I can’t really remember the day I totally devoted to one handsome Chinese guy who happen to be a singer with remarkable dancing talent, but I knew it was not long ago. All I can remember was the first day I heard him singing Wings of Love and totally fell for his thin soothing tenor voice. From that day, I never stopped torturing my internet connection and of course my poor eyes to search more about him. Not like the other fans, who’s been following him since his first debut in 2005 and have full of details information about him, I only got information starting from his contract termination at the end of 2009. Thanks for my OHD, Obsessive Han Geng Disorder that helping me to search deeper, seeing what on the surface was not enough to satisfied my OHD.
Through many translated articles and subtitled interviews as well as the subtitled variety shows since his period in Korea to his return to his own homeland, my admiration to Han Geng slowly increase. Like I said in my previous blogs, Han Geng was not the type of drop-dead gorgeous Chinese guy who can made your knee melts like jelly. He just one of the ordinary Chinese guy with feline handsomeness who sometimes looks ordinary among others. It was his great talents and distinctive personality that made him exceptional.
Though I have this crazy fan girl side in my heart, but my mature mind made me able to see him with different perspective. Han Geng was smart and charming, it makes his replies to all questions during inteviews were mundane but genuine and sincere. Han Geng also a self assured individual, though he said he’s introvert and shy, but in many of his appearances what exudes from him was self confident. His witty and sweet self deprecating attitude made him able to delivers delighting performance. His dancing talent, especially the traditional dance complete his charismatic personality and made his package positively captivating. As a performer, Han Geng has the personality and talent that can make him a superstar.
As I write this blog, it’s normal if I wish someday Han Geng would read it, but if he’s not, it would be okay, at least I’ve done my part in supporting him. I am writing this blog because I am a person who can not stand to see other people treated in-equally. I will speak out my opinion to whoever gets that kind of treatment. In this case, I speak out my opinion for Han Geng. Usually I didn’t really get annoyed by bad statement about Han Geng. I used to easy going, because I have my own opinion about Han Geng, though I never met him (yet). But lately, it gets my nerves. I can’t understand the statement of ungrateful Han Geng, or he bite the hands who fed him.
To those who’s been following Han Geng since the first day he stepped his feet on the land of Korea, would knew very well, how hard Han Geng worked to reach his dream. Twenty hours of various trainings, but he never said a single complaint. Even when he already took his path of going solo, he used to answered that his training period in Korea was like his school time in Beijing. He’s not whining. Never. Let’s try to put ourselves on Han Geng’s shoes. Would we do any better than him? Alone in a foreign country, missing your family would be the most scariest thing. Not much young people can really overcome the hardship without the support of the family around. Don’t you think that it’s better to live poor in your own country rather than live like a king in other country? No matter how good the support around you, it still can’t substitute the secured feeling when you’re in your own place. I am not saying that the Korean fans, the other members, or those who worked with him don’t have the big love and support for Han Geng, but it still won’t enough to fill the big hole in his heart caused by missing his family. Did he back off? No he continued his hardship for more than 5 years.
When people said Han Geng was ungrateful, what he’s done to received that kind of statement?. It’s true that the audition held by SM Entertainment was Han Geng’s door to the Hall of Fame. But do you think he would win the audition without talent and good attitude? He won the audition because he fulfill the 4 categories determined by the company. When Han Geng finally arrived in Korea, SM Entertainment didn’t just put a silver spoon on his mouth, let him sitting on his chair waiitng for the fame to came with no efforts from his side. It was really wide spread and you can read it anywhere on how hard was the training period. So Han Geng did his part, trainings. Do you think the company will put Han Geng in a group called “Super Junior 05” if he’s not really that talented? Han Geng said he even surprised that he can debut less than 2 years of his training period, while there are trainees who’s been trained for 4 – 5 years and still not debuted. It was Han Geng’s perfecionist and strong heart that made him able to pass the training less than 2 years. He did work hard.
During the period of SJ – M. Of course it was admitted that the other members also have talents, but do you think it would be a great success, if Han Geng as a leader didn’t give his best to lead the group? People should understand this too. “the pessimist complains about the winds, the optimist expect it to change, the leader adjust the sail” – John Maxwell. Han Geng was the leader. He never complained or only expecting things to change. He always adjust the sail to make sure that his group were safe and their purpose fulfilled.
There is a terminology called “Mutual Respect”. An important potion to any kind of relationship. Without that, both parties would suffer and the relationship will end. Both SM Entertainment and Han Geng have done their part for many years. The company provide all the necessary support while Han Geng gave his best effort s to meet the company’s expectation and to fulfill his dream. But I also believe, the company can see that Han Geng was the right choice. With his great talent, his charming personality and ability to enduring pain to fulfill the responsibility, Han Geng could be a golden boy to the company. But it was the time when mutual respect became un-equal. In my opinion, if the Company really appreciate Han Geng and not only use him as their money machine, they will give Han Geng space to doing solo. Listen to his brilliant and sophisticated ideas and give him opportunity to do more. Still keep him under their wings but give him space to spread his wings wider. Mutual respect for mutual benefit. Han Geng lost his mutual benefit position when the mutual respect became un-equal.
Han Geng bite the hand that fed him? Don’t you think that no matter how loyal your pet is, if you keep them mis-treated, someday they definetely will bite your hand. There will be no reaction without action. I tried to think back about Han Geng’s personality. One of the four points that made the company chose him was his good attitude. His Korean manager firmly said to Lu Yu at the 2007 show, that Han Geng was a kind person with good personality. He was different from all the others. He was kind and not pompous. Do you think Han Geng showed fake attitude during the audition? Is it possible that a young man kept his real personality for many years in the foreign country and suddenly shows the real of him when’s back to his homeland? I don’t think so. His personality was the result of his family background. When he grew older in Korea, his personality developed even stronger. His appearance in many Korean variety shows was proof that he has talent and personality that made him darling to hosts and TV stations.
After all the hard works, people still can say that he’s ungrateful? That he bite the hand that fed him? Han Geng never said anything against Korea. He even said many times that he didn’t want to loose his Korean fan, because they’ve been supporting him for long. His decision didn’t come in sudden. He considered his decision many months, hoping that the mutual understanding would come and they can work together again with renewed mutual respect. His statement was always about the mutual respect, which I think was easy to understand. You can’t work together with anyone or any company if you get no mutual respect. So his action was totally understandable. People must stop trying to find something that can bring Han Geng down.
In my heart, Han Geng was someone with distinctive personality. Though his personality didn’t make him flawless, but I still believe that Han Geng was a man of respect and commitment. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind not with it” – Henry Ford. With his strong personality, Han Geng will fly against the wind, because he’s exceptional. No matter how bad the world outside him, he will always chasing the wind to see a very distant future. Even if the road was complicated, in the end he will be able to find the right way to go. He overcome the storm before, he will overcome even bigger storm in the future. Because he is Han Geng.
I write so I can share what I see through my heart, my personal point of view and my own analysis.
Disclaimer:All pictures used in this blog are belongs to their rightful owners, No copyright infringement intended.