Bae Yong Joon 배용준

[Guest frances]

reposting some of my fave "Insoo" photos

[Guest liezle]

Hello everyone,

I've found my way back here to support my beloved Yong Joon. If Liez hasn't informed me on the other site I'll be still in the dark, ha ha.. Good work for you Liez.

Hi D glad that you were able to find your way back here Haven't seen you for a long time even in SoKor. Hope that everything is going great. AS in Malay is coming very soon, i'm so happy for you guys.

TY_KSW, i see that you added Yong Joon in your siggy.

[Guest TY_KSW]

TY_KSW, i see that you added Yong Joon in your siggy.

Happy to see u Liezle,

yeap, Bae is among my 3 Jjang....

the 3 Emperors

[Guest happiebb]

bb: nothing beats hearing straight from the horse's mouth, ya?

here's sharing what yong joon has said before...

Originally Posted by Yonsam / www.yongjoon.jp

Translated into Chinese by 由加 [You-Jia] / www.loveyongjoon.com

Translated into English by Happiebb

---------------------------------------------------------------

In Yong Joon’s Own Words…

After Yong Joon returned to Korea from Japan on 24th Dec 2004,

a certain TV station in Japan broadcasted an interview with Yong Joon.

Here’re some interesting, very real and very humane words from Yong Joon…

-- Things Yong Joon Enjoys

I like to cook and I enjoy photography,

much preferring to take photographs than to be photographed.

-- Love in Yong Joon’s Eyes

Love? Perhaps it’s got something to do with age.

I’ve always been wondering what love is.

True love should be tranquil, serene and steadfast.

When I’m forty years old,

as I look at my wife’s back as she stands at the washing machine,

I will feel she’s so lovely and cute and I will feel the urge say, “I love you”.

I suppose this is love…

-- Yong Joon at Leisure

When I wake up in the morning, I will watch TV as I eat my breakfast.

I will spend the morning working.

As for the afternoon, I will perhaps play the piano and enjoy myself like this.

-- Does Yong Joon feel embarrassed with intimate scenes?

Ha, I’m already at this age, long past the age to feel shy.

-- Yong Joon’s Income

Everything goes to my mother for her to manage my finances.

I’m not so good at spending money,

and therefore have no wish to trouble myself with such things.

-- Yong Joon’s Future Dream

I hope to direct a movie that I also star in.

-- Who are Yong Joon’s Family?

My fans are my family.

No matter what the media is saying or spreading,

my family will only believe in my words.

-- The 26th Nov Incident Where Japanese Family Members Were Hurt…

Please don’t worry about me.

So long as your injuries are not serious and you’re all all right, I can rest my mind.

To the husbands of my Japanese family, thank you.

I’ve borrowed time from your beloved wives.

[Guest frances]

~~ for the newbies...in case some of u are wondering why there are some articles & postings in this thread that deals with the unfair/biased treatment of korean media towards BYJ, here's an article that will give u an idea what's going on in korean showbiz lately...

Mr Fumi is a korean and has knowledge in kr entertainment ~~

This Could be 2nd BYJ Project

posted by Mr Fumi in Quilt

Hi everyone, from Korea media's recent reports, I feel something behind them, this series of wrong reports seem to me a part of 2nd BYJ project, for which I explained days before. let me share my personal opinion with you,

As I told you before, my main purpose to write in BYJ Jpn site was to fight against anti-BYJ group in Jpn nets society(some of them were Koreans) In these days, I knew my enemies are not in Jpn but in Korea. This finding makes me so frustrating at first. But now I have a strong feeling that these are not simple anti-BYJ gossips, there are something more than this. This series of K bad reports is a kind of "anti-BYJ campaign" which is a part of 2nd BYJ Project (I can not prove this, this is my personal opinion, I will explain why I think so)

My Report about 2nd BYJ Project

why this project is made? popularity of K stars outside Korea was not that stable, for example, the first K star in K Wave is said to be Ahn Je Wook, who was so popular in China about 5, 6 years ago? he is still very well known in China, but one would not say Ahn JW is the top K star in China now. Not only for Ahn JW, K star's popularity outside korea was not stable, kept changing.

Korea show buiz. have thought, thus, K stars are keep changing and we need to make new stars constantly, otherwise K Wave will be in danger.

there was 2nd BYJ project in May last year. K show buiz. people thought BYJ's popularity in Jpn won't continue that long. In May last year, there were two big K movies in Jpn, Brotherhood and Silmido. So K show buiz. thought Chang Dong Gon or Won Bin will substitutte BYJ in Jpn as the top K star. I heard some K show buiz. men recommend BOF to visit Jpn June last year to keep BYJ popularity in Jpn.

You know what happen after May last year, though Chnag DG and Won B are very popular in Jpn, they could not substitute BYJ and more than this, popularity of BYJ was exploding after May last year. this was what K show buiz. had no experiences.

2nd BYJ Project continued. Why? simply because, even now, K show buiz men think "popularity of BYJ in Jpn won't continue that long and we need 2nd BYJ to keep K Wave in Jpn, the biggest market in Asia"

then, when 2nd BYJ would appear in Jpn, some people in K show buiz. have thought like this(these are what I heard from managers of other actors)

1. May last year as explained above

2. from Oct. to Dec. last year(WLS was over in Sep. last year in Jpn)

3. from now(next BYJ work will be shown Sep next year. further BYJ can not move because he has shooting schedules to Sep. next year. So, some people in K show buiz think BYJ popularity in Jpn would become unstable after AS is over in Jpn and Korea need 2nd BYJ to keep K wave in Jpn)

now everything from here is my guess, I have some information but that is not convincing, of course, maybe I am wrong

There were K actors summit in Tokyo. I presume this is also a part of 2nd BYJ Project.

it seems to me A Korea TV station, Management Co.'s and some media other than TV are involved in this and their plan is

first step, anti-BYJ campaign that we are experiencing now

second step, active promotion for 2nd BYJ in Jpn

some people in K show buiz. should understand that BYJ popularity is not a part of K Wave. If there is no K Wave, still BYJ will be Asian super star. BYJ gives very positive effects to K Wave but K Wave has no effects to BYJ. If someone in K show buiz are thinking about 2nd BYJ Project, that is simply "SO FOOLISH" behavior which is based on false understandings about BYJ, K Wave and Japan market.

when I talk with people in K show buiz., they talk as if they know Japan market better than me. I am 20 year professional as a Jpn market analyst. they are simply managers or producers. I have remained silent when I talk with them to hear their opinions. should I tell them what I think right?(but then, they won't give me some important information)...

[Guest happiebb]

bb: i've a few fave articles on yong joon, and this is one of them.

i've always been mesmerised by yong joon in his interviews,

but he does so few of them.

so i also enjoy reading articles about him through others' eyes,

especially people who are close to him...

here's one of my all-time faves...

especially the part he offered to shake all 900 fans' hands...

what sensitivity! what thoughtfulness! what charms! what a man!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Original in: Shukan Josei / Japan (17/24 August 2004 issue)

Translated into English: Ruru [slight Edition by happiebb]

“Up-close & Personal Look at Bae Yong Joon”

by Mr. Sohn Il-Hyeon (33) of IMX

Revealed for the first time by a person

who is affectionately called “Hyeong” by BYJ

Yon-sama was in Japan again for a CF shooting.

His activity in Japan has gotten into full swing thanks greatly to IMX.

What will Mr. Sohn tell us about the untold story of BYJ’s visit to Japan,

the Korean Current boom, and the future outlook of his activity?

“I think this is a critical moment.

I’m bewildered by the current boom of the Korean Current,

which is developing in a steep uprise.

If we are carried away by this trend,

we will end up in nothing meaningful with a question

‘What was that all about?’”

Mr. Sohn Il Hyeong (33), the president of IMX, started off

by giving a strict and level-headed analysis to the ongoing Korean Current boom.

IMX was among the first in Japan to offer the access to Korean dramas online.

The company has indeed “created the fad of Korean Current.”

Fans of BYJ may be familiar with IMX through the BYJ’s Japanese official website

which the company administers.

BYJ’s visit to Japan and the undertaking of the exclusive management agency

for BYJ in Japan have been realized because of Mr. Sohn.

He could enjoy the boom in triumph.

Yet, the young president smiled bashfully and said,

“People who have triggered the Korean Current boom in Japan are not us.

I think it was sparked off by NHK.”

Bending forward, he groped for words and talked haltingly in a low voice.

Yong-sama calls the president Sohn affectionately “Hyeong.”

“Hyeong” is a Korean word meaning a boy’s elder brother.

“In Korea, we call elder boys ‘Hyeong’ even if they are not your blood brothers.’

Because he is two years younger than I am, he calls me in that way.

Probably, he thinks we are on more familiar terms with each other

than actually being considered as business associates.”

Mr. Song was a senior of Yong-sama at Sungkyunkwan University.

However, they had never met at the university

and Yon-sama is now taking a temporary leave form the university.

Mr. Sohn took two-year off from school in 1991 to do his military service.

After the two-year service, he came to Japan

and majored in literature at Waseda University.

After graduating from Waseda,

he joined an event-organizing company in Yokohama.

He had also worked for the branch office of NHK in Seoul

before he established IMX in 2001.

He first met Yon-sama in 2003.

“We broadcasted ‘Hotelier’ featuring BYJ on the net in Japan

and received overwhelming response.

I thought I could expand the business more, so I acquired the broadcasting right.

I flew to Seoul in June 2003 to talk about the promotion of Hotelier

and discussed the plan of BYJ’s visit to Japan in details with the manger of BYJ.

I met Bae Yong Joon after I saw the manager three or four times for negotiations.”

”At the instant of meeting with him, I was convinced of his potential.

First of all, he had an aura.

Besides that, he had something that really attracts people,

such as the way he talks, his voice and his eyes.”

Later, especially after the mega hit of “Winter Sonata,”

the relationship between those two men has gotten much closer.

“His attractiveness is not limited to the fact that he is cool.

His character gives a very decent impression.

He does not market himself through such activities as variety shows and events.

Such attitudes overlap with the images he has shown in his dramas.”

“While he is an earnest person who has his own belief,

he is an intellectual and tender guy.

He doesn’t let down people by breaking the image of a prince

that often appeared in old girls’ comics.

As a matter of fact, he is a very stoic person,

which I noticed when I was with him.”

“He has been on a program to loose his weight.

He does workout more than 5 hours a day.

He eats chicken breast, vegetables and small amount of rice

and drinks mineral water.

He stays away from salt and spices as much as possible.

It looks very bad for health.

But, in any case, I believe that the program has factored in the nutritional balance.

He’s been on the program for about three weeks. It looks painful even to me.”

During shooting the CFs for Lotte and Sony in Japan last month,

his uncompromising attitude stood out.

He practiced a phase more than 100 times.

Even when the director gave him OK,

he asked for another try if he didn’t like his acting after checking it on the monitor.

“So, the shooting lasted till three or four o’clock in the morning.

People like me would think that you do not need to go that far,”

said Mr. Sohn with a wry smile.

“Are these really my fans?”

Yon-sama is a stoic perfectionist when it comes to work.

But, his feelings for his fans are surprisingly warmhearted.

“When we had a fan meeting for “Hotelier” at the Sheraton Hotel in Seoul,

he offered an unscheduled occasion for shaking fans hands.”

“I told him, ‘Please don’t do that’,

because there were as many as 900 fans participating in the fan meeting.

He said, ‘If I were an artist, I could sing a song for them.

Because I have nothing to do except shaking hands of them,

I would like to do that at least for the people who have come all the way here.’”

“To shake fans hands, he offered his both hands, not one hand.

While he was holding the hand of fans with his both hands,

he looked into their eyes and said a few words.

So, it took about 2.5 to 3 hours to finish the session.”

“That is the extraordinary aspect of him.

I believe that his fans truly understand that real Bae Yong Joon

is much more attractive than the drama characters that they enjoy.

But, he wasn’t as calm as he is now in the past.

Although I’ve had only a few occasions to hear the stories when he was younger,

I heard he did sometimes get into fights.”

“It seems that he doesn’t want to talk about this in details,

but he once secluded himself in a temple.

When he was traveling across the country,

he helped a store in an open-air market in exchange of meals.”

As a matter of fact,

it was beyond the imagination of Yon-sama himself

that his popularity was exploding in Japan.

“He was deeply moved to see many fans who had come to Tokyo saying,

‘I feel a lump in my throat.’

He had heard about his popularity in Japan by word of mouth and newspapers.

But, he had though, “Is it true that I have fans in Japan?’

He had though that entering into the Japanese market would be most difficult.

Because the Japanese people do not know about Korea so much,

we decided to put Japan at the last destination of the Asian tour.”

“Bae Yong Joon decided to go to Japan two weeks before the visit.

Furthermore, he developed a high fever three days before the visit,

and therefore we though it would be difficult for him to visit Japan this time.

I told him, ‘It’s OK if you cannot make it.’

But, when he himself experienced first-hand the fans' fervor in Tokyo,

he was very much surprised saying,

‘I never though it could be to this degree.’”

The confusion caused by his first visit to Japan is still fresh in people’s memory.

His fans came in droves to Hotel New Otani where he stayed.

“There was a spillover crowd around Shibuya Kokaido, the venue of the fan meeting.

BYJ said, ‘I want to get off the car to meet fans who're unable to join the fan meeting.’

But, I stopped him. I felt very sorry,

but if the fans started to chase him, it could have posed a danger.

And, as I got a telling-off from the authority everyday, I asked him not to do that.

I feel very sorry for his fans.”

“I do not do business with my friends”

The young president in a white suit hunched up and looked embarrassed.

We can assume that Yon-sama put his confidence in Mr. Sohn

because he liked such an aspect of Mr. Sohn's personality.

“I talk about a vague vision with him, but not about his work in details.

He often says, ‘I do not do business with my friends.’

I want to leave him to do what he likes

and I don’t want to sell him forcedly, relying only on “Yon-sama”.

Well, if the boom is to end in a short term,

it may be better to make money anyhow and everyhow.

In the short run, accepting many offers to appear on TV programs is lucrative.

There are great many offers of CFs too.

But, I myself don’t take that approach.

I see the business in a different stance and on a different span.”

The reporter came to somehow understand

why Yon-sama affectionately calls Mr. Sohn “Hyeong.”

In June this year, Yon-sama visited Las Vegas with the staff members of IMX.

“We at IMX had talked about going to Las Vegas if ‘Hotelier’ became a hit.

When I told him about the plan,

he said,‘I want the schedule of my stay in LA adjusted

so that I can join them in Vegas.”

The staff members were surprised that he joined them at the dinner every night.

He calls his fans family.

He treats his staff like his brothers.

As a matter of fact, a manager lives in his home in Seoul.

There are four rooms and the manager uses one of them.

When I am in Seoul, he offers to stay with him saying,

‘You can save money on accommodation.’

I don’t stay there because I do not want to trouble or bother him. (Laughs).

But, when I visit his place at night, he invites me to a tea room.”

The tea room is decorated with the furniture used in “Untold Scandal.”

He bought them after they completed the shooting for the movie,

and created the atmosphere of the Lee Dynasty in the tea room.

“He is fond of tea.

He entertains me with various kinds of tea from such countries as China and Japan,

most of the tea sessions take about two hours.

He usually wears sweatshirts and sweatpants.

BYJ in such casual wear serves us by getting hot water or clearing away tea cups.

He doesn’t drink so much.

So, tea is a way of releasing the stress for him.”

The two good guys do business in congenial sprits.

The relationship between Yon-sama and Mr. Sohn is cool.

“Asia has great possibilities to bring about talented people of various types.

We are determined to discover new talents and excellent contents

to continue our cultural exchange business.”

Mr. Sohn met his wife who is from Thailand when he was a student.

She is now studying in the U.S. where Yon-sama is also doing his study.

Mr. Sohn, who has an intention to set up a branch office in Shanghai,

is turning his eyes to the world.

[Guest liezle]

bb thanks again for posting that beautiful article. I've been looking for that article since i got home. There were some articles too that i've been trying to find that are very interesting. Like the articles where in fans and friends of Yong Joon talked about how great a person Yong Joon inside and out.

Btw bb, i read in one of your post that you're missing Yong Joon. Same here unni Last time we saw him on TV was last Monday when he graced the opening of a Japanese Restaurant in Seoul.

To add more to what Frances posted about Mr. Fumi, he is a korean leaving in Japan. Likewise, his wife works in the entertainment industry. Mr. Fumi has been giving us great analysis on kr and japanese entertainment industry. His posts in JOB (BYJ's Japanese official board) and BYJ's Quilt (which caters to overseas fans) is always registering high hit rates, 10,000+ and almost 5,000+ respectively.

Frances, have you been to KOB? Water translated warmsoft's post and it's getting many replies already. As you very well know I can't babel so I'm like "huh?" now. I miss our YM chat.

[Guest happiebb]

bb thanks again for posting that beautiful article. I've been looking for that article since i got home. There were some articles too that i've been trying to find that are very interesting. Like the articles where in fans and friends of Yong Joon talked about how great a person Yong Joon inside and out.

Btw bb, i read in one of your post that you're missing Yong Joon. Same here unni Last time we saw him on TV was last Monday when he graced the opening of a Japanese Restaurant in Seoul.

hey, no need to thank me....

just wanna help to rebuild the thread.

what better way there is to do it than to post my fave articles?

& yea, missing that man badly

[Guest liezle]

Artwork by amadienne

'night everyone and see you later

[Guest happiebb]

bb: posting some beautiful creations by japanese fan, hiyonn...

lovely work...

noticed the O&N logo? hiyonn added it... nice touch...

yong joon in one of his signature poses, bowing of that beautiful head...

sexy... very sexy...

like the eyes...

hiyonn created this to calm herself down after watching the scenes of passion in april snow.

here're more... images of dong hyuk from hotelier...

once again, thank you for sharing the lovely work, hiyonn...

handsome shin dong hyuk aka frank.

mesmerizing dong hyuk....

dong hyuk in deep thoughts...

hee... frank in the pink of health!

another one... going for a run?

and this one... the dong hyuk i love, hehe!

dong hyuk and his family...

[Guest pajnra]

he's so cute

[Guest happiebb]

bb: and... how can we miss out the beautiful insoo?

the 'blinking' insoo...

insoo, feeling a little lost?

handsome insoo...

sensuous, sexy & sensitiveinsoo...

insoo, a little sad...

insoo in a shower of cherry blossoms...

insoo @ work...

ah... insoo again...

[Guest pklteam]

Hi everyone,

I'm so glad that I finally can post up again in here. I'm also glad that I met almost the same faces in here. Good to see all of you back.

Good day all !

[Guest solene]

Hello everyone, I just want to thank all of you for building BYJ's thread again.

Although I'm a silent member but I check this thread everyday.

Liezle, I like the new title very much.

I find on my PC a funny article from Happiebb I've saved before, so I repost it again, hope Happiebb doesn't mind.

Why is that only Yongjoon can play the role of Minhyeon?

Post by Happiebb

*** If Lee Byung Hun was to play Minhyeon…

Everybody knows that Winter Sonata is really a love fantasy; there is a dream-like element about the entire drama.

Byung Hun’s physical appearance is simply too earthy, too real-life, so much so that his outward appearance wouldn't be able to carry off the dreamy character well.

If Byung Hun were Minhyeon, on the night of the first snow [happiebb: I think this is a mistake, it should be New Year’s eve], no matter how confused his thoughts were, even if he was running very late for his date with Yujin, he would still be very careful when he was crossing the road.

I would imagine that realistically, he would be watching out for cars, first he would look to his left, the he would look to his right, he would walk safely to the other side, or perhaps he may run across the road.

That is to say, Minhyeon would not have met with a road accident at all.

So, the story of Winter Sonata would not be able to carry on…

*** If Jang Dong Gun was to play Minhyeon…

Dong Gun has long been recognised as one of the handsomest men in Korea.

One of the reasons why he has been prized as a national-grade beauty-man is because his good looks is not atypically Korean.

In fact, it would be extremely difficult to find another man who looks like him in Korea.

So, if Dong Gun were to play Minhyeon, the drama would go like this:

When Minhyeon returned to Korea from France and was meeting everybody for the very first time:

Minhyeon: Hello, everybody, this is the first time we’ve met. I’m Minhyeon.

Everybody: Can’t be, you must be Jun Sang!

Minhyeon: No, I’m Minhyeon. Who? Who could have looked like me?

Everybody: It’s impossible to find another person who looks like you in Korea!

You must be Jun Sang! Didn’t you die?

Minhyeon: Huh? I’m Jun Sang? What’s going on?

Oh, er… oh, that’s right, I should go and ask Mother…”

So, Winter Sonata’s story would probably stop at the 10th episode…

That would have been quite sad.

*** If Ryu Si Won was to play Minhyeon…

Si Won’s basic personality is kind and nice.

He’s the younger generation of a well-heeled family, representing culture and grace.

In real life, he is also a very polite and respectful person, and he is also the sort who would obey his parents and elders.

So, if Si Won were to play Minhyeon, then Winter Sonata would… end at the 9th episode.

Minhyeon: Yujin, I love you. But I have to consider Sang Hyuk’s feelings as well, so I will not let you come with me.

I cannot make myself say or do something like that. Besides, Mother is also strongly against our relationship. Yujin, sorry, but I really love you and I will never forget you for the rest of my life.

Don’t… [Minhyeon would cry as he ran away from Yujin.]

So, Winter Sonata still could not get past to the 10th episode.

Quite sad as well.

*** If Won Bin was to play Minhyeon…

Won Bin, in real life, is not someone who can drink.

But in the show Winter Sonata, there were quite a few drinking scenes, especially drinking beer.

If it were whisky, then we could always use fruit juice or something as a substitute; but if it were beer, then he would have no choice but to drink the real thing.

Won Bin, if he were to drink during shooting, he would be so knocked out that there would be a lot of NGs.

This would upset Choi Ji Woo and eventually incur the wrath of the Director as well.

Everybody would be so upset that they would give up after 10 episodes.

So, it is still 10 episodes… Tsk tsk...

*** If Kwon Sang Woo was to play Minhyeon…

Sang Woo is a serious hunk with serious muscles, complete with biceps and triceps.

But he still would not be able to play Minhyeon.

The Winter Sonata story was brought out by Chai Lin’s infatuation with Minhyeon.

Naturally, the type that Chai Lin liked was the princely handsome sort.

If Sang Woo were Minhyeon, then Chai Lin would not fall in love with Jun Sang in the first place.

And later, when the pair met in France ten years later, Chai Lin would still not be interested.

Besides, Sang Woo is such a strong and healthy man, even if he were to meet with an accident, he probably would not lose his memory, or he would be able to recover very quickly.

So, it would probably be like this:

Jun Sang’s mother: Jun Sang may lose his memory due to the accident.

Just as well, we can take this chance to give him a new memory.

[she was speaking with the doctor as they made their way to his ward in the hospital.

She had the shock of her life when she opened the door and saw Jun Sang.]

Jun Sang: Mother? I’m alright, not hurt at all. I’m going back to school tomorrow.

Jun Sang’s mother: But… But you just met with such a serious accident!

You’ve fully recovered? You didn’t lose your memory?

Jun Sang: Mother, I’m a Monchian!

[korean word; means “muscle man”]

Under such circumstances, Winter Sonata would have ended at the 14th episode.

Very, very sad if that were the case.

So….

My conclusion is there is no other choice to play the role of Minhyeon so perfectly,

it has to be Yong Joon!

[Guest luv dramas]

Hiyonn--Thanks for all the beautiful artwork! Just takes your breath away.

BYJ families around the world get together through our love for BYJ. We love him beyond the limitation of nationality not just because of his appearance, his performance and his warm smiles. Therefore, no matter how terrible report regarding his performance, the box-office or anything else might come out, nothing could be possible to change our love for BYJ. The only effects you will find are the doubt about the professional quality of Korean Medias, the limited spread of Korean Culture among Asian Countries and the decreased marketing of Korean products. We urge your attention here, BYJ families communicate with BYJ with our hearts. As BYJ oversea families, we cherish him as our own families as Korean BYJ families and treat him as Korean national treasure as well. BYJ belongs to South Korea. Please protect him from unnecessary hurt. We write this letter neither to complain and cry for sympathy nor to disturb your normal schedule. Just after reading the wicked reports from some Medias without any responsibility, it is painful for us to see that some Korean Medias are intentionally destroying your treasure of the country, killing Korean wave in their hand and might raise the discordance which will hinder the cultural exchanges among southeast countries. We are terribly sorry for your possible lost.

So, sad that he doesn't get the support he deserves from his homeland. They don't realize that he is a treasure! That's okay, the rest of the world will adopt him. He is #1!

[caroline]

Good morning everyone...

Thanks for posting hiyonn's beautiful artwork happiebb .....

I'm missing Frank Shin after seeing her artwork....

:wub:

[Guest frances]

good morning :)

From I Weekly, 6th October 2005 issue (Singapore Magazine)

translated and posted by Tiffany in BYJ's KOB ( thanks so much Tiff )

~~i provided add'l info on those comments litalized in blue - france ~~

Bae Yong Joon

Korean Wave red alert

Since the debut of his first movie, “Untold Scandal”, Bae Yong Joon’s second movie, “April Snow” (Going Out in Chinese) finally arrives in Singapore.

But in this outing, sometimes there’s sunshine, sometimes there’s thunderstorm.

From Japan, there’s continuous news of box office success and the enthusiastic response from the fans. Yon-sama’s attraction is still burning brightly without a doubt.

In Korea, his home country, Korean wave’s stronghold like Taiwan and Hong Kong, wherever he went, there was an equally strong Korean wave, with many fans welcoming him.

However, popularity and box office do not co-relate.

Despite the heavy attack, results have not been as expected. Is the Korean Wave, with Bae Yong Joon as the leader facing a red alert?

Witnessing the charm of the No1 Smile

Bae Yong Joon’s smile has the ability to mesmerize everyone. With just a smile, the scream of his fans accompanies him. With just a smile, his fans are willing to love him all the way.

Well known director, Hur Jin Ho once explained about his smile as thus:

“He aroused the memories of everyone’s first love, and yet at the same time, he is like their son that requires their care and concern. It’s a feeling of complete happiness, resulting in this wave of star chasing.”

With a series of publicity and promotional activities, one can imagine how busy he is. Interview was conducted via email and we waited and waited for his reply. We didn’t hold too much hope. But to our surprise, at the last moment just before the deadline, his reply came. Out of 22 questions, he answered 18. Even though some of the answers had a bit of PR that is so reminiscent of Korean stars, but at lest it didn’t seem he was entertaining us, by giving careless answers. For a big shot like him, this kind of sincerity deserves to be noted.

Questions and Answers

Q- After filming “April Snow”, has anything changed?

A- I’m now full of confidence and enthusiasm for my working style. In the past, I used to be very careful in portraying a character; hence I could not enjoy the process of acting. Now, I have learnt to relax, and in the shooting process, I found myself almost becoming one with the movie’s “In Soo”.

Q- If you can change a scene in the movie, which part would you change?

A- When I selected this work, I completely trusted Director Hur. When we were shooting, we also often had discussions, so I have no regrets in the end result. Actually, we had shot many beautiful scenes, but unfortunately they were not included in the end. I hope everyone will be able to see it in the dvd.

Q- Which scenes were unforgettable

A- There was a scene when In Soo’s father-in-law suddenly visited him at the motel. In Soo had no choice but to hide Seo Yeong, who was in his room then, in the toilet. After his father-in-law left, Seo Yeong told In Soo that it was alright. That particular scene was unforgettable. These two people were deeply in love and yet they could not be together openly. In Soo wanted to protect her and felt guilty towards her. After these emotions, his love for her grew more.

Q- At the media movie premiere in Seoul, we realized that you put your hand to your heart when you were taking photos. Was there anything you wanted to tell everyone?

A- When I see the love that my family gives me, seeing them waiting for me patiently, calling out my name, it touches me deeply. I am grateful for every moment that I am able to spend with them. The gesture of putting my hand on my heart is my way of conveying to them my gratitude to the family and the happiness in my heart. I once read a book, it says there is a special language for love between people. I believe there is such a language between my family and I.

*Note: His family here refers to his fans.

Q- The Korean Wave with you as the leader is booming in all Asia. Do you think you have reached the peak of you career? How long do you think this peak will last? Do you feel discomfort towards the future?

A- This is the peak now. As for how long it will lasts, it does not matter to me. As an actor, I am constantly striving for improvement, opening up my path. To achieve this goal, I will continue to work harder, and do my best in my work. Through working with different actors, I hope to enrich my thoughts and culture and stimulate a better exchange of ideas.

Q- Where do you think your charm lies in?

A- An actor’s charm is very mysterious. I have also tried finding out about myself through the eyes of the others, wherein lies my charm? But when I’m asked such question by the others, I sometimes feel embarrassed. Many people like my smile and acting different characters attracted many fans. As an actor, I hope that everyone will slowly discover my other abilities.

Q- Your smile is liked by everyone, how do view this charm of yours? Do you have to practice maintaining this “perfect smile”?

A- Thank you. When I first became an actor, I often used to stand in front of a mirror and made silly faces to make myself smile. But now, I wish to express the real me more. When I maintain the correct way of thinking, and I am natural in front of everyone, I am able to relax more, and therefore I smile even more. I hope through my smile, I will be able to spread the happiness within my heart to the others.

Q- Will your love life be restricted by your status today?

A- No. All along, my family hopes that I will meet a special girl and live happily. But because of my work, I have not been able to meet that someone special. I believe in fate and I know I will meet that someone.

Q- Have you ever thought of getting married?

A- Of course. One of my life’s goal and my existence is because of my family. **

**Tiffs’s note: I believe the word family in the above reply would refer to his real family.

Q- What is your dream that you have yet to achieve?

A- Sometimes it is really amazing how I have managed to reach this stage. I really feel I do not have this ability. I still hope to be a director. As an actor, I can come closer to my dream of becoming a director. I hope that the knowledge that I learnt as an actor, will help me as a director later.

“April Snow” impression

I attended the premiere in Seoul last month and finally saw Bae Yong Joon himself. I was very curious in the past and was keen to meet this male star who is able to mesmerize thousands of female; just how powerful is he?

Polite, gentlemanly and warm was the first impression he gave me. During the long interview, beside his No 1 smile, there was often not much expressions. The corners of his mouth are gently upturned and one is unable to guess what is behind the eyes of those pair sunglasses.

After answering each question, he will make sure his microphone is lowered, so that the noise will not disturb the others who are being interviewed. During the one hour of constantly flashing lights from the rows in front, he did not display any discomfort or constraint. From the beginning till the end, his every move was one of gracefulness, sitting upright on the stage.

At that time, I even though that should a fire break out at that time (touch wood!), he will probably also escape slowly and gallantly.

When it ended, he waved goodbye to everyone in all directions with one hand and put his other hand on his heart gently. With such display of gentlemanly behaviour and warm gestures, Bae Yong Joon definitely scored the full 100 marks.

I have never believed that anyone could just easily depend on the word “lucky” and climb up in the entertainment world smoothly. His popularity, is definitely not dependent on just his smile.

"April Snow” vital information

Korea’s well known director Hur Jin Ho+500 million won production fees+good looking actor and beautiful actress

The box office results in Korea and Hong Kong were not as good as expected and were attacked by the media. Does it mean that even with God Bae’s apperance, it still doesn’t work? Let’s take a look at the results from the various countries before we comment. ( box office result in HK is just fine, currently its in no 8 slot since it was shown 19 days ago. to date it already earned about HK$1.8M. other korean hits fared less in HK like Marrying the Mafia 1, Kr hit of 2002 (HK$490T), My Tutor Friend (HK$1.5M) - data from koreanfilm.org )

Japan:

Premiere date: 17th September

Box office: Broke through 420,000 audience attendance ( to date, it's reported that it has already drawn about 1.5 mln audience )

Publicity strategy: Self published a new magazine to report on the news for “April Snow” as well as personal news on Bae Yong Joon. Displaying his handprint in front of the cinema to attract his fans to watch the movie.

Current status: On premiere day, there were already fans crowding outside the cinemas before they opened. There are over 400 cinemas screening this movie in Japan. On the premiere day alone, in just one day, the audience attendance already broke through 150,000 and box office has exceeded 505 million yen, recording the highest box office record for a Korean movie in Japan.

Korea:

Premiere date: 7th September

Box office: 750, 000 audience attendance

Publicity strategy: Held a movie premiere in Seoul and attracted over 400 media from all over to report on the event.

Current status: Till publication deadline, “April Snow” had a box office record attendance of 750,000, (currently, its more than 800T & we now have an idea on the reason behind the "Kill April Snow" plan of the Kr Media ) compared to the attendance of 1.5 million for the current box office winner, ‘Marrying the Mafia 2”, it pales in comparison. ( & there's really no comparison here, Mafia 2 is a comedy w/c fits the taste of the korean market)

Taiwan:

Premiere date: 8th September

Box office: 1 million NT for the first weekend

Publicity strategy: Visited Taiwan for 4 days, including premiere, movie promotional event and spokesperson press conference, attracting over thousands of fans.

Current status: Although Korean stars are popular but in reality, Korean movies are not as popular as Korean dramas. Won Bin’s “My Brother” had less than 300,000 NT in box office. Lee Byun Hyun visited Taiwan in July to promote “Bittersweet Life” but the box office was even worse, with only about 80,000 NT. Therefore, “April Snow” compared to the other Korean movie is already very good. ( AS so far, is the highest grossing korean film in Taiwan for the year 2005. total take so far is more than TW$2 mln )

[caroline]

wow.....

:wub:

[Guest frances]

Yong Joon on the cover of I Weekly, 6th October 2005 issue

posted by esther in joonsfamily.com

[Guest dreamingofwhite]

Aw. Bae Young Jun <33

Fell in love with him in Gyuh-ool Yun-ga (Winter Sonata).

What a cutie...despite the fact that hes like...old-ish. ><