"Creating the Image"

1) HAE POONG: SEA WIND
***VOD (Scroll down to the 5th picture and choose episode #1 or #2)
EPISODE 1: VOD
EPISODE 2: VOD

***FULL ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Appendix A
Production: 1995 PSB (Station in Pusan), Anniversary Special
Producer: Hwang Eungjin
Cast: Bae Yongjoon (Jang Moonhyung), Jin Jaeyung (Misoon), Meng Sanghoon (Yungook), Jang Seohee (Gilja).
OST: Follow me, by Demise Russo

Photo Gallery 1, Photo Gallery 2

PERSONAL RATING: * * 3/4

Honestly speaking, I had a hard time translating this =). I am REALLY happy when I finally got to watch this... since this is one of those "hard to find" among the BYJ's collection... But to translate it... that's a different story. You get to see every small "t" of it as you listen to "word to word" conversations. I translated 16 chapters of "Barefooted Youth" but "Sea Wind" felt so much longer... (It's hard to translate without "love".) But let me stop complaining and get on with the program.

BYJ, as Jang Moonhyung, is "different". Younger... that felt even younger than Kim Yungmin from "Love Greeting". It is my guess that he filmed this while doing "Love Greeting". So the same innocent image has been there, combined with a rare immaturity (both of BYJ and his character). The rest of the characters talked in Pusan's dialect. A review said that this "drama" was able to capture Pusan's way of living quite realistically. As for me... I just thought the "accident" thing was handled in a VERY irresponsibly/unrealistically way. (Watch and you'll understand.) Anyway, if you are a fan, I guess it's a MUST WATCH... since it's just 2 episodes. (Thank Goodness for that!!!) Actually, you better watch this since otherwise... I had translated in VAIN!!! I'll check if you did...

2) "SIX STEPS TOWARDS BREAKING UP"
***VOD: (Scroll down and click the 4th picture.) It will guide you to Crezio site. Must Register. HURRY... there are rumours... that this site too... it will be closed.
***FULL ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Appendix B
Production: KBS Drama Game (TV Special)
Producer: Jeon Gisang PDWriter: Oh Sooyeon
Cast: Bae Yongjoon, Jeon Doyeon, Cha Taehyun

Photo Gallery, FLASH
PERSONAL RATING: * * *

Compared to "Sea Wind", this one is a breath of fresh air. The story is simple (What else can we expect from a TV Special?) but is kind of cute... Even though, at times, Lee Kyungmin came out a little "unnatural" (a bit embarrassed?), still it's WORTH watching. If the character of Jang Moonhyung (Sea Wind) was similar to Kim Yungmin (Love Greeting), Lee Kyungmin reminded me of Choi Hyunjoon from PAPA. No wonder... the same writer and the director will produce the later drama. Watch this as a "preview" to PAPA...

3) "HOUSE DISMANTLING PROJECT: TV Show"
***VOD

BYJ appeared at a TV Show where TV-stars volunteered to do any kind of social work and donate the earnings. This program staff would take shots of the respective star "working" and they would show how the work was done.
BYJ had chosen to work with construction workers... learning how to "unconstruct" a house. In other words, he was involved in dismantling a house by taking out the nails. The trick here is, he had to do it without destroying the wood... since 70% of the wood had to be re-used. He was having hard time, really... hee hee... And he earned $70,000 won.
More on this (click page 6: Experiencing Life- 1995.10.30)

FOLLOWING FOOTSTEPS:

I) JANG SOEHEE. She came at "Sea Wind" as a very assertive girl who kind of like Jang Moonhyung. At first I didn't pay much attention to this loud girl. Then, I realized who she is... Amazing how different she looked. I remember seeing her before at "Hoejoon", a period drama about a medical doctor. This drama had a rating higher than 60%... but she only had a supporting role in there. I also saw her at "Foolish Princes". Although she had a bigger role in there, she wasn't the real main character. 2002 changed all that. She was casted as the main character at this MBC family drama called "Miss Mermaid". This drama became one of the highest rated last year... One of the reasons was that she, Jang Seohee, had become a superwoman that stole the hearts of the audiences by her outstanding performance. And she was crowned as last year's MBC Queen, the winner of 5 Acting Awards on TOP of the Grand Prix. "Miss Mermaid" was her first starring role after more than 15 years of acting. Two thumbs up for her!!!

II) CHA TAEHYUN: As I mentioned before, at "A Sunny Place of the Young", he only spoke a few words to Jeon Doyeon. The same thing happened here. At "Six Steps Towards Breaking Up," he came out almost at the last scene with Jeon Doyeon, with only two full spoken sentences... But again, we'll see more "shadows" of this future super-star as the SEARCH continues.

III) JEON DOYEON: We already know her from "A Sunny Place of the Young". They looked so good together that Jeon Gisang PD casted them for this Drama Special. We already introduced her credits during "A Sunny Place of the Young" 3. But let me expand on it. The following is an insert from "Korean Film Discussion Forum:"

[Quote] (b. February 11, 1973) spent five years starring in television dramas before achieving instant star status with her film debut opposite Han Seok-gyu in The Contact. She has since gone on to take a wide variety of roles, from her performance as a schoolgirl in Harmonium in My Memory to that of a wife having an adulterous affair in Happy End. Her popularity has increased steadily, as audience fell for her warm and direct personality. In late 1999 she received a Best Actress award from the domestic Chungryong Awards Ceremony.
Jeon's most recent role was as the tough-talking "Sunglasses" in Ryu Seung-wan's No Blood No Tears. In the coming months, she will star in a TV drama. [Un-Quote]

Updating Jeon Doyeon's profile, she made HEADLINES last year by returning to the small screen after 5 years of roaming in Choongmooro*1, and by becoming the highest paid actress in Korea. A few weeks later, Kim Haesoo (from HWRL), who belonged to the same agency, broke that record when she was casted for Jang Heebin. By this time, they BOTH made HEADLINES since Shooting Stars and Jang Heebin were going to be aired at the same time: "Which actress will be more popular?" In the end, Shooting Stars really shoot the skies while Jang Heebin became a complete disappointment. JDY won an acting Award and a "little" love scandal spread about her and her young co-star Jo Insung (8 years younger). "Do we really look good together?"~ she would ask, smiling playfully.

She usually takes things slowly, doing an average of one piece of work per/year... But now, she is becoming more ambitious. She wants to do around 2 movies and one more drama this year. Her first movie... we all know: SCANDAL, her third role with BYJ. Actually, she was casted as Hyunsoo from HWRL, but she had turned it down. Otherwise, it would have been their 4th role together...

CREATING THE IMAGE OF... PAPA

Let's review BYJ's first year after his debut. Jeon Gisang PD had helped him create an image of pure innocence and gentleness. Then, he had advised him to keep this image. "That's more important than the money you make."

It all started with Kim Yungmin (Love Greeting) who was the personification of innocence. Two months later, he did a Comedy Clip at "Yungja's Drama Game", making fun of that image. He came at "Sea Wind" as Jang Moonhyung, another nice guy, but one who is spoiled, immature and naive.

Before he was finished with "Love Greeting", following his mentor's advise, he became Ha Sukjoo (A Sunny Place of the Young). Just like in "Sea Wind," he was a "rich heir," but older and much more mature than Moonhyung. In fact, Ha Sukjoo was more similar to Kim Yungmin but wealthier and more assertive when it came to choosing his career and his love.

At the same time, he did "Six Steps Towards Breaking Up", which was directed by his friend and mentor. Lee Kyungmin was also a nice guy, a psychiatrist who had a hard time forgetting his dead fiancee. Meanwhile, he came at a TV-Program where he did some kind of social work...

And exactly one year after his debut, he was done with Ha Sukjoo. He was already at the Top of popularity, winning the New Star Acting Award. His next project was going to be a combination of all his previous characters. Written by Oh Sooyeon and directed by non-other than Jeon Gisang PD, PAPA was going to be BYJ's next challenge. Was he ready for PAPA?

REFERENCE:
*1) Choongmooro: Place where Korean Movie Stars meet. Kind of "Korean Hollywood."
From Korean-drama-forum: "Bae Yong Jun - Biography"

CORRECTION
At "Searching 4 YJ: Rating... I mentioned Sea Wind was Tae Poong... it's Hae Poong.