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August 2, 2012
T-ara Postpone Concert After Scandal
ChosunIlbo
K-pop girl group T-ara have postponed their first concert scheduled for Aug. 11 after the unexpected firing of one of the group's eight members.
The band's management agency in a press release quoted the band as saying, "Since we are in the middle of controversy over Hwa-young leaving the group, we don't think we can meet the fans with a bright smile, and they wouldn't be able to enjoy our concert in this situation."
The agency added T-ara "will come back with better music after some self-reflection."
The firing cast the spotlight on an endemic culture of ostracism and bullying in girl and boy groups who spend almost all their time together. |
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August 1, 2012
'Horror Stories' Still Doing Well In Box Office
BY KOREAPORTAL STAFF WRITER
The movie 'Horror Stories' is still doing well despite all of the Korean and American blockbuster movies that have been playing recently, showing off the potential of horror movies.
'Horror Stories' is about a high school student who has been kidnapped by a killer with a speech disorder. She must tell him the scariest stories she knows to survive. This movie was released on the 25th of July and has attracted 200,000 viewers in one week.
Horror Stories,' which had attracted much interest before its premiere due to its unique horror plot, was played on 238 screens in the beginning. However, due to good reviews by viewers, the movie showings increased to 252 screens by six days, on the 30th of July.
Unlike other movies where viewers are slowly dwindling, this movie is slowly increasing in viewers, which predicts a continual increase of viewers in the future as well.
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July 30, 2012
Movie "Thieves" Attracts over 2 Million Viewers
KBS Global
The recent movie "Thieves", directed by Choi Dong-hoon, is dominating the box office. Already over 2 million movie-goers have visited the theatres to watch it.
According to the Korean Film Council on July 30th, "Thieves" brought in an additional 751,039 people on the 29th, 759,626 people on the 28th, and 493,567 people on the 27th, bringing the total number of viewers to about 2 million viewers. That means that after premiering
on the 25th, within just five days, a total of 2.86 million people have already seen the flick. This puts the movie proudly at first place in ticket sales. It even seems mighty possible that it will hit the 3 million mark within six days.
"Thieves" is about a group of 10 Korean and Chinese thieves that are after the "Tear Of The Sun" diamond. It boasts an A-list cast: Kim Yoon-suk, Kim Hye-soo, Jeon Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae, Kim Soo-hyun, and Kim Hae-sook.
In second place at the box office on the 29th was the Hollywood blockbuster "The Dark Knight Rises". So far, 4.25 million peole have watched the hit movie. Third place went to "Ice Age 4: Continental Drift", for drawing in a total of about 470,000 people so far. Horror film "Scary Story" was at fourth place for the 141,000 people it garnered. "Detective Conan: 11th Striker" was at fifth place.
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August 2, 2012
Joo Won gets replenished by IV drip during filming
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
In the continuing heat wave in Seoul, actor Joo Won has shown that he’s made of tough stuff by persevering through outdoor filming of the drama “Bridal Mask.” While working in the intense heat, Joo and other cast members were reportedly placed on IV drips to counter fluid loss.
Captures of Joo at an outdoor location began circulating on Aug. 2 in which he was seen soldering on despite the sweltering heat as the mercury dips into the high 30s Celsius. The 24-year-old actor, who is starring in the current hit KBS drama, said that he expected the worst when he turned up on the set.
“I braced myself for it, but still, it’s really hot out,” said Joo who also asked viewers to show their support by tuning into the program which is airing despite the Olympic Games. A lot of other dramas have opted to take a break during the Games. |
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August 2, 2012
Nichkhun comes to an agreement with crash victim
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Nichkhun has come to a settlement agreement with the motorcyclist that he hit while driving under the influence.
According to OSEN on Aug.2, the 2PM member and the motorcyclist who was hit by an intoxicated Nichkhun on July 24 came to settle the matter on July 31.
Since the fiasco, the Thai-American boy band member has expressed his repentance online while staying away from the limelight.
“I would like to write this letter of apology for such an irresponsible act … I have betrayed the ones who have given me their love and support, the love and support I don't deserve with such a behavior. I feel the need to take some time off to rethink about my action and myself,” Nichkhun said via Twitter on July 25 — his only post since the incident.
At the time of the incident, Nichkhun had a blood alcohol level of 0.056. His driver’s license has been revoked. |
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August 2, 2012
Shin Se-kyung to make cameo appearance on 'My Husband Got a Family'
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Shin Se-kyung will make a cameo appearance as a top actress on the drama “My Husband Got a Family.” According to a spokesperson for the KBS drama, Shin will make her appearance on the episode to air on Aug. 11.
The scene will involve protagonists bumping into Shin’s top actress character at a studio.
Shin will film the scene this weekend, and the drama is expecting increased ratings from Shin’s participation.
The show is one of the most popular weekend dramas. Celebrities to have made cameos include Kim Jang-hoon, Kim Jong-min, Cha Tae-hyun and Yang hee-eun. |
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August 2, 2012
'The Thieves' steals attendance record
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Eight days after being released, “The Thieves” has set a box office record of more than four million viewers.
According to statistics released by the Korea Film Council on Wednesday, the movie starring some of Korea’s hottest talents - from Kim Soo-hyun to Kim Hye-su - has been seen by 4,365,090 people.
“The Thieves” has become the Korean film to draw the largest audience in the shortest time, similar to the sci-fi action films “The Host” (2006) and “D-War” (2007).
“Despite the fact that the Olympic Games is on, the film is steadily maintaining a top position,” said a spokesperson of the film, adding that “The Thieves” sold more than a million tickets over a two-day stretch.
For the second week in a row, the film is also the most booked movie at the theaters.
The plot centers on a gang assembled in Macau by legendary thief Macao Park (Kim Yoon-seok) to steal a $20 million diamond. The gang works with Hong Kong thieves, but they all plan to keep the diamond for themselves. |
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August 2, 2012
Actress, 58, found dead at home
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Nam Yoon-jeong was found dead after hanging herself at her home in Yeouido, western Seoul. Nam’s body was discovered on Wednesday, next to a will. According to Yeongdeungpo Police, Nam’s daughter found the actress at about 3:25 p.m.
In the will, Nam outlined the hardships she has experienced since her husband died last year. The 58-year-old actress had been struggling to keep his business afloat. In addition, Nam was undergoing treatment for depression.
Nam’s daughter blamed the illness and financial strain for her mother’s death.
Initially, Nam’s daughter tried to conceal the suicide, citing a heart attack as the cause of death.
However, she later confirmed to SBS that it was suicide.
“I didn’t want to tarnish her image,” she explained. “But the more I tried to hide the facts, the more the media hounded, so I decided to tell the truth.”
A funeral reception for friends and family of Nam will be held today at a hospital in Yeouido. Last edited by katt on 2-8-2012 11:37 PM \n\n |
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August 3, 2012
Gangnam Style goes international
The Kortea Herald
Psy’s single, "Gangnam Style" album poster
It appears that PSY’s latest single “Gangnam Style,” his first in two years, is not only the hottest song of the summer in Korea, but is quickly becoming a top song around the world with top music stars and foreign media talking about it.
The addictive song that makes light of the lifestyle of those living in the affluent Gangnam district in Seoul is currently No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 K-pop chart and the music video has more than 10 million views on YouTube since its release on July 15.
More than that, it’s grabbing the attention of stars from abroad. Both singer Josh Groban and rapper T-Pain tweeted about the song on Aug. 1 and 2, respectively. Groban said, “It’s a Gangnam Style world, we’re just living in it. Amazing video,” while T-Pain tweeted a series of emoticons symbolizing the signature “horse race” dance from the music video, including some of the lyrics. The tweet before that simply said, “Ladies and Gentlemen!!! #Gangnam Style… That is all.”
Media such as Billboard.com, the Huffington Post and Gawker have all written about the song, noting how viral it’s gone in just a few weeks. The Huffington post said the song’s beats rival popular groups LMFAO and Far East Movement, adding “What can we say. We’re hooked!” Popular blog Gawker titled its post on the song “Did this underground artist from South Korea just release the best music video of the year?”
Billboard.com said not to expect the “Gangnam Style” craze to end anytime soon with the video and “horse race” dance going viral. |
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August 4, 2012
Jeon Ji-hyun Gets Back into Groove with 'The Thieves'
ChosunIlbo
The Korean heist film "The Thieves" attracted 2.11 million viewers as of last week, just four days after its release, to knock "The Dark Knight Rises" off its perch at the local box office. The only other domestic movies that have drawn over 2 million viewers in such a short space of time are the sci-fi slash-monster flicks "The Host" (2006) and "D-War" (2007).
Among the most-memorable characters in "The Thieves" is an agile, rope-climbing bandit called "Yenicall," played by Jeon Ji-hyun.
The slender thief scales building walls, not unlike Spider-man, and isn't afraid to spew out profanity-laden dialogue, contrary to the star's sexy but demure image in recent years.
When asked to explain the slump in her movie career after grabbing the spotlight through the huge hit "My Sassy Girl" in 2001, Jeon said she has still been sharpening her skills and remains devoted to her job as an actress.
"People criticized me for only appearing in commercials, but it was just part of the same kind of work to me," she said. "It's disappointing if you play a movie role you really craved but people don't go and see it. My fans had high expectations of me following 'My Sassy Girl,' but I don't think I took the easy way out [by focusing on advertisements]. I continued to hone my craft."
She starred in two Hollywood turkeys -- "Blood: The Last Vampire" (2007) and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" (2010) -- but was upbeat about the experience, saying it gave her invaluable experience and helped her appreciate her career in Korea.
"It's too bad there aren't many good films listed on my filmography," Jeon said. "When I was filming 'Blood: The Last Vampire,' I was so nervous about speaking even a single line [in English] that I couldn't sleep the night before filming. But that experience made it much easier to do 'Snow Flower and the Secret Fan' as I gained experience and confidence."
"I also learned to appreciate the way I'm treated in Korea after working overseas, where the name Jeon Ji-hyun does not merit any special treatment."
Jeon, who married a banker earlier this year, said she is not having any difficulty juggling her career and her role as a wife. "Things could have been difficult as I'm still a newly-wed, but I met someone who is very understanding," she said. "I'm not really concerned, as I will do my best to build a happy family. Also, my career is not the be-all and end-all. I always give 100 percent to what I do, but I know better than to stake everything on my work."
Jeon said she wants to seek out more down-to-earth roles in the future. "I've starred in a lot of fantasy films, so now I want play more ordinary roles… maybe even a movie about the relationship between a mother and daughter," she said. |
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August 4, 2012
Lee Jung Jae Praises Kim Soo Hyun for Lightening the Mood on Set
CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit: Erika Kim
Lee Jung Jae of The Thieves praised his junior Kim Soo Hyun as "an actor who lightens up the scene.”
In a recent interview with enews about The Thieves, Lee Jung Jae said about Kim Soo Hyun, “He worked hard to lighten the mood on set. When I was a rookie, I felt daunted but Kim Soo Hyun didn’t seem to feel so. Kim Soo Hyun was an actor who enjoyed being on set.”
Kim Soo Hyun made his big screen debut through this film as the new thief Jampano.
Although he is a big star on the small screen, he’s a rookie on the big screen, and he had to act alongside such big names as Kim Hye Soo, Kim Yun Suk, Jun Ji Hyun, Oh Dal Su and Kim Hae Sook. He wasn’t overwhelmed, however, and lightened up the mood on set as the youngest member of the cast. The filming took place before he joined the hit drama The Sun and the Moon.
Lee Jung Jae showed off his prowess in the film as the sly thief Popeye. Lee Jung Jae said, “The mood on set was great. None of the actors made anyone feel uncomfortable. Other than Jun Ji Hyun, it was my first time working with the actors, but we never felt awkward. I believe The Thieves can shine thanks to the actors’ teamwork and the director’s passion.”
The Thieves is an action film about thieves who get together to steal one diamond. Director Choi Dong Hoon’s brand of rapid scenes and large-scale settings from Macau and Hong Kong add to the entertaining element of the film.
Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan
Last edited by katt on 5-8-2012 06:38 PM \n\n |
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August 5, 2012
[Interview Part I] Lee Jung Jae Will Now Only Concentrate on Acting
CJ E&M enewsWorldOh, MiJung Translation Credit: Erika Kim
Lee Jung Jae is a cool actor. He used to be a model, but as soon as he made his debut as an actor he became a big teen idol. His tall height and sharp features gave him enough strength to make his way into the hearts of female fans.
The actor, however, didn’t settle for being a teen idol forever. In director Lim Sang Soo’s The Housemaid, he left a big impression as Hoon, and in director Kim Yong Hwa’s Oh! Brothers, he gave everyone something to laugh about as the photographer Oh Sang Woo, who only takes photos of adultery scenes. The range of his filmography goes beyond imagination.
This time he’s meeting with his fans as a sly thief through The Thieves. Lee Jung Jae appears in this film as the thief Popeye. He pretends he’s cool and sharp and holds big ambitions, but he’s actually clumsier than anyone and isn’t very smart. Lee Jung Jae took this role and peppered it with his well-acknowledged acting skills.
You always make the most unexpected choices, and this choice was again very surprising. Why did you decide to take up the Popeye role?
“First of all I decided to be in the film because of director Choi Dong Hoon. The project shined so brightly. I believed that this project would be great for me to lightly get in and out of, without much pressure."
"Actually, in the scenario, Popeye is even duller. They said they made him be like that because they didn’t know who would be cast for the role. After they cast me, he became cooler. He was originally supposed to die, but the producers agreed that ‘since Lee Jung Jae has been cast for this role, it would be better not to kill him.’”
Did you relate to your character?
“It was so much fun. Popeye is a man who believes he can turn his back on anyone for his greed, desires and wants. Compared to the size of his greed, though, he’s not very smart. He can’t help but be funny. I thought also that Popeye’s character was funny.”
Were there any difficulties you had to endure during your shoots? For example there was a scene in which you get hit by a car.
“I didn’t have any. The scene where I get hit by a car is actually an edit. Because it’s all in one take it may look like I was the one getting hit, but we actually edited in my face.”
What are the attractions of ‘The Thieves’?
“A lot of things are subtly implied. It’ll be much more fun if you watch it more than once.”
You’re a great actor, but that characteristic seems to have been downplayed because you were a teen idol.
“It is true that I didn’t suffer much at the time of my debut because of my image as a teen idol. I understand why the public thinks so, since I haven’t been in many pieces. I have more pieces from when I was a teen star. (Laugh)”
You’re a great actor but you haven’t been seen for a while. You actually appeared on the news more often as an entrepreneur.
“When men reach age 30, the people around them start to hand them a lot of offers. There are people that say since I’m popular, I should use that popularity to push a business. Many tell me to invest my money too, because they assume I must have a lot of money.”
Why were you so bent on being a businessman? You owned a restaurant, a men’s clothing brand and were even a real estate developer.
“Celebrities often become anxious on how much time they have left in their work lives. Celebrity jobs are affected by so many variables. They also worry about what they should do when their popularity takes a dip and no one wants to see them anymore. The older we get, the more temptations and offers we meet. Even though we weren’t interested before, we suddenly become interested in some things."
"That’s why I worked with an Italian restaurant, men’s clothing and real estate development. Restaurants are fun [to work with], but they require a lot of care. It is great to invite people you know. It was impossible, however, for me to do something that required a lot of care while acting at the same time. Expertise is important in businesses these days. That’s why I closed down all my other businesses.
"Now, I’ll try to concentrate only on being in more pieces, and that’s why I decided on my next piece so quickly. I was originally trying to choose a drama but Choi Min Sik sunbaenim (senior) gave me an offer and had me land in this new world.”
Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan
Reach reporter Oh MiJung on Twitter @isyutar!
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August 5, 2012
[Interview Part II] Lee Jung Jae on His Personal Life and His Future
CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit: Erika Kim
What do you do when you don’t have shoots?
“I watch movies or go to see concerts or exhibitions. Recently I was so busy I didn’t get to see much.”
Why don’t you ever go overseas?
“If I had been in dramas it would’ve been easier for me to go overseas, but I think I didn’t go overseas because I usually appear in films. I do have Japanese fans, though. They continue to like me a lot.”
You’re an actor who′s mean toward his fans; you never hold fanmeetings.
“I don’t have an official fanclub or any official fansites. I think my fans would probably feel bad about that. I used to depend on my management company [to take care of such things], but now that I manage myself I wasn’t able to care for them. I’m very sorry.”
There were a lot of articles these past few years about your personal life.
“Since I’m a celebrity, of course I’m followed by rumors, scandals and gossip. I don’t act against all of them. I just believe the truth will be revealed someday. I acted against them by not acting at all, but then something came out entirely out of the blue. It was the first time something like that had happened.
"When stories about that were first released, I just thought it was funny, but when they kept coming I got mad. It felt like they were thinking I was a pushover since I was staying quiet. I kept it bottled up until then because I didn’t want to get engaged in a conflict with the press. I passed it over since I’m the celebrity. "
"One reporter, however, then wrote an article that made it seem as if he had spoken with my father. I was mad at how he had used even my family as a tool for his articles. That’s when I thought of taking legal measures, but then the company released a correction.”
You’re probably embroiled in such rumors since you’re not married.
“I don’t want to get married because of things like that, though. Many actors my age aren’t married yet. That’s what the people around me are like, and so I don’t think much [of marriage] either. I’m also used to living freely.”
Do you have any plans to venture to areas other than acting?
“No. I plan to concentrate on appearing in great pieces to put together a great character.”
How do you pick out pieces?
“I don’t care about the genre. I only care about the character. I choose those characters that I believe the audience will remember for a long time. I believed that although Popeye wouldn’t be loved much, he would be remembered for a long time.”
Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan
Reach reporter Oh MiJung on Twitter @isyutar!
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August 5, 2012
"The Thieves" breaks audience record with 6 mln in 11 days: data
YonhapNews
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean box office hit continued breaking records with over 6 million viewers in the first 11 days of its release, official statistics showed Sunday.
"The Thieves," featuring 10 Korean and Chinese thieves teaming up to steal a valuable diamond necklace at a Macao casino, drew 6.2 million viewers in the first 11 days until Saturday, data from the Korean Film Council showed.
The film directed by Choe Dong-hoon, who is known for "Tazza: the High Rollers" and "The Big Swindle," has been drawing moviegoers at a faster pace than director Bong Jun-ho's box-office hit "The Host."
Industry watchers say "The Thieves" will likely attract 10 million viewers faster than "The Host," which broke the 10 million mark within 21 days.
The film had 770,762 viewers on Saturday alone in a daily record for any South Korean film.
The movie, starring top actors and actresses Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Yun-seok and Lee Jung-jae, has raked in more than half of local box revenues, outperforming the Hollywood blockbuster "The Dark Knight Rises." |
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August 5, 2012
Agency CEO apologizes to Hwa-young
By Joo Kyung-don Korea JoongAng Daily l Nate
Kim Kwang-soo, the CEO of the Core Contents Media, issued a handwritten apology on Saturday about its girl group T-ara, which has been under fire over rumors one of its members had been bullied
The nine-member girl group was in the center of controversy recent weeks over rumors that Hwa-young had been bullied by group members.
Kim last week announced that his agency would terminate its contract with Hwa-young, saying she was the one who was causing a problem. However, that only caused more controversy and angered fans.
“I want to bow my head and apologize for the lack of explanation behind the reasons that led us to terminate Hwa-young’s contract,” Kim wrote.
The CEO also said that he will support Hwa-young wherever she goes.
Meanwhile, on Saturday three T-ara members - Eun-jung, Ji-yeon and Ah-reum - appeared on the MBC show “Three Wheels.” The appearance on the prerecorded program brought a rush of online condemnation by fans. |
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August 5, 2012
CNN takes note of 'Gangnam Style'
By Park Eun-jee Korea JoongAng Daily
Rapper Psy has made his way across the globe with his latest single, “Gangnam Style.”
CNN covered the amusing music video for the new single on Friday, saying it is “really getting a lot of reactions in New York.”
The news channel also noted the music video has won praise from music celebrities such as T-Pain and Robbie Williams and racked up 11 million views on YouTube in two weeks.
The newscaster went on to say Psy’s moves - especially the horse-riding dance - are fun to watch, adding that she would “try it out in the living room.”
T-Pain mentioned the video July 29, tweeting, “Words cannot even describe how amazing this video is” as he uploaded it for his followers.
The music video also features comedians Yoo Jae-seok and No Hong-chul, and 4Minute’s Hyun-a.
Since releasing his sixth album July 15, the 34-year-old singer announced that he plans to take some time off from performing. |
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