The actor recently starred in the film GP506 (which the above pic is from; it’s not a real army pic) and currently stars in the new drama Three Dads, One Mom (for which I’m holding off judgment till I see the second episode — I wasn’t wowed by the first, but first episodes are so unpredictable).
He recently began his military service on the 1st, but has now just been released from training after only four days. That in itself is not terribly strange:
“According to military service law, if one is found to be unfit for active duty following a physical examination, due to disease or mental or physical disorder, or requires more than fifteen days’ recovery time for said condition, said person may be dismissed.”
What IS weird, though, is the fact that is just becoming known that Jo Hyun Jae left in the middle of filming a drama to enlist in his military service — and upon his dismissal after four days, immediately returned to filming. Something’s fishy over in Three Dads territory. (I don’t know the specifics of Three Dads, but generally a drama begins filming anywhere from a month to several months in advance. A trendy drama that doesn’t require excessive preparation — unlike, say, an epic or high-budget production like Legend — may typically have about eight episodes completed when the series begins airing. It is definitely weird to have started military service in the middle of a project.)
The situation is starting to stir up lots of suspicion and criticism — if he suffers from a severe enough condition to prevent him from training, how can he be fit enough to film a drama? — which is not helped by the fact that the drama producers have offered “no explanation, and have evaded questions” about the topic. Furthermore, prior to Jo’s enlistment, the producers had been unusually hush-hush about his impending service date.
Some of Jo Hyun Jae’s fans are supporting their star, casting aspersions on the validity of the news reports, but a majority of them agree that things look suspicious.
The mandatory-military-service topic is always a source of major debate, and a definite hot-button issue. Everyone knows that effing around with draft-dodging schemes in Korea is serious, career-damaging (if not career-ending) business. Methinks he’s got some ’splainin’ to do.
Perfectionist: OMG. What is Jo Hyun Jae up to? This is my first time to read something like this. I think he should explain ASAP, and it should be a pretty good explaining!
Finally caught the first two episodes of the new KBS Wednesday-Thursday drama Three Dads, One Mom, and have a bit of a mixed reaction. On one hand, there’s a very cute quality to the drama, helped in no small part by its appealing cast — and while they’re not quite superstar-famous, all four main cast members are fairly established and known names.
There are some things I like about the series and the setup; there are other things I don’t. Right now, I’m not sure which way the balance tilts. Eugene is adorably gorgeous as the one mom amidst three possible dads, best-friend bachelors played by Jo Hyun Jae, Jae Hee, and Shin Sung Rok. Their interactions, laced with a healthy dose of good-natured male camaraderie, are one of the more appealing aspects of the drama for me. I’ll wait to see how things develop before making a final judgment; for now, I plan to catch a few more episodes.
Simple setup: Start with four best friends who’ve grown up together since childhood.
Despite growing into vastly differing personalities, the four have stuck together all these years into adulthood.
SUNG MIN was the first to fall in love, and married his sweetheart NA YOUNG (played by Eugene). He’s perhaps the most emotionally mature of the four, and also the sweet-tempered one. He dotes on his wife, and she returns his affection wholeheartedly. Both have had somewhat tough childhoods, which heightens Na Young’s desire to become a mother and have a loving family of her own.
Sung Min’s best friends are all single and live together in their messy bachelor pad: SU HYUN (Jo Hyun Jae) is the good-looking, money-obsessed financial manager working in stocks and bonds. He’d like to marry and settle down in theory, although he’s never met anyone worth settling down for. Stingy bastard.
KWANG HEE (Jae Hee) is a manhwa artist who doesn’t believe in settling down and is always seeing one woman after another. Smooth (and fast) talker, somewhat irresponsible.
KYUNG TAE is the hotheaded cop, a little dumb on the outside but softhearted on the inside. He goes by two last names, Na Hwang, in a strange (to Korea) practice of observing his mother’s maiden name (Hwang) along with his father’s family name (Na). That should tell you all about him right there. He’s the sloppiest eater and the messiest dresser, but the kindest in heart.
THE STORY
Na Young mostly likes her husband’s three best friends, but they try her patience constantly by making a mess of her home playing poker all night, dragging Sung Min out with them drinking, and generally being well-meaning but insensitive. And vice versa — the guys like her and think she’s a good match for Sung Min, but she’s kinda naggy.
Na Young desperately wants to become a mother, but attempts at conception have failed. Lately her frustration has her fighting with Sung Min because while he’s accepted that they’re probably not going to be able to have children (he’s sterile, having no sperm), she wants to exhaust their possibilities and see doctor after doctor. He’s being realistic, but she interprets it as not taking her seriously.
Sung Min talks over his problem with his friends, who offer suggestions. They could adopt, or go to a sperm bank, but those are deemed out of the question. Sung Min off-handedly mutters that it’s too bad he can’t use his friends’ sperm… which gives him the brilliant idea to use his friends’ sperm. He knows them all personally and can vouch for their character. They won’t tell Na Young, naturally, and the baby will be raised as his. He won’t make demands afterward or dump them with fatherly responsibility. Furthermore, nobody will ever need to know whose sperm of the three was used. No burden. Su Hyun, Kwang Hee, and Kyung Tae — cheerfully drunk — agree. When they sober up, they’re horrified because they don’t really want to go along with it.
Sung Min, feeling desperate (Na Young is growing despondent, and he doesn’t want to lose her), pleads with each in turn go along and donate his sperm. Finally, they’re guilt-tripped into agreeing, and drag their feet to the clinic to make their donations. Sung Min has told Na Young he wants to see the doctor for one more try at insemination, and she happily agrees.
After the friends leave the clinic, they brood — each has the fear that fathering a child now will come back to bite them later, despite Sung Min’s assurances to the contrary. They call Sung Min and tell him they can’t go through with it: Rescind the decision! Sung Min concedes, to their relief — but then grimly progresses with his plan.
Na Young becomes pregnant (I’m assuming in vitro fertilization), blissfully unaware of the baby’s true parentage. Sung Min’s friends are suspicious about the timing and demand to know if he used their sperm; Sung Min insists (nervously) that the baby is his own, which is why they’re calling her/him Ha Sun, “gift from heaven.”
But about six months into the pregnancy, Sung Min is killed in a car accident, leaving behind a bereaved wife and three devastated friends.
For once, the guys think of Na Young’s welfare before themselves — she’s alone, pregnant, and completely overwhelmed. She has a hard time keeping herself together, much less taking care of closing bank accounts and official death-related administrative tasks. The guys promise to handle everything for her, and find among Sung Min’s things a DVD. It’s labeled for his unborn baby, and the friends watch Sung Min’s self-videoed clip. Onscreen, the three friends interrupt the video; after they’ve left, Sung Min resumes taping, now a little tipsy.
Sung Min tells the video that the baby’s three “uncles” are his best friends, people whom the baby should consider with the same regard as a father. He alludes to the uncles’ “priceless gift” without which the baby never could have been born — and they realize with dread that Sung Min must have used their sperm.
The first video is a photo shoot for the poster of Three Dads, One Mom. And the second video is a clip from their press conference. Oh God! Jo Hyun Jae is mighty hot and cute!!!
Eun Jae (Han Chae Young) was a stubborn and head-strong girl who had a passion for cooking. She did not have any interest in going to college and with the help of her high school friend, Jung Hyun Sung (Lee Chun Hee)ran away to Italy to enroll in a cooking school. Jung Hyun Sung who loved her dearly went along with her. Han Yi-Joon (Jo Hyun Jae) came from a wealthy family. He travelled to Italy looking for his mother and there he ran into Eun Jae, who had also been seeking the same person to learn the secrets to making great pasta. She comforted Yi-Joon, who was distraught over his mother's remarrying, and they ended up making love. Yi Joon left Eun Jae the next morning over some misunderstanding. Eun Jae became pregnant and had no choice but to give up her dream and to return to Korea.
6 years later, Eun Jae was working in low paying restaurant jobs, Yi-Joon started to take over the operations of his family's business, and Hyun Sung was working as a chef for one of the restaurants owned by Yi-Joon and managed by Ji Soo Yeon (Hong Soo Hyun). Hyun Sung was good with Eun Jae's son and he was helping out Eun Jae's whole family financially as they had fallen on hard times. Yi-Joon found out that he still had feelings for Eun Jae as they ran into each other when he was looking for a new chef for his restaurant. The dramatic tension unfolds as the four main characters worked out their feelings for each other.
I love watching this drama because it kept me glued to the screen all time. I can't wait what will happen next. It's not your typical funny Korean drama, but its entertaining on its own. I love how the characters show their passions for the ONLY ONE that they love. Really staying true to the title, Only You. For me, this drama implies that one-night stands could be your true love. I'm not encouraging one night stands here, its just that, Eun Jae and Yi-Joon's attraction for each other was so strong that even after 6 years of being apart, they can't forget each other.
I'm a fan of Han Chae Young, and she was the reason that got me interested in watching this. I wanna see how she would act this time with another guy. For me, she looks a whole lot better here than in Sassy Girl Chunhyang (maybe because of the boobs?! Kidding!). Seriously, she looks prettier here, without that ridiculous hairstyle from SGCH. But during the first part of the story, I wonder why she always wear a bonnet. She has gorgeous hair meant to be shown-off, but hidden under those knitted caps. The "after 6 years" part, her hair was always in a bun, or should I say a disheveled bun? She looks dirty. If it weren't for her pretty face, she looks like a maid. Or maybe they really needed to tie her hair that way because she's a chef? Nah. It doesn't make sense.
She seems to cry better on this drama, compared to SGCH. Maybe she practiced enough? But she always plays the "hard to get" girl. So there were parts in this drama that I want to scream to her "Can't you just be true to yourself?!"
As for Jo Hyun Jae, he's so cute. I love scenes like these wherein he peeks at the kitchen door just to get a glimpse of Eun Jae. His character, Yi-Joon, is a paranoid one. He can't seem to stop thinking about Eun Jae. Aww. He only thinks of himself and his feelings, but imagine if a guy would tell you he's getting crazy because of you, isn't that sweet? Wouldn't those words melt your heart? He's cheesy. Yi-Joon finds it hard to open up to other people, but Eun Jae was able to capture his heart in Italy. And because of that he can't forget her.
I love how he gets jealous of Hyun Sung, thinking he was Eun Jae's boyfriend. Aargh! So cute!! One thing I don't like about him is his inconsistency. One day, he'll be so happy to be with Eun Jae and then the next day, he hates her. He was a such a jerk when he learned that Eun Jae has a child. He fired her!!! I mean,what does having a child have to do with your job? Well, I guess he was just disappointed.
Their son, Jin Sol is so cute, and he really resembles Yi-Joon. So I guess the casting people really placed an effort on looking for the perfect child! Haha!
In fairness, Jo Hyun Jae and Han Chae Young have some chemistry going on. They look good together, I kind of wished that they were dating in real life. So much for that.
Overall, I really really love this drama. When it was on-air, everyone at our house was waiting for this every night. The story and the characters were deep. Not just an ordinary love story. One thing I find irritating is how the family keeps on getting in way with Eun Jae and Yi-Joon's love, and why it is such a big deal if Eun Jae has a child. *images - source
Out of boredom and fascination,
I give to you my reflections, thoughts and frustrations about Korean dramas. Don't we just love them?
Or if you don't then I guess you think you're so cool then?
You would also find in this blog, stuffs related to Korean dramas.
My favorite Korean actresses are:
Han Chae Young,
Lee Da Hae,
Han Ga In,
Song Hye Kyo and
Jeon Ji Hyun
For Korean actors, I love:
Jae Hee,
Jo Hyun Jae,
Lee Dong Wook,
Dennis Oh and
Daniel Henney
So don't be surprised if you see lots of stuffs about them here at my blog.
