Bae (or Pae) Yong Jun is a Korean actor who is extremely popular with middle-aged Japanese women. The lucky man.
Quite why this man is so popular is beyond me. With his floppy, flicked hair and his perfect skin, he looks somewhat like a polished, attractive 40-year-old female high-school teacher.
Anyway, whether I like him or not is not the point of the post. The other day, there was a documentary about him on the TV. As we watched it, we learned that there were 3,500 women waiting for him at Narita airport when he arrived in Japan. There were also some 300 Japanese ladies who decided to take the flight to Korea before his, so they could be there to welcome him back to Korea when he landed in Seoul. Again, lucky man.
The most interesting and thought-provoking part of the show was about an incident when some of his fans got injured. Somehow, a group of around 1,000 women found out which hotel he was staying at, and waited around outside to catch a glimpse of their hero. He was due to go to an official event at Roppongi Hills, but didn't want to leave without saying hello to the adoring masses. The police informed him and the hotel management that they could not ensure that the fans would be safe, so attempting to greet his fans would be dangerous. Ther hotel management have to follow the police instructions, so they informed Yong Jun and his menagerie to use the rear exit, and NOT to drive past the waiting fans.
Well, Yong Jun and his minders decided to ignore the police and the hotel, and, after a representative pleaded with the waiting women to not rush forwards, he did a little drive-by in his car, waving and smiling. Inevitably, the fans all rushed towards the car, the few police who were there tried to hold them back, and some ladies at the front of the crowd got crushed underfoot. We were treated to a few pictures of a tearful Yong Jun looking very concerned (but still very pretty) later, and some policemen looking rather frustrated and angry.
Now, obviously no-one, least of all Yong Jun, wanted this women to get hurt. But let's just think about this incident for a minute.
This was not an official event. These ladies had decided, of their own free will, to stand outside a hotel for hours in the vain hope that they would be able to get a glimpse of a pretty-boy Korean TV star. No-one forced them. The police tried to prevent an accident, so they did their jobs. The hotel management are basically trained to follow police orders, so they did their job as well. However, in doing so, they basically infringed on the rights of one of their guests. A couple of the hotel guys actually tried to get in front of the Jun entourage and push and force them to use a different stairwell. They were easily brushed aside by a couple of beefy Korean bodyguards.
Ultimately, Bae Yong Jun tried to please his fans by greeting them, and a couple got hurt. But I don't really see how the responsibility for these injuries can be the fault of anyone but the fans themselves. No-one asked them to go there. The Yong Jun managers specifically asked them not to rush forwards in case someone got hurt. They didn't obey, got all excited and people got hurt in the crush. The police were upset, but what law was he breaking? Is there a law in Japan that says you can't greet your fans? Is there a law that says you cannot use the front door of the hotel you are staying at? Or one that says you cannot drive past fans in the car park of the hotel you are staying at? He may be goofy-looking, but I don't think Mr Yong Jun can be held responsible for the incident the other day. Rant over!
Posted by Gary at December 1, 2004 06:18 PMAgree. Agree. Agree. Nothing but truth in this post, and let me add to the portrait of idiocy you've painted with these "fans": these throngs of "baba" are all extremely deluded if they in any way believe that the escape from the doldrum of their everday lives lies with a more-or-less androgynous Korean pop star.
By the way, typo in the 2nd paragraph: "Ther hotel management..."
I talked to some Koreans over the weekend, and according to them, he is not that popular in Korea. David Hasselhoff comes to mind...
Posted by: Dirk at December 2, 2004 08:09 AMNo. 7 on the list of most popular heart-throbs in Korea, apparently. Still a fairly popular and wealthy man, but not quite the God he appears to be here.
Posted by: Gary at December 2, 2004 09:39 AMYeah...just like Mr Sapp...milking it for all they can...
Posted by: Jason at December 2, 2004 04:29 PMhi! i'm from the philippines. winter sonata was shown here and he has gained quite a following but not in the same level as japan. but i have seen' untold scandal' and is currently watching'the hotelier' and i became a convert. he can act and is not afraid to take chances, he takes off his clothes in 'untold scandal' and is able to deliver a nuanced performance. he is not just a pretty boy or a matinee idol.
Posted by: ellen at December 11, 2004 11:15 AMa good looking man and of course a night shinning armour...... i can't help it but he's to handsome to dream of...
Posted by: reng at January 4, 2005 12:47 AMso cute and handsome!!!!i like him very well...i miss u like crazy!!
Posted by: 'laenna' at January 14, 2005 12:42 PMBae Yong Jun is an effeminate bore? Yet Gary (presumably a male) spent the time to create this hissy fit blog page. What's wrong with this picture?
Posted by: Mo at January 25, 2005 09:29 PMCheers Mo.
Intelligent, constructive comments are always welcome here!
i really adore him i watched winter sonata for him only he made me like korea
Posted by: lila at January 29, 2005 07:55 AMthe idol man in the world, wish he visit my country in jakarta indonesia just for concer or something...
I just like him a lot.He was good at in his charater in "winter sonata".I hope to see more of him in the future.GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Minda at February 10, 2005 08:38 PMhe's handsome... i like his smile
Posted by: krhizelle at March 2, 2005 02:50 PM*grin* yes, he is very pretty, isn't he? i'm a big fan of the chap he plays in Winter Sonata ... pretty much the perfect guy (although he does suffer from quite a few character flaws in the beginning). the thing is that he appears to be playing himself, you see ..
Posted by: meng at March 14, 2005 08:18 PMbtw, gary, you're pretty cute yourself *grin*. i think you, megumi and rosie make a picture-perfect nuclear family :)
Posted by: meng at March 14, 2005 08:27 PMi'm so sorry ... didn't know about rosie earlier till i read more of your blog ... i hope megumi and you are better now ... my heart goes out to you ..
Posted by: meng at March 14, 2005 09:22 PMBae Yong Jun is hot and cute and handsoms too. when he smile he took my heart away.
Posted by: Maichao at March 18, 2005 07:12 AMi dont care if he isn't the most popular actor in korea. basta gwapo siya at may talent..... care ko lang kung sino pinakasikat sa bansa nila importante nagkaroon sya ng opportunity na makilala all over asia, yung ngang pinakasikat sa korea baka hindi sikat sa asia...gets mo :)
Posted by: jessica at March 25, 2005 10:13 PMi was not smitten by him in winter sonata. though after watching hotelier, i found out his screen presence transcends to the hearts of women watching.
Posted by: max at March 27, 2005 06:21 PMI love Bae Yong Jun very much.He is handsome and so cute hihihihi.I love him forever and will always support him.He is the best.
He so cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Good luck for Bae Yong Jun
Love you forever.
Big Kiss for you.
hi, everyone! ^^
i like winter-sonata and him very much.
does anyone knows if he writes back (e-mail or letter). or does he never, cause there are too many.
does anyone have experience with that?
please answer! ^^ so
i can spent time with other things if he never writes back! hahaha
and second: does anyone knows a chance how to see actors in korea. i mean, are there special places (cafes, restaurants) which are very popular to actors where they go.. and we can see ? hehe
thanx to everyone who writes me back. ;)
Posted by: penny at April 15, 2005 06:14 AMHiBae!
u r just great .u have a very innocent look.i like u so much.
Hi,Bae......
You are the greatest korean people,You are handsome and interesting people.I always support you.
Have he done sth wrong!As a star ,he can care his fans not like some chinese stars who even keep their fans waiting for hours!
Posted by: wanglijun at April 26, 2005 11:35 AMi am now 40 years old and have family. but when i look at bae acting i feel that i am still very young and looking at my prince.
Posted by: ruslizan at April 28, 2005 02:32 PMLike Hotelier more than Winter sonata!
big kisses for Bae Young Jun!!! ;-)
i'm a great fan of joon from australia and i strongly agree with you gary that yong joon is absolutely not responsible for the incident that day.some would say he provoked the fans attention and he should be responsible but he had no intention of creating an unpleasant scene except, he had good intentions to please his fans. Also as a star,(especially that popular in japan) had yong joon snubbed his fans - knowing they were awaiting for a glimspe of him - he would've hit magazine and newspapers frontcovers headlining in fat bold prints " YONG JOON SNUBBED FANS OUTSIDE HOTEL" straight the next day.And clearly that's not good publicity for his career and that's not what he came to japan for.the fans clearly chose to ignore yong joon's managers' request therfore,no-one's to blame except for the fans themselves.
Posted by: trammy at June 22, 2005 06:18 PMByj and choi ji wu .... I love both of them.when will they be together again ? i just hope it will be soon.they are 2 of the most goodlooking actors of korea.
Posted by: erlyn at July 2, 2005 09:17 AM