The Element of Surprise

I would like to share the first part of baesis belinda's writings in our website about Yong Joon. Hope you enjoy it.

Originally posted at www.baewatchphil.com
by belinda

When Bae Yong-Yoon celebrated his 10th year as an actor, he decided he owed it to his fans to give them something new and refreshing, thus, the Image Volume I Photo Book that, apart from having cherished messages from loyal fans for its opening sequence featured the different faces of Bae Yong-Joon yet to be seen by the public. For the Photo Book, BYJ went on a strict 100-day diet and weight training regimen (that gave him his gorgeous 6-pack) particularly for that new image of the Silent Hysteric. It was a very painful experience even for a determined workaholic like Yong-Joon but he stayed with it until the end of a hundred days and long after. While scores of fans weren't too happy to see that, in place of the chubby cheeks we'd come to adore, he had developed facial muscles from weight-lifting that made him look literally “lean and mean”, all the hard work and sacrifice paid off beautifully. His Image Volume I turned out to be a creative masterpiece--the first 100,000 copies of which were sold out on the day the book was formally launched in Japan. It is reported that BYJ'S photo book even outsold Brad Pitt's in the same market.

BYJ is such an exciting person to watch, too, especially when he's doing something he loves. Whether he's reading a book or snoozing in a corner, taking photographs of his co-workers or posing for the pleasure of the press, talking about his passion for the movies or raving about a game of golf, goofing off or dead serious, gliding across a room with the grace and majesty of a king or simply standing on a stage quietly gazing at the faces of his fans-- BYJ is breathtaking. Even in basic white tees and tattered blue jeans, he is a noble prince who stands out in a crowd of magnificent stars and, when under pressure, he is a picture of dignity.

Not one to be stereotyped or to let an opportunity go unchallenged, he is always trying to experiment with interesting ways to present himself and always breaking new ground, it's impossible to get bored with him. BYJ does have a reputation for thinking out-of-the-box and for going against the tide. A few years before Winter Sonata, he did the TV mini series, Have We Really Loved, despite his awareness of the unpopularity of the theme of the TV novel. Traditional Korean society frowned upon the idea of a student falling in love and having a relationship with his professor so that everyone anticipated a poor showing at the ratings game for the series. Not one to be easily disheartened, BYJ went ahead and did the TV novel where he played the poor, bitter, and ambitious KANG JAE-HO. He was challenged by the role he was to play, the fact that the novel was some kind of a dark horse, and had such great respect for the writing style and acumen of the screenplay writer that he took the risk. And he was right to go with his instincts because, quite unexpectedly, playing the role of Kang Jae-ho turned out to be a defining moment for the up and coming young actor – a pivotal point in his career that finally launched him as a serious actor to reckon with--the first of several leaps of faith that had helped mold him into the superstar he is, today. (Personally, I thought it was his best performance, by far-- an acting coup definitely worthy of critical acclaim.)

A Passion for Excellence

BYJ is synonymous with thorough and perceptive self-management. He takes his craft very seriously and works hard at it. He is meticulous, exacting and, is his own fiercest critic. He is an intelligent but humble student with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and the courage to walk on unfamiliar ground and subject his abilities to the acid test. Until April Snow, BYJ never reported to the set without having thoroughly prepared for the character he was about to portray. A co-worker relates that his script was the busiest he'd seen in the industryCcrowded with notes he'd written, perhaps, to remind him of his desired treatment or manner of attacking a role. With April Snow and the characteristically unorthodox crafting style of Director Hur Jin-ho, BYJ did an unexpected 360-degree turnabout, braving what was, by far, the biggest and most difficult challenge of his life as an actor. The test was to give justice to the role of In-soo, a happily married man--or so he thought-- who is betrayed by his wife and, in the midst of all the pain and disillusionment, finds himself in exactly the same situation as his wife's-- all that without benefit of a pre-written script, with the barest minimum of dialogue and with barely a support cast to help tell the story. It was a fearful first for BYJ and yet, he was equal to the challenge. Not only did he shine through the movie with a sincere and touching performance; apparently, he was so deeply touched by the entire experience that it had increased his depth and understanding as an actor and a person, as well.

To be continued …