Jang Hyuk 장혁

[Biology Lesson]

 This is cool, do you guys recognize the song?  

 

 

I was watching a clip from "real men", and some of the guys were sitting on the deck of the ship and JH and joins them, and then he starts singing. This is where I realized that he does that a lot. Whenever he is relaxed and having fun, he starts singing.  And it's not him trying to sound good. It's just him enjoying singing, like anyone of us would! I love that! He did this on other times on "real men", in "Friends in Croatia", on the travel show he did to the grand canyon... It's like he is always on the verge of singing  

And then I saw this clip, and I noticed JH's constant rocking in the first interview, which is different from his constant nodding  and I wondered: is he rocking in rhythm? Could it be that he has some tune stuck in his brain and he's rocking in rhythm to it?! If he was a bit more comfortable, would he have started singing?

 

 

[Biology Lesson]

31 minutes ago, corey said:

BTW, in this clip posted by @Biology Lesson, is this an interview after the Empire of Lust?

As to JH's  rocking, maybe it is because he wants to hide his discomfort rather than being relaxed? Or is he simply bored and humming to himself and rocking?

However, he looks sooo handsome. Way better looking than Kang Ha Neul.

 

That's what I'm saying- it looks like he is listening to music in his mind and rocking  

Yes, that is an interview for Empire of lust

 

Oh, and I'm trying to watch Healer. It took me maybe three days to watch the first episode I fell asleep every time I tried . Am in the second episode, so still trying. But I will say- I can't believe that the FL protagonist is again the peppy quirky woman that acts like a little girl, completely irresponsible and lacking in judgement, but she is so spunky! Ugh! I swear- if I was a kdrama writer, I'd be embarrassed! I'm serious! I will try and hold on for a few more episodes... 

Another thing that is amusing to me- Considering I'm a JH fan, I guess I've been kinda spoiled by his action scenes, so now with other actors I can't stop noticing all the camera tricks used to hide the fact that it's not the actor actually fighting!   

[azureblue7]

2 hours ago, Biology Lesson said:

 This is cool, do you guys recognize the song?  

 

 

I was watching a clip from "real men", and some of the guys were sitting on the deck of the ship and JH and joins them, and then he starts singing. This is where I realized that he does that a lot. Whenever he is relaxed and having fun, he starts singing.  And it's not him trying to sound good. It's just him enjoying singing, like anyone of us would! I love that! He did this on other times on "real men", in "Friends in Croatia", on the travel show he did to the grand canyon... It's like he is always on the verge of singing  

And then I saw this clip, and I noticed JH's constant rocking in the first interview, which is different from his constant nodding  and I wondered: is he rocking in rhythm? Could it be that he has some tune stuck in his brain and he's rocking in rhythm to it?! If he was a bit more comfortable, would he have started singing?

 

 

Definitely! It's from Chuno! Love his casual singing. I think he loves listening to music, singing and dancing, not to perform but purely for enjoyment. And I also noticed that he nods a lot during interviews. Guess like what @coreymentioned, it was to make himself more relaxed. And he does look very handsome in that interview...

[dramafan33]

5 hours ago, budgerie said:

Could also be they're running low on eggs so better save that one on the counter but yes, I've known people who cook constantly but still dropping something on the floor.

 

Me me me! Ive dropped eggs! I’ve been cooking for years, I love cooking and most times I cook well (according to myself and family members lol) One of my favorite things is to watch recipes in youtube. I enjoy the process, especially the smell and sound of onions and garlic frying on the pan, for example BUT other times I’m too in a rush or hungry and I make a royal mess. 
 

What I don’t really do, is pick up the egg and put it back  

 

P.S My dad is the same btw, he cooks amazing! But he makes a mess in the kitchen utilizing every pot and pan available sometimes unnecessarily   

[budgerie]

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P.S My dad is the same btw, he cooks amazing! But he makes a mess in the kitchen utilizing every pot and pan available sometimes unnecessarily   

I tell you, this is a men thing. When they cook, all the pots & pans & cutlery have to come out from the cupboard & the stove & floor & sink will be a mess! But they're the ones who cook well.

[azureblue7]

Not forgetting this!! His 2 finger typing! I think this is what makes him so charming. He is full of cute surprises! There's always something new to learn about him! Hahahaha!

 

 

[phoenix24]

@Biology Lesson I thought of what you said when I saw this pic that JH is more cute when he's a bit drunk and comfortable.

Poor oppa cute scene though with humming.

[fiesty8001]

5 hours ago, Biology Lesson said:

 I also read that she said that even though she really appreciated JH, she felt more comfortable with the other actor from the next seasons.  

But then Lee Hana also said that she went out of her way to massage his shoulders. How comfortable she must have felt around him? She also added that she has never done anything similiar for another actors and she seems like a quiet reserved person herself.

In Lee Hana's own words set of Voice was like a boot camp. Hyukie was constantly cold and tired so his reaction should be judged accordingly.

I can empathise with LH's reluctance and I think it's valid for her to complain about subhuman working conditions. Still shooting is a team work which means sometimes you have to put your personal comfort/opinion aside and follow a collective decesion. Hyukie's reaction might seem 'harsh' on the face value but probably other actors and crew members were thankful because he practically 'saved the day' for them. 

LH also said JH was embarrassed later and he didn't 'scold' her again. It means JH was not pleased with his reaction himself. It means he doesn't lack awareness of his surrounding.

I don't have superhuman expectations for JH or anyone else. 

It's completely normal to have a threshold point. So in my point of view in the given circumstances JH's reaction is completely valid. 

Infact I think he is a responsible person who took it upon himself(...and he doesn't have to...) to ensure smooth flow of the shoot. There are some people who may find him 'overbearing' but it doesn't mean there is only one way of  viewing this situation. 

We have plenty of evidence to prove that JH is a pleasant and respectful person to work with. So I think his one 'mishap' shouldn't weigh down the goodwill he has created for more than two decades.

 

P.S. -  I think I would've been definitely cursing under my breath if I had to endure cold and run like MJH.

 

[Biology Lesson]

1 hour ago, azureblue7 said:

Definitely! It's from Chuno! Love his casual singing. I think he loves listening to music, singing and dancing, not to perform but purely for enjoyment. And I also noticed that he nods a lot during interviews. Guess like what @coreymentioned, it was to make himself more relaxed. And he does look very handsome in that interview...

I remember he once said that someone mentioned to him that he constantly nods during interviews, and he said that he doesn't even realize he's doing that!

20 minutes ago, azureblue7 said:

Not forgetting this!! His 2 finger typing! I think this is what makes him so charming. He is full of cute surprises! There's always something new to learn about him! Hahahaha!

 

But how brilliant was he during the fake interrogation?! It was so strange cause up until that point in the show, he was so quiet and slow talking, and suddenly, during that interrogation, his speech became lightning fast, sharp and very accurate! He had his facts, his rules and regulations straight! It was very impressive! And then, his little quirks came out   

[fiesty8001]

53 minutes ago, budgerie said:

I tell you, this is a men thing. When they cook, all the pots & pans & cutlery have to come out from the cupboard & the stove & floor & sink will be a mess! But they're the ones who cook well.

I agree with the mess part but my dad's cooking skill sucks. 

[Biology Lesson]

13 minutes ago, fiesty8001 said:

But then Lee Hana also said that she went out of her way to massage his shoulders. How comfortable she must have felt around him? She also added that she has never done anything similiar for another actors and she seems like a quiet reserved person herself.

In Lee Hana's own words set of Voice was like a boot camp. Hyukie was constantly cold and tired so his reaction should be judged accordingly.

I can empathise with LH's reluctance and I think it's valid for her to complain about subhuman working conditions. Still shooting is a team work which means sometimes you have to put your personal comfort/opinion aside and follow a collective decesion. Hyukie's reaction might seem 'harsh' on the face value but probably other actors and crew members were thankful because he practically 'saved the day' for them. 

LH also said JH was embarrassed later and he didn't 'scold' her again. It means JH was not pleased with his reaction himself. It means he doesn't lack awareness of his surrounding.

I don't have superhuman expectations for JH or anyone else. 

It's completely normal to have a threshold point. So in my point of view in the given circumstances JH's reaction is completely valid. 

Infact I think he is a responsible person who took it upon himself(...and he doesn't have to...) to ensure smooth flow of the shoot. There are some people who may find him 'overbearing' but it doesn't mean there is only one way of  viewing this situation. 

We have plenty of evidence to prove that JH is a pleasant and respectful person to work with. So I think his one 'mishap' shouldn't weigh down the goodwill he has created for more than two decades.

 

P.S. -  I think I would've been definitely cursing under my breath if I had to endure cold and run like MJH.

 

I think you mistook what I wrote- I wasn't criticizing him for his reaction or behavior with her. I actually understand him. JH said he goes out of his way to be calm on set, even when he feels like exploding. I guess that that day it was just too much, but even then what he said to her was kind- if I'm not mistaken he said that her behavior doesn't become her, or something like that, meaning that he knows she can do better. JH ability to control himself on set is legendary by now.

Since I completely dislike Voice and LH's acting (ironically, I couldn't stand her Voice  ), I didn't really pay too much attention to what was going on with that show. I just read what she said about JH, and that was with great respect. Though, I did see a clip of her appearance on Running man and there she was boasting about how the show got even higher ratings without JH, which I didn't really like...

[azureblue7]

15 minutes ago, Biology Lesson said:

I remember he once said that someone mentioned to him that he constantly nods during interviews, and he said that he doesn't even realize he's doing that!

But how brilliant was he during the fake interrogation?! It was so strange cause up until that point in the show, he was so quiet and slow talking, and suddenly, during that interrogation, his speech became lightning fast, sharp and very accurate! He had his facts, his rules and regulations straight! It was very impressive! And then, his little quirks came out   

I think that's the unique and attractive  part about him.  He can be so cool, sexy and manly at one point and suddenly turned childlike,  cute and funny the next moment.  Haha! 

[budgerie]

46 minutes ago, fiesty8001 said:

But then Lee Hana also said that she went out of her way to massage his shoulders. How comfortable she must have felt around him?

I read this part too. Not only she felt comfortable with him, he must have felt comfortable with her too to allow her to massage him.

I kind of think that k media isn't that harsh. If this happens in C entertainment, some juicy news will surface as quickly as possible.

 

12 minutes ago, corey said:

Oh, and I decided to watch Voice now - finally, to see if it was really that bad. I hope I can give you some entertianing insights ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

To be honest, it's very individual. There are still audience who liked Voice. I didn't like the overall drama but I liked certain parts. Same for BPP, some didn't like the drama but I like it. Only hated the ending. Most important is, when you watch a drama, you have to enjoy it & that's enough.

[Biology Lesson]

5 minutes ago, azureblue7 said:

I think that's the unique and attractive  part about him.  He can be so cool, sexy and manly at one point and suddenly turned childlike,  cute and funny the next moment.  Haha! 

Exactly! I loved how the entire team started laughing when he suddenly suggested that they should eat, while he was using his two finger system to type...

It was interesting to see that dynamic because we got to see the real JH at work. We saw how serious he is most of the time with the occasional burst of humor  . We saw his strange love for awful word play- that "jogging" joke still baffles me. Is that some kind of Korean humor?! I wonder if the other guys actually thought it was funny or were they just being polite. The young actor was clearly in awe of JH and he felt very uncomfortable... But we also saw how quickly JH gained the trust of the team leader and his affection. That moment when he caressed JH's cheek would have been strange with anyone else but JH- it's just what people do with JH, He's just that cute!

One thing I wonder about- did the police officers ever say what they thought about JH? Even in an interview or a post. from what I saw the only actor they acknowledged as being a famous actor was the last guy that joined, when they said that they like a movie he did. With JH I never saw a comment from any of them. Did any of you see anything?

[Biology Lesson]

1 hour ago, corey said:

And have you noticed him sitting in his coat indoors again? And the coat has a faux fur collar, just like the coats in TMWYS!

Oh, yeah! This is why it was clear to me that OHJ's tendency to wear his coat inside wasn't OHJ's really, but JH's  I noticed a few other things- I think I recognize OHJ's shoes from Bad Papa and the sun glasses as one of the pair he wore in WOL. Is it possible that OHJ's outfit was actually JH's?!

 

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Well, I really hope you like it better as it progresses. And you consider that FL is irresponsible and like a little girl? I just thought her a bit reckless and too brave...Hmmmm....

Very irresponsible- she followed the guy who stole her purse into a bathroom. She could have been easily raped- oh, wait, this this a Kdrama, no one gets raped- so rather, easily killed. 

Her character is the type I always say I can't stand and seem to be so common in KDramas. Oh, and lets not forget- completely unaware of anything sexual between a man and a woman. innocent as a little girl... can't stand her... But as I see more episodes I'm liking the main guy and the reporter, though he is slightly boring. So I will be watching.  I'm in episode 5 now.

 

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However, I am surprised that you think that the action is all camera tricks and stuntmen. I need to re-watch it and see if it was realy that bad.  There is an action scene in ep 3 or 4 - I can't remember - when the ML is swinging on some pipes hitting a bunch of opponents with his feet - when I watched this show on VIki someone commented that it was JI Chang Wook himself who did it. 

Well,  the first action scene that I saw was in the dark, and in it and the others that I saw, they clearly used lots of wire work, as this guy is supposed to be a parkour guy?

If it was him swinging on those pipes it's impossible to say since he was wearing a mask. It's possible that it was him (did he do gymnastics when he was young?), since it was slightly ridiculous, as the other guys were simply standing there waiting for him to stop swinging

 

@coreyWatching this show, it reminded me of another show that I watched and I actually liked. You might like it too since you liked healer- the name of the show is "Just Between Lovers". Not sure why they called it that way, but the theme of the show is kinda similar, tragedy and redemption.

 

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Oh, and I decided to watch Voice now - finally, to see if it was really that bad. I hope I can give you some entertianing insights ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Good luck, with that..  There are some scenes I like in that show, but overall that show isn't my cup of tea... 

[The Reel Life]

@Biology Lesson just between lovers is by JunHo right? The one who co starred with JH in WOL. 
 

as for Healer, as much as there are action scenes, the show actually focuses a lot on emotions of the characters. Which is why I enjoyed it. I came to like the second male lead more (his personality and charm, though the character they gave him could have been less bland). 

Btw, curious to know what you guys think - I think JH has built a very strong reputation in Sageuk, and also in dramatic acting (yes, to me even in his amazing subtle acting, there is an underlying dramatic element to it!) that I don’t know if directors will give him very slice of life kind of shows these days! I assume bad papa was quite slice of life, but it didn’t do too well both commercially and critically, am I right? But also unfortunately most commercially successful dramas don’t have That many characters that are dramatic or that stand out, they are either chaebol bland or slice of life unassuming. Anyway I’m just thinking out loud. I am finding hard to put my thoughts into exact words but maybe I’m trying to say that JH’s style of acting perhaps isn’t also that easy for any director to cast him, amazing in acting as he is, because It is a very unique style of acting. It’s not just great acting, it’s also unique. And not all roles may fit that uniqueness. 

[dramafan33]

@corey All directors are different, I’ve been behind the scenes on some productions of different range in quality. It’s almost unimaginable but there are directors who don’t even care about acting, they concentrate on lighting, camera angle, mood and the actors are left to fend for themselves. Once I was in charge of a behind the scenes shoot for a small production that was more of a PPL thing actually but anyway, there was a script, there were actors, there was a story to tell. The producer barely communicated with the actors and the director didn’t speak the same language. The male lead would come to me, to ask me “You read the script right? Do you understand my character? Cause I’m lost! Is he supposed to be funny? Shy? Help!” and I’d be like but wait, *insert name of producer* has not talked to you? And he was like “Noooo, its like he wants to do things on the fly! Help me!” Granted, the female lead was more important in this story but still, it was ridiculous! This thing was sponsored too! There was money involved. Miraculously the thing came out but I was appalled at how disjointed everything was! Of course I’ve also been part of normal productions, but there were a few were I have no idea how things even came to fruition. 
 

Of course this is an extreme example of ineptitude but, I can imagine this kind of environment to some levels in those productions that are too close to air and the script arrives 30 mins prior to shooting. I have the feeling Voice PD cares about many aspects of the production but is not very apt with the “acting” aspect, and actors are likely left to fend for themselves to a certain extent. If an actor has a “tendency” to go overboard, the PD’s job is to reign him in. Now the problem is, what if the PD thinks that’s how the scene should be? Or he thinks, it doesn’t matter, the lighting and camera angle is perfect. I hated that drunk scene in Voice. It made me find MJH disgusting. It was too OTT for my taste. I wanted to feel sorry for MJH but instead I felt annoyed by him (reason 13469763737 why I hate Voice) 

[Biology Lesson]

3 hours ago, The Reel Life said:

@Biology Lesson just between lovers is by JunHo right? The one who co starred with JH in WOL. 
 

Yes. Only now, when I looked for the name of the show, did I realize that it was JunHo  I didn't recognize him

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as for Healer, as much as there are action scenes, the show actually focuses a lot on emotions of the characters. Which is why I enjoyed it. I came to like the second male lead more (his personality and charm, though the character they gave him could have been less bland).

I'm actually enjoying both the guys. And now, that the girl is revealing her trauma, I'm liking her more and more. But still, the whole pre-teen chaste love story is annoying me...

 

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Btw, curious to know what you guys think - I think JH has built a very strong reputation in Sageuk, and also in dramatic acting (yes, to me even in his amazing subtle acting, there is an underlying dramatic element to it!) that I don’t know if directors will give him very slice of life kind of shows these days! I assume bad papa was quite slice of life, but it didn’t do too well both commercially and critically, am I right? But also unfortunately most commercially successful dramas don’t have That many characters that are dramatic or that stand out, they are either chaebol bland or slice of life unassuming. Anyway I’m just thinking out loud. I am finding hard to put my thoughts into exact words but maybe I’m trying to say that JH’s style of acting perhaps isn’t also that easy for any director to cast him, amazing in acting as he is, because It is a very unique style of acting. It’s not just great acting, it’s also unique. And not all roles may fit that uniqueness. 

I think that JH can do any character. Looking at his interviews, I think the question is more- what characters will he be willing to do these days? But as to directors- I think the question for them would be- how much are they willing to work with an opinionated actor?

I don't know if you've seen the translation for the interview with Chuno's PD, that @azureblue7 posted, but that interview kinda confirmed what I have suspected- that JH is a very opinionated actor. The PD said that he called JH "an obsessive nerd", while LDH said that she heard him call JH a "nerd leech" and that the PD would at times run away from him, as he JH would follow him around, telling him what he thought about the different scenes. The director said that it was difficult and that he was worried at times... Now, I happen to think that the PD of Chuno wasn't a very good director, seeing the bland performances from the rest of the cast, so maybe JH was like that because he recognized that, and maybe he is less intense if the director is more competent, but I doubt it  

I think JH can be great for a director that doesn't have a big ego and that has an open mind. For that kind of a director, JH can save a lot of time. For any other director- I think he can be difficult, though from what I understand JH makes his "demands" for the job clear from the start. I don't think we have ever heard a bad word being said about JH after a project, and there are plenty of directors who want to work with him again, so I guess he manages not to alienate them. I truly am baffled by how he's been working like that for at least 10 years and has never taken a bigger role in a production...

 

[Biology Lesson]

2 hours ago, corey said:

LOL, would you believe that Just between the lovers was the reason I watched WoL? Because I was trying to find another show with Junho? I kind of liked JBL because for a change it was the ML who was dirty-poor, not the FL as usual in K-Dramas.

 It's funny cause I actually didn't remember it was Junho Yeah, this show wasn't the typical Kdrama. I liked it.

2 hours ago, corey said:

In the scene when JH comes to identify his wife his acting is so over the top that I almost felt disgusted. HIs drunkedness felt so real that it might be off-putting for some people. So, it may be that some directors are simply afraid of JH acting too well to the point of almost mocking the role or making fun of it. Which is not true - he simply tries to act as appropriate to the role and situation - see Money Flower where his acting was so subdued (that it was a joy to watch for me after his crazy acting in SOGC or MTLY). And I think that he can do any role - look at the variety of characters he has done so far - but not everyone might like his style and/or be afraid that he might "overdo" the acting. Again, if some PDs think like that, they cannot be more wrong, because JH acts as appropriate to the scene.

It's funny because I actually liked that scene. It's one of the only scenes in Voice that I rewatched  I liked how he didn't do the expected reaction of falling apart and crying while screaming at the sky. There was something real about. It seems like JH would make it a point to do things that would be considered disgusting or unattractive, to inject grittiness into a scene. He is fearless like that... He did that also in Chuno- the crying/laughing while eating scene and also in the scene in which his friend was dying- the way JH was massaging his foot, including putting it into his mouth! Remember that?! The moment in which he touched the wife's bloodied feet in Voice reminded me of that... 

 

[dramafan33]

@Biology Lesson True, although somehow those “grotesque” scenes in Chuno did work for me. Daegil just made me cry every time. Maybe because I was immersed in the story when that happened and the “drunk” scene was one of the first dramatic scenes MJH had. (There’s actually only one Daegil scene that didn’t work for me but I digress) 
 

I did like some aspects of the “drunk” scene, him touching her hand, was a nice touch. But I don’t know why, I was just so angry that he was soooooo drunk! I wanted to scream, idiot! And I was really irritated that he was ruining the crime scene and no one was stopping him (but that’s the writing, not an acting problem) To be honest I’m not even sure how I would’ve “fixed” that scene, maybe just play him less drunk and that way I could concentrate on the sadness and not on being pissed at him. 
 

There is another version of Voice on Netflix and I actually was curious to see how that other actor played the scene. Well, there are some things I prefer in the other version and viceversa. 

 

The other “MJH” wasn’t as drunk, which made the whole thing feel like he was more “aware” of what just happened. I liked that, but on the other hand, the character felt “younger”, less “tough” or “rough around the edges” kinda guy, maybe a bit bland? But also I felt like he was a warmer kind of character, his love for his wife felt a bit more “romantic”, but, the scene felt long, had some cheesy melodramatic OTT moments too (He eats some of the birthday cake) and in general didn’t feel as “heavy” and “raw” a moment as the one with JH. Also, it also made me mad how he took his darn time destroying the crime scene and no one tried to stop him (again, that’s the script) 
 

Despite not being my favorite JH character, I feel like JH managed to make MJH at least “seem” to have more depth than what was on paper. He simply has that thing called gravitas.