The Lee Jung Hyun Project - She will be mine!, Morally questionable, but a lovely goal.

[Gord]

During my increasing less brief stay overseas, I look back at the amount of stuff I've done where I've had no business being there. Speech writing to government events, SARS containment team, TV cameos, and just being whatever anyone needs. Catch Me If You Can 2 might as well be about me. My moral judgement being that as long as no one gets hurt, then it's good to go.

But lately my life has being routine and normal. The time for complacency has now come to a close. The "Lee Jung Hyun Project" is back!

Back in late 2003 to early 2004, I used my position in working with the government, liasons with customs officials, and supporting airport staffs to arrange the occasional speaking opportunity with local celebrities. It was a short lived project, but interesting while it lasted. But the person I really wanted to meet but never could was the one, the only, Lee Jung Hyun.

So now I have decided that we will meet before she ships off to Japan! But how to do it?


Plan One: The Direct Approach

Contacting her agent, saying I'm Gord, a foreigner, and that I would like to meet her. "Honesty is the best policy" some say.

Probability of success: Short of the agent being a female who finds my voice and Korean cute, near zero.


Plan Two: Plausable Promises

Contacting her agent and publisher under the geise of interviewing her and promising exposure to millions of people who will have never heard of her. Promises an increase in exposure she has not been able to maintain, and a low effort project on their end. And it's not as though I've never interviewed others before. If I can chat with both the president of Sony Canada and Michelle Kwan in a single day, then I know I've got experience!

Probability of success: Limited. While technically true, the likelyhood of being able to convince them of this is quite low.


Plan Three: The Insider

Using an insider I know who works at the record company to hook me up. This is a rather new plan, having only been formulated 15 minutes ago when I learned Andrea teaches an assistant who works at a major record company.

Probability of success: Highly inflated if the company is the same one as Lee Jung Hyun. Zero if not.


Plan Four: Commissioning a song

What struggling artist who loves to make trance music wouldn't love to be paid to produce a custom song? Down side: The most expensive option and I'm far from a bank.

Add to this I have no musical talent at all, so I can't even say it would be a companion effort. All Sugardaddy, all the time.

Probability of success: Elevated!


Plan Five: Photography!

Much like plan four, only asking the agent to book her out for a photo shoot. It's a fad in Korea at the moment and as such, I can pull it off without coming across as being a dirty, dirty man. And while costing cash, it is a cheaper option than plan four.

Probability of success: Potential!


The Lee Jung Hyun project is back in action! Updates as I focus on one plan and as it unfolds!

[DimSumLee]

A lovely goal indeed.

Personally, I would go through every option. If one fails, try the next. The only change I suggest would be to shoot for the feasible first. It seems like you have something great going with a couple, including the Insider. Of course... You could always break through security just long enough for Lee Jung Hyun to look at you, cry a lot, and hope she feels bad about kicking you out. Hey, you might get some LJH consolement out of it too, eh? How's that sound.

I have but one more question: What about Lee Hyori?!

[sdkaneda]

An ambitious and admirable project to be sure.

In my opinion, your best bet is Plan Two -- not just for meeting Lee Jung Hyun, but for gaining connections in the entire industry. You need something to bring to the table and this would take a solid effort. My suggestion would be to get some people together and start a real consistent Asian music fan webzine for a western audience. Speaking from personal experience, many Asian entertainment companies dive at chances for western exposure and relevance and a webzine is a very apprioriate conduit.

It may not score you dinner and dancing but it could well be good for an e-mail or phone interview. I don't think this one of those things where the end justifies the means, but the means could lead to all kinds of interesting experiences and opportunities.