Lee Joon Gi 이준기 | [Drama 2023] "Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramoon"

[willenette]

I prefered his hair long compared to the old one. He's so sweet seeing him making sign of the cross. BTW, is his movie, Hotel Venus his first, before The King & The Clown? Thanks for sharing the link of his interview about his latest movie, Fly Daddy Fly & also the translations of this link. This guy is really so cute.

[Guest SOUL'd to:GD]

yayyy thank you for the daejong clips! sdjfnjksns hahaha he looks so cute with brown hair, he looks cute with any hair x___x; LOL.

i cant wait for fly daddy fly, *jumps around*

[Guest thunderbolt]

Kitty, you're amazing. Great job with the translation. Thank you so much. And seirin, I love how you always have new goodies for us. *muak*

*********************

X at twitchfilm.net wrote a super long review of King and the Clown which was posted yesterday. I extract only the parts related to Junki:

Yet the biggest story of The King and The Clown ended up becoming someone else. Despite turning the strong homosexual code of the play into thinly veiled (no pun intended) undertones and a mere kiss, despite the focus shifting from Gong-Gil to Jang-Saeng, Lee Joon-Gi became a superstar anyway. In some ways, the fact Director Lee opted for a subtler approach to Jang-Saeng and Gong-Gil's relationship (who actually kiss each other in the play) helped the film succeed even more. The film never explicitly pushes an homosexual relationship between the two Clowns, it instead highlights their strong relationship as something more than working partners. And one of the reasons why Lee was perfect for the role is that he's the embodiment of a powerful new trend in Korean pop culture, that of the cross-sexual -- this has nothing to do with past metrosexuals, mind you.

Lee possesses the kind of beauty which charms women and intrigues men, he mixes masculine and feminine elements, yin and yang. That this is a huge trend you can see it clearly on TV, with characters like 주몽 (Jumong)'s Sayong, neither man nor woman, a mix of strength and sensibility. Lee Joon-Gi's 'cross-sexual 'look certainly helped the role in ways even someone like Park Hae-Il wouldn't have been able to, but beyond the social issue it has become, the presence of this 동성애 (Homoerotic) code has been not only overstated by Western Media, who almost made The King and The Clown look like some kind of Sageuk version of Brokeback Mountain, it was never intended in the first place by its makers.

Lee's appearance and that famous kiss certainly help that misinterpretation, but calling it simple homoeroticism on sexual terms fails to consider the kind of period we're dealing with, and the position of the man supposedly influenced by this code. What Yeonsan is looking for is not a lover per se. Gong-Gil simply becomes a surrogate for what Yeonsan desires, and he's the embodiment of everything Yeonsan lacks. So in this case, that 'King's Man' of the Korean title can only be a man for that reason, because in Gong-Gil Yeonsan sees the freedom he can never have. He plays with Gong-Gil and through those moments becomes a Clown himself, becomes Lee Yoong the man, and not Yeonsan the King. He escapes from the trap of Royalty he should have never been involved with, and finds a space to breathe.

His kiss, more than act of sexual attraction, is the release of emotional tension pent up for way too long, exploding when Yeonsan feels he's losing the only person who can bring him happiness. Yeonsan came to power suffering the consequences of the Censorate's vicious criticism of just about every single policy his father Seongjong made before passing the throne to him, so he needs an escape valve, something to remind him of his being human. For a while he finds that escape through Nok-Soo, who sort of becomes a surrogate for his mother -- you see them playing silly games on his bedroom after the Clowns' performances -- and his only confidant. But then Gong-Gil, whose practice of selling his body to rich Yangban angered Jang-Saeng before joining the Palace, enters his life. In him, Yeonsan finds something much more important than an escape valve, beyond the fact he's a pretty, young and effeminate lad.

Gong-Gil represents everything Yeonsan can't have and could never do. He's not someone he's addicted to. In the same way, the strange relationship between Gong-Gil and Jang-Saeng, with a hint of potential romance, is something which was probably exaggerated by marketing. The most important moments of the film regarding the two are their 'you're there and I'm here' play on top of the hill, and after Jang-Saeng gets punished by the King, his realizing that he can only find his identity (as a Clown and a person) through his partner's view of him. So is it homoerotic? Certainly there are some undertones (and you could argue they were put there to make a bigger impact at the box office, too), but don't misunderstand this film as a Brokeback Mountain of the East, because then you'll lose the central theme of the film, which is finding one's identity as a person first and foremost. So Gong-Gil might be 'The King's Man' for Yeonsan, but when Jang-Saeng finally finds his true identity walking the ropes, playing the King next to the man who went through so many things with him, Gong-Gil becomes another King's man as well.

Junki's interview (Disc 3, Special Edition set):

Lee Joon-Gi: "At the beginning of those two months of practice and training I really was worried I wouldn't be able to do anything. You know, I worried the director would have to resort to using someone else, so the first thing I focused on was trying my best to improve, that was it. As I started learning, I noticed something. I'm pretty much used to modern ballet and similar things [one of his previous films, Byun Young-Joo's 발레교습소 (Flying Boys) involved ballet dancers], but when it comes to that distinctive rhythm which comes from our traditional culture, my body just wouldn't listen. All the other actors were a little older, and they could understand, immerse themselves in that kind of rhythm, but all I tried was to look as good as possible within the world shown by the camera."

Lee Joon-Gi: "At first I was really worried about the interaction with the characters and the performances themselves, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do anything. But they just told me to do it, to relax and just do it. Nothing else. I was a little uncomfortable as not having a structure to follow is always hard for me, and I was dealing with senior actors, but I followed their advice to the best of my abilities."

(We see Lee nervously smoking after playing his part in the Beijing Opera scene, with everyone around him reassuring him he was really good, particularly Jung Jin-Young.)

Lee Joon-Gi: "I gained immensely through this film, most importantly confidence. Whatever people felt through my performance bringing them to give me so much support, be it because of acting or anything else, I think I'll remember this film for a long time."

credit: X at twitchfilm.net

K & C Review Part 1:

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/006939.html

Part 2:

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/006940.html

Part 3:

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/006941.html

[seirin]

credit: mentor

[Guest jhea]

^^^seirin thanks again for the pics...

i like 7,8,9 pic..

he's so0oo h0t...

Thunderbolt

thanks for the news and interview....

I prefered his hair long compared to the old one. He's so sweet seeing him making sign of the cross. BTW, is his movie, Hotel Venus his first, before The King & The Clown? Thanks for sharing the link of his interview about his latest movie, Fly Daddy Fly & also the translations of this link. This guy is really so cute.

yah ur ryt, but any hairstyle he has, he still hot and handsome.....

Yah, he's a religious guy, i really dunno that...

yayyy thank you for the daejong clips! sdjfnjksns hahaha he looks so cute with brown hair, he looks cute with any hair x___x; LOL.

i cant wait for fly daddy fly, *jumps around*

It's ok, your welcome...(although i'm n0t the one wh0 post the daejong clips)

anywayz....

yah, he's cute in br0wn hair.....

aNd definitely yes, he looks cute in any hairstyle and color...

i agree w/ you...

[Guest mintyjunki]

Jun Ki has really comed a long way. It is sad that he had to be ridiculed in the past. I am very happy for him now that he is what he is after all the perseverence. We have faith in Jun Ki that he will stay the same : )

It takes time to adapt to the fact that as more and more people like you, the number of antis will also increase. Jun Ki should shut himself off from all the things the antis said about him. I visited some other forums yesterday and saw silly photoshopped Jun Ki's faces and flaming posts on him. It does makes me mad, but what do those people know?

I am impatiently waiting for Fly Daddy to fly to Singapore (pun intended) as I badly want to watch him FIGHT!

[Guest jhea]

^^ aHhh....

so your from singapore..

i think it would take a month before they'll air it their.....IM0

[Guest kynt]

i hope Fly Daddy comes to singapore soon too!! Cant wait to watch it!!

[Guest jhea]

hI kYnt

i thinK y0ur new here.....

y0u only have 9 p0sts..

s0 i think y0ur new...

anywayZ, thaNks f0r c0ming in hiS tHreaD..

h0pe y0u kEep supP0rting hIm f0reVer........

[Guest mintyjunki]

Yes jhea, Mint is from Singapore : ) See my info here:

<--------

Kynt! Looking through backlogs eh? Loads of pictures to save!

[Guest jhea]

minTy jUnki...

i sEe....

weLl, h0pe it'll aiR in siNgaporE.......

[Guest thunderbolt]

credit: nicola225, 163.com

[Guest jhea]

^^^ thunderb0lts

thanKs for that o0hhh so0oo w0nderful and hot pics of oppa jun.... :blush:

p0st m0re....

post more...

[Guest kynt]

hI kYnt

i thinK y0ur new here.....

y0u only have 9 p0sts..

s0 i think y0ur new...

anywayZ, thaNks f0r c0ming in hiS tHreaD..

h0pe y0u kEep supP0rting hIm f0reVer........

thanks! i have actually been following up in this thread for quite some time.. juz that i dont post often.

Jun Ki rocks!

[Guest jhea]

thanks! i have actually been following up in this thread for quite some time.. juz that i dont post often.

Jun Ki rocks!

aHhh..

p0st oFten...

s0 thaT y0u'Ll be junki addiCt liKe seiriN.....

whaT jUn ki r0cKs???

[Guest bella_mygga_insek]

what? junki has a new haircolor!!! well... I think black hair is the best on asianpeople and his black hair with the red lock of hair was more than awesome in the fanmeeting.

I can´t say that he´s ugly in brown hair cos he´ll never turns out ugly in my eyes even if he colored it green! But I prefer him in black hair.

[Wendy]

what? junki has a new haircolor!!! well... I think black hair is the best on asianpeople and his black hair with the red lock of hair was more than awesome in the fanmeeting.

I can´t say that he´s ugly in brown hair cos he´ll never turns out ugly in my eyes even if he colored it green! But I prefer him in black hair.

You had me laughing there ! Green would make him look like an alien to us ! Don't worry, he has to colour it black again to continue for his new movie now filming. They did not have coloured hair in the 80's.

[Guest tanyl78]

hey i was wondering if there is english subtitle for the dvd... i mean not just the uncut movie, but also subtitle for all the sections including interview, behind the scene etc...

[Guest thunderbolt]

I can´t say that he´s ugly in brown hair cos he´ll never turns out ugly in my eyes even if he colored it green! But I prefer him in black hair.

I was when I first saw him in the brown hair but then he flashed that familiar megawatt smile and instantly I was relieved. No matter what hairdo he has, he's still the same Junki. And after looking at the pics and clips, I think he looks absolutely great in the new hairstyle. The main thing is that he was obviously so happy that night and that kind of happiness just makes a person light up no matter the hair or clothes.

Has anyone watched the Junki interview in Disc 3 of the K & C Special Edition set? He has the same hairdo as he did at the fan meeting (hair extensions and highlights). That means the interview was done around May this year. I loved watching him in the making clips, especially when he was practising the tightrope. He was really wobbly at first, LOL, but he improved very fast. And his hair was very thick then since it wasn't as heavily layered as now. In his beannie, straight hair, no makeup, and casual tee and jeans, he looks like your regular guy. Not one teeny bit feminine at all. Must add that he has a nice physique too and he was one of the taller guys on the film set.

hey i was wondering if there is english subtitle for the dvd... i mean not just the uncut movie, but also subtitle for all the sections including interview, behind the scene etc...

Both the theatrical and extended/uncut versions have English subs. But the extra features are unsubbed. But if you go to the twitchfilm links I posted the previous page, you can print the K & C review and refer to it when watching the extra features. X translated most of the stuff in the extras plus gave us some really meaty details into the movie, the history, etc. A review not to be missed.

I felt lousy at first because I missed seeing the movie when it was screening in Singapore. By the time I got back from the States, the movie had ended its run. But now seeing the extended version, I'm pretty happy. And the Special Edition set is really value for money because of the extras and the OST. I wish I knew earlier; I wouldn't have bought the OST from Yesasia early this year. Now I have 2 sets.

[seirin]

You had me laughing there ! Green would make him look like an alien to us ! Don't worry, he has to colour it black again to continue for his new movie now filming. They did not have coloured hair in the 80's.

Actually, green hair would make him more like a manga character than an alien ^^; It would be funny to see Junki with green hair I wouldn't be able to tell if I was looking at a manhwa or a real person