(In Story of a Man)
Sometimes it hurts so much, even when its so disconnected from your real life. It still hurts so much. And you have so much you want to say, and you don’t know who to say it to. I think writing it down will be my tribute to Park Yong Ha, who passed away today at too young an age, with too much potential and possibilities ahead of him.
(Bickering with his OTP Song Yoon Ah in On Air)
His was not a passing that bespoke of a future riddled with no hope, except perhaps in his own mind and his own heart. He was a wonderful actor. He had subtlety. He had gentleness when needed, grit when required. He imparted in every role I watched him in that he was a decent person, inside and in real life. It came through on camera, in every role he played.
(From On Air, he’s a director who is about to toss his uptight screenwriter in the water, the dawn of a romance)
I detested his character in Winter Sonata, not because he wasn’t a wonderful boyfriend, but because he seemed so depressed and weak-willed. But I always liked him as an actor. And the like turned to love when I watched him in On Air. The drama was all-over-the-place, with patches of brilliance tempered by some thoroughly shrill characters. But he was steadfast and sure, like a solid edifice in a bobbling ship. On Air is also the happiest drama I have seen of his (he gets the girl and the happily ever after!).
(Walking towards their happily ever after in On Air)
After On Air, I even dug out his ancient drama Loving You, which he co-starred with then girlfriend Eugene. The drama was dreadful, but he was still a treat to watch. It’s moot to discuss how utterly satisfied I was that he was cast as the lead in the K-drama remake of one of my favorite movies ever, Comrades, A Love Story. I wish that those of you who haven’t watched a Park Yong Ha drama check one out. Forget the story, just watch his performance. I guarantee you’ll like him.
(A wonderful kiss – at a bookstore, natch – as romantic as it gets)
I love Park Yong Ha the actor without even having watching his undisputed best work to-date, Story of a Man. I was planning to watch it, and it’s heartbreaking to think that it would be in memoriam of him. Park Yong Ha was a treat to watch, and I will sorely sorely miss him. The ifs and buts are for others to ponder, I merely hope that he is at peace. I will treasure his legacy of works, and salute his talent each time I watch or re-watch them.
I’m still in utter shock and sadness and feeling disoriented. It was a double whammy on me and my mom when we were watching this episode of the old ATV talk show “Off-guard Tonight” (今夜不設防) http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTQxMTU2NTQw.html, co-hosted by Wong Jim, Chua Lam and Ni Kuang with an impossibly dashing and gorgeous and upbeat Leslie at a happier time.
RIP
Thanks for the tribute. *hugs*
Am still reeling…
RIP, Park Yong-ha, you’ll be missed.
He wasn’t my favorite K-actor, but I’ll always be weirdly fond of his Winter Sonata character. His passing is such a shocker for me, because of all the K-celebs who took their own lives over the past 8 years that I’ve been watching K-dramas, he was the one I knew the longest.
Man, what a loss.
Thanks for the tribute, ockoala.
On Air was pretty horrible, but he was the main reason I was able to suffer through the entire thing and I still think the bookstore kiss is one of the cutest I’ve seen in a kdrama yet!
Loved him in Story of a Man and was really looking forward to seeing him in more dramas and movies.
RIP.
i was so obsessed with Park Yong Ha after WLS.. i stole my mom’s horribly dubbed VHS tapes and refused to return them to her, she ended up having to go and buy herself a new set (at $10 per tape, 2 eps per tape=$100) i went back and watched Snowflakes.. stole Loving You from my mom for months (AGAIN!!) until she finally came and took it back. hadn’t bought a kdrama DVD set in years, but i had to have Story of a Man. i have loved him for so long.. his soothing, caressing, beautiful voice.. i wil truly miss him.
thank you for the tribute. i hope he’s finally found peace.
@ mookie, thundie, Ender’s Girl, Kristal, lb_tmi
Thanks for leaving a commenting sharing your thoughts. I want to remember PYH for his contribution to the K-ent world, and the pleasure he brought to people who watched him act and heard him sing.
It’s impossible to be anything other than the audience we are, nowhere close to being affected like those who knew him in person. But it is still enough to thoroughly upset me bu his loss.
I wanted to say something nice and meaningful, and not harangue and bemoan his death, which has become a reality however much I wish it were all just a bad nightmare and I can awaken from.
Thanks again for your PYH story. He’s nowhere near my favorite actor, but I loved his performances a lot.
I feel like I’m at such a disconnect because I’m in the middle of nowhere and I don’t have access to the world outside of Russia very often, but when I came on and saw the news about Park Yong Ha, my heart broke. I always thought he was so handsome and charismatic in every role he took on (no matter the quality of the drama) and I’m so saddened by this terrible news. I hope that he’s at peace now and that he’ll remain alive in the memories of those who loved him. 🙁
I definitely had a mini-crush on him after On Air. So adorable. I believe i went and googled pics of him after that.
Story of a Man just made me like him even more and had him on my actors to watch list for sure.
I saw the picture of So Ji Sub at his wake and it just broke my heart. Then to see a pic of what I’m guessing was his dad and family members (site was in Korean) pretty much had me holding back tears.
I feel so sad for his parents, family, and friends knowing the loss and guilt they must feel that they weren’t able to help him.
gonna miss him….
Já se passaram 25 dias, mas parece que ainda é 30 de junho. Um dia triste, mas não devemos mergulhar na tristeza. Se a alma continua após a morte do corpo, agora PYH ainda se recupera do carma do suicídio. Deus orienta, ajuda e iluminará esta alma que teve esse carma, mas que em vida na terra teve uma missão de alegrar muitas pessoas. Curtia e curto suas músicas. Me deu mais alegria e prosperidade . Estou tentando entender a sua forma de passagem para o mundo espiritual. Que Deus dê logo a paz espiritual e que descanse em paz !
A forma da morte do Park Yong Ha, nos ensina que devemos ter muita gratidão em pequenas coisas . Que mesmo que consigamos alcançar nossas metas, termos sucessos , nunca devemos achar que assim está bom e nunca acostumarmos com fama, dinheiro, sucesso, conquistas e estar sempre com sentimento de gratidão, amar a Deus, agradecer aos nossos pais, amigos e estarmos sempre com bons pensamentos , cuidar do lado espirutual para afastarmos a inveja, cobiça, ciúmes que nos destroem. Muita gente tinha inveja do PYH. Tão talentoso, bonito, com uma bela voz, bem sucedido….que pena, não temos mais ….porém além de seus filmes, canções nos deixou essa mensagem maravilhosa de termos sempre muita gratidão com tudo e com todos.
Tank you pYH. Com certeza encontrará a paz .