Random Book: So I Married To The Anti-fan

Hah what have been you doing, Pohonphee in almost two months?? No post at all, you lazy

Oh the peril of blogger life ;D

Sneak peak to my real life:

First, my Korean class was getting harder and harder every time. Swear I studied every time I got the chance with my fulltime job and hobbies. You know “hobbies”, things that get me or you to this point. This is what happens when you learn language that you don’t use in everyday life. Hmmpp. I thought I had that managed with all K dramas, K pop songs, and Facebook and Twitter K artistes following. And I had my end of term test that is similar to TOPIK. OMG it was just so bad, I wanted to cry T.T. For the love of The Great King Sejong and his love for Hangul, I won’t give up just yet, not even if I have to watch Take Care of Us, Captain ten thousand times!  

Second, old habit is hard to be changed. Yeesh. I’ve been indulging myself with book, book, and a lot of books. I read like no tomorrow. I got it bad with K drama addiction but I still can resist myself to only watch K drama at night, but it is different with book. I bring book everywhere, every time I go out. I always have a book inside my bag. So when this obsession reappearing, it means I read on the car on the way to work, I read while having lunch alone, I read while waiting for something or someone, I read before going to sleep, I read everywhere, every time I have time. As the results are losing sleep, panda eyes, fatigue body, ghost walking, double vision and all. But I also got souvenir from no my absent :D Of course books.

At the last post, I said that I had little experience of reading Korean to Indonesia translation. So I was confused when I was faced with a bad translation. And just recently I got the chance to read ones. Riding the Hallyu wave that strikes Indonesia in full force, that problem is solved. Now, the translation is everywhere, all I need to do is just go to my nearby favorite books store and here they are. Heaven!

As you know many Indonesian writers have used Korea as their source of ideas, complete with all similar characterization and story plot. And of course The Theme: All About Love. What is so interesting about you, Love?? But what makes me scratch my head at most of the time from this new emerging trend is the title. The title is so uncreative, so not attention grabber that usually expected from a title, and can be thing that turns off for a reader like me. It looks like they just pick familiar Korean words because they know no other Korean word that only makes it sounds unintelligent and gimmicky. Why would I want to give the brain child of my months and months’ hard working a title like: “Saranghaeyo (I love You)”, “I and Noona (I and big sister)”, Neon Naege (You to Me)”, or just Neon (You??).  Eizz. Or when they run out of idea they pick up any word and type it in Korean like 세로토닌 (Serotonin) and 에피네프린 (Epinephrine).  Why don’t they just write it in Indonesian or English?? What do you think will come up if I type that on search engine? Do you think my child’s name that will come up? Very unlikely it will. 

Besides that they also like to give their book name with blah blah blah love or love blah blah blah. I know, I know, I eventually know they aim to tell me their story is love story but they don’t need to be so obvious like they want to shove a big pink elephant in the room down to my throat. Or other cheesy titles like Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall in Seoul or Romance in Seoul/Busan/Daegu/insert another city name in Korea. Maybe or just maybe it will work for precocious teenage girl readers but not for me, the cynical and jaded me. Romance is not really my favorite genre but I can or want to read it once in a while. 

What I can’t stand from lousy romance novel that it can be so cheesy and corny. It is like the title gives me a hint how cheesy the story can be. Shiver. If the writer can’t figure out creative catchy meaningful title, how can he/she figure out to modify love story that has been told and retold so many times so it is felt original and appealing directly into the heart? Don’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t judge a story by just its title. But I’m responsible with my own action, my first rule of elimination for book shopping: I don’t read any book in romance genre if the title including the word “Love” in it. Hah.

So should I give prop to this Korean writer, Kim Eun-jeong  for bringing attention grabber title: So, I married the anti-fan? Woot?!? How could you marry someone who sent you a letter with menstrual blood, poisoned your food, and gave you slap on the face just to grab your attention? Did I miss : something here??   

English Title : So, I Married The Anti-fan
Korean Title : 그래서 나는 안티 팬과 결혼했다 (geuraeso naneun anti-fan gwa khyeoronhaetda)
Author          : Kim Eun-jeong

Korean Edition
Year Published : 2010
Publisher : Shinwon Agency Co.

 

Indonesian Edition
Year Published : 2012
Publisher : Haru Publisher
Translator : Putu Pramania Adnyana

[Spoiler Intended]

Everything starts when Lee Geun Yong, a gossip magazine reporter, is given a task to report a grand opening of Benny club owned by a celebrity named JJ. As any celebrity around the world, JJ has invited several of his celebrity friends to give his new club more prestige. The mentality “I am a friend of celebrity, so I’m a celebrity” is rampant everywhere, that’s it. Lucky for him, he had ever been under the same management agency with the recent It boy, Hu Joon. Hu Joon is more like a Lee Min Ho rather than a Kim Jaejoong. He acts and does commercial, but doesn’t sing and dance a sexy dance (unless the situation require him I guess). This the first time our hero and heroine meet for the first time. Per usual is not one happy first meeting for both parties.

Geun Yong who is drunk after spend sometimes in new opened club, feels the urge to throw up and she decides that she needs to see a toilet. This girl, is there a certain rule you don’t drink while you work? Tsk, tsk. Once she is near the toilet, she witnesses something that totally will stop the world from spinning.  Our-oppa-never-does- anything-wrong world resident apparently is not that perfect after all. OMG, she think she just see Hu Joon harassing and slapping a girl, or isn’t he? And no the world doesn’t stop spinning, more bad things continue to drop in Geun Yong’s life and ultimately she finds herself gets fired from her job. Ooff! 

Time for revenge! Our Geun Yong believes that Hu Joon holds the responsibility for every bad thing that happen in her life lately. Don’t ask me on which ground she can make that accusation, but she is our heroine so she can deliberately do it so, no? Dim-witted heroine FTW! Eh. A big famous celebrity can make someone lose her job whenever he likes, right? She has planned to use the scene that she witnessed at the other night as her weapon. She threatens Hu Joon that she has his big scandalous secret. She is gonna reveal that to world to see. She is gonna send the story to magazine. She is gonna post it on line. She is gonna do whatever it takes to make Hu joon’s perfect image shattered to oblivion.

But why is it the world never works according to the plan?? Her black campaign against Hu joon doesn’t seem to work. Hmmm. The sun doesn’t seem to shine brighter in her life after she does it. In fact, her days grow darker and darker every day. After she find herself fired from her job, she got her parent withdraws her apartment deposit so she has nowhere to stay except if she chooses to go home to her parent house which is out of Seoul . Her parents think she might just go home than do nothing in Seoul expect doing crazy like saying bad things about someone that she doesn’t even know and smearing some mud on her parents’ face. And then at the time she needs a friends the most to give her a shelter, her best friend so kindly turns off her request to stay for some more time in her place. Because that is what best friend usually does in K drama la la la land and its parallel worlds. When everything seems to pitch black dark, there comes one bright light to Geun Yong’s life. A famous variety show PD, the Midas PD who works his shows to the highest rating, Han PD, offers her a place in his soon-to-premier variety show. Say whaa… 

Perhaps her efforts to bring Hu Joon down from his celebrity throne don’t work well, but they do bring Geun Yong name into another new level as the number 1 anti-fan in Korea. Okay at this point I start to question my own comprehension about the word anti-fan. Her new fame glory is one that scores her a role in new variety show. In Han PD’s head, this new variety show will showcase the life of an anti-fan and find the answer for the question like: Why is there even an anti-fan who puts so much energy to pull down someone’s name as if she/he knows that special someone truly in real life and that special someone has done very terrible thing to her/him? Or maybe the whole existence of anti-fan is merely a matter of misunderstanding and will be gone poof by just sticking the anti-fan to the celebrity till they know each other better. Oh well we will see.

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So, I Married to the Anti-fan is the name of the new variety show. It features Lee Geun Yong as the anti-fan and Hu Joon as the celebrity with anti-fan. So Geun Yong has to act as Hu Joon’s manager on three day in a week while camera following them around. The shooting will take place mostly in an fancy apartment in Gangnam that Hu Joon specially taken care of to find it by himself because he’s the ultimate Oppa Gangnam Styled, no? J But of course beside in that apartment, Geun Yong has to follow Hu Joon around to wherever he goes as he does his activities as celebrity.     

Lo and behold, hot-headed Geun Yong can’t stand the cold-assed Hu Joon. Conflicts ensue! Apparently the coldness of Hu joon only reaches its freezing point while he is open in public. Though it doesn’t mean when he is together alone with Geun Yong he becomes much less ass-holery.  Just said he becomes a more bearable ass-hole. Hah, go figure. But anyway thank you so much for that for I can’t take another ass-holery act from another hero.  At this time Geun Yong has moved in to Gangnam apartment, since she has nowhere to go. Though Hu joon personally bought Gangnam apartment, he is not officially living in it. He has another apartment to go home to. So no contract dispute about who’s the maid, who’s the master, is looming over. But yeah he likes to crash over once in a while. Without they realize, they become best drinking bud. Soju, tteokpoki, dried-squid and off they go talking about anything or just sitting in silence. It is the moment like this that always got me in the heart like in every drama ever. 

After spending some nights and several days together with Hu Joon, Geun Yong finally knows that the girl whom she saw becoming the object of Hu Joon’s tantrum is no other than Hu Joon’s ex-girlfriend, In Hyong. Ruh-oh.  In Hyong once was a trainee in the same management company as Hu Joon. Hu Joon was not a big star like right now back then. They went dating and becoming a couple but didn’t make it public. Wise decision for it wouldn’t be good for both their career. But this fact was not a secret in the management company, itself. Boo no dating-prohibited contract in this company?? But In Hyong doesn’t possess enough talent to meet the cut to debut and stay afloat. So when JJ moved to another management company, he managed to woo In Hyong to move to the new company with false promise that she would be better managed and became more successful. Anyhoo, nothing become reality, in fact become more successful celebrity she didn’t, In Hyong became JJ’s girlfriend. Eeep! Where’s this girl’s parent or guardian I wonder. 

Looking at their history, JJ and Hu Joon’s relationship of course is not as friendly and good as they display in front of fans. Though as public figure and role mode, Hu Joon has obligation to maintain a respectful behavior toward his sunbae in the industry, JJ.  You know, like comin’ whenever his sunbae invites him to an occasion even if he doesn’t feel like to. Back to grand opening of Benny club, not only it marks as the first time Geun Yong meet Hu Joon, it also marks the first time Ho Joon meets In Hyong after a long while. He is shocked with how much In Hyong has changed, she is not the sweet and innocent girl that he used to know before. Seeing In Hyong with thick make-up, red lipstick, red dress with red flower accessory in her head, Hu Joon is taken back. Old wound that never 100% healed is reopened. He, in loud voice, asks In Hyong why the heck she has to come to this event too in whatever fugly red dress she has been wearing. Along with that question, he tries to take away the red flower from In Hyongs head and erase the red lipstick from her lips. Frustrated, he starts cursing to himself for whatever reason he had back then till he decided to let go this girl and made her looks right now. Man, I know you’re angry but that doesn’t make what you’re doing to the girl is right, where’s the oppa Gangnam styled gentleman? In Hyong breaks down and cries. Wait a minute, so it isn’t a slapping scene that Geun Yong witnessed? Dun’, Dun’, Dun’.

Hearing what truly happening that day from Hu Joon’s real manager, Ji Hyang, Geun Yong feels the guilt starts to creeps in. Flashing memory of the night with Hu Joon and his tears streaming down reason unknown, floods Geun Yong’s mind. So there’s reason behind those tears. Geun Yong starts to see Hu Joon in different shade. Next thing she knows, she swirls into Hu Joon’s whirlpool and participates in Saving In Hyong Operation. 

It has been inner circle open secret that JJ doesn’t treat In Hyong well. He has physically abuses her which leading into depression. No proof or no one ever witnesons to Hu Joon that gives the free life to In Hyong will not be easy. It is no longer Hu Joon’s busineses directly though. So it has been happening for sometimes, but only now, the time Hu Joon saw In Hyong in red dress and thick make-up with his bare eyes that really gives him shakes on the head. JI Hyang reasss anymore once that girl chose to leave him for the other guy. But Hu Joon insists to carry on his plan. Yes, somebody please, do something to help her! 

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Here’s the beginning of the press war!  First, it is Hu Joon in a talk show and a must-to-ask question for still –single celebrity: Tell me about your first love. I’m not a follower of Korean variety show, so I just know from this book that there’s a must question like that. Not that I think it is not less annoying than do-you-have-boy/girlfriend question here. But well Koreans and their fixation on first love! Sigh.  He says: “Your second, third, and so on love can only become things from the past, but your first love will always be your first love. But I argue that, it is the same for me, my first love is only picture of memory now”. Hah. That’s a breakthrough in K drama term speaking. 

JJ who holds a grudge against Hu Joon, finds a way to twits that up for his advantage. He makes an impression that Hu Joon had made mistakes toward his first love. Instead of protecting her, he chose to leave her in pursuit of brighter future.  Hu Joon always feels guilty about it, but he can only say sorry. Now, stop there Story, we need to talk.

What is it so wrong about choosing your career and brighter future over your love life? In my honest and humble opinion, there’s nothing wrong with it. Your future is not that less important than your love life. When you are young, flowering with dreams, and having so many roads stretched for you, you must work the best to achieve them, make your future as bright as possible.  Knowing that you miss your chances to achieve them is not less painful as heartbreak felt. It is the only way possible that your future can only be your past, but your true love is one that’s gonna last. If your first love is eventually your one and only true love, it will last, it will wait for you at the end of the road. Because that is what makes love so precious, priceless, and valuable, it is time-resist. 

So the story goes on. The press war is nowhere near the end. Now, it is not only JJ and Hu Joon as a player, Guen Yong comes middling. She is interviewed by one of gossip magazine reporter about her being an anti-fan. But besides explaining what an anti-fan meaning for her, she ends up defending Hu Joon in his recent press war with JJ. Here is Geun Yong’s perspective about anti-fan:

Anti-fan is not one who always ups against and screams on a celebrity without understanding the fact first. The existence of an anti-fan gives a sign that there’s something lacking in the said celebrity. Isn’t the truly anti-fan is the one who can give the celebrity applause, pats on the back, or perhaps just simple handshake, when it is due, when the celebrity admits his/her mistake, willing to receive critic with good intent, and tries hardly to make an improvement? Truthfully speaking, I’m likely to say that anti-fan should be regarded as person who offers reasons for not liking the celebrity bravely, not just a person who can only barks on the celebrity baseless. 

Err, is it not one of the things that a fan should do? Just fan, without an “anti” word before it? Only at the end of the interview, she realizes what she has done, defending Hu Joon. With that realization, she feels the chilling winter wind is not so much cold anymore.

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But Hu Joons first love issue has spiraled out and touched a point in K entertainment industry that I don’t understand. The CEO of Management Company, in which Hu Joon is under at this point of time, redeems the issue is getting out of hands. He feels the pressure from internet is so much that he needs to pull out Hu Joon out from “So I Married to The Anti-fan” variety show. That’s just plain one stupid move. I mean the CEO makes his star walking out from high rating variety show just merely because a trivial issue like “leaving his girlfriend when he was still young”. Duh! I know it is just fiction novel but I read a lot of news’ about actors being pulled out from a drama, just because merely a rumor and some anonymous netizens have been ranting and bragging about it. So yeah how K entertainment is so “anonymous –netizen-comment conscious” is amazed me. I quote an advice from Exo: “Shoot anonymous!” :D

On the contrary, Hu Joon protests that decision. He thinks how can he just walk out like that? But uh, too bad he is only an artist that doesn’t have any voice on deciding his current company management’s next step. Somehow that brings Hu Joon to make a decision to end his relationship with that company and set up his own management company. At the end still he has to drop “So I Married to The Anti-fan” variety show because contract dispute. In front he cites that there’s no longer trust between him and his former management company hence they need to take their own separated way in the friendliest way. Tackling person so he doesn’t get a job contact is still considered as friendliest way here, as long as they don’t go up to the court. 

Don’t want to lose momentum, JJ thinks it, in the time like this, is the most appropriate time to show off another card. He announces that he right now are protecting Hu Joon’s first love girl from…. Hu Joon. O.o  Of course that sends the entire internet population in South Korea slack-jawed.

What is wrong with you JJ?? You think you are the only one who got a plan. Think again. Come to surface that Benny club, JJ owned club, is back to property market. And surprisingly JJ doesn’t seem to know anything about it. Hmmm. How can that possibly be? The owner of a club doesn’t know that his club being sold. Anddd whoosdunnitt?? 

But JJ is not the only one who got his surprise present. Geun Yong has one to for her own. One day, out of nowhere, In Hyong gives Geun Yong a call. She request so that they meet at pockjangmacha. On the meeting, In Hyong asks Geun Yong to tell her Oppa, Hu Joon to forget her. Geun Yong has to assure him that she can take care of herself. She was the one who decides to leave him that day and now she takes her responsibility of her own action. She thinks JJ still has ominous plan in store if he doesn’t back off right now. Geun Yong feels a mysterious pang in her heart hearing In Hyong calling Hu Joon “oppa”. Psst. The power of the word oppa is beyond compare. Geun Yong sees scars and brushes on In Hyong’s body. Seeing that, the only one that she wants to do right now is to shelter the girl in front of her and get rid of JJ ASAP.

Back from the meeting, Geun Yong goes straight to Hu Joon’s new management company office which is the Gangnam apartment that she used to live in. A long the way she is thinking whether she tells Hu Joon or not about her recent meeting with Geun Yong. With heavy heart she decides to just tell him right away. Once she tells her story, Hu Joon feels like a lightning bolt just strikes right through him. He asks her if In Hyong is alright. She doesn’t answer the question like she cannot look Hu Joon straight up on his face. She closes her eyes. She feels the need to deliver In Hyong’s message so she encourages herself. She says that In Hyong asked Hu Joon to forget her and to do all things he wants to do, don’t need to think about her anymore and hold back. In Hyong couldn’t stand seeing him like that. She said don’t give up Hu Joon Oppa. Geun Yong thinks for herself that she doesn’t quite understand with Give Up meaning here. “Do you understand what I’m saying?” Geun Yong wants to make sure the message has been delivered to the blank-stared Hu Joon.

“But she is alright, isn’t she?” Asks Hu Joon once again. The scars and brushes on In Hyong’s body backs on Geun Yong’s vision. She can’t answer Hu Joon convincingly. She turns away. Now, she realizes the mysterious pang she felt in her heart previously truly means. I mean now, Now? Seriously Writer-nim, if you expected me to laugh, there you got it. I’m laughing whole jaded heartedly. A girl has appeared in front of her eyes and she seems to have been physically abused and our heroine thinks about….! Aish. Oh woman’s heart sure has its own mysterious way of working.

 Hu Joon cannot stand the silent Geun Yong any longer. He screams “Dear God. Is she alright or not!?!” Though he is screaming, his voice isn’t heard like he is angry. It is like he has been pleading to know about In Hyong’s condition.  Geun Yong feels she just wants to run away and hide. But of course she cannot with the image of tortured In Hyong appearing before her eyes. 

After the message delivery, Geun Yong makes up her mind to move out from the Gangnam apartment. Hu Joon asks her to stay, Geun Yong says no. Though, she thanks him for asking. There’s someone who needs his help and concern, and that someone is not her. She can take care of herself. Yay for tough heroine. Only later on, when she is alone with herself, she thinks perhaps she needs Hu Joon’s protection too. Ugh, Dude!

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Fighting back JJ, Hu Joon releases an article. On the article, Hu Joon tells JJ there’s no need for him to mind someone else’s business, get involve in someone else’s love affair, and spread false rumor.  You probably will roll your eyes if you watch it on drama through your screen because it results into another press release!  I wonder why these two not just meet in real life, real time, have a punch or two. 

Thinking that just one press release is not gonna be enough this time, so JJ conceives another plot. JJ calls Geun Yong telling her that they need to meet. Geun Yong is like “whaat?? Meet?? With You?? But she complies. So meet they do, on rooftop of a hotel. JJ questions Geun Yong: Had she met In Hyong? Geun Yong snaps whether she had met or not with In Hyong in none of his business. She continues why he doesn’t just ask In Hyong himself? Is the level of confidence between the two of them is already that low? He says he just wants to tell Geun Yong to stay clear from In Hyong, not to be on her side of line, or even to try to protect her. He reminds her that it is not one hell of good choice to stay near to Hu Joon either. Geun Hyong’s blood boil, she takes her leave. Before that she leans closer to JJ and whisper that what all he has been doing to her is like what a kid doing in elementary school class leader election.

Go she leaves, only to meet Hu Joon and Ji Hyang in her way out. It is taken them by surprise. In minutes, JJ comes out from elevator and he meets Hu Joon’s glowering eyes. He walks toward Geun Yong and says that he is the one who will take responsibility on her for now on. Guh. Geun Yong says coldly that he doesn’t need to. Then JJ moves his gaze to Hu Joon asking what Hu Joon doing here. In freezing tone, Hu Joon says he is here for a photo-shoot. From there, they continue to argue back and forth, spitting shit. They only stop when Hu Joon grabs Geun Yong by the wrist and drags her out from the hotel. Aish not in drama, not in novel, wrist grabbing is everywhere. 

Geun Yong waits in Hu Joon’s van till he has done with the photo-shoot per Hu Joon’s order. Hu Joon insists to take her home. But only silence filling the air during the journey. To break the ice cold situation, Geun Yong tries to explain her meeting with JJ. She says JJ has been tracking In Hyong’s telephone call and finding out that she had met Geun Yong. Still Hu Joon cannot get over his angry feeling, he screams to her why they have to meet at that hotel over gazillions hotels in town?? People tend to misunderstand!! Huh so you don’t know the rule of K drama universe then, it applies on its parallel worlds too.  

“Misunderstand?!?” Geun Yong is half-asking, half-scoffing with eyes wide open. Despite all the screaming, in fact Hu Joon doesn’t seem facing any difficulty understanding what’s going on. So there’s no misunderstanding that we afraid of. Together me and Geun Yong: “So what’s up with all that screaming!!”

Turning his head toward Geun Yong, Hu Joon asks what JJ had told her? Did he say that she shouldn’t play with Hu Joon, and play with him instead? Did he want to give her a bar club like what he did to In Hyong? Geun Yong: “ YAAAAA!!”

She says it is fine that he thinks that she has an affair with JJ, it is fine that he thinks she is such stupid to get herself involve with that jerk. But even if all those things are true, do those things have even anything to do with him? What is she to him to make those things concern him? She says all of that right on his face.

Hu Joon is taken aback hearing what Geun Yong just said. He counters that jerk is playing with both of them. Why have to be at that hotel!! Hu Joon insists. Really Hu Joon I thought we already pass that point. There’re other places to meet, so he didn’t have to meet them!! Hu Joon is steaming.

Geun Yong cannot calm herself down any longer. She is on the edge of her seat (literally) stating what important to him is that he didn’t see her and JJ,  that he doesn’t really care both of them meet or not as long as he didn’t see them. All right she says. Next time she will be more careful so he won’t have to see her or JJ. Then she orders Ji Hyang to stop the van. 

Ji Hyang puts some sense in Geun Yong. They are in the middle of bridge now, they cannot just stop. But Geun Yong cannot back down this time, fire up. She orders him again: “Stop the car! Now!” The van stop in halt and put Geun Yong in awkward position, in which GeunYong falls into Hu Joon’s embrace. Geun Yong is swearing and getting up and out from the van. For the last time she tells Hu Joon: “ I have enough of you! I know you just can’t careless about me! But don’t ever, don’t ever again screaming and yelling to me like that! You, sh**!!”   

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When you think the JJ press conference is the last. Kh. You and I are out of luck this time. We got another one from Hu Joon. He says it will be the last time press conference from him. Hu Joon! We. Believe. You! He would like to leave the public to judge by themselves whether he or JJ who has been telling lies all these times. Sighing, he continues that it is true the girl who’s with JJ right now, is his first love. 

More white light come dashing Hu Joon’s face. More stories come to surface. Hu Joon clarifies that he met his 1^st love girl when he was a new comer, while she was still trainee in the same management company. They became a couple at that time but chose not let the public know. He never, not even once, thinks that he was in upper position. The news about him sacrificed her to pursuit his career is not true. In fact she was the one who leaving him after JJ successfully lured her. He doesn’t want to bring her up, befallen in front of public’s scrutiny. He doesn’t want to be seen like he punishes her and asks her to responsible for choosing JJ over him. But JJ has dragged him into this. Now, he just can’t remain silent. He does not understand reason behind JJ’s action.

Near the end of press conference, he states that what he really wants to say in this time is that his relationship with the girl is no longer the same. Why did JJ keep connecting him with her, he doesn’t know. But if JJ continues with what he has been doing, he’s better bring the girl out in front Hu Joon. Because the girl is not a property, Hu Joon can’t just brag in and drag her out if she chooses to stay. If all these are sign that JJ has chosen to let her go, he will accept her. He heard the girl has been hurt while she resides on JJ’s side. But for this time, this is all he can do, doesn’t matter what he wants, till she’s the one who decides to leave and change her position. He will help her if she let him to. Even if that means he will lose everything he has now. If that is the price he has to pay for letting her go that day. He closes the press conference with implying saving her is what he concerns the most at time being. 

Huff.  After the press conference, Hu Joon, sitting inside his van, feels like a huge mountain has been removed from his shoulders. Ji Hyang, at driver seat, asks if he, Hu Joon, finally let Geun Yong go after all, just like that. Hu Joon answers that if she sees the press conference, she must understand. Ha I like your positivity Hu Joon! J She cursed at you the last time! Ji Hyang: “… Hopefully … She will … understand.”

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Lightning has filled the air with its light and sound. Rain has fallen without any sign it will stop any time soon. Geun Yong has been busy writing job application in her one room apartment. Suddenly, there’s knock on her door. She thinks about who come to visit to someone house in rainy day like this. Her eyes are on the door, she asks sternly who he/she is to someone behind the door. From the other side of the door, comes shouting: “Ah it is cold here! Hurry up opens the door!”

Hu Joon?? Geun Yong is bewildered. Hurriedly, she opens the door. Soaked in rain, Hu Joon comes from behind the door. She looks around before closing the door, to find out if there is someone or worst there are a bunch of people have been tailing Hu Joon, the celebrity. What he is doing here is her first question. “So this is your place,” is what comes out first from his mouth, while he is inspecting Geun Hyong’s apartment. He seems forgetting how spectacularly they met and departed at the last time.  

What he is doing here in her apartment, Geun Yong asks again. Hu Joon, in loud voice, answers that he doesn’t know where else to go, except Geun Yong’s place! Reporters have been swarming around his office and apartment. Ji Hyang dropped him here and went to do his un-finished job (True or false?). Then he goes asking if she has any idea somewhere else he can go? Why even he asks her about that? Geun Yong mumbles in her head. He mutters if Geun Yong has a glass of milk, and if she does have, he wants it to be warmed for him to drink because it is freezing here. Cih! Those habits of yelling and ordering people around, sure never change. Why must I like him? Geun Yong asks to herself. Noo, that’s my question Geun Yong! Then she goes to make him some warm tea. 

Sitting side by side, their legs inside blanket and their hands holding a cup of warm tea, they look at the pouring rain through the window. “Did you see my press conference?” Hu Joon be the first who break the silent. “Just watch over In Hyong well, alright?” Geun Yong answers in gloomy mood. He continues: “Why?” She just gives him a short glance as an answer. 

She asks him back instead if he is alright. He asks her to be clearer what about him that she is asking. She tries to put it clearer like what he will do after if things don’t work out. Is she worried about him, he asks. He adds that it is not the time for her to worry about somebody else, seeing her situation. She is like what I cannot worry about you?? And she tries to reason but stop mid-sentence. Okay just stop right here, she resumes. What does he really want exactly? She asks. Without waiting for an answer she continues that all she ever wants are just saying “adios” to him as soon as possible. “Really?” Hu Joon responds her, short and sad. What-Does-He-Mean, she thinks in shock.

Oh, well. She abruptly explains her life was never as miserable as when she was with him. Had he waved her goodbye already? Now, it’s time for him to let her go. “But weren’t you the one who leaving me first?” Hu Joon protests and looks straight up to her. She is like whaa how can he say like that to her. Wasn’t he the one who never asking her to stay? She replies, not want to lose arguing. “Even if I asked you to stay before, would you choose to stay?” asks Hu Joon in serious tone, his eyes on Geun Yong’s. Hah. Strike for Hu Joon :D

They keep arguing and arguing, back and forth. Geun Yong insists she has to win this time, she has been swallowed in every word Hu Joon said up until now. Why does he have to keep talking like a girl this time? She wonders. Hu Joon is so frustrated and he feels no word can explain his feeling for her, does she ever understand? Gee… Goes he, for an action. He grabs Geun Yong’s shoulders and kisses her. J No word speaks louder than an action: Truth. “ Do you understand now?” Hu Joon asks with sad face upon his face. The question and the face stop Geun Yong’s intent to slap him.

Hu Joon confesses he is happy when there’s her. If it is not because of her, he probably still struggled in his pond of sadness. He says,“ I’m happy because there’re you who talk to me when I’m sad, and who make me even happier when I’m happy”. He never realized these things before. Now, he realizes but he’s already too late. Too late for knowing that she has cheered him up and made him strong. But it is better to be late than do nothing Hu joon! Swear God…

Tears are streaming down Geun Yong’s cheeks. But all Hu Joon has said are like the calm before storm.  He drops the bomb, saying: “ I’m not comfortable telling all these things to you in situation like right now. Because I know, if In Hyong chooses to come back to me, I have to burry all that I have been said to you. I didn’t say anything all these time because the reason I have told you. It doesn’t matter what I say, it will become nothing. But you made me said it. So, just listen and forget it, because I can no longer responsible for all those words. I told you all these because you are the one who want to hear. This is your fault.”  Whaaaa… Her fault??

And after that Hu Joon leaves the crime scene, leaves Geun Yong staggered in her place. She knows there’s nothing she can do. She thinks: Damn, In Hyong how lucky you are.

--------------

“You’re son of a bitch! Bastard!!!”

JJ brags into Hu Joon’s office, cursing. He’s so angry, his face becomes so red.  Hu Joon who has been staring, full of thought, into a window at the back of his office before JJ comes breaking in, turns on his seat to face the intruder. His face doesn’t hint any emotion, except that he looks calm and composed. JJ then throws envelopes, full of documents onto table in front of Hu Joon. He demands an explanation for all house accusation letter, contract infringement letter, unpaid fines and bills. He asks if all of these are too much. 

“Too much??” Hu Joon scoffs. He says to JJ that he has already warned him. Don’t mess with him ever again because he is not the same Hu Joon from several years before. JJ threatens Hu Joon that he will do something to In Hyong if he keeps doing what he has done. Instead of backing down, Hu Joon challenges JJ that he will see what JJ still can do to In Hyong, since now he is the owner of Benny club. How can he??

Hu joon stares at JJ coldly while JJ girth his teeth trying to suppress his anger. Hu Joon says again this is the result of using someone as weapon and trying to own someone’s life. Shouldn’t he know that weapon can hurt the owner back if it isn’t handled carefully? Even if he wants to take a stance by buying the club back, he cannot do that now. He is not in the position to bargain, he doesn’t have that much money, does he? Hu Joon smirks. He suggests they should just end their battle right here, right now. He will easily settle the matter down if JJ gives In Hyong back to him and not hurts her ever again. He will eagerly give the club back to him if he is doing so. But then JJ snaps: “Do you think I will do as you said??”

With that answer Hu Joon asks JJ one question that he has always wanted to ask to his sunbae for so long: Why does JJ hate him so much? JJ gives Hu Joon a look that if a look can crush thing Hu Joon has been already shattered into pieces. He says: “ You know there’s someone whom you hate simply with no reason.” Huh?? I thought no-reason reason can be applied for love only, not hate. Hmmmm. And that person is him? Hu Joon can’t help wonder in disbelieve. JJ continues to explain that one person is one who feels high and mighty just because his pretty face. And only because that pretty face half of the company had been made so busy occupied. He was the sunbae but they treated Hu Joon, the maknae, way better for reason?? His appearance! Cih! So he does have a reason named jealousy.

--------------

It is one of the sleepless night for Geun Yong when un-expected call coming. It is from In Hyong. She wants them to meet again at the same pojangmacha. So off, they meet. Like the un-expected call, In Hyong looks un-expectedly worse than Geun Yong has ever seen before. In Hyong greets Geun Yong cheerfully, strike contras with her condition. Her eyes seem restless. If they don’t, they look like staring into a place that cannot be pointed out, somewhere behind Geun Yong’s body. Her face looks like she wants to say something, but no word is spoken from her lips. She seems like having been thinking something endlessly. Thing that’s Geun Yong cannot fathom. She thrusts Geun Yong two envelopes. Geun Yong asks what they are. In Hyong anwers they are letters. One is for Hu Joon. And one is for a reporter. 

Morning headline news:

“JJ, found injured with woman, death with cut on her wrist, is now in critical condition.”

--------------

Day passes by, Hu Joon has been missing. But somehow Geun Yong manages to stay afloat on celebrity world. After she has done with the variety show, a TV commercial offer is rolling in. But not just that, the later episodes of “So I Married to The Anti-fan” draw a positive review from audience. Thanks for that, she is invited to be a guest in a talk show, a panelist in a consultation program, and appears on others entertainment programs. She wonders to herself if entertainer blood is really in her vein. Pfft. Now, she even needs a manager to handle her activities schedule as a Celebrity. 

Geun Yong, the celebrity and with manager in her side, is now under Benny artist management company. After sometime, she comes to talk to Ji Hyang, who also works at Benny too, that she needs a vacation. It surprises him. And Geun Yong can read Ji Hyang’s mind. So, no, she is not gonna use the vacation to try to find Hu Joon’s whereabouts. She wants to write something but before she needs a break to gather some inspiration. Ji Hyang asks if she can give him a little bit hint about her writing is gonna be like. Grinning, she says she wants to write about a jerk male superstar and nice and calm reporter. Hee….

First place she wants to visit is Alaska. What’s in Alaska anyway? Alaska is a place where Hu Joon’s mother lives and has raised Hu Joon as single parent. Why I got a perception that to be a “cool” and open minded person, someone has to live sometime abroad? Yes, that perception also rampantly occurs in my own country, but still I can’t help to wonder. And yeah, our hero must have some old past baggage in relation with his father or mother. Anyway she is not going there for that reason. Sureee….

So there she is inside a plane that will take her to Alaska. The flight is nearly empty, she can find her seat easily. The seat beside her is empty. It will be a long flight, so she thinks it is better if she tries to sleep during the flight to spend the time. She doesn’t know how long she has been sleeping, but she feels her hand gets way warmer and her sleep position gets more comfortable. She thinks to herself: I don’t know flying in economic class can be this comfortable. Wait, something is not right. Geun Yong slowly opens her eyes and she sees someone who is like Hu Joon staring back at her, smiling and saying that he has flied all the way here with his imaginary cloud just to find her. 

Comments:

Okay, it seems I will never get any answer for my questions that come up when I started to read this book. No clear explanation why there’s an anti-fan, writer-nim? No up-close picture how anti-fan’s life looks like too? I guess I set my expectation way higher than it is supposed to be. And at some point in the story I started to realize perhaps I and the writer stand on a completely different ground in term of anti-fan. 

I never thought Geun Yong is an anti-fan, she is just an ordinary showbiz observer who at one point has received more negative images than positive ones from a celebrity and has responded in more active approach. It is like you can’t like all people you meet in your entire life, so cannot Geun Yong, but apparently (or unfortunately) the person she doesn’t like is a celebrity. People react in different way toward people they don’t like in real life, some people can easily get over it and move on, some others just cannot. They can swear, curse, bad talk on that person or simply just ignore her/him completely. But as long as these people don’t take their action to destructive level or doing harm to the other person, I think it still can be considered as normal reaction. There’s no need to classify them as anti-fan since it will result all people in the whole world become anti-fan. If you hang around long enough as the citizen of the internet or netizen, you will find the latter group of people, ones who swear, curse, and bad talk, quite often. They think under the safety of anonymity, they can just throw real life manner off out of the window once they are at internet doing interaction. Some other netizen probably find this behavior irritating, absolutely will mind to give them some talk, but some other netizens are just raising their eye-brows and moving on, just like in real life. 

If you have read the book, you will find out nothing she does reach destruction level or doing harm to Hu Joon. She doesn’t even try to create an anti-fan café or not even have intention to join one. If I were Hu Joon, a celebrity, I wouldn’t even give Geun Yong an eye-side, since I would never get anything done if I were doing so. In my perception a person can be regarded as an anti-fan if she/he takes her/his disliking into the level as high as giving the celebrity some harm. Even just a fan can put the celebrity through an uncomfortable moment sometime, no? Best example that I can think of for what anti-fans can do to the celebrity as the object of their obsession is Tablo case. So that conclusion brings me to my last question:  What character in the book that the writer-nim is referring to anti-fan as written in the title? I have no idea. Perhaps we need to add more terms like sesang fan to be more specific and clear in the classification. But well how you do your type of fan classification, I will leave that up to you.  

Anyway I was having fun time reading the book. There’s no depth in this story, no sorta epiphany of anything will come after you after reading it. Ahem. But for me, liking it is like fulfilling a nature call :D My K-drama fan self inside calls me. So many scenes are so familiar. It is like watching drama through high definition crystal clear screen inside your head. Kh. I mean you can just read it fast still you got a clear scene about what is happening. Reading it is like watching romantic comedy K drama, you are encouraged to check out your brain outside the door. 

And I think the strongest point of this book is not the depth of the story or the distinct description but the way writer narrates the story, the speed-up and spur conversation, the banter between the OTP that makes this book fun to read. If I look up K drama writer, it does feel like what Kim Eun-seok (A Gentleman’s Dignity, Secret Garden, On Air) would write. The strong narration makes up the nonsensical story plot . See that’s why you need to experience it yourself :D  Happy reading!

스탠딩 에그 (Standing Egg) : My First Fan

 [Lyrics, Romanization, Translation]

아무 기대없이 다가서던 나

Amu gidae-eopsi dagaseodeon na

Whenever hopelessness drew near me
나의손을 잡고 끌어주던 너
Nae soneul jabgo kkeureojudeon neo

You took and held my hand

언제나 내 곁에 있는다고

Eonjena nae gyeothe ineundago

Always be by my side
말해주는 네가 고마울 뿐야
Malhaejuneun nega gomaol ppunya

There’s nothing I want to say but thank you

따뜻한 세상하나를 주고 싶어
Ttatteutan sesanghanareul jugo sipheo

Giving me one warm world

힘들고 지칠때마다

Himdeulge jichilttaemada

Each time I grow weary and tired

네가 들어와서 쉴수 있게

Nega deureowaseo swilsuitge

You come to me, so I can rest

사랑을 그리고 싶어 네눈에

Sarangeul geurigo sipheo ne nune

And I want the love in your eyes
행복을 그리고 싶어 네맘에

Haengbokgeul geurigo sipheo ne mame

And I want the happiness in your heart
또다른 세상을 너의 귓가에 그리고싶어 나

Ttodareun sesangeul neo-e  gwitgae geurigo sipheo na

And I want every other world you perceive  

언제나 너만을 위한 기쁨을

Eonjena neomaneul wihan gippeumeul

In joy, always at your side

언제나 너만을 위한 아픔을
Eonjena neomaneul wihan apheumeul

In pain, always at your side

언제나 너만을 위한 세상을 그리고 싶어 나

Eonjena neomaneul wihan sesangeul geurigo sipheo na

In world, always at your side, and then I want it

항상 내곁에서 미소짓는 너

Hangsang naegyeotheseo misojineun neo

Always by my side, you who are smiling
내가 노래하는 이유가 됐어

Naega noraehaneun iyuga dwesseo

The reason why I’m singing

달콤한 세상 하나를 주고싶어

Dalkhoman sesang hanareul jugo sipheo

Giving me one sweet world
힘들고 지칠때마다

Himdeulgo jichilttaemada

Each time I grow weary and tired
네가 들어와서 웃을 수 있게

Nega deureowaseo useul su itge

You come to me, so I can smile

사랑을 그리고 싶어 네눈에

Sarangeul geurigo sipheo ne nune

And I want the love in your eyes
행복을 그리고 싶어 네맘에

Haengbokgeul geurigo sipheo ne mame

And I want the happiness in your heart
또다른 세상을 너의귓가에 그리고싶어 나

Ttodareun sesangeul neo-e gwitgae geurigo sipheo na

And I want every other world you perceive

언제나 너만을 위한 기쁨을

Eonjena neomaneul wihan gippeumeul

In joy, always at your side
언제나 너만을 위한 아픔을

Eonjena neomaneul wihan apheumeul

In pain, always at your side
언제나 너만을 위한 세상을 그리고 싶어 나

Eonjena neomaneul wihan sesangeul geurigo sipheo na

In world, always at your side, and then I want it

첫번째 팬이 되어준 네가 없었더라면

Cheobeojjae phaeni  dwe-eojun nega eopseodeoramyeon

My number one fan who supports me, if there’s no you
아무도 없는 세상을 나혼자 걷다가 지쳤을 텐데

Amudo eopneun sesangeul na honja geotdaga jicheosseul thende

There’s no one in the world, as if I walk alone tiredly

이제는 말하고 싶어 너에게

Ijeneun malhago sipheo neo-ege

This is what I want to tell you

언제나 날 들어주는 너에게

Eonjena nal deureojuneun neo-ege

Always I listen for you
언제나 세상을 함께 그려준 지금너에게 나

Eonjena sesangeul hamkke geuryeojun jigeum neo-ege na

Together in the world, now always yearning for you
언제나 너만을 위한 기쁨을

Eonjena neomaneul wihan gippeumeul

In joy, always at your side
언제나 너만을 위한 아픔을

Eonjena neomaneul wihan apehumeul

In the pain, always at your side
언제나 너만을 위한 노래로 부르고 싶어

Eonjena neomaneul wihan noraero bureugo sipheo

I want to sing to call you, always at your side