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posted at 2011/11/28 by 닥터콜
English translation by: huhuhuhu@raincloudhk
Rain, impressed all his colleagues with surprising adaptability to military life; Jung Jihoon - synonym to Effort
posted at 2011/11/28 by 닥터콜
English translation by: huhuhuhu@raincloudhk
Rain, impressed all his colleagues with surprising adaptability to military life; Jung Jihoon - synonym to Effort
If you think about it, Rain’s late 20s seemed to be filled with sarcastic comments on “to go or not to go to the army”. Whenever any news came up related to Rain, people would start to give sarcastic remarks about him as if he was someone who would certainly be exempted from army duty. Rain’s late 20s was therefore covered with cuts and bruises. Netizens had set their minds as if Rain would surely use tricks in order to avoid military duty. Because of their relentless gossips I didn’t know since when I had also assumed that he would not go to the army, and that even if he went, he would try hard not to follow the normal procedures. So when surprisingly the news came out that Rain would really report to the army as an active-duty soldier, I didn’t even feel ashamed for having such ugly thoughts previously.
One day, a friend passed an internet news to me with a remark “Rain is really cool”. I was wondering “Is he crazy?” Here was a guy who usually grinds his teeth and treated Rain as if he was an enemy. Moreover, coming from a family who had served the navy, he was not really impressed by military lives of the average celebrities. So what exactly had someone done and what news had he clicked and read that made his mouth wide open with amazement, which hadn’t happened for a long time, and made him feel moved about Rain again, like he did 7 years ago?
It was announced on 14th (October) that Rain would serve his duty at the recruit training centre of the No. 5 Infantry Division, also known as “The Key Troop”. As the name indicated it occupied an important position, with its roots dated back to the Korean war period. Since the time of the ex President Lee Seung Man it got the name “No. 1 Troop in the World”, which showed its history of playing an active role in the army. The Key Troop where Rain would be going is at the very front line of the GOP. The location of the No. 5 Infantry division is right under the barbed wire of Yeoncheon County, where winter temperature could drop below -15 and the hot summer was close to a heat wave with temperature above 38. Such is the harsh environment of its location. In a word, Rain would be receiving hell of a training.
However, despite being older in comparison and being with recruits who had never enjoyed the social life of a celebrity; and despite his handicap of not being able to follow the normal process, the team work he had with the recruits and the beautiful records he had achieved could only amaze one with wide opened mouth.
In the first week when there was a reward and penalty system, Rain was the only one of all the members who met the 15 points requirement and received a reward. His day time rifle score was 19 out of 20, and night time score was 10 out of 10. He passed both the measured rifle score and the training rifle score in one go and achieved full marks, which earned him the recognition of First Class Marksman and made him one of the top 3 recruits.
Other than physical stamina and training results, Rain’s superior leadership and his good character made him stand out and being chosen as a Teaching Assistant of the No. 5 Division Recruits Training Team. His extraordinary achievement was more than that. After being with the army for just 5 weeks as a recruit, he was named Special Warrior. To be chosen as a Special Warrior, a soldier had to achieve not only a day, night time rifle score above 90% and completed a 30km marching, he also had to be in top grade physically in terms of push up, sit up and 3 km run, and achieved above 70% level in all subjects of training. These could be said as almost unbearable levels, but Rain, amongst the more than 130 recruits, was No. 2 in his overall results and was named Special Warrior.
“Rain’s excellent rifle skill and his stamina, as well as his leading by example attitude has made him a model for the other recruits”
Like what the army personnel had said, other than Rain’s ability and physical stamina, his leading by example attitude had inspired the other recruits and made him their model. His unusual leadership could be seen from the fact that these men, who were usually seen as unenthusiastic, were full of praise about him. “Jihoon hyung is nice. Just like the brother next door. Nice next door brother.” “Jihoon hyung is amazing, he’s nice and cool, like the big brother next door, but externally he is really a world star”.
As very few celebrities joined the army as active-duty soldiers, celebrities who did so could solve one of the three most sensitive problems they faced with the netizens, who had taken it to be their right to talk about anything celebrities did.
However, it had lost its effect as a result of the recent loud noises made by some celebrities who went in as active-duty recruits. Because of stars who thought they were superior and peers who acted in a 4th dimensional way as if they wished to attract harm, there were situations that it only brought more insult to some celebrities when they went as active-duty recruits.
When I looked at the amazing achievements Rain had maintained, and when I watched him in crisp military discipline in one TV program and saw his eyes when he flashed a quick look at the camera, for a long while I felt great respect not to the singer, but to the man Jung Jihoon. Such respect was not because he joined the army. Rather, it was because of his attitude that he would do his best whatever position he is in, an attitude which is worth emulating. My respect to him was because such attitude really signified all the successes Jung Jihoon had achieved during these periods.
When I looked at Rain, I felt that the name Jung Jihoon is the synonym of effort. The level of “effort” he put in was precisely the person he had emerged today. His image of doing his best no matter when and where was certainly not trick playing. Instead, it is a determination not to have the feeling of laziness because I am a star, it is Ok to relax a bit now. From the young man with cute smiling eyes 7 years ago to being called world star now who will begin his 30s, he has never changed to do his best, and is putting the word “effort” into practice from head to toe.
Rain said before he worked hard for two reasons: poverty and his mother. He talked about an incident during his difficult days. As he drank the barley tea he got from his bedside, he chewed something pungent and thought they were barley seeds. When he lighted up to look, they were actually cockroach eggs hatched in the tea. Still it tasted delicious to him. I still remember vividly now the bitter smile on his face as he told the story.
Because of poverty, he could barely afford a 3 minute seaweed soup sold in the convenience store for his sick mother, who suffered great agony and died as she could not receive proper medical treatment. To his mother, Rain still has a sense of guilt which looms inside him.
“I still feel the regret and the sense of guilt. Now I could open up and talk about it, but the agony was just indescribable when you couldn’t cure an illness because of financial difficulties.”
The way that Rain always does his best in everything makes one feel that he is the synonym of effort. The fact that he has become a living witness of living faithfully is also the fact that he always remembers the agony of poverty and having a guilty feeling towards his mother.
I respect the man Jung Jihoon from my heart. As a matter of fact, before someone actually achieves it, it is almost impossible for a person to demonstrate enormous self control and utmost sincerity whenever and whatever position he is in. That’s why I respect him. It is not because he joined the army. Whether he goes to the army or not is not important. His mind has gone deep inside his body and he will not let it get rusted. Such determination is astonishing and one cannot but show admiration. It was not because of the military constitution. Wherever the place was, he probably was still at his best.
