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Dec 18, 2006
Kwon Sang-woo Visits Taiwan and the Philippines
Kwon Sang-woo visited Taiwan and the Philippines on a four-day promotion tour for the cosmetics brand "The Face Shop." During his first visit to Taiwan in his career, Kwon said at a press conference Friday that he plans to star in a TV drama next spring to repay his Korean and foreign fans.
Kwon was greeted by about 1,000 of his fans and 100 members of the press at the Taoyuan International Airport, and some 250 reporters crowded Kwon's press conference.
He was given star treatment in Taiwan, dining from a special menu at the most luxurious hotel in Taiwan built by the wife of the late Taiwanese leader Chiang Kai-shek. Kwon is the first entertainer to have dined at the hotel抯 banquet hall.
The following day approximately 2,000 fans took part in a fan meeting and an auction of Kwon's belongings. All the profit made at the auction was donated to an institution for disabled children in Taiwan.
Kwon then traveled to the Philippines on Sunday to participate in a Habitat for Humanity project together with Filipino NGO Gawad Kalinga. He carried bricks during the construction of housing in a poor neighborhood of the Philippines and donated five houses jointly with The Face Shop.
Kwon had visited Indonesia and Singapore last September for the first round of the Face Shop promotion tour.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...0662_11858.html
Bae Yong-joon Enters Japanese Stock Market
Bae Yong-joon has now ventured into the Japanese stock market. Key East (http://www.keyeast.co.kr), which deals in media content projects related to Bae, will be the first KOSDAQ company to do business on the Japanese bourse. Bae is Key East's largest stockholder, owning 33.49% of the company's shares.
Key East will begin stock transaction services through Japan抯 largest online trader E-Trade Japan (http://www.etrade.ne.jp) on Tuesday. Japanese investors can place their orders at the E-Trade Japan site, which will be executed by E-Trade Korea.
Key East has been very active in content business related to Bae, such as marketing Bae Yong-joon figures and providing mobile services. Key East has also concluded a contract with Japan's NHK to air a historical drama starring Bae next May.
Key East's CEO said he will do his best to take this opportunity to sharpen the company's competitiveness in the Asian media content market.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...0660_11858.html
Lee Dong-gun Plans to Focus on Films
Actor Lee Dong-gun has expressed his hope to focus his activities on films next year.
According to the Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports, Lee made the remark at a ceremony celebrating the establishment of his Japanese fan club in Tokyo on Sunday.
Lee also told his fans he had spent his time in Japan playing games at arcades and visiting Osaka.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...0751_11858.html |
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Monday, December 18, 2006
[MOVIE REVIEW]
'The Restless' offers unprecedented graphic works
"Jungcheon (The Restless)" has four strengths: star casting, it was shot in China, superb computer graphics and renowned international staff. The question is whether these advantages can make up for its single weakness; flimsy storytelling.
The film's most visible marketing gimmick is that Jung Woo-sung and Kim Tae-hee take lead roles. Jung is certainly a major Korean heartthrob, with some solid performances under his belt. Kim Tae-hee's performance makes a compelling argument that she is equally as good as Jung, attracting a mostly-male audience with her trademark 'big eyes.'
Without these two actors investors would not have poured 10.9 billion won ($11.7 million) in the project, which is led by first-time director Jo Dong-ho.
The big-budget film, to be released nationwide on Thursday, takes on a truly Asian theme about death and life. When people die, it is believed that their soul hovers in the intermediate stage between the physical world and heaven. Lee Kwak, played by Jung, makes it to the intermediate stage where souls wait for 49 days before they climb into heaven - and here he meets his loved one, So-hwa, played by Kim. The focus in the film is how the two resolve a conflict in the surreal world.
To amplify its fantasy appeal, the production team opted to shoot the film entirely in China and it seems their investment has paid off. Unlike other Korean fantasy films, "The Restless" shows off grandiose visuals.
Moreover, international staff helped the film achieve greater cinematic effects. Shiro Sagisu, a renowned Japanese film music artist, upgraded the overall level of music, while equally respectable award-winning Emi Wada infused vitality to the traditional Asian costumes featured in the film.
Computer graphics - the most important element of the film - demonstrate a higher level than widely expected. Digital Tetra Inc., affiliated with Korea's state-run research center ETRI, worked with 11 other companies to create better computer graphics, and their efforts are fully reflected in as many 750 high-quality computer-generated cuts.
Thanks to sophisticated computer graphics, battle scenes shine throughout the film. When main characters get entangled in a fight, no blood is shed. Instead, computer-generated images literally shatter away the victims into ashes - a stunning visual that deserves all due credits.
Director Jo and the computer graphics team spent almost a year generating computer scenes that bolster the film's fantasy aspect and add intricate cinematic layers.
This fantasy flic may be a good alternative for those who want to avoid typical Christmas comedies and romances.
But a problem may arise for some viewers who think storytelling is more important than computer graphics. "The Restless" starts with a promising premise as a fantasy film: a handsome evil-chasing man falls into a stage where life and death are intertwined, and again falls into a conflict to protect a woman he loves.
Lee Kwak's accidental entry into the Jungcheon world has many surprises. The most important revelation is that his former love, So-hwa, seems alive in a soul-only land, and she has no memory about her past - including her relationships with Lee Kwak.
So far, so good. But when So-hwa finally speaks and Kim Tae-hee strives to act up the character, fantasy begins to disappear. Kim's delivery of key sentences is neither convincing nor realistic. The character is supposed to be a powerful semi-deity in this fantasy world, but Kim's So-hwa is simply clueless. She often has no grasp about what's going on, and Kim's efforts to open her already "big eyes" in a big way accentuates the puzzlement that constantly plagues the disoriented character.
Flashbacks are also overused but rarely utilized to their full potential. When the main characters interact with supporting actors, a gaping hole in the storyline is embarrassingly visible. Some characters intrude into the main story without enough explanations, undercutting the strength of the already shaky storytelling.
Although the film hovers between computer graphics and flimsy storytelling, movie-goers should be relieved: they don't have to wait for 49 days to re-enter the mundane world since the movie's running time is a relatively short 105 minutes.
([email protected])
By Yang Sung-jin
Source: The Korea Herald
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00612190010.asp |
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12-18-2006
Once Bitten but Not Twice Shy
Disgraced Actresses Ready Comebacks on the Small Screen in 2007
By Han Eun-jung
Staff Reporter
One moment they were hot. And the next moment they found themselves, well, not.
In the past, top female celebrities whose careers derailed after high-profile incidents _ arrests, divorces, etc. _ would take on the role of the fallen woman. She would apologize, bow for causing a commotion and then disappear, hardly ever appearing again in the public eye.
But this formula no longer seems to holds true. Once disgraced celebrities are readying comebacks on the small screen in time for the new year.
With her sparkling black eyes, pretty face and shapely figure, it didn't take long for actress Hwang Soo-jung to captivate television audiences when she entered the scene in 1996. Hwang, whose squeaky clean and sweet image made her one of the most sought-after actresses, was soon cast as the leading lady on the big screen as well as the small.
Her portrayal of Yejinassi in the 1999 hit MBC period epic "Huh Joon" secured her a spot on the top. She claimed the two top honors at the MBC Acting Awards that year _ for best actress and favorite actress.
However, her 2001 arrest on charges of taking methamphetamine, a stimulant known also as "ice," with her live-in boyfriend horrified fans. Broadcasters and advertisers were quick to scrap contracts, and to dodge a public lynching in the media, Hwang disappeared from the public eye. She has not managed a comeback _ until now.
Hwang will return in the soon-to-premier drama "Salt Doll." She will play Cha So-young, a strong-minded housewife who is placed in an "Indecent Proposal"-like situation when her husband falls ill and she needs money to pay for his surgery.
"Salt Doll" will first air on Jan. 5 on SBS at 8:50 p.m.
Singer and television personality Lee Hyo-lee tried launching an acting career in 2004. But her portrayal of a cheerful factory worker from a broken home in the mini-series "Seibklobu" was met with record-low ratings, and criticism of her acting ability poured in.
Since then, Lee has managed to land emcee spots on popular television shows and to keep her Samsung Anycall cell phone advertisement deal. But career-wise, she has seen better years.
This year her singing career also ran into a crisis. The title track of her second solo album, "Get Ya," was questioned for its originality. The song was found to be too similar to Britney Spears "Do Something," and Universal Music Publishing Korea, the owners of Spears' music and lyrics, filed a complaint against the composer of "Get Ya." Lee had to take a break before promoting other songs on the album, but by the time she started, fans had lost interest.
Lee is also apparently giving acting another try. This time she will be featured in "Beautiful Days," a 70-minute music drama that will air in late January. It has not yet been decided which network will air it. She takes on the role of a pop star, who is diagnosed with a terminal illness that leaves her only months to live.
The 27-year-old star is also set to release a digital album that will feature a dance track and a ballad early next year.
Choi Jin-sil defined |
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[Jang Ri-in's First Performance In The Homeland]
Chinese rookie singer Jang Ri-in attended an international music festival held in her homeland of China. She sang "Timeless" and "Y" at her first performance. Discovered and trained in Korea, she now plans to expand her activities abroad beginning with China. This has gained her a lot of attention from music fans and the press on the Chinese mainland.
Credits ~ ArirangTV.com + Kpopper.com + noV@Kpop Kingdom
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[Shin Hyesung-Lyn Duet Song "Love... After", Used In Eric's Music Drama]
Singers Shin Hyesung and Lyn sang a duet song which was used as the theme for the music drama "Fairy Tale" (Winter Story), starring Shinhwa member Eric.
Shin Hyesung and Lyn sang a duet song entitled "Love...after" which will be released on December 13 at SKT Melon, KTF Dosirak and Cyworld. The song, a medium-tempo ballad, is about a man and a woman's love and separation which matches the winter atmosphere.
"The song fits well with the winter season. Please give your support", Hyesung said. "This is a really good song. Please also support my solo concert on December 17", Lyn expressed.
The full version of the music drama entitled "Fairy Tale" (Winter Story), lasting 20 minutes, will be broadcasted starting December 26.
Credits ~ Newsen.com + Kpopper.com + noV@Kpop Kingdom
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[News] Report on 2006 SMTown Winter Album - Snow Dream
credited from ????, ????
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[Moogadang-Baechigi-45RPM, December 2006 Hip Hop Heat]
Moogadang, Baechigi and 45RPM heat up the end of 2006 with hip hop performances at the hip hop club "TRAIN" in Sincheon, Seoul.
The event will be under the name of "Christmas & Happy new year party". Moogadang will start the relay of performances on December 16, followed by 45RPM on December 23 and Baechigi on December 31.
Credits ~ Newsen.com + Kpopper.com + noV@Kpop Kingdom
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[Jaurim抯 Christmas Concert]
By Han Eun-jung
Staff Reporter
Calling all Jaurim fans. Modern rock band Jaurim is preparing for Christmas weekend concerts at the MelON-AX in Seoul.
For the past few years, the four-person band hailing from the Hongdae underground scene and known for their vitriolic rock and tight interplay, was counted on by fans to put on one of the best Christmas shows in town. Their signature Christmas Eve concerts, "Midnight Express,拻 have been sell-out shows.
This year they are staging three night concerts in a row. Titled "Jaurim's Christmas Concert,'' they say fans will require 200 percent more energy than they have put into any other concert. They vow that they've turned up their act a notch and the concerts will be their most explosive performances to date.
"Don't think of this as just another Jaurim concert. Because even we were blown away with the continuity we came up with for the show. We wondered if fans would be able to take this,'' the group's front woman Kim Yun-ah said in a press release.
Vocalist Kim, guitarist Lee Sun-kyou, bassist Kim Jin-man and drummer Ku Tae-hoon will arrange popular numbers that include everything from their most recent hit, the melancholy "You and Me,拻 to the ever popular, energetic "Magic Carpet Ride拻 to make up an original total entertainment show. The show was inspired by Tim Burton抯 "The Nightmare Before Christmas拻 and Broadway musicals "Chicago拻 and "Cats.拻
The group was formed in 1995 when the members met on the Internet and started performing under the name "Ugly Duck.拻 Their energetic live shows and professional stage manner generated a buzz in the Hongdae club district and led to an offer to have their song "Hey, Hey, Hey拻 be featured on the soundtrack to the 1996 movie "A Man Who Holds Flowers.拻
The song became a sleeper hit and soon after the group changed their name to Jaurim (meaning "a forest where purple rain falls").
Since the release of their first album "Purple Heart" in 1997, they have put out five more including the most recent offering "Ashes to Ashes" in October.
Credits ~ Korea Times + Kpopper.com + noV@Kpop Kingdom
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[Lee Ji-yeon Comes Back On Stage After 17 Years]
Singer Lee Ji-yeon, who enjoyed her heydays in the 1980s as a teen star, will make her comeback after a 17-year hiatus. Lee took part in the 揅oncert 7080, |
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2006/12/19
'The Old Garden' revives doomed love of 1980s
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) -- "The Old Garden" tells a doomed love story set against a gloomy backdrop of South Korea in the 1980s. The idea of mixing love and politics may sound banal, but director Im Sang-soo does it with genuine intentions to recall the era that evolved with the sacrifice of many young people and the result is a convincing melodrama.
Adapted from the novel of the same title by acclaimed writer Hwang Suk-young, The Old Garden brings the viewers to the era when young activists sometimes set fire to themselves or jumped off buildings to protest against the military dictatorship. Hyeon-su (Ji Jin-hee) and Yun-hi (Yeom Jung-ah) fall in love in the era when pursuing romance almost felt like a sin.
The plot development is faithful to the original story, but the characters are more easygoing and light-hearted than the ones conveyed in the book.
"It's the story about the activists in the eighties, but I can say it's not boring, it doesn't smell old," said the director who has gained international attention with unconventional films "A Good Lawyer's Wife" and "The President's Last Bang."
"Those people used to be depicted as being always full of convictions and speaking in literary style, and that would be the reason why they are boring. People who are high-spirited can also be simple and goofy sometimes, so we made this movie with that in mind, in a realistic way," he said after a press preview in Seoul on Monday.
The story unfolds with the release of Hyeon-su, then in his late 40s, who served 17 years in jail for opposing the military government of Chun Doo-hwan. The first news he gets to hear is the death of his long-lost love.
The story evolves through a narrative he finds from Yun-hi's diary in a place where they once lived together. After the civilian uprising in Gwangju was crushed by the military junta in May 1980, high school teacher-turned activist Hyeon-su becomes a member of the underground, spreading socialism and organizing protests aimed at topping the military regime. While he seeks a temporary shelter in the face of an intense crackdown, Yun-hi, an elementary school art teacher who had an activist father, volunteers to be his caretaker and brings him to a remote rural home near her school. They fall in love.
In the utopian shelter called Galmoi they share the prime of their lives, going on picnics in lazy afternoons and taking a shower naked in the rain, but the bliss ends in six months. As the authorities tighten their grip on activists and his friends get caught and tortured and some set fire to themselves in protest, Hyeon-su increasingly feels guilty about his happiness and decides to leave for Seoul where he will lead the movement.
But not long after his departure he gets arrested, and after a farcical trial he is sentenced to life imprisonment for opposing the government.
While Hyeon-su is at the center of the development of the plot, his imprisonment takes a back seat to Yun-hi's life outside jail. The woman who loved the activist keeps her life trapped by the social brutality, raising their daughter and supporting younger activists.
The story sounds like an ode to the activists at first, but through Yun-hi's dialogue with other activists, it also gives a critical look into the generation of the 1980s. An underground activist receives peer pressure to turn himself in to the authorities simply to make newspaper headlines and draw public attention to their struggle, and Yun-hi discourages him from accepting the pressure. The film shows the 1980s was also an era when the mass psychology of revolutionists, even if it was for social justice, silenced critics and created another kind of suppression within the community.
The acting is fine, but Ji Jin-hee's relaxed, nonchalant look after a 17-year imprisonment could be awkward to audience members who hope to see how the weight of time weakens an individual. However, the director said such acting was intended to make the characters look more approachable.
Set against the country's political past, the story may be emotionally distant to some audiences. But those who went through the era or witnessed others who did may find themselves quietly sobbing throughout the film.
"The Old Garden" made with 3.3 billion won (US$3.5 million) and rated 12 will be released nationwide on Jan. 4.
[email protected]
(END)
Source: Yonhap News
http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20061219/...19095433E9.html |
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Dec 19, 2006
Fans Are Source of Energy for Park Geon-hyeong
Actor Park Geon-hyeong said he has been gaining resolve to go on with his tight drama shooting schedule from the love of his Japanese fans. He is currently participating in the shooting of the new KBS drama to be aired on Jan. 15 of next year to return to the small screen after a three-year absence.
NamooActors, his agency, said that three Japanese women came to the company to see Park in person around Dec. 15. Told that the actor was not available at that moment, they spent about an hour viewing his pictures and posters before reluctantly leaving.
One of the women said that she became a fan of Park after watching the film 'Dancing Princess.' "I managed to find time to visit Park's office despite my tight itinerary because I really wanted to see him in person," she said. "I came to Korea on a short trip just to see film 'Once in a Summer' starring Lee Byung-heon."
This is not the first time that Park's Japanese fans have come to see him. Early this year, a dozen Japanese fans visited the set where he was shooting film "Mr. Wacky." His agency has also witnessed Japanese fans making regular visits once or twice a month. In addition, hearing the news that Park is working on a new drama, quite a few Korean fans regularly visit his agency, bringing various foods for him.
Park is pleased to feel the love of his fans. "I am having a hard time shooting the drama from early in the morning until late at night, but the encouragement and love from my fans help me keep going," he said.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...0919_11858.html |
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Dec 19, 2006
Korean TV dramas take a nosedive in Asia
Popularity wanes as 'anti-Korean wave' sentiment sets in
» The International Covention Center Jeju, at which the Hallyu Expo are held.
Exports of South Korean TV dramas have decreased for the first time this year.
According to data announced by the Korean Broadcasting Institute on December 18, exports of TV dramas garnered about US$85.9 million this year, a 15.5-percent decrease from last year抯 $102 million. This is the first decline since the institute began to gather related data in 1998.
The average unit sale price of a drama dropped 11 percent to $4,378, compared to last year's $4,921, also a first-time decrease since the numbers were tallied. The annual export of TV dramas had previously recorded an average increase of 89.7 percent since 2001, riding the 'hallyu,' or 'Korean wave' of popular culture sweeping Asia.
As for reasons behind the sudden drop, the broadcasting institute mentioned insufficient efforts to improve the quality of TV dramas, as well as anti-Korean wave sentiment in Asian nations. Yun Jae-sik, an official of the institute, said that "since last year, the U.S. CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) series has won popularity in the worldwide market. Viewers |
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Semi-retired Korean actress' comeback to entertainment world
Dec. 20, SEOUL, South Korea -- Hwang Soo-jung, a South Korean actress who was forced to quit entertainment activities in 2001 due to drug use, has come back to the local show business by starring in a drama, titled "A Salt Doll," which will be broadcast on SBS-TV in January. The photo was provided by SBS. (Yonhap)
Int'l institute names S. Korean actor as ambassador
Dec. 20, SEOUL South Korea -- South Korean actor Chung Jun-ho (L) and John Clemens, secretary-general of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), pose on Dec. 19 in Seoul after the IVI appointed Chung as its promotional ambassador. The institute, headquartered in Seoul National University, is devoted solely to the research and development of vaccines for the poor. (Yonhap)
Source: http://english.yna.co.kr/Engservices/5500000000.html
Dec 20, 2006
'Winter Sonata' to Re-air Across Japan
The hit Korean drama series "Winter Sonata" that gripped Japan with a Korean wave craze after it aired on NHK will be re-aired across the island nation.
The Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports said Wednesday that private broadcasters in Kanto and Kansai are preparing to air the sentimental melodrama series again from next month.
In the Kanto region including Tokyo, TBS will air the 20 episode series Monday to Friday at 10 am from January 9th to February 5th. It will be aired by Asahi TV in Osaka and the greater Kansai area at 10:25 am on Saturdays from January 13th.
TBS says the debut drama of actor Bae Yong-jun has been aired several times on NHK but the demand is still high and viewers want to enjoy it on terrestrial TV.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...1032_11858.html |
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Ko So-young looks for image change
Ko So-young has spent a long time building up her luxurious image. Since her debut in the early 1990s, she has been identified as a beautiful actress with a radiant smile and a classy posture. No wonder she recently won a lucrative advertising contract for an upscale apartment complex advertisement.
Ko is now betting that she can overhaul her image, at least on the silver screen anyway. In "Eonniga ganda (Project Makeover)," directed by Kim Chang-rae, she plays an average Korean girl in her 30s who wants to redesign her complicated life.
The challenge: Ko is far from an average woman by any account. Her overall image does not have any "average" quality. But the character she plays in the film is, well, average.
Na Jeong-ju, played by Ko, is an assistant designer who believes her first love destroyed her entire life. Back in 1994 - at the tender age of 18 - Jeong-ju fell in love with Cho Ha-nui (Kim Jeong-min), a high school kid who wanted to become a top singer.
But the relationship did not last long. The self-conscious boy jilted her shortly after their secret trip to the northeastern city of Chuncheon. The implication is that he slept with her once and that was the only thing he wanted. After all, he is a handsome singer-wannabe and there were plenty of other girls waiting in the high-school romance wings.
For some mysterious reason, Jeong-ju is given a chance to fix her problem once and for all: getting back to the year 1994 where she can intervene in her fate and sever ties with the playboy before matters go awry.
As the main character is attempting a drastic makeover, actress Ko is also jumping into a complete image makeover. She tries (or pretends) to shed her luxurious image and embrace a comical role as a desperate thirtysomething.
The movie itself is not overly sentimental. Nor is it an exact copy of "Back to the Future" or "Peggy Sue Got Married." Director Kim manages to pull off much-needed balance and restraint while offering a set of items that bring back memories of the early 1990s - pagers, Guess jeans, then popular Korean singers and their hit songs.
The question is why Ko wants to have a makeover as a film actress. A plausible reason is that she is still recovering from the commercial failure in her role in "A.P.T." earlier this year.
The horror thriller, adapted from a popular online comic series, tanked at the box office with just 800,000 tickets sold across the nation leaving critics unimpressed. In fact, Ko's appearance in "A.P.T." came after a four-year hiatus from the film industry, so there were plenty of positive expectations for her performance. As the negative box office numbers and reviews came in, the sense of industry disappointment was equally intense.
Speculation about Ko's first-ever stab at a comic role is that she wants to turn her typically static image into a dynamic, potentially versatile one through "Project Makeover," a fitting title and theme for the 35-year-old actress.
The film, however, is unlikely to provide a real makeover for Ko because her inherently elegant image does not fit in with the mundane, almost slapstick role.
While Ko is highly popular as a television commercial model, her score on the big screen is not so spectacular. She did not get high marks for her role in various films including "Double Agent" (2003), and the only bright spot is "A Day," directed by Han Ji-seung in 2001.
Ko won the Golden Bell Best Actress Award for this film, which proved her value as a serious movie actress. But even the award was not a timely recognition given that Ko debuted in 1992 and solidified her image as an icon of the 1990s.
"Project Makeover," to be released nationwide on Jan. 4, explores a woman's desire to get a revolutionary makeover in her wretched life. As with the film's desperate character, Ko is battling to get a makeover in her acting career. But the task for both the fictional character and real-life Ko seems daunting. After all, a makeover rarely, if ever, happens when the current image is just fine.
([email protected])
By Yang Sung-jin
Source: The Korea Herald
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00612210014.asp |
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Dec 20, 2006
S. Korea's up-and-coming actor
Dec. 20, SEOUL, South Korea -- Actor Im Joo-whan, 24, is popular in South Korea after playing a leading role in a drama, titled "The Snow Queen," which has been aired by KBS 2-TV. (Yonhap)
Source: http://english.yna.co.kr/Engservices/5500000000.html
"The Restless" to Be Released in 450 Theaters
The fantasy blockbuster "The Restless" will be shown in as many as 450 theaters across the nation on Friday. CJ Entertainment, the film抯 distributor, said Wednesday that the exact number of theaters has yet to be decided, but it has secured some 400 theaters now, with the possibility of reaching 450.
CJ Entertainment is trying its best to secure as many theaters as possible so that it can attract more viewers not only because it is a major investor in the film but also because it must compete with its rival distributor Showbox, which has already released "200 Pound Beauty" and will release "My Wife is a Gangster 3" on Dec. 28.
In addition, the distributor expects the number of theaters will increase to some 500 after the first week of its release considering the movie抯 relatively short running time of 105 minutes and viewers |
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JunJin and Jaejoong´s hurting family relationships "Partners in suffering have sympathy for each other"
Singer JunJin (age 27, real name Bak ChumJae) has said to the press how he and his junior JaeJoong from Dong Bang Shin Ki talked about their hurting family stories.
JoyNews24 met recently with JunJin and he revealed: 揑 have some points in common with YoungWoong JaeJoong |
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[Jo Sung Mo Participates In Drama OST]
Singer Jo Sung Mo, currently fulfilling his military service as a public worker, has found a way to stay in the spotlight梙e has lent his voice to the OST of a television series. Jo Sung Mo抯 new song, 揕ove is Tearful, |
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Modern Love
DECEMBER 21, 2006 06:54
I interviewed Chae Rim (picture), who is returning to TV after her divorce from singer Lee Seung-hwan in March, at the new drama press conference held at 63 City on December 19.
"How will I write my white paper on love? Well, it will be like you have different love with different partners."
Thus Chae Rim summed up her view of love. She is going to play the heroine of "Dal-ja's Springtime," a KBS2 new drama about "a thirty three year old woman's white paper on modern love" to be aired at 9:55 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting from January 3. Oh Dal-ja, her character in the drama, is a single woman in 30s who falls for Kang Tae-bong (Lee Min-ki), a younger man she met through a love contract.
As for her character looking for a man through a love agency with 3 million won, Chae Rim said, "There will be a debate, but it is already happening in reality." Dal-ja, a home shopping channel MD, has to choose between Eom Ki-jung (Lee Hyun-woo), a marriage candidate with wealth and status, and Tae-bong, a young and energetic man.
"I think there is no unforgivable love. Love doesn抰 come as you will."
This is her first time playing a woman in 30s. With her cute girl image, she has played a character younger than she is. When I said she looks changed, she answered, "I tried to look different with thick make-up to express Dal-ja's personality and character."
I asked if she is concerned that people may be tired of another drama about a woman in 30s made after the success of MBC's "My Name Is Kim Sam-soon" and "What Are You Doing, Fox?"
"Their big frames may be similar, but this is a new drama with different actors and directing. I am different from Kim Seon-a. If Sam-soon is friendly, Dal-ja is girly even in her 30s," said she.
Chae Rim also starred in dramas made in China and Taiwan beginning with "Love of the Aegean Sea (Ching Ding Ai Chin Hai)" in 2003. Although she has not been on TV in Korea since KBS2's "Oh! Victory Bong Soon-yeong |
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[Psy & Lee Jae-hoon Team Up For A Joint Project]
Psy and Lee Jae-hoon, former member of Cool will team up for a joint project. Psy, who will embark on a series of national tour concerts said in an interview with the press that he and Lee Jae-hoon are currently looking for ways to team up for an album to be released in the latter half of next year. The two singers had released several duet numbers including 揗eanwhile, |
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2006/12/21 15:35 KST
Park Chan-wook's new movie 'Cyborg' fails to appeal at box office
SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Yonhap) -- Acclaimed South Korean director Park Chan-wook's new movie will be pulled from most local screens before the lucrative Christmas holiday due to disappointing box office results in its first two weeks, its distributor said Thursday.
The romantic comedy "I'm a Cyborg But That's Okay" has so far drawn only 780,000 viewers, a marked disappointment for the internationally-renowned director whose previous works topped well over 3 million. The film will be removed from about 280 screens nationwide and on most screens will be replaced by "The Restless," a martial arts epic set to be released this evening, CJ Entertainment said.
"Cyborg" had drawn international attention with the combination of a director who received the Grand Prize at Cannes in 2004 with "Old Boy" and Asian heartthrob Rain as its lead.
"Usually, when we have an audience rating like this so far, it certainly won't pass one million," CJ Entertainment publicist Kim Yun-jeong said. "And there are many new movies being released this week." CJ distributes both "Cyborg" and "The Restless."
Park himself said the film was the "kindest" movie he has ever produced, with the star casting and simple plot. Set in a psychiatric ward, it tells the story of two patients -- a girl who believes she is a cyborg and a boy who falls in love with her.
Critics praised his experimental storytelling and stylish presentation, but audiences considered it too abstract and unapproachable to follow. In light of Park's fame, "Cyborg" topped box office charts for the first weekend, but it was now not even among the top 10 on Internet reservation sites. Hollywood blockbuster "Night at the Museum" led the box office chart, followed by "Holiday" and Korean epic "The Restless" according to Interpark.com.
[email protected]
(END)
Source: Yonhap News
http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews ... 061221153609E3.html |
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2006-12-18
Ahn, Seong-Ki and Park, Joong-Hoon: happy when working together
The legendary duo of "Radio Star" (director: Lee, Joon-Ik), Ahn, Seong-Ki and Park, Joong-Hoon, shared the Best Male Actor Award at the 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards ceremony last December 15, at the KBS Hall, Euido, Seoul.
This is the second time that the two received the Best Actor Award; the first one was in 1994, for their roles in "Two Cops." They have appeared together in four films.
"Joong-Hoon and I first shared the Best Male Actor Award twelve years ago," said Ahn. "I am very pleased that we are sharing another award."
"I am most honored and pleased that I could share this award with my esteemed teacher, best friend, and most avid admirer," replied Park with a dash of humor.
"Radio Star" is an emotionally charged film that depicts the 20-year friendship between a long-gone rock star and his manager, played by Ahn and Park. The two actors, who boasted about their real-life 20-year friendship, were also nominated as "Best Couple."
"If we did not sustain our 20-year friendship, we could not have done justice to the touching scenes in 'Radio Star,'" said Ahn. "The film has a cunning resemblance to our ordinary life, and (while we were acting), we felt it firsthand."
"We even meet every day, naked," Ahn continued, "as we exercise together."
Source: Koreacontent News Team
http://www.koreacontent.org/weben/inmarket...mp;search_word=
Dec 21 2006
BONG's Host Takes Top Prize at Blue Dragon
BONG Joon-ho's all-time box-office champion The Host made a splash at the 27th Blue Dragon film awards, which held its year-end ceremony Dec. 15th in Seoul. The summer blockbuster about a monster dwelling in Seoul's Han River, gobbled up 5 Blue Dragons, including Best Picture, Best Supporting actor (BYUN Hee-bong) and Best New Actress (KO Ah-sung). The film also picked up honours for lighting and technical achievement.
Veteran duo PARK Joong-hoon and AHN Sung-ki shared the Best Actor prize for their roles in LEE Joon-ik's human-comedy, Radio Star. Actress KIM Hye-soo took honours for her lead role in the autumn hit Tazza: The High Rollers, which also snagged a Blue Dragon for Best Cinematography.
Recent Thessaloniki Festival top-prize winner Family Ties picked up a Best Director award for KIM Tae-yong and a Supporting Actress prize JEONG Yu-mi. Coming-of-age comedy, Like a Virgin, scored several win with Best New Actor (RYU Deok-hwan), Best Screenplay, and Best New Director, shared by debut-duo LEE Hae-young and LEE Hae-jun. The film has been selected to screen in the 2007 Berlin Film Fest's Kinder Generation-Plus section.
Rounding out the winners were period films, Forbidden Quest, which took home Best Art Direction and mega-hit King and the Clown, which won the Music award for LEE Byeong-woo.
The Blue Dragon awards is presented by Chosun Sports newspaper and is not to be confused with the Golden Bell Awards, the nation's other major film awards ceremony which takes place each Spring.
Credit: Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC) www.koreanfilm.or.kr |
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Expectations Run High Ahead of 揃ig 4 Concert擺/color]
2006-12-21
The 揃ig 4 Concert |
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12-21-2006
Hallyu Stars Spread Holiday Giving Spirit
By Han Eun-jung
Staff Reporter
 Lee Jun-ki
Lee Young-ae
Hallyu stars Lee Young-ae and Lee Jun-ki are spreading the holiday spirit by making donations of 10 million won and 2 million won, respectively, to local organizations yesterday.
Lee Young-ae, best known to Asian fans for her performance in the television drama "Jewel in the Palace," visited the Asan Medical Center in Pungnab-dong, Seoul, for a ceremony in which she handed over the donation in the presence of children and adult patients suffering from terminal diseases.
She also spoke with the patients in private.
During the ceremony, she apologized for creating a scene when there are many people who help without others knowing.
"On the other hand, I hope that my doing this will inspire those who don't know how to help or are not brave enough to act on their desire to help," she said.
The money will be used by the hospital to help 13 patients.
Actor Lee Jun-ki gave 2 million won to the Korean Citizen's Coalition for Teen Heads of Households. The money will be used to help pay for the tuition of children who are the heads of their families.
This is not the first time Lee Jun-ki, who rose to stardom after he won over audiences with his portrayal of a court jester in the 2005 hit film "The King and the Clown," has lent a hand to those in need.
Last October during Chusok, Korean Thanksgiving, Lee donated the bonus he received from the producers of "The King and the Clown" to teen heads of households.
[email protected]
Source: The Korea Times
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200...19220752920.htm
   
Source: empas.com |
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December 15th 2006
Psy and McMong chose the Ayumi song 揅utie Honey |
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Author
Post time 19-12-2006 11:49 AM
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