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This sketch of our favorite K-actor was made by Zoe of the People's Republic of China, a very good friend of the Sorrybunch, webmasters of HJTalk.  Thanks Zoe!!!

Interviewed just before he joined the army.

Jo Hyun Jae, the Korean actor who has become extremely popular in Japan as well for his work in
Love Letter (2003, MBC), Seo Dong Yo (Ballad of Suh Dong; 2005 SBS), and other performances,
saddened many fans when he enlisted in the army with dignity on August 5, 2008. In late July, just
before he entered the army, he held a precious interview with Japan’s mass media in Seoul.
Perhaps it was the mixed emotions as he prepared to enter the military, but Jo Hyun Jae, who is
known for being taciturn, seemed even more incommunicative than usual. But with an occasional
smile, he answered with sincerity to each and every question for the sake of his Japanese fans.
We are looking forward to seeing Jo Hyun Jae again two years from now.

There will be a blank period, so I thought a song would be a nice idea.

—When you appeared at a July 19 fan meeting with short hair, the fans were surprised, weren’t
they?
I was told that I was done with my formal appearances, so I went ahead and cut it. I guess I wasn’t
done (laughs). Today I didn’t have any choice but to come to work with my hair short. But when I’m
not working, I think I’d like to always keep my hair short like this. It’s easy.

—It seems that the song you sang at the time of the fan meeting is going to be released.
I hadn’t originally planned for it to be released. I had just finished the TV drama Three Daddies
with One Mommy (2008, KBS) and as I was preparing for the fan meeting I thought about what I
could do that would be special. There will be a blank period in my career for a while, so I decided
that it might be nice to leave them with a song, and I rushed to prepare it.

—You are very good at singing, and it made me think that it would be great if you became a singer
as well.
Well . . . . I don’t think it’s something you can do just because you want to, but if the fans want me
to, I wouldn’t mind singing for them. It would be for my fans to listen to. But it would be tough for
me to just concentrate on singing like a normal singer would. I have my acting as well. But I think
there is meaning in creating a chance to record a new song and let everyone hear it.

—There is only a short time left before you enter the military. How do you plan to spend your time
in the army?
If I have time, I think I’d like to study, but from what I’ve heard from the people around me, it
seems that’s probably going to be impossible (laughs). I’ve heard that everyone goes in bent on
studying, but in the end, they can’t do it. Until now, I’ve been busy with work and I haven’t been
able to lead a very well regulated life. So I’m setting a goal for myself of coming back healthy. If I
lead a better-regulated lifestyle, I should be able to get into shape. Also, until now I’ve been
working as an actor, but I think it’s worthwhile to take a step away from that for once. I hope that I
will get in shape and return feeling refreshed.

“Shall I take a shot?”—the role in Seo Dong helped me grow

—The popularity of Seo Dong Yo in Japan seems to know no bounds. It must have been a very
meaningful role for you as well.
First, to play the lead in a historical drama is a big challenge at a young age like 26. It also meant a
lot that I was able to work with the master of period pieces, director Lee Byung Hoon. Thanks to
that, I was able to properly learn how to act in a long-running historical drama, and although it was
hard work, by the same token it allowed me to progress as an actor; it was a piece that allowed
me to grow. It was an extremely meaningful piece in my acting career.

—What was the number one reason you decided to take the part in Seo Dong Yo?
I thought it was going to be tough to appear in a long historical drama at this age, but director Lee
Byung Hoon told me that he had been wanting to cast me for a while and had been watching me
closely. He said, “I know it’s going to be tough, but please give it a try with me!” That was a big
part of the decision to take the part—believing in that kind of director. It was also because I felt that
the character of Seo Dong was appealing.

—What aspects of the character did you find appealing?
The path that Seo Dong followed as he grew was appealing, coming from humble beginnings and
overcoming adversity to become a king that ruled the nation. Seo Dong himself was a person
revered by many, so it was also enticing to play such a prominent person and I thought, “Let’s
give Seo Dong a shot.”

—Starting in the first half of Seo Dong Yo there were a lot of action scenes. Did you do anything in
advance to prepare?
I went to an action school and trained there. In a lot of the wide shots, I was able to act in the
scenes without a stunt double. It took a lot of work, even for an action drama. There were a lot of
scenes on horseback too. Because there wasn’t much time, I was only able to practice riding a
little bit, and then we started filming . . . .

—Wasn’t it scary?
Horses are not machines, so they move however they want to . . . (laughs). During the shoot, that
was difficult.

—When playing a king, what kind of things did you pay attention to?
I had to be very careful about the phrasing for a historical drama. The character of Seo Dong
couldn’t be either too strong or too weak, so I always had to stay calm. I thought I should show the
dignified side of the king, so I developed the role in consultation with the director.

—What was the hardest thing about filming Seo Dong Yo?
The filming schedule was tight, so it was really tough. Just like Dae Jang Geum (2003, MBC), the
story of Seo Dong Yo centers entirely on the main character. So out of the whole shoot, I appear in
about 80 percent of the scenes. . . . The schedule didn’t even allow me to go home. I was on set
the whole time. . . . I’ve said this many times in interviews, so I think you all know this, but I was
trying hard to eat well during the filming. It was very hard physically as well. When I think that I
might have given a better performance if I’d been stronger physically, I regret it a bit. But a lot of
other actors commended me on handling that schedule, and gave me a lot of compliments. They
encouraged me, saying, “You have great strength!” But looking back after some time has passed,
I realize that the difficulty I had at the time benefited my performance. An actor has to learn how to
perform even under difficult conditions. It was extremely difficult, but it was a very meaningful
project for me.

There are fans supporting me—this is fate too

—There was a line in Seo Dong Yo that said, “You can avoid ‘fate,’ but it is ‘fate’ that makes you
charge down that path.” What are your own thoughts about fate?
Hmmm. I can’t say personally, “This is fate,” but if you make an effort to work toward your fate, I
think you can get close to it. The fact that there are fans who support me the way they do is
amazing. I think perhaps that is fate. I’ve made an effort too, but I think that it is because the fans
support me so enthusiastically that I am here today.

—Seo Dong was overflowing with charisma, and was impetuous in love as well. Which would Jo
Hyun Jae choose, work or love?
(After chuckling) That question is like asking a child, “Who do you like more, your mom or your
dad?” Well. . . . (facing the reporters) who do you like better, your mom or your dad? (laughs)
Personally, I couldn’t part with either of them. (One reporter answers, “I like my mother better,”
and everyone laughs.)

—Jang (another name for Seo Dong) invents many things. Is there a memorable episode for you?
There were a lot of things, like swords, but . . . I’m not sure what to say (he’s a bit flustered).

—It seems that you were so in synch with Lee Chang Hoon, who played Mok Rasoo, and Ryu Jin,
who played Sataek Giroo, that they called you the “three brothers.” Do you still wear the hat that
the three of you had?
We really were like brothers. Lee Chang Hoon, the eldest of the three of us, gave us hats, and we
were the only three people who had them, so everyone was jealous of us. I still have it at home.
Even looking back now, it was really fun. During that time, I couldn’t buy clothes or shoes. I was
too busy, so I was always wearing warm-ups. I used to wear that hat almost every day. It was
because I could hardly ever go home. If I dropped by the house, I would quickly wash my face and
then head out right away. . . .

—You also seem to have a special connection with Jung Wook, who played King Wi Duk. You
played father and son in Only You (2005, SBS) as well.
Yes, I think that I have some special connection to him. I think we have some destiny that has
brought us together and allowed us to perform together this way.

—Do you place a lot of importance on that sort of connection to people?
I would like to value those connections . . . . Actors and directors are always very busy, and it’s
hard to get together, so I can’t do it diligently. But in my heart, I value them and thank them.

—For those Japanese fans who haven’t seen Seo Dong Yo yet, do you have any advice about
what to watch for?
When you watch Seo Dong Yo, in the first half, Seo Dong seems to have a stubborn side, but
gradually he abandons that part of himself and becomes a great king. I think it’s interesting to
watch that process. Also, his encounter and split from Princess Seon Hwa , and the heartrending
aspects of Mok Rasoo and Sataek Giroo are good too, I think. The conflict with Sataek Giroo is
also interesting, and so is the friendship with Mok Rasoo, who he looks up to as a teacher.

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