Note: While I was translating the article "This Man is very Charismatic", it reminds me of another translation that I loved which was done by YoonEe for Just Jang Dong Gun forum title "I met Hallyu star Jang Dong Gun". It amazes me that the two reporter had a somewhat similar impression of him. I would like to share this article again with everyone, especially for those who had never read it before and for those who had I hope you will enjoy revising it again.
Source: http://blog.paran.com/skyview999/8123055
Translated by YoonEe for Just Jang Dong Gun at www.jang-donggun.com
I met Hallyu star Jang Dong-gun
by Skyview
2006-02-06 21:30
Master Baek Nam-joon who passed away several days ago, told unknown young artists to beg the ‘helper of life’ for ‘luck’. It may sound a bit harsh, but I think ‘to be lucky’ is just one of those sayings.
Where indeed ‘luck seven skills three’ (Note: there’s a saying that ‘success is due to 70% luck and 30% skill’) is originated? Why wouldn’t those people say ‘luck nine skill one’? If I have been living long enough, I will tell people about the mysterious ‘power’ of luck that controls life. It seemed that I was rather ‘lucky’ today. In an unexpected situation and place, I saw ‘the world of JDG’. I had sent my card for a brief interview request. This was practically ‘big news’ for ‘JDG die-hard fans’. It might become a serious report, I want to share my opinion with the people who couldn’t witness the ‘big commotion’ that happened in Gwanghamun this afternoon. It was a grand ‘happening’ in the heart of Gwanghwamun
On the first day of spring (4th February) Ahn Sung-ki started the ‘Movie People One-Man Demonstration’, followed by Park Joong-hoon yesterday. The news that JDG would be in front of Kyobo Life building in Gwanghwamun today from 1 pm spread on the internet yesterday, the reaction of netizens was extraordinary. Comments such as ‘I will go, no question about it’, ‘he is the person I must see’, ‘the day I’ve been waiting for’, etc were postings on the internet.
I am not a big fan of JDG but was pretty interested in the news. Because when I was writing my report about Ahn Sung-ki’s protest on my blog, I had a thought -- “if JDG were to stage the protest, how it would be like”. I also had a doubt -- “the popularity of JDG as the most handsome star of this era has reached the peak now, would it be possible for him to accomplish his ‘one-man protest’?” my personal answer would be ‘absolutely impossible’. Ahn Sung-ki or Park Joong-hoon could finish their one-man demonstration in a ‘peaceful atmosphere’, but I was sure it would not be the same for JDG. Anyway, I arrived at the location at about 12 o’clock. At that time, it was still peaceful and quiet like in ‘the eye of the typhoon'.
At about 12.40 pm, I went back to the spot, this time ‘the event’ has heated. The surging crowd of about a thousand people seemed hard to be controlled. Mainly made up of young women or young girls, there were also ajumma, ajeoshi, male and female workers in uniform. They were communicating to each other that ‘he’ hadn’t come. There were also over eager people who had climbed up a big zelkova tree in front of Kyobo life building.
About 5 minutes to 1 pm, JDG came out from Kyobo Life building. There were young men who looked like bodyguards clearing the way and also Ahn Sung-ki, whom I interviewed a couple of days before was following him. I was standing over a flowerbed on the side of the door they were coming out. The guards came down and desperately shouted, but many people who were there didn’t listen. I too didn't care about my reputation; I was standing on a 30cm high boundary stone of the flowerbed. I could barely see JDG who was wearing hooded beige quilted windbreaker from behind. Now on this blog, I couldn’t tell about his ‘effect’ there, but honestly, it was magnificent. He made the young girls/fans shriek and scream.
All the time, I could hear shriek-like screaming. There were not only one or two young girls who were jumping up and down. In the situation, there was a young girl who was ‘live broadcasting’ the event to her mother through cellular phone. “Mom? It’s me. JDG is really jjang (the best). I’ve never seen such a handsome oppa in my life, really gorgeous, wow!” JDG could not stand still, pushed by the surging crowd. He barely managed to stand on the boundary stone of the flowerbed. Anyway my heart started to beat faster; it seemed that an accident would happen. Why I couldn’t see the policemen on guard. I stepped backward and down from the boundary stone and entered the building .At that time JDG’s party was also pushed out from the place, passing the flowerbed and entering the building. This time I managed to see JDG’s expression. He looked a bit scared when he made his way through the flowerbed. The expression reminded me of a certain scene in ‘Taegukgi’. Suddenly, I was also getting scared. Please, don’t let an accident happen. Later the news reported that 2000 people were gathered at that time.
Anyway, I went inside the building and I have been standing by the elevator for a while. Just then JDG came towards me. At that moment I asked him loudly, "excuse me, what do you think of (the situation) just now?" Why on earth did I ask him what his 'thought' of the situation, even I myself think it was too much? JDG who appeared taller, gazed at me and with shy expression answered, "Well, we were not ready just now. I'm sorry". He looked young and very good-natured. This time, young men who looked like bodyguards surrounded him and escorted him to ride the escalator to the 2nd floor. I followed him because I was pushed by the fans that were entering the building. Honestly, people who weren't there would have no idea about the situation.
The guards then took control of the escalator to the 2nd floor. The fans were staring at the 2nd floor like 'a dog looking up to the roof to chase after a rooster'. People who had climbed up to the 2nd floor before the escalator control, were making noises because they couldn't enter the restaurant. The guards shouted to warn them not to lean against the railing. I tried to think clearly, I wouldn't make it if I’ve stood together with the 'general fans' like that. It was good that 'the power of age' could be used at times like this. I racked my brain; I asked a guard, "Is Mr. Ahn Sung-ki already at this floor too?" Since I looked like an ‘authorized person’, without saying anything the guard let me in.
We walked up to the door of ‘Lovely’ restaurant that I had visited before; the guard politely led the way for me, as if I was an ‘authorized person’. Finally, I entered their hiding place. Because I was wearing the same badge, Ahn Sung-ki looked at me rightly. I asked him “Do you remember me? I had an interview with you two days ago”. The courteous gentleman smiled widely and answered, “Oh yes”. When I asked for his business card, he said, “I don’t have it, please ask my manager”.
Directly opposite me, JDG who was wearing arabesque patterned beige colored sweater was slightly leaning forward. I could see the ‘handsome actor’ closer than when in front of elevator a moment ago. Looking at his bright smiling face, I instantaneously recalled the high praise words of Chinese director Chen Kaige who visited Korea sometime ago. “JDG’s eyes are like those of a 3 years old child; very pure. He is an actor who comes out once in 500 years”. At that brief moment, Kang Shin-jae’s novel ‘The young zelkova tree’ also popped up in my head. It was a novel from a very long time ago, but because of its touching lines, I would always remember the novel. The story is about a beloved older brother and it started with the line “He always smells like soap”. The ‘smell of soap’ image rightly came up when I was looking at JDG.
He was born in 1972 which means he is now a 35 years old bachelor, but when we look at this popular star, he looked like a post graduate student in mid 20s, which explains why females, from young girls cheered wildly for him.
He looked at me when I requested for his business card and with a shy smile he said, “I don’t have business card, (please ask) my manager… “
Everyone was right! There is ‘aura’ on JDG’s face. Maybe it would not be easy to comprehend, but I was surprised, though JDG is an actor at his ‘prime time’ I didn’t sense ‘sexual allure’ but I could see the ‘childlike’ unstained pureness that was coming out from inside. It is probably caused by his ‘acting’ or I hadn’t really known the real JDG’s natural looks. Anyhow in these days where ‘sex appeal’ prevails and ‘sexy’ trend dominates, his boyish looks momentarily surprised me. Therefore he and ‘the young zelkova’s refreshing soap scent’ were most likely to overlap. The epithet of ‘the most handsome man of our time’ is tagged after JDG, but there are also some people who would disagree’.
I’ve certainly heard quite a lot about this ‘fine actor’, but today being face to face with him and having a good look of him, I realized that ‘handsome actor’ was not a groundless title. Rather than simply handsome, he looked like the ‘charming and kindhearted prince’ in ‘manhwa romance’. Director Chen Kaige said that his eyes were beyond words, pure and deep. It may sound like an excessive compliment, but somehow, the impression I got was just like that. If he had made a request, I felt that it would be impossible to refuse. Anyway, he was an actor that made us harbor various fantasies momentarily.
I said to JDG, “the incident made me very worried”. He replied with a truly regretful look on his face, “I’m sorry. It was not well prepared”. I was looking at his face all the while. I thought his expression was ‘warm/kind but also cool’. Now I’d say, I felt happy that I had met this ‘extremely handsome actor’.
Anyhow, the ‘one man protest’ had failed and now they are about to have a ‘special strategy meeting’. But it’s ludicrous that people who didn’t know had come and were rampaging. In the ‘turmoil’, some cameraman said ‘hold on please’ and asked me to move aside. It would be more difficult to stay there. I came in to get help on information with email from manager.
Ahn Sung-ki’s manager, when asked why they could not predict the situation, answered, “We expected a big crowd, but not to this extent”. I would say they did not realize ‘the power of top star JDG’. Anyway, JDG’s one-man protest against screen quota cut had to be ended.
Fans were still standing at their position in front of the escalator when I was got outside. There were various groups of people; groups of primary school students, junior high schoolgirls, female college students and even aunties. When I asked some people why they liked JDG, most of them gave me an expression that said ‘why you have to ask the obvious’, some answered that “He is the most handsome man”. Some people said, “I like him just because he is JDG”. A group of schoolgirls skipped classes to go there early. After about 1 to 2 hours, there were still many people in front of Kyobo building. Two aunties in their 40s looked very disappointed, “JDG has left”. Sounds of regret were coming from all directions.
When I got home and switched on the TV, ‘JDG party’ had moved to the front of the General Assembly in Yuedo. On the TV screen, JDG who carried out his protest from 2.30 pm to 5 pm together with the news reporters was shouting the slogan:
“Please be friend to screen quota, we will fly the Korean flag in the world”
To people who happened to be at the National Assembly in Yeudo Capitol that afternoon, I wished them “good luck” ^^.
JDG, please continue to do your best, fly the Korean flag in the world!!!
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Here is the writing about JDG's one man demonstration taken from an article in Film 2.0 movie magazine February Edition. (source: http://www.film2.co.kr
February 5th at dawn, Ahn Sung-ki who was fast asleep because exhausted of one-man demonstration, was awaken by phone call from Jang Dong-gun. JDG wanted to do the one-man protest before attending Berlin Film Festival, he set out to replace the director of 'the King and the Clown' Lee Jun-ik who had been unofficially decided as the 3rd participant. However on February 6th the third relay of one man demonstration by JDG had to be ended after only 5 minutes because of reporters and fans stampede, and eventually the protest moved to the front of National Assembly. A movie official commented, "After JDG one-man protest the support against (screen quota) reduction is rising, just the fact that more citizens have interest in the problem is already a success."
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YoonEe's Note:
The article by skyview is the longest article that I have translated, so I probably made many mistakes…
Many thanks to Yuki for editing the translation
I read comments by other hallyu star's fans saying that DG became very popular because he participated in screen quota protest (I know I should have ignored those comments )… these 2 articles show that those comments are not true… it is DG's popularity that was used to promote the screen quota.
Also DG has always supported the screen quota, I found news reporting DG's participation in demonstration supporting screen quota from 2000 (in film2.0 website)… DG didn't attend big demonstration on July 1st 2006 (because he was overseas that time), but there was interesting slogan that mentioned his name that time: "without screen quota, our youngsters cannot dream to become the second JDG…"
