Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

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March 5, 2014
Girls’ Generation tops Forbes Korea’s 2014 celeb list
by Jonathan M. Hicap Manila Bulletin
Forbes Korea magazine has released its annual “Korea Celebrity 40" list, which ranked the country’s most influential and popular celebrities according to product sales, media exposure, broadcasting activities and professionalism.
Topping the list this year is Girls’ Generation, the only K-pop group to land at number one on the list three times, having ranked first in 2011 and 2012.
Girls’ Generation was fifth in 2009 when Forbes Korea began ranking celebrities, and second in 2010 and 2013. Big Bang rose to second place this year from fifth last year. Third is miss A’s Suzy, her first time on the list.
Apart from being a singer, Suzy is also a popular actress and product endorser who starred in the drama “Gu Family Book” last year, earning for herself the Outstanding Korean Actress award in the 8th Seoul International Drama Awards and the High Excellence For A Mini Series award in the MBC Drama Awards.
Fourth is Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, who appears for the first time on the list. Fifth on the list is boy band EXO, the band that rose to fame last year with their hits “Growl” and “Wolf.” Outfielder Choo Shin-Soo of the Texas Rangers is sixth followed by first-timers TVXQ and SHINee.
Kim Yuna, the 2014 Olympic figure skating silver medalist, ranked ninth, the same position she held last year. Singer IU ranked 10th from eight last year. Korean rapper Psy, who topped last year’s list, fell to 12th place this year.
Others on the list are actor Lee Seungi and CNBLUE, who tied at 14th place; and actor Lee Byung Hun, who is at 16th place.

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Copied from LBH DC <3

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Credit: CNVSuit via instagram

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March 6, 2014
Musical "Joint Security Area: JSA"



Actors perform musical "Joint Security Area: JSA" at a theater in Seoul on March 5, 2014. The musical is based on the novel "DMZ" by Park Sang-yeon. The 2000 film of the same name directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Lee Young-ae, Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho was a big box office hit dealing with a fatal shooting incident within the Demilitarized Zone that has separated the two Koreas for the past six decades. (Yonhap) (END)

[suchadiva42]

I really liked LBH in All In and wish to see more of him in more dramas as well for this year..

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Source: OneHallyu l ContentGallery (Korean article)
Translated by DRAGONLY0915@ONEHALLYU
March 5, 2014
2014 Forbes Power Celebrity 40 Full Rankings

Basic Background:Forbes Celebrity 40 is determined by first taking the top 100 most searched people of the year (data provided by Nate) and ranking them based on 4 different measures:1. Sales - estimated based on appearance fees, CF guarantees album sales, etc. + reported overseas income2. Media exposure - number of apperances in the top 3 newspapers, covers of 8 magazines, Ilgan Sports3. Television exposure - CF model ranking and appearances on talk shows and variety shows4. Professionalism - TV ratings for actors/MCs, total audience for movie actors, Gaon digital and physical sales rankings for singers, competition results for athletes Final list is the 40 celebrities with the highest average ranking across all 4 categories.*Note that sales especially are subject to error because data may not always be complete. Occupation is listed as Forbes categorized them. 1. Girls' Generation (singer)2. Big Bang (singer)3. Suzy (singer/actress)4. Ryu Hyun Jin (baseball player)5. Exo (singer)6. Choo Shin Soo (baseball player)7. TVXQ (singer)8. SHINee (singer)9. Kim Yuna (figure skater)10. IU (singer/actress)11. Park Inbee (golfer)12. Yoo Jae Suk (gagman)13. Psy (singer)14. Lee Seung Gi (actor)15. CNBlue (singer)16. Lee Byung Hun (actor)17. Kim Soo Hyun (actor)18. Infinite (singer)19. KARA (singer)20. Song Kang Ho (actor)21. Lee Min Ho (actor)22. Song Heung Min (footballer)23. Kim Tae Hee (actress)24. 2NE1 (singer)25. Hwang Jung Min (actor)26. Girl's Day (singer)27. Song Joong Ki (actor)28. Lee Bo Young (actor)29. Yoo Jun Sang (actor)30. Lee Dae Ho (baseball player)31. Ki Sung Yueng (footballer)32. Park Ji Sung (footballer)33. Shin Dong Yup (gagman)34. Jun Ji Hyun (actress)35. Han Hyo Joo (actress)36. Baek Ji Young (singer)37. Jang Dong Gun (actor)38. Kim Jun Hyun (gagman)39. Park Chu Young (footballer)40. Kim Min Hee (actress) By occupation:Singer:1. Girls' Generation2. Big Bang3. Suzy4. Exo5. TVXQ6. SHINee7. IU8. Psy9. CNBlue10. Infinite11. KARA12. 2NE113. Girl's Day14. Baek Ji Young Actor:1. Lee Seung Gi2. Lee Byung Hun3. Kim Soo Hyun4. Song Kang Ho5. Lee Min Ho6. Kim Tae Hee7. Hwang Jung Min8. Song Joong Ki9. Lee Bo Young10. Yoo Jun Sang11. Jun Ji Hyun12. Han Hyo Joo13. Jang Dong Gun14. Kim Min Hee MC/gagman:1. Yoo Jae Suk2. Shin Dong Yup3. Kim Jun Hyun Athlete:1. Ryu Hyun Jin2. Choo Shin Soo3. Kim Yuna4. Park Inbee5. Song Heung Min6. Lee Dae Ho7. Ki Sung Yueng8. Park Ji Sung9. Park Chu Young

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Pics from various fan-sharing via FB <3

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March 6, 2014
Masquerade (Blu-ray)
Review by Thomas Spurlin DVDtalk
The Film: It's common for those who aren't politicians to want to live in the shoes of decision makers for a brief period, just so they might be able to put their perspective and values in motion to fix some of the problems created by questionable, self-focused bureaucracy. South Korea's period drama Masquerade (also known as The Man Who Became King) might not be entirely about that type of wish-fulfillment, but it's one of its strongest aspects: when given the opportunity to become either a hollow puppet or a voice for what he believes in, political decoy Ha-sun allows his sympathetic nature and opinions to guardedly emerge in opposition of the leader he's trying to emulate. While short on innovation within the story that director Choo Chang-min orchestrates, cobbling together familiar fables of paupers and shadow warriors in 1600s Korea, Masquerade triumphs on the momentum of its uplifting tone and a versatile performance from Lee Byung-hun, emphasizing self-aware humor amid the beautifully stuffy costume-drama setting. 
Oldboy screenwriter Hwang Jo-yoon bases the story around the enigmatic King Gwanghae of Korea's Joseun Dynasty, a growingly unstable and paranoid autocratic ruler embroiled in several complicated issues of the state. The increase in political pressure and aggression, coupled with his mania, leads to him asking his Chief Secretary Heo Gyun (Ryu Seung-ryong) to seek out a doppelganger for his affairs, in case of an assassination attempt. Enter Ha-sun: a playful jester who performs at a brothel, whose unmatchable physical similarity to Gwanghae is belied by the loose and sympathetic demeanor of a commoner. After a few casual trail runs where he obeys the Secretary's instructions about acting like a servant-attended ruler and avoiding the Queen Consort (Han Hyo-joo), his impersonation skills are put to the test when the king's fears about being attacked come to fruition, leaving those in the know uncertain whether he'll survive or not. With suspicious eyes upon him as big issues -- taxes, diplomacy, treason -- are discussed in court, Ha-sun has his work cut out for him. 
Liberally borrowing from Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha in both plot and theme, Masquerade filters recognizable elements of a "Prince and Pauper" drama -- the cloak and dagger switch, the discovery of royalty's benefits, the fish-outta-water awkwardness -- through restrained comedic tones reminiscent of Korea's own The King and the Clown, balancing serious-minded stately theatrics with blatant humor. Spellbinding set and costume design befitting other great period epics build up what ultimately becomes a playground for Ha-sun's clash with the daily pomp and circumstance, where the stuffiness and servitude of the king's ungrateful routine ironically play into Ha-sun's discomfort and, ultimately, admiration of the unappreciated. Hwang Jo-yoon's script even works in a bit of literal toilet comedy that'll possibly get bigger laughs than other dedicated comedies. The film never loses its grasp on the situation's gravity, though, even when the humor's at its broadest, keeping the jester's acclimation to kingliness believable. 
The duality of the king and the jester gives Lee Byung-hun an opportunity to go beyond his comfort zone as the emotional barometer at the center of Masquerade. While the bitter, stern demeanor of King Gwanghae isn't unlike the intensity he's displayed many times before (only not quite this malicious), the jester's comedic empathy and unease in the spotlight of his court allow the actor to shed his familiar solemnity for a jovial, awkwardly charismatic persona. Ha-sun's evolving interactions with the servants and political aides are frequently exuberant while he navigates the nuance of language, ritualistic dining, and delivering decrees -- a stark difference from the domineering fright they experience at the hand of their king -- reaching a surprisingly playful high once he comes face-to-face with the queen herself. The film knows how to handle this disproportion between personalities, too, by addressing it headfirst: perception of the king's change in demeanor, and his servants' response to it, becomes a focal point in the story that's given poignancy by lee Byung-hun's graceful handling of the weight upon the interim king's shoulders. 
Despite Masquerade's politics being clear-cut and easy to follow -- involving land taxes, diplomacy with the Ming dynasty, and treasonous captives -- the machinations are only marginally engaging for highlighting the ominous atmosphere surrounding the king, and for when Ha-sun's admirable traits take over amid his limited power. Ultimately, an emotionally gripping climax is shaped out of seeing what the false king does with his fleeting moments on the throne and how he works around King Gwanghae's troubled queen, commanded by powerful tones about the gray-area usage of power and how a leader motivates his followers through respect instead of a domineering hand. Despite somewhat melodramatic and doubtful methods in how it emphasizes Ha-sun's ability to credibly influence the king's followers in such a short time frame (not to mention how the ruse lasted as long as it did), the sentiment ends up being strong enough through Lee Byung-hun's convincing embodiment of what a commoner would do when temporarily bequeathed the keys to a castle in turmoil. 
The Blu-ray: 

Video and Audio: The digital cinematography in Masquerade captures the inherent vividness of the multihued costumes and intricate sets designed to (re)create a stylized glimpse at 1600s Korea, and it's the predominant area where CJ Entertainment's Blu-ray excels, potentially dethroning other period-epic demo discs. The 2.35:1-framed, 1080p AVC transfer projects a disarming HD experience that 's rich with vibrant but controlled colors, fine textures in etched stone walls and glossy wood, and rock-solid focus on skin tones and details during its stunning close-ups. Certain scenes reveal the slight smoothness that occasionally comes from shooting on RED digital cameras, while a handful of dense, semitransparent weave textiles stumble with some shimmering. Those instances are very few and far between, though, where the photography lends scope to the majestic atmosphere during both daytime and night, whether during the sprawling architecture shots or intimate conversations and scheming over candlelight. 
Unfortunately, the audio arrives in a legacy Korean 5.1 Dolby Digital track that, despite being a strong representation of what the classic format could achieve, cannot match the clarity of the visuals. Granted, there aren't many moments where the sound gets vigorous: aside from the galloping of horses and a small handful of scenes involving the thump and clank of blades, all of Masquerade operates around dialogue. The echo of the king's hall and the span of his chambers could have benefitted from the bump in clarity, but they're pleasing enough here. Most of the dialogue, however, stays pleasantly comprehensible and aware of mid-range tones, never distorting when the conversations turn tense. The emotion-heavy music pairs well with the verbal delivery, never with a lot of ambience to appreciate but crisp and suitable for the film's purposes. A bump to Master Audio / TrueHD would have been most welcome, but this works well enough. The English subtitles are legible and grammatically satisfying, and an English 5.1 dub is also available. 
Special Features: Not a thing. 
Final Thoughts: Lee Byung-hun delivers an engaging and versatile performance as both king and commoner in Korea's blockbuster period-drama Masquerade, a politically-minded take on "The Prince and the Pauper" whose surprising attribute ends up being its uplifting, humorous tone amid the bustle of bureaucratic scheming. While its similarities to Kurosawa's Kagemusha border on remake territory, director Choo Chang-min inspires enough endearing qualities, aesthetic beauty, and symbolic power for the story to feel fresh in its new setting. It'd be nice if CJ Entertainment's Blu-ray arrived with high-definition audio and a supplement or two to accompany the beautiful visual transfer, but the film's a sight to behold in HD and a strongly Recommended film no matter the format.

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Credit navely_ via Instagram
A magazine at the beauty salon while waiting...

http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/17066/20140308/five-fun-facts-about-lee-min-jung.htm

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Thanks to the highlight at Angel 70 <3
A 30-sec promotional video footage from LBH on Tour 2014, guess this is probably the time to see Byunghun do the horse-dance (Gangnam Style). LOL
Click on link to watch http://www2.byung-hun.com/ontour2014/movie.asp

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Read the recap & results at
20 Lovey-Dovey Real and Imaginary Coupleshttp://www.soompi.com/2014/03/10/20-lovey-dovey-real-and-imaginary-couples
Lee Min Jung + Lee Byung Hun (Hunnie Couple)http://www.soompi.com/2014/03/10/20-lovey-dovey-real-and-imaginary-couples/8/
http://forums.soompi.com/discussion/2020099/the-hunnie-couple-min-jung-byung-hun/p37

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March 12, 2014
Lee Byung Hun Receives Invitation to Jackie Chan's Charity Concert
Source: OSEN


BH Entertainment on the 12th, revealed that Lee Byung Hun has received an invitation from Chinese superstar Jackie Chan to attend the "2014 Peace. Love and Friendship" Charity Concert to be held in Beijing on April 6.
LBH has not confirmed anything as he is still working out his schedule but he is considering the invitation favorably. The annual charity event initiated by Jackie Chan is held in effort to help restore the situation in Sichuan after the devastating earthquake in 2008.

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March 12, 2014
Exo, Choi Si Won, Kim Hee Sun and Lee Byung Hun are invited to Jackie Chan’s charity concert
Source: StarHallyu
Jackie Chan who will be celebrating his 60th birthday, invited Exo, Choi Si Won, Kim Hee Sun and Lee Byung Hun to attend his charity concert on 6th April in Beijing. Exo has confirmed their attendance and will be performing on the day itself.
Titled ’2014 Peace & Love & Friendship’, one can expected many top stars around Asia to attend this charity concert. Currently, Kim Hee Sun, Choi Si Won and Lee Byung Hun are also in the midst of adjusting their schedules to see if they can make it to the concert.

Korean stars join Jackie Chan
By Jin Eun-soo INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily
Several Korean celebrities have been invited to a charity event hosted by Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan, according to the actor’s agency, The Jackie Chan Group Korea, yesterday.
Among those invited are actress Kim Hee-sun, K-pop group Exo and Choi Si-won from Super Junior. The concert will be held on April 6 at a Beijing gymnasium under the title “2014 Peace & Love & Friendship.”
Chan hosted a similar charity concert last year to raise money for the 2008 Sichuan Province earthquake relief fund, where he invited G-Dragon of Big Bang. 
This year’s concert will reportedly be bigger than the last year’s and will also feature JJCC, a new boy group founded by Chan.
JJCC is a five-member group comprised of four Korean members - with the stage names Simba, E.co, Eddy, and San-Cheong - and one Chinese member named Prince Mak. They are set to debut officially in Korea sometime in March. 

[Guest jolie_coeur]

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[rubie]

^ Hi @jolie_coeur, that is great sharing. Thanks so much for the translation. Are you from Argentina or South America, perhaps? It's really great to know that BH is enjoying himself after finishing "Memories of the Sword". Is the fiesta in Mendoza somewhat related to a wine festival or something else?
From this article highlighted by the fans, there's a paragraph mentioning LBH specifically. We'd be very grateful if you could help us with a little gist.  If there's other news highlight (in Argentina) about LBH, that would be so cool to know.
http://www.losandes.com.ar/notas/2014/3/9/sabado-glamoroso-desde-madrugada-772014.asp

Un chico “Hollywood”
La gente miraba asombrada, la musculosa figura de un joven coreano, que arribaba a las terrazas del Hyatt, rodeado de un grupo de colaboradores. Se trataba de Lee Byung Hun, quien ha formado parte de dos sagas del popular film “G.I Joe”. El actor es una celebridad en su país (Corea del Sur) y su carrera avanza a pasos firmes en Hollywood. Invitado por una bodega local, dijo ser un “gran fanático” del vino y estaba “maravillado” por los paisajes de Mendoza. “Nunca había visitado ningún lugar de América Latina, no paro de mandarle fotos a mis amigos y están tan asombrados como yo”, le decía a Los Andes.  El actor se casó recientemente con la también actriz Lee Min Jung, otra celebridad en su país y quien por motivos laborales, no pudo acompañar a su esposo a Mendoza.

[the girl who!]

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said:

^ Hi @jolie_coeur, that is great sharing. Thanks so much for the translation. Are you from Argentina or South America, perhaps? It's really great to know that BH is enjoying himself after finishing "Memories of the Sword". Is the fiesta in Mendoza somewhat related to a wine festival or something else?
From this article highlighted by the fans, there's a paragraph mentioning LBH specifically. We'd be very grateful if you could help us with a little gist.  If there's other news highlight (in Argentina) about LBH, that would be so cool to know.
http://www.losandes.com.ar/notas/2014/3/9/sabado-glamoroso-desde-madrugada-772014.asp

Un chico “Hollywood”
La gente miraba asombrada, la musculosa figura de un joven coreano, que arribaba a las terrazas del Hyatt, rodeado de un grupo de colaboradores. Se trataba de Lee Byung Hun, quien ha formado parte de dos sagas del popular film “G.I Joe”. El actor es una celebridad en su país (Corea del Sur) y su carrera avanza a pasos firmes en Hollywood. Invitado por una bodega local, dijo ser un “gran fanático” del vino y estaba “maravillado” por los paisajes de Mendoza. “Nunca había visitado ningún lugar de América Latina, no paro de mandarle fotos a mis amigos y están tan asombrados como yo”, le decía a Los Andes.  El actor se casó recientemente con la también actriz Lee Min Jung, otra celebridad en su país y quien por motivos laborales, no pudo acompañar a su esposo a Mendoza.

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^ That is really awesome gist, @the girl who!  Thank you so much, it's so good to be able to understand the content of the article. It seems that it's a personal trip and vacation time for BH that.. it's for sure he'll be back to visit Mendoza with MJ. ^^
Also, it's pretty funny to see MJ doing a parody of LBH's Vega Iron CF in CSL. 

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March 13, 2014
Hallyu Stars To Attend Jackie Chan’s 60th Birthday
by Jawon Lee TENASIA.com
Top Starts To Appear at Jackie Chan’s Birthday
Korean stars are invited to Chinese star, Jackie Chan’s 60th birthday charity concert.
According to ‘The Jackie Chan Group Korea’ on 12th, Kim Hee Sun, Exo members, Siwon of Super Junior, and more are invited to the charity concert holding on April in Beijing. The new idol group JJCC, used to be called as ‘Jackie Chan’s kids’ is also planning to attend the party.
Although Lee Byung Hun and Kwun Sang Woo are invited as well, Lee Byung Hun is still considering about his attendance, and Kwun sang Woo has confirmed that he won’t be able to make it due to his leg injury.
Jackie Chan was born in 1954, and his birthday is on April, 7th. He is turning 60 this year, and for 10 days starting from April, 6th, he is planning to hold the charity concert in Beijing and Shanghais.
He is an influential celebrity in worldwide, and on his every birthday he has been making donations to the children in different countries. This birthday however, seems to be the biggest of his past birthday parties.
Reporter: Jawon Lee

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Finally! Here's the photo of Byunghun-ssi in Mendoza 

March 9, 2014
Actor Lee Byung Hun Visited Mendoza in Argentina on March 9
Source: Facebook Mun Kim
Chef Mun and Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun!
In the FB comment section, Kei Hasegawa in Los Angeles, California wrote

He just came to our restaurant a week ago.And He tried to my dessert too!