A Whisper From The Heart

Our “family” in a quandary once again after reading the translated interview of our dear Mr. Bae [thanks Mr. Fumi] for the June issue of GQ, Korea. Such an opposite reaction to the elation we felt when all we saw all those heart stopping black and white photos [see previous post]. Mariko’s writing today in Quilt made sit back and gather my own thought as a fan.

Here is a man who rarely grants interviews both for print and television suddenly expressing his feelings about the kind of life he’s living at the moment. From what I glimpsed, the feelings of loneliness and sadness that he expressed in the late 2004 has not abated . But then, when you are in your mid-thirties one tends to be more contemplative of how much you have accomplished, what you have missed and how the future looks for you. I’ve done it so I’m guessing most of my sisters in baeland had their own moments of reflection too.

I’m thinking the interview was done after the pictorial [notice the mood of the photos] or maybe the writer caught him while he’s in a pensive moment because he agreed to the questions that was raised [normally an advance set of questions are sent for the approval of an artist or his management company] with more emphasis given to the burden he is feeling because of his superstar status. I too felt sad to know how he feels about not enjoying the same freedom that we sometimes take for granted or that he suffered from insomnia due to stress. How he wishes to travel but is restrained because he’s an easy prey to the paparazzi and some over zealous fans. He even addressed the rumor that I've heard late last year about a lady carrying his child. Situations like these can really take it's toll mentally and emotionally.

But such feelings of sadness only comes at certain times or in his own words “sometimes”. It’s an occupational hazard that one has live with. I'm not saying that he's got no right to complain because he chose to be an actor. He is after all a feeling person as human as you and me. But I've gotten to know him as man matured and wise enough to know that everything comes with a price and that he can always challenge himself in a new playing ground if he thinks he's had enough and wants to open a new chapter in his life. Who knows if he is even using the interview to test the water and guage on our reaction.

His success has afforded him the chance to do some of the things he envisions. Key East is his gateway to ensure the continued development of the Korean entertainment industry. His restaurant business showcases his newfound appreciation for a balanced wellbeing by serving healthy meals. BOF is developing new artist that will someday make their own mark in the entertainment industry.

All these things he enjoys because of our continued love and support. So we don’t have to turn our backs so he can have that freedom. We just need to learn temperance so he can have some personal space to breathe and be like us. I must admit it will be hard for we want actually "see" him in person and will grab at whatever chance we could be it at the gym, the dental clinic or salon he frequents. But we must all realize what is too much by imagining what it's like to be in his shoes.

Love after all can be expressed by silent thoughts
for the weary soul needs no words
to feel the whisper coming from a heart
of someone that truly cares.......