YONHAP NEWS

Korean Wave star Bae Yong-joon writes on beauty of his native country

By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actor Bae Yong-joon, the celebrity identified with the Korean Wave, was embarrassed when he could not readily recommend a tourist attraction in his native country when asked by a foreign journalist at a news conference.

   The incident motivated the 36-year-old actor to better understand South Korea's culture and share his findings with his fans, so he went on a year-long journey to write a book.

   The book, titled "Travel in Search of Korea's Beauty," is a collection of photos and essays he wrote during his one-year sojourn, spanning indigenous traditions in cuisine, handicrafts, temples and dress-making.

   "This book is not a professional book about Korean culture. It is about a beginner's journey in learning Korean culture," Bae said in news conference Tuesday, a day ahead of his book's release in Korea.

   A top celebrity throughout Asia who rose to stardom through his role in "Winter Sonata," the first-time author said writing was a challenge.

   "The most difficult thing about writing was meeting the deadline, as you know," he said to the hundreds of journalists at the press conference.

   While working on the last chapters of the book, the self-proclaimed perfectionist said he lost nearly 10kg from the pressure to make his work as flawless as he could. He had been hospitalized in Seoul ahead of Tuesday's publicity event for extreme fatigue and stress, and was released Monday.

   "I can't say this book represents Korean culture, but I just hope people can share my experience and learn more about the beauty of Korea and its culture."

   More than 200 Japanese fans, mostly women, waited outside the conference room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star.

   Bae's management company, the Boundaries of Forest, already struck a deal with a Japanese publishing firm to sell the book in Japan. An estimated 800 million won (US$660,000) worth of books have already been sold ahead of next week's official release in Japan.

   ejkim@yna.co.kr
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