodes, and I think it's the sort of show that would work well with JW: either as a guest or a permanent cast member. It's just the guys on their farm or in their fishing village house living their normal lives for the weekend - really laid back, but really good for seeing the cast members and guests becoming friends

 

lol - I hoped so badly that JW would show up as a guest in Uhm Tae Woong's segment of "Return of Superman". Well, that didn't happen  But if it should ever happen sometime in the future, I'm cool with that - and no matter which family he visits, even if it's not one I follow normally, I'd still watch that episode  

 

32 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Like in this episode where joo won, kim jong min, and cha tae hyun were the same team. Kim jong min is talking to much and makes another member lost his concentration. Even though cha tae hyun and joo won is pissed but we can see the difference between joo won style of mad and cha tae hyun style of mad. In that video, joo won is just talk to jong min to make jong min quite with his serious tone and also demonstrate the incident which is i think its kinda funny. Its different with cha tae hyun that really openly saying that he is mad at him. 

 

In Cha Tae Hyun's defence, though, his way of showing anger is a very appa style. He's a dad with two (soon to be three) kids, so that side of him is what's coming out when he scolds Kim Jong Min. Or even JW, for that matter (not in this episode, but it does happen occasionally).

 

But I do think the age-based hierarchy is important here. As the maknae, JW wouldn't tell KJM off, no matter what the circumstances would be. Not all maknaes would behave that way, of course, but we know he would. Instead, the only way he could fix the situation isn't to say anything to KJM, but to just do his best to finish the task himself.

 

36 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Since he like to sing, he might be will dance and practice his singing skill to relief his stress. Its like kill two birds with one stone. He can practice his singing skill and also relief his stress at the same time. 

 

I remember he said he like ballad genre or calm song. He might be sing a song that makes him cry to make his heart more light (just like i do when i feel sad but i can't cry, so i will find sad song or sad movie to helps my tears down... such a sad yet funny facts).

 

Well, music is cathartic, and many musicians have attested to that fact. So that doesn't surprise me at all  

 

36 minutes ago, moonstrike said:

Actually i'm expected that will be love scenes like other fanfic. have you ever thought of making a fanfic that contains a light love scene like hugging or just a lovely dialogue between the characters?... I think you will make a nice romantic fanfic... (its just a fan request...)

 

Hm...I guess I can say it now, then. My next fic will be a Christmas Special and will - yes, will - include some cute, fluffy romance. Nothing steamy - I still want to keep things family-friendly on this site - but just cute and sweet.  

 

So stay tuned for that!

 

And now...picture time!

 

(Good news: the Instagram/Twitter embedding thing seems to be fixed now, so I can display things normally again )

 

Spoiler

A few funny expressions

 

 

 

Cute old pic

 

 

I really like how this photo was taken; it's from a staged photo shoot, but ends up looking candid because you just see him through the trees

 

 

Cutie mukbang

 

 

Finally, a really nice black-and-white shot - From this Instagram slideshow (https://www.instagram.com/p/BUn8t5GDHM2/?taken-by=joowon.fans) - Doing it the "new" way because this shot comes third in the set, but I want to show it immediately.

 

 

 

 

[moonstrike]

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

lol - It always cracks me up whenever I hear JW's "old man voice" (usually in variety shows or some ads), because it's always so unexpected  Especially when you get used to hearing his higher-pitched aegyo voice first, and then that just comes out of nowhere, and...it's like you've never realized his voice could get deeper or huskier like that.

Yeah... i also want to hear his high pitch aegyo voice because i always imagine it would be very interesting and surprising (and also makes me happy) if i can hear that live whenever i heard that from my speaker. His voice is very unique. It can be really high and suddenly become deep and husky. Like in his everyday life, his voice will be a little bit higher when he does aegyo. But when he is acting especially in bridal mask, his voice will go deeper so it will make him more fierce and manlier. I remember him coughing when he was told to speak in lee kang to voice while shouting 1N2D... 

 

 

 

His hyung is already used to it. Like park ki woong, his partner in drama, and also 1N2D hyung. Park ki woong said that he can tell when joo won is acting and when he be himself by hearing his voice and also his behavior. If joo won is doing aegyo and act cute, you can tell that its the real joo won. But if you see joo won suddenly become manly and serious you can tell that he is acting. 

 

Joo won said that its very difficult to act cool like in tomorrow cantabile. After he act like a cool sunbae, he will cringing and laugh at himself. Its so funny... I laugh hard when i watch the BTS montages...

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

Yeah, it's the sort of thing you have to feel - different people can perform the same action or say the same words, and it can still feel different based on their personalities and characters

Everyone can perform it and do the same thing. But what makes it different is the heart and the person's sincerity. I always amazed and impressed because of that aspect of him. He does it because it is his personality and his character that like to help people. He also already said that he doesn't want to make other people difficult and feel uncomfortable.

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

"Three Meals a Day" would be fun to watch - I've watched a few episodes, and I think it's the sort of show that would work well with JW: either as a guest or a permanent cast member. It's just the guys on their farm or in their fishing village house living their normal lives for the weekend - really laid back, but really good for seeing the cast members and guests becoming friends

Yeah, i also think that kind of variety show is fit his personality. Like three meals a day (finally know the proper name..hihi..) that kind of show is fit because his quite and calm personality. That show just showing celebrities living normal life like keeping the farm, cooking for their lunch, and fishing. That show is almost like reality show because it doesn't have fixed games and funny expression or action that jong min always show when he see something interesting like beautiful scenery (high pitch dolphin voice that joo won learned from jong min).

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

lol - I hoped so badly that JW would show up as a guest in Uhm Tae Woong's segment of "Return of Superman". Well, that didn't happen  But if it should ever happen sometime in the future, I'm cool with that - and no matter which family he visits, even if it's not one I follow normally, I'd still watch that episode

Yeah.. if he show as guest star, he might be will play with the child and told to take care of the child. It will be really interesting... if we can imagine, he might take the child walking around the park or he will take the child to play in their room. After that he will be tired and exhausted from playing too long or the child don't want to stop playing with him.

 

Like in this episode, the triplets don't want to stop playing and used the guest to be a horse and ride him... the guest (don't know the name) is also fed them and bathing them..

Hmm.. it would be very exhausting... but its happy and it will not feel tired when you see their smile because you play with them. ❤

 

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

In Cha Tae Hyun's defence, though, his way of showing anger is a very appa style. He's a dad with two (soon to be three) kids, so that side of him is what's coming out when he scolds Kim Jong Min. Or even JW, for that matter (not in this episode, but it does happen occasionally).

I remember when joo won sulking in one episode. Cha tae hyun is scolding joo won like he scold a child. Its so cute yet funny... 

 

And you are right that he show his anger like a dad... so much like appa style.  

 

(By the way, the video title is: Joo won sulk in 1N2D has become a news?)

 

Joo won sulking is very cute especially when he said he will make a lot of money to eat beef. He really want to eat beef that he talk about it when he asked by sung shi kyung and also after he win a game and can go home first (he said he will buy a beef on the way home..)

 

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

But I do think the age-based hierarchy is important here. As the maknae, JW wouldn't tell KJM off, no matter what the circumstances would be. Not all maknaes would behave that way, of course, but we know he would. Instead, the only way he could fix the situation isn't to say anything to KJM, but to just do his best to finish the task himself

Yeah... thats right. Joo won might be do his best to finish the task on him own when he feel there is no people can help him or when there's no people which he can't rely on.

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

Hm...I guess I can say it now, then. My next fic will be a Christmas Special and will - yes, will - include some cute, fluffy romance. Nothing steamy - I still want to keep things family-friendly on this site - but just cute and sweet.  

Waiting for it... finally some romantic and lovely fanfic from you!!! 

 

Picture time!!!

 

He looks so suave and cool with that outfit and his expression..

Joo won in real life vs in the drama.. looks so similiar!!

 

Another mukbang photo from him... so cute!!!

 

Hihi... she knows the best..

 

By the way, did you know that one of shinee member is passed away... its sad. The media said that he is commit suicide. And the fans also said that the reason is because he is depressed. He already like that from long time ago but he give up this time... i hope he rest in peace now. 

 

And we have good news too... but since i'm not following him like i follow joo won so i'm not so interested but i'm happy that he found his happiness and will get married. The media said that they will get married before taeyang enlistment to military... 

 

[kittyna]

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah... i also want to hear his high pitch aegyo voice because i always imagine it would be very interesting and surprising (and also makes me happy) if i can hear that live whenever i heard that from my speaker. His voice is very unique. It can be really high and suddenly become deep and husky. Like in his everyday life, his voice will be a little bit higher when he does aegyo. But when he is acting especially in bridal mask, his voice will go deeper so it will make him more fierce and manlier. I remember him coughing when he was told to speak in lee kang to voice while shouting 1N2D... 

 

I think his normal speaking voice is a little bit on the high side, too - not as much as his aegyo voice, of course, but you could hear a lighter-sounding tone to it? I don't know how to describe it, but just that there isn't as much bass/chest resonance that guys with deeper voices have.

 

And while I haven't watched the video yet, I can imagine what that would sound like. Am I the only one who, while watching "Gaksital" and hearing his Lee Kang To shouting voice, thought that it just sounded painful? Like, "That's got to make your throat hurt" sort of painful?

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Joo won said that its very difficult to act cool like in tomorrow cantabile. After he act like a cool sunbae, he will cringing and laugh at himself. Its so funny... I laugh hard when i watch the BTS montages...

 

I can imagine - but he did a good job at it  

 

However...wasn't he a bit of the cool/scary sunbae in real life, though? I remember UEE saying that....

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah, i also think that kind of variety show is fit his personality. Like three meals a day (finally know the proper name..hihi..) that kind of show is fit because his quite and calm personality. That show just showing celebrities living normal life like keeping the farm, cooking for their lunch, and fishing. That show is almost like reality show because it doesn't have fixed games and funny expression or action that jong min always show when he see something interesting like beautiful scenery (high pitch dolphin voice that joo won learned from jong min).

 

That's why I'm enjoying it. It's different, but I like how...normal(?) it is.  They're just doing their own thing, with the exception of whichever farm/fishing chores the PD assigns them for the weekend.

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

Yeah.. if he show as guest star, he might be will play with the child and told to take care of the child. It will be really interesting... if we can imagine, he might take the child walking around the park or he will take the child to play in their room. After that he will be tired and exhausted from playing too long or the child don't want to stop playing with him.

 

Like in this episode, the triplets don't want to stop playing and used the guest to be a horse and ride him... the guest (don't know the name) is also fed them and bathing them..

Hmm.. it would be very exhausting... but its happy and it will not feel tired when you see their smile because you play with them. ❤

 

I wonder if he'd be the sort of guest who'd know what to do, or if he would end up being pretty clueless and needing the kid's appa to step in....

 

1 hour ago, moonstrike said:

I remember when joo won sulking in one episode. Cha tae hyun is scolding joo won like he scold a child. Its so cute yet funny... 

 

And you are right that he show his anger like a dad... so much like appa style.  

 

Yeah - in the scene you shared, I remember Cha Tae Hyun just said, "If you don't like it, then leave - you're the maknae!" He said it in a joking tone, but that is such an appa thing to say.  

 

Sorry for the relatively short replies this time; I don't have much time this time around.

 

Anyway - pictures!

 

Spoiler

Behind the scenes stuff from "Level 7 Civil Servant" - On the left is a behind-the-scenes photo of the normal sort; but on the right is a picture of Choi Kang Hee that JW drew himself.

 

 

In the spirit of the "Expectation vs. Reality" archery shot you shared, here are a few more JW memes

 

 

(Sorry that this one is so small - but it's still perfectly readable)

 

 

 

Love his wink in this next photo!

 

 

 

I've heard that it's getting cold in Korea, so here's hoping JW and his comrades stay warm!

 

 

I don't know why I really like this mask photo for some reason - maybe because it emphasizes his eyes?

 

 

 

As for the other news, @moonstrike, I can see why you're sharing it, but I'm not sure if it fits with the rules in this forum...? I was under the impression that news about other celebrities (e.g. Kim Joo Hyuk) still have to be somehow relateable to JW in order to be posted on this thread (in that case, because KJH's girlfriend is a friend of JW's). 

 

 @airplanegirl - Could you clarify, please?

[kittyna]

I somehow stumbled upon a whole ton related of memes to "Nae Il's Cantabile" just now - and since I'd already shared a handful of other memes earlier today, I figured I'd just post some of my favourites here.

 

Spoiler

Hm...something to keep in mind should I ever write romance between these two?

 

 

Come to think of it...that is a lot of tuna.

 

 

I dunno, guys...I actually liked JW's look on this show. I actually thought his hairstyle looked more 19th century Romantic than ahjumma, but to each their own.

 

 

lol - Nae Il's a chocoholic, and I am, too  

 

 

I'm usually not a fan of the whole "sexy oppa" trope, but I do have to give the person who made this credit for the pun

 

 

And, of course, there were a ton of memes about the Yoo Jin - Nae Il - Yoon Hoo love triangle  

 

 

 

 

(Including one that features one of the funniest JW faces of all time)

 

 

So, at this rate, why not just take both of them?

 

 

BONUS

 

I also found this shot that compares JW's look as Cha Yoo Jin with Tamaki Hiroshi, the actor who plays Chiaki Shinichi (i.e. his Japanese counterpart) in the original drama, "Nodame Cantabile" (who, for some reason, is giving me a bit of a Ji Sung vibe in this photo)

 

[moonstrike]

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

And while I haven't watched the video yet, I can imagine what that would sound like. Am I the only one who, while watching "Gaksital" and hearing his Lee Kang To shouting voice, thought that it just sounded painful? Like, "That's got to make your throat hurt" sort of painful?

Yeah... its painful and he has to do it again after the director say ok. It will make his throat hurt because he has to shout out loud more than once. But he do it and the result is great. We can hear his desperation and anger in his voice. 

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

However...wasn't he a bit of the cool/scary sunbae in real life, though? I remember UEE saying that....

 

Yeah... joo won is also said he agree that he is scary and strich sunbae. he will not hesitate to punish and scold his hoobae if they wrong and also teach them what is good and what should they be doing. hmmm... imagine him like that in university, is not impossible he will like that to in military...

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

 

I wonder if he'd be the sort of guest who'd know what to do, or if he would end up being pretty clueless and needing the kid's appa to step in...

Or he will be dragged around the place by the child... who knows. We just have to wait for the time...

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

Behind the scenes stuff from "Level 7 Civil Servant" - On the left is a behind-the-scenes photo of the normal sort; but on the right is a picture of Choi Kang Hee that JW drew himself.

Is that joo won's drawing?? He drew really well, If that's right his draw. I just remember he draw himself and the fans but he drew it with chibi style (the head is bigger than the body with big eyes).

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

I've heard that it's getting cold in Korea, so here's hoping JW and his comrades stay warm!

He is so cute.. but i heard that in his division, the weather is so cold. Its -17 degrees Celsius. And we know that joo won doesn't like cold at all. He prefer hot and warm place like beach because that place is usually burning hot....

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

I don't know why I really like this mask photo for some reason - maybe because it emphasizes his eyes?

 

I also like when he wear a mask and just show his eyes. It makes his eyes looks more intense and fierce. But when he smile, that looks is replaced with his cute eye smile even though we can't see half of his face, but we can feel that he is happy and smiling behind that mask...

 

21 hours ago, kittyna said:

As for the other news, @moonstrike, I can see why you're sharing it, but I'm not sure if it fits with the rules in this forum...? I was under the impression that news about other celebrities (e.g. Kim Joo Hyuk) still have to be somehow relateable to JW in order to be posted on this thread (in that case, because KJH's girlfriend is a friend of JW's). 

Its just because the news is everywhere all of my feeds. And after the news go public, the fans including joo won's fans is leaving comments that talk about something like this: it seems like fans are telling him not to stress and suffer alone... they always be there for him... and also to always maintain his health.

 

• Post 1

Keep healthy joowon oppa,, don't stress don't cry for all ur problem,,, 

 

• post 2

You've worked hard. You did so well. You are doing great. Don't push yourself to hard. You're beautiful in your own way. Please take some rest when you got tired, eat well and sleep tight. Don't stressed to much. Please stay healthy. You're not alone, we're always here to support you. I LOVE YOU. WE always love you. Please BE HAPPY & LOVE YOURSELF. 

 

• post 3

There is also some links:

http://channels.vlive.tv/FD143/fan/1.4008867

 

• post 4

I'm not a fan (Shawols) of SHinee, I knew the group because I saw Minho in kdramas I've watched, To The Beautiful You and Because It's The First Time. That's how I found out about the group because when I googled Minho name, it showed that he's apart of a kpop group (SHinee)
It's sad to read about the passing of Kim Jonghyun.
I'm crying because I'm a kpop fan, I love kpop!!!! 
Knowing that they pressure kpop idols and kdrama actors and actresses to do a very good job and all that, is just so sad!!!!! Give them a break, let them rest!!!! JAEBAL!!!!!!!!!!

 

• post 5

http://channels.vlive.tv/FD143/fan/0.4007458

 

• post 6

Joo Won you're really the best. You showed everyone that you are unique. I really love you and forever support you. When I see you cry, or whatever, my heart breaks. Be always a king 

 

And some more...

 

15 hours ago, kittyna said:

 

I also found this shot that compares JW's look as Cha Yoo Jin with Tamaki Hiroshi, the actor who plays Chiaki Shinichi (i.e. his Japanese counterpart) in the original drama, "Nodame Cantabile" (who, for some reason, is giving me a bit of a Ji Sung vibe in this photo)

I also think Tamaki is quite similiar with Ji Sung. 

 

And picture time.. and this is quite special because joo won will have an event today ( 20 december 2017) 7 p.m 

 

 

His smile is so cute...

 

Never seen this photo before.. he is serious when he read a script.

 

Wondering who will be his partner next time??

His hands...

And the highlights... new video!!! After long time, we can see something new from him..

 

[kittyna]

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Or he will be dragged around the place by the child... who knows. We just have to wait for the time...

 

 

That just gave me a really cute mental image

 

By the way, since we're on the subject of JW and kids, here's a pic I found recently. I don't know what event it's from, but it's cute.

 

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Is that joo won's drawing?? He drew really well, If that's right his draw. I just remember he draw himself and the fans but he drew it with chibi style (the head is bigger than the body with big eyes).

 

To the best of my knowledge, the drawing is his - I did a reverse image search, and found this article talking about it: http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/8711/20130321/choi-kang-hee-reveals-nickname-joo-won.htm

 

I guess the only way to be 100% sure would be to, as hinted in the article, go to Choi Kang Hee's Twitter and backtrack - and...I don't have the time for that  

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

I also like when he wear a mask and just show his eyes. It makes his eyes looks more intense and fierce. But when he smile, that looks is replaced with his cute eye smile even though we can't see half of his face, but we can feel that he is happy and smiling behind that mask...

 

You're reminding me of something I saw earlier today looking for JW pictures on Instagram: a collage made of just images of his eyes. I especially love the comment  

 

(By the way, forgive me if this is a stupid question, but is this our @Ma OO's Instagram? If so, then it's a small world )

 

 

2 hours ago, moonstrike said:

Its just because the news is everywhere all of my feeds. And after the news go public, the fans including joo won's fans is leaving comments that talk about something like this: it seems like fans are telling him not to stress and suffer alone... they always be there for him... and also to always maintain his health.

 

Don't worry - I can see why this is important. I was just worried what the mods/admin might think about it.

 

What I personally do, if I want to say something that falls a bit outside of this thread but is still important enough that I want to share it, is put it inside a Spoiler tag, and just tell people to click on it (e.g. "I'm putting this next bit in "Hidden Content" because it's not really about JW, but I think you should know this...").

 

I don't know if there's actually any set rule on the matter, though, and was hoping someone who's been here longer than either of us (i.e. @moonstrike and I) might pop by to say something. But I guess it's just us for now, so....

 

Still, it's great to see people talking more about celebrities and their mental health. Like it or not, as fans, we are in some ways complicit in what they're going through, because it is our love for these people that end up making them feel like they have to keep working or acting like everything's okay, even when they're not. Like, if someone's struggling with anxiety or depression, but still feels obligated to perform for the fans, then I wonder if our encouragement ends up inadvertently becoming part of the problem.

 

But then again, no recognition also equals pressure of another sort, so...I guess it's really up to the individual celebrity and his/her management and fandom to figure out.

 

Thanks for the pics - and here are some more of mine

 

Spoiler

A few more memes....

 

I really like how this first one highlights the ways JW's roles are a bit outside of the box. If you click through to read the comments on the Instagram post itself, people were comparing JW to actors like Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio. I'm more inclined to agree with the latter myself: both in terms of versatility, and also because...doesn't Johnny Depp have a scandal attached to his name now?

 

 

 

Funny photo from "Nae Il's Cantabile" - I'm just cracking up at JW's expression here

 

 

 

Since I'd just recently written my take on the zoo scene from "Good Doctor", I thought I'd share this behind-the-scenes photo from when they filmed it

 

 

Finally, such a cute moment from the 2013 KBS Drama Awards (cameo by Choi Ro Woon)

 

 

BONUS

 

It's not just Hallyu news sites that do the whole "2017 wrap-up" style posts in December; Western sites do it, too.

 

And this year, I found one post that, while not directly related to JW, can be tied to him by proxy...?

 

Spoiler

The American version of "Good Doctor" was featured on Buzzfeed's 25 Breakout TV Characters That Made Us Gasp, Cry, And Say "What The [....]?" In 2017

 

(Yes, I censored the title, because I don't want the profanity to be visible - Buzzfeed's never been the cleanest of sites in that regard)

 

Quote

18. Dr. Shaun Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore, in The Good Doctor

ABC

Breakout moment: In the pilot episode when Dr. Shaun, a young surgeon with autism, goes before the hospital board of directors and tells them why he would make an excellent doctor.

 

I haven't watched the show besides the pilot episode for a number of different reasons, but I have been paying attention to what's been said about it. The places I frequent...don't talk about it much, to be honest - I see way more buzz about other TV series out there. But still, to see its lead getting recognition for being a touching character...I hope it's doing in the US what the Korean version was able to do in Korea.  

 

And, since I have watched the episode in question, the speech they're talking about is this one, which you'll probably recognize as almost identical, word-for-word, as JW's speech in the same scene.