Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

[Guest kimchibabe]

for here there is heart, here there is soul...

a line or two, a clip shared makes this thread come alive

i come here to share, i come here to receive what's new

i come here to be a part..and that makes my day complete.

Have a great week everyone!

[Guest TY_KSW]

SYJ has been typecasted to be a sweet demure leading lady but you know very well by the way she acts that she's capable of doing so much more. KTH, on the other hand, had tried all types of genre but it seems there is little change in the way she acts. As an intelligence officer, BH's leading lady may not need to do too much action. If given a choice, I'd rather have Ha Ji won if there are action sequences that need to be done. She's very good in DAMO while I cant say the same for KTH in 9-tailed fox.

agreed with you on Ha Ji Won if i had right to cast...

but HJW will be a lead lady opposite KSW in the coming movie shooting in November...

anyway, seem we are greedy, we always wish Hunnie to comeback drama... Now he does! thats all for us! it cant be requested more...

Aish, last time we just prayed for this comeback without including his fine co-star! The God just answer our pray for that!

[rubie]

CONGRATS TO DIR. KIM JEE WOON & GBW!

Thanks to the highlight by Todd Brown at Twitchfilm.net

October 13, 2008

2008 SITGES Winners Announced!

OFFICIAL FANTÀSTIC

JURY

Marina Anna Eich, Àlex Gorina, Umberto Lenzi, David Pirie, Fred Williamson

Best Motion Picture

Surveillance by Jennifer Lynch

Special Jury Award

Eden Lake by James Watkins

BEST DIRECTOR - Kim Jee-woon for The Good, The Bad, The Weird

Best Actor

Brian Cox for Red

Best Actress

Semra Turan for Fighter

Best Script

Alexis Alexiou for Tale 52

Best Cinematography

Angus Hudson for The Broken

Best Production Design

Tulé Peak for Blindness

Best Make Up FX

Bendit Lestang & Adrien Morot for Martyrs

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS - Kim Wook for The Good, The Bad, The Weird

Best Original Soundtrack

Kenji Kawai for The Sky Crawlers

Best Short Film

Next Floor by Denis Villeneuve

Jury Special Mention to the Shortfilm

Centigrade by Collin Cunningham

Source: cinemasitges.com

Orient Express-Casa Àsia Award goes to The Chaser

JURY

Todd Brown, Xavi Sánchez Pons, Carles Arenes

BEST MOTION PICTURE - The Chaser by Na Hong-jin

Source: cinemasitges.com

[Carmina]

LOL Isnt abandoning the Iris thread and not patronizing the drama, Iris a bit too much just becoz of KTH?

Iris is a mega production and whatever KTH may lack can be masked by the sterling performances of people around her, notably LBH. Besides, what matters most is the story. Let's face it.... IRIS = LBH.

armin dear, it's understandable that ppl will get disappointed initially. It's like giving you the i-phone that you longed for only to get it back after a few minutes and replace it with a Nokia 3210. hahahaha!!!

SYJ has been typecasted to be a sweet demure leading lady but you know very well by the way she acts that she's capable of doing so much more. KTH, on the other hand, had tried all types of genre but it seems there is little change in the way she acts. As an intelligence officer, BH's leading lady may not need to do too much action. If given a choice, I'd rather have Ha Ji won if there are action sequences that need to be done. She's very good in DAMO while I cant say the same for KTH in 9-tailed fox.

Yes of course ... SYJ can do action but as I envisioned her, she's the gentle very fragile Haewon to me ... I admire this young lady & she'll always be one of my favorites. It's sad she's out of Iris ... in fact my intention to watch every episode of this BH drama is reinforced by her inclusion in the cast ... I was asking rubie if it will be aired via KBS World & if indeed it will, I will be one of those who will follow it every step of the way till the finale. But .... as it is even without Ye Jin, I'm sure Iris will be more than worth watching ... it's BH afterall we'd like to see act first & foremost.

KTH should be given the chance to experience that rare opportunity to work with an A-lister in Korean drama. Who knows BH might be able to bring out the best in her as an actress.

I also had Ha Ji Won in mind ... same same impression about her talent as a versatile actress.

[rubie]

Whether it's 0.5 or 5 or 55 or 99.5% anxiety feeling persisting over what would, could or should have been IRIS' most anticipated intro.. it's already a closed case.. the stage has been set.

If the new pairing of LBH and KTH burns the small screen (in a good way).. that'll be a surprise treat for us hopeless romantics. :blush: But if it doesn't.. there's nothing to lose as right from the start.. we wouldn't expect more. Only BH for us.

[rubie]

[YTNSTAR] 13th PIFF - GBW News clip

http://nv.empas.com/ys/2008/10/13/200810131053175715.wmv

Source: news.empas.com

[Guest ellabel]

agreed with you on Ha Ji Won if i had right to cast...

but HJW will be a lead lady opposite KSW in the coming movie shooting in November...

anyway, seem we are greedy, we always wish Hunnie to comeback drama... Now he does! thats all for us! it cant be requested more...

Aish, last time we just prayed for this comeback without including his fine co-star! The God just answer our pray for that!

Yeah, i guess we cant be greedy, right Ty.

It was already a surprise treat to see BH in a drama once again. I'm sure BH will sizzle once again on the screen and we will not be disappointed with what he has to offer.

So.... HJW is again collaborating with KSW..... good!

Yes of course ... SYJ can do action but as I envisioned her, she's the gentle very fragile Haewon to me ... I admire this young lady & she'll always be one of my favorites. It's sad she's out of Iris ... in fact my intention to watch every episode of this BH drama is reinforced by her inclusion in the cast ... I was asking rubie if it will be aired via KBS World & if indeed it will, I will be one of those who will follow it every step of the way till the finale. But .... as it is even without Ye Jin, I'm sure Iris will be more than worth watching ... it's BH afterall we'd like to see act first & foremost.

KTH should be given the chance to experience that rare opportunity to work with an A-lister in Korean drama. Who knows BH might be able to bring out the best in her as an actress.

I also had Ha Ji Won in mind ... same same impression about her talent as a versatile actress.

armin sis, KTH has been lucky enough to be casted/paired with many A-listers already, i.e. Kwon Sang woo, Jung Woo sung, Kim Rae won and the lead actor in Venus and Mars (sorry, dont know his name). Sadly, she did not shine (nor improve) in any of the dramas and movies she did with them. In fact, i think the movies did not do well box office-wise.

Anyway, i know it's a long shot now if the leading lady will still be changed. Let's just hope that the rest of the cast are A-1 performers and will provide ample support to LBH.

I never did like HJW before esp. watching her acting in Bali but i think she has improved a lot. She's quite inconsistent but lately she has been doing well. I love her in DAMO and she's very good in Hwang-jini.

CHOOKAIYO TO KIM JEE WON-ssi FOR WINNING THE BEST DIRECTOR AWARD AND TO KIM WOOK-ssi FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS!!! GBW FIGHTING!!!

[rubie]

IRIS Update Actor Kim Seung Woo has been cast in the series. He was in the music video "Eternal Love" (part 1 & 2) with BH over 10 years ago. This is their first full length collaboration in a drama/movie.. right?

October 13, 2008

김승우, 이병헌·김태희 주연 '아이리스' 합류…내년 여름방송

Source: news.empas.com

Kim Tae-hee Returns to TV Drama As Lee Byung-hun's Lover

Actress Kim Tae-hee will make her first TV appearance in four years. According to Kim's management agency, the actress was recently cast as the heroine of a new drama series entitled "IRIS." She will star in the 20-part action drama alongside Lee Byeong-heon. Renowned film director Kang Je-kyu will direct the drama series while screen writer Choi Wan-kyu will be in charge of the screenplay.

IRIS will be Lee's first drama appearance in five years since "All In." The two actors will take on the role of special government agents that handle terrorist attacks.

The drama series is slated for broadcast next summer. The shooting will begin once casting has been completed.

Source: KBS Global

http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...0607_11858.html

[rubie]

October 13, 2008

Kim Wins Best Director Award in Spanish Film Fest

By Chung Ah-young

Staff Reporter

Director Kim Jee-woon

Kim Jee-woon, director of Korean blockbuster film "The Good, The Bad, The Weird," was awarded Best Director at the 41st Sitges International Film Festival in Catalonia, Spain, which closed on Oct. 12.

Kim's film also won the award for Best Special Effects. The "oriental Western" featuring exciting horseback races and train rides, is a revisionist western set in 1930s Manchuria, starring top actors Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho and Jung Woo-sung.

Another Korean movie, "The Chaser" directed by Na Hong-jin grabbed the Orient Express Award, or best Asian production motion picture. The Korean thriller is a suspenseful story of a serial murder starring actors Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yun-seok.

The film festival's Best Motion Picture went to "Surveillanc" by Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David Lynch.

The film festival, created in 1968, is one of the major fantasy film festivals in the world.

Last year, Korean actress Lee Young-ae starring in "Lady Vengeance" directed by Park Chan-wook won the award for Best Actress in 2005 and "The Host" directed by Bong Jun-ho grabbed the Orient Express Award in 2006.

Credits: chungay@koreatimes.co.kr

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/speci.../178_32624.html

[Guest summer0323]

IRIS Update Actor Kim Seung Woo has been cast in the series. He was in the music video "Eternal Love" (part 1 & 2) with BH over 10 years ago. This is their first full length collaboration in a drama/movie.. right?

October 13, 2008

김승우, 이병헌·김태희 주연 '아이리스' 합류…내년 여름방송

http://nimg.empas.com/orgImg/my/2008/10/13...631441113_1.jpg

oh....didn't see him for quite sometime too! Since hotelier!

[rubie]

October 13, 2008

Southern Dramas Available in N. Korea

By Park Si-soo

Staff Reporter

Various video and audio productions from capitalist countries are becoming more widely available in North Korea, with the authorities becoming more lenient on those enjoying such contents. Previously North Koreans could be subject to life-long jail terms or even capital punishment, according to a white paper on human rights in North Korea released Monday.

The Korean Bar Association published the survey of 100 North Korean defectors who fled the North after 2000.

The annual report has been published since 2006 to monitor human rights violations in the communist country.

The report said a growing number of North Koreans watch Korean soap operas or movies smuggled in from China and Japan. Military officers and security guards are no exception.

"In 2004, a military officer boasted to me, saying he had watched popular Korean dramas such as 'All In,' starring actor Lee Byung-hun, and 'Winter Sonata,' starring Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo,'' the book said, quoting an unidentified North Korea defector.

Another defector testified he witnessed in 2003 a 20-something man selling reproduced "Winter Sonata" videotapes at Wonsan, a port city on the east coast of North Korea. Some added they had watched pornography with security guards responsible for preventing people from watching such material.

Lenient punishments combined with corruption are primarily attributable to the growing demand for such material in the reclusive state, it said.

"Before 2000, those detected watching or listening to South Korean programs were sent to labor camps. But now most are fined or released in exchange for a bribe," a defector testified.

One North Korean said, "I was caught smuggling in 25 radios from S. Korea in 2001. But I was not punished at all."

He added it had been common for those living in border areas to watch or listen to South Korean and Chinese programs.

Credits: pss@koreatimes.co.kr, captures from leebyunghun.com

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/natio.../117_32622.html

[rubie]

oh....didn't see him for quite sometime too! Since hotelier!

Same here.. I've only seen him in Hotelier and not much of anything else.. ^^

Although mostly under the radar.. he's been in quite a number of drama series and movies (plus Korean-Japanese projects) as well. In his movie.. 2 years ago, I think.. Woman on the Beach.. KSW had been highly praised by critics for a well-worth performance.

BH and Kim Seung Woo have known each other quite awhile.. and quite close friends, too (assuming from the AllStar Summit in 2005 & before?) but most especially.. I'd like to see them collaborate again after 'Eternal Love".

[Guest Sung-ja e Seiko]

Seems like everyone is now into IRIS mood.

Maybe I am a minority here but I am quite happy about KTH to be BH’s partner. I don’t understand what's wrong about her.

She is young and very beautiful, one of the most popular actress in Korea right now. I have nothing to against to SYJ but her image is mellower to take the role of the secret agent in the drama.

Besides SYJ is more experienced, which is good but it could be the negative impact in some way too.

Because SYJ had co-starred with most Harryu stars already, such as SSH, BYJ, and JWS. I expected someone who is more new for the new drama after 5 years for BH. KTH is less experienced as an actress but it could be a good chance for her to learn a lot from BH and could progress her carrier as a real professional. SHK was same way when she acted in ALL IN.

So I do not worry about KTH at all but the thing I was surprised more was Kim Seung Woo. Well he is a good actor and a good friend of BH but can you imagine he is the person who will be in the triangle love affair with BH and KTH? He maybe is around the same age as BH but he looks much older.

Anyway, it is maybe too late but I am back from PIFF and show you some pictures which should be already familiar to you.

This was the first time for me to visit PIFF and my schedule allowed me to arrive in Busan in the afternoon of Oct 4. I rushed into the Open talk. Although I was not close enough to BH as I expected I enjoyed the event very much. Even though I could not understand any Korean, I could enjoy showing the pictures with other young Korean fans sitting very close each other.

This year BH stayed at Grand Hotel and I stayed at Paradise. I had no courage enough to go visit Grand to chase him around. :blush:

Especially after Director KJW posted his PIFF report to Daum café, how he and BH were astonished by Japanese Obasan Fans. ( Obasan-adjunma- middle aged woman )

But it was the first time for me to see the international version ( Toronto version ) of GBW after I saw Korean version 6 times in Seoul last July.

And to my surprise I bumped into KJW twice at the lobby of Paradise and I could talk to him.

At first he said he could not understand English but if I spoke slowly then we could communicate. He asked me if I ever could see BH at PIFF and how I liked the international version etc.

I asked his autograph on OST of GBW where the autograph of JWS was already written. ( I was lucky enough to meet JWS and the OST was the prize from him when I visited Seoul in July. )

Of course I asked the director to save some space on the OST for LBH.

But I never took his picture because I thought it could be rude, maybe, then I forgot to tell my name and to get his mail address….KJW was very kind enough to listen to me and he held out his hand to me and my sister.

I was a bit disappointed that I could not see BH close enough but this was a real good incident.

[rubie]

^ aWw.. Sung-ja.. you met Dir. Kim.. spoke a lot to him, too. That is sooooo cool! :blush: :blush: :blush: So happy to read your PIFF experience, thanks for sharing with us. There will be the time when you will meet Byunghun. Definitely.

Sometimes.. as fans.. we read and expect "too much" into various situation.. just how we are, one way or the other. But everyone is indeed really excited about IRIS.. whatever the initial reaction was.. it's already (almost) good to go.. very soon. The main thing is to enjoy watching our much-awaited Hunnie on the small screen again.. longer and better .. the way we really love to see him perform his best.

The pics at PIFF are so awesome! Fabulous sharing! ^^

« LOL! Were these cute babies featured at PIFF, too?

[rubie]

Seems like everyone is now into IRIS mood.

So I do not worry about KTH at all but the thing I was surprised more was Kim Seung Woo. Well he is a good actor and a good friend of BH but can you imagine he is the person who will be in the triangle love affair with BH and KTH? He maybe is around the same age as BH but he looks much older.

The drama synopsis is still in bit and pieces and nothing confirmed (till we actually see it) but KSW's character is likely not someone involved in the LBH-KTH's IRIS relationship. (Helena is still checking on this)

Maybe the "third person" a younger male cast or.. might be another female character instead?

Hope the storyline doesn't deviate into something that's too weird, huh.. huh..

[Guest joicy]

Unnies, just want to drop a line: Kim Seung Woo was in Mr. Duke with Choi Ji Woo (some people also thought CJS has been the most beautiful in that drama), so ss rubie should remember him, right? (* wave * wave )

[rubie]

^ waves waves to joicy!

Unnies, just want to drop a line: Kim Seung Woo was in Mr. Duke with Choi Ji Woo (some people also thought CJS has been the most beautiful in that drama), so ss rubie should remember him, right? (* wave * wave )

Yeah.. KSW was the leading man in Mr. Duke with CJW but I've never watched the series, unfortunately. Was CJS in Mr. Duke, too?

But that's it.. the one KSW acting performance I've seen is still Hotelier which is the only reason that made me finished watching compared to the drama itself. I remember reading a lot of rave about the drama only to be taken aback watching it.. sometimes, I just have peculiar drama taste >.<

Of course, he's a part of the MV with BH. Anyone can provide the captures of them in 'Eternal Love'?

[Guest ellabel]

^^Wah!!! that was sooo cool Sung ja... Being in Busan, having that PIFF experience, seeing a lot of stars, BH especially and talking to PD KJW. I wish he wud learn more english so he cud communicate well with foreign audience. He's been to a lot of international events already so learning the english language wud be to his advantage.

You saw GBW 6 times!!!! Wow!!! I wud be happy to see it even just once.

I really hope you will get to see and talk to BH up-close one of these days.

Thanks for sharing your experience and pics.

[rubie]

Forever our Byunghun.. always a surprise to behold..

always love this one

Surprise for me? :blush:

^ A different kind of cowboy, in New Zealand?

Copied from GBW-cafe.daum

[rubie]

[sOMEDAY]

Will there be any special event or video-conference planned for BH's Japanese single debut tomorrow?

Or will he personally be in Japan? :blush:

---

Just an article on Jo Sung Mo whose songs made the most popular MVs in Korea particularly "To Heaven" by LBH and Kim Ha Neul.

드라마타이즈 뮤직비디오와 조성모라는 대형가수의 탄생을 알린 ‘To Heaven’

Source: news.empas.com