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July 16, 2012
Kim A-joong's thesis featured in academic journal
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Kim A-joong’s thesis has been published in a Korean scholarly journal published by Economy Culture Institute.
The academic work titled “The influence of emotional and human desires on emotional strength and satisfaction: A study on the audience of thriller movies” written by the movie star has been published in the April edition of the economy journal.
Kim used her Twitter on July 15 to say thanks to her professor at Korea University for the inclusion of the thesis.
“It was so hard getting back to filming after a year off, but it seems I’ve been rewarded with an unexpected present. Thank you Prof. Kim Sung-chul,” Kim said.
Kim undertook her master’s in journalism last year at Korea University, and as part of her studies, co-wrote the thesis with the academic.
Meanwhile, Kim recently wrapped up filming her first movie in six years, “My P.S Partner,” which is set to be released late this year. |
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July 16, 2012
Jang Geun-suk Causes Sensation in Paris
KBS Global
Hallyu star Jang Geun-suk was met by a crowd of French fans while visiting Paris for personal reasons. His management company said, “Jang’s fans somehow heard that he will be arriving in Paris on July 9ths and a large crowd showed up at the Charles De Gaulle Airport.”
His reps said, “most of the fans were from European countries and shouted out “We Love You!” in Korean” while adding that a lot of fans recognized Jang on the streets and stopped to say hi and even showed their support by writing his name in Korean and in Chinese characters.
Jang’s management said although he hasn’t officially debuted in Europe yet, his popularity in the region is growing through social media services and Youtube.[Yonhap] |
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July 16, 2012
Ji Hyun-woo plans a farewell party
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor and singer Ji Hyun-woo will meet fans one last time on Sunday before entering the Army on Aug. 7.
Ji’s agency announced he will meet with about 500 fans as a sort of “farewell event” at Bear Hall in Samsungdong, southern Seoul.
Next month, the 27-year-old will enter a training facility in Chuncheon, Gangwon province. He was supposed to enter July 3, but had to postpone the date because of medical treatments.
“We submitted the request to the Military Manpower Administration on June 28 and were granted the postponement until he receives the medical attention needed,” said a spokesperson from Ji’s agency earlier this month.
The star’s agency said the actor was hurt while shooting scenes on horseback for the drama in which he also found love with his co-star Yoo In-na. It is unknown whether she will be there Sunday.
On his Web site Ji called the fan meet “my last concert in my 20s. See you there!” |
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July 17, 2012
Actor Jang Hyuk meets Osaka faithful
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Jang Hyuk spent an hour connecting with some 1,300 fans in Japan at the Theater Brava in Osaka, Japan, on Sunday.
In the limited time, Jang spoke of his previous works and took part in playing a game, giving away a personal item to the winning fan.
And it wouldn’t have been complete without a song, so the 35-year-old actor serenaded his fans for the final act.
The fans were also eager to give something back to the star and staged a singing event themselves, singing a song for Jang in Korean.
The actor was moved and thanked his fans for taking the time to come and see him.
“I know that an hour is a very short time, but I really enjoyed every minute of it, spending it with you.
“I hope to see you all again in the near future,” Jang said.
Currently, the Korean actor is in the middle of filming the movie “Flu,” which is being directed by Kim Seong-soo. |
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July 17, 2012
Big Bang Proves to Be Center of the K-Pop Universe on YouTube
ChosunIlbo
Big Bang's "Fantastic Baby" has emerged as the most-watched K-pop music video on YouTube in terms of international views in the first half of this year. Sistar's "Alone" was the most popular among domestic viewers.
According to a list of the top 10 K-pop music videos in the first six months, as released by YouTube on Monday, "Fantastic Baby" recorded 33.2 million hits. The total number would be even higher if the number of hits made via mobile devices was also factored in.
Big Bang /Reuters
Big Bang's "Blue" ranked second, followed by "Twinkle" by Taetiseo, the unit group of Girls' Generation, Big Bang's "Bad Boy" and f(x)'s "Electric Shock" ranked fourth and fifth.
Sistar's "Alone," which posted around 10 million hits, topped the domestic YouTube chart. |
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July 17, 2012
Actor Ji Hyun-woo To Hold Fan Meeting Before Entering The Military
KBS Global
Actor Ji Hyun-woo will be leaving the public's eye for to serve his military duties.
As a healthy Korean-national male, Ji is required to serve two years in the military. And his time has come. The A-list actor will be holding a special fan meeting before he enters the military on August 7th.
The event is scheduled for July 22nd, with part 1 being at 5 PM and part 2 at 8 PM. 500 fans will take part, where Ji is scheduled to sing about 7-8 of his own songs, hold a "Talk Time" with his fans, and also invite some of his friends and acquaintances to come on the stage as well. |
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July 17, 2012
'Hallyu' — Korean teaching tool
Super Junior, 'Winter Sonata' as new primers
By Jane Han The Korea Times
^K-pop fans stage a flash mob performance in London’s Trafalgar Square, Tuesday. They are called ``K-supporters,” who are giving life to the ``All Eyes on Korea” promotion ahead of the Summer Olympic Games. / Yonhap
NEW YORK ― For learners of Korean in the U.S., it’s goodbye to rote memorization and dull drills; hello to Super Junior and Bae Yong-joon. A new curriculum is set to revamp the traditional teaching method of Korean, a much-needed update aimed at giving the language a more fun and practical appeal.
``It’s always been about grammar and vocabulary, just like the way Korean students approach English,’’ said Lee Hyo-sang, associate professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Indiana University.
``You can pile on all the grammar and vocabulary you want, but it’s worthless if you can’t speak the language,’’ he said. ``What you know about the language isn’t important. What you can do with the language is.’’
To help Korean learners do more, Lee and members of the American Association of Teachers of Korean (AATK), a national group of Korean language educators in the U.S., are working on a new curriculum that moves away from textbooks and engages cultural elements instead.
``Many instructors have found existing textbooks to be very limited. Those are bound to be more and more outdated, and lack in authenticity and topical appeal for college students,’’ says Kim Hae-young, associate professor in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Duke University and President of AATK.
Currently, approximately 70 middle and high schools, and 93 colleges and universities in the U.S. offer Korean classes.
Experts say there has been a sharp rise in the number of students who take Korean classes on US campuses largely driven by ``hallyu,’’ or the Korean wave.
So then what better way to teach Korean than with Korean drama and music?
``K-pop and K-drama are primarily what drew these students to the language, so it will be a more enjoyable and effective learning process to integrate the elements they like,’’ says Lee.
For example, lyrics could be used to illustrate grammatical patterns and functions. In Super Junior’s ``Beautiful Woman,’’ the lyrics show a repetition of phrases, such as ``bolkka malkka’’ (should I look or not) and ``bonchae manchae’’ (as if I saw it or not), which can make a complex structure easier to understand.
At AATK’s recent annual conference at Stanford University, Susan Strauss of Pennsylvania State University introduced comparison clips from the popular drama ``Winter Sonata’’ and American hit series ``Dawson’s Creek,’’ a lesson to guide students to explore similarities and differences of melodramatic depiction of romantic love and jealousy in each.
``We’re not looking for replacement of old textbooks with newer `textbooks,’’’ says Kim. ``Printed books are not suitable forms for updating, revising and flexible adaptations, so different ways of making developed materials need to be tried.’’
The new curriculum is expected to take at least two to three years for completion. Once completed, it will become a national standard as outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, a national advocacy group for language teachers. |
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July 18, 2012
Jang Nara teaser images released ahead of Chinese album
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
To stir up the hearts of her fans, Jang Nara has uploaded three teaser images on her official blog, just one month before her album is due to be released in China.
The pictures are said to be included in the album jacket and are a special treat from Jang to fans.
The concept of Jang’s new Chinese album is “Love Journey,” and in the shots of Jang, taken early this month in Chuncheon, Gangwon, the singer-turned-actress depicts the various stages of being in love.
Netizens who stumbled upon the photos praised the 31-year-old for her acting skills as well as her beauty.
Many Korean fans also expressed their sadness at the fact that the album will only be sold in China.
“Why won’t you release an official album in Korea?” vented one fan. |
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July 18, 2012
Lee Hyori and Lee Sang-soon travel abroad together
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Snger couple Lee Hyori and Lee Sang-soon recently came back from a trip abroad, along with close friends of the couple.
According to Lee Hyori’s agency, the two went on a five day trip to Palau from June 28 until July 2.
“This is the first time that they’ve travelled together,” the agency said.
“There were others who were on the trip with them, though.”
The two Lees worked on a song for an animal welfare organization last July and developed feelings for each other. The fact that they were dating was made public in November; fans were pleased at the union as the two entertainers are both animal lovers who devote much of their time and money to animal related causes. |
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July 18, 2012
CNBC takes note of K-pop's success
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Business news channel CNBC got some rhythym Tuesday when it covered the phenomenon of K-pop on its Web site.
According to the American broadcaster, the Korean entertainment industry is poised for significant growth comparable to that of IT and mobile phones, which catapulted Korea into the global market.
Assistant producer Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani said the sound, as well as behind-the-scenes planning of the manufactured boy and girl groups like Big Bang and Girls’ Generation, generated an estimated $3.4 billion for the country last year alone.
“These ‘manufactured’ girl and boy bands are creating a frenzy among their young fans by selling out concerts within minutes worldwide, breaking through Billboard Music Charts and even being featured on postage stamps in Korea,” said Naidu-Ghelani.
Advances in technology were attributed to the expansion of K-pop worldwide. Social networks were deemed one of the K-pop’s biggest promoters. |
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July 18, 2012
Ha Hee-ra reveals four miscarriages
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Ha Hee-ra has confessed that she had four miscarriages before giving birth to her two children.
The 42-year-old entertainer appeared on an episode of Channel A’s “Shocking” yesterday and burst the bubble of her so-called “fantasy” life.
The revelation came when the host asked if Ha had experienced any sadness in life.
Ha said that despite the fact that she is well-known, successful and married to actor Choi Su-jong, she was not immune to ill health and bad luck.
“My third miscarriage happened while I was filming a drama. Due to filming commitments, I couldn’t really take time off. So I told everyone that I was getting an appendectomy,” she said.
Although the losses were difficult, Ha said, her husband came through for her, making the crises bearable.
“When I was pregnant with my two children, my husband made sure I didn’t have to lift a finger. He’d even do my shoelaces for me,” said Ha, who stayed home as much as possible when she was pregnant with her son and daughter. |
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July 18, 2012
Alex stopped for drunken driving
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer Alex will spend some time “repenting” after he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol.
Early yesterday morning, the 32-year-old was pulled over by police and found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.13 percent, a level sufficient for revoking his license.
According to police, Alex was stopped about 2 a.m. in the vicinity of the Gangnam District Office. He was on his way home after spending the evening drinking with friends.
He allegedly told police he had a bottle and a half of soju before taking the wheel.
A spokesperson from the singer’s agency said the singer was in the wrong and will be “repenting” for the regrettable incident while contemplating whether or not he will remain active in his career in the short term.
Alex is starring in the MBC Music program “Be My Singer.” He debuted in 2004 with the music group Clazziquai and has diversified into acting.
In June, Alex announced he had become the owner of an Italian restaurant in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul. |
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July 18, 2012
Perez Hilton loves 2NE1's love song
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
American power-blogger on all things entertainment, Perez Hilton, has dedicated a post to 2NE1’s new song “I Love You.”
It seems the feisty K-pop girl group has won over one of the toughest critics just a week after coming under attack by Korean media for using live animals on stage.
On Tuesday, Hilton uploaded 2NE1’s new video and described the song as “a POUNDING heartbeat-themed vengeance. It’s K-pop incarnate, with catchy beats that hammer into your brainz till you are blinded by its musical magic!”
Hilton said he only understood one phrase from the song, but he adored the “popalicious track.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Hollywood insider has declared his love for 2NE1 in particular and K-pop in general.
Back in March, Hilton focused on 2NE1’s rendition of Madonna’s “Like A Virgin.” Most recently, the pop-culture blogger was highly impressed by another K-pop girl group, f(x). |
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July 18, 2012
Horror takes stage as PiFan opens
By Kwaak Je-yup The Korea Times
A scene from “Horror Stories,” opening film at PiFan 2012
/ Courtesy of PiFan
Horror films used to be the staple of the summer cinema season, with local fans rushing to theaters for a chilling experience. But that trend has waned considerably.
As the curtain rises on the 16th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) today, the genre takes the limelight, thanks to the opener “Horror Stories.”
The two-hour omnibus film brings together shorts by a handful of Korean directors including Jung Bum-shik, Lim Dae-woong, Hong Ji-young, and twin brothers Kim Gok and Kim Sun. The four episodes were combined by Min Kyu-dong (fresh off of the commercial success of “All About My Wife”), who bridged them with a story about a kidnapper and his young female victim.
The opening ceremony will take place tonight at 7 p.m. in the Bucheon Gymnasium, kicking off 10 days of 230 films from 47 countries. The event will be led by actress Jang Seo-hee and singer and first-generation teen idol Jang Woo-hyuk.
The festival closes on July 29 with the new Takashi Miike film “For Love’s Sake,” based on a ’70s manga series. It will be the feature’s Asian premiere.
In the main Puchon Choice competition category, highlights include Naoyoshi Shiotani’s animated urban fantasy “Blood-C: The Last Dark” and the psychological thriller set in Colombia by Jaime Osorio Marquez, “The Squad.”
Indonesian director UPI’s “Belenggu,” about a man haunted by images of murder is making its world premiere here. It will be the first time for the rest of the 12 selected films to be screened in the country, and most of them making their first screening on this continent.
The retrospectives bring the spotlight to 1970s Korean comedy and feature the works of late British director Ken Russell. On the local side, films such as Shim Wu-seob’s “A Man and a Gisaeng” and Lee Hyung-pyo’s “Cheeky Man” are comic responses to a lengthy authoritarian rule under Park Chong-hee. For Russell, who during his life attracted much criticism for his controversial subject matter and flamboyant style, his Oscar winner “Women in Love” (1969) and three other films will be screened during the festival week.
PiFan had its first edition in 1997 and has since established itself as one of Asia’s most important genre fests. It experienced a major hiccup in 2005 when directors boycotted the event to protest then Bucheon Mayor Hong Geon-pyo’s meddling in the programming but recovered from the controversy nearly unscathed.
For more information, visit www.pifan.com. |
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July 19, 2012
'Oldboy' Director to Release First Hollywood Movie in March
ChosunIlbo
The U.S. release date of director Park Chan-wook's Hollywood debut "Stoker" has been set for March 1, according to Box Office Mojo.
The website said the film received an R rating from censors for its disturbing violent and sexual content.
"Stoker" is a thriller about a girl who meets an uncle she never knew existed after her father's funeral.
In his first English-language film, Park stays true to form by expressing his trademark curiosity in violence and madness in his own inimitable fashion, as seen in his previous efforts including "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," "Oldboy" and "Thirst." |
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July 19, 2012
Girls' Generation Pose in Olympic Uniform for Magazine Shoot
ChosunIlbo
Girls' Generation flash their long legs, svelte looks and the official uniform that will be worn by Korean athletes at the Opening Ceremony of the upcoming London Games, in a new photo shoot for High Cut magazine that was due to be published on Thursday.
In the accompanying interview, the leading K-pop outfit said, "We will support all Korean athletes taking part in the London Olympics. We believe Girls' Generation will still be together for the next 10 years, and we've set a goal to make sure that happens."
Girls' Generation pose in the official uniform that will be worn by Korean athletes at the Opening Ceremony of the upcoming London Olympics, in this photo for the High Cut magazine. |
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