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August 22, 2012
Actress Jin Sae-yeon To Join "Fifth Finger" Drama
KBS Global
Actress Jin Sae-yeon's has been confirmed to join the filming of the new drama "Fifth Finger" on August 23rd.
According to drama officials on August 22nd, the new weekend drama's filming schedule will take place like originally planned.
Jin is one of the strongest contenders to replace T-ara's Ham Eun-jung's original role of "Hong Dami". Eun-jung was announced a day earlier to no longer be a part of the cast. There has been controversies over whether she voluntarily dropped out of the project like some earlier media reports suggested, or whether she was dropped from the drama without prior notification.
The character of Hong is a worker at a restaurant that gets involved in a love triangle between "Joo Ji-hoon" (played by Yoo Ji-ho) and "Ji Chang-wook" (played by Yoo In-na). |
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August 23, 2012
T-ara's Eunjung dismissed from drama
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
T-ara’s Eunjung has been dismissed from the SBS weekend drama “Five Fingers” just one day before she was set to begin filming.
SBS made the announcement on Aug. 22 that “after much deliberation, due to various issues, Eunjung was let go.”
In the show, the T-ara member was set to play the role of Hong Da-mi, a pianist who forms a love triangle between two half-brothers played by Joo Ji-hoon and Ji Chang-wook.
Core Contents Media had no idea of the “deliberation” that was taking place and had said before the announcement that it could think of no reason why Eunjung would be replaced.
“As far as we know, Eunjung was meeting with the scriptwriter last night for work,” the agency said.
T-ara’s recent scandal after Hwayoung was let go is thought to be one of the main reasons for why the drama decided to replace Eunjung.
As the show began airing Aug. 18, SBS is currently sifting through different replacement options. One candidate is 19-year-old Jin Se-yeon, who is currently starring in the drama “Bridal Mask.” |
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August 23, 2012
Actress Kim Soo-hyun to sing on sitcom soundtrack
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Kim Soo-hyun, who is starring in the hit MBC sitcom “Standby,” will record a song for the show’s soundtrack.
According to MBC on Aug. 23, Kim will sing the title track to the third installment of the soundtrack to be released on Aug. 24.
The song is titled “Come Tomorrow,” and the production company added that it was impressed by the actress’s commitment to the project.
“Despite being swamped with work, she took time to undertake vocal training and showed just what a professional she is,” said a crew member who worked on the album with Kim.
In the MBC show, Kim plays the character of an honest and boyish program director who is also named Soo-hyun. |
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August 23, 2012
Lee Je-hoon to work for Police's PR division
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
As part of his mandatory military service, actor Lee Je-hoon will enter into the public relations division of the police.
The date has been set for Oct. 25 and Lee’s agency announced on Aug. 23 that the entertainer will be busy until D-day, working on various projects.
“We won’t delay it any longer and Lee will depart as soon as he’s done filming,” said a spokesperson for Saram Entertainment.
Currently Lee is filming two movies “My Pavarotti” and “Ethics of Fury,” while “Fortune Tellers” will open in cinemas next month.
Ahead of his 22 months of civic duty, the 28-year-old will visit China on Aug. 29 to take part in a diplomacy event, which will mark 20th year of goodwill between Korea and China. |
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August 23, 2012
Moon Geun-young lands role in drama
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Moon Geun-young has landed her first dramatic role in over two years.
The 25-year-old actress is set to star in a new SBS weekend production, “Cheongdam-dong Alice,” which will take over the timeslot currently occupied by “Five Fingers.”
Namoo Actors revealed on Aug. 23 that Moon will play “a hardworking career woman who works for an apparel company.”
Moon’s character Han Se-kyung is said to have a nemesis in the form of her employer’s wife, who is later revealed to be Han’s high school friend.
The program is Moon’s first since “Mary Stayed Out All Night.” |
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August 23, 2012
Han Hye-jin to speak on women empowerment
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Han Hye-jin will take part in a festival geared towards celebrating women’s fights.
She will deliver a speech at the Wonder Woman Festival, which will take place on Oct. 13 at Noeul Park in Mapo District, western Seoul.
The festival’s motto for the year is “Beautiful World Starts with Women’s Happiness.”
Han is one of eight speakers at the event. Others set to take to the podium are entertainers Park Kyung-rim, Hong Suk-chun, Buddhist nun Jungmok and columnist Lim Kyung-sun among others.
Meanwhile Han is currently the host of the SBS talk show “Healing Camp” and will also star in the movie “26 Years.” |
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August 23, 2012
Thriller with brains: 'Traffickers' tackles human organ market
By Cho Jae-eun Korea JoongAng Daily
Im Chang-jung returns to the big screen, playing the head manager of a human
organ trafficking operation on a boat between Korea and China in “The Traffickers.”Provided by Time Story
The dark, underground world of human organ trafficking is the focus of the new film, “The Traffickers,” which sees veteran actor Im Chang-jung make his big screen comeback in his first-ever thriller role.
The crime thriller is loosely based on true events that the director, Kim Hong-seon, researched after seeing a news story a few years ago about a newlywed Korean couple who went on a trip to China, only to get sucked into illegal organ trafficking.
Shortly after encountering the story, Kim said he saw an article about the case in which a lawyer, scholar and doctor discussed the issue.
“The scholar’s position was, ‘How could human organs be bought and sold?’ The lawyer said, ‘Both parties have a point,’ while the doctor said, ‘Even if someone buys human organs, he or she may need to do so to save a family member or friend,’ ” the director said during a press conference for the film Tuesday.
Kim said he researched for the film by contacting organ traffickers on small ads posted on bathroom stalls, watching TV documentaries and talking to surgeons and professors.
“Which characters are good or evil? I think the answers to this question will be different for each viewer,” he said.
“There is no answer regarding whether it is right or wrong to buy or sell human organs. So I left the final part of the film open-ended on purpose.”
The film begins as Sang-ho (Choi Daniel) and Chae-hee (Jung Ji-yoon) board a passenger boat headed for China. As the vessel reaches the international waters between Korea and China, Chae-hee suddenly goes missing. Following this, passengers on the boat are chased by Yeong-gyu (Im Chang-jung), the head of an organ trafficking operation, and surgeon (Oh Dal-soo). Im, whose most noted film performances have been comedy roles, said he was grateful for having an opportunity to finally show his range as an actor.
“Up to this point, I’ve only played comic characters and I was so happy this time to play a serious role in this film,” said Im.
“I like watching thrillers and I always thought, someday, there will surely be a chance for me to play those kinds of roles .?.?. and I kept on waiting for them. In that sense, director Kim Hong-seon was kind of my savior.”
On playing a victim, Jung Ji-yoon said that while the character was “so passive” and very different from who she is in real life, she wanted to play the role because the film was well-scripted and the characters easy to relate to.
“The film doesn’t rely on a short moment of grief; there is a story. And that story felt like it could happen to someone living next door and I felt empathetic. So I found the courage to play the role,” she said.
Meanwhile, the director said that a sex scene featuring Oh Dal-soo was cut from the film during editing.
From left; Actors Cho Dal-hwan, Oh Dal-soo, Choi Daniel, director Kim Hong-seon, actor Im Chang-jung
and actresses Cho Yoon-hee and Jung Ji-yoon, pose during the press conference for their new film “The Traffickers” on Tuesday.[NEWSIS]
“Oh Dal-soo shot a very difficult sex scene in the film, but due to my misjudgment, there was too much [genital] hair exposure. It wasn’t the running time we were worried about but the age rating for the film,” said Kim.
“I don’t feel any regret that the sex scene was cut. I’m not an exhibitionist. But it is true that the scene was very difficult to shoot for me,” said Oh. |
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August 23, 2012
Lee to start for military service Oct. 25
By Jennifer Ryu The Korea Herald
Actor Lee Je-hoon, 28, will join Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Oct. 25 to complete his 21-month military service.
“Lee was planning to enlist in the military right after shooting his movie,” said Saram Entertainment, Lee’s agency. “Lee himself volunteered, so there will be no postponing.”
The actor is now filming “My Paparoti” and “Ethics of Anger.” Filming for the movies began in August and July, respectively.
Lee will visit China on Aug. 29 for Korean Film Festival that marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and China. “Ghost Sweepers,” a movie starring Lee, will also be released in September.
Lee rose to stardom through “Architecture 101” (2012), in which he played a romantic partner of Suzy, a member of girl group Miss A. |
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August 24, 2012
Vacationing Rain watches his movie
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
While on his hard-earned vacation from the Army, Hallyu singer Rain visited a cinema to watch “R2B: Return to Base,” in which he is the lead.
The film’s distributor CJ Entertainment announced on Thursday that Rain took in the movie at Wangsimni CGV in eastern Seoul incognito, albeit not for long.
“He was sitting right at the back and when his co-star Kim Sung-soo went up on the stage, he asked if there were any soldiers present, prompting Rain to stand up,” said an agency spokesperson.
The entertainer, who is currently 10 months into his mandatory military service at the public relations division, was apparently shy about being identified, but greeted the audience.
“The crowd went wild,” CJ Entertainment said.
Rain, 30, had told the director in a letter from the base that he’d pay for his own ticket and see the film when he was on leave; so it seems that the 30-year-old in the military’s PR division kept his promise.
Rain also was allocated a one-week holiday in February, his first since being conscripted last year. |
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August 24, 2012
Lee Min-ho to be waxed by Tussauds
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Lee Min-ho will be made a dummy, a wax dummy that is, for the Shanghai branch of famed museum Madame Tussauds.
Lee’s agency announced yesterday that a crew from China and England had visited Lee in Korea to take his measurements.
About 500 pictures of facial expressions were required and Lee’s body was divided into 200 parts to get exact measurements.
“We were flooded with requests from fans for Lee,” said a Chinese representative from Madame Tussauds. “It took some six months of planning and production.”
“To get different angles for my smile, I had to have my mouth open for three hours. I thought my jaw would break off,” joked Lee. “But to think I will be immortalized is kind of awesome.”
Lee will become the second Hallyu star to be made into wax for the famed museum. The first was 2PM’s Nichkhun who is of Thai and American descent and was immortalized in wax form early this year for the museums’ Bangkok branch. |
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August 24, 2012
Big Bang's Seungri shows a big heart
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Bang’s youngest member, Seungri, has shown he is no kid when it comes to helping those in need.
YG Entertainment announced he donated 100 bags of rice to the needy in his hometown in Gwangsang District, Gwangju.
Seungri’s father notified the province of Seungri’s intentions on Monday and the delivery took place yesterday. The rice will be distributed by the Gwangsan District Council through its welfare program.
Meanwhile, the boy band member is currently occupied with various commitments in Japan.
Early this month, Seungri was picked to host a Japanese program titled “V.I From Big Bang” on Space Shower TV. The series began Aug.2 and focuses on the five-member Hallyu group.
“Due to Seungri’s hard work and dedication, Japanese media personnel are very impressed with him,” said the agency.
On July 16, Seungri also became the first K-pop entertainer to host “All Night Nippon” in its 45-year history. He will continue the radio show until September. |
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August 25, 2012
Shin Se-kyung Aims to Smash Stereotypes with New Movie 'R2B'
ChosunIlbo
"R2B: Return to Base" is not attracting hordes of moviegoers at the local box office, even though it was initially expected to draw a great deal of interest as it is Korea's first action film set in the air and contains thrilling scenes of fighter jets in action.
The movie, which focuses on a combat flying unit on a rescue mission, features state-of-the-art fighter jets such as the F-15K and TA-50 flying at altitudes of around 10,000 m, as well as zipping through downtown Seoul.
Shin Se-kyung, who appears in a landmark role as an aircraft mechanic, said, "I met two real female mechanics at Daegu Air Force Base while shooting the film. I didn't really model myself after them, but I observed them and peppered them with questions."
She said she shuttled between Seoul and the air force base for two months to fill out the edges of the character in order to play a more convincing role.
Shin debuted as a poster model for Seo Tai-ji's fifth album when she was just nine years old. Asked if she had dreamed of becoming an actress since her childhood, she said, "My first acting job came in 'My Little Bride' when I was 14. After that, I didn't act [for the next five years] because I didn't get any offers. I've only been acting again for the last three years, which is when my confidence in my choice of career grew."
"I started to get noticed after I appeared in MBC's hit sitcom 'High Kick Through the Roof' in 2009. Before that, I couldn't get any role no matter how hard I tried," she said. "So I had to focus on my studies at school, which was invaluable and something I wouldn't go back and change."
Some critics have questioned her acting skills and say her popularity is purely based on her attractive looks, but Shin remains unfazed.
"It's like riding a seesaw," she said. "The reason some people like my acting, but some don't, might be because I haven't built up enough experience yet. I'll keep trying to iron out the kinks, and not take other people's comments too much to heart."
"I will smash the stereotype of me being just another pretty face by cultivating my acting skills and showing that I can really act well." |
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August 26, 2012
Actor Song remains calm on Japan’s entry denial
By Kim Ji-soo The Korea Times
Hallyu actor Song Il-gook responded matter-of-factly to a senior Japanese official’s comment that he may not be allowed to enter Japan.
Appearing on a cable network Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi said that it’s regrettable but Song may find it difficult to visit Japan in the future because that’s the state of Japanese sentiment right now. Following that comment, Japanese satellite television channels BS Nippon and BS Japan put off airing “Man known as god,” a series starring the 40-year-old actor.
“I have nothing to say, except just call out the names of my three sons, Dae-han, Min-guk, Man-se,” Song tweeted Friday. The names put together means “Victory, Republic of Korea.” Song became a father to triplets in March. “Hallyu” or Korean wave remains strong in Japan, even as Japan continues to challenge Korea’s sovereignty over Dokdo.
The actor took part in singer Kim Jang-hoon’s successful swimming campaign to the Dokdo islets on Aug. 15, amid high tension between the two Koreas. Song has appeared in popular television dramas such as “Jumong,” which was a whopping success when it aired in Japan.
As much as “hallyu” or Korean wave is well recieved in Japan, there have been undercurrents of anti-hallyu as well. In February, top Korean actress Kim Tae-hee whose works include “Iris” had her commercial for a cosmetic product cancelled just a day before the press conference was scheduled. Kim and her actor brother Lee Wan had served as Dokdo advocates in 2005. |
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August 26, 2012
Jin Se-yeon replaces Eunjung on show
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
The rumor mill has proved to be bang on the money as actress Jin Se-yeon has taken over the role that was originally to be played by T-ara’s Eunjung on the TV drama “Five Fingers.”
SBS said on Friday that Jin has already joined the cast and started filming on Thursday at a culture center in Bupyeong, Incheon.
Jin will play the role of Hong Da-mi, a bubbly pianist who forms part of a love triangle with two brothers. Her first appearance will be in fifth episode on Saturday.
The SBS weekend drama began airing on Aug. 18 and just a week in, the network decided to part ways with Eunjung to meet advertisers’ demands.
T-ara has been making headlines recently as another member, Hwayoung, was ditched by the band. The scandal apparently did not sit too well with those companies paying to have their products displayed on the show.
Eunjung’s friend, director Cha Eun-taek showed sympathy for the star online by tweeting, “I heard she even purchased a piano to practice on [for the role].” |
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August 26, 2012
Ko Soo to take on new role of father
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Ko Soo, who married just six months ago, is set to become a father for the first time in March.
According to his agency yesterday, the actor was thrilled at the news.
“He heard that he was to become a dad while filming his new movie, and it really put him in a good mood,” said a spokesperson for BH Entertainment.
The couple is already in parent mode, with Ko putting his wife’s health first and foremost.
The 33-year-old broke many of his female admirers’ hearts when he announced in January that he would be tying the knot with his then-fiancee, who is 11 years his junior. The wedding ceremony took place at the Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong, central Seoul, on Feb. 17.
Many celebrities attended including Lee Byung-hun.
Due to the sudden nature of the wedding, many wondered if Ko’s bride was already pregnant, but the rumors proved false.
Ko is currently wrapping up production on the film “Bandaid,” which will be released later this year with actress Han Hyo-joo. |
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August 26, 2012
Song prefers patriotism to popularity
By Moon Gwang-lip Korea JoongAng Daily
Angered at the remarks of Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Japan’s vice foreign affairs minister, damning his participation in a recent swimming rally and to promote Korea’s claim to the disputed Dokdo islets, actor Song Il-gook hit back on Friday by displaying his unwavering patriotism. “I have nothing to say .?.?. I will just call out the names of my three sons, Dae-han, Min-guk, Man-se!” Tweeted the 40-year-old. When strung together, the triplet’s names form the Korean phrase “Long Live the Republic of Korea.” The boys were born in March. Song is the grandson of freedom fighter Kim Doo-han, who famously took on Japanese mafia during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea from 1910-45.
Protesting Japan’s claim of sovereignty to Dokdo - known as Takeshima in Japan - a group of Koreans including Song and singer Kim Jang-hoon swam to Korea’s easternmost islets on Aug. 15, which was Korea’s Liberation Day. They arrived 49 hours after setting off from Uljin County in North Gyeongsang. Yamaguchi said on Friday that Song would probably no longer be welcome in Japan. |
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August 27, 2012
'The Thieves' Set for New Box Office Record
ChosunIlbo
The crime flick "The Thieves" has leapfrogged "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War" to claim third place in the all-time box office hit parade for Korean films. According to the Korean Film Council on Sunday, it drew 215,072 viewers on Saturday alone, bringing the total to 11.91 million spectators.
"The Thieves" will also likely overtake "The King and the Clown," which lured 12.3 million moviegoers as it remains the top spots at local box office charts one month after its release.
Now attention is being paid to whether it will eclipse "The Host," which has held the box office record for the last six years.
"The Thieves" has drawn attention for its star-studded cast, which includes Kim Hye-soo, Lee Jung-jae, Jeon Ji-hyun, and Kim Soo-hyun, and has invited comparisons with Steven Soderbergh's hit movie "Ocean's Eleven." |
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August 27, 2012
'My Neighbor' exceeds 1 million views in first week
Korea JoongAng Daily
Just five days after being released, “My Neighbor” has exceeded one million views.
The film, starring Hollywood actress Kim Yun-jin, opened on Aug. 22, and according to statistics provided by the Korea Film Council on Aug. 27, over the weekend the movie drew a crowd of 782,229. The cumulative view count stands at 1,095,754.
Despite the fact that the film is rated R19, the thriller is a popular pick among cinemagoers. It has even taken the place of “Nameless Gangster,” which also exceeded a million views in its first week. Its total was 1,095,227.
In the same weekend, the second most-watched movie was “Gone with the Wind,” with Cha Tae-hyun. In third place was “The Thieves,” which keeps breaking records. Its view count stands at 12,095,090. |
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August 27, 2012
Park Soo-hyun to wed
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Park Soo-hyun, best-known for playing the sniper on the drama “IRIS” (2009), has found the perfect target in a woman five years his junior.
The 35-year-old actor announced that he would walk down the aisle to wed his 30-year-old fiancée at a wedding hall in southern Seoul on Sept. 14.
Ahead of the big day, Park released pictures of the couple that were shot at a studio recently.
The couple met through Park’s manager and has decided to take the leap of faith after eight years together.
Park’s bride-to-be is a postgraduate student at Sogang University who specializes in English literature.
The ceremony will be presided over by a pastor from Park’s local church, while Park’s friend, actor Park Jung-chul, will host.
The couple is also being praised by the wedding planner it has hired for being “a practical couple.”
According to a spokesperson from the organization, the two are opting for a no-frills approach to their wedding, as seldom seen in celebrity affairs. |
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August 27, 2012
Yeon Jung-hoon in strive over Porsche
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Yeon Jung-hoon, spouse of actress Han Ga-in, has landed in hot waters when it was found that a Porsche Carrera that he had purchased on loan was actually registered to somebody else.
Seoul Eastern District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff who brought a case against Yeon, to say that the vehicle wasn’t actually his, despite the fact that the actor had finished paying off his loan to a third party.
The court said that the fact that Yeon didn’t know the vehicle was sold to him illegally didn’t make it his property.
Apparently the 33-year-old entertainer bought the sports car back in 2007 on a repayment plan, which cost him 240 million won ($211,419) in total: he was to make 60 monthly payments of 4.9 million won.
Yeon paid off the balance in December 2010, still unaware that the vehicle was registered under a car dealer who brought the suit against Yeon.
The vehicle in question has caused much grief for Yeon in the past. In 2010 while getting repaired, it was stolen, only to be found a year later with a cluster of luxury cars that were collateral for loans. |
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