ways to love him: actor yeong jae
here's chapter 12 of the book ways to love yonsama. sweet sister seems to be working doubly hard over the thanksgiving weekend...thanks much much!
this chapter is an interview with yet another veteran actor, tokgo yeong jae (aka tokgo young jae). he's actually king yang, or damdeok's father in TWSSG.
this interview must have been done during the earlier filming days of TWSSG, but there're some bits that are not quite right; they must have changed plans as they go along. but still, it's an interesting read.
Ch 12 To a Respected Senior
'A Good-Mannered Love'
TWSS Actor, Tokgo Yeong Jae
Reunion After 11 Years and Still Modest,
Always Bows Deeply
In TWSSG, I play the role of the father, King Yang to the King of Goguryeo, BYJ (Damdeok).
Because I heard that YJ was involved in all casting for TWSSG, YJ must have had a hand in casting me for the role also. That is because no actor who does not get along with YJ has been cast. That is to say that YJ must think that I get along with everyone also.
This is my first time co-starring with YJ. But in my personal life, I have met him a number of times and at wrap parties. I have also met YJ at a private affair when he was there with his friends. Around that time, I would have never expected that YJ would, in time, become an actor who would shock the entire Japanese isles with WS. I believe that he was blessed with luck also.
With the TWSSG filming, I think that it will be eleven years since reuniting with YJ. YJ calls me by the name, sonbae-nim (senpai sama, senior). *bb: click here to read more about the various ways to address people in korean, including nim and ssi.
Though he has now become an international star, he has not changed at all from the past and even now, remains modest. He is courteous and when he sees me, he always bows deeply in a ninety degree angle.
Once when I was taking a photo together with the staff, YJ was passing by and asked, “Would it be alright if I took a photo together with everyone?”
He is very approachable and is not conceited at all. I think I now understand why he has so many fans in Japan. But on the other hand, he is servile no more than is necessary. When compared to other actors, he always has a natural attitude and I think he has a strong grasp of who he is.
Even During Meals
He Does not Forget Love and Good Manners
TWSSG is a very large scale drama basically using three cameras like those used in films. CG (computer graphics) such as those used in films as Harry Potter and LOTR make up 30-50% of the project.
There are more than 100 people on the film set. Because of that, for everyone to gather for meals becomes a considerable undertaking. Meals are eaten from a pap cha which is a large kitchen on wheels that prepares the meals.
This is done because it is too tiresome to go outside the film set for meals. Also, because TWSSG is a historical drama, the actors are all wearing historical era costumes. Many times they must take their meals while wearing these costumes.
That is why it is inconvenient to move about and there is the worry about dirtying the costumes. Of course, YJ takes his meals together with everyone at the pap cha in this way. He dines while still wearing his historical era costume.
YJ has very good manners while dining, and waits for me, as his senior to pick up my chopsticks, before he picks up his own chopsticks. In Korea, the relationships between senior and junior are very distinct and complicated. When I pick up my chopsticks, this is the signal that he may pick up his chopsticks to begin to eat.
Elder people are respected for their age and treated with love and courtesy. As a senior, it is natural that I consider him a junior with affection. Yes, he is the type of junior who is loved by all seniors.
TWSSG Bathroom in an Uproar
I know very well how extremely popular YJ is in Japan. I think this is a wonderful thing.
There are many Japanese women fans visiting the TWSSG film sites. I am really amazed by all this. Knowing that YJ is here and using that as an excuse, there appear to be quite a number of fans on an extended stay! They seem to be staying at the Hanwha Resort where YJ is on an extended stay. This must be an expression of the fans’ love, to be as close as possible to him.
The women fans seem to know very well which days YJ will be filming and not filming. On the days that YJ is not filming, the fans all disappear having gone somewhere else.
But on filming days, they again assemble en masse, and enthusiastically and patiently wait from morning until night for YJ to appear. *bb: hee, i thought this part's cute...
The truth is that the fans can only see YJ when he goes to the bathroom. Even the big star YJ must go to the bathroom. Because there is only one bathroom on site, if you wait outside the bathroom, you will be able to see YJ a number of times in one day.
But you will only be able to see him as he goes in and out of the bathroom so it will be a glimpse of only a few seconds. Despite this, the fans persevere and continue to wait patiently throughout the day for him to appear. I have never seen such stoic love as that.
So when the long awaited YJ finally appears, the fans are in an uproar!
Even when I go to the bathroom, because I am known as “Yonsama’s father,” the fans call me, “Tokgo-sama!” and the sound of camera flashes can be heard continuously. I am also frequently asked to sign autographs.
The love for BYJ has also affected me. I am really astonished at the fervor shown by the Japanese fans.
*bb: have you read cam's translation about how the fans would wait all of ten hours just to see him for 30 seconds? and here's another old posting about how fellow fan byjglobal has waited so long just to see glimpses of this beautiful being.
My Experience at the Toei Kyoto Film Set
I have traveled to Japan a number of times in my private time, with my last trip being seven years ago.
I once worked at the Toei Kyoto film set. I appeared in the film, Gwicheondo (1996 release) playing the role of Tada Katsu, a Japanese shogun. The staff at the Kyoto film set was all Japanese and only the director was Korean (Lee Kyeong Yeong).
When I went to Japan, I was also moved by the enthusiastic appearance of the Japanese as they sweated while they worked. Isn’t this strong proof of the self-respect that the Japanese have?
Also, I thought they made good use of the time during filming. On the film set, no matter how late it got, filming ended at 10 pm each night. In Korea, filming can continue until dawn and all through the night. *bb: incidentally wuri yong joon has been working till late both yesterday and tonight... hope he's managed to get enough rest and also not catch a cold or something...
The filming for the TWSSG drama is more difficult than it would be for a film and director, Kim Jong Hak does not film through the night. He will end filming at 12 midnight. He will not make filming difficult and have the actors and staff suffer also.
That is why YJ is not suffering through tiring, continued late night filming on this drama.
*bb: i assume this was in the earlier days of the filming; they did have some late night filming subsequently, but hardly overnight though. and PD kim does take care to ensure they get enough rest after some late nights.
Korea Should Recognize BYJ’s Achievements
I have heard that TWSSG’s 20 episodes will be broadcast from the fall of 2007. It will be broadcast in the same time slot that Jumong was (Mon, Tue, from 9:55 pm.) and after a modern day mini-series is aired, TWSSG will be aired. Currently, historical dramas are very popular in Korea.
*bb: there should be 24 epis for TWSSG, and the timeslots have also changed due to the postponement. TWSSG is currently airing every Wed & Thu, korean time 9:55pm.
TWSSG is a Korean historical drama, but I am confident that it will deeply move even the Japanese, more than WS. Not only is BYJ appearing in it, but all of Korea’s appealing middle level actors are out in full force, so even the Japanese fans should look forward to the drama.
For YJ, whether he can take off in TWSSG as an actor or not will become a divergent point. YJ has acted, up to now, with a soft and kind image but with this project he will again show a new, exciting, and strong image. If he can successfully portray this image, then he can consider this success as a big leap forward.
The Korean government should award YJ with a medal or pension or some type of consideration, and I think that an evaluation should perhaps be done.
The reason for this is that he has dramatically changed for the better, Japan’s anti-Korea sentiments which is an action deserving of a medal. Because of his efforts, an unknown number of Japanese have come to change their attitude about Korea. The Korean government also needs to recognize his achievements.
Even the Japanese government tried to present Ichiro Suzuki with the Citizenship Award for playing in the National League in the US. He declined the award it seems. Misora Hibari (enka singer) received the Citizenship award, didn’t she? Korea also needs to award some type of consideration for those artists who have made an achievement because actors would then strive to make efforts.
But firstly, I think that Korea should properly evaluate BYJ’s major achievement to the country of Korea.
posted by bb @ 11/26/2007 02:12:00 AM
5 Comments:
Hi bb,
Thanks so much for posting.
I was laughing when reading about standing out the bathroom waiting to see wuri YJ --- reminds me of Jae-ho too : )
I love that I have learned yet another thing about Korean culture. I never knew that it is proper to wait for the elder person to begin eating first. I was only aware of that custom when it involves royalty. Interesting.
Regards, byjforever
I still remember when I was little, my grandparents will use chopstick to hit my hands if I begin to eat first before the elders.......>_<......
Thanks again to sweet sister and bb for the translations and sharing with us.
fendi
Yeah .. we too have that table manner, the young ones shouldn't touch anything on the table before the elders. My daughters who were born here in the US, learned this manner from us and are still doing it even in non-Burmese crowd.
I think we Asian countries have this kind of tradition, so sweet.
Thanks for sharing this BB and Sweet Sister.
Thank you again Sweet Sister for this translation!
I had to also LOL at the part about the bathroom.
Good manners always a must!
thanks much bb!
(i remember Misora Hibari - I used to listen to her songs w/my Father when I was a small kid)
yea, actually i had thought it's quite an asian thing to wait till the elders start to eat, then everyone else starts :p
or we will at least address the elders at the table before we eat :)
Post a Comment
<< Home