Actor joins the Marines
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"Rich people are different from the rest of us", wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald in "The Great Gatsby", a novel about the Roaring 1920s of the U.S. At the time, the upper class dominated the political, economic and social circles with fortunes inherited from their parents. So what about the super rich in the 21st century? They are the "working rich" who earned their fortunes by maximizing their outstanding abilities with technology and globalization. They practice "noblesse oblige", or the moral obligation of those with high social status, through active charity work and follow a lifestyle different from that of ordinary people.
In the popular SBS soap opera "Secret Garden", Kim Joo-won (played by actor Hyun Bin) is the chief executive of an upscale department store. He is different from typical rich characters in other dramas. Though lucky to be born to a rich family, Kim possesses abilities that far exceed imagination. After inheriting managerial control of a department store, he turns it into the retail market leader by focusing on rich customers. Having graduated from a prestigious U.S. university, he never crosses paths with the underprivileged until meeting a poor stunt actress.
The way the woman ends up in a fairytale romance with Kim is like a Cinderella story. Believing marriage is the "merger and acquisition of a lifetime", however, Kim demands that she "disappear like the Little Mermaid" at the proper moment. A switch of their bodies and the subsequent experiencing of her difficulties lead him to accept her underprivileged situation. The woman tells him that she had lived on welfare since her fireman father died while rescuing a man, to which Kim says, "I should have paid more taxes".
Had Kim's role as a snobbish and haughty man of fortune been played by an actor other than Hyeon, would so many fans love the character? Few actors could do the job Hyeon has in playing a man who uses uppity words but has eyes that make the heart flutter. Hyeon, who stressed the moral obligations of the upper class in the drama, made headlines by applying to join the Marines. Chun Yu-ok, a lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party, hailed his decision by saying, "It`s no exaggeration to say celebrities are the noblesse these days. Hyeon Been has practiced 'noblesse oblige'." Some men downplayed his decision, saying military service is not a moral obligation and asking if Hyeon can endure tough training. His choice is unforgettable, however, in the absence of similar examples among children from privileged backgrounds.
Editorial Writer Kim Sun-deok
In the popular SBS soap opera "Secret Garden", Kim Joo-won (played by actor Hyun Bin) is the chief executive of an upscale department store. He is different from typical rich characters in other dramas. Though lucky to be born to a rich family, Kim possesses abilities that far exceed imagination. After inheriting managerial control of a department store, he turns it into the retail market leader by focusing on rich customers. Having graduated from a prestigious U.S. university, he never crosses paths with the underprivileged until meeting a poor stunt actress.
The way the woman ends up in a fairytale romance with Kim is like a Cinderella story. Believing marriage is the "merger and acquisition of a lifetime", however, Kim demands that she "disappear like the Little Mermaid" at the proper moment. A switch of their bodies and the subsequent experiencing of her difficulties lead him to accept her underprivileged situation. The woman tells him that she had lived on welfare since her fireman father died while rescuing a man, to which Kim says, "I should have paid more taxes".
Had Kim's role as a snobbish and haughty man of fortune been played by an actor other than Hyeon, would so many fans love the character? Few actors could do the job Hyeon has in playing a man who uses uppity words but has eyes that make the heart flutter. Hyeon, who stressed the moral obligations of the upper class in the drama, made headlines by applying to join the Marines. Chun Yu-ok, a lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party, hailed his decision by saying, "It`s no exaggeration to say celebrities are the noblesse these days. Hyeon Been has practiced 'noblesse oblige'." Some men downplayed his decision, saying military service is not a moral obligation and asking if Hyeon can endure tough training. His choice is unforgettable, however, in the absence of similar examples among children from privileged backgrounds.
Editorial Writer Kim Sun-deok
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