HERO JEAJOONG

A breathtakingly beautiful baby was bestowed upon this earth on January 26th, 1986, at Gongju, South Korea. His name is Kim Jaejoong, and growing up with eight older sisters, it’s easy to see where his cleaning and cooking habits originated from. However, the only things they share in common are their womanly quirks. Originally born as ‘Han Jaejoon’, Jaejoong’s mother didn’t have the environment and ability to take care of him, so he was given up for adoption. Only when name registration and birth date (Real: February 4) problems arose for army service did he find out about his real birth mother. Later on, a short-lived custody battle between his biological father and mother commenced, but ‘Kim Jaejoong’ now acknowledges both his adopted and his biological family.

In order to participate in the auditions held by SM Entertainment in Seoul, the 15 year old bravely moved there by himself and jumped at any opportunities where he could obtain money to pay for his ₩150,000 rent. From sending newspapers door to door to acting as a soldier in the movie Taegeukgi Hwinallimyeo, he used the money acquired from the job to buy gum and sold it to a female employee at a supermarket.

2001 was the year SM Entertainment held its second singing competition, so Jaejoong gave it his very best and passed the auditions, as well as winning the best looking award, not to anyone’s surprise. Debuting as the third member of 동방신기, he chose the stage name Young Woong (Korean)/Hero (English), because he wanted to be the hero of Asia. The main vocal first came off as mysteriously chilly and distant. But his cold stare and pouty lips were actually misleading signs that in actuality, suggested his ultimate shyness. But beyond those hauntingly good looks, he is just your friendly, guy-off-the-street who likes to talk his mind without beating around the bush. He is also very caring and warm towards the members, acting as their second mother, fussing, tidying, and cooking for them.

But not everything is as sweet as it seems. On April 7, 2006 at 1:20 AM, Jaejoong got pulled over in the BMW he was driving by a police officer. His breath test resulted in a 0.071% blood alcohol concentration, so because he violated traffic laws by driving under the influence, Jaejoong had his license taken away for 100 days, in addition to having him temporarily suspended from all 동방신기 activities. He promised never to commit the same offense ever again.

During 동방신기’s Tokyo Dome tour in Japan in 2009, Yoochun and Jaejoong presented their personally arranged and composed duet at the concerts, which later became their new unit’s (JEJUNG & YUCHUN) first Japanese single, "COLORS ~Melody and Harmony~". It was then selected as the theme song for Hello Kitty's 35th Anniversary. With a simple melody that loops and intertwines with touching harmonies, it clearly shows how meaningful it is for them to continue conveying their feelings and thanks to their fans through their love of music.

However, perhaps the most grueling and hardest decision that Jaejoong has made in his life was to file an Exclusive Contract Suspension Injunction along with Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu against SM Entertainment on July 31, 2009. When you're faced with unscrupulous working conditions, unreasonable pay for intense labor, and downright ruthless treatment, what would you do? Because of these reasons, Jaejoong and the others decided to file the injunction to better improve the conditions, but after a myriad of yoyo-like deliberations and fervent discussions. SM's so-called 'pride' and 'esteem' was hanging on the line, so they didn't back down and relent. It was announced in October 2009 and April 3, 2010 that the group activities of 동방신기 would be suspended in Korea and Japan respectively. As the court partially approved the exclusive contract suspension on October 27, 2009, Junsu, Yoochun, and Jaejoong had to freedom to form their own sub-unit, JYJ, in Japan under Rhythm Zone, Avex (April 14, 2010), carrying on with their own promotional activities. On June 25, 2010, JYJ once again filed an exclusive contract invalidity confirmation lawsuit, which confirms their efforts in trying to suspend their entire contracts. Fans and fellow artists are vehemently praying for the day when the 'feud' with SM will finally end, bringing Asia's most beloved and cherished group back into their deserved, positive spotlight.

The bad-boy image is always reserved for Jaejoong, and with his abundant number of tattoos all over his body, that title couldn’t be any more perfect for him. Four worded tattoos cover the expanse of his upper back and roman numerals go down his lower back. On his chest, right above his heart, are two tattoos, one of which is the “Always Keep The Faith” imprint he received together with Yoochun. The other still remains a mystery to fans, who are eagerly dying to know what it is.

On November 11, 2009, ‘Heaven’s Postman’ was released as the first movie of the Telecinema productions. Written by Eriko Kitagawa, Jaejoong’s character is a messenger that has the ability to travel between the present and the afterworld. He meets Jo Ha Na, who is the only person that can see him, as she is trying to send her boyfriend a letter. Furthermore, on April 15, 2010, Jaejoong was invited to be cast in another Kitagawa drama, Fuji TV’s drama ‘Sunao Ni Narenakute’ (Hard To Say I Love You). The 5 characters in the drama meet through Twitter, and from there, their lives unfold in unexpectedly twisted ways that grabs hold of the viewers attention until the very end. Jaejoong portrays a "Doctor", who moved from Korea to Japan with his younger sister and works for a medical equipment manufacturer.

Kim Jaejoong is the legitimate definition of sexy. His rippling muscles, his smooth yet commanding voice, his unforgettable and unique laughter, his delicious sweetness resembling that of an unapproachable cream cheese cake, just like how Sekine-san perfectly described (Sekine Tsutomu: famous Japanese comedian/talk show host. Also a huge 동방신기 fanboy), and most of all, his story encourages people who are hesitant in fighting for their dreams. Despite everything he went through, his ability to reach his dreams proves that deep inside, there lies the soul of a true hero. His daunting center-presence in the group holds together and completes the bright, sparkling constitution of both 동방신기 and Cassiopeia.