bb's ramblings: days of being a BYJ fan... since 2002!

Yong Joon entered showbiz some eleven years ago. To be exact, his very first TV drama, Love’s Greetings, was aired on 1 November 1994. His clean-cut boyish looks with a hint of princely air immediately drew attention, particularly from the fairer sex. Thereafter, the Korean audience saw him in Sunny Place of the Youth, Six Steps to Separation and Sea Breeze. By the time he’d done all these dramas, it was already 1996 and Yong Joon’s popularity continued to rise.

By then, almost all the PDs knew the power of Yong Joon in drawing viewership and Yong Joon was receiving script offers after offers. However, he declined all the offers and said yes to Director Jeon Gi-Sang’s TV drama, Papa. Director Jeon had directed Love’s Greetings and Sunny Place of the Youth. You could say he kindda discovered Yong Joon. So, even at that time, Yong Joon had already shown he’s someone who doesn’t forget a kind deed.

In Papa, Lee Young Ae and Yong Joon played a divorced couple with a six-year-old daughter. Yong Joon was only all of 24 years old then. Honestly, he was a wee bit too young to be convincing as a father of a six-year-old. But there’s this certain intellectual air about this young man that was in tune with the character he played. The role was a playwright cum university professor. And in that drama, he sported short, smart hair and was clad mostly in hues of black, grey and blues. [Though i've always thought the clothes looked a tad big on him in Papa.] He was most definitely one of the most dashing "dads" around then.

Papa was aired in January 1996 and its very first episode already drew a high 35% viewership and it remained steady throughout the drama. This short drama ended its run in end February and he immediately went into a mini hiatus.

But even then, even after Papa ended its run, the popularity ranking polls that followed continued to place Yong Joon at the top positions. In fact, he held the throne as the Month’s Best TV Drama Actor for a continuous seven months in that year, with the actors in second and third positions lagging far, far behind. And in other popularity contests such as The Best Date, and others, Yong Joon won almost all of them hands down. Yes, he continued to hog the entertainment headlines.

But the intense popularity seemed to embarrass and trouble Yong Joon more than it had brought him joy and pride. Each time he topped any popularity contest, people would congratulate him, but he really didn’t know what else to say other than “thank you”. Everything felt a little unreal to him.

The punishing shooting schedules also tired Yong Joon out. Other than the physical lethargy, he also felt the mental strain of being in the entertainment industry. He felt he had lost his inner peace, something that he treasured a lot.

He didn’t really adapt well to those entertainment and functions and social events. Show business is also a place where a man can easily lose himself and his values. If anyone wants to maintain his own identity in this superficial and highly competitive and colourful industry, he will feel more hardship than others who just ride along. So, when it came to such social events, Yong Joon felt only a desire to escape. These were some of the things he had said then:

“We’re unable to tell a person’s true self in such events. So long as there’s a camera around, all actors will unconsciously spread their beautiful feathers and start to act, as if on cue.”

“If I too do what everyone does and ride with the tide, then yes, everything’s smooth sailing. But when I do not want to do that, I will tire myself out.”

“With the increase in popularity, I feel a little afraid. Honestly, it also brings some amount of pressure. But what really worries me is that I may lose my own, initial thinking.”

All these started him thinking. And it’s also around this time he decided to slow down his pace. So, after Papa, he basically took on only one drama a year, moving slowly but steadily. And in between each work, he would go into what I call “blackout periods”. Yes, he would live almost like a hermit and disappear from the public’s eyes. We would not see him in parties, events or rich men’s functions. If he’s got time, he’d much rather use the time to recharge himself, he would go trekking, skiing, travelling or whatever. He would pursue things to free his soul… that's still pretty true up till today, ya? he would do a disappearing act on us every once in awhile. but i don't mind. i like him to have his own time and space.

He also refused to appear in talk shows or similar entertainment or variety programs. Other than his own dramas and CFs, one could hardly see Bae Yong Joon appearing on the TV screen. He did not consider himself to be a humourous or entertaining smooth talker, and he also did not think he had anything good enough to show or to share with others. To make him speak at length in front of a rolling camera would only make him nervous and ashamed of his own inadequacy. This was a strange contrast when compared to other entertainers. With the rest of the actors, they would try their hand at singing once they’ve found fame with acting, and they would make lots of appearances in all sorts of programs.

But for Bae Yong Joon, he would only concentrate on making TV dramas, nothing else. Seems like this man's still quite the same even now... Highly focused...

But because of his insistence and how he would repeatedly turn down all sorts of invitations, it also caused some misunderstanding with the media. Some people started to think and say that he’s arrogant and unapproachable. I suppose that’s the price to pay for wanting to keep his own identity, to upkeep his own value system. Just like how this 24-year-old young man should have starred in youthful TV dramas, he had chosen to play the role of a divorced man. Yong Joon’s personality and character have caused him to take a route less traveled right from day one. His path’s certainly different from the other up-and-coming stars in his time.

Like how Fumi had described it, he’s like a lone ranger, almost with the characteristics of a lone wolf. His unique style has long been established, and he’s never the sort to use social network to propel himself to stardom or for favours, and he’s never relied on media exposure to increase his popularity. He has achieved stardom from being insistently, persistently and consistently professional and focused. And of course, also because of the warm support from all the fans.

At the age of twenty four, he already possessed a clarity of thought and maturity beyond those of his peers. And, what about you? What were you or will you be doing at twenty-four?


P.S. I believe it’s around Winter Sonata time that we saw a change in Yong Joon. He adopted a more relaxed and natural acting style, and he also became more forthcoming and confident. I suppose it’s a combination of factors that’s caused him to change. Could be a ‘coming of age’ thing, could be that he's more confident of himself and more comfortable in his own skin. It could possibly because of friends’ influence. Friends such as Kim Seung Woo, who had taught him to relax both at work and at play.

I remember he said during an interview that he would not hide anymore. He used to be afraid of people seeing his flaws and shortcomings, but he’s ready to 'show hands'. Remember his ‘hands’ analogy? He said people always say he’s got a beautiful left hand, but he’s ready to show us his right hand as well. The right hand that’s roughened and toughened by work and experience.

I love how beautiful his left hand is, but I also love how real his right hand is.

posted by bb @ 1/01/2006 02:09:00 AM