[Article] Transitions Kim Hyun Joong Way

Written by Aprilstarr

*Thanks Ms Aprilstarr for providing us with very good reading materials.  I truly enjoy your works.  

The audience see Kim Hyun Joong, the performer, on the stage, all glamour, all smiles having a grand time , well rehearsed dance moves. The impeccable voice is heard, the all confident stance is unmistakably present. But how was it when the stage was still bare and the audience was not yet there ? 

Move back the time and scenes some more to when it all began..GOING SOLO, pre- Breakdown mini album release. Was it a time of unsureness, insecurities, doubt and loneliness, more work than ever before? Though there were people around but it felt no one was there.When early mornings were colder than usual and the nights felt so long and it was so dark, it seemed everything else wasn’t going anywhere? He must have felt all by himself. This is the underside of the perfect performance.

Like having the first born the passage to go SOLO came with pain, the first blood, the first angst . The questions hung over his head when it will be over, when does the agony end, when will the rewards be forthcoming? But he must have declared to himself he is winning this battle no matter what. The stress had been overwhelming Kim Hyun Joong wanted to shave his head -similar to change of one’s physical looks upon entering the rite of passage. The former self must be left behind. His momentary surge of emotion did not lead to extreme hairstyle but had cut his hair nevertheless. He also did liminality or hid himself from the public view while undergoing the solo dance music preparation.

The rite of passage are ceremonies one goes through as transitions are made from one condition of life to the next. Call it the process one undergoes in moving from one major life events to another like birthdays, adolescence, adulthood, graduation,having a first job, marriage,having children then finally death. The moving from group performance to doing SOLO is a big leap given that it was a paramount personal decision of adulthood. It was a major event for Hyun Joong if you understand where he came from and the context of that decision.

For Breakdown album making Hyun Joong went through all the works aka stages -the concept, the songs , the recording, the choreography, the practices ,endless practices, then the shooting of the videos with repeated takes after takes. It was must have been tough as hell judging from Hyun Joong’s disclosures that he and the Artmatic members have all gotten sick on the side.

Finally, Kim Hyun Joong emerged in his full glory with the music videos of Please and Breakdown under his belt. His ordeal was finally over. Or was it? There was another hurdle to make or break -his public presentation. Was the public ready to hear his music and see the transformed Kim Hyun Joong live ? The new and improved Kim Hyun Joong ? The image and his music video which he later described as manly and dark for Breakdown had drawn raves and some rant. He had short black hair, leather outfit with man cleavage, rows of thick chains on his neck, and encased legs in shiny fabric completed with boots. He simply rocked with dark glasses which gave him that nonchalance air. In short, he looked cool with a brag worthy body without trying hard.

The music video for Please, on the other hand, he himself noted pleased the officials of his company but later ironically displeased the South Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and imposed its ban on it. Kiss,Kiss showed a gentle and sweet,lovable guy blonde Hyun Joong. Can’t satisfy all it seems until his awards showed he had been given the seal of approval by several South korean music awarding bodies.As another twist to this story, Hyun Joong won his case of appeal on the ban on Please.

Doing the Lucky Guy mini album must have been not as “painful” as the first album. Was it a case of the second time around knowing all the rules of the game? But just the same, the work that resulted showed almost flawless extravaganza and more. It earned its bragging rights as Hyun Joong added dazzling new steps and showed them off in special music events and festivals . Perhaps to spice up Hyun Joong’s saga another ban came this time for Lucky Guy but we haven’t heard yet if Hyun Joong’s company made an appeal for its lifting this time.

Many album sales, showcase, Japan tour, more,more awards later, then debuting in Japan as solo artist , an avalanche of interviews, TV and radio guestings, being in countless magazine covers,CF’s – Kim Hyun Joong’s transitions his way is already a fait accompli- irreversible and cannot be undone.

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