fan | Angel of the East: Kim Hyun Joong

Kim Hyun Joong. There is no other human being like him, and that is why I love him so. There has been much talk this week about what it means to be his fan on other blogs. It is ironic because I have been evaluating myself in my brain for some time now, questioning whether my Hyun Joong affection is healthy. It has made me really stop to think about what I am doing and why. Honestly, I was resisting my heart in following KHJ because I was afraid it was unhealthy and immature. I am a grown woman and have many responsibilities. I have a full time job. I have a large family with 9 brothers and sisters who are all having babies and making me an aunt many times over. I am in love with my niece and nephews and don’t see them nearly enough for my liking! I am the sole provider for my household… which is me and my two dogs who are my children by default! LOL!

Some of these pics are about me… so, if you want to see KHJ… you’ll have to read on. If you are interested, click on the first pic to bring them up in a larger form. Then you can stop the slideshow and browse at your own pace:

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And so, I was truly concerned about spending so much time following a kpop star from a country across the globe. It seemed a bit silly and embarassing, and I have to admit I don’t share it much with my friends or family because they really would not understand. They know I listen to Korean music and watch dramas. They know I have a dream of becoming a TESOL and going to Korea someday. They think these things are interesting and healthy as I have actually set some goals for my life. They do not know the extent to which I spend my time reading about his activities and devouring his interviews to absorb that intangible thing that is the essence of Hyun Joong. I cannot get enough, and I have decided it is not a bad thing. I follow him for some very compelling reasons, and he has inspired me to change my life. I now have a focus, a purpose, and I am happy for the first time in many years.

Hard work surely does pay off Hyun Joong!

Top ten things I learned from Kim Hyun Joong:

1. Working hard is not good enough. Work your HARDEST to achieve perfection.

2. Play while you work. Laugh. Cut up. Make light of the stress.

3. Love what you do. If you don’t, change it.

4. Set goals and focus on the steps it takes to achieve them. Evaluate each choice and weigh against your goal. Does this choice further my goal? If not, make the choice that does.

5. You are never too busy to take care of yourself. Eat well. Exercise. Always wear BB cream when you go out! LOL!

Success is about more than money as HJ demonstrates with his sincere heart for his fans and charitable actions / donations for people who are in real need.

6. Sincerity is the key to Success. If you are PASSIONATE about what you are doing, your success will seem effortless.

7. Just be YOURSELF. Life is too short to worry about what others think. It is your life. Live it with all your heart.

8. Get outside of yourself and see what is around you in your world. Reach out to others and show that you REALLY care. Give generously from the blessings you have recieved.

Hyun Joong distributing coal.

HJ at Marathon for Childhood Cancer

9. CONFIDENCE will propel you to Success. Temper this with HUMILITY. Never think too highly of your abilities. Work hard to improve yourself and accept praise with sincere thankfulness and grace.

10. At the end of the day, it’s all about LOVE. Life is nothing without the love you give and receive from others. Whatever relationships you are in, VALUE and NURTURE them with all your strength. Always speak your heart. How will those you love know what is in it if you don’t tell them? Love without fear or prejudice. Everyone deserves the same warmth you provide for those with whom you are close. Give your heart without prejudice to everyone you have the privilege of meeting.

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These are the values he lives by. I know this because I have seen the evidence in his activities and heard the sincerity in his words. I am not a follower who attends every fan meeting or appearance. I live too far away for that! I do attend these events online when I read about them on blogs or in articles or interviews. I do spend a good portion of my day on this. I consider it INSPIRATIONAL research! Getting to know Hyun Joong as a person is what has changed my life. Watching reality shows gave insight into his personality, but it was following his activities and reading his interviews that made me realize the depth and wisdom this young man posesses. He has values, ethics and goals. He does what he thinks is right and does not follow others unless he admires them for the hard work and beautiful artistry they display. He’s just a phenomenal guy. I wish I could meet a man like him who is my age. I’d be a bit intimidated for sure, but I’d want someone in my life who inspired me this much and could encourage me every day to work hard and reach my goals.

How these lessons have inspired me to change my daily life:

1. First and foremost, I am taking better care of myself. I realize I will not be able to fulfill my goals or live the life I want to live without good health. I have lost 15 lbs in the last month because I was inspired by how hard he worked to get his body in shape for his City Conquest project. I was worried he had gone too far, but I was inspired anyway. If Hyun Joong can work on his health and appearance with his crazy busy schedule, I have NO EXCUSES! 😀 I am eating well, and getting enough sleep. Being active is something I’ve struggled with all my life as I am naturally sedentary. But, watching Hyun Joong running from here to there with the ability to smile in all situations inspires me to GET MOVING! Not to mention his music just makes me shake it shake it! (right now he’s singing to me to MOVE that body, girl Let’s Party on my headphones! Ha!) He just energizes me with his hyperactivity and models for me what it is to truly LIVE.

My first dosirak.

2. I have found something I am passionate about and have set goals to turn it into a career. I am a teacher by design. I learned this when attending Bible College and learning about spiritual gifts. I am also a creator/artist. I have BA in Elementary Education with minors in Vocal Music, English Literature, and Bible. I have thus far used absolutely NONE of that in my professional career. I am an insurance specialist at a hospital. I have worked in the Emergency room, on the Obstetrics (Birth Center) Floor, and for a Pediatrition and a Radiology Company. I sort of fell into medicine as a career by chance when I was sent as a receptionist by a Temp Agency. It has been almost 20 years. Frankly, I am bored out of my gourd and know in my soul I am not doing what I was meant to. Following Hyun Joong’s career and becoming fascinated with all things Korean has inspired me to follow a dream.

I want to teach English to Speaker’s of other Languages. Particulary Asian Languages. As a teacher, I cringe when I hear Asians with poor English Pronunciation. I know how intelligent these people are. But, there is a stigma associated here in the US with heavy Asian accents. People are dismissive of them and treat them as if they are not as intelligent. It makes my blood steam because I know better. A lot of this is because of the reserved nature of Asians as instilled by them in their culture. Americans are assertive and self-centered by nature because of their culture. It’s just a natural human reaction for an assertive person to dismiss a reserved person as less intelligent when they are having difficulty understanding them.

I know the traditional TESOL roles over there and how mostly fresh out of college adveturers take those positions. I cannot speak for those young teachers or all the TESOL’s that go. I can only speak for myself. I want to make it a career, not just an adventure to tell my nieces and nephews about when I get old. I want to get a Master’s in TESOL and do a research project for my Master’s Thesis with Asian speakers. I want to develop a program that truly helps them and corrects their pronunciation difficulties. How did Kim Hyun Joong inspire this? Well, I truly believe that as a celebrity, he is an ambassador for S. Korea. He is reaching people in countries all over the world and influencing their view of S. Koreans in general. If he is ever to visit English speaking countries, he should be able to present himself with poise and confidence and be easily understood. In fact, English speakers would know his dedication by his level of skill in speaking and pronouncing the language. I don’t know if this is something he will ever do, but he has said he wants to be a global celebrity. Hyun Joong inspired me. I now have a heart for all Asians, Koreans especially for obvious reasons, who are learning English to further their careers and goals. They should be able to learn the language in a way that makes them confident and gains the respect of others. I want to dedicate myself to that outcome.

And to my readers who are not English speakers, but not Asian, I believe you all deserve the same dedication. I am only one person, though and have a passion for Asians, especially Koreans. Why? Well, I have been a follower of Asian culture for some time before I met KHJ and became engrossed in Korean. I have just identified most with Korean culture and philosophies and of course the people. KHJ influenced that, but it is not him alone.

3. Lastly, I feel so much more ALIVE because of my love for Hyun Joong. Whyis this? Because he is so ALIVE and I can be inspired to live out loud! He may be reserved, quiet, shy, but there is no question he lives his life out loud! 😀 I won’t lie to my readers or to myself. I started following him because he was so physically appealing it was breathtaking. But, it was his Angelic Soul that made me fall in love and dedicate my time and energy. Watching him, being energized by him, learning from him, and implementing those lessons into my own life for health, happiness, love and success are helping me create the life I want to live.

And so, I cannot believe there is any harm in these things. I do hope others will be inspired as well and make their life their own with the Angel of the East: Kim Hyun Joong.