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caroline

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    [drama 2008] Powerful Opponents (강적들)

    in k-dramas & movies

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    My vote is for YJ & GP.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I love GP!.... He has a certain aura surrounding him... :wub:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Bae Yong Joon 배용준

    in actors & actresses

    Posted

    BANGKOK POST

    horizons - 10th November 2005

    Korean autumn

    Film locations an emerging tourist draw for Asian visitors

    Story and photos by Karnjana Karnjantawe

    101105_hor01.jpg

    Gwongeunseong Fortress, 860 metres above sea level, offers excellent view.

    101105_hor02.jpg

    101105_hor02.jpg

    A visitor scans pictures of movie idols on show at a Samchok hotel.

    101105_hor30.jpg

    A scenic stretch of land along the road that connects Seoul and Donghae city.

    Samchok is a suburb of the coastal city of Donghae, about four hours drive east of Seoul. It was not a popular tourist destination until the middle of this year after a spate of Korean films like April Snow rolled out across Asia and endeared themselves to viewers with their heart-touching plots matched by beautiful natural scenery.

    Korean films have a significant audience overseas - including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and most of Southeast Asia and the Far East - and authorities in South Korea are trying to cash in on their popularity by presenting film locations as tourist attractions.

    On a recent visit there I came across a Japanese couple in their 40s. When our tour guide asked what drew them to Samchok, they didn't hesitate for one moment before replying, "We want to retrace the footsteps of Bae Yong-joon", the lead actor in April Snow. The movie was shot between February-June this year with Son Ye-jin his opposite number.

    During the shooting the duo stayed at Hotel Palace. Sang-Min Kim, its general manager, said, "They also shot a love scene in our hotel."

    The rooms in which they stayed are decorated with pictures and costumes they wore during the film's shooting. The hotel offers tours of these rooms, including the personal gym it had to put in place for the Korean heart-throb. In addition, a book titled How to Build Body (like Bae) in 100 Days is on sale at the hotel's souvenir shop.

    It charges 25,000 won (783 baht) for a tour. If you want to stay in the room where Bae stayed during the filming, the rate is US$1,000 (41,000 baht) per night, which is much more than what the hotel charges for a suite - US$600 per night.

    "His room has a special rate," said Dong-Hwan Kim, its food and beverage manager, who walked us around the premises. Unit 1601 was spacious: the living room had a complete set of home theatre with a giant flat TV screen, king-size bed, personal sauna and jacuzzi. That prompted us to ask how often it was booked, to which Mr Kim said: "From time to time and the guests were generally Japanese women."

    101105_hor03.jpg

    The popular ginkgo path on Nami Island.

    Since the release of April Snow demand for hotel booking has risen 15 percent, but Mr Kim was not happy with the increase, saying it was below expectation. The reason could be that there is another hotel nearby competing for attention.

    This five-storey hotel also served as a location for the movie and it charges 10,000 won (313 baht) for a tour.

    Its manager Chung Young Boun said, "We have retained the look of the room just the way it was when the movie was shot."

    Items of daily use such as comb, after shave, the bedside electric lamp and desk, a long coat, and a packet of Bae's favourite cigarettes are elaborately displayed. He's a chain-smoker, we're told. Also on show is a copy of the movie script.

    "Pictures of Bae are available for sale. Normally, we give out a picture of his to visitors as souvenir," said Mr Chung, adding the room in which Bae stayed does not take guests; it's strictly there for visiting.

    Apart from the two hotels Samchok has other attractions such as the Jukseoru, a 600-year-old wooden pavilion built in 1405 and surrounded by rough cliffs and rare-looking rocks.

    For the record, Samchok boasts of the second biggest cement plant in South Korea. It is essentially a fishing and farming community fed by cool breeze at this time of the year. It's full of lively shops, cafes and restaurants - some of which feature in April Snow - that proudly proclaim their part via bold signs erected or hung in front of them.

    Spring to Autumn

    101105_hor42.jpg

    A free-flowing stream surrounded by flowering shrubs and trees present different shades of the Korean autumn.

    Sokcho, a fishing town, is another destination popular among Asian tourists. It was the location for TV drama, Autumn in My Heart starring Won Bin and Song Hyegyo.

    The shooting revolved around a small grocery in Abai Village in Cehongho-dong and now the store and nearby restaurants are tourist stops, as well as Gaetbae ferry service that has been operating for almost 100 years. The ferry is powered manually via a system of ropes across a 50-metre channel that separates Abai and downtown Jungang-dong. Passengers are welcome to join the exercise, which is fun.

    Abai is also home to North Koreans who fled war and escaped south. It's marked by small brick houses, while dried squids are a common sight along the streets and its white, sandy beach.

    Sokcho serves as a base for those keen to explore 163 square-kilometers Seoraksan National Park, a natural habitat for rare plants and fauna, and self-sustaining ecosystem that was singled out for conservation by Unesco as far back as 1982.

    Kim Eun Jung, a local tourism official, said Korean people love to visit the park in autumn when the mountains are covered in natural hues of red and yellow, and cool breeze blows across them.

    The popular choice is to take the cable car to Gwongeunseong Fortress, 860 metres above the sea level, for a panoramic view of Sokcho.

    According to local folklore, the fortress was built in 1253 by King Gojong who had a 2.1-kilometre-long caster built overnight to fend off Mongol troops. Only traces of the caster remain today.

    A short walk from the fortress is Allakam Temple where stands a 1,300 year-old pine tree.

    Autumn to Winter

    It is not only April Snow and Autumn in My Heart that are popular among Asian travellers. Three years ago Winter Sonata - in Thailand known as Winter Love Song - was released and it continues to pull in visitors even today. It had Bae Yong-joon in the lead role.

    It was shot on Nami, a privately owned island 63 kilometres north of Seoul that was developed by millionaire businessman Min Byung-do back in 1965. These days it is ideal for family picnics and attracts youths who like to go there camping.

    According to Alex, our guide, it's also the preferred choice of Japanese tourists, especially admirers of Winter Sonata , who want to see and experience for themselves the locations featured in the romance movie.

    You will see a pair of small white dolls as in the TV series, a ginkgo path, a shade of pine trees as well as bronze casts of leading stars in the movie.

    The island is not big but full of variety. For children, there is a playground, while bikers can pedal along the coast. It also offers a choice of food and accommodation.

    Winter Sonata has brought additional income to the owner of a house which was the residence of the leading actor in the TV series.

    Previously admission was free, but the owner decided to charge a fee after more and more people came knocking on his door for a look-see. The fee is 5,000 won (156 baht).

    Everyday, two volunteers who speak better Japanese than English, greet visitors at the entrance. They encourage visitors to wear wigs and re-enact scenes from the TV series. In its neighbourhood are other houses that sell souvenirs. Many tourists also travel to the school where the hero and the heroine first met in the movie.

    Winter Sonata was also shot in Yongpyong, a ski resort in the Balwang mountains, 750 metres above sea level. It is 200 kilometres east of Seoul in Kangwon Province and boasts of 31 ski slopes. With an average 250 centimetres of snowfall a year, the ski season there runs from end of November to March.

    For those who are not into skiing, Yongpyong offers a fantastic view of the mountain scenery which they can enjoy by sipping hot brew served in cups bearing the photo of their favourite actors or actresses.

    South Korea may not be a big country but it stands out for its cultural and geographical diversity. And even if you are not a fan of Korean films, you will still marvel at its natural beauty.

    Bae Yong Joon 배용준

    in actors & actresses

    Posted

    briefly~ So JiSub to Join BOF (from sportshankook article)

    posted by yokee in quilt

    good morning...

    u know i cant trans anything so just to let u know briefly a news i found to be good

    (oh dear is my english correct? :P)

    So JiSub will be part of BOF from next year onwards after his military service

    ok..i think he's cute too hehe n of cos he's a good actor esp in Misa.

    well thats all from me know...don worry i know one of the unnis will trans the news later.

    have a good day ^^

    Wow!!... That's good news! :D . ..So Ji Sup is one of my faves too!... ;)

    Bae Yong Joon 배용준

    in actors & actresses

    Posted

    Hi Caroline and Sara,

    How was your long holidays? Thanks for the Star's article. In today's society people can describe as even the adultery has become beautiful. Are we becoming wierdos? How will our children grow up in such a situation if we accept adultery is beautiful? :blink: We all know that there are countless adultery cases everywhere in our daily life that never come to the surface. Why don't they come up to the surface? We have children, inlaws, brothers, sisters, extended relatives and friends, etc that live together surrounding us witout forgetting religion. Not like Insoo and Seo Yeong an isolated 2 people from 2 broken couples without any attachments , too convinient to do whatever they want at any time. I do hope that the parties who parctice the similar senario would not go into the same direction after they watch the movie. Who knows? This movie might be a useful example in court rulings one day.

    Hi Del! I had a nice holiday :) Hope that you will watch April Snow soon ya?! :D

    Sara, you saw it again in KL?...wah...I wanna go to KL and Penang to see April Snow and who knows I may be lucky enough to see Daniel who might be there too! hahaha!! ... MIMPI... :P

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