[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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September 29, 2009

Park Yong-ha to Hold Concert in Hawaii in October

Actor/singer Park Yong-ha, 32, will hold a solo concert on October 17 at the Hawaii Convention Center for the first time in three years.

Park's first Hawaiian concert took place in October 2006 to mark the 13th anniversary of his debut. The State of Hawaii even designated that day as "Yongha Day" in 2006, said Park's agency. "We have been publicizing Park Yong-ha's concert via KBFD TV not only in Hawaii but also in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We have also received inquiries about broadcasting his concert in the U.S., Korea, Japan and Taiwan," added the agency.

Park said he was excited to perform in front of his fans in Hawaii for the first time in three years and promised to prepare thoroughly to stage an enrapturing performance.

The SBS TV drama "On Air," which stars Park, became a big hit in Japan last year and will be rerun late this year. The KBS TV2 drama "The Slingshot" will go on the air in Japan on October 3, while the movie "The Scam," which also stars Park, will soon be released in Japan as well.

To mark the 5th anniversary of his Japanese debut, Park released a mini-album in July and held a commemorative event at the Saitama Super Arena in early August.

Source: KBS Global

[Guest sandrydc]

November Release for Into the White Night

September 27th, 2009 // by javabeans

This is the poster for Sohn Ye-jin and Go Soo’s latest film, a dark thriller called Baekyahaeng: Walk Into the White Night [백야행 -- 하얀 어둠 속을 걷다] or simply Into the White Night, which now has a theatrical release date set for November. It has also released a teaser video (watch below).

With this role, Sohn Ye-jin (Alone in Love) is again raising eyebrows at the news that the film contains a full-nude bed scene. (The actress had previously shown partial rear nudity in her previous films April Snow and My Wife Got Married.) A source explained that the production had offered Sohn a body double, but she turned it down: “The bed scene we shot is a higher standard than in her previous work. She displayed professionalism in her acting, and took on the scene herself without a body double.”

*** You may watch video clip here : http://www.dramabeans.com/2009/09/november...ght/#more-10899

Bed scene or no, I have been really looking forward to this film, as my curiosity had been piqued by its story when it was first announced. (Plus: Go Soo!) Based on a Japanese novel, Byakuyako, which was turned into a Japanese film, the film tells the fateful love story of a man and woman who committed a murder 14 years prior (in self-defense), who decide to separate until the statute of limitations expires. Han Seok-kyu (Quiz King) plays a detective who pursues the two. Lee Min-jung (Boys Before Flowers) also stars.

Via Sports Chosun

____________________________

Son Ye Jin Going Naked For “Into the White Night”

It was reported on the 28th that actress Son Ye Jin will be going naked for a bed scene in her new movie, Into the White Night. This will apparently surpass what she had done before for April Snow and My Wife Got Married.

Son Ye Jin will have an intimate bed scene with fellow actor, Go Soo which was teased recently in the latest trailer (scroll below). According to a movie representative, "Son Ye Jin will be surpassing what she has done before for the bed scene in this movie. She showed great professionalism, declining to use a body double and handled the whole take herself."

Fellow actress, Soo Ae had recently drawn some controversy when it was revealed that her intimate bed scene in her movie, Like Fireworks, Like Butterflies, which saw her reveal her back, actually belonged to a body double. The production company did not ask Son Ye Jin to do that particular scene herself, but she insisted that she will be doing it without the use of a body double.

With this latest news, perverts netizens have started taking notice of this movie which will hit cinemas this coming November.

Source : allkpop

http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_stor...he_white_night/

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September 29, 2009

Jang Nara Sheds 7 kg for Movie

Jang Nara

Jang Nara, the Korean wave (hallyu) singer and actress, lost nearly 7 kilograms to shoot for "The Sky and the Sea," which will be premiered in late October.

Ju Ho-sung, Jang's father and also an actor, said in a recent press interview that his daughter suffered from the drastic drop in weight (from 45 kg to 38 kg), which led to some health-related problems.

While in China, in particular, Jang was taken to a hospital after collapsing due to anemia at an airport.

Yet the 28-year-old reportedly wants to keep her current weight after being praised for looking prettier.

In the movie, the first for Jang since starring in "Oh! Happy Day!" in 2003, she plays the role of an autistic child whose musician parents die in a traffic accident. Jang lost weight to fit the role of a pale and slender girl.

Jang started her career as a child actress, and is now highly active in China, having stints in singing and acting.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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28.09.09

Bae Yong-joon Dreams of Simple Farming Life

Korean Wave star Bae Yong joon speaks

during a press conference at the National

Museum of Korea on Tuesday.

"If I get another job in later life, I would like to be a farmer. It would be nice to plant something, cultivate the fruit and give the healthy product to someone." So said the actor Bae Yong-joon in a press conference held at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan on Tuesday.

The superstar was promoting a book titled "Travel in Search of Korea's Beauty." He was flanked by twelve experts on Korean traditional culture including ceramics, traditional liquor and pansori, who provided valuable insights for the book.

"I decided to write the book because of an embarrassing moment when I was unable to respond promptly when asked to name great places to visit in Korea at a press conference in Japan," he said. "I felt bad that my fans from abroad spent their entire time watching me shoot films and then went back to their countries. I hope this book can help them understand Korean culture and sentiment."

Bae plans to write more books. "Writing has a unique charm. I would like to write books that introduce places worth visiting in Korea and gourmet restaurants in the future."

Having been hospitalized for five days before being released on Monday, Bae looked thin and pale. "I lost more than 10 kg while writing the book. My stamina dropped considerably, so I had to rest in hospital. I am recovering now so I’ll be healthy again soon," he said.

Source : Korea Tourism Org

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30.09.09

Kim Myung-min Goes to the Edge for New Film

In the film "Closer to Heaven," there is a scene where actor Kim Myung-min, who played the role of a patient suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, weighs himself. The scales point to 51.6 kg, and that figure was not retouched but was Kim's actual weight. The 37-year-old actor says he now weighs 61 kg after "much recovery." After a "full recovery," he will be 72 to 73 kg.

Kim's cheeks were still visibly sunken when the interview took place on Tuesday. The legs sustaining his 180 cm-tall frame were as thin as those of a female supermodel. How did he manage to shed over 20 kg? "I ate vegetables and tofu only. When that didn't work, I didn't eat at all and only drank water," he says. "Shooting began on Feb. 10, so I had the last rice meal on Feb. 9, and until May 25, I never had any carbohydrate in my diet."

Asked if he could have resorted to an exercise regime instead of starving himself, Kim says, "ALS patients lose muscle. I couldn't exercise, because if I did, I might lose weight but I'd gain muscle."

Is it possible to lead a normal life when you are starving? "I intentionally drew the curtains in my hotel room in Busan [where the film is set], and kept the room dark. I couldn't sleep because I was so hungry. I spent most of my free time lying on my bed, watching movies, listening to music or shopping online with my laptop," he says.

Kim twice fainted in the shower. When the hot water touched his body, which had become extremely sensitive, the veins expanded and he fainted. Why did he have to go such extremes? "I wasn't confident to play the role of a patient with Lou Gehrig's disease and meet audiences on the screen if I didn't feel like one," he says. "It would have been very unnatural if I played the role without losing weight."

When he was offered the part, Kim initially "turned it down and ran away." "It wasn't a role that I took up because I was ambitious. There are roles that you get to do inevitably against your will, and there are roles that you can't do even though you desperately want them," he says.

Kim has not decided what his next project will be. "It would be irresponsible for me to ink a deal when I'm not 100 percent physically sound."

Source : Korea Tourism Org

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30.09.2009

Bae Yong-jun, Choi Ji-woo Visit Japan

Korean Wave star Bae Yong-jun has visited Japan, where he was welcomed by some 2000 fans. His visit comes more than a year after his last visit to the country.

Bae left for Japan on September 27 on a special Korean Air jet, which was rented for him. The actor arrived at Narita Airport at 3:20 p.m. He and actress Choi Ji-woo will attend a promotional event for the animation version of "Winter Sonata" at the Tokyo Dome.

Bae previously visited Japan in June last year to promote the epic drama "Legend." It is his first visit to Japan alongside actress Choi Ji-woo, who played opposite him in the TV drama "Winter Sonata."

Korean Air offered a special jet for the two stars. Some 2000 fans greeted Bae and Choi at Narita Airport. Bae's fans kept asking him about his health, as the actor was recently diagnosed with septicemia. Bae responded with a smile and waved his hand. Walking among the crowd of fans, he said briefly that he was fine. Bae's agency, BOF, said the two actors didn't pause to greet their fans because of security concerns.

Bae, Choi and Ryu Seung-soo will attend the "Winter Sonata" event on September 29 at the Tokyo Dome. On September 30, Bae will hold an event marking the publishing of his book on the beauty of Korea. He will stay in Japan until October 2.

Source : KBS Global

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01.10.2009

Lee, Bae pitch in for Korean tourism

photo courtesy of Newsen

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon joined Korea Tourism Organization President Lee Charm in declaring "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year" at Tokyo Dome yesterday in a rare overseas promotion for the Korean tourism industry.

The event, organized by Visit Korea Committee, drew an estimated 45,000 Japanese, many of whom had come to get a glimpse of Bae or "Yonsama," as he is popularly known in Japan. The promotion also got a boost from the participation of Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

The event was used to make appeals to Japanese to visit Korea by unveiling new tour packages and incentives for those who visit in the next three years.

Lee, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Visit Korea Committee, and the 37-year-old "Winter Sonata" actor opened the event by carrying out dialogue with each other in a talk show format about the tour packages and benefits available for Japanese visitors to Korea.

Korean Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul-hyun followed with a toast which was then followed by a promotional video of "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year."

Lee Charm, the first foreign-born government official in Korea, took the stage once again and addressed various issues and complaints, such as problems of public transportation, which have been raised by many Japanese tourists in the past after visiting Korea.

He also introduced benefits for long-term visitors and various tour packages available to potential Japanese visitors.

Bae meanwhile was adamant in his commitment as a goodwill ambassador to continue to promote Korea as a tourist destination for his Japanese fans.

He has expressed his interest in promoting Korean cuisine through participation in a global food festival the Visit Korea Committee is sponsoring later this year.

Lee recently penned "Traveling In Search of Korea's Beauty," released last week. The book is selling so well in Japan that the publisher is having difficulty meeting orders.

Meanwhile, Visit Korea Committee jointly with KEAYEAST Co. are planning an upscale Korea tour program that includes visits to scenic places across the country. The program will be unveiled in October via www.key2korea.com

Credits : Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com)

Source : The Korea Herald

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2009.10.01

Big guns in Tokyo promote Korea 2010-2012

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon joined Korea Tourism Organization president Lee Charm in declaring "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year" at Tokyo Dome yesterday in a rare overseas promotion for the Korean tourism industry. The event, organized by Visit Korea Committee, drew an estimated 45,000 Japanese, many of whom had come to get a glimpse of Bae or "Yonsama," as he is popularly known in Japan. The promotion also got a boost from the participation of Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

The event was used to make appeals to Japanese to visit Korea by unveiling new tour packages and incentives for those who visit in the next three years. Lee, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Visit Korea Committee, and the 37-year-old "Winter Sonata" actor opened the event by carrying out dialogue with each other in a talk show format about the tour packages and benefits available for Japanese visitors to Korea.

Korean Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul-hyun followed with a toast which was then followed by a promotional video of "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year."

Lee Charm, the first foreign-born government official in Korea, took the stage once again and addressed various issues and complaints, such as problems of public transportation, which have been raised by many Japanese tourists in the past after visiting Korea.

He also introduced benefits for long-term visitors and various tour packages available to potential Japanese visitors.

Bae meanwhile was adamant in his commitment as a goodwill ambassador to continue to promote Korea as a tourist destination for his Japanese fans.

He has expressed his interest in promoting Korean cuisine through participation in a global food festival the Visit Korea Committee is sponsoring later this year.

Lee recently penned "Traveling In Search of Korea's Beauty," released last week. The book is selling so well in Japan that the publisher is having difficulty meeting orders.

Meanwhile, Visit Korea Committee jointly with KEAYEAST Co. are planning an upscale Korea tour program that includes visits to scenic places across the country. The program will be unveiled in October via www.key2korea.com

Credits : Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com[/font)

Source : The Korea Herald

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2009.10.01

Bae Yong-joon chats with Hatoyama

Bae Yong Joon and Miyuki Hatoyama

Actor Bae Yong-joon on Tuesday and Wednesday met 45,000 Japanese fans at Tokyo Dome to promote the animation version of the popular TV series "Winter Sonata" which starts on cable television this month and the release of his travelogue "A Trip in Search of Korea's Beauty" in Japan.

Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama who is known to be an "avid fan" of Korean culture, was included in the audience and had a friendly chat with Bae after the event for about 10 minutes.

"We talked about the cultural exchange between Korea and Japan. She greeted me in Korean," Bae told the press after the event.

The 36-year-old actor said he read about 150 books and did not get enough sleep for three months while writing his book. Due to overwork, he was hospitalized for five days last month.

"I was afraid that I might not be able to attend the two-day event. I even went though H1N1 flu tests, which fortunately turned out to be septicemia," he said.

He added that the book will be released in English and also in Braille. The Braille book will be distributed for free.

The top-rated Hallyu actor however noted that Koreans should reconsider using the word "Hallyu," or "Korean Wave."

"It sounds too unilateral. It would be better for Korea if we use the word 'cultural exchanges' instead," he said.

Credits : Park Min-young (claire@heraldm.com)

Source : The Korea Herald

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01.10.2009

Bae Yong-joon wows them in Japan

A total of 45,000 people filled the stands of the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo Japan at

the 2010-2012 "Visit Korea Year" promotional event featuring actor Bae Yong-joon,

Korea Tourism Organization President Lee Charm and Korean Ambassador to Japan

Kwon Chul-hyeon. Provided by the Visit Korea Year Committee.

TOKYO - Bae Yong-joon, widely recognized by his Japanese nickname "Yon-sama," boasted his popularity in Japan at a party celebrating the release of his latest book in the Tokyo Dome last night.

The event was attended by 45,000 people who waited hours in a lengthy queue. The audience included Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, as well as leading Japanese political and government figures. Mrs. Hatoyama has dubbed herself an "avid fan" of Korean culture - entertainment in particular - which is represented by the phrase "Korean wave," or hallyu.

Bae, an actor and entrepreneur, was promoting his latest book, "A Trip in Search of Korea's Beauty," a compilation of his essays about traditional Korean culture. Its 50,000-book first edition sold out through advance orders on Monday, the day sales began. According to his promoters, Bae took tours around various parts of Korea and experienced traditional cultural activities and food on his own to author the book.

Along with the book publishing event, the Visit Korea Committee, an agency under the Korean government, announced that 2010 through 2012 will be designated a special period for the Japanese to visit Korea.

Lee Charm, president of the Korea Tourism Organization, pledged to tackle transportation issues in Korea, which tourists have consistently complained about.

Bae, who has been named PR ambassador for "Visit Korea," told the audience about the attraction of Korean food and mentioned the World Food Culture Festival to be held late next year in North Jeolla Province.

Keiko Kurokawa, 68, said she became a fan of Bae after watching "Winter Sonata."

"My interested in him has stretched to the Korean culture, food, society and history," she said. She said she has visited Korea five times so far and plans to visit again to take a look around the regions Bae introduced in his book.

Yon-sama rose to hallyu stardom in 2002, as his Korean TV drama Winter Sonata was a huge hit in Japan. Riding the wave of his popularity, local entertainers, movies and TV dramas increasingly gained fans in the neighboring country, especially among elderly women. They say they have been enchanted by the romantic, charismatic qualities of Korean dramas' male characters. The local pop culture sensation has lured tens of thousands of Japanese tourists annually to Korea.

Credits : Park So-young, Seo Ji-eun [spring@joongang.co.kr]

Source : JoongAng Daily

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September 29, 2009

Actor Kwon Sang-woo to Run Cosmetics Firm

Actor Kwon Sang-woo

Actor Kwon Sang-woo has established a cosmetics company, Natural Tears, and will become an advertising model for its brand "Tears," the company's PR agency said.

Tears has been named after his nickname "Mr. Tears," which was given by his fans in Japan and other Asian nations in recognition of his tear-jerking acting in the SBS-TV drama "Stairway to Heaven." He starred in it with actress Choi Ji-woo.

It will be the first time in two years that he will appear as a model in a commercial for cosmetics goods.

Natural Tears will open its first outlet in Myeongdong, Seoul, in December. Kwon will run the company as its CEO and will hold autographing sessions at the grand opening. It is his second business launching following the opening of the coffee shop chain Tea'us in Myeongdong in May.

The star made headlines last year when his secret romance with actress Sohn Tae-young became public. The two tied the knot in September and are expecting a baby in the spring.

Kwon is expected to return to the movie screen in the first half of next year, with a romance movie, "A Sad Story," slated for a March 14 release.

Credits: chojh@koreatimes.co.kr

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September 29, 2009

Lee Jun-ki Scammed in Taiwan

Actor Lee Jun-ki was reportedly scammed in Taiwan. Lee’s agency Mentor Entertainment said that a local concert producer fled with the money for arranging a fan meeting and concert just two days before the scheduled show on September 26th. The disappearance of the Taiwanese producer jeopardized the entire concert, but Lee’s Korean agency paid for the concert venue and was able to proceed with the show as planned. Lee was particularly adamant about going ahead with the show, as he promised to hold the event with his Taiwanese fans from a year ago.

Lee met with more than 3,000 of his local fans and thanked them for coming to the show despite the unfortunate incident. Lee left for Thailand the next day and attended a photo book launching event before returning to Korea on Monday. Lee’s next project is a TV drama named “Hero” in which he plays a driven reporter.

Source: KBS Global

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September 29, 2009

'Breathless' wins in Vladivostok

Korean feature takes top prize at Pacific Meridian festival

By Park Soo-mee

SEOUL -- “Breathless,” an indie feature by South Korean director Yang Ik-june won the grand prize and best actress award at the 7th Vladivostok International Film Festival “Pacific Meridian,” which ended Friday.

The festival, devoted to films of Asian Pacific countries and held annually in the Russian Far East port city, brought over 200 films and was headed by a jury including directors Chow Wing Keung (Hong Kong), Iwai Sunji (Japan) and Leonid Rybakov (Russia).

During Friday’s closing ceremony, the festival’s jury also awarded “Jerrycan” by Australian helmer Julius Avery for best short film, and “Swimming Lesson” by Singapore’s Kat Goh as the special mention. Best actor went to China’s Li Zhizhong for his role in “Jalainur” and best actress to Kim Kobbi from “Breathless.”

“Firaaq,” by Indian director Nandita Das was given the Special Jury Award for raising concerns on the critical social conflict in the Gujarat region. The festival’s best director award went to Sean Baker for the film “Prince of Broadway.”

Pacific Meridian closed with the screening of “Tsar,” director Pavel Lungin’s latest feature starring veteran actor Oleg Yankovsky, who made the film his last. The festival garnered the most attention before its opening by inviting Catherine Deneuve as a festival guest.

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

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01.10.2009

If you promote it, they will come

From left to right: Korean Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul-hyeon, actor Bae Yong-joon

and Korea Tourism President Lee Charm make an appearance at a 2010-2012 Visit

Korea Year promotional event yesterday in Tokyo, Japan.

hi liezle. omg, yah..it was so devastating specially for those whio lost lives, house and business. im really so thankful that were ok at our side. and yah, i saw the news at cnn for Indonesia too. gosh, its all over the world.

im basing from experience, so please, we all need to pray not only at times that we needed it. we need to thank God for the blessings everyday.

With a sizable crowd of 45,000 people in attendance at the Tokyo Dome, Bae, Lee and Kwon spoke about new travel packages to Korea that will be offered soon. A promotional video highlighting these deals was also shown.

The Visit Korea Committee will begin promoting the regional travel packages starting in the coming days on the Web site www.key2korea.com. Aside from Seoul, the deals will also focus on the Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Gyeongsang regions.

Provided by the Visit Korea Committee

Source : JoongAng Daily

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September 30, 2009

Actor Zo In-sung (left) and singer Lee Jung perform during a full dress rehearsal for Armed Forces Day at the military training center in Gyeryong, South Chuncheong Province on Tuesday. Zo is absolving his military service in the Air Force and Lee in the Marine Corps.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

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2009.10.01

Undying Popularity for Yonsama

Actor Bae Yong-joon

By Cho Jae-hyon

Staff Reporter

Actor Bae Yong-joon, known as "Yonsama" among Japanese fans, proved that he still has the power to keep the popularity of Korean pop culture alive. He was the star who helped trigger the Korean wave or "hallyu." He also showcased a possibility that hallyu can be broadened to the realm of tourism and food.

In an event to promote his latest book on Korean culture and travelling, "A Journey in Search of Korean Beauty,'' Yon-sama drew 45,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome Wednesday. Among them was Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Miyuki, known as an enthusiastic fan of Bae, met him for about 10 minutes before the event and talked about Korean culture, according to his promoting agency.

On the stage, Bae read part of his book to the audience and explained how he came to write it.

"While I toured around the various parts of Korea for months, its beautiful scenery, which I had been unaware of before, dawned on me and created the passion in me to write this book,'' he said.

The first edition of 50,000 copies sold out on the first day of sales, Monday, in Japan.

His book is also flying off the shelves in Korea with the publishing firm Seed Paper busy meeting the rush of orders. It topped the list as the bestseller of the essay category at Kyobo Book Center.

Winter Sonata

After the event, Bae talked to reporters with Miyuki at a press conference. "Mrs. Hatoyama expressed her hope for more active exchanges of culture between Korea and Japan. She also showed a lot of interest in Korean culture,'' he said. "We greeted each other in Korean and I was surprised as she asked questions in Korean sometimes.''

Bae said he studied for more than one year to write the book and read more than 150 books.

"Writing was not easy. I could not sleep well for about three months before the deadline,'' he said.

Bae said he took over 5,000 pictures for the book, adding that he does not use a digital camera. He said he takes pictures with his heart. "I think the emotional part is crucial in taking pictures. The heart is the most important.''

He also talked about his plan to farm. "I'm learning a lot of things. It's been three years since I told reporters that I would do farming. I'm interested in environmental issues. I'm interested in cultivating food that we can eat without worrying.''

Yonsama's visit to Japan was also to promote the animated version of "Winter Sonata,'' the drama he starred in with actress Choi Ji-woo, and through which he rose to hallyu stardom in 2002 when it was a mega hit in Japan.

Bae's popularity is expected to attract more Japanese tourists to Korea. The state-run Visit Korea Committee designated the period from 2010 to 2012 as a special time for the Japanese to visit Korea.

Credits : chojh@koreatimes.co.kr

Source : The Korea Times

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September 30, 2009

Daniel Henney Snags Lead in U.S. TV Drama

Daniel Henney

Korean-American actor Daniel Henney, who rose to stardom in Korea with the hit drama "My Name is Kim Sam-soon," has landed a leading role in the U.S. drama "Three Rivers," which will be broadcast on CBS TV from Oct. 4.

Promotional posters featuring Henney and co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Justina Machado have been put up on billboards, buses and metro stations in major cities like Los Angeles and New York.

The medical drama is set in the transplant ward of a Pittsburgh hospital and will air during prime-time at 9 p.m.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

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01.10.2009

Adoring Crowds Greet Bae Yong-joon at Tokyo Dome

All that Korean superstar Bae Yong-joon had to do was smile, and at the end of every sentence he spoke, there were cheers, and even when he was silent there was applause reverberating through the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday afternoon.

Bae is in Japan to promote his book "Travel in Search of Korea's Beauty." Some 45,813 people in the audience were chosen by lottery to buy a ticket to the event, which cost 8,925 yen (W117,000, US$1=W1,179). They seemed happy just to be in the same place as the man they call Yonsama.

Bae Yong-joon

Among them was Japan's eccentric new first lady Miyuki Hatoyama, an ardent fan of Korean soap operas. Hatoyama met Bae in the VIP Room for about 10 minutes an hour before the event, and watched the event for more than an hour in a VIP seat.

The first Japanese print run of 50,000 copies instantly sold out, and the publisher is printing more.

Korean Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul-hyun and Lee Cham, chief of the Korea National Tourism Organization, were also present as a "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year" was declared during the event. Bae is the goodwill ambassador.

Source : Chosun Ilbo

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September 30, 2009

Lee Byung-heon to Return to TV as Spy

Actor Lee Byung-heon is to return to the small screen as a secret agent in the huge-budget drama 'IRIS' after he gained global recognition through the Hollywood film 'G.I.Joe.'

The drama is a spy action thriller dealing with the love and betrayals of South and North Korean secret agents.

Lee plays Kim Hyun-jun, a top sniper at the National Security Service. His character is a man of decisive action with a smart, cool head and charisma who perfectly carries out his missions. Kim Tae-hee plays his opposite as Choi Seung-hee, a fellow agent who becomes the love of his life.

Lee has reportedly impressed the crew and fellow actors by perfectly transforming himself into his character from the first shooting, just as expected, since he is known for thoroughly studying a character he is playing before shooting starts.

Lee will show both a masculine and gentle personality. He is doing all the action stunts himself during the shooting, chase and explosion scenes, and will make romantic viewers' hearts pound as he is involved in a fateful romance.

At the drama showcase late last month, Lee said, "I am giving my all to the [20-episode] drama as if I were shooting 20 films."

IRIS begins on Oct. 14 at 9:55 on KBS2.

Writer : KBSi Jin Yeong-joo l Photo/Source: Taewon Entertainment l KBS Global

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October 1, 2009

‘Sword’ presents the softer side of actress Soo-ae

Cho Seung-woo, left, and Soo-ae in a scene from the film

“The Sword with No Name.” Provided by the film’s official

Web site

For years, top female actresses in Korea took turns playing the historical figures Jang Hi-bin and Hwang Jin-hi in the movies.

Now, you can add Empress Myeongseong to the list. Stars including Kang Soo-youn, Choi Myoung-gil, Chae Si-ra, Lee Mi-yeon and Moon Keun-young have recently played the role of the hwanghu, which means empress in Korean.

Soo-ae plays the heroin Queen Myeongseong in the film

“The Sword with No Name.” By Lee Young-mok

The latest: actress Soo-ae, known throughout the country for her classical beauty. Soo-ae plays Empress Myeongseong in the recently released film “The Sword with No Name,” which is based on a book by Ya Seol-lok and was directed by Kim Yong-gyun.

The movie depicts a desperate romance between the empress and warrior Mu-myeong (Cho Seung-woo). The empress, a forward-thinking advocate of modernity, wields her political influence to further her ideals. But she is often at odds with her orthodox father-in-law, regent Daewon-gun (Chun Ho-jin), and meets a tragic death in her lover’s arms. The movie is loosely based on history, but there are clearly fictional elements, like when the warrior calls the empress by her first name, Ja-young.

The JoongAng Ilbo met Soo-ae on Sept. 22 at a hotel near Gwanghwamun to talk about her acting career and her most recent role. “I’m so timid that I still feel awkward when people call me sexy,” said Soo-ae, whose elegant appearance at the interview exuded classical womanliness. “Whenever I do an interview, my head gets filled with my own personal weak points and I start talking about them. In the end, I worry about the fact that I didn’t talk much about the actual movie.”

Instead of following the lead of many modern female celebrities who present themselves as strong, assertive women, Soo-ae is much more traditional. “I was so overwhelmed when I first received an offer to be in this movie because it is a role that represents a main character in Korean film,” she said. “Later on, I thought I was crazy to have accepted the proposal. I didn’t watch the previous films that featured the empress played by other actresses since this movie is more about a girl who is in love rather than a film focused on the historical facts. I only concentrated on her relationship with Mu-myeong.

“The director’s request was for me to show the face of a ‘woman.’ He said that he saw the ‘face’ on me twice in a previous movie I was in called ‘Sunny,’ and he told me that he wanted more of that face. I’m an introvert and timid, with a firm heart, and quite easygoing. I’m not quite what I seem. I personally think that I don’t fit in perfectly playing melodrama.”

Still, the actress added that she “believes” in melodramas.

“You have to trust and completely lean on your co-star. But as I said, I am too introverted that I can’t really speak my mind nor lean on my partner 100 percent,” she said. “Luckily this time I benefitted so much from my co-star Cho. I realized why he is considered a top star. Cho and I are the same age, so we became quite close during filming but kept talking in the honorific. Thanks to that, it was easier for me to fully absorb myself in the love aspect of my role.”

The hardest part, she said, was the climax of the movie, where the two main characters meet their fate. Soo-ae said she was exhausted after two straight days of filming. She also only had one, 10 million won ($8,500) costume covered in blood for the climax, which meant she had to nail the scene perfectly because there wasn’t any room for a reshoot. Fortunately, Soo-ae managed to shine through.

She spoke highly of her experience on the film Sunny, which she said allowed her to become a “real actress.” “I didn’t understand anything about the atmosphere of filming, nor necessarily the meaning of teamwork before,” she said. “I was an actress who would go straight to her car and wait for the next scene. But I’m different now.”

Audiences first got to know Soo-ae through her debut movie “Family,” where she played a character that cursed a lot and was quite manly. In The Sword with No Name, however, viewers will get to see her elegant, graceful side. The fact that she can solidly portray these two extremes hints that Soo-ae has much more to offer.

By Yang Sung-hee [estyle@joongang.co.kr]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2910746