LEE JOON GI
THE KWAVE SUPERSTAR
AND
THE CHINA CONNECTION
Lee Joon Gi has stood the test of time. A decade after becoming Asia's sensation with his role in The King and the Clown, Lee is still an
exceedingly popular figure not only in Asia but the rest of the world. Ever since 2005,
he has approached acting with the same passion and vigour in his movies and
dramas. Lee has won even more hearts and gained an even bigger following after his historical fiction drama Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart Ryeo. MLSHR has been a ginormous hit outside of South Korea. But now that he
has soared even higher with his North American movie, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, he has definitely become a global household name.
South Korea’s K-Wave Magazine nailed it when they featured him
on their December 2016 cover (46). They beat SBS to it because the
broadcasting station only awarded Lee Joon Gi their KWave Star Award (Hallyu
Star Award) for MLSHR on 31 December 2016 in recognition of his role in
driving forward the Hallyu Wave. None is surprised that Lee has emerged as South
Korea’s biggest superstar. He has leapfrogged rising pretty boy stars or older stars in
becoming South Korea’s most influential Hallyu star.
At the beginning, other than Japan, Lee has always embraced his Chinese audience. Not long after, his Asian audience grew bigger. But now, he has the world at his feet. Many people may not realise it but Lee Joon Gi seems to be connected closely
to the Chinese and he seems to have a natural affinity with the Chinese
people. They have a history that goes back to 2006.
So, what’s the connection between Lee Joon Gi and China? What
does Lee and China have in common? Good questions. Lee’s Chinese fans can
find common ground in two aspects: his Lee surname and his Phoenix Eyes.
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THE KWAVE SUPERSTAR
LEE JOON GI
AND
THE CHINA CONNECTION
THE LEE SURNAME
Lee’s heartthrob status in Asia originated from
the surge of popularity of his movie, The King and The Clown in 2005. Ever
since then, Lee Joon Gi started drawing the attention of fans from Mainland China
and the Chinese in Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Other than his numerous talents, what has brought
him closer to his Chinese fans is perhaps, his surname.
Lee or Li is a Chinese surname. Lee means
‘plum’ (fruit). It is reported to be a widespread surname in China.
7.9% of the population in China possess this name.
The surname Lee originates from木 (tree) and子(children). It probably suggests the prolific fruits produced by the tree.
Lee, also a Korean surname, derives from the
same Chinese character. It is the second most common surname name in South
Korea. One in every five people has this surname.
According to the Yuanhe Xingzuan, the
imperial Tang Dynasty register of the genealogies of China’s prominent families,
the Li surname has a long history which goes back to Emperor Zhuanxu, who was
the first Li and lived before 2000 BC.
Li was the royal surname of the Tang Dynasty
(618 – 907). Li Yuan was the founder of the Tang Dynasty. About 15 different
emperors had the Li surname. It was said that during the Tang period, Chinese
culture and arts flourished and the country prospered tremendously.
The Chinese plum tree is native to Korea and
China. For the Japanese, the plum is representative of happiness and good
fortune but for the Chinese, it is a symbol of virginity and beauty.
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THE KWAVE SUPERSTAR
LEE JOON GI
AND
THE CHINA CONNECTION
IN PRAISE OF
LEE JOON GI’s
PHOENIX EYES
Other than the Lee surname, a commonality that Lee and the
Chinese share is Phoenix Eyes. This is what Lee Joon Gi, who played the Fourth Prince Wang So in MLSHR, has
in common with Guan Yu, the great Chinese heroic general.
 Guan Yu, a great Chinese general
Guan Yu’s eyes have been described in the 14th-century historical
novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms:
‘….. his
eyes were like that of a phoenix's ….’
Guan Yu is one of the best known Chinese historical figures
throughout East Asia. His stories, in which his deeds and moral qualities
have been lionized, have been passed down the generations.
Guan Yu (died 220 CE) is respected as an epitome of loyalty and
righteousness and was deified as the God of War as early as the Sui
dynasty. He is still worshipped by many Chinese people today in mainland
China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the overseas Chinese communities.
Believe or not, few things in the East are more beautiful than
Phoenix Eyes. Allure or even power lay in those eyes. No question.
Most people who have observed Lee Joon Gi’s eyes have probably
done so from their armchair while watching television or have studied him on
the Internet / his instagram or have pored over his images in publications.
Have you ever been warned not to look Lee Joon Gi square in the
eye for too long if you ever have the chance to meet him in person? Be warned. Do not stare at Lee’s eyes for more than a minute.
How long does he need to cast his spell on you? Less than two
minutes. You would be woozy when you anchor your attention on him or his
image for too long. His heart-stopping eyes will draw you in a little closer
to him. Once you have stared or gazed at them, it is not easy to wrench your
gaze from him. It would not be surprising if you are held hostage by his
eyes. Once he disarms you with his seductive smile, you may not be left with enough working brain cells to think rationally.
Hocus pocus? Set aside your foolish doubts. It may be the year
of the cockerel but don’t be so cocky! You may laugh and joke about it being
a piece of frivolous advice. Many giddy-headed ladies or unbelievers have
tried to challenge the advice. They even try to stare at him and study the
sliver of emotion in those cool eyes or his unrelenting gaze. You can be
sure they’re goners.
If you don’t follow that advice, you might end up obsessing over what he is doing or not doing. If truth be told, you’ll never be
able to unglue your eyes from him ever again.
Have you noticed what Lee Joon Gi's cute angels have been doing? Do you realise that even intelligent ladies act out of character? What about the silent
majority? They must be busy ogling him in front of their computers or some other
electronic gadgets. Salivating and intoxicated.
Exactly how addicted you are, is a matter of debate. The scale
of addiction of his world-wide fans is not difficult to imagine.
It has never occurred to some that the spell is in his Phoenix Eyes. Be
open to that possibility. With that in mind, the trick is - never look at him
or his eyes for more than a minute! Look away before your eyes settle on him again.
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THE MEANING
OF
PHOENIX EYES
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
EAST ASIAN EYES
Wang So in Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Phoenix Eyes are an Asian thing. Phoenix Eyes
are so named because they resemble the eyes of the mythical bird, the
Phoenix.
Although nobody really knows what the Phoenix
actually looks like, in East Asia, Phoenix Eyes are considered the most
beautiful East Asian eyes and the perfect ones are believed to be rather rare.
THE PERFECT PHOENIX EYES
The
Chinese who compare Lee Joon Gi’s eyes to the beautiful eyes of the
legendary, mythical fire-bird, the phoenix, also describe his eyes as unique or
intriguingly unusual.
Lee Joon Gi has been called the Phoenix-eyed
god, so what is the perfect Phoenix Eye shape?
THE HEAD OF THE PHOENIX
The skin fold on the lower eyelid at the inner
canthus of Lee Joon Gi’s eyes is striking. It is shaped like the head of the
Phoenix.
THE TAIL OF THE PHOENIX
The outer canthus of the eye is slightly lifted like
the tail of the Phoenix.
NOT ALL PHOENIX EYES ARE EQUAL
Let me clarify this point: Many may claim to
have Phoenix Eyes but not all Phoenix Eyes are equal. Would it sound biased
if one were to say that Lee Joon Gi’s Phoenix Eyes have no equal. It is a
simple equation. Lee Joon Gi equals beautiful and perfect Phoenix Eyes.
Lee’s eyes may not be big but the length of
his eyes make his eyes rather unique. His eyes appear to be uncommonly
longer than the eyes of most people.
THE X-FACTOR
According to Chinese Face Reading, it seems
that people with Phoenix Eyes have the X-factor and are highly charismatic.
Men with Phoenix eyes project style, elegance,
and sensuality. The unique eye shape reveals not just ambition but also,
intelligence.
Such men are essentially ‘woman magnets’ as the slight
upward lift at the outer corner of their eyes gives them a sexy,
come-hither look.
It is reasonable to believe that the recent surge
of interest in Lee Joon Gi from people especially women outside of Asia is
due not only to his multiple talents but also due in no small part to his
Phoenix Eyes.
It seems such eyes tend to attract people of
calibre much more easily than any other eye shape. Now you should be able to figure out why Lee Joon Gi is so popular.
Some people have also described his eyes as Arctic
Wolf Eyes because of the intensity of his gaze. Others have described his
eyes as Cat Eyes probably because the outer corner of his eyes is higher than
the inner corner.
Lee Joon Gi welcomes scrutiny
When it comes to the power of seduction, Lee Joon Gi has many eye tricks up his sleeve.
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LEE JOON GI
AND
HIS CHINESE FANS
Lee Joon Gi has been popular in China since The King and The Clown days in 2005. One thing is sure - Lee will never
outgrow his love for his fans.
His Chinese fans adore him. Their passionate love and enthusiastic support sustain him
year after year.
ANDRE KIM
SHANGHAI FASHION SHOW
2006
AND
MOON LOVERS – SCARLET HEART RYEO
2016 
Andre Kim Fashion Show: Shanghai 2006
In 2006 Lee Joon Gi was one of Andre Kim’s models in a fashion
show in Shanghai. It was obvious that Lee was the South Korean fashion
designer’s favourite and top model as he had been selected to showcase the beautifully
crafted royal Korean costumes.
Lee was mobbed by adrenalised fans when he arrived in Shanghai. Hundreds
of Chinese fans had flocked to the airport and waited for hours for his
arrival. Lee was surprised that his movie, The King and the Clown and his
romantic drama, My Girl, had driven the hallyu wave full-speed into China.
Sneaking off through the back door
His fans also swarmed all over the premises outside the fashion
show venue, and because of the overwhelming number of fans who had jammed up
the area, the security staff had to help Lee sneak out through the back door.
The Fourth Prince and Andre Kim in Bangkok
Being highly favoured by the internationally famous fashion designer, Lee Joon Gi was again invited to grace the catwalk in his 'Andre Kim Fashion Fantasia in Bangkok' in 2009.
According to a Korea Times report dated
05.04.2006 on the Andre Kim’s Shanghai show, Lee Joon Gi was asked about his favourite
attire in the show. What was his response?
‘The black one with yellow decorations. It
makes me feel like an emperor.'’ And, that was ten years ago.
 2006: Lee Joon Gi in his black emperor’s robes with gold decorations       
Indeed, Lee Joon Gi looked like an emperor then.
Wind forward to 2016. And Lee Joon Gi also looks like an
emperor in his historical fiction drama, Moon Lovers – Scarlet Heart Ryeo
which was aired between August and November 2016 in South Korea. As the Goryeon Emperor Gwangjong, Lee Joon
Gi also dons black and gold robes in Episode 20 of the drama. The same
aura surrounds him. He has an air of royalty.
MLSHR is an adaptation of the Chinese novel,
Bu Bu Jing Xing.
Emperor Gwangjong in his black and gold robes in MLSHR
 
However, Lee Joon Gi's Chinese fans would never forget the white
see-through shirt that he wore in that Andre Kim’s Shanghai fashion show. Lee looked masculine and
sexy. The sight of Lee must have sent his fans into a frenzy. Their jaws must
have dropped. Probably they have not yet picked them up off the floor! It was
inevitable that with Lee’s stupendous rise in popularity in China, there
would also be the rearing of the ugly head of jealousy, something that only very popular and famous celebrities have to face.
In 2016 Lee Joon Gi, as Prince Wang So, the Fourth Prince had also flaunted his half-naked torso in the second Episode of MLSHR. Lee’s fans who have grown up with him would
be reminded of the 2006 image of his torso. That must have been another visual feast! Never has Lee
Joon Gi been known to totally cast off his clothes to show his torso in any
drama or movie! Many of the ladies must have swooned over him.
It is said that Moon Lovers – Scarlet Heart
Ryeo had garnered a whooping 2.5 billion views in China! The Chinese audience
continue to be fixated on Lee as he continues to amaze them!
Lee Joon Gi has gone back to China innumerable times for his
fan meets. In 2016, Lee also had some hugely popular fan meets in China when
he promoted his Chinese movie, Never Said Goodbye. He has definitely carved
out his place in China.
 
Never Said Goodbye is a heartbreaking Chinese romance
film directed by Lin Yu-Hsien and also starring Zhou
Dongyu and Ethan Juan. The film was released in China on 9 August 2016.
 
Chinese movie: Never Said Goodbye
OST: For A While sung by Lee Joon Gi
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WESTERN
PERCEPTION
OF
ORIENTAL
EYES
It is disturbing to learn that rigid western
beauty standards or western ideals of beauty have a distressing effect on the people in
the east.
Many Caucasians have looked at beauty
through their own eyes and don’t seem to understand the differences in beauty
standards between the east and the west. The differences could be due to race
and genetics but the East need not subscribe to the standards of beauty of
the West.
Cosmetic surgeons have added to the stress. Why would people with beautiful eyes need to have
epicanthoplasty or undergo cosmetic procedures just to make their eyes look
bigger or ‘prettier’?
Lee Joon Gi’s naturally beautiful eyes have launched a thousand
WOWs that have left his fans breathless! Does Lee need to make any changes?
Even his MLSHR co-star, Kang Han Na, is amazed by his eyes
which she claims to be beautiful and mysterious.
‘He’s really, really beautiful …… At first, I couldn’t look at his eyes directly because they look so mysterious.’
And, Lee Joon Gi is considered to be the most
handsome South Korean star by his fans. Some have even considered his eyes to be South Korea's 'national treasure'.
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Updated
LEE
JOON GI
RESIDENT
EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
AND
THE CHINA CONNECTION 
Lee Joon Gi - Resident Evil: The
Final Chapter
Although the world economy is in dire straits, and movie profits are not so promising, the North American movie, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is
still doing well in the East – East Asia and South-east Asia.
But in China, it is explosive. The 2012 box office takings for
Resident Evil: Retribution in China were not that great, about $ 17+ million.
But in 2017, the amount as of now is $94 million. WOW! The box office takings for most movies have dipped because of the economy but the figure in
China has escalated! It has even surpassed Japan, the strongest supporter of
the Resident Evil series in the East.
So, what could be the REASONs? One is undeniably the PRESENCE of the amazing and formidable South Korean superstar, Lee Joon Gi in the movie! He has very strong and deep connections with China.
2017
RESIDENT
EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
BOX
OFFICE IN CHINA
AS
OF NOW: $94 M
26 February 2017
      
A COMPARISON
BOX OFFICE IN CHINA
RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION
(2012)
AND
RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
(2017)
2012
RESIDENT
EVIL: RETRIBUTION
BOX
OFFICE IN CHINA
$17 M
2012: CHINA Box Office
$17,760,312
2012 - Resident Evil:
Retribution
CHINA 2012 Box Office
$17,760,312
2012 - Resident Evil:
Retribution
Updated
2017 RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
 Updated 
28.02. 2017
28.02. 2017
CHINA Box Office
$102,110,000
2017- Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Updated 
07 MARCH 2017
07 MARCH 2017
CHINA BOX OFFICE
$140,070,000
2017 RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
Updated
13 MARCH 2017
 13 MARCH 2017
CHINA BOX OFFICE
$153, 250, 000
2017 RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
Updated
22 MARCH 2017
22 MARCH 2017
CHINA BOX OFFICE
$160, 500, 000
2017 RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
Updated
 
30 MARCH 2017
CHINA BOX OFFICE
$161, 470, 000
2017 RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
BOX OFFICE HISTORY FOR RESIDENT EVIL MOVIES  |