[REVIEW] 130118 MINE: A Tale of Liberation and Self-Actualization (A Fan Interpretation)

Note : i guess it’s really a long review that i ever read and post. BTW for anyone who visit my place, if you like this interpretation and enjoyed it , If you wish, you can also visit the author’s site (T/N : Lylis site) and thank her personally.

**What follows is merely a fan’s interpretation of the music video. Please leave your thoughts in comment and discussions are absolutely welcomed!

When I first heard that Jaejoong is working on a solo mini album, I was beyond excited. Jaejoong, being my bias for forever and always, has so much potential; I’ve always been torn between wanting him to do more and not wanting him to overwork/burn himself out. As expected, this mini album, “I”, certainly matched my expectation if not went above and beyond. And the music video, oh the music video. I probably died many times over while looping it for hours on end. And here comes an uncontrolled and thus unbelievably lengthy interpretation post on the music video of ‘Mine’ as well as the song itself.

Let’s begin with my first impression.

Like most others, I thought ‘Mine’ was clearly directed at SM, and certainly the media and the public. Much of the lyrics (English translation of the lyrics from JYJ3) speak to what we perceived to have occurred between SM and Jaejoong’s road as a singer. At the same time, it is a statement towards the industry taking over artists’ lives and identities when packaging them for the market. I actually find ‘Mine’ to be interestingly similar to Junsu’s ‘Tarantallegra’. Not only are my initial impressions on their themes alike, the two music videos are comparable in their dark yet powerful aura. However, it was clear from the very beginning that there are so much more than just what was mentioned above in ‘Mine’ – the countless symbols of pain, death, rebirth, salvation and liberation all speak to the fact that Jaejoong is obviously trying to convey something much larger.

After talking (spazzing) with a friend (Jules <3) for hours on end, I have a lot of thoughts to flush out and some discoveries to share. I have encountered difficulty while organizing this post, so instead of listing off the themes as I did with ‘Tarantallegra’, the following is just a mere categorization of what I believe the music video is trying to achieve:

1. The Dual Meaning of the Title ‘Mine’
2. Scenes in ‘Mine’ and Jaejoong’s War Against His Confinement
3. Symbols in ‘Mine’ and Jaejoong’s Desires as well as Goals
4. Growth Instead of Rebirth
5. Liberation and Self-Actualization

The Dual Meaning of the Title ‘Mine’

To begin with, it is very clear that the title holds the possessory meaning of the word. From the lyrics, lines such as “Don’t come here. This is my ocean” and “Don’t block the sun that shines on me” all convey a strong territorial sense. In addition, Jaejoong’s action throughout the music video screams his desire and effort to dominate and to have control over himself, both physically and mentally.

The conventional interpretation of the title is certainly the main meaning it carries. However, I want to boldly propose an additional reading to the title ‘Mine’  – as in an excavation in earth for extracting precious metals and resources, as well as the action of mining. At first it may seem bizarre to think of it that way, as I have doubted myself many times over when I first made the connection, but several scenes and images throughout the music video speaks to this theory.

Prior to the light bulb going on, there was one symbol that confused me to no end: the gemmed skull. It seems like none other than a mere connection to the luxurious and dark concept that Jaejoong was going after for this mini album. However, it made sense if we adopt this explanation of the title ‘Mine’.

Bones, or in this case a skull, is the innermost part of the human body. It is what survives for countless years after one’s death. The jeweled skull here would then logically represent the hidden treasure inside a person, which can be explained as a person’s potential, or “better self”.

Another time that jewels are used to explicitly point out the inner treasures is where Jaejoong is wearing a jeweled mask but has a giant black hood over it – a rather literal representation of  a mine in which the black hood as the dirt is covering the precious gem.

Oh, and that magical moment when Jaejoong’s beautiful bare upper body appeared on my screen. 

In all honesty, my first reaction to the scene where Jaejoong was showing off his tattoos was being relieved that he has finally gained some weight back and then start spazzing everywhere. Ahem, anyhow. It’s long been known that Jaejoong inks himself with important things in his past and present, and he said so himself: “I have engraved on my body things that I don’t want to forget from my life so far, things that have comforted me, and things that I am thankful for.”

The fact that Jaejoong went topless is important, as this is another image of him stripping down to his innermost part, his barest self. In addition, as mentioned before, the things that Jaejoong has tattooed on himself are things he considered to be incredibly significant – apart from the important events (TVXQ, Yoochun and Junsu), he also left marks on his beliefs (Deferto neminem, The pleasures of the mighty are the tears of the poor, A song will outlive all sermons in the memory, etc); and all together, these are essentially Jaejoong’s identity. Faith, similar in meaning as the bones and skull earlier, is the most fundamental essence of a person. Beyond the well-known “Always Keep the Faith”, “Hope to the End”, the one finally revealed clearly in the music video, “Ohne Glauben bist du tot” (German) meaning “Without faith you are dead“, adds more to what I was going for – the music video is portraying another meaning of ‘Mine’, the one that refers to the precious potentials, treasured beliefs, and the better self.

The timing of the previous two scenes in the music video is crucial. Note that they occurred after the chained Jaejoong broke free from the wheel. It is after releasing himself from the confinement could he then begin to examine deep into himself and become a better man. And yes, it links back to the studio teaser.

Scenes in ‘Mine’ and Jaejoong’s War Against His Confinements

Another important aspect of the music video is how closely connected all the scenes are to different stages of Jaejoong’s career as an artist. I was very surprised to see how it practically mapped out Jaejoong’s struggles, determination, and freedom. I’ve found that Jaejoong’s action in the scenes of the music video generally depicts his past and external events whereas the symbols in the music video, which I will go over in the next section, describes his desires and internal beliefs.

As you may remember (who wouldn’t?) , the music video opens with Jaejoong standing in a snowing wintry forest. The trees are bare, there are no signs of life to be seen. Note that the scene in the woods convey a strong sense of desolation, and the expression that Jaejoong had as well as his physical gestures made him look like he is lost and at the same time hunted.

This could be easily interpreted as a reference to Jaejoong’s time under SM.  SM has placed a lot of pressure on Jaejoong’s professional and personal lives during the contract – he was working constantly with very few chances to meet anyone other than his colleagues. In addition, the public and especially the sasaeng fans (excessively obsessive fans) kept an watchful eyes on them constantly. In this sense, the thing that is haunting Jaejoong are the public and SM, and these factors are keeping him away from his family and friends – therefore the desolation. The fact that in the very beginning his eyes look resolute and then the determination slowly fading away is also very important. Linking to the lyrics, the woods signified the “dream” that Jaejoong was in, the fake reality (or poison) that SM subjected him to.

Pay attention to when the Jaejoong in the woods weakened, knelt, and perhaps died. It is after that Jaejoong announced “I will wake up from the dream. Why, do you feel empty?” The fact that the Jaejoong trapped in the nightmare (cast by SM) dies suggests that he is waking up, and taking control of his own fate.

Weaved intricately in between the animals and the previous scene are the moments where Jaejoong is chained to a wheel. In these scenes Jaejoong is wearing a mask that covers his mouth as well as a choker while being confined both physically and vocally. All the related scenes to this particular set up are extremely significant in the music video. I will delve deeper into the props later, but let’s focus on how this series of scenes progresses throughout the music video for now.

In the first few scenes that this set up appeared, Jaejoong was quietly standing, as if tamed. In my opinion, the moments when Jaejoong remains chained all can be referred to his time during SM – being confined, punished, and in more ways than one restricted.

As soon as the verses begin, Jaejoong begins to exhibit his desire to break free from this prison. Pulling violently on his chains, straining every inch of his muscles just to get a few feet away from the wheel, Jaejoong struggles to regain freedom. Note that it is timed so that the majority of the struggles begin with the lyrics “Why does it scream out so loudly?” as if Jaejoong begins to realize that he was being subjected to the “Poison that I am already used to” (previous line).

The first time we see any progress on Jaejoong’s attempt to break free is immediately after the kneeling of the Jaejoong in the woods – the weak and trapped Jaejoong who succumbed to the nightmare has disappeared – the chained Jaejoong has now removed his mask. In addition, he gestures powerfully towards the camera and announces “Don’t come here This is my ocean”, exhibiting control and dominance for the first time. Another important part of this scene is that there is a bright light shining through the wheel. Previously when the camera panned over, it is a  concrete wall behind the wheel, so theoretically there shouldn’t have been any light. However, Jaejoong making progress in releasing himself from his prison could only mean that he is getting close to “the sun that shines on [him]“. And this sudden light signifies such.

Then a few seconds later, when Jaejoong finally broke free of his chains and choker and starts running for his fate. I thought the transition between the two scenes is absolutely brilliant. The swinging of the chain, the clunking sound the choker made when dropped to the ground and the fact that Jaejoong left with resolution and never looked back. These signify that window of time when Jaejoong went into hiatus under SM, and transitioning into finding where he stands as Kim Jaejoong in the entertainment industry, instead of as a part of TVXQ. The scene where he runs through the ravens is perhaps my favorite scene in the entire music video.

The choice of raven here is so clever since both of raven’s symbolic references connect closely with other scenes in the music video. If we take on the other symbolism of ravens as a sign of death, then the later vampire scenes could be explained and linked easily. By running through the ravens, in this case death, Jaejoong is reborn, better and anew.

To connect back to Jaejoong, I believe the vampire represents Jaejoong as a member of JYJ. Vampires are mostly associated with rebirth, and in this case, Jaejoong’s journey as a part of JYJ is essentially a beginning of another chapter of his life as an artist. The vampire is something I would like to save for a later portion, so I won’t discuss it further here.

However, there is one scene where the candle is blown out and, almost immediately, the vampire Jaejoong follow up with putting on fire around the altar. This sequence, from my perspective, is closely connecting with the lyric “Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me”. Let us suppose that the blown-out candles signify the act of SM attempting to block out the sun that shines of Jaejoong, then Jaejoong’s action of putting on fire is essentially saying, “fine, I will supply myself warmth and light.” The fact that JYJ, after being banned on Korean television, turned their eyes to the global stage and fought their own way to the public as well as receiving overwhelming success speaks much to this sequence of scenes.

I have to admit, the scene where the angelic wings slowly extends from the back of the vampire and begins to shed glitter is the only scene that left me stunned and speechless in the entire music video. The whole composition is overwhelmingly beautiful, and a sense of salvation is certainly conveyed. I understood this scene as a reference to the end of JYJ’s lawsuit with SM. Going back to the line “Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me”, a screen of light was directly shining on the winged vampire, which means that Jaejoong is now standing in the light of the public and SM’s control of him is finally over. The action of spreading his wings in this scene can be taken fairly literally – since SM’s pressure and control are over, Jaejoong can now spread his wings and soar.

Symbols in “Mine” and Jaejoong’s Ideals and Desires

Throughout the music video, an extensive amount of symbols were displayed. Interestingly, I’ve read several conspiracy theories on the internet regarding what Jaejoong is trying to convey, and all of them have been fascinating interpretations of the music video but I find some to be slightly outrageous. However, no one could deny that the symbols presented in the music video carry special connotations with them.

In my opinion, the scenes were constructed so that Jaejoong’s actions describe his past while the symbols illustrate his desires and goals.

Let’s start with the animals featured in the music video.

• Owl: Owls are generally a symbol for wisdom and knowledge in most cultures. The first scene of the owl was shot in a fashion that focuses in on its piercing eyes. Combined with their nocturnal habits, owls could be interpreted as Jaejoong’s desire to understand and see through deceptions and facades, which certainly fits with the woods scene in the beginning. The owl also first takes flight during the first verse’s “Don’t come here This is my ocean”, particularly noting the initiation of Jaejoong’s said desire; it also lands after Jaejoong has been reborn (i.e. the vampire scene).
• Black dog: Dogs are perceived to represent loyalty as well as guardianship. Again, the way that the black dog is portrayed in the music video is incredibly important. Note that in all three shots of the dog, the camera focuses on its canine features and nearly vicious features, presenting a powerful and nearly vicious aspect of the animal. This links well with the beginning of the video, where these two shots were weaved in, as Jaejoong began to aggressively  seeking freedom and protecting himself. And thus the dog is a representation of his desire to actively fight for himself.
• Rhinoceros: In South Asian nations such as Burma, Malaysia, and India (where Jaejoong visited not too long ago), rhinoceros are viewed as guardians as legends has it that when a forest fire occurs rhinoceros will come and stomp it out. Similar with the symbolism carried by the dog, rhinoceros take on a more passive protector image instead of the aggressor image like the dog. Rhinoceros, in this case, would signify Jaejoong’s goal of protecting his faith and his identity.

• Ravens: Though I’ve already mentioned the ravens in the previous section, I want to talk about other scenes involving the animal here. As explained above, ravens are associated with nightmares and deaths, and I have linked them with SM as well as the Korean music industry for this post. The first sight the audience has of a raven is immediately after Jaejoong breaking free from the chains – the raven launches itself aggressively towards the camera.

And very soon after, the second time the audience encounters a raven, the camera places a lot of emphasis on its claws. The position that the raven takes on is also very crucial: it is a predatory position with its claws sticking out, ready to dig into the next prey it encounters. These aggressive appearances could be interpreted as SM and the industry’s reaction towards Jaejoong’s awakening – to deny him ways to promote his music, to create difficulties when trying to find sponsors and record companies, etc.

• Snake: Generally a symbol of guardianship, rebirth and poison in traditional cultures, snake presented itself as a symbol that carries multiple meanings in this music video. The rebirth and poison aspects go without saying – they are mirrored in the lyrics and with other symbols such as vampire throughout the music video. The only time the audience encounter a snake (and not a white one) is when it slithers around Jaejoong’s shoulder and neck. I interpreted the snake in this scene as a symbol of guardianship (similar to that of a rhinoceros). Jaejoong did not show any sign of concern or struggle against the snake (props to him for being brave!), and the way that the snake wraps itself around the jeweled mask in an almost protective fashion screams guardianship. Even in the later scene where Jaejoong holds the snake, it was not an act of aggression but examination. Again, like the rhinoceros, the snake here symbolizes Jaejoong’s determination to not forego his faith and his value.

• White snake: In Grimms’ Fairy Tales, there is a story titled “The White Snake” (Wikipedia link). In short, a servant stole a small piece of white snake’s flesh from his master’s plate and discovered that he had the ability to communicate with animals. This may sound a bit far-fetched, but the white snake in the music video slithers on what appears to be a dining table and around dinnerware-like items. And thus, I have interpreted the white snake as a symbol of communication, and it resonates with Jaejoong’s desire to be able to communicate with his fans, as well as the world, freely without any restrictions.

And moving on to the props. I mainly want to cover two significant props in the music video: the wheel that Jaejoong was chained to and the mask he was wearing while chained.

The pattern on the wheel is reminiscent of a bird with fully extended wings. In addition, the bird is illustrated in a fiery pattern which led me to believe that it is portraying the image of a phoenix. Phoenixes are considered to be a symbol of rebirth and bravery in East Asian cultures as they are believed to bathe in fire and rise from their ashes, much like a snake shedding its skin. If we approach the scene where Jaejoong is chained to the wheel from a different perspective, we can say that the phoenix is chained also – to Jaejoong as well as to the cold concrete ground. As Jaejoong breaks free from the wheel, the phoenix is also liberated from its bindings. The phoenix analogy also follows through with Jaejoong’s action in the next few scenes: when Jaejoong runs through the flock of ravens, it correlates to a phoenix bathing in fire, courageously facing its violent challenge; when Jaejoong is reborn as a vampire, it mirrors a rebirth of a phoenix from its ashes.

My first thought towards the mask was that it represents the lack of freedom Jaejoong has with his words. It is a simple explanation and it makes sense as it only covers Jaejoong’s mouth and nose. However, Jules, my dear friend, made a very interesting discovery.

The mask is practically identical to Bane’s mask in the movie ‘The Dark Knight Rises (2012)’.

In ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, Bane was designed to be ”a militant revolutionary portraying himself as a “liberator”…He was originally a member of the League of Shadows, before being excommunicated…the character wears a mask that supplies him with an analgesic gas to relieve pain he suffers from an injury sustained “early in his story”…Bane proclaims that his revolution’s enemies are the rich and the corrupt, who he contends are oppressing “the people”, and fooling them with myths of opportunity.” (Cr. Wikipedia)

In nearly every way, Bane represents Jaejoong’s desire to break free. Bane’s identity as a liberator can be equated to Jaejoong’s deviation from the conventional K-pop idol trend; in addition, in the process of JYJ’s lawsuit against SM, JYJ has essentially liberated numerous idols from the “slave contract” by shortening the maximum duration and improving the conditions of these contracts. The League of Shadows can be taken as the Korean broadcast media, from which JYJ was practically “excommunicated”. Bane’s mask, in the movie, is meant to feed him a pain reliever whereas Jaejoong’s mask can be viewed as a tool that SM is feeding him the poison through so that he could not recognize the pain/condition he was in. Jaejoong’s action of ripping off his mask could then be interpreted as his desire to wake up from this delusional facade and truly feel the pain and perceive the reality clearly. And finally, Bane’s enemies, “the rich and the corrupt” that are oppressing the public and fooling them with an alternate reality, mirrors the media, who are Jaejoong’s enemies in this case, as they also are the ones in power and creating a facade of information to deceive the public as well as directing public opinion so things will play out as they please.

Regarding symbols in the lyrics, the main ones I noticed are Poison, Ocean and Sun. I’ve already covered poison in different sections above (utilize your Ctrl+F if you want to re-read them ^^). With the term Ocean in the lyrics, I was immediately reminded of the Cassiopeia red ocean – which fits in to the possessory meaning of ‘Mine’: It’s my Cassiopeia, it’s my fan club, it’s my ocean.

On the other hand the term Sun is a bit more complicated, I’ve gathered Sun to hold the dual meaning of Jaejoong’s desire for recognition and ultimate freedom. The Sun is what makes things visible and thus one meaning the sun holds is the recognition of the public as well as the ability to promote/broadcast freely. This, along with the line “Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me”, can be directly linked to Jaejoong’s desire for said things.

The fact that only the vampire Jaejoong was able to bathe in sunlight is significant. Traditionally, vampires are believed to be vulnerable to sunlight, thus the vampire Jaejoong should not have been able to bask in the sun. The fact that these two elements, the sun and the vampire, coexist in this scene illustrates Jaejoong’s liberation from his confinements – breaking that final binding and now able to be free without restriction.

Growth Instead of Rebirth

My brain is so fried right now, I apologize for what is about to happen next.

As I have mentioned before, much of the music video conveys rebirth and transformation. I do believe instead of a complete transformation, Jaejoong is attempting to speak about growth while accepting and retaining the past as a part of one’s identity. In multiple parts of the video, the viewers can see how the past has left a mark on Jaejoong and how he carries those things forward with him as he grows.

I’ll begin with the most trivial illustration, the scenes in the middle of the music video where Jaejoong shows off his beautiful body tattoos. Tattoos are generally permanent and a person needs go through a lot of pain to acquire them. As previously mentioned, Jaejoong once said that, “I have engraved on my body things that I don’t want to forget from my life so far, things that have comforted me, and things that I am thankful for.” By inking his past and beliefs onto his body, Jaejoong is literally carrying his past with him as he progresses in life.

Previously I have associated Jaejoong’s chained scenes to his time in SM and how he was confined both physically and mentally. Of course, such restriction will leave marks on Jaejoong – and the music video illustrates this rather clearly. When Jaejoong breaks free from the wheel and unbound himself from the mask and the choker, we can see the deep scars across his forehead and on his cheeks. This close up shot appears yet again after the vampire transformation, showing that the scars from his past with SM remained with him throughout his journey of growth and will accompany him as he moves on.

In the previous section I have mentioned two animals that symbolize rebirth in this video are the snake and the phoenix. It is extremely important to note that neither symbolize rebirth as a fundamental change but a transformation with continuation. Snake’s molting is what make it a symbol for rebirth; however, though it shed its skin, the snake itself does not fundamentally change – it is still very much what it was prior to the transformation. Similarly, as a phoenix bathes fire and rises out of its ashes, its identity remains the same – it carries its past from its previous “life” and grows with it.

One other major scene that supports this theory is that of the vampire. Though vampires are closely associated with eternity, conversely we can consider such eternal life to be a prison, not to mention all the traditional limitations that vampires are believed to have. Among the limitations, sunlight is perhaps the most prominent; and as I have discussed above, it is traditionally impossible for Jaejoong to bask in sunlight as a vampire and the fact that he does means that Jaejoong has broken free from his limitations.

I want to further this idea a bit more by pointing out the fact that Jaejoong did not completely transform into another being and remained this combination between a vampire and an angel. Instead of an utter metamorphosis, Jaejoong retained his vampiric features while growing and evolving to gain his sunlight.

Another important detail that I found is Jaejoong’s wings are not pure white as they should be if they are complete angelic wings – instead the coverts, flesh and bone area of the wing are grey, which are areas closer to his vampiric self – and only the primaries and secondaries, the parts furthest from Jaejoong, are white. Let us suppose that the transformation here is from his vampire form to that of an angel, not only is this transformation extremely gradual, Jaejoong is retaining much of his old self while growing beyond it.

Liberation and Self-Actualization

Throughout the music video, there are undoubtedly countless symbols and meaningful scenes. Overall, Jaejoong is telling a dark, powerful and beautiful tale of liberation and self-actualization. This video traces his determination to break free from the oppression of SM, desire to liberate himself from the deceptive media, to walk his own way and to grow fearlessly. Never throwing away his past, Jaejoong views those chains and limitations as challenges he must overcome and uses them to help him become a better man.

In the process of breaking free, it is often much easier to drop everything in the past and move on to begin a new chapter in life. However, instead of denying and shedding your past completely, you should embrace your identity, regardless of how painful it may be, as you grow and soar beyond the reach of your nightmares.

———————————————–Finally the end of all this madness.

To those who have actually made it through the post, thank you so much for bearing with me. I hope I didn’t bore you with my nearly obsessive dissection of the music video. Please feel free to discuss in comments, I would love to hear what you think! ^^

Cheers,

Lylis (@Knotname)

P.S. Happy early birthday, Jaejoong!

Gifs credit: raiha-kasep @ tumblr

Source : Lylis

Credit : jyjsoul

Jaejoong ever said in his interview with ELLE magazine 2011 when he is became Killer J about the meaning of his tattoo before.

‘as i lived my life until now, the things that i don’t want to forget, the things that i was thankful for, and the things i was sorry about. Those things i’ve articulated into words and have carved them into my body. The one that i’ve put on the front, ‘Always Keep the Faith’ means always keep my principle and beliefs.’ ( 110318 ELLE Movie Still with Jaejoong: Perfect Day )

Video credit : atitude sam + jyjsubs

He also said on his interview with ELLE Magazine on November 2012 

‘As I do more filming activities, more and more people look out for Kim Jaejoong. However, overseas fans skip over JYJ and link me to the past Youngwoong Jaejoong, and of course it’s a bit sad. This is a problem of time so I must work harder’ (Cr. ohmyjunsu )

This is my opinion about his tattoo and his life as JYJ members. Like Jaejoong said in above that Jae’s tattoo is more like something that he don’t want to forget, the things that he was thankful for, and the things he was sorry about. Many people always argue those tattoo especially about his ‘TVXQ’ and his ‘Always Keep The faith’ tattoo. I already follow him since he still became TVXQ members (around 2005) and back then when i heard about the lawsuit, i keep believing that the boys gonna came back to the stage as 5 members, that time i really clueless about the boys real condition but  then i choose my path to be JYJ fans only after i learn about the truth of  JYJ reason for leaving SM and after Junsu also Knee Drop Guru event and  because  the thing that make me feels to fall in love with TVXQ in the past/some feelings that i got from them as 5 when they sang is not in duo TVXQ  but i found those feeling only in  JYJ so basically my interpretation about his tattoo  are like this : many people argue and questioned why he don’t erase his TVXQ tattoo, if he already move on ? he  not do that  because it was part of his past. No matter what happen in the future, TVXQ is his past life that can’t be erased and because through TVXQ, he taste his first popularity as celeb, he learns about many things through experience, anything that made him became like now.  but it’s doesn’t mean that he must lives on his past as a member TVXQ forever, now his life is as a member of JYJ and he want live as KIM Jaejoong not as Youngwoong Jaejoong from TVXQ anymore.

So that’s why in his interview with ELLE on 2012, he is said because  overseas fans skip over JYJ and link him to the past Youngwoong Jaejoong. it’s bit sad for him. I really understand how is his feeling. Among JYJ members, Jaejoong is always the one who became the target from some delusional OT5 and YJ fans. [T/N : i am not saying that all of the people that supported the both party (JYJ and duo TVXQ ) as delusional, The delusional OT5 in my words is mean to the people who keep said ‘always keep the faith’ as the motto that JYJ gonna be reunited with TVXQ someday till make them wish that JYJ lose on their lawsuit  against SM/ AVEX because with the boys lose that mean JYJ gonna returned to be TVXQ  (how come they can be so egoist like that ? they choose the boys to be suffered for satisfied their needs than the happiness the boys…..it’s really ridiculous ) and won’t accept the fact that JYJ already move on, keep calling other name on JYJ event such  Yunho (if that person is YJ fans)  or bring TVXQ stuff  even they know that event was for JYJ (JAEJOONG,YOOCHUN, JUNSU) and not for the other group. I said this because now JYJ and TVXQ already became two different entities and already walk in two different path but i am not blame or hate the people who keep support the both group and respect the boys as them self as JYJ members).

I accept the fact that Jae is ex-member of TVXQ and i don’t denied it also respect it because it was his past life and which make him became like now. I am grateful of that but i won’t life in the past. i want keep my pride as general fans of TVXQ (well more to TOHOSHINKI actually since i started to knew about them during their activities in Japan, and actually i never considered myself as Cassie because that time i only like Jae and TOHOSHINKI’s song). I want keep those  sweet memories in my heart only. Now i already move on with Jae and Yoochun also Junsu. I can said that i proud to become JYJ fans and i called myself as JYJ family, citizen of The Republic of JYJ,JYJers since i started to learn about the members life, join into the fandom, join in the project that i never done before. Ok back to Jaejoong.

Jaejoong already said and give more clear sign that he more happy that if his fans see him as KIM JAEJOONG, a members of JYJ, as himself and not as HERO JAEJOONG from TVXQ which made by SM. He want to be recognize as the real Kim Jaejoong like now and not as ‘a product’  with fake image that SM made.  I always wonder how many project that Jae’s must take and how hard that Jae’s must give for make other people understand and accept him as himself, as KIM JAEJOONG. as JYJ Members. 

I also want to said this, related with Jae’s incident about the requested song on JYJ FB, no matter how big your love to the boys, please  considered that there are something that you can’t interfered and  please respect every decision that the boys make.  Just because the boys give us a permission to state our request or opinion, it doesn’t mean that you have every right to make a decision for them. Because a final decision always be on the boys hand them self not in other hands.  There are time when the decision that the boys made  is something that you dislike but also remember even though we are their fans but we can’t control their life. 

Shared by : miaw0730

[REVIEW] 130119 Jaejoong’s “Mine,” is Not Another K-pop MV

Having long-standing familiarity with the genres of goth-rock, visual kei, J-rock, and lyrical metal, I was anticipating Jaejoong’s new single “Mine” with bated breath, and especially more so after seeing the teaser. I grew up listening to Dir en Grey, Malice Mizer, Nightwish, HIM, Gackt, among many others, and I find this to be just perfect in laying the ground to appreciate this JYJ member’s latest work. In this context, I’d say that Jaejoong has moved away from the usual K-pop fare, coming up with an inspired piece that is rather like fantasy goth-rock. Warning: what follows is a review of an MV that is not K-pop, if you expect the song to be as such, you will be disappointed.

Jaejoong had always been the odd one in DBSK, with a long history of anti-fans and what was originally perceived as personality problems. It took him longer to find his footing in the world of K-pop than the other members, and even then he seemed the most out-of-place in the pop concepts. With this release, it feels like Jaejoong has finally found himself, and this was the type of song and image he should have had all along. It feels right somehow, which makes sense considering his lingering interest in J-rock. Even to someone like this writer, who has never been a follower of DBSK, it’s wonderful to see an idol become a solo artist in a manner that feels genuine.

The imagery in the video is classic goth and fantasy, a series of engaging, monochromatic scenes of symbols and creatures. For the reason that these specific backgrounds and images have found their place in today’s fantasy genre (across various forms of media), the MV escapes coming across cliché and antiqued. Fangs, owls, wolves, chains, crows, forests, and masks, are undeniably linked to goth-rock, and even darker fantasy stories. Much like the modern variety of artists and bands playing the genre, Jaejoong is drawing on accepted and understood symbolisms to drive “Mine.”

Delving a little deeper, let’s consider Jaejoong’s choice of wearing false fangs. Way before Twilight or “emo” teenagers wearing fangs was ever a “thing,” Peter Steele, the lead singer of the band Type O Negative, was having his teeth changed permanently to fangs. The attraction to the animalistic (and sometimes vampiric) meaning of fangs isn’t unusual for singers in the darker rock genres and Jaejoong follows in these footsteps. He doesn’t use the fangs to fake drinking blood, or anything else associative like that, he simply has the fangs as a part of himself, a part of his character, more than a vampire, Jaejoong’s persona in these scenes seems to be that of a fallen angel, who happens to have fangs.

On the subject of clichés, for anyone feeling like this MV is corny, you need not look any farther than long-time lyrical goth-metal band Within Temptation to see that the groups in the goth-rock genre have a history of MVs that fall into the corny category. Although Jaejoong’s MV is far from corny, it has been unavoidable (and perhaps slightly unfortunate) that people have come to associate the aforementioned images as such. In this vein, it’s a consolation that “Mine” comes under classic goth-rock and a splash of visual kei, and is a leap from the cornier J-rock ones in the early 2000s. However, in Within Temptation MVs and Jaejoong’s MV, it isn’t how the symbols and images are presented that is important, it’s the meaning they hold.

Now, let’s talk about the classic symbols that appear in “Mine.” The owl and the wolf are animals that appear in the MV in solo shots — so, what do these animals represent? Owls, depending on culture, are the keepers of souls as well as a symbol of wisdom, secrets, messages, and mystery. The wolf is a communicator; it symbolizes cunning, loyalty, intelligence, and compassion. Likewise there is meaning to the other animals seen in the MV, serpents are a symbol of creativity and the cyclical nature of the world, and crows are associated with ingenuity, change, and transformation. Despite having so many positive meanings in many cultures, these animals also have a bad reputation because of their associations with violence, nighttime, and death. Jaejoong himself has often been judged negatively, despite his true nature, as an individual and during the JYJ lawsuit. In a parallel understanding, he was likely to have sought these traits and connections to portray a strong, personal message in “Mine.”

Also in correlation with the lyrics, Jaejoong seems to be struggling against something, or someone, for a good part of the MV, both internally and physically. In one sequence, he is literally chained by the neck to a giant metal structure and as soon as the chains were broken free, the scenes cut to one of him running. Choppy as it may seem, it’s both interesting and more realistic than not, to see Jaejoong running to escape his bonds. The clanking of the collar onto the ground is a definitive moment that is given focus, signifying freedom.

Similar to his escape to freedom, at the end of the MV Jaejoong spreads his wings to fly away. Wings bring to mind the ability to take off, which in essence refers to being able to go wherever one wants. Wings also signify success, the moment/s when one finds their calling and takes it on. This is directly symbolical of what Jaejoong is doing with this MV and album. Despite the ideologies drawn from the project, I do have a few gripes. The wings would’ve been portrayed better if they were made of real feathers on a frame, instead of being generated by computer graphics, but with the ease of using computers today it’s hard to expect any high budget MV to bother with the difficulty of all physical props when there is the convenience of computers. Also, a good choice would’ve been to use real snakes as that would’ve given the MV a more realistic and tangible feel. If any props had to be computer generated, the wings and the colorful eye effects were the most understandable due to the difficulty involved in pulling them off any other way.

Stepping away from the deeper meanings for a second, may I just say what fabulous outfits this MV has! The diamonds on his face forming a mask; the long black fringe trailing off his clothes in the fangs scenes; the very brief but very classy all black outfit (+ awesome boots) in the scene with crows; the pleather backless number and the spiked bracers when he was chained up; the chain-mail shirt and odd sci-fi hat/mask (anyone else get The Fifth Element vibes?). And, very fetching of course is the lack of clothing in the tattoo scene. The very obviously Bane mask was the only downfall, because a more unique mask would’ve downplayed its Hollywood-ness, which in this case is more preferable. The hair and makeup choices for the MV were also spot-on, accenting the mood and complimenting the rest of the styling without overwhelming it.

It isn’t hard to imply meanings from this MV; what with Jaejoong’s troubled past in the K-pop industry (and personally), there could’ve been plenty of things that he wanted to escape from over the years. With a song that basically says “don’t rain on my parade”, it’s quite clear that Jaejoong is tired of people stifling him and his creative freedom. The more fantastical and intense world of a goth-rock artist will likely suit him better than the life of a produced K-pop group member. He is already proving himself to be familiar with the genre (or at least choosing people to work with that are) and the image that the genre generally comes with, so fans (like me) can feel comfortable with this release and not feel like he has botched the goth-rock image.

Overall rating 4.75/5 because there were a few things that could’ve been better, but mostly an impeccable MV to begin Jaejoong’s solo career with. There are a million more things I could say about this MV, but let’s just leave it at this; I expect many more great things from him.

Video credit: CJESJYJ 

Source: seoulbeats

Credit : jyjsoul

Shared by : miaw0730

[REVIEW] Jaejoong’s MINE by kpopwrapup

Source : kpopwrapup

Shared by : miaw0730

[OPINION] This is My Ocean… This is MINE

here is another opinion about Jae’s MV Mine

To be honest I’ve waited for this music video since the first teaser came out. I was looking forward to hear Jaejoong’s voice in rock songs and my expectations for this video rose a lot after the release of One Kiss. I was mostly curious about the music and I was so curious about how he would turn and twist his vocals to a rock song. In the beginning I wasn’t expecting his voice to change much but I got really positively surprised. I felt the song from a start to end and I liked the way lyrics fitted into the contexts of the song.

“MINE ”

Lyrics by Kim Jaejoong
Music by Kim Bada

넌 지독해 병에 걸린사람 같아 너
You are terrible. It’s like you are diseased, you

비명 섞인 폭주에 뱉은 독
Poison spat out in the wild runaway mixed with screams

이미 난 익숙한 독
Poison that I am already used to

왜 이렇게시끄럽게 소리지를까 OK?
Why does it scream out so loudly?

꿈은 깨줄께 왜 허무해?
I will wake up from the dream. Why, do you feel empty?

여긴 오지마 나의 바다야
Don’t come here This is my ocean

생각지도 못한 고통과 싸우기 바빠
I am busy fighting against pain that I’ve never thought of

내 바다야 나의 바다야
It is my ocean This is my ocean

나를 비춘 태양마저 가리려 하지마
Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me

(달콤한..)
(Sweet..)

달콤한 쾌락은 너무 달아 날 온통 삼켜버려
Sweet pleasure is so sweet that it swallows me up whole

왜 이렇게 시끄럽게 하고 다닐까 OK?
Why does it make so much noise OK?

울려퍼지게 말할게
I will say it so it resonates

여긴 오지마 나의 바다야
Don’t come here This is my ocean

여기마저 오염 돼버릴까 두려워
I am afraid that this place will become tainted too

내 바다야 나의 바다야
It is my ocean, This is my ocean

나를 비춘 태양마저 가리려 하지마
Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me

하지마 나의바다야
Don’t do it This is my ocean

나를 비춘 태양마저 가리려 하지마
Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me

Source (lyrics in Korean): DC JYJ Gallery
Translated by: @inheaven_wJYJ
Shared by: JYJ3

As promised the lyrics contains what Jaejoong wanted to express. His powerful vocal are supporting the lyric in the chorus and even the melody is changing with the lyrics which makes this song awesome.

I will wake up from the dream. Why, do you feel empty?

From start to an end the lyrics are expressing the words Jaejoong want us to understand. He does indirectly illustrate his feelings and emotions in this song. He is telling us the determination of the choices he made by waking up from a dream and he does ironically asks why do you feel empty when I’m the one waking up from a dream? Which also illustrates that the decision he made is only his and people should mind their own business instead of questioning his choices.

I am busy fighting against pain that I’ve never thought of

This was the phrase that made me understand a lot of things he/they had been going through all this time. Fighting against a pain he never thought that he would go through means that he came to a point where everything started to become painful and he wanted to escape this dead end.

It is my ocean This is my ocean

Ocean is known to symbolize life, hope, truth and mystery. In this context I see the ocean as his life, his hopes are in there and it completely belongs to him. That’s why the next phrase is meaningful.

Don’t try to block the sun that shines on me

He made his choices and he choose this road. He is fighting against the pain and trying to survive with his hopes and dreams. What he want is peace to be able to fulfill the dreams he has. The sun is known to be the source which makes life possible and he want to feel the sun shine on him and bring him back to life.This phrase was my favorite and the most meaningful one if you ask me. The pain is there, he is fighting against it with his own hopes and dreams and the only thing he wants is that they stop blocking the sun that shines on him… To be honest I felt so strong after I listened to the song for the first time. It gives me an unknown power to fight against everything and anything. The meaningful lyrics and the strong vocals are making the listener to understand that this isn’t just a song… It’s his story (MINE as the song is called) and he wants you to listen.

As for the music video I was freaking excited after the second teaser. I know there are a lot of fangirls out there which had their dreams of a vampire-jaejoong verified and I’m happy for that but for me this music video was just the best storyline for a song like MINE. From starts to an end this music video bring the song alive.

The music video starts with a scene where we see Jaejoong in a forest where he seems to be lost. He is looking around but the only thing he sees are animals waiting for him to make a mistake.

After this brief introduction to the circumstances we see a person bound with chains. He’s trying to break through and get free. I see this person bound with chains as the inner thoughts of the lost person in the forest. He is bound with chains, not free and is being controlled by others. The music is building op the breaking point followed by the lyrics. When the part with ‘I am busy fighting against pain that I’ve never thought of’ starts he had realized that he doesn’t have to go through a pain like this anymore.

He breaks his chains and is now free and isn’t bound to anything anymore. He starts running against a group of crow and that’s where this video gets interesting. Most people see the crow as a sign of death in symbolism but death can be considered as a lot of things too. Death can be a symbol of change and transformation in order to change a part of something or someone has to die. In order to experience a new beginning, something must fall and end. So rather than focusing on the end in death I see it as a change… A new beginning.

After the happening of the point of no return we see the scenes where snakes are sneaking around Jaejoong’s neck and body those creatures can be seen as the enemies which is acting like a snake crawling sneakily around him but he isn’t afraid of his enemies. He shows it of by taking the snake in his hands and showing that he’s in control and not them.

During those scenes we see some scenes where Jaejoong’s tattoos are being showed. Somehow this makes me remember an interview he did for some time ago.

“As I’ve lived my life until now, the things that I don’t want to forget, the things that I was thankful for, and the things that I was sorry about. Those things I’ve articulated into words and have craved them onto my body.” – Kim Jaejoong

This was said during a video interview for Elle Magazine back in 2011. His words made me understand him as a person and explained me the deeper thoughts about his tattoos. He doesn’t regret anything he has been going through and he’ll keep doing what he is doing and keep believing in what he is doing as the Always Keep the Faith tattoo says. So the symbolic value of showing off his tattoos are to express that he still remembers everything and feel grateful to the experience but he’ll move on now and do what he believes is the right thing.

The last part of the video he starts running on to a some kind of a setup on the scene. He starts getting wings and he spread them proudly. Wings symbolizes freedom which fits perfectly into the context of the music video and the lyrics.

Lastly we see him raise with his wings and the light is now directed on him. He is free and nothing binds him anymore and the light can now shine on him. He is ready to any kind of a challenge and nothing can stop him from doing what he wants to do and the music video ends like that.

I liked the symbolic value of the song it does express the lyrics beautifully and the spiritual value is even more indescribable. To understand Jaejoong’s words you have to know him a little as a person and then the whole song will be even more meaningful. From the name of the song to the sound of the music this is completely Jaejoong! Her melts into the song and video to bring out and deliver his words rightfully. Describing the need to change and start a new is basically a base point for the story he wants to tell. In order to change or start a new you have to sacrifice but never forget that believing in what you are doing will lead you to freedom. If you still haven’t watched the music video yet I would highly recommend you to watch it! ^^

 

And remember to buy the album to support Jaejoong!

NOTE!

I wanted to write a little note before I end this post. I just wanted to express my gratitude for those fans that keeps supporting JYJ, Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu unconditionally. This was my interpretation of the song and music video so I don’t expect you guys to see or understand the same things as me so I just wanted make it clear ^^

My journey started with them back in 2007 when I first heard them their voices in Begin. It feels like I grew up together with them facing happiness and difficulties together. I feel proud looking back in time and knowing that they’ve developed into awesome persons. I want to say that I want to keep supporting JYJ as much as I can in the future and as long as I can so I hope they’ll keep singing in the future. I’m proud of you guys and I believe that nothing is capable of breaking this bound between us. 제이와이제이 화이팅! 김재중 화이팅!

Full Credits: My Korean Diary (@EyikuR_1224)
Shared by: JYJ3 + miaw0730

[OPINION] Symbolism and Imagery In Jaejoong’s “Mine” MV

Alright, so Jaejoong’s music video came it and it’s full of imagery and symbolism that I can’t leave alone. This is me attempting to crack some of the images and symbols depicted in the video to the best of my ability, and it’s just my interpretation. These could be wrong and I’m probably missing some things.

Going to warn you now, there may be some spelling/grammar errors since I wrote most of this before I had my morning coffee.

~

The very first scene is Jaejoong surrounded by trees, his hand on a nearby branch, while snow falls around him. Trees are often symbols of growing and knowledge. As he’s holding on to a branch, it suggests that he has access to this growth (his own growth as well as the growth of his skills) and knowledge, but he may not control it completely.

The next thing we see is an owl turning it’s head to face us. Owls represent wisdom, and in this case it may be seen as a realization of something.

Back to Jaejoong and the trees, Jaejoong turns his head to look around, as if he’s lost or confused. This may suggest that while he is surrounded by knowledge and growth which he has access to, something has made him disoriented.

Another animal shows itself, a black dog. Many times, black dogs are symbols of death, but this must be broken down further for the meaning to be understood. Dogs symbolize loyalty, man’s best friend, while black most commonly symbolizes mourning or depression. Combined, this might suggest a disloyal friend and mourning over betrayal. If a black dog heralds death, then this death most likely is also symbolic. Death suggests radical change or leaving behind something that one is comfortable and familiar with.

[Interpretation]
Jaejoong is in a place where he is given certain knowledge and has access to skills, but a realization of disloyalty/betrayal has made him confused. This “place” is most likely SM Entertainment.

I’m not sure how to interpret Jaejoong in the one-horned mask, so I’m not going to touch on it.

Again with the trees, Jaejoong is still confused and is looking around, but his hand is still on the branch.

Next (apart from small shots back to the woods and to Jaejoong in the mask) we see Jaejoong in front of a large circle with designs carved into it. He is chained to this circle by a spiked collar and has his mouth covered by a spiked mask. He’s being constricted and silenced, and he’s aware of it. He pulls on the chains, but they do not break.

In the next scene Jaejoong is walking wildly in the woods and he has let go of the branch. With his hands behind his neck, he looks confused and frustrated with where he is. A few scenes later, one hand covers his mouth while another is at his throat; he’s again not able or allowed to speak. He continues to walk in the woods, looking more and more confused.

Jaejoong pulls more on his chains and also pulls at his mask; he wishes to be freed but the chains and mask refuse to release him.

While I can’t touch on symbolism of Jaejoong in the odd one-horn mask, he clutches his ears and opens his mouth, as if crying out.

Jaejoong continues to pull frantically on his chains and mask, and while walking through the forest he falls to his knees and coughs. He is exhausted and possibly sick from being in the woods, slipping on ice when he attempts to get up and continue walking.

[Interpretation]
All of this is Jaejoong attempting to break free from the place that silences and restricts him as well as drives him to the point of illness and exhaustion. If we apply this in the way that SM Entertainment is the woods and the chains, Jaejoong is fighting to break free from them.

After much pulling and tugging, the chains holding Jaejoong to the wall break. He tosses one of them over his shoulder, holds his head high, and tosses the collar to the ground. He is free, but a black bird appears. Black birds often symbolize something evil or a bringer of bad things. In the next scene he is running into a flock of the same black birds with an angry expression, as if opposing them.

[Interpretation]
The crows also seem to represent SM, an “evil” force that is flying towards Jaejoong. Just as there are many crows flying towards him, SM sends many things at Jaejoong in order to stop him (injunctions, the music program bans, etc.). Though facing many evils, Jaejoong runs into them seemingly without fear.

Completely different scenes from the previous show, including Jaejoong dressed in all black with blue in his hair, Jaejoong with a black hood and diamonds on his face, Jaejoong wearing some sort of fur-collared top with only his face and the fur showing, and Jaejoong with no shirt on.

After battling the black birds, Jaejoong has no shirt on. He has been stripped of his protection, showing nothing but his own skin and the marks decorating it. But, he doesn’t hide or cover himself after being stripped of this protection, he bears everything as if flaunting it and saying, “Look, this is me.”

[Interpretation]
After opposing SM, Jaejoong had none of the protection that the company used to offer him. They’ve stripped him of it and left him to stand naked, but in this case he’s okay with it. He shows his skin and his tattoos, including the TVXQ one on his back. Tattoos are usually things that people want to remember or are proud of, and by showing his tattoos he is saying that he isn’t ashamed of his past affiliation with TVXQ, but is proud of it. TVXQ has left a mark on him and, initially, it’s made him who he is.

The next seen is Jaejoong with the diamonds on his face. A snake is crawling around his neck with its tongue flicking out. Snakes are depicted as negative and evil things, sometimes even as tricksters (such as in Garden of Eden). Around Jaejoong’s neck, the snake has an opportunity to bite him, choke him, kill him. The snake may be whispering evil things to him, trying to trick him.

[Interpretation]
Continuing with the notion that the “evil” things in the video are representative of SM, this may be SM attempting to lure him back to the company or else threatening to “kill” him (killing his career, his reputation as a celebrity, etc.). The attempted luring may have taken place during the multiple arbitration attempts during the lawsuit.

The next thing shown is a diamond-covered skull, which is actually a sculpture by Damien Hirst called “For the Love of God”. The sculpture is a memento mori (Latin for “Remember you must die”), and is initially meant to remind people of their mortality. Extending that to Jaejoong, it may be a reminder for him that without SM, he doesn’t have the same untouchable status as he once did.

Jaejoong also tweeted about the sculpture, showing it as a picture framed in his house along with “In that times of extremes of my depression….the skull watched me”. If the skull watched him during his depression and he has imitated the look of it by putting diamonds on his face, perhaps this is suggesting that he’s become aware of his own depression and is reflecting upon it. (Edit: Also pointed out to me by an anon, the diamonds on his face may be a nod to the fact that he was considered the face of TVXQ and perhaps he was treasured more for his face/appearance than his skills.)

Following a few shots of shirtless Jaejoong and the snake crawling farther into his shirt, Jaejoong removes the snake from his shirt and takes a hold of it, as if he’s now controlling it. In later scenes the snake is separate from Jaejoong, slithering around on what appears to be a serving tray and around what may be an upturned cup with its mouth open. A cup is meant to receive something, but if it is upturned, it can’t receive or hold anything.

[Interpretation]
By taking hold of the snake, or SM, and removing it, Jaejoong has denied what SM has offered him and has cut off their evil whispers. The company continues to open its mouth (perhaps trying to offer him more), but like the cup, Jaejoong refuses to receive any of it.

Briefly, we see Jaejoong close a fist and in the next scene a set of candles are extinguished. It suggests a cut off of “enlightenment”, and since Jaejoong clenches his fist before the candles go out, it looks as if Jaejoong has put out the fire by himself.

With blue hair and vampire fangs, Jaejoong stands in a church in front of a large stained-glass window. He holds his arms up, as if presenting a scene, and two fires light with one on each side of him. There are flower depictions in the window, flowers representing life.

In a flying leap, Jaejoong goes from his position in front of the window onto an altar in the middle of the room. He has blue eyes, which often represent clarity. On the altar, a pair of wings, highly representative of freedom, erupt from his back and stretch out while emitting a sort of sparkle. Multiple shots of his “past self” (chained to the wall, with the one-horn mask, with the fur top, with the crystals on his face) flash and he looks troubled by them.

In the last scene, Jaejoong gracefully takes flight. His body seems to float while his wings slowly carry him upwards.

[Interpretation]
These last scenes are Jaejoong taking control. The small candles cut out, which perhaps is representative of Jaejoong cutting off from SM, and since he extinguishes the candles by himself it suggests that he cut himself from the company by his own hand. He lights his own flames in front of the flowery window, symbolizing that he’s taken control of his own life. He jumps to the altar, center stage. As he stands there he is reminded of and troubled by his former self, chained by the company and unable to speak. However, he accepts what he used to be (perhaps because it’s what made him what he is today) and gains a pair of wings, gains his freedom, and is finally freed.

Source : balgeoreum

The history and the meaning of Jae’s Tattoo (Cr.your evil twin ) :  we all know his tattoos on his body are like his life journey. TVfXQ SOUL since 2004 or 2005, I think, and then in 2008 (I think this year was when dbsk struggled with their issues against the company), he tattooed those two quotes behind the wings (“The pleasures of the mighty are the tears of the poor” & “A song will outlive all sermons in memory”) and “Hope to the end” right below the TVfXQ SOUL.

and then, in 2009, when JYJ is still in the middle of lawsuit, JJ n YC tattooed “always keep the faith” on their chests, showing they have faiths they are brave enough to fight for. JJ also tattooed his two birth days in roman numerical on the the bottom of his spine (2601 and 0402)

When JYJ is already established and stable, JJ tattooed Junsu and Micky’s names on each side of his birthdates tattoo. I think Yoochun’s lyrics in “Unnamed Song” will explain it all: “In the end, it’s JYJ.” and YC also tattooed a wing and right below it: “My Jaejoong, Yoohwan, Junsu” on his right chest. Oh, and then JJ tattooed above the AKTF one: “Deferto neminem” (Accuse no man).

and recently, finally, when JYJ has gained their own names and slowly but surely breaks free of the name “TVXQ”, JJ tattooed vertically along his spine “Ohne glauben bist du tod.” (without faith, you are dead). Meaning, he has survived until now because he has faith. Strong, unwavering faith.

Therefore, him showing his tattoos in this MV is like telling us his life journey in a few seconds. Very genius!

Shared by : miaw0730

[REVIEW] 130117 MTVK : Jaejoong Shows His Teeth in “Mine” MV

Chains, vampire fangs and eerie color contacts — oh my. Jaejoong swoops in on dark wings in his gothed-out MV for “Mine,” the second track released from his first solo mini-album. Are you ready for a bite of Jaejoong’s new rock sound?

“You’re bad for me (but I want you anyway)” is a familiar thread in angsty K-pop songs, but until now, not many have taken it quite to “It’s like you’re diseased //Poison that runs wild, screaming” levels. Ambitious. And a little creepy. We like it. 

The question is, do you?

With all this leather, copious amounts of eyeliner and dark themes, it’s safe to say that “Mine” is familiar ground for fans who also follow J-rock and visual kei. Musically, it’s like the lovechild of  Japan’s L’Arc~en~ciel and the US’ Evanescence with a distinctive JYJ voice thrown in the mix.

At the very least, if there was any doubt that rock legend Kim Bada really was impressed with Jaejoong’s rock chops, that doubt ran out of the church screaming bloody murder after seeing this MV.

Source: MTVK
Credit: PrinceJJ

Shared by : miaw0730

[TRANS] One of the Most Credible Music Review Site IZM’s Review on One Kiss

Kim Bada of ‘Art of Parties’ lent his weight [to the song] as a composer. The solid drum line and rendition of synthesizer on guitar backing gives the sound of a rock ballad a lively vibe through the incorporation of pop’s softness. With this, the protagonist of the song, who has a clear yet husky voice, combined with a strong foundation in singing ability, performs what one can call an excellent piece of vocal acting while walking a fine line between the sweetness of ballad and the wildness of rock.

The single One Kiss, is from his first solo album. If you think about his career as a singer, you can’t say it is not late. But if you consider his solo concert slated at the end of this month, the timing couldn’t get more appropriate. With this, he has presented JYJ fans a single that is full of rock sounds and serves as a fun comparison point to Kim Junsu’s album that puts emphasis on contemporary R&B sound. It is a high-riding piece of music that enlarges his career as an artist and brings a diversity of colors to the group JYJ.

Translation Note:
1. Art of Parties is a newly launched rock band by Kim Bada
2. Just in case you complain about the score 3.5, I ask you to compare it to the scores that other artists’ songs have received from IZM. (Link) This is a very high score they have given! And for your information, IZM is one of the most credible music review sites in South Korea.

 

Source: IZM
Translated by: Sofia and Nikki
Shared by: 126×204 + JYJ3 ||  miaw0730

[TRANS] 130111 Review of Jaejoong’s ‘One Kiss’ by a Fan

review from non fan Here

Note: Unlike the previous reviews PrinceJJ has translated, this one is written by a fan.

In the morning light, it tickled my heart like a lapping wave. I was so excited with anticipation.
While the soul waking up from sleep was reciting some murmurs, this melody came to my ears
Born free sadly but one kiss one heart…
That one kiss that we share with a slowed breath

Eyes closed, I feel it in these complicated emotions
Oh I’ll try to show you, a free world~
Open your bandaged eyes, a sharp leap and soar to a free world

Why didn’t come my way
Isn’t it too late? My way in silence
You who put the wings on me at the narrowed crossroad, you who showed me the way to heaven
The closed door that I locked upon myself, the shouting that I throw into the world in silence

Because I was born as me, I didn’t know about that common kiss, that rough heart
You who show me the door to the hidden memories ~
Just like rock music that emphasizes on vocal, the synthesizer doesn’t overdo but supports the vocal
My head kept nodding even thought the tempo is not fast. The harmony of the bass and the drums made my body sway to the beat

I’m feeling oh my way
Isn’t it too late? My way in silence
You who put the wings on me at the narrowed crossroad,
you who reflect on heaven, reflect on heaven
Like an eagle mightily flying to heaven, to find an exit among the hidden memories
Wheeling over the nest, hovering
Rocker Jaejoong started to blow up with a powerful voice in rough high note and the rocker’s sense which was sleeping inside him

I’m feeling one kiss one heart
I’m feeling one kiss one heart
Against the setting dusk… you show your back when you fly to the sky where the rainstorm begins
The beautiful soar of rocker Jaejoong
Who is the owner of the kiss and the heart which enlightened him…?
On his road of flying to the sky, countless people will be willing to be his “you”

“One Kiss” (Lyricist – Kim Jaejoong/Composer – Kim Bada/Arranger – Shaun)

“One Kiss” makes use of a full synthesizer, but the song combined with Kim Jaejoong’s husky treble voice, contains the base of rock elements such as hard playing of the drums and crunchy guitar sounds. (Detailed Tracklist Info on Jaejoong’s Solo Album, “Mine”)

One Kiss is a story about the world of a young man.
Although it’s sad and vague, although it will be soon forgotten memories, it’s the story of any of you, the story that lasts a life time.
As a story that everyone cherishes, it’s a song dedicated to all of you who are living on the memories. (Introduction on Naver Music)

‘One Kiss’ is also a rock ballad masterpiece like ‘For you’ or ‘It’s only my world’ that Jaejoong sang on concert stage in the meantime.
Jaejoong who always expresses his yearning for ‘Rock’ will release his 1st solo album, the first ROCK with his name on it.
Although he has performed an outstanding rock song called ‘Maze’ in Japan, in Korea, not many people know about it but only fans.
This ‘rock album’ is an opportunity to showcase his hidden rock sensibility and explosive vocal which occasionally shone within the group.

Rock singing method…
Because he was main vocal of (former) DBSK and only got used to SMP, to sing rock music, he has learned quite many superfluous singing methods
In Japan, they prefer fine and pure voice…
It was not easy for Kim Jaejoong who mainly sang OST ballads only in the meantime, because of the lawsuit with former agency…
But I’m thankful that during such short preparation period, he managed to give out a lot and learn a lot.

This time, his song is better than any rock ballad he has sung before.
We can taste Jaejoong rock with ‘One Kiss’. It was composed by Kim Bada, a big senior in the rock music world
I can’t wait to hear ‘MINE’ which is more of hard rock than ‘One Kiss’.

Mind you, when it comes to rock, the high-pitched climax hit with bare voice in a state of trance is the most attractive…
In ‘One Kiss’, Jaejoong’s voice flies up so easily, as if he puts his wings on, resonates with air and play tug-of-war.

The synthesizer and instruments behind Jaejoong’s voice makes me feel that way even more.
The background music is like the spreading wings. It feels like Jaejoong’s voice breaks the firmament apart.
I’ll take this moment to express my gratitude. Thank you very much Bada-neunim. ‘One Kiss’ is such an awesome song!!!! ㅠㅠㅠㅠ (Why am I crying? ㅋㅋ)

I’m a rock fanatic. To me, rock ballad is the most emotional among various genres.
Even without specific knowledge about rock,
With appealing voice, the trebles that come from the inside of the rockers always make me feel misty and filled with wanderlust
Addicted to the vocalist of Dream Theater, I replayed ‘Another Day’ for a few months.
I once went past the interchange by mistake on the way home because I was listening to that song
Learning about Jaejoong’s voice in ‘One Kiss’, unconsciously I shed tears because of his rough vibration and vague emotion.
Who shed tears because some song is so awesome? It’s me!!!!

I have been waiting for his rock song for so long
I also like his pure and clear timbre
But his husky voice, which has the power to make my heart bloom even in bitter conditions, is too dear to me
I’m a former rock fan who tried to find and listen to every short high-pitched part of him in the group songs
This mini-album MINE containing his rock music that I awaited in tears brings my drought to an end.

He doesn’t overdo it. A little controlled, faithful to the basics, after this song ‘One Kiss’ which was made for the debut of rocker Jaejoong, I’m impatiently waiting for ‘Mine’
This former rock fan, this fanatic of Jaejoong’s high-pitched husky voice is still very… hungry
Jaejoong’s intense and energetic sounds pouring down along with magnificent sounds of guitar and insanely galloping synthesizer
I’m waiting with overflowing anticipation for Jaejoong’s hectic performances in the concert venue

Glam rock

It’s a fascinating ‘rock, one of the trends of rock music that developed in the UK in early 1970
Glam rock visuals peaked during the mid-1970s with representative artists: T. Rex, David Bowie, Roxy.
Due to sensational fashion and decadent atmosphere, it received enthusiastic support from young people.

Androgynous fashion and decadent atmosphere
Musically, sometimes you can taste the stringed instruments of Rock ‘n’ roll and hard rock from 1960s
It had great influence on punk rock, pop-metal (especially, LA metal), and some sexy female artists like Madonna.

 

Source: http://blog.naver.com/ssowonpp/175350177
Translated by: Hannah @ PrinceJJ
Shared by: PrinceJJ

[TRANS] 130110 Reviews of Kim Jaejoong’s “One Kiss” From Non-fans

JYJ3′s Note: This is “One Kiss” (Sample), Buy the full song here

Review One

In music I find there to be a large difference between someone that just has vocal ability and someone that has soul. In searching through the music of popular stars’ for good music which contains soul, I came across a song from a JYJ member’s latest album. When I listened to it, I felt too impressed and frankly, the song shocked me. It was reminiscent of one of those electrifying, classic Gun’s and Roses songs and even I, a 36 year old man, felt fascinated by the progression and evolution of the mood of the song and for 2 hours I listened to it, never getting tired. You could hear the soul of the singer in every breath he took and I was listening I thought, this kind of vocal power… is it what you would call… unstoppable?

I could do nothing but praise it and wish that [the singer] will never lose the color and soul in his voice… good job Kim Jaejoong.

[Source]

Review Two

The day before yesterday, I was looking at the new albums on Melon when suddenly from the screen I saw two big eyes looking at me.

I became curious—who was this person? So I clicked on his song, ‘One Kiss’.

As soon as it started playing I knew that this was unlike any song that I have heard from an idol and as I listened to the music I thought… wow…

It had the feel of an American or British rock song.

Above all else, Kim Jaejoong’s rock vocals gave me the feeling of being like David Bowie or T.Rex (t/n: classic British glam rock band). In our country, we lack that sexy and decadent rock genre that was brought by Kim Jaejoong’s husky vocals mixed with the electronic music. Oh, this is the kind of popular music I want.

As far as I know, idols these days just follow their agency and the agency’s composers. Because of that, this idol era seems a bit pathetic when it comes to music. The Korean pop music scene is dominated only by worries about chart rankings or performances in various events. It leads people to think that  Korean pop music is just constantly the same old thing. But when I listened to Kim Jaejoong’s ‘One Kiss’, it was like a breath of fresh air. I felt a sense of excitement as I listened to the lyrics mixed with the sounds of the guitar, bass, and drums. It was finally a domestic band that had a talented and advanced sound.

So I looked up the song!

And I saw that the musical composition was done by none other than Kim Bada.

Because he is a big deal, I wondered why I didn’t hear about it before. haha

And of course the vocals which I liked so much were from Kim Jaejoong…but the reports that he was the lyricist as well surprised me the most.

The lyrics “Heaven shines down on you”~~they stuck with me and I found that part to be especially good while I’m running on the treadmill. haha

I read that Kim Jaejoong has a tough situation with appearing on television in order to promote. But for people who have no interest in idols, like me, the internet really is the best way for us to discover these artists.

I hope the agency will promote this song well.

The song hook is still stuck in my head even without me noticing it. I wish everybody could hear it so that Kim Jaejoong’s talents will not go to waste.

I think that Kim Jaejoong has a long, long future in music and I hope he continues to carefully collaborate with other great musicians and artists.

In conclusion: Great song; hope it’s promoted well.

[Source]

Review Three

There is a feeling that comes after listening to a good song.
When the lyrics and the tone of the song blend together so well, creating a mood where a person can become introspective.
When you listen to the song, you can slowly think about anything that you want for those almost four minutes, and the weight from your shoulders will vanish.
It’s almost like watching a two hour movie and hearing a song being played in it, and in that whole movie it’s that one song that expresses the heart or the mood.
It’s a song that when you listen to it can inspire you to write or create.

So, that is a good song to me.

Kim Jaejoong’s solo song One Kiss is meaningful to me in all of those senses.
After hearing it I went, on the suggestions of his fans, and listened to his older songs like the Japanese Maze, which combined orchestra and band music, and made me feel as though I was listening to something from a musical.
The atmosphere of those songs was fun, but I am glad that he is now “growing” and you can see the evolution of his voice and style twenty fold in his new song.
In fact, I think it was only because he has been working for 10 years as a singer and has gone through all the various growing pains of the business that he is able to sing a song such as One Kiss.
If he had sang this song four years ago, it would have lacked the depth of emotions and passion. However he waited four years to make this kind of song, and the results are immaculate.

I couldn’t know, because I was born as me
About this common kiss and rough heart
You taught me how to find memories that had been hidden

These lyrics, perhaps I myself might have written them as I walked through life?
Had he gone into my dreams and extracted these feelings from them?
I think the “you” in Kim Jaejoong’s lyrics is different for each person, but it created a stimulus for me to want to rise up again and live my life with passion.
These are lyrics that connect with living in the current, Kim Jaejoong’s words are the words of all the male and female youths in their 20s.

Is it too late?
At the narrow crossroads you put wings on me
And from those people whom you have placed wings on, we thank you

From what little I have seen, you are a person who is radiant and glowing on stage.
Please continue to sing on it.
And thank you for singing this song.

[Source]

Review Four

Hello. I am from the Kim KyungHo gallery (t/n: Kim KyungHo is a famous Korean rock artist)
This is the first time that I am coming into the Kim Jaejoong gallery so it is nice to meet you.
A friend of mine who is a Jaejoong fan referred me to his video since she knows I like rock, and I took a look.
I really loved his voice and the mood of his song.
I will admit that I love dramas and I have seen Protect the Boss and Dr. Jin before so I am not completely a muggle.
What do you call a person in such a position as mine?
I have not been following his musical career, however.
Because I thought idol fans generally tend to like pretty people over talent.

However, when I heard the material from Jaejoong I thought his voice was well suited to my tastes.
My friend then had a good idea, she wanted to show me his past performances in live venues.
After hearing his old music I knew that I was correct in thinking that Jaejoong’s voice seemed to be made particularly for my tastes.
It is a voice that makes me feel as though my heart is seized.
Jaejoong’s voice is truly original and hard to match.
And the way that he expresses himself on stage captures all of his feelings.
Of course, during his old performances he was young and sang a variety of songs. And so, sometimes had trouble controlling the treble tone of his voice…
But for being so young, the level of competence he showed in the [rock] genre was something I did not think possible.
Jaejoong, even if it’s hard, I hope that you will continue to sing rock.
Because of you, rock is becoming more accessible to the public and the rock ballad genre suits you.
Even when you were five and had to sing only your company’s music, your emotions shone the best when you were singing rock.
It makes me want to hear more from you.
This is just a half-Muggle’s wishful thinking, nothing more.

But…wow!
I cannot explain how happy I am that Jaejoong’s solo is rock music.
In addition, he is working with skillful musicians.
The song that I heard from him will not let me go.
I don’t think it’s a song that can disappoint.

Today I was reading some posts about Jaejoong…
And the reality he is facing, though I prayed hard that it wasn’t true.
Unlike the other popular singers, when he has a new song there will be trouble with broadcasting and publicity, I’ve heard.
I came here and wrote this long post because I wanted say that I will help if I can.
Even though I am not a part of the fandom, I know that because of you great results can happen and I want to join that, through streaming or spreading this song more. Maybe I am thinking too much?
But after hearing this song, I wanted to convey my thoughts of support. It was a song that touched me and I wanted to give back to Kim Jaejoong…
Even if my only contribution is writing these type of needlessly long posts.

Jaejoong’s singing is very good.
This album is certainly a good idea.
And the song that I have heard, One Kiss, is a good song.
So for his fans, please continue fighting!
Granted, even if the streaming is enough to rank in the top, he still might not appear on television.
But to prepare music and just to be a singer itself is a difficult task
And even if he is not able to promote like others, the result of all his hard work is not any less rewarding.
I will be sure to cheer this album and also follow the future development of the musician Kim Jaejoong.

[Source]

Translated by: Yule @ PrinceJJ
Shared by: PrinceJJ 1, 2 + JYJ3 + miaw0730

[REVIEW] 121109 Unique Characters Attract Attention in the Movie “Codename: Jackal”

The legend of a killer, and the unique kidnapping encounters of the killer, unfolded in the theatre.

The episodes in the movie “Codename: Jackal” revolve around the last mission of the legendary killer Bong Min Jung, which happens to be the kidnapping of top star Choi Hyun.

All of the protagonists, each with a different intention in mind, all end up in one hotel, where the story begins in earnest.

Entering the hotel as guests with a plan to infiltrate and capture the Legendary killer Bong Min Jung while rescuing the top star Choi Hyun, a rural detective and a top special agent join forces and enter a unique and hilarious team situation.

What happens in the restrictive space of the hotel is an abduction of a top star played out with a breathtaking combination of characters and personalities.

In particular, Song JiHyo, who the killer Bong Min Jung, has the perfect mix of staunch yet clumsy character and Kim Jaejoong, who plays the top star Choi Hyun, is powerful and eye-catching even though it was his first time challenging a film role.

[Basic descriptions of the characters omitted]

The film is both a thriller and a comedy in genre and combines a kidnapping plot with unique sets, comic lines and a set of characters that mesh with each other very well in a way that is evident [to the audience].

However the hidden suspense that shows Jackal’s true colors emerges in the latter part of the movie when a unexpected role reversal is revealed.

If you are looking forward to a simple romantic comedy between Song JiHyo and Kim Jaejoong you might be disappointed, but what you will find is an interesting, exciting story of a female killer and a top star that is fresh and fun.

Meanwhile, “Codename: Jackal” is set to be released to the public on November 15th.

Source: Star N News
Translated by: Yule @ PrinceJJ
Shared by: PrinceJJ