This first one is from his friend whom he attended high school in Korea with during his trainee days. The letter says it all.
This next one is from his friend from the States and about what his life was like living there.
Quote:
Hello this is Jaebeom's friend who was in the same class with him and I would like to share how Jaebeom lived at the time.
Jaebeom moved to study at our class for his 3rd year in high school. There was nothing special. I just heard that he was a JYP trainee from USA. I regarded him as an ordinary student. At first, he could not adjust himself to Korean cultures and barely spoke Korean. Jaebeom was not in acquaintance with friends and preferred to be alone. As time passed, he could finally get along with friends. We played basketball together. He seemed to be fond of physical education class the most. Since he had to part from his family and friends who he used to hang out and practiced dancing with in the States, he looked lonely at times. He was living by himself in a tough conditon as a trainee in Korea.
Jaebeom had a lot of things to do. He usually practiced singing during his free time or writing rap lyrics. He loved to go to the gym the most. I remembered inviting him for lunch but he rejected and only ate food with protein nourishment. How pity he was then. We were in the same basketball team. The friends in our class used to sing birthday songs to him. When we graduated, Jaebeom was trained full time at his company and one day he boasted to me that he was put into a group, 2PM and would be on national televisions. I knew that he worked so hard before he debuted with his first album.
Not only Jaebeom, I heard that all JYP trainees and staff also worked so hard. Even though Jaebeom had extreme tight schedules, during the second album promotion, he could come and join our alumni party. I was happy to see his confidence and shine coming from him which was different from the time he was still just a trainee where his future was in doubt. He told me that he liked Boom-hyung. Boom-hyung is a fun person who takes care of him so well. I knew that he was living a happy life at the time.
But, for the past few days, there were a controversial of Jaebeom's offending comments from his myspace. All those efforts he put were shattered in the blink of an eye. I tried to call him because I was so concerned. He told me he was at the airport and about to leave for USA. I asked if he'll ever come back. He said how could he when so many people hate him this much...
As a friend of Jaebeom, there is nothing I can do. I can only let him leave like that. His flight left at 6:30pm. I can only wish that he go back to have a better life with his family. Even in the US, I wish he still carry on and fulfill his dream. I would like to thank you all who loved my friend. Jaebeom Fighting!
“Now I think I have become a real Korean”
“I'm proud to be Korean”
“The Republic of Korea”
“Korean people are like stars, they dress so well comparing to me I dress like a pauper. Oh no, yes I am a pauper.”
“I'm not familiar with English now, isn't it funny? Haha”
These messages were written by Jaebeom in 2006.
Looking at those messages, you can see that his attitude has changed.
He said he was proud to be Korean and he truly love Korea.
Please believe him.
Please don't judge him only by the message he wrote when he was a struggling trainee (4 years ago)
Please...
Jaebeom moved to study at our class for his 3rd year in high school. There was nothing special. I just heard that he was a JYP trainee from USA. I regarded him as an ordinary student. At first, he could not adjust himself to Korean cultures and barely spoke Korean. Jaebeom was not in acquaintance with friends and preferred to be alone. As time passed, he could finally get along with friends. We played basketball together. He seemed to be fond of physical education class the most. Since he had to part from his family and friends who he used to hang out and practiced dancing with in the States, he looked lonely at times. He was living by himself in a tough conditon as a trainee in Korea.
Jaebeom had a lot of things to do. He usually practiced singing during his free time or writing rap lyrics. He loved to go to the gym the most. I remembered inviting him for lunch but he rejected and only ate food with protein nourishment. How pity he was then. We were in the same basketball team. The friends in our class used to sing birthday songs to him. When we graduated, Jaebeom was trained full time at his company and one day he boasted to me that he was put into a group, 2PM and would be on national televisions. I knew that he worked so hard before he debuted with his first album.
Not only Jaebeom, I heard that all JYP trainees and staff also worked so hard. Even though Jaebeom had extreme tight schedules, during the second album promotion, he could come and join our alumni party. I was happy to see his confidence and shine coming from him which was different from the time he was still just a trainee where his future was in doubt. He told me that he liked Boom-hyung. Boom-hyung is a fun person who takes care of him so well. I knew that he was living a happy life at the time.
But, for the past few days, there were a controversial of Jaebeom's offending comments from his myspace. All those efforts he put were shattered in the blink of an eye. I tried to call him because I was so concerned. He told me he was at the airport and about to leave for USA. I asked if he'll ever come back. He said how could he when so many people hate him this much...
As a friend of Jaebeom, there is nothing I can do. I can only let him leave like that. His flight left at 6:30pm. I can only wish that he go back to have a better life with his family. Even in the US, I wish he still carry on and fulfill his dream. I would like to thank you all who loved my friend. Jaebeom Fighting!
“Now I think I have become a real Korean”
“I'm proud to be Korean”
“The Republic of Korea”
“Korean people are like stars, they dress so well comparing to me I dress like a pauper. Oh no, yes I am a pauper.”
“I'm not familiar with English now, isn't it funny? Haha”
These messages were written by Jaebeom in 2006.
Looking at those messages, you can see that his attitude has changed.
He said he was proud to be Korean and he truly love Korea.
Please believe him.
Please don't judge him only by the message he wrote when he was a struggling trainee (4 years ago)
Please...
This next one is from his friend from the States and about what his life was like living there.
Quote:
I'm a highschool schoolmate of Jaebeom.
When communities such as xan*** and mys**** was in boom if we look at it by age it was during Year 11? Year 12 of high school? It is quite sad that things written during those times in private to a best friend is recieving such public criticism.
Firstly, it needs to be pointed out, idol groups such as those in Korea at the moment are not very popular amongst US senior high school students. In Korea and Japan, groups such as Back Street Boys and N'Sync make platinum hits but in America at the moment, boy idol groups are targeted at primary school/junior highschool girls. If you go around humming a Backstreet Boys song you get asked if that is Backstreet Boys and get teased. While America seems relatively open minded, I think that if you come to know it, there is bad prejudice.
Jaebeom was a popular kid ever since high school. He formed a b-boy crew that was relatively famous amongst peers and performed as the main member and during lunch times, there were always kids that surrounded Jaebeom at the lunch table. He was a kid that played a lot and of course had a lot of talent too.
From what I know, Jaebeom participated in the JYP audition after being recommended by his aunt. Because he had a talent that was too good to be wasted.
Jaebeom also agreed to the audition because it was a way for him to use his talent and not long after he got accepted, he left for Korea.
Not having attended school in Korea, he would have not have had anyone he knew. And as he did not fit in witht he culture of his Korean peers, he wouldn't have been able to talk to them.
On top of that, at an age when you should be laughing lots and chatting while shopping with friends and secretly drinking beer he was always stuck in practice rooms like a bird in a birdcage, training til he was tired. it would have been inevitable that he was stressed.
Also, as a kid who liked to break dance and rap with guys who wore loose shirts and loose pants, and liked to chat like crazy he must have felt lost being quickly arranged to be in a boygroup that used be rejected by his friends.
And if I must point something else out, I'm not sure if all of America is like this but in the Seattle that I lived in, and Jaebeom lived in, you wouldn't even dream of wearing clothes like those of current Korean idols or wear smoky eye makeup because you would be told that you looked homosexual.
For kids who started to classify themselves as gangster (that's the same concept as 'iljin' in Korea) and behaved rough (Jaebeom was close to this group), it would be insufficient to say it would be awkward to wear wearing eye makeup, to shape your eyebrow and to wear tight jeans.
In a time when you're under such stress, and at the high school age when you want to experience everything. Does it become such a big crime to complain about the hardships of your personal situation to the one friend you can depended on?
If it was you would you be able to leave your present. And be satisfied and enjoy 5 years in a far land by yourself where you cannot speak the language?
Jaebeom does not hate Korea like you all may think But could it not be that...… (Sorry, I don’t really understand this part. Something about earning money in Korea as an American citizen and the courage for leaving everything for a new start)
I am not a fan of 2pm's Jaebeom, but as the friend JAY PARK of Seattle I am very heart broken. What do you mean quit (quitting from 2pm), I think that is something that doesn't make sense. Are you trying to making someone who has just overcome living in unfamiliar surroundings and is only just standing at the start line hate Korea forever by burying him with criticism by netizens and making him return to America
Reading translated posting… They were really ridiculously translated negatively. You could become writers. Just don't be translators.
Only until recently when I read replies about Jaebeom. Comments like ‘'an American', ‘'disappointing', 'go back to America you Yankee b*tch'’ Were among the most liked replies (in some Korean sites you can "like" comments kind of like on Facebook)
but now that a statement about quitting has come up. Comments like 'it's a shame', 'we're sending away a talented man'’ Are becoming the most liked replies... Is it hypocrisy... Are you giving disease and now offering a remedy (this is a Korean saying )
When communities such as xan*** and mys**** was in boom if we look at it by age it was during Year 11? Year 12 of high school? It is quite sad that things written during those times in private to a best friend is recieving such public criticism.
Firstly, it needs to be pointed out, idol groups such as those in Korea at the moment are not very popular amongst US senior high school students. In Korea and Japan, groups such as Back Street Boys and N'Sync make platinum hits but in America at the moment, boy idol groups are targeted at primary school/junior highschool girls. If you go around humming a Backstreet Boys song you get asked if that is Backstreet Boys and get teased. While America seems relatively open minded, I think that if you come to know it, there is bad prejudice.
Jaebeom was a popular kid ever since high school. He formed a b-boy crew that was relatively famous amongst peers and performed as the main member and during lunch times, there were always kids that surrounded Jaebeom at the lunch table. He was a kid that played a lot and of course had a lot of talent too.
From what I know, Jaebeom participated in the JYP audition after being recommended by his aunt. Because he had a talent that was too good to be wasted.
Jaebeom also agreed to the audition because it was a way for him to use his talent and not long after he got accepted, he left for Korea.
Not having attended school in Korea, he would have not have had anyone he knew. And as he did not fit in witht he culture of his Korean peers, he wouldn't have been able to talk to them.
On top of that, at an age when you should be laughing lots and chatting while shopping with friends and secretly drinking beer he was always stuck in practice rooms like a bird in a birdcage, training til he was tired. it would have been inevitable that he was stressed.
Also, as a kid who liked to break dance and rap with guys who wore loose shirts and loose pants, and liked to chat like crazy he must have felt lost being quickly arranged to be in a boygroup that used be rejected by his friends.
And if I must point something else out, I'm not sure if all of America is like this but in the Seattle that I lived in, and Jaebeom lived in, you wouldn't even dream of wearing clothes like those of current Korean idols or wear smoky eye makeup because you would be told that you looked homosexual.
For kids who started to classify themselves as gangster (that's the same concept as 'iljin' in Korea) and behaved rough (Jaebeom was close to this group), it would be insufficient to say it would be awkward to wear wearing eye makeup, to shape your eyebrow and to wear tight jeans.
In a time when you're under such stress, and at the high school age when you want to experience everything. Does it become such a big crime to complain about the hardships of your personal situation to the one friend you can depended on?
If it was you would you be able to leave your present. And be satisfied and enjoy 5 years in a far land by yourself where you cannot speak the language?
Jaebeom does not hate Korea like you all may think But could it not be that...… (Sorry, I don’t really understand this part. Something about earning money in Korea as an American citizen and the courage for leaving everything for a new start)
I am not a fan of 2pm's Jaebeom, but as the friend JAY PARK of Seattle I am very heart broken. What do you mean quit (quitting from 2pm), I think that is something that doesn't make sense. Are you trying to making someone who has just overcome living in unfamiliar surroundings and is only just standing at the start line hate Korea forever by burying him with criticism by netizens and making him return to America
Reading translated posting… They were really ridiculously translated negatively. You could become writers. Just don't be translators.
Only until recently when I read replies about Jaebeom. Comments like ‘'an American', ‘'disappointing', 'go back to America you Yankee b*tch'’ Were among the most liked replies (in some Korean sites you can "like" comments kind of like on Facebook)
but now that a statement about quitting has come up. Comments like 'it's a shame', 'we're sending away a talented man'’ Are becoming the most liked replies... Is it hypocrisy... Are you giving disease and now offering a remedy (this is a Korean saying )
