Jackie Chan on Arirang Channel
Martial arts action movie star Jackie Chan was in Korea recently promoting his latest movie, New Police Story. Last week he spent some time with Ahn Jung-hyun of Arirang Channel’s Heart to Heart talk show and had some interesting things to say.
Most notably he mentioned that he dated a Korean woman for eight years.
A- Now we want to talk about your special ties with Korea. I understand that you used to live here for a short while.
JC- In five years total, just in and out in and out. Even though I have–my family was in Australia. In Hong Kong just by myself so nothing to do like uh…Chinese New Year I just flew in by myself.
A- Why? (laughing slyly)
JC- (laughing) For my girlfriend. (a little embarrassed)
A- Ah ha! (laughing)
JC- You have to ask “why?” (laughing) You think I’m dumb just by myself here in New Year in the snow? haha
A- Well I wanted to hear you say that!
JC- Hahaha, (nodding) yeah at that time I had a very very good Korean girlfriend. Yeah, for 8 years. And…in the old days–I don’t know you remember or not, Korean women, very hard to get out of the country. There’s no way they can get out. And also, not like now, everybody have telephone everyone can call. No, you have to go umm…company. Telephone company. To book! I’m talking about….almost 30 years ago. Thirty years ago! Then book. Then what time you come back Jackie. Then come back 4 o’clock then sit there until “Jackie Chan!” “Yes?” “Booth number 2” “Oh, ok” (mimes holding the phone) “Jackie?” “Yes.” Just like that. Then when you have time, fly in to see her. Yeah. So I lean a lot of Korean from her. So in the old day when I speak, I speak like a woman because the only way she teach me. (grinning) And after, when I go back to Hong Kong continue make a film…and I run out of money, and I….even call is expensive. (shaking his head) But…face to face I can speak a lot of Korean. But on the phone? Difficult! You know, always like “Mo heyo? Ha poyo? Toah? Choa? Nanea saeyo?” (hanging up the “phone”) Then two days later call again same thing! Then…slowly slowly slowly (parting his hands ending in a shrug) didn’t call anymore.
A- Mmm…so that’s how you split up.
JC- Mm. Now I think she..she get better life now. She get married, have children…
Jackie also mentioned that he liked to sing old Korean songs but did not like modern Korean music because it is to Americanized.
A- (laughing) You speak Korean quite well.
JC- Used to be. Yen ha leh. Yen ha leh. I speak very…I think…30% Korean. But now, forget. Because at that time I love Korean song. Because I love Korean culture. Like what? (sings a bit of two Korean songs) I learn Korean song to learn how to speak Korean. That’s the best way. Yeah. Like today, nothing to learn anymore. When I look at Korean song everybody yo! yoyoyoh! (rapping) Uh! I rather see the old day! In the old day really can learn! That’s a Korean culture. But now (shrugging) I look at all the song is American culture! Everybody copying American song. We copy Korean song. Yeah. Nothing to learn anymore.
When ask about his favorite Korean movies, he said he like Old Boy best and really wanted to meet the writer of the movie. He also said he cried watching Going Home and he really liked the movie Tae Guki.
Throughout the interview Jackie demonstrated his Korean language abilities and displayed his typical charm and humor. Definitely an interesting interview worth checking out if you are a Jackie Chan fan like I am.Jackie also did a show on SBS, toured a fish market with actress Kim Hee-sun, and did some charity work during his stay in Korea. He pretty much did everything right in winning the public over in Korea. I’m confident his new movie is going to do very well here.
