Lee Mi Sook 이미숙

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May 6, 2010

[10LINE] Actress Moon Geun-young

Senior Reporter.Kang Myoung-Seok Editor.Lee Ji-Hye, Lucia Hong

Clockwise from top center: actress Lim Soo-jung, actor Kim Rae-won, actor Park Geon-hyeong,

actor Kim Ju-hyeok and actress Lee Mi-sook [10Asia]

Moon Geun-young

Star. Icon. Nation's little sister. Now we call her by her name "Geun-young."

Lee Mi-sook

The actress who Moon said "I want to grow up to be an actress just like Lee Mi-sook." They are currently starring together in series "Sister of Cinderella." Moon, who considered herself as someone with high tolerance for pain, took on the role of Eun-jo who swallows all her pain on the inside and rebels on the outside. Through her role as Eun-jo, she can express everything including how she rebels against the world, the loneliness she feels after being alienated from her own mother and new family, and the indifferent attitude she tries to put on when Hong Gi-hoon (played by Chun Jung-myung) calls out her name when she is actually feeling smaller. She was finally given the chance to break away from the image of the 'nation's little sister' and show her deep inner self. And beginning from episode five where Moon plays someone in her twenties, Moon was be able to show the audience the kind of acting that she thought of and had prepared for all this time. It will be a chance for her to receive verification for her acting techniques and prove how well she can play a woman who has been faced with a lot of pain in her life. When Moon appeared on the SBS program "Chocolate" she sang the song "Musical" which said "Just leave me alone and don't try to interfere with my life and I will live in a world where I can make it on my own." Just like the song's lyrics, will Moon be able to find her own way?

Senior Reporter : Kang Myoung-Seok two@ Editor : Lee Ji-Hye seven@, Lucia Hong luciahong@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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May 12, 2010

On the set of TV series "Sister of Cinderella"

Reporter.Choi Ji-Eun Photographer.Lee Jin-hyuk Editor.Jang Kyung-Jin, Lynn Kim

The cast of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

"We are going to wrap up with a kiss," cried out director Kim Young-jo of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella." One would have thought that it was the long-awaited and much-anticipated kiss between the show's main female and male character, but it was actually the charming Hyo-seon (played by Seo Woo) planting a thank-you kiss on a servant grandmother and a maiden for giving her vegetables without her mother knowing about it. The scene will later air in the twelfth episode. The shooting started early in the morning on an incredibly sunny Children's Day [May 5 - National holiday] and attracted huge crowds of families, who were visiting a nearby amusement park and flocked around the surrounding roads near the shooting location.

In the story, actresses Lee Mi-sook and Seo Woo play a mother and daughter who are in a love-and-hate relationship and get into physical fights. But when the director yells the "okay" sign, the two burst into laughter and exchange jokes while rehearsing their lines together. Moon Geun-young, who arrived on the set after finishing a different shoot elsewhere, greets everyone -- friends and strangers alike -- with a cheerful hello while actor Chun Jung-myung, who came in panting after being stuck in a deadly traffic jam, is busy shaving in the other side of the room. The set looks almost like a photo spread. The four above-mentioned stars and 2PM member-turned-actor Taecyeon, who dropped by the set although he finished shooting his scenes, use the short break to sit around and start filming a video interview together. It is certainly a delightful experience to see all five actors from a distance of less than a meter away -- Lee Mi-sook exudes a certain authority about her, Moon Geun-young appears fair and square, Seo Woo seems charming, Chun Jung-myung a little foolish and Taecyeon acts shy unlike his personality seen on variety shows. The fact that Children's Day was almost over when we returned to Seoul after the shoot ended.. well, we will just forget about that.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@, Jang Kyung-Jin three@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

From left, actresses Seo Woo and Lee Mi-sook rehearse their lines for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on the show's open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

Actress Lee Mi-sook practices her lines for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on the show's open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

From left, actors Lee Mi-sook and Taecyeon talk in front of the camera on the open set of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 l 5

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May 22, 2010

DVD Releases: May 23-29

One of the best things being released this week is the film ACTRESSES (left) on May 26th. It is the latest film from director Lee Je-yong with an all-star cast including Yoon Yeo-jeong, Ko Hyeon-jeong, Choi Ji-woo, and Lee Mi-sook. This is a two-disk release. Disk one is the film and disk two is 104 minutes of special features including a group interview, director/cast commentary, deleted scenes and other extras. The movie is rated 12+ and the disks are formated in 1:85:1 anamorphic widescreen, has optional Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0 sound and have English and Korean subtitles (at least on the film if not on the extras). Not enough? The box also contains a 12-page booklet. Actresses has a recommended price of 22,000 KRW.

Credits: Seen in Jeonju

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‘Untold Scandal’

Period drama. Starring Bae Yong-jun, Lee Misook, Jeon Do-yeon. Co-written and directed by E J Yong. (In Korean with English subtitles. Rated R. 124 minutes. At the Balboa.).

A harpsichord, making soothing sounds right out of Louis XIV’s court, at first seems jarring when the visual image is from late Chosun Dynasty Korea. But that’s just director E. J. Yong with his finger firmly planted on the pulse of Korean social politics in “Untold Scandal,” an imaginative and properly wicked adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos’ “Dangerous Liaisons.”

There has been a shift in marital and sexual politics in South Korea for several years (so I’m told), with women becoming more powerful and independent in both the working sector and at home. This has been reflected in Korean cinema with increasing regularity during the past decade (The magnificent “A Good Lawyer’s Wife” being the most recent example).

Yong helped start this film trend with his 1998 debut film “The Affair,” which starred Lee Mi-sook as a woman soon to turn 40 who embarks on an affair with her sister’s fiance, who is much younger. It hit a raw nerve in Korea and was a box-office smash, resurrecting Lee’s career.

After a misstep with the Korean-Japanese co-production “Asako in Ruby Shoes,” Yong is back to exposing human relations in “Untold Scandal,” which benefits from Lee’s sparkling performance as Lady Cho, the aging wife of a lord who must have a son to carry on the family line and takes a 16-year-old concubine for that purpose.

Lee has the Glenn Close role, if you will, for those who remember the 1988 Stephen Frears’ adaptation. The John Malkovich role is filled by Bae Yong-jun, who as Jo-won bets Lady Cho he can deflower and impregnate the virginal concubine before the lord returns to claim his new bride. He also makes a side bet with Lady Cho, that he can deflower the virginal Lady Sook (Jeon Do-yeon), a woman in her late 20s whose husband was killed before they could consummate the marriage. Should he achieve this, his prize is the bedding of Lady Cho herself, his cousin who has her own secrets to keep.

For those who are familiar with the original story, all the proper marks are hit, yet the film still feels fresh. The sets and costume design sumptuously recreate 19th century Korea. Yong also adds an interesting glimpse into the role of Christianity in Korea — Lady Sook is a Catholic in this Buddhist society.

I’m not sure what it says about current South Korean sexual politics, but “Untold Scandal,” with its saucy dialogue, erotic scenes, roguish characters and smooth direction from Yong, certainly was the talk of the town for awhile. It had the biggest opening weekend in Korean film history at that time (a record since surpassed), and went on to become a big hit.

It seems that some stories, especially those that study human nature, are universal.

– Advisory: This film contains nudity and sexual themes.

– G. Allen Johnson

Source: profileofawriterdavidmametblog

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July 19, 2010

Sohn Ye-jin in August’s Cosmopolitan

July 19th, 2010 // by javabeans

Sohn Ye-jin, most recently of MBC’s Personal Taste, is featured in the pages of August’s issue of Cosmopolitan, looking the complete opposite of the bumbling, cute Kae-in of that drama. Rather, this shoot portrays her in a much more glamorous style.

Sohn was interviewed while shooting the spread, and answered questions such as whether there are any younger actors who catch her attention these days. She said, “These days there are a lot of splendid actresses who stand out, but Park Ha-sun in Dong Yi caught my eye with her dewy-eyed look. I have the feeling she’ll become a good actress in the future.” As for the most beautiful sunbae, Sohn chose Lee Mi-sook (Cinderella’s Sister).

Asked how she maintains her figure, she replied, “I like to exercise. I work out four times a week doing Pilates and TRX, and I have a Power Plate [cardio apparatus] at home.”

Via Asia Economy / dramabeans.com

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Love this pictorial, Lee Mi Sook is simply the ultimate GIRL!

T.O.P and Lee Mi Sook are in love for ELLE

by shockimpulse on August 16, 2010 at 9:17 pm

Fashion brings out the unconventional side of people as it makes radical steps when it comes to concepts and styles. This time, ELLE formed an unlikely couple with Big Bang’s T.O.P and veteran actress Lee Mi Sook.

This is definitely a strange combination but ELLE seems to make it work as the concept here is that T.O.P and Lee Mi Sook are deeply in love. The mood of the photoshoot is dark and gritty and really brings out an old classy atmosphere as the two strut their stuff like a force to be reckoned with.

Most people are quite impressed by Lee Mi Sook as she displays a sexy charm in a lingerie t.o.p (get it?), which is quite impressive for her age as she just turned 50 this year while the bad boy rapper is only 23 years old.

More photos are planned to be revealed via ELLE atZINE online in September.

Source: allkpop.com, nate.com

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August 27, 2010

More photos of T.O.P. and Lee Mi Sook for ELLE

by GhostWriter

Last week we shared with you a sneak preview Big Bang’s T.O.P and veteran 50 year old actress Lee Mi Sook’s photo shoot for ELLE. Now, the full photo shoot has been uploaded to ELLE Atzine.

You can see T.O.P enjoying some well aged scotch and also enjoying a well aged woman, whom is old enough to be his mother. Thanks to damistakenme for the tip and check out the photos below.

Source: allkpop.com

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August 31, 2010

Lee Mi Sook, 27-year Power of Difference

The 27-year age difference in the ELLE pictorial between the charismatic actress Lee Mi Sook (50) and young star T.O.P (23) did not hinder their first-time photoshoot together but instead translated into something cheerful yet passionate love-expression with no limit.

Source: news.nate.com

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Credits to K-Idols keksprinzessin.com

September 1, 2010

T.O.P & Lee Mi Sook Elle Pictorial Story

This is a story about the love between one man and one woman. It’s a sexy story. The man the TOP, the woman is Lee Mi Sook. Your heart will beat faster with this stolen glimpse into their love life.

Lee Mi Sook, so lovely (truthfully, the world ‘lovely’ is not enough to capture her beauty, charisma, and aura) that it is difficult to believe her age. TOP, a man whose eyes become deeper and harder every time we meet him. The two fell without hesitation into relationship upon their first meeting for Elle. The photo shoot ended after six hours, and only then did the suite room quiet down. And then the two sat face to face. A private conversation between man and woman, about life, love, and acting. Elle simply listened.

Translations under the cut.

LMS I thought I was the only one acting. But after looking at the monitor, I saw that TOP, you were acting too. I liked that this virtual story had a sense of reality to it.

TOP On the way here, I was wondering about what kind of meeting this would be. One thing was for sure. That it would be a fresh one.

LMS I thought about what kind of picture would be drawn. It’s a senior-junior relationship, but I thought that the feel of man and woman would come alive. You know, a man and woman’s outer silhouettes and the inner emotions. Watching the work you’ve done, I saw that you don’t just look young. You had a face with a story. And that’s why today, you looked like one man belonging to one woman.

TOP We didn’t talk much during the shoot, but I think it’s all due to the energy we gave and received from each other. It was a shoot that I couldn’t do alone. I felt an overwhelming sexy charisma the entire time we were together. I was a bit worried. I have a pretty bad cold right now. I didn’t want you to catch it. Haha.

LMS Look at that, doesn’t he seem like a real man? So considerate. You’re definitely my ideal type. Haha. In any case, I believe there’s no limit to myself. It’s much too sad to set my own limit. Whether it becomes a reality or not, there has to be a goal to live towards. And so love stories like this are possible. I’m always in love and always longing for love… Anything is possible. It’s just that it’s hard to act on it.

TOP Usually, that is, if we narrowly determine what we think is a plain and normal relationship, and we step over that line, people say, ‘Can you handle it?’ But I think that the word ‘handle’ doesn’t fit when it comes to relationships between man and woman. I don’t care at all. They always ask in interviews about love. I have nothing special. I can’t fall into a love that tries to set me to a standard. I want to become someone who’s always wanting and wishing and free.

LMS No, but what happens to the girl when you decide you want to be free and say, ‘Mm, this was a good experience,’ and turn around and leave?

TOP I’m just trying to say that if it’s a love that is sincere, there should be nothing holding you back.

LMS These two people who are in love have no fears. I’m faithful and focused on my feelings, so what could be the problem. The ones who think it’s dangerous, who look with insecure eyes are always other people. It’s not the relationship itself that is difficult, but it’s overcoming their surroundings that is hard. Because there’s this underlying notion in Korean society. We only meet after setting the frame and conclusion of the relationship. Isn’t it a yoke? The start of love is already caught in a yoke, and if we can’t keep to that, we say the love is wrong. Though they say there are a lot of couples with big age differences these days, there is still a limit to age. I wish our society could become more modern.

TOP On the other hand, I do sometimes get the thought that, maybe I should hide the relationship for the sake of the other person, that revealing the relationship because I’m caught up in my own emotions is selfish.

LMS I hate living in a yoke. But even so, I may just be another face among the cowards. I want to say that I can have any kind of relationship without any fear, but if it were reality? If I were really to be in that kind of situation, I think I would hesitate. It’s all in my head. I guess that’s how it is. Life is so short, passing by like the wind, but how long will we have to be caught up in a textbook life?

TOP I don’t think it has to be ‘now there have to be couples in our country with a large age difference,’ or that ‘there has to be this kind of love,’ but I believe the range of love has to become wider. All we have to do is understand when someone says, ‘I love this person,’ not let it become the object of criticism or judgment.

LMS But still, you can’t help but think, ‘A serious relationship at this age,’ or ‘Marriage at about that age.’ Living life the way I want to and doing things the way everyone else does it, these two things are always in my heart together. Becoming the center of your life apart from dating or marriage, it could probably become work, right? I want to tell you that you have to have something like that. Knowing who you are will help you in your relationships.

TOP I haven’t ever thought about marriage. There hasn’t been a single time where I imagined myself in a marriage situation. I’m looking at that in the far away future. Before then, I think it will be important for me as a person to become fully ready. Work, life, mindset, philosophy. Everything. I agree with the saying that you have to find your life’s center and decide for yourself.

LMS There’s no need for your personal life to be dramatic because you’re an actor, but I do believe that your thoughts should be dramatic. Though you can’t live like the role you’re given, you should be able to picture it in your thoughts.

TOP I think I know what you’re saying. When I receive a role, I throw myself aside, and try as hard as I can to become that person. I’m not a professional actor so merely pretending would be impossible. I don’t like the feeling that I’m acting too much or that I’m trying to make something out of nothing. It’s better to just stay still if the emotions don’t come, I don’t try to make something up.

LMS That’s a good thought. The moment you try to make it up, all purity is broken and you’re left with routine. I believe that life and love are the same way. So don’t you think that in conclusion, it’s best to live the way you want?

Source: elle atzine

Translation: seungie

[Guest MC_Lee]

Even for her age, she is gorgeous and still beautiful.

She looks like a very kind mother.

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October 27, 2010

Veteran actresses come together for exceptional photoshoot

by Supermar allkpop.com l news.nate.com 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 l 5 l 6 l 7 l 8 l 9 l 10 l 11 l 12 l 13 l 14 l 15 l 16 l 17 l 18 l 19

Veteran actresses Yoon Yeo Jung, Lee Mi Sook, Choi Myung Gil, Jeon In Hwa, and Kim Ji Ho convened for a special photoshoot titled, ‘Beautiful Aging’, which aimed to show that beauty wasn’t the exclusive property of young idols.

It was initially difficult for the five actresses to meet due to their various filming schedules, and the fact that they’ve finally managed to gather together for this photoshoot has generated a high quantity of interest.

In order to vividly illustrate the numerous styles and atmospheres for this photoshoot, each actress exhibited different looks and expressed their earnest emotions. Indeed, they were able to utilize poses and capture the camera in ways that professional models could not achieve, earning them much praise from the staff.

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November 4, 2010

Kang Min Kyung sticks to Lee Mi Sook like gum

by sweetrevenge allkpop.com l news.nate.com

Actress Lee Mi Sook recently characterized Kang Min Kyung’s presence as “a piece of gum” with affection.

On the 4th, veteran actress Lee Mi Sook appeared on SBS’s One Night TV Entertainment News and said, “Kang Min Kyung only follows me around like a piece of gum.” For reference, Davichi’s Kang Min Kyung is who is well known as a singer has recently stepped into the acting world as she will appear on SBS’s new drama “Smile Mom” and act for the first time. In the drama, Lee Mi sook plays the role of Kang Min Kyung’s strict mother who is willing to do everything and anything to make her daughter into a famous actress. It was reported that because this is the singer’s first time acting she received a lot of help from Lee Mi Sook.

Furthermore, Lee Mi Sook also commented, “Although Kang Min Kyung follows me around all the time it is normal for me to definitely help her out. She tries hard to act and asks me how it is for her to make a certain emotion at a certain scene,” complimenting the singer in a way that resembled a true proud mother.

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November 12, 2010

Founder of largest English K-pop site 'Soompi'

Korean-American web developer creates first global online community devoted to K-pop, Asian entertainment

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Main page of the ultimate K-pop site “Soompi”

If you’re looking for news about a SuperJunior concert, reviews for a 2NE1 album, recaps of Korean drama "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" or simply anything about Korean entertainment, chances are you’ll find it on Soompi.com.

Soompi.com is the oldest and currently the largest English-language online community devoted to Korean and Asian entertainment, with a million unique visitors every month.

Soompi has come a long way from its early days as a personal online shrine devoted to K-pop started by Korean-American Susan Kang in 1998.

"I had recently graduated from college with nothing much to do. As a recent fan of both K-pop and the Internet (AOL was all the rage), I noticed that there weren't any English-language sites devoted to Korean pop music or TV dramas, so I purchased a book called `Make Your Own Website with Microsoft Word '97’, and the rest, as they say, is history," Kang said, now a 35-year-old mother living in Irvine, Calif., in an email interview with The Korea Times.

Kang’s original site, Soompitown, was fairly simple. She would just upload photos of her favorite K-pop acts like H.O.T., S.E.S., Shinhwa and FinKL and English translations of Korean magazine articles, as well as post CD audio samples and her own album reviews. Basically, Kang ran the website out of "love" for K-pop.

(If you’re wondering about the meaning of Soompi, it simply refers to a nickname that a roommate’s family gave Kang in college.)

In the early 2000s, hallyu or the Korean wave began spreading around Asia and international fans discovered Soompi, the first website that actually provided English-language information about their favorite Korean stars.

Soon Soompi became more and more popular, requiring more servers and more technical expertise. A team of volunteers helped moderate the forums and post content on the website, but Kang, who also worked full-time as a web developer, was running the website on her own as a hobby and it was starting to feel burdensome.

For one, it was getting expensive to pay for the server fees out of her own pocket, although it was partially funded by member donations and small ad buys.

Then came the fateful day, Oct. 5, 2005, when the entire Soompi website crashed. Its entire database of 80,000 members and millions of forum posts was gone. "I seriously thought of just making that the end of Soompi, as I'd been running the site as a hobby for seven years at that point, and was paying for the servers completely out of my own pocket," she said.

"The turning point was when we re-opened an empty forum with 0 members and 0 posts, and within 5 days, we already had 40,000 members. That's when I knew that Soompi was bigger and more important than just one person's hobby."

Soon, it became apparent that a more serious, business-oriented approach to Soompi was needed.

In 2006, Joyce Lan Kim, a lawyer then working for technology firms in Silicon Valley, joined Soompi to handle the business side, albeit on a part-time basis.

"I joined the company, working on advertising and thinking of ways the company can break even. Susan never started this with business in mind. It was always just about fun. It was about bringing K-pop to the people. But how we make this sustainable is our job," Kim told The Korea Times at a coffee shop in downtown Seoul, last week.

Last year, Kang and Kim both decided to leave their full-time jobs and focus on Soompi.

The 33 year old Kim, who studied at Cornell and Harvard universities and received a law degree from Columbia University, had no second thoughts giving up a law career. She sees Soompi as a good business opportunity with K-pop’s potential to expand around the world.

Soompi is may not yet be profitable, but there is no doubt it is an Internet success with 500,000 registered members, and attracts over one million unique visitors every month (``That's like a small city,'' Kim quipped.) Revenues are currently generated from ads, premium membership and affiliate programs, but not enough for the company to break even.

There may be other K-pop websites that attract more hits, but Soompi has the most activity among community members, such as posting content and comments on the site. "Our success comes from covering such a wide variety of topics - not only the latest K-pop news, but Korean dramas and variety shows, original fan fiction, our own member-run shops, beauty & fashion, among so much more," Kang said.

Aside from sections on entertainment news, fan clubs and beauty & fashion, Soompi also has its own weekly music chart and annual contests, such as Soompi Idol, Soompi Dance Idol, Soompi Ulzzang, fan fiction writing and graphics contests.

All contests were originally started by Soompi members themselves. This year, Soompi Ulzzang Contest, a modeling competition for Soompi members, has become an official event and sponsored by Korean entertainment company Sidus HQ.

Member feedback is invaluable to keeping Soompi relevant. Whenever new features are launched, Soompi looks at the comments from members and makes the appropriate tweaks. Members can also vote for which Soompi fan clubs should be created next, as well as recommend new forums and sub-forums.

Soompi is working to make the site more user-friendly. "It's not a hobby anymore. We have to do it for real. Functionality is very important for us. We are definitely working on making it easier to use, and on getting great content," Kim said.

In terms of technical innovations, the Soompi Street Teams Twitter application is being launched. This will make it easier for fans to get their favorite K-pop idols on Twitter’s top trending topics.

"We wanted to make it easier for everybody to join together and tweet in support of their celebs. Twitter is not just for K-pop, because it's for everyone... Each time a K-pop celebrity ends up as a Twitter topic, people go, `who is this guy?’ Like when (SuperJunior member) Kim Hee-chul was trending on Twitter, everyone was talking about him... We can expose more people to the world of K-pop," Kim said.

An Asian website

Soompi is no longer just devoted to Korean pop music, but Asian pop and entertainment in general. It is also very much a global community, with most members from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia.

The majority or 81 percent of Soompi members are Asian, while 8 percent are white, 5 percent are multi-ethnic and the rest are African-American, Hispanic and other ethnicities. The most surprising fact was 60 to 80 percent of the non-Asian groups said they "know some Korean."

"It’s mostly non-Koreans, as opposed to 7 or 8 years ago when majority were Korean-Americans. Now Korean Americans are a minority on the site. We have ever growing number of people who are not even Asian. We have Caucasians, African-Americans, Middle East, Latin American, South East Asians," Kim said.

Soompi stands out because of its tight-knit community and its members. "Soompi is very community-focused, not just information or gossip-focused. It feels like home to many, and there are many members who have literally grown up on the site ― from Junior High to High School to College to getting married and having children," Kang said.

Noticeably, the Soompi forums are relatively free from the anti-fans and trolls who frequent K-pop websites to post vitriolic comments that rile up fans.

"I think our biggest defining feature is our members. Our members are the ones who do the subtitles, episode recaps and organize fan meetings," Kim said. "We have good members."

Future of Kpop & Soompi

Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that Soompi has helped give a boost to K-pop and Korean entertainment’s popularity among English speakers.

But while K-pop is undeniably big in Asia, there is yet to be a real K-pop breakthrough in the U.S., despite attempts by Rain, Wonder Girls and Se7en. "Honestly, I'm not sure if the U.S. is ready to accept Asians as idols, as Asians are still widely portrayed as awkward geeks or kung fu masters on TV and film, but I do believe it's just a matter of 'when', not 'if'. I hope it's sooner than later," Kang said.

Looking back, Kang admitted being constantly amazed and inspired by the level of commitment and amount of time people will willingly volunteer to support their favorite idols. "Passion will drive people to do crazy and wonderful things," she said.

In the future, Soompi hopes to leverage its brand value as the oldest K-pop online resource, and to continue fanning the flames of K-pop and Asian pop fever around the world.

"In 10 years, I'll be 45 years old. I hope by then, the Soompi community will still be going strong, with the love for Korean and Asian pop being passed to a much wider audience. We'll still be providing the best place for people to express their fandom and meet others who share their passion," Kang said.

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December 26, 2010

2010 Editors’ Picks [Year In Review, Part 5]

by javabeans dramabeans.com

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Lee Mi-sook, Cinderella’s Sister

javabeans: Lee Mi-sook’s character was based on the familiar archetype of Cinderella’s Evil Stepmother, but she made Kang-sook into so much more than that. Hard, calculating, and selfish up the wazoo, she’s a character you’d expect to hate as a stereotypical stand-in for the kdrama villain… if only Lee Mi-sook hadn’t given her such dimension. While you could hardly admire her, you had to admire her resourcefulness and deftness at self-preservation, which sometimes yielded devilishly funny moments (her feigned hysteria at a funeral? Hilarious). Underneath her cold, manipulative shell (albeit one thick and impenetrable enough to rival the Great Wall of China), there was a woman who felt self-loathing, guilt, and love. Though she’d sell her daughter before admitting it to anyone else. Lee Mi-sook was commanding and fascinating, and above all entertaining.

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January 2, 2011

Soompi.com shows Hallyu where to go

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldm.com) koreaherald.com

Soompi.com is the world’s biggest English-language online community dedicated to Korean pop culture. It boasts some 1.4 million visitors daily. More importantly, 90 percent of its members are non-Koreans.

The website is widely regarded as a promising social network venture that has secured a solid user base on the strength of Korean cultural content. Softbank of Japan has already invested in Soompi.com and other investors are lining up amid the outlook that the website will emerge as a key gateway to Asian pop culture for English-speaking audiences.

Soompi.com CEO Joyce Kim, who lives in San Francisco, said in an interview that Hallyu is still in the early stages of growth internationally and the website would help foster its development online as “the central online activity hub for all fans of Hallyu and Asian pop.”

Joyce Kim

As for Hallyu, Kim noted that the near absence of a legitimate distribution of Korean pop content is a serious problem that is often neglected by Koreans.

The following are excerpts from the e-mail interview with Kim.

Korea Herald: How did Soompi.com start, and how did you get involved in the site?

Joyce Kim: Soompi was started by my co-founder Susan Kang in 1998 as her own personal website dedicated to her interest in Korean dramas and music. During the initial first few years, Susan would scan Korean entertainment magazine articles, translate them into English and post them on the site. Slowly, a community began to grow around the site and Susan soon had people volunteering to help with the site. As the first Hallyu wave began to grow, the site also began to grow. Soon, there were hundreds of thousands of visitors each month.

I met Susan because she is the older sister of my best friend from law school. We initially started to work together on Soompi in 2006 when the site growth was really taking off which meant server expenses were also taking off. I was helping Susan set up the advertising system on the site and eventually we decided to officially create a company and work on Soompi together. At first, we both kept our full-time jobs (Susan as a coder and me as a lawyer) and worked on Soompi during our nights and weekends. But by the end of 2008, the site was so active that it was obvious that the site needed more support. We made the decision to leave our jobs in 2009 and work on Soompi full-time.

KH: If you define Soompi.com, what is it?

Kim: Soompi is an online fan community for Hallyu. Soompi’s greatest strength lies in our members. Ninety-nine percent of the content on Soompi is user-generated content so our members are the ones who find the information to share and discuss. They spend a great deal of time online answering each other’s questions. No amount of money or marketing can create the organic community that sites like Soompi have.

KH: Who are Soompi members?

Kim: Soompi members are mostly young Americans of many different backgrounds (Asian, Caucasian, black and Latino) followed by people in their teens and 20s in South East Asia (Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, etc). They are typically very fashionable and up on the latest trends since they follow entertainment so closely. When they come to Soompi, they are often looking for the latest news about Hallyu and to meet other passionate fans. Hallyu fans love to work together to do events and share their love for their idols.

KH: What aspect of Hallyu appeals to Soompi members?

Kim: Soompi members love the celebrities ― their personalities, their visuals, their songs ― all of it. In fact, many of our members (90 percent of whom are not Korean) have started to learn Korean to better understand the music and dramas. Hallyu has definitely started to grow beyond its typical Asian boundaries. I think we will see Hallyu spread to the U.S., Latin America and Europe in 2011. However, for Hallyu to be truly successful abroad, Korean entertainment companies need to better understand international fans better ― this is important for creating new fans and reaching out to new markets.

KH: What can Korean websites and firms interested in Hallyu learn from Soompi?

Kim: I would say two differences between Soompi and Korean sites are 1) we really take into consideration the community’s desires when we build new products ― meaning oftentimes we look at community feedback first when thinking about new features and 2) we push out features before they are 100 percent perfect ― sometimes it means it has bugs, but it also means we can get our full community reaction quickly and fix or change things as needed.

For entertainment firms working in the Hallyu industry, it is important to make the music and drama content easily available for international fans. People in Korea do not realize how hard it is for international fans to buy the music and dramas legally ― there are not good options available. If entertainment firms made their content for easily available for international purchase, then more international fans would buy the content. But at the moment, we cannot even easily register on Korean websites.

KH: To create new and successful services based on social network service, what should and shouldn’t Korean venture startups do?

Kim: I see many Korean startups that are testing or half-heartedly targeting the global market. The decision whether to go global should be made early as it significantly impacts the kind of team that needs to be built and the product. If you are building an SNS service targeting the international market, then you should create your team abroad.

KH: What was the purpose of your latest visit to Seoul, and what did you feel when you were in Seoul?

Kim: I visit Seoul at least once a year to meet with Korean entertainment companies and Korean Internet startups. On the entertainment front, there is strong interest in online and social media strategy from the entertainment companies. This is one of the big growth opportunities for Hallyu. But I think Korean entertainment companies will need to hire people with international Internet experience to really open that opportunity.

[rubie]

March 23, 2011

[Entertainment News Station]

Lee Mi-sook, "Incite Jang Ja-yeon's will? Unbelieveable"

Source: news.nate.com l hancinema.net

Actress Lee Mi-sook's side claim it's unbelievable about previous entertainment chairman Kim statement that she incited the late Jang Ja-yeon's will. Lee Mi-sook's side showed displeasure saying, "Even when Lee Mi-sook was in the same management she didn't know Jang Ja-yeon. How could anybody say such a thing when they hadn't even met face to face? Such a thing being brought up alone is displeasing".

[obbor4]

These rumor mills no no kind of shame and respect no boundaries. It's a sickness as old as the printed or uttered word or thought... As for this incredible talent, the "Mrs. Robinson" styled pictures featured from her Elle pictoral are quite convincing and quite probable when applied to an imagined "real-life" setting. In a screen filled with an endless array of captivatingly beautiful young starlets, whenever Ms Lee (as is the case with the eternally alluring Kim Hye Soo, among others) appears on the screen, all others cease to exist to my eyes. She'll still be smouldering when she's ninety...

[rubie]

April 4, 2011

Big Bang’s T.O.P. couldn’t get out of bed after his photoshoot with Lee Mi Sook

Source: Seoul NTN via Nate by VITALSIGN allkpop.com

During the latest episode of MBC’s “Come To Play“, Big Bang’s T.O.P shared an interesting story about his sexy pictorial with actress Lee Mi Sook.

Back in August, T.O.P. managed to overcome a 30-year age difference between himself and the actress in order to shoot a seductive pictorial for “Elle” magazine. Reminiscing over the moment, he said, “After we completed the photoshoot, we went to dinner. I came home that night and fell asleep straight away. I couldn’t get up for the next two days for no logical reason at all.”

With a laugh, he added, “I must’ve been overtaken by her energy and spirit!”

The star will be revealing more BTS stories about his co-stars from “IRIS” and “Into the Fire“, so check out the full broadcast on April 4th at 11:15 PM KST.

[rubie]

A new LMS project, please check out the thread below for details & updates. Thanks to chopper!

Miracle Audition 기적의 오디션

http://www.soompi.com/forums/topic/366127-reality-miracle-audition-%EA%B8%B0%EC%A0%81%EC%9D%98-%EC%98%A4%EB%94%94%EC%85%98/

Miracle Audition (기적의 오디션)

Station

: SBS

Broadcast Date

: 06/24/11 - present

Broadcast Time

: 11:05 PM KST

Judges(Dream Masters)

: Lee Bumsoo, Kim Kapsoo, Lee Misook, Kim Jungeun, Kwak Kyungtaek

Website

: http://tv.sbs.co.kr/audition/

Sypnosis

: "Miracle Audition" is an acting audition program made by SBS and actors and actresses Kim Kap-soo, Lee Mi-sook, Lee Beom-soo, Kim Jeong-eun and director Kwak Gyeong-taek are the "Dream Masters" judges. Here, Lee Soon-jae along with professor Choi Hyeong-in from Hanyang University pass on his acting philosophy to the students as special advisory consultant.

So far, the audition has gone through 20,000 applicants and down to 30, who have joined the "Miracle School". The members of "Miracle School" receive acting lessons with the "Dream Masters".

source

[rubie]

July 23, 2011

Korea's 15 leading actresses in a photo collection...shocking!

Source: Nate // hancinema.net

Fashion magazine "Vogue" shot a special collection with 15 of Korea's leading actresses in celebration of its 15th year anniversary.

This collection holds the different concepts of actresses Jang Mi-hee, Lee Mi-sook, Kim Hee-ae, Yeom Jeong-ah, Kim Yeo-jin, Song Yoon-ah, Ye Ji-won, Kim Yoon-jin, Moon So-ri, Eom Ji-won, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Hyo-jin, Hwang Jeong-eum, Han Hyo-joo and Sin Se-kyeong ranging from ages 20 to 50.

Jang Mi-hee took pictures in long hair, recollecting the times from her past and Lee Mi-sook showed disheveled sexiness unlike her usual classic self.

Kim Hee-ae transformed into a warrior like Jeanne d'Arc, Yeom Jeong-ah like herself in any other photo shoot and, Kim Yeo-jin, a puritan Goddess and Song Yoon-ah, who was always feminine and calm showed stong softness.

Ye Ji-won colored her hair blonde like Marilyn Monroe and looked like a dancer and Kim Yoon-jin a warrior. Moon So-ri pulled off the Chaplin look like a South American man and Eom Ji-won managed a 40s "New Look". Kang Hye-jeong did the Bohemian concept.

Kim Hyo-jin changed into a quite library girl and Hwang Jeong-eum changed into a devilish but cute bad girl. Pure and innocent Han Hyo-joo showed a side herself more dramatic. Lastly, Sin Se-kyeong acted the fresh little girl like a caged Lolita.

This edition of "Vogue" will be in the August issue and it can also be seen on the Korean website.