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Lee Mi Sook 이미숙


rubie

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Most unforgettable in An Affair .. such intense passion! :wub:

Lee Mi Sook is simply captivating in the movie, a truly charismatic actress with an awesome presence. 
 

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LEE MI SOOK   이미숙
Born: April 2, 1960 

Family: divorced from plastic surgeon Hong Sung Ho in 2007; 1 son & 1 daughter.

Height/Weight: 160 cm (5' 3") / 46 kg (101 lbs) 

School: Koryo University and 2 years at Hawaii Pacific University

Blood type: B

Hobby: Golf

Credits: koreanwiz.org l wiki.d-addicts.com
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Lee Mi-sook (b. Apr. 2, 1960) first debuted in film at the age of twenty in Thoughtless Momo in 1979. By the mid-1980s she had became one of the best-known actresses of her era, together with Lee Bo-hee and Won Mi-kyung. Her most famous films from this era include Bae Chang-ho's Whale Hunting and That Winter Was Warm, Lee Doo-yong's Bbong and Eunuch, and Kwak Ji-kyun's Wanderer in Winter. Her early career lasted until the film Love Triangle in 1987, and then she retired from the cinema.

 

Over ten years later, however, Lee returned with a widely praised role in E J-yong's award-winning film An Affair, about a woman who falls in love with her sister's fiance. Using this film as a springboard, she re-launched her career.

 

In 2000 Lee was cast in the high profile project The Legend of Gingko, which was considered to be production company Kang Jegyu Film's followup to the successful Shiri (even though Kang himself was not directing). However the film proved to be a critial and commercial disappointment. Lee's next two films, Besame Mucho and Oh! Lala Sisters, were also more or less ignored by audiences. In contrast, her appearances in TV dramas such as Solitude (2002) were more successful.

 

However 2003 was one of Lee's best years, with her highly praised role in E J-yong's Untold Scandal, a retelling of the novel Dangerous Liasions, and her role as a single mother in Lee Eon-hee's well-received melodrama ...ing. 


Partial filmography
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Movies

Actresses (2009)

Hellcats (2008) Some Like It Hot

...ing (2003)

Untold Scandal (2003)

Oh! LaLa Sisters (2002)

Besame Mucho (2001)

The Legend of Gingko (2000)

An Affair (1998) [MU]

Love Triangle (1987)

Affection (1987)

A Street Musician (1987)

Eunuch (1986)

Wanderer In Winter (1986)

Bbong (1985)

That Winter Was Warm (1984)

Autumn After Love (1984)

Whale Hunting (1984)

Strange Relationship (1983)

Thoughtless Momo (1979)

 

Dramas

Miss Korea (MBC 2013) 

Shining Romance (MBC 2013) 

You Are The Best! (KBS2 2013) 

Can We Get Married? (jTBC 2012) 

Love Rain (KBS2 2012) 

Thousand Days' Promise (SBS 2011)

Smile Mom (SBS 2010)

Cinderella's Sister (KBS 2010)

Ja Myung Go (SBS 2009) 

East of Eden (MBC 2008) 

Great Expectations (KBS 2006) 

Sympathy For Love (SBS 2005)

Solitude (KBS 2002) 

Springtime (MBC 1999) 
 

Awards

2008 MBC Drama Awards: Female Top Excellence Award (East of Eden) 
 

Pictorial

LABEIGE Harper's Bazaar April 2010
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Spoiler

 

ELLE September 2010 with T.O.P
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Credits: koreanfilm.org, CINE21, koreanwiz
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February 25, 2005
Lee Mi-suk: Actors are More Susceptible to Shock

Source: KBS Global

"Actors are much more susceptible to shocks than ordinary people because they are extremely sensitive. I used to suffer from depression for 10 years, too," said one of Korea’s top actresses Lee Mi-suk with regard to the late actress Lee Eun-ju, who took her life on Feb. 22. "The degree of my depression was so severe I once thought I was mentally sick. It happened after I got married in 1988 and was taking a break from my acting career. Clearly, I had depression. At the time, actresses had to suspend their careers for a while after they got married. That period was full of agony and stress for me," added Lee.

The actress says she was able to overcome her stress by getting involved in areas other than acting. She fortunately ended up better off after enduring the stress for 10 years. Lee says she was able to have her second heyday thanks to her efforts not to compromise at the point when many other actors give up.

Lee made a comeback to stardom in 1998 through the movie “Love Story.” Since then, she has appeared often both on the small and big screen, and starred in the KBS TV2 miniseries “Loneliness.”
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2006: Lee Mi Sook Returns to TV with The Great Inheritence [twitchfilm]

2007 News updates from the News thread
Mar 20: Actress Lee Mi-sook Splits from Surgeon Husband page 135 page 137
Apr 12: Lee Mi-sook, Kim Mi-hee cast in new film page 143

2008 News updates
Jan 7: 'Hellcats' rejects men, holds girl-only party page 197
Jan 13: Must-See Films in 2008 page 199
Jan 17: 'Hellcats' Is Charmingly Off-Tune page 201
May 9: [Review] Indecision strikes gals of all ages page 233
June 19: Teenage stars into 'dignified' actors page 247
Aug 12: A delightful banquet among the stars begins soon in 'East of Eden' page 255
Aug 19: TV Dramas Gear Up for Post-Olympics Race page 257
Sep 22: 'East of Eden' to be Screened in 8 Japanese Cities page 267
Dec 25: [YEAR-END REVIEW (5) DRAMA] Drama market gets globalized, theme-driven page 295

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  • 4 weeks later...

To Rubie -- my immeasurable gratitude for making this thread happening under soompi universe.

Hope this lead to a functional path that inspires the exchanges on the art of great Korean performers.

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  • 2 weeks later...

^ Hi jazz, welcome to Lee Mi Sook thread *waves!*.. it's so heartwarming to see similar hearts here, really appreciate your warm words. :blush: I really hope others appreciating the wonderful & immensely talented Ms. Lee Mi Sook will join us sharing more about the actress. Such a perfect performer yet so underrated in soompi.

I really need to find the pics of LMS and her son at this year's Baeksang.. but still unable too. :sweatingbullets: If someone have those cool photios readily at hand, please share with us here. ^^ Credits mentioned & assured.

Anyway.. couple of updates on LMS' latest project up1.gif

E J-yong starts shooting ensemble drama Actresses

18 June, 2009 | By Jean Noh

Untold Scandal director E J-yong has started production on his upcoming film Actresses (working title) with an ensemble cast of six of Korea’s top female thespians.

Gathering six actresses for a fashion magazine shoot, the film will portray their candid and intrepid stories – with all of them using their own real-life names and their own images.

Leading the cast is veteran Yoon Yeo-jung, whose prolific credits include master director Kim Ki-young’s Chungnyeo and the role of a carefree mother-in-law in Im Sang-soo’s A Good Lawyer’s Wife.

She is joined by Go Hyun-jung, most recently seen in Hong Sang-soo’s Cannes entry Like You Know It All; Kim Ok-vin, who starred in Park Chan-wook’s Cannes competition title Thirst; Lee Mi-sook, who previously starred in E’s An Affair and Untold Scandal; Choi Ji-woo, who starred in Now And Forever and Shadowless Sword, and Kim Min-hee, who most recently played Lee’s younger sister in Hellcats.

The low-budget film is produced by Moongcle Pictures, presented by Sponge Entertainment and distributed by Showbox Mediaplex. The latter is also handling international sales.

The film is due to shoot through the summer for a local release at the end of the year.

Source: screendaily.com

June 26, 2009

E J-yong uses friendship to cast film

'Actress' gets Korean thespians for cheap

By HAN SUNHEE

Korean helmer E J-yonghas a knack for getting talent to work for free.

The helmer has cast six of South Korea's top actresses in his next pic, with the working title of simply "Actress." It's a semi-improvised feature following the women -- who will all be playing themselves -- during a daylong photo shoot.

Three have worked with him before: "Thirst" star Kim Ok-vin starred in "Dasepo Naughty Girls," Lee Mi-sook in "Untold Scandal" and Kim Min-hee in "Asako in Ruby Shoes." E's good friends, "Like You Know It All" star Ko Hyun-jung and Yoon Yeo-jeong, have also signed on, even though there's no script yet. TV star Choi Ji-woo rounds out the gratis cast.

And how did he get these Korean stars for nothing but the promise of some backend payments?

"Friendship and trust," says E.

Indeed, say the pic's producers and the actresses, those aspects are a key part of the small Korean film industry, which has no large corporate agency and management system, so sometimes moviemaking depends on mutual affection and trust rather than the cold calculation of business.

Plus, the local film industry is still struggling financially, and it's not uncommon to have stars defer their salary on low-budget films.

Helmer Hong Sang-soo, whose films are a staple on the international festival circuit, also capitalizes on the fact that actors want to work with him and will defer their payments so he can keep his budgets down. On his latest, "Like You Know It All," not only the main actors but also the supporting actors (including "The Chaser's" Ha Jung-woo) worked without upfront payment.

Sometimes trust and friendship can get a film greenlit. And that's an art in itself.

Source: Variety.com

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July 6, 2009

E J-yong Cranks in on Actresses

Director E J-yong, best known for his elegant and erotic period drama Untold Scandal (2003), is in production on his latest film, a semi-improvisational ensemble piece with the working-title Actresses.

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An Affair starring Lee Mi Sook & Lee Jung Jae, capture from isplus.joins.com

The low-budget feature boasts six of Korea’s top female stars, all of whom have agreed to work on a deferred payment basis. The film centers on a day-long fashion shoot in which all of the actresses will be playing themselves and sharing candid stories with the camera.

The cast includes KIM Ok-vin, star of PARK Chan-wook’s Thirst and director E’s previous feature Dasepo Naughty Girls; LEE Mi-sook, who starred in E’s Untold Scandal and An Affair, KIM Min-hee who starred in E’s Asako in Ruby Shoes, GO Hyun-jung, who recently starred in HONG Sang-soo’s Like You Know It All, CHOI Ji-woo (Shadowless Sword) and veteran actress YOON Yeo-jung (IM Sang-soo’s A Good Lawyer’s Wife.)

Produced by Moongcle Pictures, presented by Sponge Entertainment and distributed by Showbox Mediaplex, the film is expected to be ready for a local release by the end of the year. International sales is being handled by Showbox.

Credits: Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Captures credits and copied from kpculture.com

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Yoon Yeo Jeong, Lee Mi Sook, Ko Hyun Jung, Choi Ji Woo, Kim Min Hee, and Kim Ok Bin pose for Vogue’s August issue. The six actresses co-starred in Actress, a film by director E J-Yong (Lee Jae Yong; Dasepo Naughty Girl) to be released at the end of 2009.

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Guest chubbygirl1

thanks rubie :D , must be hardwork finding bits and pieces of info and pictures of LMS.

LMS is such a beauty.....breathtaking...i love her lips...and her cheekbones is tooo dieee for, that was random/...lol

and yes very goood actress.., she will be feature in a movei called "actress"?

49 this year? she looks sooo gooodd,,

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  • 2 weeks later...

^ Hello chubbygirl1, welcome to Lee Mi Sook thread,, she's indeed and truly a charismatic beauty,. looking absolutely awesome at 49. Yup.. her latest project is an upcoming movie called 'Actresses'.

Btw.. some captures of LMS and captions from Kang Ho Dong Star Battle Feb 4 2009, check it out at

August 12, 2009

Actress Lee Mi Sook Speaks Out Part 1

http://flowerbossa.blogspot.com/2009/08/ac...out-part-1.html

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  • 1 month later...
Guest honeybear

Wow, many thanks to all peeps who have posted these news..

Any news about LMS's new drama Ja Myung Go .. ?

Really LMS in EOE..Her beauty.. and I can't believe that she's 49!!! She has got this timeless beauty!!! Her role in EOE as a mother was really awesome ! and from the screencaps from Untold SCandal and An Affair, i can tell that it's definitely an awesome movie !

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  • 1 month later...

Ohhh.. I just love the tagline for Lee Mi Sook - She's a MYSTERY indeed. :wub:

October 27, 2009

Teaser posters unveiled for film “Actresses”

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

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Teaser posters of Ko Hyun-jung and Choi Ji-woo, set to star in a new film titled “Actresses”, were unveiled on Wednesday.

The two top Korean actresses were featured in individual posters for the movie about six actresses shooting a fashion spread together, according to the film’s promotion agency Sponge Ent on Wednesday.

The two, alongside other famed actresses including Yoon Yeo-jung, Lee Mi-sook, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-vin, are all set to appear as themselves in director Lee Jae-yong’s new movie.

The film is set at a photo shoot for fashion magazine Vogue on Christmas Eve and the atmosphere is full of tension as the six stars, in the 20s to 60s range, are all used to hogging the attention for themselves.

The characters go through various conflicts and drama to finish the fashion shoot, and the audience will be able to discover unknown aspects of each actress' personality.

Yoon is Korea’s veteran actress, who has appeared in numerous television dramas since 1970s; Lee was one of the most popular actresses in the 1980s who made a huge comeback in 1998 with the hit film “An Affair”; Ko, a former Miss Korea, was a top actress in the 1990s who returned to acting in 2005 after getting divorced; Choi appeared in several hit dramas, most notably in the “Winter Sonata” with Bae Yong-joon; Kim Min-hee most recently starred in the TV series “Love Marriage” and “Goodbye Solo”; and Kim Ok-vin is best known for her role in the Cannes-winning film “Thirst” earlier this year.

“Actresses” is scheduled for release in Korea in December.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr l Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> asiae.co.kr

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November 17, 2009

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Thanks to deka_if for the highlight

Actress Lee Mi-sook at "Actresses" press conference

Actress Lee Mi-sook attends a press conference for film "Actresses" held at the COEX Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on November 17, 2009. The pic, helmed by director E J-yong, is set for release on December 10.

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Actress Lee Mi-sook [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

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Actress Lee Mi-sook [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

Photographer: Park Sung-Ki musictok@asiae.co.kr Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr <ⓒasiae.co.kr All rights reserved>

"Actresses" cast attend press conference

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From left, actresses Kim Ok-vin, Kim Min-hee, Choi Ji-woo, Koh Hyeon-jeong, Lee Mi-sook and Yoon Yeo-jung pose during a photo session of a press conference for their film "Actresses" held at the COEX Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on November 17, 2009. The pic, helmed by director E J-yong, is set for release on December 10.

Photographer: Park Sung-Ki musictok@asiae.co.kr Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr <ⓒasiae.co.kr All rights reserved>

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November 18, 2009

Movie “Actresses” blurs line between fact and fiction

November 17th, 2009 // by javabeans

Talk about an all-star line-up: the new film Actresses [여배우들] features a whole slew of high-profile names, such as Queen Seon-deok’s Go Hyun-jung and Hallyu princess Choi Ji-woo, in addition to Lee Mi-sook (East of Eden), Kim Min-hee (I Like It Hot), Kim Ok-bin (Thirst), and Yoon Yeo-jung (The World They Live In).

Here’s the official description, which I think sounds GREAT:

Actresses: Christmas Eve. For a fashion spread in Vogue magazine, six top actresses are brought in spanning ages from their twenties through sixties. As expected, these ladies who are used to receiving the spotlight alone engage in a battle of wills, and tension fills the studio. It’s an unwritten law in the fashion world to schedule shoots to avoid actress encounters, so this experiment was playing with fire from the outset. The psychological battle starts with wardrobe choices and ends with the scandalous scene of [Choi] Ji-woo storming out at [Go] Hyun-jung’s provocation. [Yoon] Yeo-jung suspects she was only called in at the last minute to substitute, and while [Kim] Min-hee enjoys the shoot, [Kim] Ok-bin feels the burden of being around sunbaes, wondering how far she has to go to treat them as elders. They endure an endless wait for the featured jewelry that doesn’t arrive. The staff is growing worried and the actresses are becoming more and more sensitive.

What events happened that night? What words were exchanged between these frank, bold women? Could they have really finished their shoot without incident?

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Go Hyun-jung’s poster reads: “Scandal. Only talking about good things gets boring!”

Yoon Yeo-jung: “Pride. I was dumped by that ugly __!”

Choi Ji-woo: “Fame. You’re not all disparaging me since I’m not here, right?”

Kim Min-hee: “Jealousy. Men like me too!”

Lee Mi-sook: “Mystery. I have a birth secret!”

Kim Ok-bin: “Complex. I’m going to lose weight, I am…”

The description sounds fascinating on two different levels: First off, I love real-time-esque suspense thrillers that are more about building tension than flashy action or melodrama. I love feeling the uneasiness building in strained silences (Tale of Two Sisters and 2LDK are two great examples of this kind of storytelling). And second, there’s that meta thrill you get of seeing these actresses playing an exaggeration of themselves, using their real names as their characters’ names, leading us to wonder — is this all fiction? Or… not?

The film held its production press conference on November 17 at Seoul’s Coex Megabox. It will release in theaters on December 10.

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From left to right: Kim Ok-bin, Kim Min-hee, Choi Ji-woo, Go Hyun-jung, Lee Mi-sook, Yoon Yeo-jung

Go Hyun-jung said of her co-star, “Choi Ji-woo is so beautiful that I felt envious of her in real life.” Choi Ji-woo said in return, “The first day I met Go Hyun-jung sunbae, we were shooting a fight scene. I was so nervous that I couldn’t control my expressions well — what you see onscreen wasn’t acting.”

Lee Mi-sook spoke up about the scene, adding, “At that time, Go Hyun-jung wasn’t famous yet for Mi-shil [in Queen Seon-deok] and Choi Ji-woo was a big Hallyu star. Watching Hyun-jung act, I thought they were really fighting. I was really shocked.”

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The stars revealed that the fight was real: they began the scene right after meeting, which called for Go to glare at Choi and hit her forehead, “which actually made me angry.” In this instance, the director had only established the setting for his lead actresses and had a meeting with them, but didn’t shoot with a special script or scenario plotted. For that reason, the scene took on an even more realistic vibe.

Go said, “It wasn’t that she started the fight, but she acted sensitively. In the end, that angered me. At the time, I wasn’t acting according to a specific plan. Actresses can be pretty simple sometimes.” She added laughingly, “Because Ji-woo and I are similar heights, it was okay [fighting]. Even when I think back to that, I feel worked up.”

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Meeting under those circumstances probably didn’t make it conducive to having a good relationship offscreen, and Go Hyun-jung said frankly, “We don’t have a bad relationship, but not having a particularly good relationship is the way of actresses. This is shown just as it is within the movie.” Choi explained, “I was fighting with Go Hyun-jung in my first shoot and felt a lack of wits and other limitations, so I did feel some disappointment. However, as time passed, it became more enjoyable. Later, I felt regrets because I could have shown more.”

Choi’s glamorous image can sometimes contradict what fans know as a self-effacing personality. Yoon Yeo-jung said of her co-star, “I really thought Choi Ji-woo would be a ‘깍쟁이’ [a snob or brat], but she’s very easy-going.” Lee Mi-sook said called her “surprisingly modest.” Choi has also been criticized for her acting in the past, and said of this film, “I want to receive praise as an actress now. I’ve started feeling that desire.” She said, “Even if the film flops, I won’t have regrets.”

Kim Min-hee also expressed a desire to be called a real actor with this role. Often noted for her bold, sometimes avant-garde fashion sense, the film staffers called her “the type that isn’t popular with men,” which made her feel envious of her co-star. She explained, “The staff members only told Kim Ok-bin that she is the style to be popular with men but not me, so I felt envious.” (Then again, perhaps producers were playing up the role of the actresses’ alter-egos in the film?)

Kim Ok-bin said she took on the role “because I didn’t want to lose the chance to meet these sunbaes. But with regard to acting, I wasn’t able to grasp the emotions quickly, which was tough. I wanted to act a part that was close to my real self. I was trying to show myself but the director told me, ‘I think we need something more,’ which was difficult.”

Meanwhile, veteran Yoon Yeo-jung said, “I was cast because I’m the only actress in her sixties that Director Lee Jae-yong knows. I made my decision after having drinks with Go Hyun-jung.” Kim Min-hee said of Yoon, “I thought she would be scary, but the way she thinks is young and it was comfortable conversing with her.”

Via Star News, Asiae, OSEN, thanks to dramabeans.com

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November 18, 2009

Six Actresses Get Together for Film

The production announcement for the movie "Actress" on November 17 at the COEX Megabox was unprecedented. First, actress Lee Mi-sook appeared wearing a gorgeous glittering dress. She was followed by actresses Kim Min-hee, Ko Hyun-jung, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Ok-bin and Yoon Yeo-jung. The last one to appear was director Lee Jae-yong.

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"Actress" is a story about six actresses of several generations who get together for a fashion magazine photo shoot on Christmas eve. Each actress plays herself in the movie. The six actresses are also the co-scriptwriters. In the movie, the actresses talk and act at their own discretion in the given circumstances. Sometimes it is even hard to tell whether they are acting or whether that is how they are in real life.

In the scene that was shown at the production announcement, Ko Hyun-jung and Choi Ji-woo have a fight, which looks very true-to-life. Lee Mi-sook said that she was startled to see the two fighting for real, because when the scene was filmed Ko Hyun-jung had yet to appear in the TV drama "Queen Seondeok," while Choi Ji-woo was a "Korean Wave" star. "I saw her for the first time. She looked so pretty that I honestly became jealous," said Ko Hyun-jung. Choi Ji-woo, for her part, said that her heart was racing during the fight and that she had completely lost control of her facial expressions. What viewers will see onscreen is not acting but a real-life situation.

Ko Hyun-jung added, "We were not on bad terms with one another. But at the same time we were not that close. Actresses are very simple-hearted people. We just wanted to see what it's like to fight. Plus, we're of a similar height. It was fine. It's still thrilling for me to think about it." Choi Ji-woo said, "We shot the fighting scene on the first day we met. I was very angry when she gave me a piercing look and hit me on my forehead with her finger."

The production announcement, which was held in the form of a talk show, brought together the nation's top actresses for the first time in a while. They chatted while watching scenes from the movie. They whispered to one another and made candid remarks that were somewhat shocking to hear.

Director Lee came up with the idea to produce this movie when he and two of the actresses, Yoon Yeo-jung and Ko Hyun-jung--both his close friends--went out for a drink. "I wanted to create something unconventional. I wanted to show the public how charming actresses are in real life. Their opinions, talent and abilities were fully reflected in this movie," said Lee.

Source: KBS Global

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November 17, 2009

Actresses to Present Off-Screen Personas Onscreen

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

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The cast of the movie, “The Actresses,” from clockwise from top left: Youn Yuh-jung,

Lee Mi-suk, Koh Hyun-jung, Kim Ok-vin, Kim Min-hee andChoi Ji-woo. The latest feature

by E J-yong, the movie will hit theaters Dec. 10. / Courtesy of Showbox/Mediaplex

It was no red carpet event but cameras flashed without cease as some of the country's highest-profile actresses appeared at a theater in southern Seoul, Tuesday morning.

It was a promotional event for E J-yong's new movie, appropriately titled "The Actresses,'' which brings together six screen beauties, each representing different generations: charismatic veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung, 62; Lee Mi-suk, still sultry at 49 and indeed looking sexy in a sequin mini dress; headline-making divorcee Koh Hyun-jung, 38; hallyu star Choi Ji-woo, 34, who appeared before the press after a one-year hiatus in a chic white pant suit ensemble; fashionable starlet Kim Min-hee, 27, who strut out wearing all black and glamorous jewels; and rising "Thirst'' (Park Chan-wook) heroine Kim Ok-vin, 22, who sported a short, red-dyed haircut matching her red dress.

The project is sort of like a Korean, female version of "Ocean's Eleven,'' but goes a step further in that each actress plays herself. "Hello, I'm Youn Yuh-jung and I played Youn Yuh-jung,'' said Youn, and laughter filled the room as each leading lady introduced her "character.'' "I wanted to make an unconventional movie. It's basically about actresses; I provided the basis for conflict and the actresses took it from there. The six women represent Korean actresses as a whole, and instead of creating something fictional I thought it would be interesting to feature each actress' charms and show something real,'' said the director.

The movie sets the framework in which the unscripted story takes shape: the six actresses come together for a special Vogue magazine shoot, and conflict ensues as the women, each used to having the limelight to herself, must cooperate with one another to choose dresses, for example. "I'd always wanted to meet my co-stars, who are all such big actresses whom I respect so much,'' said Kim Ok-vin about her decision to star in the film. Kim, along with other actresses, all took part in the small-budget project without receiving any guarantees. "When else would we get such an opportunity to bring together all these actresses and also to play ourselves onscreen?'' said Koh.

"We weren't given a script and just filmed it scene by scene, depending on the situation,'' explained Lee. "Everything felt rather surreal, and I think a lot of it was real.'' Youn added that it was because they actually drank champagne on the set. "What soberness conceals, drunkenness reveals,'' she said. And it wasn't easy to play oneself onscreen, the stars said. "Actresses express themselves through fictional characters, rather than our personal selves. But I trusted the director and decided to show who I am in real life,'' said Lee.

But only the actresses know what is fiction and what is real.

A clip of the movie showed how Koh thought of Choi, who has the most international exposure among the cast, as being stuck up, and the two bickered rather aggressively. "Our relationship wasn't that great,'' said Choi. Koh replied, "I wasn't being confrontational but Ji-woo was being really sensitive. I mean … when I was staring at her I contemplated how I should act, but she's so pretty that I got really jealous."

A sense of rivalry ensued between the two 20-somethings as well. "One male crew member said that Ok-vin is the type to be more popular among men, and I admit it's true but it made me really envious,'' said Kim Min-hee. All the actresses agreed that their first impressions of one another were often wrong. "I thought Ji-woo would be stuck-up but she's very kind and warm-hearted. Ok-vin, on the other hand, was just as quirky as I thought she'd be,'' said Lee.

When asked to nickname themselves, Youn said she was "the old lady" whereas Kim Ok-vin said she was "the youngest" and Koh described herself as "the middle woman." Choi thought she was "the pain in the head" while Lee said she was "the nosy one." Kim Min-hee's co-stars pointed out that she was "the skinny girl."

"The Actresses" hits theaters Dec. 10. Distributed by Showbox/Mediaplex.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

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November 19, 2009

The divas of ‘Actresses’ promote their new movie

The stars of the new movie “Actresses” appeared at a press event at the Megabox COEX theater on Tuesday.

The movie, directed by Lee Jae-yong, features six Korean actresses - Yoon Yeo-jeong, Lee Mi-sook, Ko Hyeon-jeong, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-bin - who are hired to do a photo shoot for the fashion magazine Vogue. Each actress plays herself in the movie. Ko, who played Mishil in the hit MBC drama “Queen Seondeok,” said she joined the cast at the suggestion of the director, with whom she has a close relationship.

The movie is scheduled to premiere Dec. 10.

By Hannah Kim, Contributing writer via joongangdaily.joins.com

November 21, 2009

Hollywood dominates winter lineup

Actresses

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Korean Wave star Choi Ji-woo, veteran actress Ko Hyun-joung, and "Thirst" heroine Kim Ok-vin might not have been powerful enough for director Lee Jae-yong. For his latest film "Actresses," he has decided to sign on more, and three more top-rated actresses -- Yoon Yeo-jeong, Lee Mi-sook, Kim Min-hee -- have joined the project.

No wonder that when there was a press conference for the film on Nov. 17, more than 300 reporters and photographers rushed to capture the famous actresses on a single stage -- a rare photo op for star-hungry media outlets. But the result of such high publicity has been mixed at best. There are tons of photos showing the six actresses on major portal news sites, but few articles are devoted to explaining what the movie is about.

What has been revealed so far is that the six actresses will show off "many things," which involve self-respect, charisma, complexes, jealousy, style and desires. They are also locked in "some conflicts" with each other. The setting is a Christmas photo shooting session arranged by the Korean edition of "Vogue," which will be inspiring if you are an avid watcher of silly style programs on cable channels.

But the movie is not about great cinematography -- the point here is that six famous actresses have agreed to spare some time to chat together in the same film. "Actresses" is scheduled to hit local theaters on Dec. 10.

For full article, please refer koreaherald.co.kr

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November 23, 2009

"Actresses" is a miracle achieved, says Koh (Part 1 & 2)

Reporter : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

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(From left) Actresses Kim Ok-bin, Kim Min-hee, Choi Ji-woo, Ko Hyeon-jeong, Lee Mi-sook,

Yoon Yeo-jeong and director E J-yong pose during a photo session of a press conference for film

"Actresses" held at a the Megabox Multiplex in Seoul, South Korea on November 17, 2009. [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

“What is the difference between an actress and an actor?” Kim Ok-vin asks in the filmmaking video interview for film “Actresses”, set to open on December 23. Whether it be the public’s jealousy-filled curiosity or overwhelming affection, it is what differentiates the actor from the actress. Actresses are more vulnerable to rumors and scandals than male actors and that vulnerability forces them crawl only deeper into their shell. So if six actresses were to come together in one setting and were given the chance to speak as themselves instead of acting out lines written by someone else, what would happen? We got a glimpse into what could happen at the press conference for the film “Actresses”, held at Seoul’s Megabox Multiplex on November 17.

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Scenes from the film "Actresses"

Contrary to the director’s humble desire to make a female-cast-only movie, the cast of “Actresses” is nowhere close to being humble. From Yoon Yeo-jeong, Lee Mi-sook, Ko Hyeon-jeong, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-vin, the actresses who represent each generation, is an all-star cast that consists of the master, the Hallyu star and the protegee. One Christmas eve, these actresses gather for a fashion photoshoot under the concept “the actress who is more beautiful than jewelry” and the result is something that is equally glamorous and dangerous as a blockbuster movie. With each actress portraying themselves and each exposing themselves more than they ever have, as they all wrote the script together, the movie offers a series of surprises, one after another. Choi Ji-woo and Ko Hyeon-jeong, who meet for the first time, raise their voices and get into a fight. Choi Ji-woo even ends up running off the set of the movie. Kim Min-hee gets upset after being told that men do not find her attractive and Kim Ok-vin is miserable because she can’t fit into Kim Min-hee’s clothes. On top of that, Yoon Yeo-jeong insists she will not have any make-up put on her and Lee Mi-sook makes an appearance with her personal stylist in tow. With six stars who are all used to being at the center of the spotlight wherever they go, it is only natural that a catfight would ensue. So will the meeting -- or “Christmas nightmare” as one editor described it -- of these actresses end in peace? But the Q&A session among the six actresses, whose “casting process should have been made into a film,” as one said, was filled with laughter, warmth and straightforward remarks.

Q: “Actresses” is slightly different from usual movies in that the actors appear as themselves. What is it about?

Yoon Yeo-jeong (Yoon): The synopsis is that we are all cast for a fashion shoot on Christmas Eve. A group of six actresses who are in their twenties to sixties, and you may think this is quite strange because everyone is beautiful except for me. I think director E J-yong cast me because I was the only sixty-something actress that he knew. I got involved in this film while having a drink with Hyeon-jeong and the director. Ok-vin, how did you get involved?

Kim Ok-vin (Kim): I really wanted to meet with these great actresses and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Koh Hyeon-jeong (Koh): It was an honor for me to get to work with everyone, I loved it. It’s simply a miracle that the film got made and that we got to hold a press conference like this.

Q: In the trailer, there is serious tension between Ko Hyeon-jeong and Choi Ji-woo. Was it real or acted out?

Koh: Of course it was real.

Choi Ji-woo (Choi): We aren't on the best of terms. (laugh)

Koh: I wasn’t trying to start a fight, Ji-woo just seemed a bit overly sensitive.

Lee Mi-sook (Lee): Hyeon-jeong wasn’t that famous at the time [of the film’s shooting]. It was before she did [MBC TV series] “Queen Seon-deok”. (laugh) But Ji-woo was a big Hallyu star, so even I was a little self-conscious about that and Hyeon-jeong stepped forward. Everyone was surprised.

Koh: She made me angry. (laugh) It’s not like I said something too out of line, but it was a long time ago so I don’t remember exactly…

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Actress Lee Mi-sook [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: So when did you shoot the fighting scene?

Choi: It was the very first day of shooting. I had to shoot that scene on the first day that I met Koh. My heart was shaking and I couldn’t control my facial expressions. What you see on the screen is not acting. (laugh)

Koh: I was looking at her in the eye when I was saying my lines but I was bordering on my limit. And Ji-woo is very pretty, so I got jealous and I thought, ‘Heck, this is not a joke.’ We not on particularly bad terms but not particularly good either, so it came out the way things had been between us at the time of shooting.

Choi: But I was angry when she hit my forehead. (laugh)

Koh: I stopped there because I didn’t want to get in any legal trouble. (laugh) I actually wasn’t planning on doing that but actresses are simple-minded. So we started fighting and it was all the more intense because we are similar in height as well. (laugh)

Q: Besides Koh Hyeon-jeong, were any of you ever jealous of other actresses?

Kim Min-hee (Kim MH): In the film, the male make-up artist says that Kim Ok-vin is the type of woman that men like and that I’m the type that is not popular with men. I will admit to it, but I was still jealous. I was like, hey, I’m popular with men too. Hmmph. (laugh)

Q: Kim Ok-vin, how did you feel when you heard that?

Kim OV: It was a compliment, so I had no reason to feel bad. (laugh)

Q: In the interview video with the director, Lee Mi-sook says she thinks the world revolves around her. Is that true? (laugh)

Lee: I’ve known director E J-yong for ten years, so he knows me really well. When I was first offered the part, I said straight away that I would do it. But watching the video that was released today, I think I need to get a bit more serious. When we were shooting, we weren’t acting out our parts according to the scenario. We were just handed a situation and the actresses would talk about it for a couple of hours, and then the director would just turn on the camera and start filming us. (laugh) So I don’t really remember what I said in that situation. But I remember certain scenes upon watching the movie now. I think we think we really did talk from the bottom of our hearts.

Q: Then are you saying that the director did nothing after casting the actresses? (laugh)

E J-yong (E): Um.. you shouldn’t say it like that. (laugh) I want to make something different from the conventional movie. I had established the basic situations and conflicts for each character beforehand but since “Actresses” is a story about actresses, I thought it would be a lot more genuine if the story was delivered through their lips rather than being based on fiction that I created. I had prepared a certain space for them but many elements depended a lot on the skills and talents of the actresses.

Q: You had probably never portrayed your own self in a movie before, so how was the experience?

Kim MH: What was hard for me was that everyone had strong characters in the beginning, but I didn’t have anything to do. (laugh) I didn’t know how I should set the direction for myself. And I think I was intimidated by my co-stars. I started out thinking it would be fun and wasn't too worried but these ladies turned out to be quite something. So I became worried about what I should do and just hid in the background. (laugh) I think it was wise for me to do so. I’m the actress whom you'll see the most back shots of in the movie.

Q: What was it like working with these younger actresses who each represent their respective age groups?

Yoon: It was fun. Mi-sook says she doesn’t remember what she said in the movie, but that’s because she kept drinking champagne throughout the shoot. (laugh)

Lee: I really did drink and act out my scenes. And the director let us be whatever we did. I think the things that were said in the film are truly what actresses would want to say in real life. We weren’t talking to the screen, we were just having an honest conversations actress on actress.

Q: Was there any actress who turned out to be different from the first impression you had of her?

Yoon: I thought Ji-woo would be a shrewd because she’s pretty, but I loved her because she’s very nice and sweet. It was my first time meeting Ok-vin, but I knew she would be weird and alien-like. (laugh)

Kim OV: For me, Min-hee was different from my first impression I had of her. I thought she would be shy and quiet but I was surprised because she jokes around and laughs a lot.

Kim MH: I thought Yoon Yeo-jeong would be scary…

Yoon: Hey, I am scary.

Kim MH: I’m sorry to say this, but you weren’t scary at all. You were lovely. (laugh) She has a young mind so I felt very comfortable talking to you.

Lee: I had met Ji-woo for the first time and I thought she would start talking in Japanese. But she doesn’t speak Japanese that well. (laugh) I think this film could either be a big success or a big failure for Ji-woo. There were things that even her fellow actors had misunderstood about her and fortunately for Ji-woo, I think she must be relieved to able to show a new side of herself with this movie.

Choi: Honestly, I was cautious in the beginning. I had to reveal who I am, as Choi Ji-woo, so I was basically risking everything. But after I had a couple of conversations with the director and the actresses, I think I was able to break from my mold a little bit, though not entirely. So I don’t think I’ll have any regrets even if the movie crashes. (laugh)

Ko: There were surprising aspects to everyone. In the case of Ji-woo, she had courage. And she has a very clear sense of judgment. And there were many times I was grateful to her for that. As for Mi-sook, I was able to realize even more clearly why I like her and love her so much.

Q: What does the film “Actresses” mean to you being an actress?

Choi: I want to be called a real actress now. I have such ambitions and this movie holds very important meaning to me as the first stepping stone I'm taking as an actress.

Ko: I wanted to spend the most effective time with many actresses together. And there are many opportunities for male and female actors to get together, but not too many solely for actresses. So I wanted to see them up close, talk to them and help them. In that sense, I gained and learned a lot through this film. I hope that seeing all of us together will be like a huge gift-set for the viewers.

Kim MH: I agree with what Ji-woo said. I want to be regarded an actress too. Doing this movie and appearing alongside these great senior actresses is the biggest significance for me.

Lee: Actors are actually very wary of showing their true selves outside the characters they play but we trusted the director and we wanted to show that we too live our lives as normal people to a certain extent, and that we’re not just what the media portrays us to be.

Reporter : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr l Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@10asia.co.kr l Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> asiae.co.kr

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November 26, 2009

Korea's "Actresses" to be screened at Berlin film fest

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean movie "The Actresses," a film presenting the off-screen personas of the country's highest-profile actresses, has been invited to the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival, the movie's local promoter said Thursday.

The movie, bringing together six screen beauties including Korean Wave queen Choi Ji-woo and the Sitges fest-winning Kim Ok-vin, will be screened during the German festival's official Panorama section, Seoul's End Credit said.

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"Festival organizers said they expect the film to present a rare chance for the audience to view Korean cinema today through the voices of leading actresses," the promoter said in a press release.

Directed by Lee Jae-yong, the creator of "An Affair," the movie features six actresses who come together for a special fashion magazine shoot and face conflicts as they envy each other's beauty and fame. Each woman plays herself in the film which is waiting for a local release on Dec. 10.

The 60th Berlin film festival, one of the largest in Europe, will run Feb.11-21 with acclaimed German director Werner Herzog tapped as the president of the jury.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via english.yonhapnews.co.kr

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December 3, 2009

'Actresses' Is Sassy Mix of Fact, Fiction

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

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From left, actresses Choi Ji-woo, Kim Min-hee, Lee Mi-suk, Koh Hyun-jung,

Youn Yuh-jung and Kim Ok-vin star in E J-yong's new movie ``The Actresses.''

/ Courtesy of Showbox/Mediaplex

"There are three types of people: men, women and actresses," and "The Actresses" brings together not one but six heroines.

The third of E J-yong's creations to be invited to the Berlin International Film Festival, "The Actresses" tactfully endorses the movie's opening remark as it peeks into the glamorous ― and not-so-glamorous ― lives of screen beauties.

The unscripted, semi-improvisational film combines reality and fantasy, and the result is something sassy, perky and tastefully droll, though some of the in-jokes may get lost in translation for non-Korean viewers. "But you've got to understand! They're actresses, they cannot wait!" a staff member panics, as the jewelry that the actresses are supposed to wear in a Vogue magazine spread gets stuck in a snow storm en route from Japan.

It's Christmas Eve, and magazine crew members nervously drum fingers. They must deal with actresses who find themselves in an unprecedented situation: sharing the limelight with other household names.

Veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung, known for her endearing roles and less-than-perfect complexion, is irritated that she isn't fashionably late like the others, and cannot help feeling like a last-minute replacement for the glamour shoot.

Lee Mi-suk, though still considered a sex symbol at middle-age, speaks of her wish to retain her identity as a woman ― "Everyone ages but it's painful how actresses age under the public eye and are scrutinized for it," she says.

Hypersensitive hallyu "princess" Choi Ji-woon meanwhile, in a spur of obsessive compulsion, scrubs her makeup desk before settling down. And of course her arrival is never complete without a retinue of Japanese fans and a personal masseuse.

Koh Hyun-jung, a 1990s icon who recently returned to screens after a high profile divorce, cannot hide her jealousy toward Choi. Being the hot-tempered and brutally honest tomboy she is rumored to be, Koh starts picking a fight with Choi. The two are seen bickering and squealing like schoolgirls and Choi leaves the set in a huff ― ``This is totally like 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'!" says the Vogue editor, who also stars as herself in the movie.

The youngest actresses ― twiggy former model Kim Min-hee and the more curvaceous Kim Ok-vin ― find it hard not to compare each other, especially when a male staff member says that men prefer curvy women. E said he simply provided the basis for conflict and the leading ladies took it from there, improvising parts scene-by-scene. The six ladies, varying in age from 20s to 60s, clearly assume exaggerated personas that reflect some degree of popular belief. And issues that are raised, such as the touchy politics of dress size, are rather expected.

But apart from capitalizing on the reputation of the cast, it also relies on "classic" forms of "entertainment," such as cat fights and juicy gossip, to draw in viewers ― and it works surprisingly well as one is kept wondering whether the situation is real or not. And it could not have been complete without the fine attention to minute detail and crafty editing E is known for.

The film will be featured in the Berlinale's non-competitive Panorama section, which screens 18 works that are considered to have both artistic and commercial merits. It hits local theaters Dec. 10. Distributed by Showbox/Mediaplex.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

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