Serendipity

Number 4, happy reading!


Serendipity, how do one describe thee?

Merriam Webster disclosed that it is the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.

Wikipedia explained that it denotes the property of making fortunate discoveries while looking for something unrelated, or the occurrence of such a discovery during such a search.

I, based on what I had found and read, thinks that it is a lucky occurrence, interchangeable with fate and destiny in literary pieces but in the real sense, the three words are distinctly related but cannot replace the other.

But to one man, those academic references nor my point of view doesn't matter, to him, serendipity equates to her. To Kim Hyun Joong, serendipity is Hwangbo Hye Jung.

He is not a sucker for romanticism so thinking that he reached that conclusion in a short span of time is reckless and a bit presumptuous, it took him years before he finally caught on and a few years more before he finally understands.

Most of you will have questions, some will draw their own conclusions, others will just read and accept the story as it is, but it doesn't matter, whether you belong to the most, to some or to others because we are but observers, onlookers, spectators, okay, I'll go as far as witnesses to his tale, to their story, it just happened that I got a better deal as I am the storyteller.

Shall I begin?

Kim Hyun Joong traced back his link to Hwangbo Hye Jung way back in 2004, their first connection, his first lucky occurrence - their serendipity.

He was just a struggling trainee back then, and aside from the usual non-stop vocal and dance training; learning about public presence, fan service and media relations; strict diet, muscle toning, skin care and all that aesthetic hullabaloo, they were also instructed to familiarize themselves with the other idol groups and their members. DSP handled three of the more known idols of that time - Fin.kle, Scheskies, Click B, but there were more and for the tired and stubborn Hyun Joong, that was unnecessary.

The day of their oral examinations came, he was agitated but as he had long practiced the art of being expressionless, no one guessed, no one found out.

His turn came, a smorgasbord of pictures were scattered in front of him, he uninterestedly looked at each, he knew nothing about anyone, he was sure he will fail and he saw no point in pretending. But one photo caught his eye, he had no idea who she was but there's something about her that's drawing him in, he reached out, meaning to take a closer look, he was so focused on her that he didn't hear a word out of their instructor's mouth, imagine his surprise when the man in front of him yelled that he was right while the other trainees jeered. A smile stretched across his face when he regained his senses, thinking that she save him.

Being an idol trainee wasn't easy, they were put in hell and back just to go through the same process all over again, the woman might have stolen a piece of his mind and heart but he never had the time to really mull about it.

Year 2005, a few months before SS501's debut, he sneaked out of their dorm and together with some non-showbiz friends visited a studio filming of a variety show which had Bi (Rain) as a guest among others, they snapped a pic and scrambled away. To those who do not know, Hyun Joong is a big fan of the international star who then was just an idol like him. When the film was developed, he was astonished to see more than what he hoped for, behind him was her. The woman who saved him was having her make-up done and she looked more beautiful, if ever that is possible.

His second fortunate discovery - their serendipity.

He then found out that she was the forehead-bejeweled member of the defunct girl idol group Chakra, "She was pretty as an Indian woman in their music videos but she is hella prettier without all those dark make-ups and layers of clothing."

How can he not know that when they are working in the same industry, you may ask, well, it is quite simple, he just didn't give a damn. For him, only those that are of consequence should matter. That's just how he is.

Their debut was a success, their group was a hit, and soon he was dragged in the waves of the entertainment world, he drowned in the privileges and responsibilities that accompanied the money and popularity and she was again forgotten.

But serendipity must have mistook them as guinea pigs as it continuously played a crucial role in their love story, serendipity put them on the spot time and again, observing, waiting.

He was dubbed as a 4d prince by the public, the result of being dazed on most interviews and TV/radio appearances, his group members often reasoned out that it is his personal concept, a little white lie to pacify everyone. The truth, he was just in it for the music, to sing, to write songs, to play his guitar, he wasn't ready to deal with the rest, he even wondered if he'll ever be.

Year 2006, his third and fourth agreeable phenomenon eventuated - their serendipity on a roll.

On one of his earlier guesting in a variety show, he chanced upon her, he didn't know that she was a mainstay of the program, but he was more that happy that she was. I told you serendipity was using them for her own amusement, as he was tasked to faced her, to tease and pick on her for the sake of the viewers, of ratings. It was such a hard task, looking at her up close, all pretty and dolled up, smiling, inviting, she was captivating and preventing himself from stuttering was difficult enough, he made it through though, but he couldn't help but apologize in the end, they both knew that what had transpired between them was scripted but in his mind, it was wrong still.

They are in the same line of work so the two of them seeing and meeting each other from time to time is but ordinary but them always ending up in different teams and being rivals, he didn't think so. Actually, he did, he just changed his mind and his outlook a couple of years after, when he was already in too deep.

Next they met, they were to beat each other in kai bai bo (rock, paper and scissors), they both came as guests but they end up in different teams yet again, he won, she lost, but it didn't matter because by that time, undistinguished to him and unknown to her, she already had him, she won him over.

Days passed, seasons changed, but that littlest of feeling remained.

Year 2007, he had the opportunity to host a music program, his very first. In the list of individuals and groups that he introduced throughout the show, one name stood out, one special person made it truly memorable.

Another valuable phenomenon, his fifth - their serendipity, he's beginning to think it's endless.

That same year, he and another member were invited to graced one of the longest running talk show in Korean entertainment, he was jittery because he found out that his ideal woman was going to be there with them. Gaiety barely describe what he's feeling on the day of their taping, but when another woman showed up and sat an arm away from his seat, he's emotion reached new heights - euphoria, nirvana.

Her laughter spread warmth to his being, her stories brought smiles to his face, her sense of humor elicited chuckles from him, her easy-going personality drove him to know her better. He sort of envied her friends in the studio, the way she talked to them, the way she laughed at their jokes, the way she hit and slapped them mirthfully, the way she looked at them, he, actually, wished that he'll experience being one someday.

His sixth fortunate discovery - another one in the list of their serendipity.

Year 2008 marked the greatest in the list of serendipity that linked the two, they worked and acted as fake husband and wife in a TV program. Hwangbo Hye Jung was initially chosen to be partnered with another artist, someone on the same age bracket perhaps, but she was nowhere to be found, she was on a career hiatus and she hid herself well. Kim Hyun Joong, on the other hand, was supposed to be coupled with a female singer who shared the same 4D personality, but that plan never came about. In the end, the two got together and gave Korea, heck, they gave the world one hell of a show. They showed everyone how awkwardness, silence, laughter, out-of-this-world way of thinking, peculiar way of caring equates love.

You wanna know a secret, by their 3rd filming, he, Kim Hyun Joong, already realized that she, Hwangbo Hye Jung, fits the description of his ideal woman... to perfection, from her physical beauty to her boyish demeanor, from her wayward friendliness to her wifely attributes. She is the one.

Another fortunate discovery, his seventh valuable phenomenon, the ultimate lucky occurrence - their serendipity, their story.

Do you believe?

ANNOTATION:

I know that not everyone will get what I'm trying to say, any other day, I wouldn't have cared, hahaha, but because I'm all sorts of nice this midnight, here's an annotation for everyone.

1st - i think this one is self-explanatory, if picking a random photo of a woman who you knew nothing about but was pulling you like a magnet, which turned out to be the answer to the question you didn't even knew was asked of you is not considered as serendipity, I don't know what is. This, however, is a by-product of my imagination.

2nd - isn't it lucky and beneficent that the woman who caught his eye but lay forgotten on his mind popped out of a picture that was taken without her in thought. Imagine yourself taking a selca and when you print it out, a ghost was sitting beside you, hahaha, unfortunately for you, you caught a ghost on cam, fortunately for Hyun Joong, he caught a goddess, hurhur. Sadly, this is another by-product of my wild imagination.

3rd - This one sort of laid the groundwork for their reunion years later as a make-believe husband and wife. The two meeting in a show is quite ordinary, he being chosen as his riling partner still counts as ordinary but them using the same jokes and crap they threw each other on 2006 when they met again in 2008 is, I think, extraordinary. If that is not serendipity, then do tell me what it is?

4th - Kai Bai Bo is a trademark Ssangchu game, it solved most of their problems, clarified a number of misunderstandings, brought out much fun and laughter. Them, meeting and battling it out in Rock, Paper and Scissors way before WGM with Hwangbo on the loosing end was like deja vu in reverse. It's like the force of nature were preparing them for what to come. Third and fourth, really happened, the guesting I mean, but the story around it, is as usual a telltale from me.

5th - Korea invest a lot in their entertainment industry and to say that their singers, dancers, idol groups, actors and actresses, host, gagmen and women, etc. abound and overflowed is no exaggeration, so Hwangbo being present and introduced by Hyun Joong on his first hosting gig spells serendipity. It's like having your hair done in the most splendid way and then you accidentally bump to your long-time crush, that's serendipity in motion. The hosting and singing happened in real, the story behind it, I made it up, haha.

6th - who doesn't know about the CTP episode that I am pertaining to, if you don't, stop reading and go watch it first, it's fun, I tell you. Hyun Joong was expecting to see Lee Hyori, he actually prepared himself to do so, but to his surprise and satisfaction, Hwangbo was also present and she was at arms length, very pretty, deliriously funny and appetizingly witty, and she more than swallowed the presence of the other girl in his eyes. I'm telling you, that is serendipity. The guesting happened, Kim Hyun Joong's thought is just a fantasy, or maybe not, who are we to know anyway.

7th - WGM! Need I say more? If you don't get this one, go jump out of this ship, you don't belong, hahaha!


A lot of my brain cells imploded and exploded because of this one, so you better show me some love :P