Uhm Jung Hwa 엄정화

[Guest mandalaywith]

Uhm Jung Hwa is one of my like singer.

this years album 디스코(d.i.s.c.o.) song is Best.

huangsy you make her forums.great.job.^^

[Guest mi23]

:rolleyes: , oh I like UJH, in get karl. I love her eye. she's very beautiful in her age

[Guest huangsy]

20 Dec 2008 MBC's Infinity Challenge

[rubie]

April 25, 2009

Uhm Jung-hwa on Playing Ruthless in New Film

Uhm Jung-hwa

Singer and actress Uhm Jung-hwa is a powerful mover and shaker in the art world who does not hesitate to get involved in faking and smuggling of art in the movie "Insadong Scandal," which will be released on April 30. A cold-blooded greedy, ferocious woman in the movie, Uhm in person is gentle and affable.

"I wanted to play this character because it was something new, something that I hadn't done before," she says. "I was hesitant at first because the character was so different from what I really am, but I liked the script: it was interesting with a unique plot."

She says she had to think hard about the makeup, hairstyle, and fashion to best represent the character. "I had to be a woman who dresses up not to look pretty but to dominate. I had to represent a sexy woman whom people wouldn’t dare to approach."

Asked if she is proud to be successful in both singing and acting, Uhm said, "I wouldn't say I achieved something yet. I'm still active in both professions, so I think I'm in the process of attaining something. One of my dreams is to be a really good actress in a really good film. But I also want to have a long career as a singer and continue to play the music that I really love."

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

[Guest riehae]

I love her movies.

She is really good at those.

It's good that she has become a successful movie actress.

[Guest sayroo]

Upcoming drama with Ji Jin Hee and Kim So Eun soompi thread:

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=290096

[Guest antinh85]

omg... i can't believe this thread only has two page.. I quess she doesn't have any fans in here. I find to be a very talented actress.She can plays alot of roles. Though she's older now, she's still good. Even though plastic surgery made her not as beautiful anymore.

She really should get marry soon, she's almost 40 right? She's been in this industry for so long.

Looking forward for her new drama with Ji jin hee. She's the main lead right? hopefully it will be sucessful.

[Guest riehae]

It would've been better if she was seen in more dramas than movies.

But I guess, she's more of a movie star than just an actress.

[Guest kev07]

i am in love with her thanks to he who can't marry

[Guest lovehunter12]

She's perffecttt: an actress and singer!!

[Guest valley girl]

Cred labelled , link

god what kind of campaign is this hahahhaha.. HOttie all of them are here .. that are

김주혁, 김태희, 김하늘, 박중훈, 송강호, 신민아, 안성기, 엄정화, 장동건, 정우성, 하지원, 현빈

kim joo hyuk, kim tae hee, kim ha neul, Park Jung hoon, Song Kang Ho, shin min ah, Ahn Seung Gi, Eom Jung hwa, Jang Dong gun, Jung woo sung, Ha ji Won and Hyun bin

Anti-campaign on illegal downloading

The 12 leading actors in the film industry gathered here under one roof in a studio in Gangnam for a CFshoot, they will participated in the filming of the Cf and campaign.

as the popularity of the best-known film star this 12 actors, their name alone gives credibility to represent the The Republic of Korea for this campaign. Ahn Sung Ki chairman with Park Jung Hoon and the 10-members gathered in the studio in Gangnam. the theme of the campaign is a measure calls for lawmakers to ensure the public's attitude to undermine the seriousness of piracy and the need for improving the desperate situation in the film industry in Korea.

As well as to promote 'Good downloader Campaign' downloading for the correct purpose.

The CF will be in early October in all theaters, cable TV, online and will be screened during the Pusan International Film Festival ..

[Denali]

omg... i can't believe this thread only has two page.. I quess she doesn't have any fans in here. I find to be a very talented actress.She can plays alot of roles. Though she's older now, she's still good. Even though plastic surgery made her not as beautiful anymore.

Ditto to your words.

After seeing a few minutes of her in the k-drama "He who can't marry", finding her acting skills interesting, I stumbled upon "Seducing Mr Perfect". Although her oral English needed some improvement back then (still?), she performed rather convincingly, IMO - and Daniel Henney, too, by the way after his not-so-convincing beginnings in "Goong". From then on, watching UJH has been a delight, whether in "Mr Handy" or "My piano". Loved her in these movies!!! And the stories, too, of course. :blush:

Maybe fans write more on her thread in the "Korean music" forum?

[rubie]

March 19, 2010

Eom transforms herself again

Film is another guise for the multitalented ‘Korean Madonna’

Eom Jung-hwa portrays a nervous author involved in a series of plagiarism scandals in “Bestseller,”

coming to local theaters April 15. Provided by Lemon Tree

Korea’s entertainment industry experts love to nickname local stars after Hollywood celebrities. It’s a surefire way to attract the public’s attention. A young teen in an idol group who can dance and sing might be called “the Korean Justin Timberlake” or a skillful child actor who can burst into tears on demand is dubbed “Korea’s Dakota Fanning,” even though Fanning is all grown up now.

These would-be stars often fail to live up to their namesakes. But Eom Jeong-hwa - known as the “Korean Madonna” - may be the exception. Eom is unafraid of transforming herself for a screen role - her characters have included a devoted wife, a lesbian, a single woman who wants to have a baby - while on stage, she sings disco with her hair in a bob, wearing skin-tight leather tops and shorts at the age of 41. She also loves to stir up controversy: Eom was the first local singer to appear in public in her underwear.

A favorite of the public and paparazzi alike, Eom has been an A-list screen darling for almost two decades, and she has 10 albums under her belt - every one producing at least one hit. No other Korean star has juggled acting and singing careers as successfully, or for as long, as Eom has. This spring, Eom plays the role of a hysterical author involved in a plagiarism scandal in her new film “Bestseller,” to be released next month.

In order to play the role, Eom, who calls herself a gourmet, went on a diet and shed about seven kilograms (15 pounds). “I’m not the type of person who easily slims down, but I had to do so to add reality to this nervous and hysterical character, because people who often get stressed out or sensitive are usually thin. So I walked on the treadmill for 100 minutes per day and ate protein instead of carbohydrates,” Eom said at a recent press conference in central Seoul.

To see her in this role, it’s hard to believe the soft-spoken and amiable Eom was once a regular in romantic comedies. The effort to expand the scope of her film career began when she played a serial killer in “Princess Aurora” in 2005. That film convinced Bestseller director Lee Jeong-ho that Eom was right for the job. “I think Eom is the best and smartest actress in Korea, interpreting and understanding her roles better than other Korean actresses,” he said.

Although Eom still feels more comfortable with romantic comedies, she said she was hooked by the script of Bestseller after reading only a few pages. “When I do romantic comedies, I feel like I’m loved by many people, and it makes me feel good. But I think there is a different level of pleasure when I film thrillers. My eyes and facial expressions are gloomy and dark when I do thrillers,” she said.

“The action scenes were really tough but really fun. I don’t think I’ll be able to forget the moment when I climbed up to a rooftop wearing seven-centimeter (2.8-inch) high heels. The director might not know, but I cried on the rooftop,” Eom said, laughing.

Eom’s co-star Ryu Seung-ryong, also at the press conference, predicted the film would be a turning point in Eom’s acting career. The actress herself was less sure. “The audience will judge whether this is going to be my turning point or not, but one sure thing is that I found myself enjoying every single scene during production,” Eom said.

Bestseller is slated to open on April 15.

By Sung So-young [so@joongang.co.kr] via joongangdaily.joins.com / poster from news.nate.com

[Guest enzef]

Woah, I didn't know there's an UJW thread here. Anyways, I love her in HWCM. After watching that series I searched for her past acting works and songs. She's really a great actress. I'm excited for her new movie!

[rubie]

April 1, 2010

[PHOTO] Uhm Jung-hwa attends "Bestseller" press conference

Photographer.Park Sung-Ki Editor.Jessica Kim

Actor Ryu Seung-ryong and actress Uhm Jung-hwa [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

From left, actor Ryu Seung-ryong and actress Uhm Jung-hwa pose during a press conference for film "Bestseller" held at a CJ CGV theater in Seoul, South Korea on March 30, 2010.

Actress Uhm Jung-hwa [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

Actress Uhm Jung-hwa weeps at a press screening for film "Bestseller" held at a CJ CGV theater in Seoul, South Korea on March 30, 2010. Choi Jin-young, the younger brother of the late actress Choi Jin-sil who was one of her closest friends, had committed suicide the previous day after suffering from depression.

Photographer: Park Sung-Ki musictok@asiae.co.kr Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr / 10.asiae.co.kr

[rubie]

April 1, 2010

Uhm Jung-hwa wants "a husband like Ryu Seung-ryong"

Editor.Lee Ji-Hye, Lynn Kim

(From left) Actors Ryu Seung-ryong, Uhm Jung-hwa and director Lee Jeong-ho of film "Bestseller" [Echo Film]

Press conference for film "Bestseller"

The film is scary, sad yet cruel. Many emotions were felt in the film "Bestseller" which was revealed at the press screening held on March 30. Because the many incidents surrounding and swallowing up the bestseller writer Baek Hee-soo (played by Uhm Jung-hwa) stretched into various genres such as thriller, mystery and action. Baek Hee-soo, who is suffering from suspicions of plagiarism, overcomes a slump and publishes her new book. But it also gets caught up in a plagiarism controversy and a strange vibe hangs in the air of the country house where she wrote the book. Despite being a horror movie, the film hangs on to its mystery elements and at the same time, does not give up being a drama either, just as the director "wanted to pour various genres such as a house horror, mystery and thriller into a single film like water flowing." And the film squeezes the story without attempting to force a shocking twist -- a common mistake easily made by Korean thriller and horror films. Actress Uhm Jung-hwa, who maintains her realistic touch while going back and forth from schizophrenia and hysteria, pulls off her part as the film's sole lead. And the balanced and seasoned acting from every main and supporting actor is impressive as well. Below is an excerpt from the Q&A session held after the screening.

Q: A variety of stories such as plagiarism, murder and mystery appear in the film "Bestseller". What part did you focus on the most when you were making the film?

Director Lee Jeong-ho (Lee): The film is about a writer who searches for the truth after she goes through things that she cannot believe herself. In the second half of the film, when the memories or forgotten memories of each character are revealed, I tried to make those circumstances feel like something that could happen in real life.

Q: You got a positive review when you lead the story in your previous film "Aurora Princess" You are also standing at the center of the movie "Bestseller". I think this could have motivated you to think differently about acting but also pressured you.

Korean actress Uhm Jung-hwa [Echo Film]

Uhm Jung-hwa (Uhm): I am a little worried now that the movie is going to open. (laugh) But I am going to have faith in the movie and not be scared because I believe the film's story is something that viewers can enjoy relating to. I am so happy that I can make this kind of movie, and I wanted to work hard on it. My character Soon-jung in "Aurora Princess" was a mother who lost her daughter, so there was a sadness underlying all her emotions. But Hee-soo in "Bestseller" is a woman whose own desire, the desire to write, is bigger than anything else. In fact, I could actually compare the character to myself, thinking about the time when I can't work or wondering how it would feel to experience something that is mentally hard, like being accused of plagiarism. So in this film, I could actually enjoy myself even when work was hard.

Q: Many set-ups in the movie remind me of horror movies like "1024" or "Silent Hill". Plagiarism appears as an important motif in the film, and I don't think the film could be completely free from that accusation.

Lee: I actually expected to be asked this question when i was first planning the film. I worried about this a lot when I was writing the scenario and I think there are so-called cliches in the film. I haven't seen the film "1024" or how the village looks in "Silent Hill" but if you say those little details are plagiarism, I don't think they are. There is a basic rule and movement flow in genre films like thrillers, horror and mystery movies. I used a lot those so-called cliches in this movie. There is a dialogue in the movie about plagiarism, and I believe plagiarism is something that stands at the borderline of whether one's previous memories can come out as one's own idea through his unconsciousness without one realizing that he is doing something consciously or unconsciously. Theoretically, it can be categorized as two things but I think it is impossible to distinguish in reality. It seems irresponsible but only the person himself would know and I think it is up to his conscience.

Q: It must have been exhausting for the actors both psychologically and physically to act out incidents and stories that happen in a remote countryside village.

Actor Ryu Seung-ryong [Echo Film]

Lee: All the scenes were difficult and draining. As you can see, there are various genres placed in the fim. I worked the hardest on making all the different genres flow, like water, into one movie. Personally, my favorite scene is when -- about halfway into the film -- Baek Hee-soo realizes the real reason that she has not been able to write for two years. The energy that actress Uhm Jung-hwa had when we shot that scene -- it was so impressive that I almost cried. The action scenes in the second half of the movie was physically exhausting. I put in great effort to shoot the process starting from how each trauma of several characters in the basement explodes under the supernatural energy inside the house and how it builds into a total chaos. That was probably the most exhausting scene for the actors.

Uhm: The underwater scenes were very difficult too. It was hard to hold my breath for a long time and I was so terrified when I first went into the water. But I am disappointed because they came out dark in the film. (laugh) The fight scenes were physically exhausting too. For the scenes inside the country house, it was hard every time I had to feel fear of the vibe of the house and express the feeling of being with my daughter.

Ryu Seung-ryong (Ryu): This is just a tip of the iceberg compared to Uhm Jung-hwa but shooting the underwater scene was difficult because I has claustrophobia. Compared to me, Uhm Jung-hwa is a mermaid. (laugh) It was also hard to watch Bae Hee-soo sobbing when she is talking to her psychiatrist. It was heartbreaking to see her dried-up cry, such a sad cry that she couldn't even shed tears.

Q: The role of actresses is getting smaller and smaller in Korean films nowadays. Weren't you worried when you chose a sole female lead for Uhm Jung-hwa?

"Bestseller" director Lee Jeong-ho [Echo Film]

Lee: Even this year, so many films with male leads are opening one after another. But "Bestseller" had a female lead right from the start. I chose to have a female writer because the anxious emotions and mother instincts of women play a big part in the story rather than emotions felt by men. And from the film "Princess Aurora", I realized that Uhm Jung-hwa has a whole different side to her as an actress, beyond the female lead image in romantic comedy movie she had. When I was planning the movie, I thought she and I could find yet another different side to her if we worked together. There are limitations that actresses have in every genre, but Uhm Jung-hwa is one of the few actresses who can break down the boundaries of genre.

Q: You have an unusually many fight scenes with men in the movie. Who was the most difficult to fight with?

Uhm: Actually it was Ryu Seung-ryong, who played my husband. (laugh) In the scene where he is rescuing Hee-soo after she drowns, it really hurt when he was doing CPR on me. And I got slapped and my nose even started to bleed. But when I was shooting this film, I felt for the first time how reassuring it was to have a co-star like him. I even thought it would be great to have a husband like him. (laugh)

Q: The ending credits say that actress Choi Gang-hee lent her voice in the film.

Lee: Choi Gang-hee was personally close with the film's producer and I was interested in her ever since the script for "Bestseller" first came out. She offered to help if there was anything she could do during post-production and gladly accepted to lend her voice in the film. She provided voice-overs for the whispering voices inside the house surrounding Baek Hee-soo. We put in a lot of special effects so it won't be easy for viewers to understand, but we just tried it anyway.

Q: Recently, many Korean films opened in theaters claiming to be thrillers. If you could say one thing to the viewers who will watch "Bestseller"?

Lee: There have been many thriller films but we wanted to differentiate our movie. We focused on making various genres in this film penetrate through the character Baek Hee-soo on a wholistic level of the film. It breaks away a little from existing traditional thrillers, and I think it is a film where you can eat various ingredients so I hope the audience has fun watching it.

Ryu: I think our movie is going to be a bit of a fresh shock. I am confident that the film will reap a lot of rewards in many aspects. There aren't many Korean movies opening in April and I hope it does really well.

Reporter : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

[rubie]

April 7, 2010

Uhm Jung Hwa won’t let her age stop her

by shockimpulse

During her appearance on on MBC’s Golden Fishery, singer-actress Uhm Jung Hwa talked about her age and how it has affected her career as a dance singer.

On the show she said,

“When most artists turned 30, they all seem to go into ballad. I think that, because there weren’t many artists over 30 back then, I received a lot of negative comments. People would say things like, “She doesn’t know how to act her age” and, “She’s that old and she comes out looking like that?” and I began to ponder whether or not I should quit.”

Uhm Jung Hwa then talked about Korean sex icon Lee Hyori, saying, “Looking at Lee Hyori right now, I think, ‘She’s aged too… She’s old too,’ but even though she’s 30 or 31, she looks young. But then I asked myself, ‘What about me?’”

However, despite what people say, Uhm Jung Hwa says she won’t let her fans down and will continue to do what she loves. “Because of comments like those, I sometimes regret what I do,” she said. “I wish my peers would not say such things. But because my fans have cheered me on, I do not want to quit as a dance artist. However, I am a bit sad that there are not that many seasoned artists nowadays.”

More power to you Uhm Jung Hwa! Despite what people say, this woman is here to stay. Even at the seasoned age of 41, the singer will do the dance and the disco. After all, she has been dubbed as “the Madonna of Korea.”

Source: allkpop.com

[rubie]

April 12, 2010

Korean film "Bestseller" in talks for Hollywood remake

Reporter.Lynn Kim Editor.Jessica Kim

Official poster for Korean film "Bestseller" starring Uhm Jung-hwa [Daisy Entertainment]

Korean film "Bestseller" is already in discussions for a Hollywood remake prior to its local release on Thursday, according to the film's production company Daisy Entertainment on Monday.

Daisy explained in a press release that they have been contacted by U.S. film production company Vertigo Entertainment, who offered to buy remake copyrights for the thriller pic.

Vertigo is owned by Roy Lee, a Korean-American movie producer who is known for turning Asian hit films into Hollywood remakes. Some of his successful re-productions include "The Ring" (2002), "The Grudge" (2004), "My Sassy Girl" (2008), "The Uninvited" (2009) and the Oscar-winning "The Departed" (2006), which Martin Scorsese directed based on the hit Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs".

"Bestseller", which stars Korean singer and actress Uhm Jung-hwa, is about a successful novelist who becomes accused of plagiarism and hears voices in a remote cabin she escapes to.

The film is scheduled for release in Korea on April 15.

Reporter: Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

[rubie]

April 19, 2010

Weekend Box Office: April 16-18

Reporter.Lucia Hong

South Korea's box office estimates for the weekend of April 16-18, 2010 [Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS)]

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

"Titans" stomps on competition for 3rd box office win

Reporter.Lucia Hong Editor.Jessica Kim

Hollywood blockbuster "Clash of the Titans" cleared out all competition over the weekend, placing on top of the local box office once again to take its third consecutive win.

Estimates by the Korean Box Office System (KOBIS) released on Monday revealed that "Titans" sold 253,072 tickets during the weekend of April 16 to 18 to remain the most-watched movie in the country.

"Titans," starring famed actors Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes, is about the story of the fight between man and the gods set in the Greek city of Argos.

Newly released Korean thriller "Bestseller," starring Uhm Jung-hwa, bowed into the box office in No. 2 with 201,758 viewers, which pushed back murder comedy tentatively titled "Hi Murder" to third place with 112,190 admits.

Meanwhile, Denzel Washington's new action thriller "The Book of Eli" and Sandra Bullock's drama "The Blind Side" successfully entered into the box office in fourth and fifth place with 95,808 and 73,492 admissions each. Other movies in the top 10 were "Pistol Bandit Band," "The Bounty Hunter," "The Crazies," "Leap Year" and "A Little Pond."

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

[rubie]

April 23, 2010

Jumble of genres won’t make this film a ‘Bestseller’

[Jainnie's Cine Korea]

Uhm Jung-hwa plays an author accused of plagiarism in “Bestseller.”

Provided by Daisy Entertainment

When a friend asked what kind of film “Bestseller” is, I found myself hesitating.

It starts out as a thriller-drama, about a bestselling author who falls under suspicion of plagiarism. Then it steps into the horror film territory midway, and finally finishes like an action flick.

This feature-length debut by director Lee Jeong-ho has grand ambitions, and they are the film’s greatest strength and weakness.Despite the slump in the local movie sector, more than 4 billion won ($3.6 million) was spent on this film. Prominent actress Uhm Jung-hwa plays the tortured author, giving one of her most memorable performances to date.

When rumors begin to swirl that Baek Hui-su (Uhm) plagiarized her last book, her life starts to unravel, her relationships with her husband and daughter most of all. At the suggestion of her publisher, Hui-su decides to go with her daughter to a deserted mansion in a rural village to complete her next book in peace. Hui-su’s daughter tells her about an invisible woman in the house who speaks to her, and Hui-su decides to base her next book on her daughter’s version of what the woman said. When Hui-su’s book is published, she is again suspected of plagiarism, driving her to find out who exactly her daughter was talking to.

From the subject matter to the hard-boiled visuals, Bestseller is edgy and masculine. The pace is fast, even abrupt, with a clear, sturdy beginning, middle and end. Although there are many horror or thriller cliches in the film - a haunted house inside a deserted forest, a ghost and a main character with a dark past - the director manages to make them seem relatively fresh with unpredictable editing and genre-mixing. Instead of relying on sleek, sophisticated visuals like many Korean thrillers have lately, the transition between each cut in Bestseller is rough and fast-paced.

Considering its subject, plagiarism, has haunted the entertainment industry in Korea in recent years, addressing it in a cross-genre film like this one might have been a gutsy move. Unfortunately, these themes turn out to be mere props in an overcomplicated plot. Although Uhm delivers a solid performance as the author struggling to hold onto her sanity and her family, her acting doesn’t save the narrative from feeling fragmented. By the time the audience is about ready to engage the subject of plagiarism and the author’s torment, the film transforms all of a sudden into a tale about a modern-day mother who feels guilty for not spending enough time with her daughter.

In fact, there is little philosophical insight into plagiarism or the disintegration of the modern family. These themes are incidental, and aren’t given enough time to ripen during the film. In the end, the audience is left feeling that the plagiarism angle is just another marketing hook. It’s a shame, too. Director Lee had a real chance to take a leap into the unexpected - too rare in cinema these days.

By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.joins.com