Very well written
Credit; Maru Ragasa
Reposted from Kathys Bench
Back in October, 2010 when Playful Kiss had dismal ratings, I felt so bad. I wanted so much for Kim Hyun Joong to succeed in his new Kdrama. There was so much negative reaction towards him. I felt terrible that the very people who swore to support him were blaming him for the break up of ss501. Despite disclaimers made by the members, the fans knew deep in their hearts that change was inevitable. Even then, I had no rancor against Leader or any of the other members. Maybe that’s the trick, to be able to accept what’s inevitable and support them all.
After the debacle last October, Kim Hyun Joong disappeared from the Showbiz scene. Except for some occasional sightings of Leader playing soccer or doing some charitable works, Kim Hyun Joong kept all of us in the dark as to his activities. We were all missing him and waiting for his solo comeback.
Right after his birthday on June 7, 2011, Kim Hyun Joong suddenly exploded in the music scene in Korea. He had kept us guessing with his solo album. When his Break Down music video was released, I knew that the long drought was over for all of us. Like rain pouring on parched land, we drank at the trough of his songs. Leader daebak!
We missed Leader’s debut showcase by three days. Gigi and her daughter, Kaye, were fortunate to actually watch and see his debut showcase. My mom and I were hopeful to see him when we went to Seoul the week of his comeback. Seeing him in front row seats at Music Core, reinforced that Break Down would be a winner. We spent our nights monitoring all the Korean television networks. I was not disappointed Leader’s Break Down and Please were getting on the hour airtime. I knew that Kim Hyun Joong was back in his groove . He was back and boy, what a comeback!
Kim Hyun Joong’s Break Down was up against Beast’s Fiction, F.T. Island’s Hello, Hello and Jang Woo Hyuk’s Time is Over. At the time we were in Korea, Beast was dominating the charts. Although this development frustrated me, I knew I was just impatient. Sure enough on June 15, 2011, on the eve of our departure from Seoul, my Facebook wall was plastered with news that Kim Hyun Joong was number one in the Hanteo charts. He was a triple crown winner. Today, he was number one in Mcountdown.
Watching him receive the trophy at Mcountdown with a broad smile plastered on his face, I was delighted that the risks he took were being repaid by the accolade coming his way. Being a risk taker, I know that conquering the unknown is a difficult undertaking. That Leader took the risk of reinventing his image and sound with the possibility of failure showed his strength of character and maturity. Hadn’t we all thought him be 4D and considered him a little bit crazy and weird? Now I know what an act he had put on perhaps to entertain and amuse us. Suddenly, we realize that he spent his months in seclusion wisely. Hardly taking the proverbial French leave, he went to school to educate himself, he worked out to shape his body, and he cultivated his voice to strengthen his delivery and add texture to it.
Clearly Kim Hyun Joong worked hard for his solo comeback. The success of his return is not a miracle or a fluke of chance, It is not a result of manipulation of numbers. It is a testament of his awesome talent and the love of the people who support him.
I am happy to be living in a world where Kim Hyun Joong is King. Long live the King!
