Singles Korea: Scrumdiddlyumptious Lee Joon Gi

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SEASONS CHANGE  AND  WARDROBES MORPH The winter highlight of South Korea’s newest magazine, Singles Korea, is Lee Joon Gi, the most scrumdiddlyumptious or the most delicious South Korean. He appears in their November issue. Winter may come but Lee Joon Gi, is already soaring all over the world like an eagle, now that his current drama, Moon Lovers – Scarlet Heart: Ryeo has made it big internationally. The seasons change. Trends and wardrobes morph but the emphasis of Singles Korea is keeping comfortably warm. In this shot, Lee Joon Gi opts for practical winter clothing in solid colours. Despite that, he looks splendiferous in his comfy oversized coat. In fact, he actually makes the coat even more classy and more expensive than it actually is. Lee poses against the mounted ceiling to floor brownish backdrop which blends with the colour of his loose coat. In all manner of a supermodel, Lee Joon Gi covers his face up with the collar-lapels of his brown knee-length winter coat which consists of a blend of wool and leather. Peek-a-boo! His eyes peek out, his hair tumbling stylishly over his forehead. The coat is matched with a pair of fitting black trousers and dark brown boots. Lee is no vampire this year. If he had covered himself with his cape last year while shooting for his saguek drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’, one would think of a sexy Dracula who has hidden the lower half of his face with a cape. But, this year Lee Joon Gi plays a wolfdog prince, Wang So, who covers his face in a half-mask.  Likewise, Lee, in the pose of his drama persona, adds a dash of sex appeal by hiding his face with his coat. Seen in this light, his pose turns out to be startlingly fresh, interesting and unique. One must not forget that Lee has his own special brand of charisma and aura that swirl invisibly around him, something that is oddly lacking in actors modelling for fashion magazines. So, what can one say? Lee Joon Gi always poses like a professional supermodel. Well, once an awesome supermodel, always an awesome supermodel. Lee Joon Gi should receive an award for being such an awe-inspiring supermodel.

THE WOW FACTOR Wow. Nothing spells out sexy more than Lee Joon Gi in leather jackets. In this shot, Lee Joon Gi is bringing sexy back to winter in black, brown and grey. He leaves viewers in awe with his absolutely stunning masculine and sexy look. Lee wears a dark grey shirt which is layered over by an unbuttoned dressy, slim-fit brown leather biker jacket with zippered sleeves. Lee spices up his look with a pair of fashionable charcoal, slim-fit pin-striped trousers, a style borrowed from formal business attire. With one hand in his trouser pocket, he assumes the mien of a Metropolitan Man who leans forward at an angle and touches his chin in gesture replicating, in exact detail, an act of himself gazing composedly and studying his appearance in the mirror. ‘Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the sexiest of us all?’ Lee, as every fan can imagine, is certainly not a regular human bean. Obviously, he looks out of this world because he is the Moon and the Sun, so, his look is totally a delicious ‘WOW’. New admirers can now fully understand why Lee Joon Gi is the most scrumdiddlyumptious man in South Korea!

CHOCOLATE TREATS Lee Joon Gi is almost caught in the delicious state of undress. He is seen either buttoning or unbuttoning his brown long-sleeved shirt which is tucked into his greyish-brown trousers.  Such a simple yet stylish outfit! It is beyond comprehension why the simple act of Lee buttoning or unbuttoning his shirt is so sexy. Throw a coat over this South Korean hunk and he should be ready for his high-fashion winter walk. And he would not look any less sexy.

SOUTH KOREA’S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR The most scrumdiddlyumptious South Korean There is no available information on the interview with Singles Korea yet but since this is a singles magazine presumably featuring bachelor boys and bachelor girls, the all-important question would inevitably crop up. ‘Does Lee Joon Gi have a girlfriend?’ Lee Joon Gi would tell every curious interviewer who asks that very important question that he is baeless (lacking a bae), that is, he is without a romantic partner. He has also been asked in many interviews since his overnight fame in 2005 about the type of girl that he is interested in. His answers should have been varied. But he had divulged that he had his first kiss during his high school years. He also had a girlfriend after he became an overnight sensation but they parted probably due to his work. It would be a slow process to trawl through all the tons of interviews for detail information but it seems that Lee likes strong and intelligent women. He has not elaborated on it so it is not that clear what that means. It seems intelligible enough yet it is vague and ambiguous. It is up to every interested female to interpret it. He has also stated that he does not mind a mate who is a few years older than him. In one recent interview, he said that he would only get married at 38 (Korean age). He who is made in 1982. How can fans possibly forget that? And, he is already 35 years old (Korean age). Three more years to go. And he has been working non-stop. However, when he is 38, it would not be surprising if he announces that he is going to marry at 50 years old! It is going to be a long wait for ardent admirers unless he stops to smell the roses. In the past, there were rumours about his relationships with certain female celebrities. He and his agency had vehemently denied them. Lee, himself, would certainly not fork out any information concerning his private life. He would only reveal his marriage plans when he is ready for his wedding day. Lee Joon Gi has been making a buzz in the industry for more than 10 years. None can hold a candle to him. It is heartening news that he is spreading his wings globally unlike many Korean stars of his generation who have not lasted that long. The key to longevity is not just good looks but also talent, versatility, passion, charisma, charm and determination and Lee Joon Gi is not short on those. But, these do not mean a thing if one does not have the X factor. So, what is his X factor? One has to question him. Lee Joon Gi had redefined the word, ‘Handsome’. Many are transfixed by Lee’s perfect Asian looks. Does it matter that he does not have western looks? He is unlike any other. He has those gorgeous and unique Phoenix Eyes and Cupid Bow Lips that have captivated his admirers and set pulses racing. His ears are big and in Korea and elsewhere in the East, big ears are a good sign. One can hear fortune calling. His well-defined and chiseled jawline has also been widely admired.  Lee was once asked in an interview concerning his facial feature that he liked the most. He disclosed that he was proud of his nose. But in recent years he may have realised that his best feature is his pair of eyes. He has been dubbed ‘The Phoenix-Eyed God’. And, Lee looks better with age. Prefection must now be given a name: Lee Joon Gi. The Phoenix-Eyed God: Is that the thousand-mile stare or an intense wolfdog stare? Lee Joon Gi is undeniably Korea’s most eligible bachelor at the moment. Many of Lee Joon Gi’s millions of adoring international fans have moved from casual to fanatical. They are cropping up in increasing frequency everywhere and leaving a lot of interesting messages, love notes, artwork etc on his facebooks, website and elsewhere. His Instagram has 1.1 million followers at the moment. There is a huge outpouring of support for him. Many tease him endlessly. Some leave hilarious comments. Quite a number are flirtatious. Others share comforting words with him. Many just want the best for him. And of course, some declare that they love him to the moon and back, and plenty of them offer to marry him. He is spoilt for choice. This emperor certainly has a ginormous harem of ladies just waiting for him to ‘Say Yes’.

SINGLES KOREA November 2016 (Edited) As expected, the all-important question about Lee Joon Gi’s marriage plans was asked in the Singles Korea magazine. It goes without saying that this question is an enduring staple that has to be asked by all media interviewers. Lee’s much-awaited response is that his career as an actor is more important. His priority is not just to perform well as an actor but also to consistently maintain his popularity. Sometimes, Lee feels a wee bit frustrated. Despite the overwhelming positive response of the international audience towards his current saguek drama, Moon Lovers – Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, he feels that the drama ratings are not that satisfactory on home grounds. ‘It's not just the issue of performing well as an actor. I’ve mulled over how I can be consistently favoured by the public.'

MLSHR: Lee Joon Gi - South Korea's Numero Uno Actor

LEE JOON GI

SOUTH KOREA'S

NUMERO UNO ACTOR

MLSHR: EPISODE 4

LEE JOON GI: GLOBAL RECOGNITION Lee Joon Gi has proven himself to be South Korea's Numero Uno actor in his drama Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart: Ryeo.  He has conquered the hearts and minds of the international audience and garnered global recognition for his acting prowess and versatility. Tumblr’s tool to measure the most popular fandoms His current drama, Moon Lovers – Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, is an instant success overseas. The drama would not be the same without Lee Joon Gi as the leading character. He has these characteristics that continue to transfix all his fans: inexplicable charisma, endearing charm, enormous talent and expressive, gorgeous Phoenix Eyes. Lee, a living legend, proves that he is more than just a gorgeous face by his excellent portrayal of the savage prince Wang So who, fortunately, has many likeable and redeeming qualities. In Episode 4 of his current saguek drama, Lee inhabits his role as Prince Wang So and brings the tormented Fourth Prince to life.

THE BACKGROUND THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON THE CROWN PRINCE THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE IS RAZED TO THE GROUND (Episode 3) https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ7MReuj4J1/?taken-by=actor_jg In Episode 2, Empress Dowager Yoo, the mother of Prince Wang Yo, Prince Wang So and Prince Wang Jung has been planning with several others including her eldest son, Wang Yo, to depose of the Crown Prince, Wang Mu. Wang Yo She wants Wang Yo to assume the mantle of the Goryeo Crown Prince. The murder attempt is carried out during the Narye Cleasing ritual, a Shamanistic dance rite. The bid for the Crown Prince position turns out to be a blunder and is quashed. Wang So suspects that the assailants are mute monks from a Buddhist Temple, whose patroness is Empress Dowager Yoo. Their existence is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. He has yet to know what has transpired between his royal mother and the monks.  The warrior-monks are mute as their tongues had been sliced because of their unforgivable sins. Though they could not utter a word, they could still be a threat to the queen were they linked to her. Moreover, the powerful abbott of the temple who has brought the monks under his wings, is not a mute and could prove to be a Sword of Damocles hanging over her head. For Empress Dowager Yoo, it is an uneasy alliance. Wang So, the Fourth Prince, a hostage held at Shinju for umpteen years, has just returned home. From a very young age, he had been deprived of parental love, care and protection. In Episode 3, knowing of his mother’s involvement in the assassination attempt, he shudders to think of what might happen to his mother should her involvement in the murder attempt be discovered. Being obsessed with his mother and desperately craving maternal love, Wang So is in a moral dilemma, mulling over his plans to exterminate his mother’s allies. He is not going to bring the temple residents to heel but to completely vanquish the mute monks and raze their temple to the ground. Without his mother’s knowledge, the Fourth Prince takes matters into his own hands. He moves quickly to silence the temple residents. The challenge of annihilating the temple of the mute monks is a test of Wang So’s martial arts skills. It is the survival of the fittest and the sneakiest. When he strides stealthily into the silent temple, he knows the monks are not ready for him. But when they surrounded him with their gleaming swords in hand, he knows it is a death match. He is a single warrior pitted against the entire swarm of warrior monks, and when they charge at him, he races into the thick of it. Now and then, as they swing their gleaming blades in his direction, he leaps out of their reach. There are many of them but fleeing is never a option. With the speed and strength of a wolfdog, he mows the temple residents down singlehandedly with his amazing fighting skills. He whips out mega blows and throws them off balance. It is a world of kill or be killed, and Wang So has the ferocity of a raging wolfdog. He inflicts heavy damage. Blood sprays everywhere and flavours the air. All, including the abbot, are killed. When the temple burns to ashes, the threat dangling over his mother’s head is removed. It seems as if the monks deserve death because they are a threat to his royal mother. He has effectively erased all traces and connections which tie her to the assassination conspiracy.

LEE JOON GI THE NUMERO UNO ACTOR EPISODE 4 WANG SO THE MAKING OF THE RUTHLESS FOURTH PRINCE OST: Forgetting You by Davichi  Fresh from his killing spree at the temple, Wang So strode with silent determination towards his mother’s bed. It was a security breach but it was not clear how Wang So was able to gain access to his mother’s private chambers. Being able to walk unopposed into the queen’s chamber clearly exposed the weakness of the security system of Empress Dowager Yoo’s quarters. Awakened by his presence, the startled queen demanded to know his identity. ‘It’s me, Mother,’ he revealed himself. Being fearful of his ill-intentions, his horrified and greatly incensed mother admonished him. ‘How dare you come in here! Emerging from the shadows, he inched his way forward to reveal his blood-soaked body and sword. He was covered with congealed blood. His glazed eyes and firm lips clearly laid bare his determination. She asked him to clarify his motives. ‘Why’re you here?’ ‘Do you know what I’ve done for you? One cannot but recognise the flush of pleasure in Wang So’s voice. When he boastfully hissed, ‘I’ve made sure none can kill you,’ his confidence and joy revealed his warped sense of his own importance.   Wang So’s teeth gleamed in the dark like that of a wolfdog’s. His face looked ghoulish and sinister, and so did his eyes. Grinning gleefully, he bragged with unflagging gusto about having successfully erased any links of the Cown Prince’s murder attempt to her. He did not narrate his murderous encounter to his royal mother but the viewers are familiar with his savagery which he had demonstrated Episode 3. There was no moral reason for the horrendous killing of the mute monks but he did it for her sake, and he was not, in the least, remorseful. He harboured a burning desire for her maternal love and craved his mother’s acceptance of him.  The viewers shudder at his joyful expression which turns out to be as scary as that of a growling beast. ‘You didn’t kill them all, did you?’ It was just a rhetorical question. His mother already knew that he had killed all of them but she would learn later that he had razed the temple to the ground. She was fortunate to have gotten away with treason against the Crown Prince but she was unimpressed with Wang So’s utter devotion to her. Her son had been desperately trying to find some common ground between them so as to mend their relationship but it did not take him long to figure out that it was futile. She cawed, ‘Do you think I’d tell you that you’ve done a marvellous job?’ His refrigerator mother had no intention of thanking him. She continued to berate him in a voice that cracked like a whip. ‘Do you expect me to ask if you’ve injured yourself?’ In her searing rebuke, she demolished any shred of confidence he might have by comparing him to an animal. The savage imagery dehumanised him and reduced him to the level of a beast. Fingers of ice could have trailed down his spine as his body stiffened slightly. Her frosty implication that she did not care a hoot about his physical wounds served further to deflate his ego. She had emerged from the assassination attempt with her reputation intact but he had sullied his own with the blood of the mute monks and yet, he had gone unrewarded. He must have flinched but his face underwent only a slight transformation when his smile left his face. Any hope he had nursed of being on the receiving end of his mother’s love was short-lived. It was made crystal clear that he would never savour her love. Then, coloured by her prejudice, she callously bellowed at him to leave her presence. He dropped his gaze for only a second. She told him in no uncertain terms that he stank of the pungent, acrid smell of blood which was preventing her from sleeping. She was transparent in her remarks - she could not wait to distance herself from him. It was self-evident that she was unable to accept her son’s deed of the devotion and loyalty. Could her deeply embedded guilt of abandoning him many years before make her even more resolute in pushing him away? Shocked by his mother’s cruel response, he swallowed hard. Tears welled up in Wang So’s eyes. It seemed then that the wretched little boy in him had emerged. Overwhelmed by his mother’s cruelty, he cried pitifully and pathetically, ‘It was for you, Mother!’ He, in his childlike way, was hungry for her love. His childhood had probably disappeared too early when he was with the Kang clan. His body quaked, his childish feelings spilling over. The Dowager Empress promptly disclaimed being his mother. Her voice dripped with malice as she shrieked. ‘Mother, Mother, Mother. Hearing you call me ‘Mother’ makes my skin crawl!’ How would one describe Wang So at that very moment when she revealed her utter disgust for him? Broken, bitter, troubled, mentally tortured, screwed and confused. His blood must have turned cold. That pretty summed up his ‘motherless’ life. ‘I do not wish to see you, so go! Go now!’  She looked away swiftly. But Wang So was such a sucker for punishment. Unintimidated by his mother’s harsh words, he stayed put. ‘I’ve always been curious about your feelings, Mother. Why is it that you don’t have any sympathy for me?’ ‘If you are my mother, you would care if I were injured. Why is it, Mother, that you avoid my eyes? Not even once have you looked at me in the eye!’ Wang So sounded pathetic and forlorn. It was precisely those questions that hit the nail on the head. He was ashen. After being involved in a deadly match against the monks, he must have suffered from bleeding wounds, however sluggish they may be then. Any normal woman would have shown some pity but his mother had not. In reality, the Empress Dowager had long ago callously cut off her mother-son ties. Only Wang So had not realised it. She was probably fearful of looking him in the eye because if she did so, she would be racked with her terrible guilt. And the rising tidal wave of pain and anguish would be reflected in those accusing eyes. Then, she spat out her bottled-up feelings. ‘You’re not my son! You are the son of the Kangs in Shinju.’ The air stood still for a moment. Then, in an accusatory tone, he spelt out the cause of her prejudice and iciness and gave vent to his feelings. ‘You sent me, instead of my older brother, Wang Yo, to the Kang clan to be adopted. But, you continue to ignore my existence. It is because of my scar!’ What Wang So did not expect was when the emotional bombshell exploded, he was completely compelled to excavate his feelings and in the process, he had also dragged his mother’s buried feelings into the open. Pain swept across his face. Wang So tried to hold his tears in check. Distraught and exhausted by his conversation with his mother that was leading nowhere, he dropped helplessly to the floor. He swallowed hard and his jaws twitched. Viewers might not be able to see his eyes clearly in the dark but they could feel and empathise with his frustration and mental torment. ‘Do you know what my life was like with the Kangs?’ Then he confided in her his appalling and harrowing experience at the hands of the barbaric Kang family. Wang So had been sent to be the adoptive son of Concubine Kang, King Taejo’s 22nd consort in Shinju. Her own son had died and Wang So was sent as a replacement son. The reality was, he was held there as a hostage. On one occasion, the Shinju men had thrown him into a den of wolves expecting him to be mauled to death. He spent the whole night fighting and wrestling with the wild beasts whose teeth gnashed hungrily at him.  In his insane rage, he slaughtered them and burnt down the entire mountain. His reputation preceded him. It was alleged that he had also burnt those who had conspired against him.  At the instance when he shook the words from his lips, ‘The revolting stench of burning flesh surrounded my body’, Wang So seemed possessed. He was more bestial than human. One could imagine the physical strength of a man-beast when driven over the edge. A bitter, coarse laugh escaped his lips. Wang So also narrated an incident concerning his mentally-disturbed adoptive mother, Concubine Kang, who had beaten him and locked him up as she could not face the reality of having lost her own son. He had been condemned as an ugly monster and abused.  He almost broke down sobbing as he relived his traumatic and toxic experiences. In this scene, viewers could sense that Wang So had tried to appeal to Empress Dowager Yoo’s maternal instincts. He seemed emotionally and psychologically vulnerable and he was literally begging her to love him as her son. The abominable hurt that he had suffered at the hands of the diabolical Kang family during his formative years had reduced him to the standing of a mere beast. What his very soul craved was his own mother’s love and respect which, so far, had been denied him. But, Empress Dowager Yoo, a deeply flawed, prejudiced and icy-cold mother, would have none of it. She had never pretended to love him and, once and for all, she had decided to shatter any illusions that he might have entertained of savouring her love. ‘A mother would only acknowledge a son who would make her shine. You’re my shame, disgrace and flaw. That’s why I sent you away.’  Her icy-cold voice struck him like an ice pick to his brain. It was a poignant moment suffused with unbounded sadness. The Empress Dowager’s cruelty was beyond understanding and belief. It was self-evident that she was an unstable mother, probably suffering from a borderline personality disorder. She needed no urging to spell out her cruel feelings and her priorities clearly to him. Every word that spilled from her lips speaks volumes about her. He had stepped on an emotional landmine and it had exploded in his face. His mother did not love him and never would. He had no place in her heart and neither was she moved by his feelings of dejection and wretchedness. The sounds of silence must have been very loud. Tears coursed down Wang So’s cheeks unchecked. Empress Dowager Yoo had implied that she was a perfect person and she only wanted physically perfect children. But, in actuality, she was imperfect. Perfection is an illusion. She could not face up to her flaws and her guilt over the scarring of Wang So’s face by her own hands so she had sent him away. The queen had browbeaten her least favoured son. There was no mincing of words. There was also no gratitude nor appreciation on her part for what he had done for her. She had effectively ground him emotionally to dust. Knowing that she held emotional sway over him, the Empress Dowager had raked through his feelings with scathing words. She had systematically ripped his world apart by her caustic words. His eyes were glassy with pain. Having awakened from his mother’s unwavering hostility towards him, Wang So steeled himself to recover quickly from his emotional weakness.  His nostrils flared and he drew his feet up. The Fourth Prince had suffered an emotional reverse. Darkness slithered through his eyes and his mouth curved in silent fury. Then, his eyes blazed like fire. Before the volatile Fourth Prince departed, with a voice that resembled the ragged edges of a knife, he warned her with chilling censure, ‘Today is a day you’ll remember. You’ve severed the ties between us. But I won’t leave. You’ll be forced to look at me!’   A devilish light gleamed in his eyes. At that very moment, outcast or not, he was determined that he would claw his way back into the Goryeo palace if he had too. Does it mean that the psychologically-twisted queen would live to regret it? This remains an open question. But, he implied that he was not going to disappear as easily as she had wished. He would remain in Songak as a thorn in her side and haunt her with his presence.   It dawns on the viewers that Empress Dowager Yoo was incapable of love and compassion for her own son, Wang So. Later, viewers would witness her constantly and mercilessly waging a brutal emotional war against him. What has Lee Joon Gi done to the audience? Undeniably, Lee has made a lasting impression and stamped his mark in the hearts and minds of the viewers with his remarkable performance in this chilling scene between mother and son. His ability to showcase a whole range of emotions especially, his raw emotions and even subtle ones in the demanding role is astonishing. It is difficult not to sympathise with Wang So as he openly struggles with his demons and tries to adjust himself to the reality of his mother’s hatred for him. Lee Joon Gi has brought to life the mentally and psychologically tormented Fourth Prince and he has effortlessly stolen the show in this episode. Park Ji-young who plays the cruel, ambitious and manipulative Empress Dowager Yoo has managed to shock the audience with her acting. They must have shuddered to feel the cruelty of the Goryeon queen.