[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

[deka_if]

Dec.22, 2009

'Mother' Garners International Recognition

The film "Mother," winner of the 2009 Blue Dragon Award, has received recognition at overseas film festivals. In the 24th Mar del Plata International Film Festival, the largest and the only competitive film festival in Latin America, "Mother" won SIGNIS Great Award for Best Film in the international competition given by the World Catholic Association.

"Mother" was also selected as one of the five nominees for the best foreign film award for the 25th Annual Independent Spirit Awards scheduled in the United States in March next year.

Source : Chosun Ilbo

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Dec. 21, 2009

'Master' adds Korean star

Song's agency says she's learning Cantonese for film

SEOUL -- Korean actress Song Hye-kyo has been cast in Wong Kar Wai's "The Grand Master," according to her Seoul-based agency, Eden Nine Entertainment.Pic centers around martial-arts master Ip Man, who trained Bruce Lee.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai will portray Ip Man, while Wong regulars Ziyi Zhang, Chen Chang and veteran Zhao Benshan also star.

Song gained fame across Asia with Korean Wave TV dramas including "All In" "Autumn Fairy Tale" and "Full House" as well as films such as "Hwang Jin-yi" and "My Girl and I."

Her agency said the actress is learning Cantonese and martial arts in preparation for her supporting role in the movie.

Production company Stella Entertainment has started lensing, aiming to wrap by April.

Credits : GUNNAR REHLIN, HAN SUNHEE

Source : Variety

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2009/12/22

English TV channel to increase live programming

SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- Arirang TV, an English-language TV network based in Seoul, said Tuesday it plans to increase real-time news and in-depth programming next year to give viewers a more accurate view of Korea.

Operated by the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation (KIBF), Arirang TV will add three daily news programs including an 8 p.m. show next year. It will also air "Now in North Korea" once a week, the network's officials said. The show, which focuses on South Korea's isolated communist neighbor, currently airs once a month.

The broadcaster also has several new programs lined up next year, including "G-Korea," which will look into the country's efforts to build up an environmentally-friendly industry, and "Tasty Trail" and "Korea Confidential," both featuring Korean food.

"Swap World" will carry programs from broadcasters in Russia, Hungary, India, Brazil and China, while "Chay An," a TV drama produced by Vietnam's VTV, will also be aired on Arirang TV.

Founded in 1996, Arirang TV is Korea's premier English-language channel featuring news, cultural programs, educational shows and documentaries 24 hours a day in more than 188 countries.

Operated by KIBF, a non-profit organization, Arirang broadcasts three channels: Arirang World, Arirang Korea and Arirang Arab. The network offers subtitles in languages including Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.

Source : Yonhap News

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2009/12/21

Tae-yeon's Scarf Top Prize in Celebrity Charity Auction

Once again, girl group "So Nyeo Shi Dae (Girls' Generation)" proved popular at the second celebrity charity auction, which was held December 14 to 18 following the first celebrity charity auction.

The bidding price for a scarf owned by Tae-yeon reached the top price of 4,400,100 won, even with 10 hours of bidding still remaining until closing time on the online charity auction held by Gyeonggi province on the Internet shopping mall "G market."

This price is more than twice as much as the price of a skirt owned by Yoona, which was sold as the highest-priced prize at the first charity auction.

So far, 190 people have bid on Tae-yeon's scarf, which started at the basic price of 1,000 won, and the highest bid is predicted to increase by closing time.

This sky-blue scarf bears a handwritten statement and autograph by Tae-yeon reading, "I wore this scarf around my neck while I was shooting the drama 'Hello Baby.'"

Three more of So Nyeo Shi Dae's items were ranked from second to fourth in bidding price; socks owned by Yuri stood at 1.74 million won, a T-shirt owned by Jessica at 720,000 won, and socks owned by Sunny at 598,600 won.

In addition, an autographed soccer ball signed by Park Ji-sung is starting at 220,000 won, sunglasses worn by Jung Jun-ho during the shooting of the drama Iris at 150,200 won, and a belt owned by Hyo-yeon from So Nyeo Shi Dae at 144,000 won.

The total bid price of all the items, currently standing at 8,216,500 won, significantly exceeds the total bid price, 5,358,000 won, from the first charity auction.

Sixteen Korean actors and groups, including So Nyeo Shi Dae, Park Ji-sung, Park Tae-whan, participated in the first charity event, which was held on December 7 - 11, and four members of So Nyeo Shi Dae received well-deserved attention from their fans.

Gyeonggi province plans to use the total proceeds from the two charity auctions to assist needy people.

An official from the charity event stated, "The charity auction aroused people's interest, and it exceeded the target of 5 million won. We are planning to hold charity events as a means of helping needy people."

Source : KBS GLOBAL

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2009.12.22

[PREVIEW]

KBS TV series "Chuno"

The cast and producer Kwak Jung-hwan of KBS TV series "Chuno" pose during a photo

session of a press conference held at a CJ CGV theater on December 21, 2009.

[Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

In times when one who slaughters animals was called a butcher and looked down upon, a chuno was considered even more lowly than beasts for their job of hunting down human beings. But Dae-gil (played by Jang Hyuk) decides to become such a chuno to make a living after he becomes the only one left of his once-wealthy upper class household which has exterminated from a fire set by a servant under his control. Dae-gil, who takes on the boss of the top chuno gang of the Joseon Dynasty, composed of Jang-goon (Han Jung-soo) who ruins both himself and his family after failing to pass the military service examination and former thief Wangsoni (Kim Ji-suk), one day receive a request to capture Tae-ha (Oh Ji-ho), a man slave in government employ, who has taken flight. Dae-gil, who must catch Tae-ha in order to maintain his reputation for the job and also to accumulate wealth in preparation for his old age, becomes involved in the mission he must complete while avoiding the threat of a mass of servants who have formed a society.

Meanwhile, Tae-ha, a former military officer who falls from grace after the prince he served becomes assassinated, decides to run away from his life as a slave to achieve his dream of enhancing national prosperity and defense of the country. He does not have an easy time living as a slave on the run but his feelings start growing for another runway slave Hye-won (Lee Dae-ha) who actually used to be Dae-gil's first love Un-nyun. The TV series will premiere on KBS2-TV on January 6, 9:55 P.M.

Preview Rating: 9

The press conference for "Chuno" was held at the CJ CGV theater in Youngdeungpo which holds a super-sized screen. Hence, the event itself saw technical difficulties but it was enough to prove the producer's intention of wanting to flaunt the spectacular non-drama like features of the show. About ten episodes of the series are ready for showing and the cast and crew shot on various locations throughout the country while putting in great effort to the computer graphics to enhance viewers' visual satisfaction.

But to any extent, its majestic appearance will only serve as the base to the story. It seems that "Chuno" will not make the mistake of drowning all other elements to the drama with its sideshows. It breaks from the convention of simply laying out history in chronological order but sets its vanishing point as the standoff between the chaser and the one being chased. Therefore, history is what chases the characters into their state of chaos while most of their relationships are intertwined with personal conflicts and grudges. Whether "Chuno" will be a hit or failure will depend on how articulately the macroscopic background blends in with the microscopic stories. It will also be worth paying attention to how well director Kwak Jung-hwan's density weaves in with writer Chun Sung-il's pliability.

Reporter : Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr

Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

2009.12.22

Lee Min-ho wraps up fan meeting in Singapore

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actor Lee Min-ho has successfully wrapped up another fan meeting in Singapore, according to his agency Starhaus Entertainment.

Some 2,000 fans attended the fan meeting -- titled "MINOZ, THE FIRST ASIA FAN MEETING - FIRST LOVE...with SINGAPORE" -- which took place on December 21 at the Max Pavilion auditorium.

"It was the last fan meeting of the year, so many Korean fans wanted to attend as well," an official at Starhaus was quoted as saying. "But tickets were sold out, so they were unable to do so."

The official went on to explain that many people from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand came to Singapore to see the Hallyu star.

Lee, who recently visited Japan and Taiwan, performed two songs during the event; his solo single "My Everything" and theme song "Boys Over Flowers" from the soundtrack.

The 22-year-old actor shot to stardom after starring in "Boys" earlier this year. The drama co-starred Korean actress Koo Hye-sun and idol group member Kim Hyun-joong of SS501.

Reporter : Ko Jae-wan star@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

2009.12.22

"Seon-deok" wraps up final shooting today

The cast and crew of "Queen Seon-deok" [MBC]

The cast and crew of hit TV series "Queen Seon-deok" wrapped up eleven months of shooting early this morning, according to a press release by the show's broadcaster MBC.

The entire staff -- including actors Lee Yo-won, Uhm Tae-woong, Kim Nam-gil and producer Park Hong-gyun -- threw a wrap-up party to celebrate the shooting of their final episode of the historical drama.

The actors reportedly expressed their sadness at the show's ending: lead actress Lee Yo-won was quoted as saying, "I can't believe it," while Kim Nam-gil hugged every single crew member.

The Monday and Tuesday night series has been a huge success, remaining atop weekly TV charts in viewership ratings for most of its showing since late May.

Its ratings had soared to the mid-40 percent range for several episodes ahead of actress Ko Hyun-joung's exit from the show four weeks ago. She had played the role of royal concubine Mi-shil in the drama, which is about "Queen Seon-deok" from the Silla Dynasty, the twenty-seventh ruler and the first reigning queen of the period.

The final episode of "Seon-deok" airs tonight at 9:55 p.m. on MBC.

The cast and crew of "Queen Seon-deok" [MBC]

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

2009.12.22

Shin Min-ah attends Chanel show in China

Korean actress Shin Min-ah with Karl Lagerfeld [W Korea]

Korean actress Shin Min-ah attended Chanel's fashion show in China by invitation of the brand's creative director Karl Lagerfeld, according to fashion magazine W Korea.

W Korea ran a special feature on the actress, who showed up at the "2010 Chanel Paris-Shanghai Collection" held in Shanghai's Huangpu Park on December 3.

Shin, clad in a Chanel dress, represented Korea among a handful of international celebrities attending the fashion show, including French singer and Johnny Depp's partner Vanessa Paradis.

Korean actress Shin Min-ah attends Chanel fashion show [W Korea]

The 25-year-old actress has appeared in numerous Korean television dramas and films, including "A Love To Kill" (KBS, 2005) alongside Asian superstar Rain and movies "A Bittersweet Life", "Sad Movie" and "The Beast and the Beauty".

The fashion spread featuring Shin at the Chanel show was published in the January issue of W magazine, currently available in bookstores.

Korean actress Shin Min-ah at Chanel show in Shanghai [W Korea]

Reporter : Lim Hye-seon lhsro@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

2009.12.23

[10 FOCUS] 10 Awards - Top 10 People of 2009

Top 10 People of 2009

In the entertainment industry, the end of a year is a season about watching and talking about “people”. Many media outlets select their “person of the year” and people flock to year-end awards shows to hear a quote from stars that they do not get to see often. <10Asia> picked our own figures of the year, but there is no red carpet or photo spotlights for the stars to enter upon. Our selection of “persons of 2009” are not top stars who attained the most popularity from the public, but people who changed the landscape of Korea’s entertainment industry and stimulated the public with experiences that we had not had before. Here are ten people who showed us a new direction for upcoming 2010.

Actress Ko Hyun-joung [Lee Won-woo/10Asia]

Actress Ko Hyun-joung

“Now is the era of Mi-shil”. Mi-shil’s statement in the first episode of MBC’s “Queen Seon-deok” opened “the era of Ko Hyun-joung” as well. Ko said that she chose the role of Mi-shil because she “wanted to escape the arrows flying at the lead character”, but the powerfully charismatic Mi-shil will be remembered as one of the most memorable characters in the history of Korean traditional dramas. And it was the perfect opportunity for Ko to break out her acting skills that she had kept repressed all these years and with this drama, she proclaimed to the world that she had “really made a comeback” since returning to the industry in 2004. Her film “Actresses”, which opened in December, offers a look into the personal life and inner side of this extraordinary actress, but after everything that she has gone through, Ko proved one thing and one thing only; for an actor, acting is what matters.

Variety show producer Kim C [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Producer Kim C

Kang Ho-dong, the MC and leader of KBS’s variety program “One Night Two Days”, calls him “Sir Kim”. This symbolically shows that producer Kim C holds a unique and unprecedented position in Korean variety shows. He is truly a “one of a kind loner” who cannot be allured into the world of Kang Ho-dong, who is known for leading other members with his charisma. He is so unfazed by set-ups and ratings that people sometimes accuse of him of not trying hard enough, but that is what makes “One Night Two Days” so real and lively and what made the KBS show “Invincible Baseball Team”, where he was recruited as coach, into a baseball variety program. The more he cursed and shouted at the players on the show, the more it helped in making the show real. It is ironic that he became the most essential figure on the two most prominent variety shows of 2009 by breaking free from the conventional rules of television. The current trend in Korean variety shows regards pre-established direction and set-ups as corny, so his seemingly unimpressed expressions and honest dialogue may serve as the best blue chip.

Director Kim Byung-wook [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Director Kim Byung-wook

Director Kim Byung-wook can put together melodrama and black comedy through the story of one family and cover various topics ranging from modern Korean families to politics, economy and class. Such feat is a new ground that had not been seen in a sitcom and drama, and is also the essence of Kim that sums of all of his filmography. Thus, it is meaningless to categorize director Kim Byung-wook as a “sitcom director”. Through “High Kick 2”, he himself became a unique genre of his own.

Figure skater Kim Yuna [Kim Yuna's official homepage]

Figure skater Kim Yuna

Kim Yuna makes the list again in 2009. Since some time ago, Kim Yuna became a fixture on the list of most prominent figures of the year. This is not due to inertia. In fact, when she lighted up the year of 2008 with her “Danse Macabre” routine, it was hard to anticipate that this excellent figure skater would do anything more because she had already reached another level. But Bond girl Kim Yuna, with her new “007 James Bond Medley” routine, showed fans that she could do even more. She became the first female single skater to breach the 200-point mark and the viewership rating for her competition reached 25 percent which is higher than ratings for popular weekend drama “Three Brothers” (KBS). But even those remarkable facts do not do justice to the artistic achievements that she has shown on the ice. The real opponent of this young skater may be the history of figure skating, not Asada Mao or Joannie Rochette.

Producer Kim Tae-ho [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Producer Kim Tae-ho

This year, Korean real variety shows made quite an accomplishment in terms of both quality and quantity. MBC’s “Infinite Challenge” may be the oldest among all the shows but it is still the most refreshing real variety show. The “Pimple Break” segment, where the cast were placed under control like actors within a given scenario, was a discovery of a new genre that was neither a movie or real variety show. There were even new, long-term suggestions for the variety show's production systems, such as producing yearly calendars. And at the center of it stands producer Kim Tae-ho. If writers are the new powerful forces in variety shows, then producer Kim Tae-ho would be at the top of the list.

Producer and CEO, Song Byung-joon [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Producer Song Byung-joon

He produced KBS TV series “Boys Over Flowers” and MBC’s “Tamra, The Island”. The simple fact that Song produced a hit drama, a controversial drama, well-made and badly-made dramas and one that was cut short all within a year makes him interesting. Just like his unique career -- he started as a music director and then an actor before he turned producer -- he continuously succeeded and failed through a series of attempts that no one had ever tried before, such as discovering comic book sources, starting pre-productions of dramas and hiring unknown actors. It is still unclear if he -- who is planning to make dramas based on [comic book author] Lee Hyun-se’s golf comic “Birdie” and Japan’s boy-meets-girl story “Foolish Kiss” plus a musical version of [Korean hit TV series] “Goong” -- will see huge success next year. What is clear, however, is that there are very few producers in Korea who have such artistic vision.

Actor Lee Min-ho [Lee Won-woo/10Asia]

Actor Lee Min-ho

At the start of the year, Korea welcomed a new kind of pretty boy. The character Gu Jun-pyo in KBS TV series “Boys Over Flowers”, who looks like an exquisite mixture of Julian the Apostate and [legendary Korean singer] Na Hoon-ah, captured the hearts of numerous females with his immature behavior and aggressive style of dating. And new actor Lee Min-ho, who debuted four years ago, instantly became a star with the most passionate group of fans. Thanks to the newfound popularity, cable channels started showing [Lee’s unknown film] “Our School ET” and the Internet started to become flooded with scenes from [his previous dramas] “Secret Campus”(EBS, 2006) and “Mackerel Run” (SBS, 2007). It is disappointing that he followed up his brilliant success with donut commercials [for Dunkin Donuts Korea] and Southeast Asia tours [for fan meetings], but a volcano is set to explode once it has been awoken. And since he has announced that he will start working again, the volcanic eruption of Lee Min-ho seems not too far away.

Actor Lee Byung-hun [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Actor Lee Byung-hun

There are many stars but not all prove to have star quality. The reason Lee Byung-hun became a prominent entertainer in 2009 was not only because he participated in huge projects but also because he has proven to possess that abstract but influential thing called star quality. When he appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster “G.I. Joe”, he made villain Storm Shadow the most fascinating character in the film and he easily made his presence known as the big star of the host country, leading VIP co-stars Josh Hartnett and Kimura Takuya from “I Come With The Rain” to the 14th Pusan International Film Festival. On top of all that, the end-of-year commercial success of KBS drama “Iris” marked the finishing touch on Lee’s acting work this year. Compared to all the other so-called blockbuster dramas such as SBS’s “Cain and Abel” and “Swallow The Sun” which were unable to draw much attention from the Korean public, “Iris” scored viewership rating over 30 percent and stood at the center of the spotlight. This is what it means to be of different class.

Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi [sBS]

Singer Lee Seung-gi

Once a good boy, always a good boy. Lee Seung-gi, who not only works hard but excels in what he does, received excellent grades on his report card as an all-around entertainer as singer, actor and variety show regular. In the popular KBS variety show “One Night Two Days”, his character became a source of good humor on the show and his star turn in SBS drama “Shining Inheritance” helped score a 40-percent-plus viewership rating. One Saturday when the combined ratings of Lee’s two shows added up to 70 percent, the country started calling him “The 100 percent man (in terms of viewership rating)”. He became the consumers’ favorite star for commercials because he does not even have any anti-fans. He is liked by all age groups; for elementary school kids, he is the friendly boy-next-door; to young fans around his own age, he is the good, average “son of mom’s friend”; and older fans see him as the flawless, model celebrity. From a scale of one to ten, this was a 100-point year for Lee.

Producer Teddy [YG Entertainment]

Producer Teddy

In an interview with <10Asia>, music producer Teddy explained what producing means in the K-pop scene these days -- “everything from music to styling”. And he showed us what he meant by introducing girl group 2NE1, who had integrated music, fashion and music video as a group and whose character was defined by such integration. 2NE1 is the best example of how important it is to combine visual style with music that was pre-conceived and produced under a certain concept. This year, Teddy was the “trendsetter” amongst all the prominent songwriters and producers in Korea.

Senior Reporter : Kang Myoung-Seok two@10asia.co.kr

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@10asia.co.kr, Wee Geun-woo eight@10asia.co.kr, Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr, Jang Kyung-Jin three@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

2009.12.23

TV series "Seon-deok" makes proud exit

MBC historical drama [MBC]

MBC TV series "Queen Seon-deok" saw a successful end to its seven-month run on Tuesday evening, according to statistics by TNS Media Korea.

The historical drama recorded a viewership rating of 37.7 percent for its final episode which delivered a sad ending for its two romantically-involved characters Bidam (played by Kim Nam-gil) and Queen Seon-deok (played by Lee Yo-won).

Another research firm AGB Nielsen Media also reported that "Seon-deok" reached ratings of 35.7 percent which is a 3.4 percent increase from its previous episode.

The drama had initially recorded viewership ratings around 15 percent when it first premiered in May, but quickly went on to dominate the small screen with the intense storyline between Queen Seon-deok and royal concubine Mi-shil (played by Ko Hyun-joung).

The character of Mi-shil was considered an important factor for the show's high ratings, which peaked at 44.7 percent last month.

The ratings for the show had topped weekly TV charts almost every week during its run, although it had recently taken a dip since the departure of character Mi-shil (and actress Ko) from the show four weeks ago.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

12-22-2009

Rain to Perform in Las Vegas

Singer and actor Rain will stage concerts in Las Vegas on the occasion of Christmas.

J. Tune Entertainment, Rain's agency, said that the Korean pop star will perform at the Colosseum of Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas, Dec. 24 and 25.

``Rain has signed a contract for the Christmas performance in Las Vegas,'' J. Tune said. ``The contract money is about 530 million won.''

This is Rain's first performance in three years in the United States. The 27-year-old performed in the same venue in 2006 as part of his world tour. He was also scheduled to put on shows in Los Angeles and Hawaii the following year but was forced to cancel them due to conflicts with performance planners.

Rain also plans to hold an encore performance of his Asian tour in Osaka, Japan, on Jan. 23.

Source : The Korea Times

[deka_if]

12-22-2009

Gone but Not Forgotten

Over 5 million people paid respect to the altars of former President Roh Moo-

hyun after he passed so unexpectedly. A self-educated lawyer and human ri-

ghts activist, Roh won the presidential election in 2002 without support from

the establishment. His presidency was tumultuous as was his life. Impeached

once, he was unpopular during his term. After leaving Cheong Wa Dae, he wa-

nted to farm organically and study the path that progressives should take. But

his peaceful rural life didn’t last long. As his family members were being inves-

tigated over bribery allegations, he threw himself off a cliff in his rural hometown

on May 23. He was 62. Roh’s epitaph reads: “The last bastion of democracy is

the organized power of citizens who are awake.”

The nation lost a spiritual leader and two former presidents in 2009. The sense of loss still resonates among the Korean people.

Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, a source of comfort for the people during the authoritarian regimes of the 1960-1980s, passed away on Feb. 16. He was not only a beloved spiritual leader but a fearless advocate of democracy.

Former President Roh Moo-hyun left us abruptly and unexpectedly. He was an upstanding leader who challenged the privilege of the few. He made the presidency of Korea far less authoritarian. But many of his policies and his choice of combative words proved divisive. Roh was unpopular while in office. Still, millions of people paid their respects across the nation.

Less than three months after Roh's death, the nation had to bid farewell to Kim Dae-jung, the consolidator of democracy in the country and winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his Sunshine Policy of reconciliation with the North. Kim was a lifetime fighter against military dictatorships and for democracy. Kim, who survived a death sentence, torture, assassination attempts and countless arrests, will be remembered as a leader who never gave up his convictions for freedom and reconciliation despite all kinds of ordeals.

The nation also lost some other notable figures in the entertainment, sports, academic and business fields. Among them were climber Ko Mi-young, who went missing after a fall from a cliff in the Himalayas; English professor and columnist Chang Young-hee, who touched many hearts with her warm and inspiring essays and columns; and actress Jang Jin-young, who lost a battle against stomach cancer. Lee Hu-rak, former head of state intelligence agency known for a secret trip to North Korea in 1972 to broker a historic inter-Korean agreement, also died on Oct. 31.

We also said goodbye to Daul Kim, who was regarded as one of the most beautiful models in the world; actor Lee Gwang-gi's only son, who died from H1N1 influenza A; and former Asian Games swimming gold medalist Cho Oh-ryun.

Credits : Cho Jae-hyon, Staff Reporter (chojh@koreatimes.co.kr)

Source : The Korea Times

[deka_if]

December 22, 2009

Song Hye-gyo cast in Wong Kar-wai’s latest

Song Hye-gyo, a darling of Korean film and TV fans, has been cast Wong Kar-wai’s upcoming movie “The Grand Master,” joining an already-announced cast that includes Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Brigitte Lin and Zhao Benshan.

According to China-based Internet portal Sina.com, Song’s agent commented that “It is confirmed that Song will be acting in the new movie The Grand Master and although her role in the movie has not yet been decided, we trust that the director will give her an appropriate role.” He added that Song had always wanted to work for Wong.

This is not the first time Wong has recruited Song to act in one of his movies, though it is the first time he’s been successful. “Before the Hollywood blockbuster ‘My Blueberry Nights,’ directed by Wong Kar-wai, went over to America, he had selected Song to play one of his main actresses’ role. The movie had cast America’s top stars such as Jude Law and Norah Jones,” Song’s agent said.

The Grand Master is expected to begin filming in mid-January 2010.

Source :JoongAng Daily

[deka_if]

Dec. 22, 2009.

Park Chan-wook Named Director of the Year

Park Chan-wook /Yonhap

Park Chan-wook was named the best director of the year by his fellow film directors, who also picked actor Song Kang-ho and actress Kim Hye-ja as the year's best actors.

The 12th Directors' Cut Awards was held at CGV Apgujeong in Seoul on Monday. The winners were selected by votes from 238 directors who are members of the directors' network.

Park's latest film "Thirst" inspired hope in the discouraged Korean cinema community by winning the Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival this year, the director's group said. "Park's films, which are always fresh and novel, are the most cinematic," it added. It is the fourth time that Park has received the award as he was previously honored for his films "Joint Security Area," "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," and "Oldboy."

Song won the best actor award for a fifth time, becoming the winningest actor in the history of the Directors' Cut Awards.

The awards for the best rookie actor and actress went to Kim Dong-wook of "Take Off" and Park Bo-young of "Scandal Maker." Korean-French Ounie Lecomte won the best new film director award for "A Brand New Life."

Yang Ik-june, director of "Breathless," received the award for the best independent film, and director Yoon Je-kyoon, who produced and directed the disaster blockbuster "Haeundae," won the award for the best producer. "Haeundae" drew the fourth largest audience in Korean film history.

The directors also awarded a tribute trophy to late actress Jang Jin-young, who died of stomach cancer in September.

Source : Chosun Ilbo

[deka_if]

2009.12.23

Jung Sun-hee: I still love my husband

On Wednesday comedian Jung Sun-hee made her first TV appearance since her husband Ahn Jae-hwan committed suicide last September. She has kept silent about rumors surrounding the death of Ahn, a former actor, but broke her silence on SBS-TV's "Good Morning."

"Just being a human, I felt ill of him," she said of the hardships they had experienced. "But I do not regret our marriage.

"Many times I considered holding a press conference. I thought everything would be all right if I remain sincere, but I was distressed whenever I heard the heartbreaking words several times a day," she said, referring to the alleged conflict between her and Ahn's parents.

The 37-year-old Jung requested that people not judge her based on the rumors they have heard about her, adding she remains in her love with her husband.

"I miss him so much. Sometimes it seems like a play to me and he will return home some day. There is no resentment anymore. I still love Ahn."

Jung married Ahn in November 2007. In September 2008, Ahn's body was discovered in his SUV, with police saying he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. Speculation had it that his repeated failures at business ventures led him to commit suicide.

Jung quit TV comedy programs after his death, but returned to the entertainment world as a radio DJ in April.

Credits : Ryu Seung-yoon (shoong4u@gmail.com)

Source : The Korea Herald

[deka_if]

2009/12/23

Actress Bae Doo-na receives lead actress award in Japan

SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actress Bae Doo-na has received Japan's most prominent film award, becoming the first foreign actress in Japanese film history to do so, her agency said Wednesday.

Bae, 30, became one of five recipients of the Japanese Academy Awards (JAA) in the category of outstanding actress for her performance in "Kuki Ningyo," Barunson Entertainment said.

JAA is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Nippon Academy Awards Association for excellence in Japanese film. Award categories are similar to the Academy Awards in the U.S. JAA offers five awards for each major filmmaking category.

"Kuki Ningyo," which translates into "Air Doll," is a 2009 drama directed by Hirokazu Koreeda. The story is about an inflatable doll that develops a soul and falls in love. The film was released in September.

Bae, who was given the award together with Haruka Ayase, Ryoko Hirosue and other top Japanese stars, has become the first foreign actress to receive the Japanese honor.

Among the five, one will be selected at the JAA's annual event on March 5 for the award for most outstanding lead actress, Barunson said.

Credits : Tony Chang (odissy@yna.co.kr)

Source : Yonhap News

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2009.12.24

Culture key to nation-branding

Korea is expected to reach ninth place in terms of global export volume this year, surpassing Britain for the first time.

The world's 15th largest economy by GDP, however, suffers from comparatively low brand awareness. The country ranked 19th among 50 countries in a survey of national brand value conducted by the Presidential Council on Nation Branding and the Samsung Economic Research Institute, whose results were released earlier this month.

Although that is much better than the country's 27th ranking in the International Institute for Management Development survey or 33rd on the "Anholt-GMI Nation Brands Index," announced in June and last year respectively, branding is clearly a weakness for Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Prof. Choi Jung-wha of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' Graduate School of Interpretation & Translation, who serves as president for the Corea Image Communication Institute, pointed out that economic growth alone is not likely to be the full solution to the discrepancy.

"Also important is how mature a country is, both socially and culturally," Choi told The Korea Herald.

Mentioning the importance of cultural factors, Choi, who is also a member of the Presidential Council on National Branding, used one of her recent experiences overseas as an example. "Some of Asia's key business figures told me they were deeply impressed to see thousands of young Vietnamese people go wild for the Korean girl group Girl's Generation, when they visited Vietnam as part of President Lee Myung-bak's three-nation tour of Southeast Asia in October," she said.

Founded in 2003, the CICI has been working to improve Korea's national image. Each year the institute gives Korea image awards to individuals or organizations with a recognizable contribution to promoting the image of Korea.

This year's Korea Image Stepping Stone Award -- the main award -- will go to the organizing committee of the Pusan International Film Festival. The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will be given the Korea Image Together in Harmony Award. The award ceremony is slated to take place at Grand InterContinental Hotel in southern Seoul on Jan. 13.

Among the former recipients of the image awards are U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, conductor Chung Myung-whun and pop star and actor Rain. Until now, Samsung Electronics has been the only business recipient of the awards, as the world's top memory chip maker won the Korea Image Cornerstone Award last year.

"More Japanese people started to learn the Korean language when Korean television drama and pop music found favor in Japan -- it wasn't that they had finally recognized how scientific language Korean is. This is an example of what happens when a country's overall brand image has been improved," the professor said.

Admitting that culture -- both pop and high -- has been and will be a major driving force to create a higher level of brand awareness, Choi said that Korea still lacks the culture of coexistence and respect that she believes is the long-term, solution to improving its brand value.

"If we cannot educate our children to respect each other for their differences, how can we expect to win favor of people from other countries?"

Choi continued to deplore the overly narrow usage of the term "multiculturalism" in Korea. "True multiculturalism should be based on equality-based diversity, yet local media tend to focus too much on the gloomy side of foreigners living in Korea."

In tackling such negative factors and further promoting the national image, the role of English-language media with global readership/viewership such as The Korea Herald is important, Choi said.

"We have innovative, cutting edge technologies and unique culture, but the access to such facts from outside the country is very limited," she said.

Credits : Lee Yong-sung (danlee@heraldm.com)

Source : The Korea Herald

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2009.12.23

Gang Violence Accusations Made on Set of Iris

Kang Byung-gyu, who has been accused of instigating violence on the set of "Iris," voluntarily appeared at the Mapo-ku wide area investigation branch on the afternoon of Dec. 21.

On his side, Kang is planning to bring a charge of violence against the person identified only as "Jung," who is being represented by a representative of the Iris production staff. Kang's move is predicted to possibly accelerate the investigations into the gang violence.

At a news conference held at the Mapo-ku investigation branch at 12:35pm on Dec. 21, Kang said, "It is not true that I called out gangsters, and I am the one who was unilaterally assaulted by Mr. Jung's side."

Kang appeared to answer questions about rumors related to gangster activities carried out against Iris production crew members at the Mapo-ku investigation branch at 1:00pm on Dec. 14, and held a news conference that he did not plan.

Kang admitted the fact that he complained to Jung about alleged rumors that Kang was behind the person identified only as "Kwon," the ex-girlfriend of Lee Byung-hun who is suing the star Iris actor. But Kang asserted that the rumors about gang violence are groundless and that it was actually he who was threatened with assault and murder by Jung over the phone.

Kang also stated, "Afterwards, I was trying to apologize to Mr. Jung on the Iris set on the 14th, but Mr. Jung along with about 10 gangsters assaulted me for 20 to 30 minutes and gave me an injury which would take 3 weeks to heal completely. Nevertheless, I am being singled out as the wrongdoer."

Kang answered a question about his relationship with Lee Byung-hun's ex-girlfriend. He said, "My acquaintance knows her, but I have nothing to do with her."

Kang called the police in order to comply with the investigation on the morning of Dec. 21 and made an appearance at the investigation branch, but he postponed making a statement because of what he called "severe emotional pressure" from the presence of reporters at the site, while he finished the news conference.

This case had seemed to end days ago as the police had announced that both sides--Kang and the production staff--had reconciled. But the police renewed the investigation on Dec. 17 as suspicions about both parties' involvement in gangster violence were raised.

Jung's representative stated, "I will not rebut any argument of Mr. Kang but will just wait for when the rights and wrongs of the case will be revealed, as the police as well as the prosecution carry out the investigation."

The police have already called out and investigated actors and actresses on the set of Iris as well as production officials, and will question Kang about how he clashed with Jung, and if he was involved in the violence.

A police official said, "There is no evidence he was involved in any gang violence so far. However, we will investigate this case further because both parties insist that they are the victim."

Source : KBS Global

****

2009.12.23

Kang Byung-kyu to sue "Iris" producer

TV personality Kang Byung-kyu

The scandal surrounding actor Lee Byung-hun escalated to a new level this week as baseball player-turned-TV personality Kang Byung-kyu said he will sue the head of the production company of hit TV series "Iris" for assault and blackmail.

Kang, 37, spoke in front of reporters on Monday, stating that he will file a complaint against the chief of Taewon Entertainment, identified by his last name Chung, for calling in a mob to beat him on set of "Iris" last week.

Kang had received investigation earlier in the day for the same accusations -- he had allegedly hired gangsters who caused disturbance on set the same day.

Kang explained that he had visited the set on December 14 in an attempt to resolve the misunderstanding between him and Chung, who he claimed spread false rumor that he was behind the feud between Lee and his ex-girlfriend identified by her last name Kwon.

Kwon, a Korean-Canadian, recently sued Hallyu star Lee Byung-hun for allegedly alluring her into a sexual relationship on false promises of marriage while Lee in turn filed a complaint against Kwon for defamation.

Kwon has been questioned by the Korean authorities regarding her accusations and Lee is expected to appear at the prosecutors office this week.

Kang had received a suspended jail term in February for habitually gambling through online gambling sites.

Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

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2009-12-23

Production Conference for ‘The Slave Hunters’ Held

A press conference was held to announce the production of the new KBS2 drama “The Slave Hunters” at CGV Starium in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul on Monday. The drama is scheduled to air in January 2010.

The conference was attended by director Kwak Jung-hwan and leading cast members Jang Hyuk, Lee Da-hae, Oh Ji-ho, Kong Hyung-jin, Lee Jong-hyuk, Kim Ji-seok, Kim Ha-eun and Han Jeong-soo.

▲ Director Kwak Jung-hwan (far left) poses with leading cast members

“The Slave Hunters” is an action historical drama that deals with slaves fleeing to find freedom and humane life and those chasing them during the mid-Joseon period. It became the first Korean drama to use the Red One film camera, capturing dynamic action scenes and magnificent scenery across the country in 12 megapixel high definition images.

Director Kwak, who received rave reviews from enthusiastic fans with “Conspiracy in the Court,” said, “We began shooting some five months ago, and we’ve been giving all we have to make a novel yet moving drama,” adding that he is very proud of the stars working with him.

▲ From left, Jang Hyuk, Lee Da-hae and Oh Ji-ho

Jang Hyuk, who plays the role of a slave hunter, talked about the reason that he chose to appear in the drama. He said, “A period drama usually deals with royal or heroic stories, but our drama looks at the lives of low-class and ordinary people, and even if it is set in the ancient Joseon period, it’s rather like a modern show.”

Kong Hyun-jin, who appears in a period drama for the first time ever in his career, expressed his confidence in the drama. “We are all doing our best. I am pretty sure that people will see another well-made drama. We won’t disappoint our fans,” he said.

Meanwhile, a charity event was also held at the conference. With some 150 disabled people present there by invitation, KBS president Kim In-kyu presented them with Christmas gifts and donations.

Consisting of 24 episodes, “The Slave Hunters” will begin airing on January 6 at 9:55 p.m. on KBS2.

Writer: KBSi Jin Yeong-ju

Photo: KBSi

Copyright ⓒ KBS & KBSi

Source : KBS Global

[deka_if]

2009.12.24

Sul, Ryu ignite screen in new thriller

Sul Kyoung-gu (left) and Ryu Seung-beom in "No Mercy"

What do you do when a serial killer has enough power over you to compromise your role as a forensics pathologist?

That is the moral quandary that puts forensics investigator Kang Min-ho walking a tightrope in director Kim Hyung-joon's latest thriller, "No Mercy."

In what might have been a standard serial killer police procedural, sterling performances elevate the film to a higher level.

"This was a film that makes you reflect on humanity and human nature," Sul Kyoung-gu said at a post-screening Q&A session with the press on Tuesday in Seoul.

The veteran actor plays a forensics analyst investigating a murder of a woman whose mutilated remains are found scattered at a remote river in the idyllic North Jeolla Province.

Suspected serial killer Lee Sung-ho -- chillingly portrayed by the always intense Ryu Seung-beom -- begins an elaborate game of cat and mouse involving the disappearance of Kang's daughter.

"Because my last film didn't bode too well, I was in search of a film that would ease the pressure from my shoulders, and that film became 'No Mercy,'" Ryu said.

"When I got wind of Sul Kyoung-gu's involvement, I wanted to lean on him for support."

Portraying a suspected serial killer and a respected eco-friendly agricultural guru in a small rural county, Ryu's character is every bit as menacing in the later half as he is harmless in the first act.

The film also stars actress Han Hye-jin as a rookie homicide detective who snags a whale of a case when she apprehends Lee.

During the post-screening press conference, she acknowledged that the film's strength lay in the on-screen exchanges between Sul and Ryu.

"It was impressive to see the two so completely immersed in their roles," she said.

"During break when we had grab some food, even then it was an uncomfortable environment to be in when the two were on set."

Prior to the press screening, rumors had been floating around regarding the film's violence and relentless pace. In reality, it is not nearly as bloody as the recent Hollywood turkey, "Ninja Assassin." But the difference is that the Wachowski's ninja romp is so detached from reality that no one raised a single brow.

Just as charges of excessive violence were hurled at Quentin Tarantino's earlier films, "No Mercy" may face criticism.

In Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" the scene that created the most buzz was an infamous torture sequence.

In response, Tarantino came out to challenge those charges demanding his critics watch the sequence again as all of the violence occurred off-screen, and was simply implied.

The treatment of violence is similar with "No Mercy."

The film's chaotic tone and its relentless pace is mostly held together by the scenes which involve Sul and Ryu's interrogation room exchange.

It is probably the highlight of the film.

As a matter of fact, the film could even be remade as a tandem stage act.

When the two share the screen, it is a riveting thing to watch -- Sul and Ryu are in top form.

Throughout the interrogation scenes, the two are like hungry wolves -- circling each other and waiting for the other to slip up.

They spend significant time in silence -- assessing and sizing each other up through their cold stare.

And it is through these exchanges where the film becomes engrossing.

The film will most likely spark comparisons to the 1996 American film "Primal Fear" which was also a run-of-the-mill thriller boosted by the on screen chemistry between the two leads Richard Gere and Edward Norton as detective and suspected murderer.

Sul has played a law enforcement figure before in the hugely popular "Public Enemy" franchise as a bumbling simpleton.

Though Sul's character in that film, Kang Chul-joong, was very much one-dimensional, there was something about Sul's face and his performance that gave the character nuance and an endearing quality.

But here he does what he does best in portraying a man facing an ethical crossroads.

He is constantly at odds with himself -- hounded by the choice of playing the killer's elaborate game that would ensure the safety of his missing daughter or acting within the guidelines of his role as an investigator.

The film does try to offer a glimpse into the intricate details of criminal pathology and forensic analysis -- all of which were clearly inspired by the popular American television program C.S.I. -- but ultimately, it becomes buried under the director's insistence that those sequences look stylish and glossy.

The film opens nationwide in Korea on Jan. 7.

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

Source : The Korea Herald