So Ji Sub 소지섭 - Best Korean Actor & Rapper -

[Guest itzydnic]

hes such a hunk! i wish he lived in my neighborhood ^^

[Guest rockerbabe]

waw... already 2 pages... interesting..

[Guest thunderbolt]

The following post is taken from the SJS thread in Hotelier2002.com:

Jisub, as we affectionately call him, was enlisted into the army on 28 February 2005. Because of a previous shoulder injury that required major surgery, Jisub was posted to Mapo District Office as a public officer. He will return to acting in 2007.

A few days before his enlistment, Jisub read a farewell letter to his fans. For a man of few words, that letter was unusually long. Here is the complete text of this letter:

Yes… Let me say ‘Hi’ to you all.

How are you doing? This is So Ji Sub.

It is because of your love I’m able to stand here like this.

This is actually the first time I’m spending time with you in this way, greeting you all in this public camping arena.

It’s been already 10 years since my debut.

I feel that it was because of the love given by all of you standing right here before me that I was able to come this far.

It was your constant and unmovable ways of watching me and my acting, it was because of your existence that the So Ji Sub of today exists.

I thank you all.

My lack of speaking ability had made it very difficult for me to show my heart to you.

I can recall many incidents in the past I had felt sorry for you.

The time when, though not my intention, people who came to see me were sent back without me greeting you. The time you came while I was leaving, even if you could only see me for a short time, but I had to leave like that without saying proper ‘Good Bye.’ Your faces were sharing my burdens, feeling my pain. I will surely remember every details, every moment of it~ and I can’t stop feeling sorry.

Whatever the circumstances, even in bad situations, your lovely hearts always received me with a smile. To you who experienced all kinds of setbacks but instead of glaring with irritation you gave me the warmest looks: I just don’t know how to thank you!

That is why at least in this place I wanted to thank you for the opportunity you gave me to show you a little more of myself by spending closer time with you.

All of you standing here in spite of the cold weather, you are lighting up this place and you really look~ wonderful.

If it were only possible, my heart wishes to embrace each one of you individually.

Not too long from today, I won’t be able to meet you in public for a little while.

If we think it’ll be too long, it’ll feel like a very long time. But I believe that if I think I am not alone, and that you’re all with me, this thought alone will keep me going.

By all means, keep yourself healthy till the day we meet again, and don’t forget this So Ji Sub, instead do keep me deep inside your hearts.

Even I, wherever I go, or whatever I do, I will think of you and do my best~ so that when I stand again before you, I will have become a better So Ji Sub.

Thank you.

~~~ I love you.

Translated by Priscilla

[Guest sonickim]

The following post is taken from the SJS thread in Hotelier2002.com:

Jisub, as we affectionately call him, was enlisted into the army on 28 February 2005. Because of a previous shoulder injury that required major surgery, Jisub was posted to Mapo District Office as a public officer. He will return to acting in 2007.

A few days before his enlistment, Jisub read a farewell letter to his fans. For a man of few words, that letter was unusually long. Here is the complete text of this letter:

Yes… Let me say ‘Hi’ to you all.

How are you doing? This is So Ji Sub.

It is because of your love I’m able to stand here like this.

This is actually the first time I’m spending time with you in this way, greeting you all in this public camping arena.

It’s been already 10 years since my debut.

I feel that it was because of the love given by all of you standing right here before me that I was able to come this far.

It was your constant and unmovable ways of watching me and my acting, it was because of your existence that the So Ji Sub of today exists.

I thank you all.

My lack of speaking ability had made it very difficult for me to show my heart to you.

I can recall many incidents in the past I had felt sorry for you.

The time when, though not my intention, people who came to see me were sent back without me greeting you. The time you came while I was leaving, even if you could only see me for a short time, but I had to leave like that without saying proper ‘Good Bye.’ Your faces were sharing my burdens, feeling my pain. I will surely remember every details, every moment of it~ and I can’t stop feeling sorry.

Whatever the circumstances, even in bad situations, your lovely hearts always received me with a smile. To you who experienced all kinds of setbacks but instead of glaring with irritation you gave me the warmest looks: I just don’t know how to thank you!

That is why at least in this place I wanted to thank you for the opportunity you gave me to show you a little more of myself by spending closer time with you.

All of you standing here in spite of the cold weather, you are lighting up this place and you really look~ wonderful.

If it were only possible, my heart wishes to embrace each one of you individually.

Not too long from today, I won’t be able to meet you in public for a little while.

If we think it’ll be too long, it’ll feel like a very long time. But I believe that if I think I am not alone, and that you’re all with me, this thought alone will keep me going.

By all means, keep yourself healthy till the day we meet again, and don’t forget this So Ji Sub, instead do keep me deep inside your hearts.

Even I, wherever I go, or whatever I do, I will think of you and do my best~ so that when I stand again before you, I will have become a better So Ji Sub.

Thank you.

~~~ I love you.

Translated by Priscilla

thunder! good thing you were able to keep it!!! thanks also to prisci for the translation!!! touch my heart*

[Guest L4uRa]

where are Prisci and Saturn unie,btw??

[Guest thunderbolt]

Here's an article that Saturn posted previously and which I had reposted in the SJS thread (Hotelier2002.com). The opening paragraph (in italics) is written by me and the rest from the article.

Here's an article (Women's Joongang, March 2004) where SJS describes himself as an "island" - JS Island. In the article, he describes his personality, his impoverished upbringing, and his close relationship with his mother.

Reporter:

He is like a deserted island. An island that is isolated from the rest of the world yet can not be more welcoming and friendly to a butterfly which has been drawn to the island by sweet and warm spring breeze. For twenty eight years, JS Island has survived toughest waves, high winds and rigorous seasonal changes. He now can nostalgically look back and talk about the things happened in his island with a smile.

So Ji-sub:

I (JS) would like to start this story a little bit casually. I'm twenty eight years old. A few of my worries these days are (1) whether or not I can graduate from the University on time due to tons of absences which are the direct results of my acting career, and (2) the gossips involving me and the counterpart actress in recent dramas. And if I can say so about myself, I do have fashion sense to match the perfect hat to any style and my toned-up body is one of my assets (thanks to all those swimming trainings in my earlier days).

Despite of my difficult childhood, I’ve been often told that I'm noble-looking. And, I don't mind people's misconceptions at all. When I was in high school, I earned the bronze medal for the swimming race (breast stroke) from the Korean National Competition. And, I received two prestigious awards from last year’s SBS Acting Awards. Despite all these, I still get excited before receiving an award and feel awkward afterwards. I would like to play a role of serious villain just like the one in Public Enemy (Korean movie). Also, I do have plans to go aboard to study hotel management when I’m about thirty five years old.

<Tiny Island and Lighthouse>

One once asked me if I ever wanted to end my life. I avoided the question by answering with a simple sentence, “It would be a lie if I say never.” But I wondered if he captured subtle shivers in my eyes. The word “death” dawns on me along with the word “mother.” In the mist of ironies, the word “mother” makes me not think about the word “death.”

Eight years ago, my mom had to work really hard everyday to keep our modest nest which cost us a deposit of 5,000,000 won and a monthly rent of 300,000 won. I was her only son, a college student majoring in swimming. I started to share her burdens when I started modeling with Seunghun (one of my best friends) for Stom, blue jeans manufacturer and distributor.

Even with two persons bringing in incomes, it seems almost impossible to reduce our existing debts. To pay off the debts, we needed to borrow more money. It was a vicious circle. Watching my mom suffering from unbearable burdens of life, I thought of committing suicide. Then, I also thought of the purpose of my mom’s life……… It was me…… So, I had to suck it up and erase the word “death” from my mind. With the inspirations from my mom, I was able to move on, again…

My mom is like a lighthouse to JS Island. The lighthouse can't light up the whole island, but it sure can guard the island from any possible collisions with foreign ships by sending out signals through the dark and fearful ocean. While my mom was trying her best to protect me, I was just being there without saying a simple “thank you.”

Once in a while, my mom and I drink together. One day when we were drinking together, she looked at me and asked “Jisub, sometimes I’m not sure who you are and what you are thinking.” At that moment, I realized that I’d been an isolated island even from my own mother.

I had just taken the lighthouse for granted. I'd assumed that it was the lighthouse’s duty to sending out the signals everyday. The existence of the lighthouse had given me a lot of comforts, yet I’d neglected the fact that the lighthouse existed solely for the island.

Compared to those days, we are doing much better. It feels like I'm walking in the clouds. I make decent income while I'm doing something that I like, acting. On top of that, I have my fans who love me so dearly. Though, I haven’t said “I love you” to the lighthouse. I sincerely hope that my mom enjoys the improved and abundant JS Island from now on. I would like to provide my mom a place to rest.

<Concealed Island, JS Island>

JS Island is full of hopes and dreams. A few people stay over for a short while, but mostly I'm alone. And that is why I get to dream. As I enjoy being alone, I can stay in for several months. I get up and have breakfast. I watch a couple of videos and then just chill out. I listen to all kinds of music and surf the Internet. After I finish with all these stuffs, I find that the day is almost over. If I don’t pay close attention (most of the times, I don’t), I realize that several months has passed by.

I keep pretty close relationships with my existing friends; however, it takes me a while to make a new friend. Though, I've made some progress compared to eight years ago (when I first start modeling.) I met Song Seung Hun, currently my best friend, for the first time at the model audition for Storm. Needless to say, I was very business like when we first met. When he asked me what year I was born, my answer was very short and to the point. I said, “77.” Now that I think about it, he must have felt very awkward.

After the first shooting, the crew had a little happy hour and then I realized that he was a very nice person who I wanted to be friends with. I wanted to break the ice between us but didn’t know how. I followed him to a men’s room and I asked him a question out of nowhere. “Are we going to be superstars?”

I used to live in Incheon without a car and wanted to save cab fares. Knowing this, Seunghun let me stay over at his room. I think that he is one of the big factors to the successful breaking out of JS Island into the world.

<Deserted Island, a place to stop by>

Living someone else's life is definitely a fascinating experience. “Three Men and Three Women”, “WangRung99”, “Model”, “Law Firm”, “Glass Shoes”, “We are dating now", “Delicious Propose”, “Love for Thousand Years”,… and “Bali”……… Whenever I list out all the dramas I played in, the first reaction I get is surprised looks on their faces. Then, they follow up with the second common response, “Oh, you are right. I remember you from those dramas.” Even though most of the dramas were popular and I played somewhat significant roles, people don’t seem to remember me without me pointing out for them…

I think it was SBS Beautiful Life (the episode of crossing the Straits of Korea) which made me known to a lot of people. I started swimming when I was little due to health reasons. I gave up swimming after 11 years of trainings due to lack of chances for career development. I did not look back. I never expected that swimming would guide me to the success. Ironically, swimming helped my career in the entertainment industry after I gave it up.

At the beginning stage of every drama, a new visitor docks a ship at JS Island. The visitor then starts decorate the island. At the end of the drama, the visitor gets rescued by outside world and leaves the island. The current visitor is Inwook from the drama Bali. there are a lot of resemblances between an island with a lighthouse and a son who raised by a single mom.

Poverty can never last if one has dreams. My favorite number is 51. Still a long way to reach 100, yet 51 is over the half-point. With the 51% of possibility, Inwook is searching for hopes and dreams in my island.

(translated by Chungbaji)

http://woman.patzzi.com/200403/w403_star1.asp

(credit: posted in Soompi by Saturn)

[Guest luckycarrienew]

where are Prisci and Saturn unie,btw??

u must be "laura",right?

[Guest aki_wagi]

uhuk...uhuk..... i'm trying to digging some hidden treasures in sjs thread b4,n now all about 600 pages r all gone???? soooooooooo...sad...... anyway thank god sjs thread's open again 4' bussiness!!!! yippi!!!! he...he....

[Guest thunderbolt]

Interview with Ceci Magazine, May 2004:

Q> If you were not an actor, what kind of job would you have ?

A> I may be studying hotel management.

Q> I read about your heart breaking love story. Are you dating now ?

A> I'm too busy for my work, I can't deal with my private life.

Q> What is your goal till 30 years old ?

A> Actor So Ji Sub.

Q> What is your standard to choose drama or movie ? Do you have special person who advise you ?

A> First, I choose with my feeling. A feeling only I can feel about that work, can't explain.

Everytime I try to challenge the new role which I never act. Of course I listen to my managers' opinion.

Q> A role suit well for you, or an unexpected role which you never try, which do you prefer ?

A> Both. An actor should like to do both.

Well, not only actors, but ordinary people also sometimes dream of an extraordinary shape of them.

Q> Do you have any special role you eagerly want to try ?

A> A really bad guy.

Q> You are taking a rest in these days, do you have any happy thing during your rest ?

A> I'm happy enough only with my rest. "You worked hard, take a rest !"

Q> Please make an ending greeting.

A> I will be a sincere and constant actor So Ji Sub. Take care and be happy !

(credit: Saturn)

[Guest sonickim]

thunder!!! thanks for all of this..... such great effort!!!! and yeah, i totally agree, much crdit to saturn!!! ei can i ask the article where he compare his life to an isolated island!!! do you have a copy of that too!? i cried and delighted in that article.... hoping*

Thanks again... so much!

[Guest thunderbolt]

Phew, sonickim, thanks for posting after me. When I try to submit one post after another, both posts become merged into one!

Eh, about that lighthouse article, I don't have the original of course. It was a long time ago and appeared in a Korean magazine. Saturn would know better.

Another article:

Private talk - Shy Guy Ji Sub (Seventeen 2004/July)

We pulled out So Ji Sub, who is is taking rest with just Hip hop and movies, to the riverside park. He is extremely shy and hate to meet persons so that he hesitated to enter the entertainement business.

He added "I am not that courageous" to all of his words.

This is the story about things that this symbol of manliness can't do, because of his lack of courage. Seventeen met him three times. His unchanged silent attitude is touching.

<seventeen> Did you take enough rest after 'What happened in Bali' ?

<JS> I was busy on my schedule. I did magazine photographing at Las Vegas and Thailand. I got the sign meeting as well.

<seventeen> Did you have fun at Las Vegas? Do you bet big money at casino?

<JS> I don't like to play with money. I did just for fun, I don't like casino much.

<seventeen> What is the experience you lost most ?

<JS> My style is I must get my money. If I lose, I don't stop.

If I lost million Won at first day, I keep betting till I get 1,500,000 Won the next day.

<seventeen> That's the typical way people go ruining themselves.

<JS> Maybe I was lucky, I never lost at least till now.

<seventeen> At previous interview, you said you want to work at the hotel in the future. How were the hotels in Las Vegas?

<JS> If I talk about the hotels, Las Vegas is the best. Rooms are big enough and have great interior. To me, Japanese hotels were worst. Rooms are too small. By the way, I think I can't manage the hotel business. Because I hate to meet people. I am timid.

<seventeen> What did you do for fun at Thailand ?

<JS> I did Bungee jumping and jet ski.

<seventeen> Weren't you scared when you do the bungee jumping ?

<JS> I am fearless. Especially I did lots of divings during swimming. I never be scared at things like Bungee jumping.

<seventeen> You are fearless. Are you good at fighting?

<JS> No, I can't fight.

<seventeen> Then what do you do when you meet an improper scene?

<JS> I endure it, I do endure it. Ha Ha Ha.

<seventeen> Have you ever thought you are woman-like ?

<JS> Yes, when I wanted to go cooking school. I couldn't try, because I was not brave.

<seventeen> Then you are not brave enough so that you can't confess your love to the woman you love ?

<JS> I can't confess first. Rather, I make her love me. I think 'falling in love at first sight' is a lie. I become liking a woman after meeting 3~4 months.

<seventeen> You said to Korean women as, "Don't go on a diet!" in Las Vegas. Do you have special reason ?

<JS> American women are very fat. They eat a lot. Korean women are slim, they don't need any diet. And I like plump woman personally.

<seventeen> But do you know, your meaning of 'plump' must be different from women's thinking ?

<JS> My 'plump' meant 160cm height and 53~54kg.

** Hip hop singer? Wanna be! **

<seventeen> Why do you hate short pants and sleeveless shirt ?

<JS> I hate only when shooting. short pants don't make good shape.

I don't want to show with my body. In these day, So many guys have great body. Especially, I don't want to take off my shirt in front of Seung Hun (SSH) and Sang Woo (KSW).

<seventeen> Then you never wear short pants even in hot summer ?

<JS> I wear only at shooting in foreign countries.

<seventeen> Your weight is very flexible, isn't it ?

<JS> Yes. Just after 1 week resting after drama, I gain weight.

If the casting is determined, I start diet. 73Kg is the best for the good shape at camera angle. At resting time, my weight is about 76~77Kg.

But I should not go over 77Kg. If I over it, it's very hard to reduce weight again. Once, my weight went over 80Kg, I almost died while coming back to 73Kg.

<seventeen> Do you have your own secret way to lose weight ?

<JS> I just don't eat. I eat only 2 meals a day.

<seventeen> You are the all-round sports man, your diet method is just 'not-eating' ? Not swimming or football ?

<JS> With only exercise, I can't lose weight easily. I eat small and exercise as well. That's the best way. But I sure eat supper. I don't sleep at night easily. If I don't eat supper, I must go crazy. I go to bed after 3 am. Last night, mom was sick, she heated the house much.

It was too hot for me. I couldn't sleep.

<seventeen> Then what do you do when you are not sleeping ?

<JS> Usually I watch movies. I watched a European movie last night.

<seventeen> You said "Actors who work with me become famous." often.

Don't you have any complex about that ?

<JS> No. If I have such thing, I should not be friend with Seung Hun till now. We made debut together. SSH became famous rapidly, while I came slow. But I don't mind. I feel happy about that, because actors must wanna work with me. Then I can work with better actors, so that we can make better works.

<seventeen> Last year, you had fan club opening event, do you have any schedule this year ?

<JS> I hope to have at least once a year. Not any fixed schedule yet.

<seventeen> At fan meeting, you sang 'Drunken in melody' by Eun Ji Won. Your dance was great, don't you wanna be a hip hop singer ?

<JS> I wanted. I wanted from 3~4 year ago. But I'm getting old, now it seems not possible. I don't have enough talent, enough courage.

<seventeen> Don't you feel any desire when you see Yang Dong Geun ? (Actor/Hip hop singer)

<JS> Dong Geun is doing very well. He has his own unique style, so he can make the album. If I start to prepare now, making my style take 2~3 years. Then my album come out after 30 years old.

<seventeen> Do you go to dance club often ?

<JS> 4~5 years have passed since I've been there last. Now I can't be so brave. As before, if I wanna dance, I used to go to techno bar after drinking a lot. There were not much people on week days.

<seventeen> Please give me any tip about your next work.

<JS> If drama, I want a typical love story. If movie, both action and comedy would be good. But I feel more attraction to the comedy.

<seventeen> A comedy? I can't imagine. Do you hear from your friend that you are funny?

<JS> I hear I am dull. Sang Woo and Seung Hun know as I am silent.

But I can do the comic acting.

<seventeen> Did you receive many movie scenarios?

<JS> My manager filtered them first, then I received 5~6 scenarios. But I couldn't find something attractive yet.

Seventeen's comments:

Too optimistic? or have no desire at all? So Ji Sub says he can't pick out any specially desired dream or any work he eagerly wants to try. He never dream of standing over stardom or any big movie award. He just wants that his next movie to be a good comedy. He is saying he can handle it well, and he keeps smiling imagining something by himself.

(credit: Saturn)

[Guest burstingbrain]

is that like an interview with korean seventeen?

<33 sjs!

[Guest Thursday]

It's like we are building the house again, brick by brick.

Aja, aja, fighting!

Here's something I saved from the old SJS thread in Hotelier 2002

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CREDIT: Saturn, Feb/2005, interview inJapan.

http://jsforever04.x-y.net/sjs/050305_kntv...n_interview.asf

Q: What do you do when there's no schedule?

A: I like to be by myself at home. My hobby is what I can do by myself. I go to the gym, play golf, sometimes I meet friends to play bowling. Sports are my hobby.

Q: How often do you go gym ?

A: I go almost everyday when I have no schedule. During filming, sometimes, I try to go at least once or 2 per week.

Q: I heard you sing well. What's your favorite type of music, and musician?

A: I can't sing well. My favorite genre is hip hop. musicians are DMX, Coolio, P.Daddy, Will Smith...

Q: How do you feel about older woman than you? And tell me about your favorite type of woman.

A: Older... Well, I prefer older women than younger till now. Personally I feel comfortable to older women. My ideal type is a woman of good sense, calm, good at cooking, besides, pretty women would be better.

Q If you met a person you love, do you confess her?

A: No, I can't. Rather... I induce her to confess. But I can't.

Q: How should your fans confess you? give your fans advice.

A: "Be sure of yourself, tell your pure heart." (Spoke in Japanese)

Was it okay? Don't hesitate, dash on him first... He runs away while you're hesitating.

Q: Which animal is like you?

A: I think it's Koala. As you see, it hardely moves. It looks cute and pretty. But to control Koala is very difficult. That is similar to me.

Q: Which part of fashion do you pay attention most ?

A: Personally, I pay attention to 3 points.... shoes, belt, earing or necklace.

Q: Do you have any brand you prefer?

A: I don't have special favorite brand. If I like it, I buy it regardless of brand.

Q Did you go shopping in Japan?

A: No. not yet

Q: Do you have any special shopping mall you wanna go?

A: No special mall. I like Japanese accessories. I wanna buy some accessories.

Q: Please say a final greeting to fans.

A: I hope to get closer to Japanese fans. Please look at me as a human being So Ji Sub.

(Greeting in Japanese)

[zashibear]

Just want to check on SJS thread, any news from him? I miss him from acting in dramas. 2007 is so far away.

[Guest skyelee21]

Annyong Ji Sub ladies!!!

~waves

Rebuilding the thread, eh!

I don't have much Ji Sub pictures with me,

but you can be sure I'll help you guys out in the little ways I can.

[Guest thunderbolt]

Now I can post again. Why can't I submit one post after another?

January 2004 interview with SJS where he talks about his closest friends:

Editor : Who is your favorite Korean actress ?

Jisub : Actress...ummm Miss K.

Manager1 : You should not answer like that!

Jisub : Shouldn't I?

Editor : Miss K is?

Jisub : Miss K is not only my favorite, many people's favorite.

She is Ko So Young. I like her very much.

Editor : I thought you mean Kim Hyun Joo.

Jisub : I knew you think like that.

I had too many scandals with Hyunjoo.

So I don't answer as Miss K. I say full name Ko So Young.

Manager 2 : Who are your close celebrities ?

Jisub : As I always answer, Seungheon(SSH), Sangwoo(KSW), Yongha(PYH), only woman Kim Hyun Joo.

I answer clearly. Please don't make any more scandal with her.

Seungheon is who I always feel thanks from my heart,

Sangwoo is never changing guy before or after becoming famous,

Yongha is who stayed beside me at my hard time,

and Kim Hyunjoo is same age with me, just feel comfortable with her.

Editor : (among you, SSH and KSW) Who is king of body?

Jisub : King of body is Sangwoo, king of face is Seungheon. I can't compete with them.

Sangwoo's body is really great, Seunghun is really handsome when I look at him near him.

But the funniest guy is Seungheon. People don't know it.

(credit: Saturn)

[Guest sonickim]

Phew, sonickim, thanks for posting after me. When I try to submit one post after another, both posts become merged into one!

Eh, about that lighthouse article, I don't have the original of course. It was a long time ago and appeared in a Korean magazine. Saturn would know better.

Another article:

Private talk - Shy Guy Ji Sub (Seventeen 2004/July)

no probz!! thunder!!!yeah, i noticed it too....

i think it been a problem since soompi was just starting to act up!!!

anywayz... yeah, i think, will have to wait for SATURN....

and have to agree to Thursday child.... building back of Ji Sup memories!!!

[Guest skyelee21]

sonickim!

I've read the lighthouse bit just now.

Awww... Ji Sub ssi is so sweet and loving to his mother.

I seriously believe that the unfortunate things that happened to him when he was young contributed to the intense emotions he is able to show when he portrays his characters like Kang In Wook and Cha Moo Hyuk.

I really salute this guy.

[Guest Goy]

He's so HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

[Guest sonickim]

sonickim!

I've read the lighthouse bit just now.

Awww... Ji Sub ssi is so sweet and loving to his mother.

I seriously believe that the unfortunate things that happened to him when he was young contributed to the intense emotions he is able to show when he portrays his characters like Kang In Wook and Cha Moo Hyuk.

I really salute this guy.

hey! lee.... you did!!! you remember what i told you about this article!!! Hmmp!!!

where did you read it???

cause its 1page i keep on tracking and keep reading all over again back in SATURN resource pool