Jang Hyuk 장혁

[YouwinJH]

To stay on topic and what @dramafan33 said before. I try not to psychoanalyse JH too much though no one can convince me he's not on the spectrum. I still remember that show when he went to Busan and they were watching some old HK movies - the way he was alone but still part of the group. The ability to find joy within himself / enjoy his own company. Yeah it's introverted behaviour but it isn't just that. I can also relate to his obsessive streak

 

He gets philosophical about action, most of what he says is lost on me (could be the translation) but I can acknowledge his passion and drive to get the best performance out every role no matter how prosaic it is on paper. I think he is too much in his head, which can come across as being obtuse and insensitive. And being dense (I mean intense and preoccupied with heavy thoughts) can be problematic if isn't paired with his boundless enthusiasm and passion. And I think what helped his case is that he comes from a sporty side, and is used to training his body to achieve his goals and is bound by routine and self-discipline.

 

The more I live the more I realise that people of that nature (tendency to overthink), which is a category I fall into, need to be able to transfer some of that mental energy into something physical - otherwise the energy has nowhere else to go and becomes rather toxic. I say this as someone who feels relatively stagnant and tends to gravitate towards less physical and social hobbies. These days I have come to regret not playing any sports when I was younger

 

However, the main reason why I am drawn to him is that he's pretty transparent - I can't see anything cruel or spiteful in him. There is a childlike innocence and curiousity about him that I hope he never loses

 

EDIT

 

And I've never had a problem with the dynamic of the Dragon Bros, none of them bothered me. I appreciated how loyal they are and how they've embraced JH's idiosyncrasies. I understand that Korea is a tough society for neurodivergent individuals. I seem to recall someone said he left Busan (or Seoul) because he was bullied in school. Don't know how true that is. However, he is someone that people can have very polarising views about personality wise. So the fact that they've been friends with him for so long and stood by him after his scandal makes me appreciate them. Plus I don't mind how they rib at each other because I realise there is deep friendship that underpins it all and it is also part of that culture

[dramafan33]

@YouwinJH Very interesting analysis. I too can relate to the overthinking obsessive side. And also with the stagnant side! Lol You make a great point about how the overthinking energy needs to be channelled. I need to start dancing or something. Im terrible at Sports but dancing is something I’d enjoy. Go for the theater acting! My brother did it for a few years and I loved the exercises they had him do. I feel its a form of therapy. It prompts self discovery. If I wasn’t a super coward Id try it myself

 

And now you got me curious about JNRs character. I will google to see what it was all about. 

[YouwinJH]

@dramafan33 I'm not good at sports either lol but I remember watching the anime Haikyu back in 2020 and being totally mesmerised and feeling regretful about never trying out sports in school

 

You should defo start dancing. I've got three activities in mind to do - dancing or boxing or both, singing, and acting. Just something that gets me moving and thinking new thoughts, meeting new people - rather than the same old

 

And yes theatre is really good at giving you transferable skills and it is a form of therapy. I want to get better at public speaking for instance. I do recall that doing drama was the time I was at my most confident and daring. I haven't felt that in ages and I want to feel it agaib

[azureblue7]

12 hours ago, partyon said:

@dramafan33 chingu, she's one of my favorite actresses, but her latest drama choices have been questionable to say the least. I've come to the conclusion that almost all of her dramas that have been misses, have been penned by "rookie" writers who don't have any dramas under their belts. What makes me nervous is that her upcoming drama later this year, Good Partner, is also the scriptwriter's first drama.

 

I only watched the 1st 2 eps of it..... and I switched to Marry my husband after that.. So sorry JNR

 

I thought My Happy Ending  script won some prize in a script writing competition? Was thinking of watching it after Marry my husband ends..

 

 

13 hours ago, partyon said:

Btw, I was gonna ask you about the variety show Jang Hyuk was starring in last year, Express Delivery: Mongolia Edition. I saw a clip from it (IG or YT, can't remember). It looked fun. Is it worth the watch?

I enjoyed watching it. You should catch it.

[Biology Lesson]

8 hours ago, YouwinJH said:

To stay on topic and what @dramafan33 said before. I try not to psychoanalyse JH too much though no one can convince me he's not on the spectrum. I still remember that show when he went to Busan and they were watching some old HK movies - the way he was alone but still part of the group. The ability to find joy within himself / enjoy his own company. Yeah it's introverted behaviour but it isn't just that. I can also relate to his obsessive streak

 

He gets philosophical about action, most of what he says is lost on me (could be the translation) but I can acknowledge his passion and drive to get the best performance out every role no matter how prosaic it is on paper. I think he is too much in his head, which can come across as being obtuse and insensitive. And being dense (I mean intense and preoccupied with heavy thoughts) can be problematic if isn't paired with his boundless enthusiasm and passion. And I think what helped his case is that he comes from a sporty side, and is used to training his body to achieve his goals and is bound by routine and self-discipline.

 

The more I live the more I realise that people of that nature (tendency to overthink), which is a category I fall into, need to be able to transfer some of that mental energy into something physical - otherwise the energy has nowhere else to go and becomes rather toxic. I say this as someone who feels relatively stagnant and tends to gravitate towards less physical and social hobbies. These days I have come to regret not playing any sports when I was younger

 

However, the main reason why I am drawn to him is that he's pretty transparent - I can't see anything cruel or spiteful in him. There is a childlike innocence and curiousity about him that I hope he never loses

 

EDIT

 

And I've never had a problem with the dynamic of the Dragon Bros, none of them bothered me. I appreciated how loyal they are and how they've embraced JH's idiosyncrasies. I understand that Korea is a tough society for neurodivergent individuals. I seem to recall someone said he left Busan (or Seoul) because he was bullied in school. Don't know how true that is. However, he is someone that people can have very polarising views about personality wise. So the fact that they've been friends with him for so long and stood by him after his scandal makes me appreciate them. Plus I don't mind how they rib at each other because I realise there is deep friendship that underpins it all and it is also part of that culture

I have met and taught people on the spectrum, and what they all have in common is a tendency towards sensory overload. I don't see when JH displayed such a tendency. Some people on the spectrum that are funcional are quite obvious: refusing to make eye contact, having severe social problems, essentially have no friends- JH obviously is not in that category. Others are more social, but will still say very blunt things that will be consider rude by most people, and they also have severe problems with noise- JH is not in that category either. I also met a person that has been diagnosed as autistic, but if you met her, you wouldn't know it, as she was friendly (had a number of friends) and was generally nice, however in a conersation she bluntly told me that she cared more for animals than her own family. She literally said she would care more if something will happen to her cat than to someone in her family. Again- obviously JH is not in that category. 

Don't get me wrong- I wouldn't care if JH was on the spectrum, but it doesn't make sense considering what we know about JH.  He might be blunt and at times oblivious of people's emotions, but he still cares about them tremendously. He cares about his juniors and co-workers, and will make time to give advice to people, whether they like it or not. He's actually seems to be the opposite of "autistic" in that respect.

 

If anything, I think, considering what CTH said about JH's children and how extremely hyper they were, it stands to reason that JH probably has ADHD. And luckily for him, his positive nature allowed him to deal with it is a positive way.

 

As to this new term- "neurodivergent"- If we start super analyzing people we might decide that everyone are "neurodivergent". Hell- look at KJK- looks completely functional and successfull on the outside, but if we nit pick I bet you we can conclude "neurodivergent" for him too. 

 

 

 

[YouwinJH]

@Biology Lesson speaking as someone who was diagnosed with Aspergers at uni and my father was also diagnosed in his 40s with it, you can learn to be social (especially if you have the high functioning kind). How I was socialised meant that it wasn't picked up quickly - I grew up as an only child but spent my first 10 years surrounded by my extended family, especially cousins of the same age, and yes I had routines etc, but because this was W Africa and these things were unknown in the 90s I had a relatively normal childhood. I learnt and adapted (small talk is still uninteresting to me but I can fake it as long as I can retire afterwards to my fortress of solitude).

 

About feelings etc. I care tremendously about people. I'm fiercely protective of my mum, and I also have friends and not the superficial kind. Who says autistic people don't care about others' feelings? For me this is the biggest misconception out there. Yes we are blunt and come across as insensitive but it is more about logic than it is about hurting people (at least not intentionally). I think it's the opposite, we feel too much (and not necessarily about people) that it can be distressing. Again, I will bring socialisation into it. Some people express their interest in animals, inanimate objects, etc. I grew up with stories and films. And this is where I invest most of my time and energy so in some ways I have become a type of people watcher

 

Giving advice isn't always about caring about the other person. You want to show mastery over a topic so in other words it's more about you than the person on the receiving end of the advice. The question is whether the advice is solicited or not. And from his friends it sounds like it's mostly unsolicited.

 

Culturally, his juniors are expected to lean on him as their senior. They can't tell him to shut up even if they probably want to. We have to remember that JH has chosen one of the most social professions in the world - he developed a passion and obsession with acting and wants to master to. He didn't get into it to be social. So you have to understand his behaviour from the perspective of that drive / desire to master acting and challenge himself in different roles. I remember reading somewhere that at times he has the urge to scream on sets or that he gets angry. I can only imagine what it must feel like working with people who are not on the same wavelength. How frustrating that can be. To me, the social side is simply an occupational hazard - something he's learned to deal with. I think it was CTH that said JH is only lively when he's around them and boring elsewhere. Even JH admitted on the Mongolia show that he's livelier when he's with the guys. That's why I appreciate them for giving him the space to bring all of himself. We can be more outlandish and 'fun' than people think

 

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on the topic since I haven't invested much time in doing research on it. My diagnosis was relatively late and didn't have any major impact on my day to day life, and I wasn't consciously around people like me so I haven't observed people on the spectrum much.

 

That said, I don't think he has ADHD. His boys were being typical boys and there were two of them, while CTH has two girls and a boy. Again socialisation is a factor. Being able to focus like he can to achieve his goals suggests to me he doesn't have ADHD. Having narrow and intense interests can seem like ADHD simply because you're unable to give equal attention to other things the same way you would to something you cared about. 

 

I do agree that neurodivergent is an overused term that has lost it's explanatory power. But there are still genuinely neurodivergent people out there and KJK isn't one. To me, he's a man child who has been coddled by his mum so has gotten used to being immature. That's the opposite of someone who's autistic in my view

 

Edit:

And it's called a spectrum for a reason. Aspergers is one of the milder types as far as sensory overload and other psychosomatic symptoms are concerned

 

[Biology Lesson]

24 minutes ago, YouwinJH said:

@Biology Lesson speaking as someone who was diagnosed with Asbergers at uni and my father was also diagnosed in his 40s with it, you can learn to be social (especially if you have the high functioning kind). How I was socialised meant that it wasn't picked up quickly - I grew up as an only child but spent my first 10 years surrounded by my extended family, especially cousins of the same age, and yes I had routines etc, but because this was W Africa and these things were unknown in the 90s I had a relatively normal childhood. I learnt and adapted (small talk is still uninteresting to me but I can fake it as long as I can retire afterwards to my fortress of solitude).

 

About feelings etc. I care tremendously about people. I'm fiercely protective of my mum, and I also have friends and not the superficial kind. Who says autistic people don't care about others' feelings? For me this is the biggest misconception out there. Yes we are blunt and come across as insensitive but it is more about logic than it is about hurting people (at least not intentionally). I think it's the opposite, we feel too much (and not necessarily about people) that it can be distressing. Again, I will bring socialisation into it. Some people express their interest in animals, inanimate objects, etc. I grew up with stories and films. And this is where I invest most of my time and energy so in some ways I have become a type of people watcher

 

Giving advice isn't always about caring about the other person. You want to show mastery over a topic so in other words it's more about you than the person on the receiving end of the advice. The question is whether the advice is solicited or not. And from his friends it sounds like it's mostly unsolicited.

 

Culturally, his juniors are expected to lean on him as their senior. They can't tell him to shut up even if they probably want to. We have to remember that JH has chosen one of the most social professions in the world - he developed a passion and obsession with acting and wants to master to. He didn't get into it to be social. So you have to understand his behaviour from the perspective of that drive / desire to master acting and challenge himself in different roles. I remember reading somewhere that at times he has the urge to scream on sets or that he gets angry. I can only imagine what it must feel like working with people who are not on the same wavelength. How frustrating that can be. To me, the social side is simply an occupational hazard - something he's learned to deal with. I think it was CTH that said JH is only lively when he's around them and boring elsewhere. Even JH admitted on the Mongolia show that he's livelier when he's with the guys. That's why I appreciate them for giving him the space to bring all of himself. We can be more outlandish and 'fun' than people think

 

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on the topic since I haven't invested much time in doing research on it. My diagnosis was relatively late and didn't have any major impact on my day to day life, and I wasn't consciously around people like me so I haven't observed people on the spectrum much.

 

That said, I don't think he has ADHD. His boys were being typical boys and there were two of them, while CTH has two girls and a boy. Again socialisation is a factor. Being able to focus like he can to achieve his goals suggests to me he doesn't have ADHD. Having narrow and intense interests can seem like ADHD simply because you're unable to give equal attention to other things the same way you would to something you cared about. 

 

I do agree that neurodivergent is an overused term that has lost it's explanatory power. But there are still genuinely neurodivergent people out there and KJK isn't one. To me, he's a man child who has been coddled by his mum so has gotten used to being immature. That's the opposite of someone who's autistic in my view

 

Edit:

And it's called a spectrum for a reason. Aspergers is one of the milder types as far as sensory overload and other psychosomatic symptoms are concerned

 

 

You are making this a personal discussion, and I don't mean to comment on that. I don't know you and your experiences. I do know that in the last few years there has been a rise in autism diagnosis due to increased awareness as well a changes in the condition’s diagnostic criteria. Looks like the way things are going, eventually everyone could be put on the spectrum, in which case - what's the point of the diagnosis?! I know that many high IQ people have similar problems, does that mean that all high IQ people are autistic? I guess it does if we define them as such... Since I can't argue with your personal experience, If it pleases you- define JH as you will.

[YouwinJH]

@Biology Lesson I'm not making it personal. A diagnosis isn't like a disease so your discomfort makes no sense to me. You used examples from your experience and I referred to things from my experience because I don't have examples from working with people on the spectrum like you do. Again it is about providing context about how I've come to form the view I have.

 

I'm no psychologist nor have I researched the topic. Therefore, what I'm expressing is an opinion about JH rather than a fact. I'm not saying it is true or not. I just think your perception of the spectrum is too narrow.

 

You and I don't have any other insider information beyond what we have said but does that mean we can't have opinions on the matter? I don't think so. You don't have to be defensive or take offence to someone expressing an alternative pov

 

You come across as believing that an autism diagnosis is far too common. That every man and his dog is being diagnosed as autistic. I don't necessarily disagree but also accept that the brain and how it functions is still an enigma. Perhaps you feel people claim autism in other to feel special or something. I have no illusions about who I am nor am I motivated by wanting to feel "special". My college recommended I get tested and so I did. Like I said, coming so late in the day, I can't say it has had much of an impact in how I see myself and it's not something I wear on my sleeve - my closest friends don't even know about it.

 

Next time (not that I'm interested in continuing this topic) do skip along and ignore my comment on this. I didn't realise it was such a sensitive topic. I didn't even bring up autism in my earlier comment - you did. I specifically said he has a tendency to overthink, to be obtuse and obsessive. I don't necessarily think these are autistic traits only. Is neurodivergent synonymous with autism these days? My bad if it is. I should have worded it better

[Prettysup]

So his family is indeed in Canada, interview in Vanity Fair Italy 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3pwihZN8e_/?igsh=d2EzOGUwN2FtbDhp

 

[YouwinJH]

Deleted as @Prettysup posted the same before me

 

17 minutes ago, Prettysup said:

So his family is indeed in Canada, interview in Vanity Fair Italy 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3pwihZN8e_/?igsh=d2EzOGUwN2FtbDhp

 

 

Thanks

Makes sense because he posted a lot of sights last year that people recognised as being in Canada

[Biology Lesson]

1 hour ago, Prettysup said:

So his family is indeed in Canada, interview in Vanity Fair Italy 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3pwihZN8e_/?igsh=d2EzOGUwN2FtbDhp

 

So it's official- he's indeed opening an agency!

[partyon]

19 hours ago, YouwinJH said:

 it's a shame about My Happy Ending but I had a hunch about it and dropped it after two episodes

 

Lucky you! I kept hanging in there until ep 10. After that? I ran away from that hot mess as fast as I could - LOL

 

8 hours ago, azureblue7 said:

I thought My Happy Ending  script won some prize in a script writing competition? Was thinking of watching it after Marry my husband ends..

 

Now it all makes sense why the script is all over the place.

 

8 hours ago, azureblue7 said:

I enjoyed watching it. You should catch it.

 

Am gonna see if I have some time later tonight to catch the first episode. I like the other people on the show, but it's been a long time since I watched Jang Hyuk in a variety show and he's a fun guy.

 

By the way, I haven't forgotten about the discussion that we EOs might arrange a Successful Story of a Bright Girl rewatch on this forum. We've just been super busy lately. It's in our backlog though! We'll try to see if we could launch it later in March.

re: @Sleepy Owl @Lmangla

 

PS. As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have anything you want to organize on this thread (like a poll or an event), or if you need any help with anything on the forum. You can always PM me if you don't want to tag me.

[dramafan33]

@azureblue7 That looks like a very long interview!  How can you guys know what he said? You also know italian? Impressive  

 

Kidding! Can’t wait for the translation the reporter mentioned 

 

 

[azureblue7]

1 hour ago, dramafan33 said:

@azureblue7 That looks like a very long interview!  How can you guys know what he said? You also know italian? Impressive  

 

Kidding! Can’t wait for the translation the reporter mentioned 

 

 

I used a Papago screen translator app.  Hehe.

 

He spoke in English!And his second son, who looks most like him, wants to be an actor!

 

 

[azureblue7]

The article 

https://www.vanityfair.it/article/jang-hyuk-corea-sud-bruce-lee-primo-album?utm_medium=social&utm_social-type=owned&utm_brand=vanity-fair-it&utm_source=twitter

 

 

 

Now I'm not sure if he spoke in English. Maybe the interviewer spoke in English.

[Biology Lesson]

Am I the only one not liking JH being called "The Korean Bruce Lee" or "the Korean Tom Cruise"? I'd rather he'd just be introduced as "The Korean Jang Hyuk" and that's it. I want him to be his own self, and not be compared or defined by someone else... These comparisons reduce him, I feel.

[Prettysup]

Link on official site, not sure why is it under Music category though

https://www.vanityfair.it/article/jang-hyuk-corea-sud-bruce-lee-primo-album

 

 

 

 

[azureblue7]

5 minutes ago, Biology Lesson said:

Am I the only one not liking JH being called "The Korean Bruce Lee" or "the Korean Tom Cruise"? I'd rather he'd just be introduced as "The Korean Jang Hyuk" and that's it. I want him to be his own self, and not be compared or defined by someone else... These comparisons reduce him, I feel.

Me too! I prefer just Jang Hyuk.

[Prettysup]

 

36 minutes ago, azureblue7 said:

 

Now I'm not sure if he spoke in English. Maybe the interviewer spoke in English.

 

Yes he spoke in English.

 

 

V: Did it take courage to start your own business?

 

«It wasn't a rash decision. Korean cinema is on the crest of a wave, the whole world is watching us and this has revolutionized the sector: we have more budgets and the narrative is more complex, but we are also under more pressure. But fashions pass, and this is scary. An actor, to survive, has to try new things. Think of Tom Cruise who has made very different films such as Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut and Mission: Impossible. Action movies are now in fashion, and I wanted to open an agency that would use my knowledge of martial arts to produce action scenes for films from every country. The problem is that even if this type of scene goes beyond the barriers of language, the obstacle of English remains constant for us Asians."

 

V: But he is speaking to me in English.

 

«Because I'm studying it like crazy! Not speaking it limits your opportunities to get roles in Hollywood but also the other relationships an artist needs. I realized this a couple of years ago, when I was a guest at the New York Asian Film Festival. When I returned home, I found myself an English teacher and sent my children to Canada to study. Now I'm a dad who lives far from his loved ones. I miss them like air, but it's worth it
the punishment."

 

 

16 minutes ago, Biology Lesson said:

Am I the only one not liking JH being called "The Korean Bruce Lee" or "the Korean Tom Cruise"? I'd rather he'd just be introduced as "The Korean Jang Hyuk" and that's it. I want him to be his own self, and not be compared or defined by someone else... These comparisons reduce him, I feel.

It’s a fact that more ppl know Bruce Lee and Tom Cruise rather than Jang Hyuk. It’s just a way to attract readers. 

[azureblue7]

1 hour ago, Prettysup said:

Yes he spoke in English.

 

You're right, she just amended "she is" to "you are"

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3sQggtNtN7/?igsh=cjExajJjNDV6dzV4