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KOREA CAN'T KEEP SIPHONING OFF JAPANESE CULTURE
A fresh onslaught of Japanese pop culture is taking place. From music, comics and animated films to movies, TV dramas and novels, translations or adaptations of Japanese works are seeing explosive sales. The popular TV drama 揥hite Tower |
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WHY THE JAPANESE WAVE JUST KEEPS ON COMING
Armadas of middle-aged Japanese women no longer chase Bae Yong-joon, the biggest star the Korean wave of the early millennium produced; instead, more and more Korean fans are now dying for a glimpse of their favorite Japanese stars. In Korea, some of the so-called J-drama maniacs watch Japanese soaps all night long, and the growing popularity of Japanese novels here already outstrips any enthusiasm for Korean writing.
Obviously pleased with the reversal of fortunes, a Japanese movie magazine hailed the Japanese boom in Korea, saying, 揥hile the Korean wave is on the wane, the Japanese wave is waxing. |
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Nantes Fest Names Korean Best Actress
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Actress and traditional music singer Oh Jung-hae has received best actress honors at a French film festival for her role in "Beyond the Years."
The film's production company says it received the news from the Festival of Three Continents, which was held in Nantes and ended Tuesday.
Previous Korean best actress awardees at Nantes include Kang Soo-yeon in 1988 for "The Surrogate Woman," Shim Hye-jin in 1990 for "Black Republic" and Choi Myung-gil in '94 for "La Vie en Rose."
Oh played a blind traditional music singer in director Im Kwon-taek's one hundredth film, "Beyond the Years."
Reported by KBS WORLD Radio
http://english.kbs.co.kr/news/ne ... &key=2007112819 |
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November 28, 2007
Great filmmaker Im to get French Legion of Honor
Korea's top filmmaker Im Kwon-taek will receive the Order of the Legion of Honor from the French government on Friday, in recognition of his decades of contributions to the field of visual arts.
The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. at the residence of the French ambassador in Hap-dong, Seoul.
"Im Kwon-Taek will be awarded the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Legion d'Honneur by French Ambassador Philippe Thiebaud for his long and active career, and especially for his contribution to defending the movie industry and to promoting Korean movies in France," the French Embassy said in a press release.
Im has already won numerous awards, including the best director award at the 53rd Cannes Film Festival. The embassy said the decoration is also meant to honor Im's dedication to the celebration of the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea.
Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion of Honor is the highest award given by the French Republic, regardless of the social status or nationality of the recipients.
Im, 71, is also set to receive the lifetime achievement award at the fourth Dubai International Film Festival, which will run from Dec. 9. The Dubai film fest is regarded as one of the leading such events in the Middle East. Previous lifetime achievement winners include Oliver Stone and Morgan Freeman.
According to the Pusan International Film Festival organization committee, the Deauville Asian Film Festival on the French Atlantic coast in Normandy will also hold a retrospective on the Korean director in March 2008. Im's heightened stature in the international film world is becoming increasingly clear.
He has, so far, made 100 films. The latest one was "Cheon-neon-hak," an arthouse take on the resonant theme of love and suffering. The movie, depicting life and its fleeting nature in a meditative fashion, was hailed by critics as a new artistic milestone, but it failed to attract mainstream moviegoers when it was released in April.
At the PIFF held in Busan last month, "Cheon-neon-hak" was invited to the Gala Presentation section, but Im expressed his disappointment with the poor box-office results early this year: "Since the release in April, it seems like only a few people have watched my new movie, and I'm feeling like I'm unveiling the film for the first time here at the Pusan International Film Festival."
Concerning this tepid reaction from moviegoers, Im said his latest movie seems to have focused too much on the meditation and musings for a new generation of viewers which is accustomed to fast-paced, explosive Hollywood flicks.
Im's recent setback, however, can hardly diminish his illustrious achievements as a master storyteller. He made his debut in 1962 with "Farewell to the Duman River," and has a huge following, especially among actors and younger filmmakers. For 45 years, he has been producing films at a vigorous pace.
Im, after all, is a movie director who used to know how to tap into the pulse of the mainstream moviegoers. For instance, in the early 1990s, he set new box-office records with his "Son of a General" series.
"Seopyeonje," released in 1993, was also a huge hit, breaking the earlier box-office record that Im set himself, while opening a landmark chapter in the history of Korean movies for the so-called "1 million audience" era.
A decade later, he won the prestigious Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival for "Chihwaseon," the first such honor bestowed on a Korean filmmaker. The achievement dramatically elevated Im's status in Korea and around the world. This coincided with the growing interest in Asia and beyond in Korean cinema and other forms of pop culture -- exemplified by the Korean Wave.
"Chihwaseon" marked Im's second appearance at Cannes, after his entry with the classic Korean love story, "Chunhyang," in 2000.
In his early career, Im built his name as a commercial filmmaker who directed several pictures a year, thereby helping to fulfill the quota for domestic pictures set by the government. The first turning point in his career came in 1981 when he made "Mandala," and emerged as a serious cinematographer. Since then, Im has been exploring traditional themes and the Korean cultural identity.
In honor of his achievement, Dongseo University in Busan has decided to establish the Im Kwon-taek Film and Arts College in 2008. Last month, the university launched a film research center named after the director, collecting various material related to Im and his films, such as original film prints, video tapes, DVDs, books and academic papers. Im will begin teaching students as professor emeritus at Dongseo University in March of next year.
By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected]), image from Cine21
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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November 28, 2007
Jun Ji Hyun, "If all actors were like Hwang Jung Min"
"Thinking it would be nice if all actors were like Hwang Jung Min, I am currently greatly enjoying filming this movie," says Jun Ji Hyun of 'The man who used to be Superman.'
At the press conference held on the 28th, Jun Ji Hyun also commented, "I feel a lot of burden as I haven't acted in a Korean film for a while, but I feel very good about the movie itself. Hwang Jung Min is a nice person beyond being an actor and I am also learning a lot (about acting)."
Jun Ji Hyun recently finished filming 'Blood: The Last Vampire' in Hollywood making this is her first Korean piece since 'Daisy' which opened early last year.
She changed her style for the movie, changing her trademark long straight hair into a perm and lower bangs. She says, "I am very good at surviving. I don't put on makeup and my wardrobe is careless, but I am not concerning myself with it."
Hwang Jung Min added, "I think her look right now is sexier and nice. At times she can be silly, but she is a very good person overall. Our teamwork is wonderful on set."
In response to a question asking what type of super power she would like, Jun answered, "I want a super power that lets me act well. Working with Director Jung and Hwang Jung Min, I am making that power a reality."
Director Jung commented, "The Korean film industry is suffering right now, but I want to become a Super Director that can save it. This movie is about letting people know that anyone can become a super hero if they want to, and giving them power and hope."
Jun Ji Hyun commented on an episode during filming, "I had to smoke a cigarette for the first time but it was tough as I usually consider health to be the most important," to which Hwang Jung Min quickly replied, "It was a prop cigarette made of sagebrush."
This movie is about human documentary producer Song Soo Jung (played by Jun Ji Hyun), who is sick of filming hypocritical programs that touch on people's sympathy, who starts to change by meeting a man (Hwang Jung Min) believing himself to be a superman who has lost powers but still tries to help everyone around. The movie is scheduled for release early next year.
Source: Broasia.com, image from innolife.net
http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/l ... p;tpl=news&pg=1 |
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November 29, 2007
Jun Ji-hyun comes back to domestic film scene
Jun Ji-hyun is swooping down on the domestic film market again after a brief hiatus involving her latest effort to expand her career outside Korea.
Jun, who has built her Asia-wide fame with "My Sassy Girl" (2001), is playing opposite Hwang Jung-min in a new film, "A Man Once a Superman," to be released early next year.
The 26-year-old fashion icon's return to the domestic cinema scene follows the completion of "Blood: The Last Vampire," a film that critics said marks her full-fledged debut in Hollywood. She joined the shooting of "Blood," directed by Ronny Yu, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The film, a remake of a Japanese animation with the same title, is also expected to be released in 2008.
Jun is using "Gianna Jun" as her official English name to increase the familiarity for English-speaking audiences, following advice that her original Korean name is hard to pronounce.
In the new Korean film project, Jun proved her star status. In July when the shooting for "A Man Once a Superman" began in southern Seoul, the streets were filled with people trying to get a glimpse of Jun.
On Wednesday, a shooting session in Haeri, Geyonggi Province, was open to the local press, and Jun held a press conference where she said the role was harder than she had originally imagined.
"I am feeling a lot of pressure since I'm coming back to the domestic film industry," she said. "In this film, I'm depicted as a person who does not put on any make-up, which is very different from my well-known image, but in fact that's closer to my real image."
In the film, Jun plays a documentary producer who helps out a man (played by Hwang) who believes that he is a superman who used to have, well, super-power.
But there are still concerns about her chance to prove her box-office power. Except for the blockbuster hit "My Sassy Girl," which represents the advent of the Korean Wave throughout Asia, Jun has not impressed the local audiences that much.
For instance, "The Uninvited" (2003) was not so inviting, after all, with tepid reaction from the local moviegoers. In 2004, "Windstruck" was released and the expectations were almost at a sky-high level because the film seemed to be perfected designed to maximize Jun's charm as an innocent yet provocatively sexy girl. But the results were equally disappointing.
In 2006, Jun tried her luck again with "Daisy," but despite the huge media attention toward her, the film did not make any strong impression on the local market, raising questions about her acting talent.
Even though Jun is the most sought-after fashion icon who wins one lucrative television ad contract after another, her acting seems to have hit a plateau since "My Sassy Girl," and critics are keeping their eyes on whether she can show any improvement in "A Man Once a Superman."
By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected])
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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November 29, 2007
Shim Eun-ha Gives Birth to Second Daughter
Retired actress Shim Eun-ha has become a mother of two.
Shim gave birth to a baby girl November 28 in southern Seoul. Reports say the mother and the baby are both in good health.
Shim, who married Ji Sang-wook, Ph.D in October 2005, gave birth to her first daughter in March last year.
The news of the childbirth reportedly emerged from acquaintances of presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang. Shim's husband is a member of Lee's campaign team.
Another member of Lee's campaign team said Ji, who was busy with the campaign schedule at the time of his second daughter's birth, was extremely disappointed to have had to leave his wife alone in the delivery room.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/mconten ... /1492775_11692.html |
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November 29, 2007
Actors Keep '11th Mother' Afloat
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Actress Kim Hye-su plays the role of a cynical woman who gets in touch
with her maternal instincts in "My 11th Mother."
When you have a classic storyline and an amazing cast of top-notch actors, what can possibly go wrong? While a movie can go terribly off beam, fine acting can sometimes keep a film from drowning completely.
"My 11th Mother," is a conventional tearjerker. Director Kim Jin-sung ("Surprise Party," 2002) spices up the family genre a bit by throwing in some novel ingredients that work surprisingly well in the beginning. But the rest of the film goes sour ? rather than sweetly heart-wrenching ? and forcibly squeezes out tears.
Jae-su leads a cruel life for an 11-year-old. His father (Ryu Seung-ryong) is an abusive, gambling and jobless wreck of a guy, so the little boy has learned to survive on his own, cooking or carefully spending his food stamps and running a string of part-time jobs.
One day, his father shows up with a woman (Kim Hye-su). Apparently used to the comings and goings of such transient mother figures ? this one being the 11th as the title suggests ? Jae-su says "mom" without a wince.
"Mom? You didn't tell me you had a kid," says the gaudy woman. But her make-up and wig disappear to reveal a hungry, tired and disheveled woman who eats up all the food in the house when she's not in deep hibernation.
Jae-su seems to have dealt with all sorts of women, but this one is the worst by far. War ensues as the two squabble over a bottle of yogurt and such.
But even enemies join forces when a mutual opponent threatens, and Jae-su and the woman bond together against the violent abuse of Jae-su's father.
"Before I met you, I used to think I was the most pitiful person in the world... But no, I'm second and you can take number one," the woman says. She has led a rough life as a bargirl. Ailing and penniless, she was "bought" into a so-called marriage.
But Jae-su opens up her weary heart, and she learns the meaning of family for the first time in her life. The two lonely souls begin to accept each other as kindred spirits, and the deep empathy blooms into familial love.
Just when the two embark on a newfound relationship, unfortunately, time and circumstances separate them forever.
The film actually works pretty well up to the climax, when Jae-su and the woman build their bond. Subtlety reigns tastefully, but then it falls downhill into a contrived mess.
"My 11th Mother" rests too heavily on extremities to force reactions from viewers. It takes it too far as it shows, for example, a lengthy scene of domestic violence, as the father relentlessly hits the boy and woman. The level of violence is a bit too much for a family drama, and the film could have been equally disturbing without showing it all.
And yet, the film doesn't die off completely, as it showcases the stellar performances of some of Korea's finest actors.
Actress Kim Hye-su ("Tazza: The High Rollers," 2006), Korea's ultimate sex symbol, trades in her femme fatale image to play a broken woman. Kim delivers the role most convincingly, with chipped nails and all. And while she demonstrates her ability to handle a role that's far from glamorous, she retains that unwavering sparkle in her eyes that shines through in all her parts.
Kim's young partner, actor Kim Young-chon, is thoroughly impressive. The 13-year-old acts with a natural instinct and innocence that many child actors seem lack these days. Korean cinema has much to expect from the young actor.
Ryu Seung-ryong ("Hwang Jin Yi," 2007) is also unforgettable as a man who, unable to express his affections, tragically falls prey to his own traps as a terrible father. And yet, the cream of the crop would undoubtedly be Hwang Jung-min ("Happiness," 2007), who stars as the pathetic guy next door, who gives the artificial drama a realistic edge.
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2007/11/141_14661.html |
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Thanks whitedove for the prompt highlight and sharing 
[quote]Originally posted by whitedove at 29-11-2007 05:30 PM 
Fresh Japanese Wave Threatens Korean Pop Culture
What the film 揝ecret of The Beauty, |
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November 30, 2007
How Stars Dress for the Red Carpet
Actress Jeon Do-yeon
A glimpse of true glamour graced the red carpet at the Blue Dragon Awards last Friday, when Korea抯 most beautiful actresses wore some of the most stunning dresses the fashion world could produce.
The dress Jeon Do-yeon chose for the awards, where she won the Best Actress award, was a W10 million dress (US$1=W929) by Dior. She had worn a Ralph Lauren champagne gold dress for the Cannes Film Festival, where she also won best actress honors.
Before Jeon headed for France, several designers vied with each other for the privilege of dressing her amid rumors that she was likely to land the award. On the day of the festival, Jeon抯 stylist sent a text message to Korea: 揝he picked Ralph Lauren. |
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November 30, 2007
Byun Jeong-soo Does Volunteer Work in Africa
Actress Byun Jeong-soo provided her volunteer services in Kenya, Africa for ten days as the PR ambassador of the international relief organization Good Neighbors. Byun and her family, her husband Ryoo Yong-woon and eldest daughter Chae-won, visited Gorogocho Village in Kenya, one of the world's three Grand Slams, where they played games with Kenyan children.
Byun also visited the families of children whom she has known for a long time and shed tears at the sight of the poor conditions they live in. The actress has been an anti-child abuse activist for a while and has acted as Good Neighbors' PR ambassador since 2003. Her latest visit to Kenya was filmed by photographer Cho Sun-hee, a close friend of Byun's. The footage will be shown at a special exhibition.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/mconten ... /1492975_11692.html |
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November 30, 2007
Osaka Korean Film Week Begins Dec. 8
The Osaka Korean Cultural Center will hold the Korean Film Week festival again this year (Dec.8-14). Korean films introduced to the Kansai region for the first time will be screened at downtown Shinsaibashi theaters.
The event also marks the center's reopening and will feature the latest film 'Happiness' by Heo Jin-ho, who directed 'April Snow' starring Bae Yong-jun and Son Ye-jin. Director Kim Tae-sik of 'Driving with My Wife抯 Lover' and a Korean Film Council official will attend a related forum for discussions.
The film list includes 'Barefoot Ki-bong,' 'The Show Must Go On,' 'Heart is...,' 'My Boss, My Teacher' and 'My Wife is a Gangster 3' as well as the omnibus special film '20 Identities.'
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/society/news/1493033_11773.html |
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December 2, 2007
Actor Kim Kang-woo Wins in Turin
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Actor Kim Kang-woo wins the Best Actor award
at the 25th Torino Film Festival, Saturday,
becoming the first Korean to be given the award.
/ Courtesy of Namoo Actors
Actor Kim Kang-woo won the Best Actor award for his role in "The Railroad" (Gyeonguiseon) at the 25th Torino Film Festival in Italy, Saturday.
"The Railroad," directed by Park Heung-sik, also won a special award given by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).
Kim's agency Namoo Actors quoted the 29-year old actor as saying: "I'm very glad to have received this big award, but what I cannot forget is the response from the audience." He was referring to the screening of "The Railroad," which was attended by 500 people at the film festival last week.
"As I saw the audience squeeze into the seats, laughing and crying along with the movie, I realized that movie allows people to communicate regardless of borders," Kim said.
"The Railroad" is about two lost souls (played by Kim and actress Sohn Tae-young), who find themselves stranded at the last railroad stop before the Demilitarized Zone on a snowy night. As they spend the night together, they learn to reveal their inner pain to each other.
The 45-year old Park, who also wrote the screenplay for "The Railroad," received favorable reviews for his debut film "The Twins" in 2004. "The Railroad," his second film, premiered at the 11th Pusan International Film Festival last October.
Kim recently starred in the hit film "Le Grand Chef," and previously appeared in such films as "The War of Flowers" and "Silmido."
The Torino Film Festival, which ran from Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, is a low-key event compared to the Venice International Film Festival. It focuses on independent and art-house movies.
The festival's main section, International Feature Film competition, is dedicated to discovering new cinematic talent. This year, 15 films from France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Latvia, South Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, United States, Canada and Australia were screened.
Chinese-American actress Joan Chen won Best Actress for her role in the Australian film "The Home Song Stories." Best Film award was given to "Garage" by Lenny Abrahamson from Ireland.
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2007/12/201_14772.html |
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'Secret Sunshine' Wins 4 Film Awards
Sunday, December 2, 2007
The film "Secret Sunshine" directed by Lee Chang-dong has won four prizes in the sixth Korean Film Awards.
In downtown Seoul Saturday, the film earned top honors for best film, best directing and best leading actor and actress.
The award for the best supporting actor went to Sung Ji-ru for "Paradise Murdered" and that for best actress went to Gong Hyo-jin for "Happiness."
Daniel Henney was named best new actor for 揗y Father |
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December 3, 2007
Hollywood Filmmakers Turn Eyes to Seoul
Korean-American Hollywood filmmaker Roy Lee has visited Seoul recently to shoot scenes for his new movie in the Korean capital city. Lee says he chose Seoul because its production value is higher than that of Shanghai or Tokyo and because he can produce better-quality movies for the same cost in Seoul.
Lee's movie, which is being produced by Fox Atomic, is a Seoul remake of Ridley Scott's movie "Black Rain." Lee says Fox Atomic had invested 9-14 billion won in the production and that 80 percent of the movie's scenes will be shot in Seoul.
The previous version of "Black Rain" was shot in New York and Osaka, but the new remake will feature Seoul and Los Angeles. It will be a story about a high-profile Korean criminal and an American detective who join hands to achieve their common goal. The director and several lead and supporting actors and actresses will be cast in Korea.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/society/news/1493568_11773.html |
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December 3, 2007
Han Ko-eun Impressive in Charity Participation
Actress Han Ko-eun has impressed TV audiences by appearing in the KBS' charity concert "Love -- Story 3."
The concert, which marked Human Rights Day, showed Han visiting a teenage girl in Indonesia who lives a life of toil to help her physically challenged parents.
Wearing no makeup whatsoever, Han squatted down with the girl under the scorching sunshine in Jakarta to help her crack open clams. Han also cooked ramen noodles for the girl's family.
The actress says the trip had taught her that any kind of sympathy, be it material or spiritual, brings enormous joy, and that she hopes more people will share their hopes and dreams with their needy neighbors in the global village.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1493566_11858.html |
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December 3, 2007
'Sex is Zero 2' sticks to toilet and bawdy humor
Sex comedy is not a familiar genre with Korean audiences, many of whom regard themselves as somewhat conservative, or deadly super-duper conservative. But "Sex is Zero," released in 2002, changed that conventional wisdom.
The toilet-humor-filled sex-or-die comedy pulled in a respectable 4.2 million viewers in 2002 and even ranked fourth at the box-office for the year. Since then, a handful of imitations have come out, but none of them have hit a jackpot -- yet.
All of this has apparently encouraged the production house which made the original "Sex is Zero" to forge ahead with a sequel. The logic, of course, is that people remembering the unabashed sex comedy will return to the theater, and, for the filmmakers of "Sex is Zero 2," there seems to be nothing wrong with repeating the same formula -- plot, characters, sex-oriented scenes, and all that -- as long as a minimum box-office return is guaranteed.
This time around, Im Chang-jung plays ordinary college student Eun-sik, who is dating Kyeong-ah (Song Ji-hyo). The problem with the relationships is that Eun-sik never goes beyond the stage of, well, a kiss. Since Kyeong-ah is an up-and-coming swimmer, plenty of revealing swimsuits fill up the screen, a trademark sex comedy device that accentuates what the movie is really about. Choi Sung-kook, who played a geeky martial art club chief in the original version, has joined the new film project, as widely expected, playing a character named Sung-kook (what else?) and he has succumbed to the tide of the times. Martial arts are out of fashion; what's hot is K-1 fighting. So he has become chairman of the new K-1 club, and the protagonist Eun-sik belongs securely to the club.
Sung-kook, a self-styled expert on sex and relationships, offers various tips to Eun-sik, and debut director Yoon Tae-yoon goes ahead with a wide range of toilet humor and nude scenes. As with the original version, the sequel may not satisfy those who expect something meaningful out of this meaningless joke-laden feature. Conversely, for those who enjoyed the first one because it's largely meaningless, except for lots of cheesy yet revealing scenes, the formula is just fine.
At a press preview held on Friday, director Yoon said, "The level of nudity in the film is not high, and the major appeal of 'Sex is Zero 2' is not the sexy scenes but the comic relief embedded in the sexy images."
Im Chang-jung, who appeared in four movies this year, said he discovered his aptitude for acting by playing a role in "Sex is Zero" five years ago. "I believe this film is really meaningful for me, and I'm kind of supposed to feel more pressure, but strangely I didn't feel any, because I found the screenplay well organized and trusted in director Yoon," he said.
"Sex is Zero 2" got plenty of publicity even before the press preview because one of the cast members changed his sex. Lee Dae-hak, who was cast as a very feminine college boy in the original film, has undergone a sex-change operation in real life, and comes back to the sequel as a transgender.
Shin Ee, who plays an aggressive female character and engaged in a sex scene with Lee Dae-hak in "Sex is Zero," said Lee's image has not changed much. "As you now, Lee's sex change operation hasn't changed his image at all, and I've always thought of him as a kid sister, and he's a kid sister for me." Shin said.
This Doosaboo Films production film will be released nationwide by CJ Entertainment on Dec. 13.
By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected])
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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December 3, 2007
Jeon Do-yeon Takes Home Seventh Award
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Actress Jeon Do-yeon, center, is flanked by director Lee Chang-dong, left
and actor Song Kang-ho, right at the 6th Korea Film Festival Saturday. / Yonhap
Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon, the queen of Cannes, is the most high profile actress in the country this year. The 34-year-old took home yet another award Saturday at the 6th Korea Film Festival held in Seoul.
At the annual event, director Lee Chang-dong's film "Secret Sunshine" secured Jeon her seventh award this year. Her winning streak started in May with the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Following on the heels of the Cannes' win, Jeon took home the special award from Korea's Daejong Film Festival, the Okgwan Order of Culture Merit from the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Best Actress Award from the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (where the film also won the prize for Best Feature Film).
She continued to sweep awards, winning the Best Actress Award from the Korean Movie Critics Association and the annual Blue Dragon Awards.
"Secret Sunshine" portrays Jeon as a widowed mother who moves to Miryang, a small city in North Gyeongsang Province with her son after the death of her husband. Unscreened clips were found by Internet users after the screening of the film, showing Jeon acting the young widow crying hysterically in the cold waters of a nearby lake. The scenes were enough to move viewers with her signature acting style, marked by intensity and charisma.
The ambitious actress now awaits two possible additions to her trophy collection, this time in Hollywood with nominations for the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.
The Korea Film Festival was truly a night for "Secret Sunshine,' with Jeon's co-star Song Kang-ho also being named Best Actor and director Lee Chang-dong chosen as Best Director.
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2007/12/141_14837.html |
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December 4, 2007
Actor Inspired by Hungry Spirit
Actor Kim Kang-woo, 29, must feel like flying by now.
Although 揕e Grand Chef, |
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Billboard Top Mink Unveils Herself in Korea
2007-12-03
The Korean singer Mink, who topped the US Billboard charts while working in Japan, has unveiled her face to Korean fans for the first time.
She said, "I debuted in Japan two years ago but have been avoiding TV appearances because I wasn't confident about my looks and short stature. I've only been doing concerts and original soundtracks for films and dramas. In the past three years, I didn't have any time to visit Korea even once. I'm happy now to confidently appear before Korean fans."
Mink debuted in 2005 as she signed a deal with the major Japanese record agency Avex. She broadened her name recognition by participating in the OST for the animated films 'Vexille' and 'Initial D' and the Korean film 'Blue Wolf' starring actress Go Ara. Her exceptional husky singing voice quickly grabbed attention.
When her 'Glory of Life' topped the US Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in April last year, her name spread to Korea.
c: KBS Global |
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Post time 29-11-2007 05:31 PM
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