Thursday, September 17, 2009

JaeBum on going back to Korea, “Yes, but I’m not sure”






A Korean news site ISPlus ran an article recently on a family friend of 2PM JaeBum.


This family friend, Mr Kim recently met with JaeBum’s family for a family dinner and comforted JaeBum. He asked JaeBum if he wants to go back to Korea and JaeBum’s answer was, “Yes, but I’m not sure”

I am a parent of someone that is close to Jaebum’s age. Watching what has been happening these past few days, I have built up some confidence to say a few words.

I have been business partners with Jaebum’s dad in Seattle and am a Korean-America who has been living here for 30 years. I have known Jaybum since he was a little kid and have watched him grow throughout the years. Also my kids have been going to school with him since pre-school and so they are quite close. Thus, I think I know a lot about Jaebum’s family.

Jaebum’s house in Seattle is near a beach called Edmonds and is in a prospective middle-class neighborhood. This house has been built for 40 years, but Jaebum has lived here ever since he was born for over 20 years.

In the parking lot aren’t BMW’s and Lexus’s, but rather there are cars that are about 5-10 years old. Just recently they just leased a car from Hyundai Dealershop for an Elantra, but after Jaebum’s situation, they had to return it.

In their house is a 37 inch Sony TV that has been there for 10 years. All the computers in their house are very old and about to break, and the best computer they have is a notebook that a fan had bought for Jaebum.

The reason i am telling you all this is because I wanted to show you how Jaebum’s family life style is not fake nor ostentatious, but rather humble and normal for a middle-class family.

After Jaebum came back from Korea, about 2 days later Jaebum’s dad told Jaebum that he should study music and went out and sweating from the weight of the it, bought and brought into the house a 15 year old electric Yamaha piano that was $300 just for Jaebum.

Without any complaint, Jaebum took and practiced with that piano,a nd thinking of how I bought my son a Roland piano for $5000 made me so embarrassed.

On Friday night Jaebum’s dad and I got together to drink some beer and talk until 3AM, and all of a sudden tears dropped from his eyes and he began to share. He felt so bad for Jaebum.

For the past 5 years, no one knows how much Jaebum suffered from frustration and hard work, and so many times when he so much wanted to go back to Seattle, he always fixed his mindset and practiced for long hours, but now right as he gained so much popularity, he escaped to Seattle in just 4 days, and that really breaks my heart.

Coming home from Korea, for those long hours on the plane, how much did he have to suffer and think in his mind?

In the beginning of August, I remember when Jaebum came to Seattle for a quick visit. Because Jaebum’s immature younger brother was not listening to him, I remember what Jaebum said to him.

“I want to go out and meet my friends like you and go out and have fun like you but do you know why I am going through all of this and working hard? It’s because of you and our parents! Why can’t you be more thoughtful of what you do!”

In the car I asked my daughter who is the same age as Jaebum “Yuri! What does ‘Korea is gay’ mean?” “It means that Korea is stupid or annoying, we say it when we’re tired or annoyed”.

Even when my daughter and I fought when she went through her teenage years, she used the word ‘hate’ a lot. “Dad i hate you!” Just because she said that would i have to kick her out of the house?

During that time, I believe that Jaebum did not understand the Korean culture, and had a hard time adjusting, while the people who translated what Jaebum said on his Myspace translated in a very wrong way because they don’t know that that is just how teenagers speak in America.

I don’t understand how what he wrote as a teenager has anything to do with betraying Korea in any way.

How can someone who really hated Korea work so hard for their family so they can live better lives?

Us Korean-American’s do not see America as a place just for money. We think of America as a new start where we have more opportunities, while our hearts are still with Korea and we want Korea to thrive.

During the 2002 World Cup instead of watching it at home my friends and I went to a sports bar and watched it in order to spread interest in Korea and soccer. When Korea put in a goal we all screamed for joy and the American people who had no interest in Korean soccer seemed interested.

Even during the WBC, instead of watching the Major League we urged the Americans to watch Korea’s games and those people who have Nokia phones and not LG or Samsung, we went and talked to them on why they wouldn’t use a good Korean phone.

Don’t these little things show how much pride we have for Korea? Even more than the pride of those overseas, we feel like we have a lot of pride in our country. Because of what a teenager wrote 4 years ago, i don’t think that it was right to accuse and point fingers at Jaebum when he didn’t mean anything like that, and cause him to be kicked out of Korea. That is not called having pride in our country.

Everyone, I urge you all to take a step back and think of what has happened in the past week, and also i urge you to have a big heart and embrace our young Korean-American who is trying so hard to live out his life and give him another chance.

I am not asking for you to put out a red carpet for him, but all I ask is for you to help Jaebum not feel embarrassed or guilty anymore, and instead help him think more comfortably and have a warm heart for him.

During these past few days when the netizens said biting remarks about Jaebum, I want to say thank you to Boom for standing up for him and being brave. Boom still calls Jaebum everyday to check up on how he is doing.

Right now, Jaebum’s parents are in panic mode, and do not pick up the phone if it not someone they know.

Jaebum visited his old break dancing studio when a black kid recognized him and put a camera up to his face and so he had to hurry up and just go home.

He hasn’t even been able to go to the church he went to all his life because he’s still embarrassed and guilty and disappointed in himself, so he hasn’t been going out anywhere and just been staying home.
Seeing all of this, i feel so bad for him and am heart broken.

Last Saturday, my family and Jaebum’s family went to a friend’s Chinese restaurant in order to brighten everyone’s mood. Although he wasn’t jumping for joy, being his first dinner outside since he came to Seattle, we had a good time and Jaebum’s mood got a little better and more comfortable.

I asked him “Jaebum, do you wanna go back to Korea?”

“yes..but I’m not sure.”

original source : isplus
translation : JIHYE@2oneday

Credit to: Daily K Pop news

* After reading this long article... I guess everyone should by now open their eyes, ears and heart . Instead of trying to figure out what does this young boy have in his mind 4 years back, they punished him for being who he is.

It's not everyone fault but some people need to learn the human language...



10 comments:

  1. could you please tell jae bum that a lot of people still have his side, and there's nothing to be embarassed to! he has the RIGHT to nag or whatsoever..

    CHEER UP! do whatever you like, you're talented and those talent can't be wasted for a bunch of shallow-minded like those netizens..


    Amanda

    nb: hope to hear your comeback anytime soon ;)

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  2. hi, my name is jeeyoung park. this is both my korean and american name. i just want to say, thank you so much for posting this.it relieves me to know jaebum knows someone like you. ive been trying to look for jaebum on facebook, myspace, and even twitter. i am such a big fan. i support him no matter what. i live in california, and have watched him online and on tv. i was in such shock when i heard he left. personally, i dont think its a big deal that jay said korea is gay. it was a personal convo with his friend. we shouldnt be judging him. could you please tell jay to cheer up?
    -my myspace is myspace.com/jeeyoung_park.
    -facebook is http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1399913026
    if you have any of these, please add me!
    and tell jaybum i love him and i support him! DONT BE EMBARRASSED ANYMORE AND BE PROUD OF YOU ACCOMPLISHMENTS. DO WHAT MAKESYOU HAPPY!

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  3. i feel proud of him in some sorta way.He's a good guy and an aweomse singer. Tell him to cheer up.jay bum foreva.2pm foreeva

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  4. h~i,jaebum. my family,we are all your fans.there are no more people who misunderstand you.you are such a good person,as you know.be strong and confident for you,your family and even your fans.pretty soon,we want to see you as a LEDEJA.

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  5. sylvia eunhae ChoSunday, October 25, 2009

    it was so heartbreaking reading this.. i'm a big fan of Jay's and I hope that he's living his life well right now and recover mentally fully, cos i know he's been through alot, and how hard it must've been for him in korea alone during his teens up until now. I'm glad to hear that he's found some peace of mind, and smiling.. hopefully that smile little by little adds up to become a laughter. Jaebum oppa..

    love sylvia =D hehe

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  6. can you just tell jae bum that God loves him thats all i ask and i m so proud that he is also half american like me so yeah i hope he starts to see the good side of life again where he can laugh and have fun thank you

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  7. Haiz... After reading this, my heart feel feep pain... I really love JaeBum so much... But when can he come back??
    When i read this,“I want to go out and meet my friends like you and go out and have fun like you but do you know why I am going through all of this and working hard? It’s because of you and our parents! Why can’t you be more thoughtful of what you do!”I feel so hurt... JaeBum was too miss his family. Even what he said is wrong but he is still the leadja of 2PM... The only ledja of 2PM in my heart.. Support JaeBum...

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  8. Hi My names Nicole I live on a small Island Called Aruba In the Carribean U moved here 2 years ago From a Difrent Island And at fist I hated it I felt just like U ...It's Normal We miss Our Friends And Home Everything What Jay did Was Normal I mean Come on It Was 4 Year Ago He got used To Korean Costumes And language He did So much 4 The Country and 4 him to be chased out like that because of somthing he wrote 4 years ago ...Jay we Love U I'm there nothing 4 u 2 feel guilty about Feel free to be who u want don't let them have power over u we Love sooo much hope u make an even Bigger appearance and Shock This World !!

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  9. hello, my name is syirah or my korean name sun hee. i really like 2pm and jaebum, i hope he could smile more and laugh more and i hope that he could gather his courage to stand up for himself and not listen to anybody who despise him and maybe just maybe, even if its the last time, i just hope that he could once again sing with 2pm. i really wanted to see him smile, laugh, cry, doing silly stuff with his boys and i really want to see he hug chansung, junho, wooyoung, taecyeon, junsu and nichkhun and lastly, i wanted him to know that once a leader always a leader because nothing could take his spot from 2pm. if one day, 2pm did found a new leader it will not be the same because jaebum is not there to make 2pm perfect and one last thing, JAEBUM!!! put your head up, look at the sky. do you see the blue sky, one day you and your boys will fly freely like the birds and not a single person can stop you and 2pm.

    sincerely,
    syirah or sun hee.

    ReplyDelete