'MTV' VJ Nadya on a new track with South Korean stuntman
JAKARTA (JP): "Nadya Yuti Hutagalung and Jung Doo Hong request the pleasure of your company at their wedding Sunday, 20th September 1998. Chijmes 2:30 p.m. Michelangelos 7 p.m. (Dinner)" reads the invitation.
The 14.5 cm by 14.5 cm brown invitation enclosed in a dark reddish brown envelope received by The Jakarta Post on Monday had a message that the popular Singapore-based MTV video jockey, now 24, will end her lonely years and start a new journey in life with a South Korean stuntman.
"At least 100 people have been invited to the dinner at Michelangelos restaurant here in Singapore and many others are expected to come for the wedding ceremony early in the afternoon at Chijmes (building complex)," Adrian, one of the wedding organizers, said via telephone on Tuesday.
The choice made by Sydney-born Nadya, a mother of a four-year- old boy from her former Australian husband, has destroyed the dreams of many Indonesians who wished to become her next husband.
In an interview with the Post in January last year, the model -- learning from the experiences of her first marriage -- said she really hoped that her next husband would be a gentleman from the land of the Batak, North Sumatra, where her father comes from.
"I hope he won't be as rude as some Western people and not a jealous guy," she said at the time.
At 10 years older than his wife to-be, Doo Hong, in the eyes of Nadya, has become the man of her dreams.
"Among the things that encouraged me to marry him is his seriousness to understand the differences between us. And the most important thing is his great fondness and attention to my son, Tyrone," Nadya, an Indonesian citizen, told local media here recently.
The only serious problem between them is apparently language. Doo Hong has poor English, while Nadya knows only few words of Korean.
Upon receiving a gold ring from Doo Hong in an unexpected moment in February, Nadya was unable to express her feelings because "I forgot to bring my English-Korean dictionary", she was quoted by Bintang Indonesia tabloid as saying.
"But he has intensified his English lessons for me," said Nadya.
The couple first met some five years ago when the two had parts in the South Korean-made television series Farewell to Song Ba River, the shooting of which took place in Vietnam.
In the series, Nadya was an Australian-Vietnamese girl while Doo Hong played the role of a South Korean soldier.
According to Nadya, it was her who helped Doo Hong write love letters to his girlfriend, Linda, who also played in the television series.
But Linda ended up falling in love with another man. Doo Hong's taek won do instructor later advised him to get to know other women, but, brokenhearted, Doo Hong had learned to hate getting close to women.
After shooting the television series, Doo Hong and Nadya did not meet again until early this year when he received an overseas telephone call from Nadya.
A week after the short conversation, Doo Hong flew to Singapore and told the jovial VJ in broken English: "You... Me, together... living?"
Surprised and confused, Nadya replied: "You mean that you're going to marry me?"
"Yes!"
"Impossible!" she answered instantly.
She knew her answer disappointed Doo Hong, who rushed back to South Korea.
After pondering the man's roundabout proposal, Nadya said she suddenly changed her mind and rang Doo Hong to tell him "yes". The Korean found it hard to believe her, until she flew to Korea and told him in person of her willingness to marry him.
According to Nadya, the date of their wedding ceremony was arranged by the groom's mother.
Before the reception in Singapore, the couple will be married in Doo Hong's homeland on Sept. 13.
In Singapore, a second wedding ceremony will take place at Chijmes on Bras Basah Rd. and a gala dinner at Michelangelos in the Holland village, about 10 minutes from the city center. (bsr)