04/2007 Japan Magazine-Korea TV Drama Vol.18

Why everything about this guy is really long to read? But we haven’t talked about him for ages! so it’s the PAYBACK TIME T__T

Cute, with a lovely smile, yet can be gloomy at sometimes. Displaying the different sides of an actor, who is full of emotions.

In 2000, Kim Jeong Hoon started his showbiz career as a singer in the UN. He was a student of Korea’s top university. His outstanding background became a hot topic. He is a happy-go-lucky person, with a lovely smile. In 2005, he officially switched to become an actor. His charm has left a deep impression in people’s mind when he was an actor in goong, in 2006. In the same year, he extended his career to Japan as a singer, creating a world of his own. I met him during his recent trip to Japan for a fan meeting session, at the end of February. His new Japanese single SAD SONG was also released.

As it was the first time that I was singing that song, I was so nervous that I could not see anything!

Q: What were your feelings when you were singing the new song during the fan meeting session?
JH: I had already sung SAD SONG during my concert in 2006. I sing this song for the first time after it has been recorded, at the fan meeting session. I was so nervous that I could not see the faces of the audience (haha).
( comments by fei zhu: however, he was able to see the monitor displaying the lyrics, which is at the back of the concert venue.)

Q: You received good comments for your mini album, 5 Stella Lights. Can you feel your popularity in Japan?
JH: Regarding this question, I do not have any examples. But I can feel the support from the people that come from different parts of Japan. In order to fully experienced it (his popularity), I will work even harder.

Q: SAD SONG is a sad love song that is of a narrative type. While singing this song, did you use your acting skills to help to get into the feeling of the song?
JH: I think that singing is also part of acting, so I try very hard to include my feelings in the song. Before recording, I will think of related experiences and sad scenes in a show and listen to music which makes me feel sad, so that I can feel the sadness. Also, if I were to continue to tell jokes, I can put in my feelings even faster when the recording starts.
( comments by fei zhu: telling jokes before recording starts…. Did I translate wrongly? If it’s not wrong, then this must be a new way. Only Jeong Hoon can think of this…)

Q: As the lyrics are in Japanese, is it difficult for you to put in your feelings?
JH: Of course. It is difficult to understand the meaning of every Japanese word. Therefore, I will keep thinking about the meaning of the whole song when I am singing.

Q: During the first interview (Vol. 16), you mentioned that your standard for Japanese was at kindergarten level. What about now?
JH: Graduated from kindergarten. Preparing to attend primary school (haha).

Q: You look man in the cover for your new single. Have you get out of the cute image?
JH: Take acting as am example. An actor’s wish is to break out from the fixed image and appear in a new one. I want to have some changes in me. So I have to forsake my previous image and consider myself in having more sides. So I have to get rid of my cute image and be more man in this single’s cover. From now onwards, I’m going to learn from my mistakes and try to display a me that’s more man.
( comments by fei zhu: you don’t have to purposely get rid of any image. Cute or handsome, Kim Jeong Hoon will always be Kim Jeong Hoon. You will stay unchanged in our hearts.)

I was attracted to Yul as there are similarities between the 2 of us.

Q: Goong is always very popular in Japan. I heard that you were asked to act in a Japanese drama before you begin your career here? What was the outcome?
JH: After activities in UN, I felt that I still have to learn more about acting so I accepted the invite. If you were to ask me to act now, I will feel a little sorry as I have not fully learned Japanese. But to me, this is a great turning point of my life, therefore I am very grateful. Being an actor in Goong, I was recognized, giving me an opportunity to attend the activity in Japan.

Q: I heard that you were attracted by Yul after reading the original comic, before you accepted the role.
JH: Whether is it comic, novel or movie, etc, I like them all. In addition, comic make use of a different method to bring out its own world. That’s the reason why I like it. Compared to Shin, who has everything, Yul spend all of his effort in getting back things that he had lost. This was why I was attracted to Yul. I wanted to be beside Yul and give him all my support. Unknowingly, I began to feel the same as him. Unbelievably, I used the same feelings to act out my role. It seems that I am Yul and Yul is me.

Q: Yul’s feelings are very complicated. Is he more thick-skinned also?
JH: I, myself is also a complicated person so I’m fine with it (haha). To those who met me for the first time, you will think that I am a person who has depth, having lots of feelings inside me, for the outside world. I was attracted by Yul as I feel that we are both alike at the surface.
( comments by fei zhu: are you saying that you are thick-skinned also? Why do I feel that you are still not open sometimes?)

Q: Are there other areas that you find it difficult?
JH: I wasn’t able to handle the change of filming scene well. When the drama is aired on TV, the scenes have to be consecutive. Sometimes, a scene is being break into several parts. The filming time between each part can be a month. Therefore it is difficult to get back to the same feeling again. Once, I was scolded for wearing different pair of shoes for the same scene.

Q: Regarding your role, what does the director have to say about?
JH: The director said that Yul’s hair should be blond. In the comic, Yul’s hair was quite long but my hair was not very long. So I suggested wearing a blond hair wig. During the try out for the hair wig, I realized that the feel was different from Yul in the comic. So I went to dye my hair (haha).

Q: The prince’s fashion taste is very much noticed by the others. Do you make use of fashion in your daily life?
JH: I know almost nothing about fashion (haha). I’m not really concerned about it in the past. Ever since I acted in Goong, I have started to develop an interest towards clothes. In the past, I will be satisfied as long as I have to clothes to wear. However, recently, I have been attending fashion shows frequently. Thus, I have more chances to go out and buy clothes.
(comments by fei zhu: attending fashions are not recent events anymore. wearing the same outfit as other people and wearing formal wear with sports shoes did not happen recently also. Jeong Hoon, you really got a lot to learn about fashion…)

Q: High school uniform suits you very well. How do you feel when you wear it again after so many years?
JH: I like to wear uniform (haha). My secondary school uniform didn’t look nice. My junior college uniform was much better. However, it was such a pity as everyone wore home clothes to attend school during junior college days. So I only wore uniform during my secondary school days. During the filming of Goong, I was looking forward to wearing the uniform. As long as I can wear the nice uniform, I will be contented. The uniform for junior college girls in Japan are also very cute (haha).
( comments by fei zhu: I remember Jeong Hoon wearing the uniform that Yul wear in Goong during encore for the 2005 fan meeting session. Singing and talking about memories related to uniform at the same. This time, the moment he mentioned about uniform, Jeong Hoon was just like a kid, talking non-stop. It seems that the main reason that Jeong Hoon agreed to act in Goong is because of the uniform. After hearing his answer, I suspect that Jeong Hoon has a liking to uniforms. Are you influenced by the Japan staff? Are you always looking at junior colleges girls when you are in Japan?)

One sided love, I’m not good at it and I don’t like it

Q: Yul can do anything for Chaegyung. What about Jeong Hoon?
JH: One does not have to repay another’s giving. It will be best if both people can give at the same time. I’m not good in one sided love. If I realized that that person is not interested in me, then I will not like the person at the very beginning. I’m totally opposite from Yul in this issue. When I was reading the comic, I slowly realized that Chaegyung does not have any interest in Yul but she hope that Yul will be by her side (haha).

Q: What is the thing that you are not able to understand?
JH: Chaegyung’s attitude towards Yul is ambiguous so I’m able to understand Yul’s doings. I have a deep impression for the conversation between Chaegyung and Yul at the very end of Goong. Chaegyung said ‘people will meet each other again after 2500 million years. Until that time, I will still like Shin so you better go love someone else.’ Yul answered ‘even so, I will still continue to wait for you.’ If it’s me, I confirm won’t say this kind of things (haha). But this is Yul. Although the person is somebody’s wife, you will still do things in your own way. Thus, the audience agreed in whatever he does. Not considering about my thinking, (the conversation about 2500 millions years, with Chaegyung) will be my favourite line.

Q: Will you be like Yul, changing your own life for the sake of the girl you like?
JH: Maybe. But it is difficult for me to like a girl so much. One side of me believes in reality but also like to daydream, having the thought of pursuing my dreams in any part of the world. If one day I were to meet the girl that I really like from the bottom of my heart, I may do something that I have thought before, but have not done it.

Q: It seems like you often make daring decisions.
JH: I’m a trouble-maker so I always make my mother sigh (haha). From the time that I am aware of the things happening around me and I’m able to move freely, no matter what I do, I will report to my parents. But the content is always about apologizing. When I was young, I listen to what my parents say and I won’t talk back. However, once I grow up, I have changed.
( comments by fei zhu: Jeong Hoon’s mother…. It must have been hard for you. You have a son that’s clever but he’s a trouble maker (haha) we, Jeong Hoon fans are also worried when we hear his shocking words and doings.)

Q: In the drama, regarding what the Queen has said ‘despite how much you hope, fate between 2 people cannot be forced’. What do you have to say about this?
JH: I believe in Buddhism beliefs – fate and reincarnation. Therefore, people should not have the thinking of ‘thinking of something but not doing it. Even if we don’t do, fate remains the same’. But I feel that some things still have their rules so I can fully understand what the Queen said. When fate does not belong to you, but you still force it, this will become an extravagant hope.

Q: Yul’s hair colour was blond before entering the palace. Why did it become dark coloured after that?
JH: I suggested this. It was not in the script. I wanted to bring out the changes in Yul’s attitude. Subsequently, Yul have 3 scenes where he looks into the mirror. I suggested this too as this can show Yul’s feelings are splitting. Yul was feeling sad about his doings but he was able to understand it. The idea of looking into the mirror comes from the poem, mirror, of a Korean poet, Li Shang.

Q: From the time you were in UN till now, your hair style and colour have been changing. Is it due to change of feelings?
JH: In the past, I do not think about it. I think is the fashion of the young people (haha). I wanted to make some changes.

Q: Fans of Goong gave you a nickname, Prince Lily.
JH: The look of Yul when he lowers his head is similar to a lily flower. No matter what, to be compared to a flower, I am very happy. I think that this is the best describing words for either a guy or a girl.

Because of the new drama, you become rival with Joo Ji Hoon once again

Q: In the beginning, Yul’s smile has a sense of loneliness. During the filming period, does your emotion get affected easily?
JH: From the middle of the drama till after the filming ended, I had depression for a short period of time. Yul’s ending was to leave Chaegyung. But I will have the feeling of why am I a failure. I wasn’t able to smile and I have the feeling of I was to live alone day after day. I can’t say that Yul and me are exactly the same. But I was tied down by Yul’s feelings for the time being.
( comments by fei zhu: I thought he had already walk out of the depression caused by Yul, why is he still being tied down by it? He is acting as Joon Ha now. When can Jeong Hoon get out of this complicated feelins?)

Q: Both you and Shin fell down from the horse, the people around were only worried about Shin? But what happened in reality?
JH: Actually, I really fell from the horse. That is also counted as a mystery at the filming scene. After falling from the horse, Chaegyung ran to Yul. This was something to be happy about. The sad thing was the other people all ran to Shin. I wasn’t able to handle these 2 areas well. When this part was aired on TV, the things happen too fast after editing. Thus, during the filming of this part, I didn’t have extra time to show my feelings and reaction. Even when Chaegyung was looking at Yul, the scene was very short. I feel a bit pity about these.

Q: In reality, compared to a careless girl like Chaegyung, you like Hyorin more. Is this true?
JH: Yes. But in fact, I’m the careless one. Hope that the girls will forgive me for this (haha). I’m not referring to them particularly. When I said this during an interview, yoon hey (Chaegyung) said ‘I’m being disliked’ (haha). I felt this way when I first met her.
( comments by fei zhu: yoon hye and jeong hoon are from the same management company. Give people some face ma. No wonder yoon hye complained. Kim sajangnim is so straight forward.)

Q: Joo Ji Hoon and you were rival. What was the atmosphere like during filming?
JH: In the beginning, Ji Hoon was quiet but he’s very friendly and an interesting person. He jokes sometimes. After filming ended, we seldom met each other. If there’s any chance, when can we go drink some beer?
( comments: your relationship with Ji Hoon is not bad. Will you feel bad when you thought of yourself always bullying Jeong Hoon (haha). But it’s best for the 2 of you not to meet each other nowadays. This can reduce the uneasiness due to the new drams.)

Q: Due to Joo Ji Hoon’s new drama, both of you are rival again.
JH: It’s not wrong to put it in this way. My new drama Witch Yoo Hee will be aired in March. Ji Hoon’s new drama with another TV station will also be aired at the same time. I met him recently. He said, ‘senior, you are going to fight with your junior again.’ As long as our acting are successful, that’s enough. But I still hope that my drama’s ratings will be in the lead.

Q: I heard that you are acting as a bad guy in Witch Yoo Hee.
JH: This time is quite a bad guy. I’m acting as Yu Joon Ha. Compared to Joon Ha, Yul is an angel. Actually Joon Ha is not a bad person. He became more ambitious when he was hurt by other people.

Q: While making your decision, did you realize if you have anything different from the character?
JH: There are areas that I’m similar to the character. But I can leave a deeper impression in people so I decided to take this role.

Q: The character is 30 years old. But in real life, you are only 27. What are your feelings for reaching 30 earlier?
JH: (sighing and answering at the same time) In the past, I felt that 30 was still far so I don’t have any feelings about it. But now, it’s in front of me. Still cannot believe it.

Q: What’s your target for the future?
JH: Now, I’m filming in Korea. In the future, if there’s chance, I hope that I can act in drama that’s out of Korea. I also hope that I can act in Japan or other countries production. Be it movie or drama, I hope to see and understand the different cultures of different countries. Besides acting, I will continue to sing. Everyone, please continue to support me.

translated by alicia@ohmyhoon
chinese translation by fei zhu@junghoonchina
credit to junghoonchina
credit to alicia@ohmyhoon