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November 6, 2007
PARK Chan-wook抯 New Project Pre-sold to France
PARK Chan-wook once said he felt destined to make a vampire film. The director of the famed 憊engeance trilogy |
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November 6, 2007
PARK Chan-wook抯 New Project Pre-sold to France
PARK Chan-wook once said he felt destined to make a vampire film. The director of the famed 憊engeance trilogy |
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Nov 7, 2007
KIM Tae-hee VS SUL Kyoung-gu
HAN Ji-seung is directing KIM Tae-hee and SUL Kyoung-gu in the action comedy Fight . The two stars play characters who were once a loving couple, but now KIM抯 character is battling SUL抯 character as she ended up hating him.
KIM is popular as she combines good looks with brains. She has experience with action scenes because of her role in the big budget film The Restless.
SUL is one of Korea抯 experienced top actors. His acting talent led to roles ranging from LEE Chang-dong抯 Peppermint Candy and Oasis, to blockbuster action films like Silmido.
HAN directed A Day in 2000. A Day is a drama featuring KO So-young (Double Agent) and LEE Sung-jae (Daisy).
Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)
Source: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/ |
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Nov 07 2007
JANG Hyun-soo Remakes John Woo Classic
Director JANG Hyun-soo will tackle the remake of A Better Tomorrow. The classic Hong Kong action film which was originally directed by stylized action film specialist John Woo. The remake rights were obtained by Korea抯 Fingerprint Pictures.
JANG more recent films include Everybody Has Secrets starring LEE Byung-hun. His extensive track record also includes action films. PARK Joong-hoon played the lead in Rules of the Game, directed by JANG in 1994.
A Better Tomorrow was released in 1986 and also enjoyed great popularity in Korea. The film is one of the numerous collaborations between John Woo and his star Chow Yun Fat.
Yi Ch抋ng-ho (KOFIC)
Source: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/ |
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November 12, 2007
Park Si-yeon, Lim Hyung-ju PR Ambassadors of "Korea in Motion"
Actress Park Si-yeon and popera tenor Lim Hyung-ju have been named PR ambassadors of the 2007 Korea in Motion -- Daegu."
Organized by the National Tourism Organization, 2007 Korea in Motion -- Daegu" is a festival of domestic non-verbal performances. It will open in Daegu Nov. 20 for a six-day run.
The organizers of the event said they chose Park for her healthy and dynamic image, and Lim for his passionate stage manners. Moreover, the two stars speak English well, which makes them ideal PR ambassadors for an international event.
Park and Lim will receive their appointment plaques Nov. 20 at the opening ceremony of the event and will watch the opening production "Jump" together.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1489183_11858.html |
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November 12, 2007
Universal May Help Jeon's US Debut
A report says that Universal Studios will help actress Jeon Ji-hyun's US debut.
If confirmed true, the top Korean star, who is highly popular in Asia, will be gaining a significant partner in her advance to Hollywood.
She finished filming 'Blood: The Last Vampire' in the US and is working on the Korean film 'The Man who was a Superman' at home. But she will return to the US later this year for automated dialogue replacement (ADR) work for 'Blood.'
ADR will be done at Universal, which will also take part in the post-production film work.
Blood was coproduced by renowned Hong Kong producer Bill Kong and French and Japanese officials. Jeon plays a vampire hunter who has the mixed blood of a human and vampire.
The film will open before June of next year.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1489220_11858.html |
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November 12, 2007
Male-Turned-Female Actress Appears in 'Sex Is Zero' Sequel
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Lee Dae-hak
An actress, who will feature in a Korean film scheduled to open next month, has drawn media attention because she has changed her gender.
Lee Sea-youn, 28, who previously went under the name of Lee Dae-hak, will appear in the sequel to "Sex Is Zero" to be released nationwide on Dec. 13. Reportedly, Lee underwent a sex change operation earlier this year. The actress is still legally registered as a male.
She has not made any contact with anyone since her sex change became known to the public Friday, "I am still afraid of showing up before the audience, who may see me with a biased view," a movie official delivered Lee's message on her behalf.
The movie production, a sequel to "Sex Is Zero," also faced barriers in promoting the film because many media outlets here have given more weight to the transsexual entertainer rather than the new comic movie.
"With Lee's experience being treated merely as an eye-catching story, we are extremely cautious about handling the issue for fear that she may be affected negatively by what people and the media say," said the official. "We hope Lee will show up in the near future and explain her opinion on the issue."
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/ ... 7/11/139_13579.html |
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November 11, 2007
Singer IVY Tops Internet News
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
The K-pop singer Ivy topped the nation's No. 1 search engine Naver's most searched word list last week.
Threatened by her former boy friend alleging he has a video clip containing undesirable footage of the two, the female singer has stopped appearing on TV screens since then. He was arrested on Nov. 2 on suspicion of requesting 45 million won from Ivy and her management agency, Fantom Entertainment Group. The former boy friend, only identified by his surname Yoo, testified under questioning that the female pop star had enjoyed a love-triangle with him and another male singer.
Hollywood star Paris Hilton placed second with her visit to Seoul on Wednesday at the invitation of a local sportswear company, for which she serves as a model. During the visit, she made an appearance on a variety of TV programs and events, leaving for the U.S. on Sunday.
Coming in third were rumors of comedian Yoo Jae-seok's breakup. The comedian, who is now in love with news presenter Na Kyung-eun, was surrounded by a rumor that the two separated earlier this week. But the story was deemed false, as the two appeared on screen in similar clothes, which symbolize their affection toward each other they said.
Female actress Ok So-ri took the fifth place. She was accused of commiting adultery earlier this month by her husband Park Chul. She underwent a first cross-examination with her husband on Thursday at Ilsan police station in Gyeonggi Province. An opera singer identified by his surname as Jung, and allegedly the partner in Ok's extramarital affair, and her old friend also showed up unexpectedly.
Coming in sixth was "Taewangsasingi" (The Four Guardian Gods of the King), a blockbuster TV drama with Bae yong-joon taking a leading role. Oh Kwang-rok, an actor featuring in the soap opera, said in an interview with a TV program that "once an actor leaps into stardom, they easily make insulting comments toward other people including entertainers engaging in the same field." After the interview went on air, numerous netizens raised the question that the comment was made to chide Bae yong-joon. But Oh said this was not the case.
Seventh was the deceased soccer player Kim ji-soo. Kim, who served as a key player for the women's national soccer team, died on Nov. 2. She had been listed as brain dead after she underwent surgery to treat a knee injury last March.
Seo Tai-ji, the iconic figure in the Korean pop music industry, came back under the spotlight of local media. An album made to commemorate the 15th year of his debut was sold out in 10 minutes on the Internet. Seotaiji Company, which planned the special album, said the memorial event for the legendary singer, which was launched last Tuesday, has drawn as many as 20,000 visitors in six days.
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/11/113_13504.html
[ Last edited by katt at 12-11-2007 06:58 PM ] |
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November 13, 2007
Kim Tops IMDB Searchword Ranking
Actress Kim Yoon-jin has topped the search word rankings on the biggest US film portal The Internet Movie Database (IMDB). Kim who shot up to world stardom for her role in the US drama series 'Lost,' was introduced in the portal's Born Today corner on Nov. 7 when she turned 34.
Hundred of film celebrities were born that day but to select Kim as the main search term reflects her popularity.
Following her lead in the Nov. 7 daily rankings was Denzel Washington at number two and Tom Cruise at number ten.
An official at Kim's management in the US said, "The top ranking is due to her appearance as the main figure on Born Today. It served to promote her further as IMDB is a world renowned web site."
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/mcontents/entertainment/1489459_11692.html
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November 13, 2007
Korean movie to be remade for American audiences
Korean thriller movie "Seven Days" will be remade for the U.S. market, according to the movie's Korean distributor Prime Entertainment Tuesday (Nov. 13).
Summit Entertainment, a U.S. movie production company that released hit movies like "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Vanilla Sky," signed a deal with Prime Entertainment for the rights for "Seven Days." The criminal suspense film, directed by Won Shin-yeon, will be released in Korea on Wednesday (Nov. 14).
"The deal for the rights to this movie closed at $1 million at the American Film Market, which greatly exceeds the prices for rights to the Korean movies 'Monster' (bought for $600,000) and 'My Wife is a Gangster' ($950,000)," said Prime Entertainment.
"Seven Days" tells the story of Lee Ji-yeon (played by Kim Yun-jin), a brilliant lawyer with a perfect winning record whose life takes a dramatic turn when her eight-year-old daughter is kidnapped. In lieu of ransom, the abductor gives Lee seven days to win an impossible murder case, or she will never see her daughter again.
According to Prime Entertainment, Summit Entertainment plans to begin filming the remake next year on a $30 million budget and expects to work with the Wild Bunch film distribution network to release the movie in Europe as well.
Source: Korea.net, image from naver.com
http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsView.asp?serial_no=20071113011&part=106&SearchDay=&page=1
[ Last edited by katt at 14-11-2007 02:23 AM ] |
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November 13, 2007
Actor Gives Lesson to Students
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Actor Ahn Sung-ki
Actor Ahn Sung-ki, 55, switched his role for a day to become an instructor to teach college actors who will perform next month in Vietnam.
Ahn visited his alma mater, the Hankook University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), Tuesday night to give tips for good acting to college actors belonging to the department of Vietnamese at the university where he graduated from more than three decades ago. The amateurs have prepared a performance based on a Korean folk tale to be staged Dec. 27 before citizens in Vietnam. The special event was drafted to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the department's establishment.
This is the first time Korean students will stage a play in Vietnam.
Born in 1952 in Seoul, the actor graduated from the Vietnamese department of HUFS in 1974. He has been awarded numerous prizes in recognition of his contribution to developing the Korean film industry including the prestigious Daejong Prize, this year.
"I am very pleased to have this opportunity to hand down my know-how and skill in acting to my juniors in HUFS," he said.
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/ ... 7/11/178_13666.html |
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November 13, 2007
Renaissance of Joseon King Jeongjo
Political Season Stirs Up Interest in Kings, Epic Dramas
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
A scene from an MBC epic drama, 揕ee San, Wind of the Palace, |
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November 13, 2007
South Korean drama to be widely distributed in Japan
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean digital media company Chorokbaem Media said Tuesday it has signed a deal to export the South Korean TV drama "Lobbyist" to the Japanese market.
"We signed a contract with Unisia Co.of Japan to allow the Japanese firm the right to televise the drama in Japan and to transfer the rights to produce and sell DVDs and VHS video tapes of the drama in Japan," said Chorokbaem Media.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/ ... 71113004800315.HTML |
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November 14, 2007
The return of the King of TV drama
Bae Yong-joon, center, makes a triumphant return
to TV in a historical drama. [MBC-TV]
Koreans often say it抯 better to have too much of something than not enough. That seems to be true when it comes to the Korean actor Bae Yong-joon. From the early stages of his career, Bae has enjoyed a wave of popularity that has turned him into a living legend.
If Bae抯 name doesn抰 ring a bell, you抮e either very new to Korean soil or you make it a rule to skip the entertainment sections in newspapers and magazines.
You might know Bae as Yon-sama, the name given to him by his devoted Japanese fans. Sama is used in Japanese to bestow the utmost level of respect.
Bae抯 star turn in the TV drama, 揥inter Sonata, |
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November 14, 2007
Ahn Jae-hwan, Chung Seon-hee to Wed
The celebrity couple Ahn Jae-hwan and Chung Seon-hee will tie the knot Nov. 17 behind closed doors at the Hyatt Hotel in Seoul.
An executive from a firm that is organizing the wedding said the couple originally planned to make their wedding ceremony public for their fans but changed their mind to prevent inconveniences that could be caused by traffic congestion.
The couple will hold a news conference prior to the wedding ceremony. Chung will appear in her wedding gown in public for the first time.
The bands DJ DOC and Big Mama will sing congratulatory songs at the ceremony, which will be presided over by Ahn's close friend.
The couple will spend their honeymoon at an upscale ranch in Japan.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1489593_11858.html |
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November 14, 2007
'Ice Princess' Divorce Rumors Surface Again
The wedding of Chung Dae-sun and No Hyun-jung in August 2006.
Rumors are circulating again that former KBS anchor No Hyun-jung has split from her husband Chung Dae-sun, a scion of the Hyundai founding family. News website Asia Today reported Tuesday that No divorced Chung in July, two months after she gave birth to their son at a hospital in Boston. No is now said to be staying in a hotel in Seoul.
But BNG Steel, the Hyundai Group subsidiary where Chung works, denied the rumor. "We, too, were surprised to hear the unexpected news," the company said, and announced that the report was groundless after checking with the family.
No's mother expressed anger about the report, saying, "How come they're trying to make a happy couple divorce?" She hinted at legal action. The hotel mentioned in the report as the place where No is staying also denied the report.
Rumors have swirled since early this year that the couple is heading for a divorce. People close to the couple say there are two reasons for such talk. One is that the couple is vulnerable to gossip since they live in Boston and their life is little known to people in Korea. The other is that since it was a celebrity marriage between one of the nation's most popular anchor women and the son of a wealthy family, it seems as likely to draw rumors as attention.
Source: [email protected]
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200711/200711140013.html |
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November 14, 2007
Jeon Do-Yeon Wins Best Actress Award at Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Actress Jeon Do-yeon, who received the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, has once again received a Best Actress Award, this time at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, which celebrates films from the Asia Pacific region, was held for the first time this year in Gold Coast, Australia.
Ceremony organizers said Jeon defeated other strong candidates and received the award for Best Actress following a unanimous vote by a panel of judges. They added that the award has solidified her status as one of the leading actresses in the Asia Pacific region.
Jeon, who did not attend the ceremony due to film shooting, said she was very happy to be the recipient of the award and thanked the judges. She promised to work harder to improve her skills as an actor and make more quality films in the future.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards will be broadcast around the world, including North America and Europe, on November 17.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1489615_11858.html |
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November 14, 2007
Actor Park Shi Hoo to host first fan meeting
Actor Park Shi Hoo will host his first ever fan meeting with the launch of his official fan club. The fan club opening event will be held near Hongik University next month on the 2nd. Approximately 200 fans will attend the event which will feature Kang Yoo Mi as the emcee and guests Choi Jung Won, Baek Sung Hyun, Namolla Family, and others.
Park Shi Hoo says, "I am excited and happy to be able to have an opportunity to meet my fans who have been my greatest supporters. I hope to make it an unforgettable and enjoyable time."
Park Shi Hoo starred in "How to Meet a Perfect Neighbor" which ended in September and has recently been selected as the model for 'DHC for MEN.'
Source: Broasia.com
http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/lwboard.php?act=view&bid=NEWS&tpl=news&pg=1&no=423 |
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November 14, 2007
Broadcast panel under fire over commercial breaks
Controversy is mounting over the Korean Broadcasting Commission's decision to permit mid-program TV ads on the country's three major TV stations.
The nine-member commission, which regulates the local broadcasting industry, announced early this month that it will allow the three broadcasters to run commercial breaks because they are having difficulty competing with emerging cable and satellite TV stations. The commission also noted that the three stations need stable sources of revenue to complete the jump to digital broadcasting. The three are the state-run Korea Broadcasting System and two commercial stations -- Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. and Seoul Broadcasting Station.
After the announcement, civic groups including the Media Viewers Rights Association, a confederation of 72 media rights and civic organizations, launched an all-out campaign urging the commission to reverse its decision.
They are criticizing the commission for ignoring the rights of TV viewers, saying they already suffer through a growing number of commercials aired by the TV broadcasters and mid-program advertising disturbs the continuity of TV viewing. They also claim that the commercials will hurt the welfare of TV viewers, pointing out the public role of the country's major broadcasters. KBS is owned by the government and MBC is partially owned by the state.
The broadcasting panel is being particularly criticized for allowing state-run KBS to make more money. Critics point out the failure of keeping to the function of the public channel, noting that there is no country in the world that permits mid-program commercials for public broadcasters. KBS has also been accused of trying to collect more subscription fees without making any efforts to cut costs through managerial restructuring. In July, the broadcaster decided to raise its monthly subscription fee by 60 percent from the present 2,500 won ($2) to 4,000 won.
Experts predict that the three TV stations could rake in a combined 530 billion won in additional revenues from mid-program ads.
Cable TV stations and newspapers are also worried that their revenue from commercials might decline as more advertisers are expected to prefer commercial breaks on TV. Cable and satellite TV stations are currently allowed to put commercial breaks in the middle of programs.
Some even raised the possibility that the commission is trying to win the favor of the three TV stations by easing the advertising rules before the Dec. 19 presidential election.
Under growing pressure from civic groups and related businesses -- newspapers and cable TV stations -- the commission held a public hearing yesterday afternoon in an effort to diffuse the controversy. The commission said it would hear the opinions of civic groups and industry insiders.
The panel stuck to its decision to permit mid-program TV ads at the hearing, but said it will only partially allow the airing of mid-program ads, offering a list of restrictions.
The commission said it will ban TV stations from dividing lengthy programs like movies into two separate parts and putting commercial breaks in each part. It put the issue of the maximum length of the mid-program TV ads and the number of such breaks in each program up for discussion in the open forum.
The commission again claimed that commercial breaks are needed to help the nation's three major broadcasters improve their quality of service and strengthen their competitiveness before market opening. The free trade agreement between Korea and the United States concerning broadcasting and audiovisual services is expected to bring substantial changes to the market environment, pressuring the local industry to become more competitive in securing viewers.
By Cho Chung-un ([email protected])
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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November 15, 2007
Stars Win Suit Over Unauthorized Photos
Six stars of the Korean Wave including Jeon Ji-hyun, a heroine in the hit movie "My Sassy Girl", and actor Jung Woo-sung, who appeared in the movie "The Restless," were paid compensation from a movie magazine that used their photographs without permission.
In March, seven top Korean stars including actor Cho In-sung and their agency filed a suit against Screen M&B, publisher of the monthly movie magazine Screen, demanding W50 million (US$1=W914) for each star for using the stars' photos commercially without permission.
From left: Jeon Ji-hyun, Jung Woo-sung and Cho In-sung
Seoul Central District Court ruled on Wednesday that the publisher must pay from W5 million to W15 million to each star for infringing their publicity rights.
The court ordered the publisher to pay W15 million to Jeon Ji-hyun, Jung Woo-sung, Cho In-sung and Ji Jin-hee, W10 million to Cha Tae-hyun and W5 million to Yang Jin-woo. The figures were based on the stars' average earnings from advertisements.
The agency and stars filed the suit in June 2006 after Screen M&B sold their photos on the Internet and through mobile phone services in Japan. Publicity rights are the rights to use a celebrity's name and image for commercial purposes.
Source: [email protected]
http://english.chosun.com/w21dat ... 1/200711150018.html |
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Author
