South Korea’s leading man, Jang Dong-gun, makes his Hollywood debut in this month’s fantasy action film, The Warrior’s Way, out Friday, Dec. 3rd.
by Jaeki Cho
photographs by Shane Sato
styled by Kwon Hye Mi hair and make-up by Yang Hyoung Shim
He’s pretty much the Brad Pitt of South Korea—if not Asia. Similar to the American culture of celebrity worship, in South Korea, his marriage to actress/model Ko So-young in May ended the media hysteria surrounding their friendship and relationship. But now, more media attention is geared towards his newborn son (sound familiar?).
But unlike American fans, Asian groupies sing to their celebs. On March 8, 2007, a stadium full of fans from all throughout Asia sang in unison at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo. This was not a concert. These legions of women were singing “Happy Birthday” to Jang Dong-gun. The South Korean actor looked over this somewhat cultish gathering with poise. He thanked the audience politely in Korean, Japanese and Mandarin, then gazed at the masses with charismatic charm. The audience went into hysterics. Some even broke into tears.
While Jang, now 38, is not the only Korean export to obtain a messiah-like status across Asia (actors Lee Byung-hun and Bae Yong-joon boast similar, if not larger followings), he certainly has the most diverse résumé. Since his debut in 1993, the actor has starred in two Korean box-office record setters—Friend (2001), which back then was the highest grossing Korean film of all time, and Taegukgi (2004), a harrowing film about family ties and the Korean War. The former, in which the Seoul-born-and-based Jang played a hotheaded gangster, is often regarded as his breakout performance, shattering his previous image as the romantic lead in small-screen dramas, while the latter placed him in the echelon of Korea’s acting greats, earning him the prestigious Blue Dragon Film Award (South Korea’s equivalent to the Oscars) for Best Leading Actor. Having already achieved stardom as a film actor in Korea, Jang expanded his homegrown success into the international market as the leading star in Chen Kaige’s Wuxia romance The Promise. This elevated his career into a whole different realm and placed him at the forefront of the Korean Wave.
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Christina Mijung Lee, Long Beach, Calif.
“The concept of this piece focuses on the inherent need to seek out and connect to one’s heritage. The young Korean American girl (who also may or may not be multiracial) ‘reaches out’ toward butterflies and flowers of traditional Korean symbolism, which signifies a longing to connect with Korean history and culture. The realistic rendering of the girl is juxtaposed against the flat painting style of her surroundings to reinforce the conceptual divide of time and space. The dreamy/idealistic scene alludes to the way we romanticize the culture from which we are disconnected.”
Josephine Park, Los Angeles, Calif.
“I attempted to create a cover that requires more than a quick glance. The longer you stare, the more recognizable the characters and their stories become. Korean Americans have so many shared life stories that are unique to each generation. I think it’s impossible to fully envision the third generation without considering the previous ones.”
Nathan Nowack, Redondo Beach, Calif.
“When I thought of third generation, my friends kids immediately came into mind. This third generation is still Korean on the outside but at the same time American. How could I portray that in a single photograph with a single person. Hmmm, what about creative makeup? Now not only were they still Korean on the outside, they had the patriotism of America painted all over their face. With iPods and next generation computers engraved in their everyday lives, these kids are truly third generation Korean Americans.”
Now it’s time for you to vote. Choose the cover that best conveys the theme of our issue: The Third Generation of Korean Americans.
Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, February 12. You can vote once per day. Tell your friends and spread the word! Your votes will determine the cover of an upcoming issue of KoreAm!
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Featured Event
One of the the biggest Asian cinema events to hit Southern California opens on May 10. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, features the latest works by established and emerging filmmakers, along with seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
Opening Night features “Shanghai Calling,” directed by Daniel Hsia and starring Korean American Daniel Henney, who plays a Chinese American expat lawyer navigating his way through the mean streets of Shanghai (the picture above also indicates he is a raisin smuggler). But does he take off his shirt? Go watch the movie to find out! read more
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