|
|
Aug 11, 2006
Top Singers to Make Comebacks in Fall
Several top singers will make comebacks this fall. Ballad singer Shin Seung-hoon will release his tenth album in early October after more than a two-year hiatus. Shin, who this year marks the 16th anniversary of his debut, is currently puttng finishing touches of his upcoming album and has set the date for his concerts--October 14-15.
Singer Kim Gun-mo is preparing songs for his new album slated for release by late October. He plans to receive songs from famous songwriters Yoon Il-sang and Hwang Chan-hee.
The planned comebacks of Shin and Kim have already drawn the spotlight as the two have much in common and will likely be rivals when they release their new albums. Both born in 1968 and having the O blood type, the two singers even used to be managed by the same agency. They both released their ninth albums in 2004 and have created extensive fan bases among people of various age groups, who recognize them not only for their outstanding singing skills but also for their wit.
Singer Lee Seung-chul, known for his impressive live singing skills, will release a new album in mid-September, while ballad singer Lee Su-young will release an album sometime in September or October. Sexy star Lee Hyo-lee will also make a comeback in fall with a digital single, while Park Jung-hyun will release her sixth album after a year-long hiatus. Ballad singer Sung Shi-kyung will present his new album in early October.
Top dance singers Rain, who is currently shooting his first movie, and Seven, who is preparing his debut in the United States, will release their fourth albums in mid-October. Both tall and gentle-looking, Rain and Seven are also alumni from the same high-school. But as singers popular in the entire Asian region, they have emerged as each other抯 揼oodwill rivals. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006-08-10
Lee Jun Gi releases digital album 'My Jun'
Super rookie Lee Jun Gi's digital album 'My Jun' is going to be released on the 11th.
'My Jun' contains the songs 'Hanmadiman (Just One Word),' 'Sarangeul Mollah (Don't Know Love),' 'Babo Sarang (Silly Love),' sung by Lee Jun Gi himself. Aside from the digital single itself, a special package version 'My Jun' including various character products is being offered for fans.
The Lee Jun Gi package includes a 6-inch character figure that is a miniature model of Lee Jun Gi, movie clips from the official fan meeting held in may with 12,000 fans, a USB flash memory with photos of Lee Jun Gi and other video clips, a cell phone cleaner, and more.
Another limited version including photos from the fan meeting is also going to be released.
[Copyright © 2006 Goodday News/Goodday E&I Inc. All rights reserved.]
Source: http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/lwboard.php...;pg=1&no=60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Korean Singer Eric Takes Part in SMAP抯 New Album
2006-08-11
Korean singer Eric抯 participation in a new recording by the Japanese group SMAP
has drawn the attention of the Japanese media.
The online edition of the Japanese Asahi Shimbun reported Thursday that Eric, a
member of the Korean idol male group Shinhwa, wrote lyrics for the rapping part of
the song 揟okio, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2006
Ji Jin-hee Transforms into Tough Guy
Actor Ji Jin-hee has shed his previous gentle image and transformed into a "tough guy" in his first action movie, "Su."
"Su" is the first Korean movie by ethnic Korean director Choi Yang-il, who is globally renowned as the best filmmaker in Japan and the godfather of "hardboiled" films. In the movie, Ji charismatically portrays a cold-hearted man who avenges his brother抯 death.
"Su" sets the standard for the new genre called "hardboiled classic." The unveiling of the movie's teaser-poster has drawn attention to how Choi抯 powerful and sophisticated production techniques will harmonize with the passionate and talented acting of the movie抯 cast.
Ji expressed a strong commitment to movie, in which he plays his first action role. During the photo shoot of the poster, he fully displayed his charisma and exquisite facial acting, and even used an axe that appears in the movie as the main weapon of his character.
"Su," a hardboiled classic that blends the cynical yet sensitive visual images created by director Choi Yang-il with powerful action and a well-knit plot, will open late this year.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1410357_11858.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006-08-11
Song Seung Heon fan meeting, over 4,000 Japanese fans register in first 3 days
Over 4,000 participants have registered for a fan meeting, which is the first official event Song Seung Heon is taking part in after his discharge from the Korean military in November.
The 'Asia Fan Meeting 2006' will take place at Seoul's Olympic Gymnastics Arena on the 18th and 19th, which follows after Song Seung Heon's discharge date of November 15th.
When registrations were accepted first in Japan through Song Seung Heon's official Japanese fan club, 4,000 people registered in the first three days.
Personnel of Union Entertainment, the company producing this event, commented, "Currently we are only accepting registrations in Japan, but will be opening registration to Korea and other countries throughout Asia based on schedules starting at the end of this month."
At the November fan meeting, the Song Seung Heon Japan Official Fan Club, the Korean fan club 'Heonirang,' and fans from seven different countries throughout Asia will gather to celebrate Song Seung Heon's discharge and cheer him on for his activities from then after.
A concert will also be held with performances of theme songs from television series Song Seung Heon has starred in.
[Copyright © 2006 Goodday News/Goodday E&I Inc. All rights reserved.]
Source: http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/lwboard.php...;pg=1&no=61 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2006
Seoul to Host Int'l TV Drama Awarding Ceremonies
The first Seoul Drama Awards, an international award given to TV dramas produced worldwide, will be held August 29 at the KBS Hall in Seoul.
Organized by the Korean Broadcasters Association and sponsored by KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS and the Korean Broadcasting Commission, the ceremony has garnered significant attention for introducing the first international award for TV shows. Another noteworthy aspect is that the nation's three major terrestrial TV broadcasters have joined forces in establishing the award.
The organizers of the ceremony said the purpose of the ceremony is to publicize Korean TV dramas to the world and foreign TV dramas to Korea. The award will be given to TV shows produced not only in Asia but also in the United States and Europe.
Hosted by actor Ryoo Shi-won and anchors Hwang Su-kyung and Han Seok-jun, the first ceremony will be attended by a number of top stars, such as Kim Sun-ah and Choi Su-jong.
A total of 105 TV dramas from 29 countries will compete for the award this year. The jury will be headed by producer Yoon Seok-ho, who produced the hit drama 'Winter Sonata." The winner of the top prize will receive 10,000 dollars. The awarding ceremony will be broadcast live August 29 by KBS; the eve party slated for August 27 will be broadcast by MBC.
MBC TV's drama "My Name is Kim Sam-sun" has been nominated for best miniseries and best lead actress, while KBS TV's "Emperor of the Sea" was nominated for best full-length drama and best lead actor. Other Korean dramas to compete this year include MBC TV's "Royal Palace" and "Taeneung Athletes' Village" and SBS TV's "Hanoi Bride" and "Paris Lovers."
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/mcontents/culture...0360_11676.html
------------------------------
Seoul to Hold First International TV Drama Awards
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Seoul will hold its first international television drama awards festival on Aug. 29.
The first Seoul Drama Awards (SDA) will be organized by the Korean Broadcasters Associations (KBA) and sponsored by the nation抯 major broadcasters _ KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS _ and the Korean Broadcasting Commission (KBC).
The event carries significance in that there has never been an international television program awards ceremony in the nation, although Korean soap operas have gained popularity as part of "hallyu," or Korean wave, pop frenzy in Asia.
"The event is designed to introduce foreign dramas airing in other countries and also promote Korean dramas worldwide. It promises to become a world杛enowned event embracing not only Asian countries but also the United States and European countries," one of the organizers said.
A total of 105 dramas from 29 countries will compete for the awards.
"My Lovely Sam-soon" aired by MBC is nominated in the best actress category and the best miniseries.
"Emperor of the Ocean" (Haesin), which portrayed the life of the heroic sea trader Changpogo in the unified Silla Kingdom era in the mid-800s, is also nominated in the best actor and best epic drama categories.
Foreign dramas such as "Desperate Housewives" from the United States, "Melanoma My Love" from Israel and Russia's "The Penal Battalion" will also be competing for awards.
Hallyu star Ryu Si-won and announcers Hwang Soo-kyong and Han Sok-joon will host the awards, while many celebrities, including actress Kim Sun-a and actor Choi Soo-jong, will be in attendance.
Yoon Suk-ho, producer of "Winter Sonata," has been designated as head judge in the awards. The top prizewinners will be given $10,000 as well as the award.
The awards will be broadcast live by KBS at 7:55 p.m. on Aug. 29, while an opening festival will be aired by MBC on Aug. 27.
[email protected]
08-11-2006 19:48
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...19484711710.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2006
Ice Princess, Hyundai Heir Formally Announce Wedding Date
KBS presenter No Hyun-jung and Hyundai heir Chung Dae-sun formally announced the date for their big day on Thursday and publicized the official version of their whirlwind romance. The announcement came in the form of a press release through Hyundai Motor affiliate BNG Steel, where Chung works.
According to the statement, Chung was a big fan of the show "Old & New," which featured No, during his time in the U.S., and was first introduced to her by a friend in early June. Then in August, Chung suddenly proposed. No was reportedly swept off her feel by Chung's generous personality, while Chung was hooked on No's beautiful manners and sophistication.
No accepted the proposal and wedding plans progressed rapidly.
The couple and their parents met at a Seoul hotel on Tuesday to discuss the plans. They originally thought of Jan. 6 as a date for the wedding, but Chung's mother opined that since they had already made up their minds to tie the knot, they might as well do it sooner, so the date was set for Aug. 27.
The service will be held at the Seoul Hyatt before the couple leave for the U.S., where No will take classes along with her husband. She is to take a leave of absence from her jobs at KBS while her husband finishes his MBA and plans to attend a language school in Boston.
The couple have so far been unable to ask the formal blessing of Chung's uncle, Hyundai Automotive Group chairman Chung Mong-koo, who took care of Chung and his brothers since his father died in 1990. However, the chairman抯 wife has reportedly been involved in the wedding plans from the start.
The statement concludes with the couple's promise to be a model couple as they start their happy life together.
[email protected]
Source: http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0608110015.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2006
U.S. Army Keeping Close Eye on Han River Monster
The U.S. military newspaper Stars & Stripes on Friday ran a story titled, "USFK morgue incident inspired S. Korean horror movie" that outlines the way that the movie "The Host" is based on a real-life pollution case whose convicted perpetrator remains in his old job here.
The film attributes the birth of a mutant monster in the Han River to chemicals dumped by U.S. Forces Korea personnel, a McGuffin some interpret as anti-American. "At the time that the film was in its planning stages is when news of the McFarland toxic chemical dumping incident was in the press," the blockbuster's director Bong Joon-ho has said. "Besides the idea of the monster haunting the Han River, there was no deeper motive. It is true that there is satire of the U.S., but if that level of satire can be called anti-American, it would also suggest that Americans think all South Koreans were anti-American because of their rage at the Apollo Anton Ono incident" ? the notorious short-track skating race where South Korean skater Kim Dong-sung at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics was disqualified by what many Koreans thought was a biased umpire, with gold going to the U.S, skater instead. "If Hollywood can constantly depict other nations as villains, then why can't the U.S. become the object of satire in the films of other nations?"
Fourteen days after it opened, "The Host" has now been seen by 7.63 million people and is setting new standards for the Korean film industry.
The man who has the dubious distinction of inspiring the movie, Albert McFarland, is still working in Korea. On Feb. 9, 2000 McFarland allegedly ordered that 480 475 ㎖-bottles (20 boxes) of formaldehyde used to embalm corpses at the Yongsan base morgue should be poured down a drain that led to the Han River. That is the first scene of "The Host."
The Stars & Stripes in vain sought an interview with McFarland, who still works at the morgue despite receiving a two-year suspended sentence last year. The U.S. sparked outrage by saying Korean courts had no authority over the case, and McFarland alienated Koreans further by only showing up for the appeal.
The military daily quoted USFK spokesman David Oten as saying the forces were aware of the film but had "no specific reaction to the film or a fictional account of events."
[email protected]
Source: http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0608110014.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 14, 2006
Korean Stars Praised for Generosity in Japan
The Japanese media has praised Korean stars for their generous donations for flood victims.
Oricon & Entertainment World reported Sunday that Korean stars including actors Bae Yong-jun and Song Seung-heon donated a huge amount of money for flood victims.
Singer Kim Dong-wan, a member of the group Shinhwa, contributed 150 million won to the KBS benefit program "Request of Love" and asked it to use the money for flood victims, Oricon & Entertainment World said.
Actor Song Seung-heon sent 50 million won to KBS as a donation for flooding victims, saying that he hoped he could provide a little help to the victims. Song is serving in the military in Inje, Gangwon Province, which was hard hit during this summer's rainy spell.
Actors Bae Yong-jun, Lee Byeong-heon and Yoo Ji-tae also donated 200 million won, 100 million won and 30 million won, respectively, Oricon & Entertainment World reported.
Korean entertainers are as generous as Hollywood stars in charity activities, the Japanese media company said. Some people downplay the goodwill activities of stars as a strategy to promote their own image. But many people view them favorably, since such acts have been shown to positively impact adolescents, it said.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1410655_11858.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S Korean pop group popular in Malaysia
Aug. 14, SEOUL, South Korea--A Malaysian radio Web site shows that South Korea's rising boy band Dongbangshingi tops its music chart. South Korean entertainers are popular in many Asian countries. (Yonhap)
Source: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engservices/5500000000.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
08-14-2006
Remake of Korean Movie to Hit Theater
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
What would it be like to see Hollywood stars replacing local actors in new versions of popular domestic movies?
The answer can be found in the upcoming Hollywood film "The Lake House," the first domestic remake film titled "Il Mare (Siwolae)."
With the increasing interest in local movies overseas, international film studios have bought over 20 copyrights to South Korean films since the late 1990s to produce remake versions of them. Most enthusiastic Hollywood studios have bought over 10 domestic movies' copyrights including "My Sassy Girl," "A Tale of Two Sisters," "Old Boy," "Phone," "My Wife Is a Gangster," "My Teacher, Mr. Kim," "Hi, Dharma!" and "Jail Breakers."
Overall, the 2002 South Korean film "Il Mare (Siwolae) and "The Lake Hous" have many things in common including their basic storylines, but the original has been adapted in the remake to fit the life in the United States.
The basic storyline portrays a young man who starts communicating by mail with an attractive woman living in the future, and the correspondence develops into an intimate relationship.
But the obvious difference is, of course, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock have replaced Lee Jung-jae and Jun Ji-hyun, respectively.
Alex Wyler (played by Reeves) and Sung-hyun (by Lee) used to be architects, but they both give up their ambition and work as construction works to live against their famous architect fathers, who abandoned their family for fame and success.
Kate Forster (by Bullock) plays a doctor in the remake while Eun-ju (by Jun)'s original character is a professional voice actress.
The couples in both films exchange mails with each other while they live two years apart in time. The remake is set around Valentine's Day in 2004 and 2006 while the original took place around Christmas in 1997 and 1999, with the story continuing on through the spring time in the following years.
The house in the remake is as beautiful as the one in the original. The architect fathers, who abandoned their family for their fame and success, constructed them. Eventually the two sons find out that the house was actually built for them.
The house in the original is built on a sea shore, which gives it the name "Il Mare," meaning sea in Italian, but the house in the remake sits by the lake. In the remake, "Il Mare" is the name of a restaurant where Kate waits for Alex.
The two movies also use similar filming techniques. The split-screen technique in the two films gives the impression that the characters live in the same time and space when they exchange letters and know about each other.
But the biggest difference lies in the development of the story in the latter part.
In the original, Eun-ju can't forget her ex-boyfriend and asks Sung-hyun to change the future from his time so that she can maintain her relationship with him. But in the remake, Kate decides to stop corresponding to him as she feels agony about the unstable relationship with him.
Along with "The Lake House," there will be other remake films opening this month _ "The Letter" and "Christmas in August."
The Thailand movie "The Letter" directed by Phaoon Chandrasiri is a remake of the 1997 domestic movie with the same title, and Japanese melodrama "Christmas in August" by Shunichi Nagasaki is a remake of the 1998 film with the same title.
Overall, the two upcoming remakes also follow the original story, but the Thailand's "The Letter" has less tearjerker scenes than the original, and in the Japanese's "Christmas in August," the female character is braver, as she confessed her love, than the one in the original.
[email protected]
08-14-2006 16:45
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/ ... 081416450811690.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 14, 2006
Song Yun-a Gets First Billing at Last
The actress Song Yun-a is as frank and open as her smile. "Do you remember that my name was always billed after my male partners in my previous films? They said Shin Hyun-jun and Song Yun-a in 'Face,'Seol Kyung-gu and Song Yun-a in 'Lost In Love' and Park Joong-hoon and Song Yun-a in 'A Masterpiece in My Life,' something like that." But her latest horror movie "Arang," which was recently released, gives her first billing for the first time. She plays a detective opposite the younger actor Lee Dong-wook in the movie. "I felt responsible for my name for the first time," Song says.
On MBC's new drama "Elder Sister," which started airing Saturday, she plays the title role, a 26-year-old art student growing up in a rich family who must suddenly take on the responsibility of head of the family and take care of her brothers after their father goes bankrupt and then missing.
"I was burned out and wanted to take a rest after filming two movies and drama back to back from the beginning of last year," Song says. But she changed her plans when she heard that the writer of the new drama is Kim Jung-soo, who also wrote hit dramas "You and Me" and "Lifetime in the Country." "I have wanted to work with Kim, who writes warm stories about ordinary people's lives," she explains. Her new image as a decent, gentle and docile woman is a far cry from the bad girl image she projected when she started out in the late 1990s. In the mega-hit drama "Mr. Q," which got more than 60 percent viewer ratings, she appeared as the head of the design department in an underwear company who bullied the female lead Kim Hee-seon. "I played the typical bad girl in a trendy soap opera," she said.
Although now one of Korea's leading actresses, Song spent four years as an unknown.
Song debuted at the recommendation of a senior in a modeling agency while she was a freshman studying Cultural Anthropology at Hanyang University. She made advertisements for magazines and was an extra in TV shows. "Everything happened quite suddenly. I didn't think of becoming an actress in detail," she says. In her middle and high school days, she watched TV soaps on the sly, putting a wet towel on the TV to reduce the heat so her father, who banned her from watching, wouldn't know. Until a few years ago, her father would call her to make sure she came home at 10 p.m.
"My cell phone is silent these days even when I come home late. I feel sad to think that my father is too old to nag me," she says ruefully. Asked if her father hopes she is seeing a man when she is out late, the actress looks at the reporter out of the corner of her eye. "Possibly," she says. "But the problem is I抦 not in a hurry to get married."
[email protected]
Source: http://english.chosun.com/w21dat ... 8/200608140005.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TVXQ Conquers Malaysian Music Chart
2006-08-14
The five-man group TVXQ has been seeing its popularity in Malaysia increase since it
held its first concert there.
The group抯 agency, SM Entertainment, said Monday that TVXQ has topped the music
chart on Malaysia抯 radio program |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BoA Performs Despite Ankle Sprain
2006-08-17
Pan-Asian star BoA has taken a risk by performing despite an ankle sprain at a
concert held as part of a fireworks display at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on
Wednesday. The Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports praised BoA for her
professionalism in a Thursday article.
The paper said that the Korean singer sprained her right ankle during rehearsals that
began on Monday, which made it difficult for her to even walk properly. What was
worse, she was suffering from accumulated exhaustion from excessive preparation
for the concert. But on the day of the concert, she went onstage without asking to
change the program and performed all the planned dance songs as well as the
ballad songs, the paper said. The songs included 揔ey of Heart, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
08-17-2006
'Fly High,' Outdated Melodrama
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Ji Hyun-woo, left, and Lim Jung-eun in "Fly High"
New melodrama "Fly High" (Saranghanikka Kwaenchana) is a story in which a young man falls in love with a young woman with a fatal disease and a limited time to live.
With its cliche storyline, the film fails to show new dimensions of love and it becomes a commonplace story that we have had enough of.
Directed by Kwak Ji-gyun and starring Ji Hyun-woo and Lim Jung-eun, the movie revolves around Min-hyuk (played by Ji), an 18-year-old high school student, who loves dancing, and comic books.
He has never had a serious relationships with a girl until he falls in love with Mi-hyun (by Lim) at first sight. Min-hyuk believes that she is his soul mate and tries everything to win her.
Min-hyuk organizes sweet and cute little events for her. He secretly puts a bunch of flowers in her locker and sweeps a street clean of snow from her house to a main road.
But she keeps rejecting Min-hyuk抯 gestures and simply says that she doesn抰 like him. Without a word to him, she leaves for the United States, devastating him.
Two years later she comes back to Min-hyuk and confesses that she also loves him and there is not much time left for her as she will die soon due to her fatal disease. They decide to love each other intensely, making a day spent together as if it were 10 years.
The film can be divided into two parts _ before Mi-hyun leaves for the U.S. and after she comes back.
In the first part it is fun to see Min-hyuk doing his best to win his love with many sweet actions, words and gifts.
Actor Ji, who has been gaining popularity from television dramas, demonstrates his talents by playing a cute and warm-hearted guy.
But in the second part, when the tragic moment arrives, the audience gets lost.
The development of the story is too slow, and tragic scenes seem silly because of over-emotional acting and tear-jerking dialogues, which don't work.
The film created high expectations as director Kwak, a leading figure producing hit melodramas in the late 1980s, and popular television playwright Kim Eun-sook, famous for her works such as "Lovers in Paris" and "Lovers in Praha" teamed up.
But their combination was disappointing.
Kwak has reproduced the same old storyline from his heyday without new adaptations for contemporary audiences and Kim has merely repeated formulas that we have seen in her previous works.
[email protected]
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...17425310970.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006-08-17
Lee Jun Gi threatened by 'The Host'
"Honestly, I wanted to go watch 'The Host' but for some reason it made me hesitate. I guess I did not want to add another number to the audience record," said Lee Jun Gi, the super rookie who got rose to stardom by starring in the movie 'King and the Clown' (Producer; Lee Jun Yik Developer; Eagle Pictures, Cine World).
'King and the Clown' has a top record of viewers in Korea (12,300,000 viewers). However, 'The Host' is chasing fast after 'King and the Clown.' This can be threatening for Lee Jun Gi and his staff, especially when 'The Host' is setting records for 'the most number of viewers in the least amount of time' everyday.
"After I heard about the breaking records of 'The Host,' I realized that this movie (The Host) is what's on the top of the list nowadays," the super rookie added.
It certainly does sound like he is right. 'The Host' is still breaking the record everyday as we speak and hear.
It's only matter of time.
Lee Jun Gi has finished filming 'Fly Daddy' and now he is currently filming 'Magnificent Vacation' (Producer Kim Ji Hoon, Developer Gi Hwoek Si Dae), a story of a family in 1980 during (5.18) revolution in Gwang Joo, Korea.
[Copyright © 2006 Goodday News/Goodday E&I Inc. All rights reserved.]
Source: http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/lwboard.php...;pg=1&no=65 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2006
Film "Don't Look Back" Invited to International Film Festivals
Korean director Kim Young-nam has been inundated with invitations to participate in international film festivals after he won two awards at the 59th Locarno International Film Festival with his work "Don't Look Back."
The film's production company Emotion Pictures said Friday that the film has been invited to "The Focus on Asia--Fukuoka International Film Festival" in Japan, "Eurasia International Film Festival," "The Flanders International Film Festival" in Belgium, "The Thessaloniki International Film Festival" in Greece, "The Mannheim International Film Festival" in Germany, "The International Film Festival of Kerala" in India and "The Mar del Plata International Film Festival" in Argentina.
It is unusual for a director who has just produced his first long film to receive such plentiful invitations from abroad.
The film won the FIPRESCI and NETPAC awards at the film festival and screened in the cinema Seoul Film Forum. It has become the rare low-budget movie to draw more than 10,000 viewers, a number equivalent to an audience of 10 million for a blockbuster movie.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...1190_11858.html
----------------------------------------
Korean Film Flooded with Festival Invitations
Friday, August 18, 2006 14:03:11
A Korean film, "Don't Look Back," has been flooded with invitations from international film festivals across the globe.
The movie directed by Kim Young-man received two awards at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland this year.
The production company of the film, Emotion Pictures, said Friday that the movie has been invited to some ten foreign film festivals including Fukuoka "Focus on Asia' International Film Festival, Kazakhstan's Eurasia International Film Festival and Greece's Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
The film jointly produced with Japan's state-run broadcaster NHK portrays the desperate lives of three younsters conducted in an omnibus style.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/news/newsview_sub...;key=2006081818 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
beware potential spoilers-
Time
AUGUST 18, 2006 03:00
Many ordinary moviegoers have often found themselves somewhat uneasy with director Kim Ki-deok's movies for their unique violent, anti-feminism qualities. However, director Kim's new movie 'Time' scheduled for release on August 24 will be probably appealing to more viewers.
Of course, only if you can handle director Kim's unique philosophical introspection and the gory scenes of plastic surgery where facial bones are operated on.
Se-hee (Park Ji-yeon) and Ji-woo (Ha Jeong-woo) have been in relationship for two years. As Se-hee suspects her boyfriend抯 love, however, she becomes neurotically sensitive and wants to poke out the eyes of other women for just staring her boyfriend. As Ji-woo grows increasingly tired of Se-hee's neurotic responses, Se-hee disappears. Six-months later, an entirely differently looking Se-hee, after having undergone plastic surgery, approaches Ji-woo all over again but with another name, Sae-hee. But she comes to realize that the woman Ji-woo really loves is Se-hee. Ji-woo is shocked when he discovers who Sae-hee really is and he himself leaves her to look for his another self. And Sae-hee is left alone, trying to find Ji-woo.
What humans are scared of most is probably time that changes everything, like Sae-hee or Se-hee said. Se-hee undergoes plastic surgery to keep time at bay. A sentence written on the door of the cosmetic surgery clinic saying, "Do you want live a whole new life?' Is really life changed when a body is changed?" However, a newer Sae-hee finds herself jealous of Se-hee as she realizes whom Ji-woo is really in love with. In fact, it is not that Ji-woo didn't love Se-hee any more but it is that as we all experience he was going though the usual cycle of love, losing passion and flutters and physical interest.
In the ending part of the movie, Sae-hee goes under the plastic surgeon's knife again, regaining her look and meeting her older self. This is not the end of the movie. Same places such as Sculpture Park in an island, tiny caf |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2006
Goh Hyung-jeon: More at Ease in Her 30s
Goh Hyun-jeong is to make her big screen debut 16 years after she started acting. The film, "A Woman on the Beach" directed by Hong Sang-soo, goes on release on Aug. 31. Goh told the Chosun Ilbo her thoughts about her life and craft.
This is your first appearance on the big screen since you made your debut in 1989.
Many people around me warned me that acting in a movie is different from a TV drama, but I didn't really see the difference. But after starting a mini-series for MBC last week, I realized that acting in the film had drained me. I had to cry for my first scene in the drama but couldn't, even when the crew spent two or three hours creating the right atmosphere on the set. I thought that I was really good at crying scenes, but I just couldn't.
Beside acting, did you realize any difference between movie and drama in terms of system?
Let me say that I feel like I am at my parent's home when acting for soap operas and at my parents-in-law's home when acting for movies. When it comes to movies, staff will be very nice to you but they are cold-blooded when making requests.
You are the biggest star among the actors in Hong's films so far, but you agreed to be in the film for a trivial sum compared to what you can expect to earn in other films.
The film would have cost more than W3 billion (US$1=W959) if it paid all of its actors, actresses and crew their due, but it was actually produced with just half of that money. You just can't pursue your own interest and also take circumstances around you into account. I think that all the people who took part in the movie made the best choice.
You are well over 30 now. When do you feel as if you are still in your 20's and when do you accept that you are over 30 years old now?
When I meet a man, I feel like I am still in my 20s (smiles). When you turn 30, you have less and less of those moments when you hate or love something extremely. And you feel that you can understand anything when you get to know the reason. I don't like those obscure feelings, but the fact that I have those feelings shows that I抦 getting older. When I was in my 20s, I was so mature and I restrained myself from things that I wanted to do and wanted to have. But I don't like to keep repeating that mistake until I'm 40.
[After news came out that KBS anchor No Hyun-jung is getting married to a man from the Hyundai Group owner family, people joked that the name 'Hyun-jung' is the prerequisite for marrying a rich man from a chaebol family. Since you experienced living as a member of a chaebol family, do you have any advice for women like No who follow suit?
(Goh married Chung Yong-jin, Shinsegae vice president and a relative of the Samsung Group owner family, in 1995. Their marriage ended in 2003.)
I'm not sure if you'll believe me, but when I got married to my ex-husband, I didn't think much about the fact that he came from a chaebol family. It was my first relationship with someone I really loved and I just liked it. I couldn't imagine that my being a celebrity and him being a rich man could be a source of problems in our marriage. But when I'd been married for some time, I realized there were many more things that mattered in marriage other than the relationship between wife and husband. I was faced with trouble again and again in the process when two different families unite as one. The name No Hyung-jung can be interpreted as 'No' Hyung-jeong, and I hope she doesn't follow my example and has a happy marriage.
Source: [email protected]
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0608180011.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2006
Jeon Ji-hyun Turns Into Rock Bride
Can that really be Jeon Ji-hyun? The famously demure Korean star has transformed herself into a rock chick for the Laneige fall cosmetics line of Amore Pacific, evolving into a glamorous power woman. On stage, she shows off her singing ability and smooth thighs, with a newfound energy infusing her every move.
Source: [email protected]
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0608180038.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Author
Post time 11-8-2006 01:50 PM
