[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

[deka_if]

2010.01.24

Ryu Si-won holds fan meeting in Japan

Korean actor/singer Ryu Si-won at the fan meeting in Japan [R's Company]

Korean actor and singer Ryu Si-won held a fan meeting in Japan last week which brought together 1,200 of his fans from around the country, according to his agency on Wednesday.

Fans met with the Hallyu star during a four hour-long meeting held February 16, during which Ryu performed several of his hit songs from his second album and new tracks from his upcoming record, an official at R's Company explained.

The official also added competition to attend the fan meeting was heated, resulting in the selling of tickets for the event, originally free of charge, at 150,000 yen on an auction site. The amount is equivalent to about 1,600 US dollars.

Ryu, 38, made his debut in 1994, starring in various dramas including MBC's "Secret" and "Truth" as well as 2001 series "Beautiful Days."and hosting several variety shows.

He has led a particularly successful career in Japan, releasing 17 albums and holding five concert tours in Japan since 2005. His seventh full-length album will be released in April.

Reporter : Kang Seung-hun tarophine@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

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2010.02.16

Bae Yong-joon's Keyeast profits up three-fold

Actor Bae Yong-joon [Asia Economic Daily]

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon's company Keyeast Co., Ltd. saw its profits surge three-fold last year, proving it is a strong player in the entertainment industry which has been hit hard by the economic downturn.

Keyeast, a provider of Korean cultural content of which Bae is a major stockholder, announced through a press release Friday that the firm posted profits worth 10.5 billion won in 2009, a 303.5 percent increase compared to the previous year.

An official at Keyeast explained that the reappraisal value of Digital Adventure (DA), worth about 10 billion won, accounted for a majority of the gain. DA, a Japanese digital contents distribution company, had merged with BOF Entertainment, another subsidiary of Keyeast in May.

The success of cultural content, including the production of the animated version of hit TV series "Winter Sonata" and the publication of Bae's travel essay "Discovering the Beauty of Korea," also helped Keyeast report improved earnings.

Keyeast CEO Kim Ki-hong said the firm is expected to produce improved results in 2010 due to its synergy with DA.

Keyeast is currently in preparations to produce TV series "Dream High" in collaboration with major talenthouse JYP Entertainment founded by music mogul Park Jin-young.

A number of top Korean actors are managed by BOF, the talent management affiliate of Keyeast, including Bae, Lee Na-young, Choi Gang-hee and E Ji-ah.

Reporter : Park So-yoen muse@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

2010.02.25

'Yonsama' Tokyo Dome event to show in Japan's theaters

 

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon at the Tokyo Dome event in September 2009 [KEYEAST]

Three-dimensional footage of Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon's Tokyo Dome event from last year will be shown in theaters throughout Japan, according to his agency on Thursday.

The "Bae Yong-joon 3D in Tokyo Dome 2009", a 90 minute-long live video from the event, will open in some 100 3D theaters on May 22, KEYEAST announced in a press release.

"Viewers will be able to relive the event by seeing it on the large screens of 3D theaters with high-quality sound," an official at KEYEAST was quoted as saying. "We expect it to be a special experience for viewers and move their hearts at the same time."

The presentation, filmed by six 3D cameras at the site, will feature live shots from the two-day event; the premiere party for the animated version of his hit TV series "Winter Sonata" on September 29 and the promotional event for his photo essay “Discovering the Beauty of Korea” the following day.

The much-hyped event attracted some 90,000 fans to Tokyo Dome, who showed up to see Bae and his "Sonata" co-star Choi Ji-woo, and was broadcast live via satellite in theaters around the country.

The 37-year-old actor shot to mega-stardom in Asia with the success of 2002 KBS TV series "Sonata" and gained a huge following in Japan in particular, where he earned the nickname "Yonsama".

His photo essay "Discovering" contains self-taken photographs of various cultural artisans the actor met during his year-long travel around Korea. He authored the book in order to introduce Korean culture such as food, tradition and travel locations.

Bae is currently doing voice-over work for the animation version of "Sonata", which currently airs on Japan's DATV.

Hallyu stars Choi Ji-woo (in left balloon) and Bae Yong-joon greet fans in air ballons at

the promotion event held September 2009 at Tokyo Dome [KEYEAST]

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

02-25-2010

Park Sun-young to Wed in May

Park Sun-young

Actress Park Sun-young, 35, will tie the knot with an interpreter working for Cheong Wa Dae in May, her agency said, Thursday.

``Park will hold a wedding ceremony at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on May 29. They have maintained a relationship for seven years after they first met on a blind date in 2003,'' the agency said in a statement.

The would-be-husband, identified only as Kim, is a foreign ministry worker who has passed the state test to become a diplomat. He has been dispatched to the presidential house for a stint as an interpreter for President Lee Myung-bak.

Park made her TV debut in 1996. She appeared in the popular KBS2 TV drama ``The Sons of Sol Pharmacy House'' last year.

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

Source : The Korea Times

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Feb.26, 2010

Park Sun-young to Wed in May

Park Sun-young

Actress Park Sun-young will marry her long-time boyfriend on May 29 at Hotel Shilla in Jangchung-dong, central Seoul.

Park and her fiance, a diplomat identified only by his surname Kim, were introduced through an acquaintance in 2003, and their relationship has been public knowledge for some time.

Kim passed the foreign service exam in 2003, and is currently working at Cheong Wa Dae, having served as an interpreter for President Lee Myung-bak.

After appearing in the KBS 2TV weekend drama "My Too Perfect Sons" last year, Park is currently preparing for the wedding. Her management agency said she will continue her acting career while she is married.

Credits : englishnews@chosun.com

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2010.01.25

Kim Tae-hee denies rumors about film "Lump of Sugar 2"

Top Korean actress Kim Tae-hee [Asia Economic Daily]

Top Korean actress Kim Tae-hee has denied recent rumors that she will be appearing in the film "Lump of Sugar 2", according to her agency and film producers on Thursday.

Agency Namoo Actors and the film's production company, who both acknowledged there were media reports of the actress appearing in "Sugar 2", declared the news was "not true."

"Kim Tae-hee was one of the many actresses that we are considering for the role," an official at the production company was quoted as saying. "But casting is still in progress at the moment."

A Namoo executive also dismissed the rumor, saying that the film was "only one of the many scenarios that she had been giving thought to."

"Sugar 2" is the sequel to the 2006 film "Lump of Sugar", which starred Korean actress Lim Su-jeong and told of the friendship between a female jockey and her racehorse.

Kim is reportedly contemplating to reunite with filmmaker Yang Yun-ho, who directed her blockbuster TV series "IRIS" last year.

The 29-year-old actress, a graduate of the prestigious Seoul National University, rose to fame after starring in the hit SBS TV series "Stairway to Heaven" in 2003 alongside Hallyu stars Kwon Sang-woo and Choi Ji-woo.

She has also appeared in several movies including "The Restless" with actor Jung Woo-sung (2006) and "Venus and Mars" (2007) opposite Sul Kyung-gu.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[deka_if]

February 25, 2010

Gays, girls, gobs of cash hit airwaves

Ji Jin-hee (left) and Han Hyo-joo (right) will appear in “Dong Yi,” MBC’s new historical

drama series. Provided by MBC

The month of March may bring a dilemma to TV viewers deciding which channel to watch, as all three major television networks will start new drama series.

For hanbok-happy watchers, MBC offers the period drama “Dong Yi,” while KBS features a present-day show about social climbers, “Birth of the Rich.”

But in the most significant shift this season, both SBS and MBC will offer dramas with characters who are gay - or at least, in one case, pretending to be.

The historical drama “Dong Yi” is drawing attention for its producer Lee Byung-hoon, who had a hand in other hit series including the hugely successful “Daejanggeum.”

Dong Yi is set in the reign of King Sukjong (played by Ji Jin-hee) in the Joseon Dynasty. It centers on a water maid, Sook Bin (Han Hyo-joo), who becomes the king’s concubine and bears a son who will become Yeongjo, a Joseon king.

Lee, the producer, is presenting a different take on this well-known story. “Sook Bin’s side of the story is significant because she was the one who raised one of the most honorable kings, Yeongjo. Although he was common by birth, he became a great king thanks to his mother’s teachings,” he said in an interview with Interpark Book&. The show will air Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:55 p.m. starting next month.

KBS’s Birth of the Rich will run on the same days. According to the drama’s Web site, the show intends to “get rid of prejudice against the rich,” claiming to reveal more than 80 different ways to hit the jackpot.

Lee Bo-young will play an heiress who stands to inherit $400 million, while Ji Hyun-woo’s character is a young man who studies how to reach the upper echelons of wealth. Birth of the Rich premieres on Monday.

Viewers will no doubt compare MBC’s “Personal Preference” with SBS’s “Life is Beautiful” for their examination of gay lives. The former, based on a novel by Lee Sae-in, will start airing Wednesdays and Thursdays at the end of March. Actress Son Ye-jin, who stole the spotlight in “My Wife Got Married,” makes her comeback as a woman who yearns for her gay best friend.

Lee Min-ho fills that role after the success of “Boys Over Flowers.” The problem is, he’s not actually gay - he’s lying so he can be her roommate.

The 50 episodes of Life is Beautiful, written by hitmaker Kim Soo-hyun, begin March 13. It follows a large family that includes a gay couple played by Song Chang-eui and Lee Sang-yoon.

Credits : Yim Seung-hye Contributing writer [estyle@joongang.co.kr]

Source : JoongAng Daily

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02-25-2010

'Eighteen' A Whirlwind Teen Romance

Director Jang Kun-jae brings a beautifully mellow, gripping coming-of-age drama

“Eighteen,” which is now showing in local theaters. / Courtesy of JinJin Pictures

We’ve all been through it. It’s tiring to be a teenager, having to live through that hour of eternity with uncontrollable bursts of energy and angst.

In his first feature-length film “Eighteen,” director Jang Kun-jae captures a whirlwind teen romance with a heavy dose of reality (the Korean title is in fact “Whirlwind”).

The natural, beautifully shot mise-en-scene gives life to a story that anyone can easily relate to, but one that is told through a powerfully gripping language and a voice that is unafraid to say something new.

It is enervating to watch, though in a sweet, melancholic sort of way because you can feel each heavy footstep, halting breath and listlessness of youth.

It’s winter break before high school senior year starts, before our protagonists turn nineteen (the legal adult age in Korea). It’s moreover that critical time to prepare for college entrance exams in a society that is dictated by brand-name alma maters.

Tae-hoon (Seo Jun-yeong) and Mi-jeong (Lee Min-ji) elope to the seaside, on a forbidden ― and thus all the more romantic ― trip. They run out of money and the like, but all is well in the warmth of each other’s company.

The movie however is not so much about the unabashed carelessness ― or vigorous spontaneity ― of youth as it is about the palpable burden of reality, of having to fulfill a set role as underage members of a rather conservative community.

Everything comes with a price, and making precious memories by the beach entails ignoring worried phone calls from mom. When they reluctantly return home, Tae-hoon, like “boys his age,” is expected to be wild to a tolerable degree and is lightly reprimanded, while Mi-jeong’s house is turned upside down. Being labeled a “rainbow” is not out of the question.

The girl’s infuriated father calls forth Tae-hoon and his parents, and forces the youngsters to vow to stay away from each other until college.

Our undying Romeo and Juliet nevertheless promise to meet in secret. Tae-hoon frantically runs around to safeguard their relationship in the only ways he knows, from threatening his parents about quitting school to struggling through a part-time job and camping outside Mi-jeong’s window.

But this is no sugary teen-bop romance about star-crossed teens overcoming the barriers of confiscated cell phones and the like.

Mi-jeong starts avoiding Tae-hoon, and our protagonist is left alone to cope with his girlfriend’s change of heart.

The beauty of the movie lies in its coolheaded treatment of the heated emotions, and the young actors’ deeply impressive naturalistic performances. Finely distilled drama, beautiful in all its mundane, bittersweet moments, fills the screen.

It offers a distanced yet incisive observation of coming-of-age, almost to the point of feeling like a documentary, complete with shaky handheld camerawork.

But the director’s art shines through subtle, dashing glimpses into the dreamy psyche of the characters ― a slice of memory that cuts in through an afternoon nap, the unbearable feeling of lightness that accompanies rebellious abandon and the ironic struggle to find peace in the eye of a storm, something that can only be braved by the young and restless.

“Eighteen” is now showing in local theaters after a successful trip around the festival circuit, including winning the Dragons and Tigers Award at the 2009 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Distributed by JinJin Pictures.

Credits : Lee Hyo-won, Staff Reporter (hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr) 

Source : The Korea Times

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February 25, 2010

Getting copycats for a climatic cause

TV personalities, actresses use star power to persuade fans to lead more eco-friendly lives

Eco-bag maker Kim Hyun-ju, tumbler mug and handkerchief advocate Choi Kang-hee, Kim Je-dong, who picks up trash when he climbs mountains, and compact car driver Noh Hong-chul. [JoongAng Photo]

With their packed schedules, celebrities undoubtedly have a lot to worry about. But some have managed to find time for an interest entirely unrelated to fashion disasters or TV show shoots - the planet.

Most recently, actress Kim Hyun-ju, who appeared in the TV dramas “Partner” and “Boys Over Flowers” last year, spent time with 200 fans at a small club located in Sangsu-dong near Hongik University, in central Seoul. There, she demonstrated how to make eco-friendly shopping bags with a sewing machine.

The 32-year-old actress often says, “You can care for the environment by making eco-bags or placemats instead of using plastic bags and disposable napkins. I believe my hobby makes the world a better place.” Kim even wrote a book on her tips for eco-friendly sewing projects such as oven mitts, aprons and napkins.

Entertainer Noh Hong-chul, a regular on many hit TV shows including “Muhan Dojeon,” or “Infinite Challenge,” is another so-called “eco star.”

Despite showbiz types’ tendency to measure one’s wealth and popularity by the size of one’s car, Noh is the rare star who rolls in a compact.

But Noh admires his car, saying.

“It’s cute and cheap to drive this car. You can even get discounts on parking fees,” the quirky TV personality said in an interview late last year with the JoongAng Ilbo, the Korean-language affiliate of the JoongAng Daily.

“I wanted to deliver a message to the public that caring about the environment is not something big or daunting, but rather something you can do in your daily life.”

Another actress, Choi Kang-hee, who appeared in a film titled “Aeja” last year, is a die-hard fan of compact cars.

Choi is also trying to use her clout to change the way people think about the environment. She often posts entries on eco-friendly practices at her private homepage, urging her fans to use less wasteful products, such as travel tumbler mugs, handkerchiefs and bicycles instead of disposable cups, paper towels and taxis.

Famous TV show host Kim Je-dong is also deserving of the distinction as an eco-celebrity for his love for the mountains.

Whenever he goes hiking, he never forgets to bring plastic bags and picks up trash as he goes.

He is also an advocate of bike riding.

In Hollywood, there are many eco-conscious celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, who drives a hybrid car; Owen Wilson, who moved to a solar-powered house; and Al Gore, the former U.S. vice president who wrote the script for the Academy Award-winning documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth” in 2006. The documentary touches upon the importance of climate change.

Environmental advocates say these celebrities have far more power to persuade the public on important issues than government campaigns.

“We call it referent power. If stars keep raising the issue of the environment, the public will gradually change their mind-sets,” said Rando Kim, a professor of consumer sciences at Seoul National University. “Then the public will have the urge to imitate the green lives of celebrities.”

Credits : Sung So-young [so@joongang.co.kr]

Source : JoongAng Daily

[deka_if]

2010.02.25

Lee Soo-man steps down from SM board of directors

Korean entertainment entrepreneur Lee Soo-man [Asia Economic Daily]

Entertainment entrepreneur Lee Soo-man, founder and chairman of Korea's major talenthouse SM Entertainment, will no longer be involved in general business activities at the company.

In a phone conversation with Asia Economic Daily on Thursday, an official at SM confirmed that Lee had "recently resigned from his position as a member of the board of directors."

He explained that the businessman had decided to do so in order to "focus more energy on SM's overseas business, new business management and artist development".

Lee, 57, started his music career in the 1970s as a singer of Korean pop band April & May and released his first of several solo albums in 1983.

He established SM in 1995, which quickly became one of the most influential talent agencies in Korea. He has created and masterminded the successful careers of numerous K-pop artists including BoA, Girls' Generation, SHINee, Super Junior and TVXQ.

SM also manages many songwriters, music producers, comedians and actors including Ara, Choi Jung-yoon and Lee Yeon-hee.

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc kun1112@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

****

02-25-2010

SME's Lee Soo-man Quits Running Firm

Lee Soo-man

Lee Soo-man has stepped down from the executive post of SM Entertainment and will cease management duties, the company said.

``Lee will not take part in management. His jobs will be taken over by a professional manager,'' it said in a statement.

Company officials said Lee will focus on work to establish the foundation for the company's inroads into overseas markets.

But Lee, founder of the top entertainment firm, has raised his stake in the company to 28.3 percent after taking over a 1.5 percent share previously held by the second-largest stakeholder, it said.

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

Source : The Korea Times

[deka_if]

February 26, 2010

Spy movie tracks the start of a ‘blood brotherhood’

[Jainnie's cine korea]

Song Gang-ho, left, and Gang Dong-won in a scene from “Secret Reunion.”

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Politics and comparisons to similarly themed movies aside, “Secret Reunion” ultimately feels like a solid buddy movie, with well-developed characters, a delicately layered plot and a tightly controlled pace.

Lee Han-kyu, played by veteran actor Song Gang-ho, is a counterspy for South Korea’s National Intelligence Service who’s chasing after a violent North Korean agent nicknamed the “Shadow.” Song Ji-won, a North Korean spy played by Gang Dong-won, first encounters Lee while on a mission with the “Shadow.”

The two next encounter each other six years later. Han-kyu has been fired from the NIS, and Ji-won has been abandoned by North Korea. Lee now operates a private detective agency which hunts down runaway Vietnamese brides and brings them back to their Korean husbands.

He asks Ji-won to join. The North Korean agrees, and the two eventually get to know each other as men, ending up the “blood brothers” of the Korean title’s literal translation.

Han-kyu and Ji-won are complementary foils - opposite but the same at once. Besides the great North and South Korea divide, the two are like oil and water, with Lee being a laid-back, sort of goofy but worldly man reminiscent of many Korean ajeossi (middle-aged men), while Gang is a serious and rigid young man who is idealistic at heart.

Both men, however, are on the same deserted boat. They are alienated by the people or country they work for and separated from their families. Isolated, frustrated and weary, the two distance themselves from others while they struggle to find their humanity.

The strength of the character developments are supported by meaty performances from both actors, as Song provides adequate comic relief while Gang tugs the heartstrings with his portrayal of his character’s stoic exterior and pure idealism colliding.

Ji-won’s internal fight between his quest for humanism and his work as a Northern spy is dealt with elegantly in the hands of director Jang Hun, especially in scenes in which Ji-won interacts with Vietnamese immigrants with quiet tenderness and understanding.

In them Ji-won sees himself, a weak outsider who came to South Korea for a new future only to be disheartened.

There have been criticisms about the ending, which when compared to other North-South spy movies including the massive hit “Joint Security Area [JSA]” (2000) may be a bit too optimistic. And it’s true that Ji-won, in the end, survives a fall from a tall building “Die Hard”-style, while the bad guy dies with one bullet through his heart.

But maybe a decade after “JSA,” audiences are searching for a little more hope. In light of recent, rather grim news about the North’s resistance toward the global community, who can blame them?

Credits : Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]

Source : JoongAng Daily

[deka_if]

February 26, 2010

Korea’s forbidden lovers of film return

It’s been seven years since the actors Yoo Ji-tae, left, and Yoon Jin-seo played opposite

each other in “Oldboy.” Now the two have reunited for “Secret Love,” above. Provided by Lemon Tree

Since Oedipus, entertainers have been telling stories of forbidden romance - and they’ve been rewarded with thrilled audiences gasping for more. By that metric alone, the new Korean film “Secret Love,” which will be released next month, is already a hit, since it features a love triangle between one woman and two twin brothers.

Yeon-yi, played by actress Yoon Jin-seo, has been married for just over two months, but her husband, Jin-woo, played by Yoo Ji-tae, has fallen into a coma, and she grows lonely and tired of taking care of him.

One day, Yeon-yi encounters Jin-ho (also played by Yoo), her husband’s identical twin brother, and the two can’t resist each other.

Of course, when Jin-woo wakes up from his coma, things aren’t so simple.

Apart from its soap opera theme, Secret Love marks the reunion of two dazzling actors: Yoo, famous for his sunshine smile, and the pale-skinned beauty Yoon created buzz even before filming began, since they also played one of Korean cinema’s most famous forbidden couples in the award-winning “Oldboy” from 2003.

“I was a college freshman and a newbie when I first met [Yoo while filming Oldboy],” Yoon recalled at a press conference Thursday.

“So it took a lot of courage for me to read through scripts with other seasoned actors, but he was the one who encouraged me throughout filming, especially when I read lines from the suicide scene. He held my hand.”

Yoo, now an actor and director, says he would like to make another film with Yoon after another seven years have passed.

Due to the nature of the plot, Secret Love has some very steamy scenes, and they weren’t easy for Yoon. But the actress said she chose to appear in the film because it has something to say about women.

“Over the past couple of years, Korean films have dealt with male-centered stories, but this touches upon women and their inner feelings when it comes to love.

“It was hard, of course, for me to shoot bed scenes, but it didn’t stop me from choosing this one.”

For Yoo, playing identical twins was the hardest part. “Jin-ho is outgoing and social, but Jin-woo is a kind of introvert. He’s also serious and conservative. So it was a little confusing for me to act out a twin brother.”

It was a daunting task not only for Yoo but for the crew. It took 20 million won ($17,346) to make a dummy of Yoo to play bedridden Jin-woo, while the production team also splurged on computer graphics for when the brothers appear together.

Keeping in mind that an ordinary film production uses 70 to 80 cuts of CG scenes on average, Secret Love contains nearly 300 CG cuts.

The film’s locations are also far-flung, ranging from Taean Beach to the highest bridge in Korea, which is located around 700 meters (2,296 feet) above Mount Daedun.

Helping scout was director Kim Hyung-gu.

Kim, often dubbed “King Midas” for his cinematographic touch, participated in many films known for their beautiful visuals, including “One Fine Spring Day” (2001), “The Host” (2006) and “Happiness” (2007).

Secret Love

Melodrama / Korean

Release date: March 25

Credits : Sung So-young [so@joongang.co.kr]

Source : JoongAng Daily

[deka_if]

Feb.26. 2010

Shin Hyun-jun Becomes Acting Professor

Shin Hyun-jun

Actor Shin Hyun-jun has become a professor and will teach acting to students at Induk University's Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment starting next month.

The seasoned actor said he was thrilled to be offered the professorship. "My parents were against me becoming an actor and always wanted me to be a professor. Now I'm very happy because I feel like I've fulfilled their wish," he said.

"I plan to work hard so that I can offer help, meager though it might be, to students who want to begin a career in acting."

He is prepared to share the experiences and difficulties of his 20-year career as an actor, he added.

Credits : englishnews@chosun.com

[deka_if]

2010.02.26

[iNTERVIEW]

Actress Min Ji-ah

Interview with actress Min Ji-ah

Korean actress Min Ji-ah [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

My name is Min Ji-ah. I used go by my birth name Kim Min-ju while appearing in short plays but someone told me it would be better for me if I use 'Min' as my last name so I did before starting shooting for "The Slave Hunters." People around me said it sounded better and I think it sounds similar to my original name too.

My birthday is on October 31, 1983. I didn't do much on my last birthday because I was on set. If only I had a boyfriend... maybe he would have prepared a special event for me.

I was majoring in architectural design but what I really wanted to do was act so I transferred to Kyung Hee University and majored in theater and film. As a young girl, I loved watching movies so I took many film classes. I was in movie clubs when I was in middle and high school.

When I have free time, I go watch movies. I would sometimes go to a theater hosting a European film festival and would watch three films in one sitting. On those days I would confuse the storylines. (laugh) I was sad to know that I started to forget what movies I had seen, so I began writing notes about them. So far I have a little over 1,500 notes. I enjoy films directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and Pedro Almodovar Caballero.

My favorite actors are Maggie Cheung, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Annette Bening! When I get older and become a better actress, I hope to receive roles like Annette Bening played in "Love Affair." Ennio Morricone was in charge of the soundtrack for the movie and it was amazing. I went to see his recital when he visited Korea last year.

I also like listening to music. I was extremely interested in classical music when I was young so when I hear a song I take a liking to while I'm watching a commercial, I would call the related company and ask them the name of the song. I was aggressive when it came to doing the things I like. I remember when I was in elementary school -- I rode the subway all the way to the National Theater of Korea just to watch "The Phantom of the Opera."

Since shooting "Hunters," I've been trying to save my emotional energy by not reading any novels. Usually, I love to read novels by Alain de Botton, Guillaume Musso, Hitonari Tsuji and Make Haruki. I felt that I had to first read "IQ84." I bought "1984" but plan on reading it after the drama ends.

When I went traveling to France, I visited Bordeux because I enjoy drinking wine. I walked around the streets of Paris and Iiked the University of Sorbonne in particular. I went to several famous coffee shops, but being the only Asian there I stood out so I didn't stay too long.

My parents raised me to have a more independent personality compared to other girls. During my school years, I went to the United States for a while to participate in a language program. When I was in middle school, I went on a cross country trip for a month. I forgot what the trip was for but I couldn't take a shower and I suffered quite a lot.

I made my debut in the KBS drama "Blue Night Jeju" and received the best new actress award for it. From then on I thought the road to becoming an actress would be easy. The other actors on the show including Uhm Tae-Woong and Kim Yun-seok became famous and they would tell me “your time will come soon too." I also want to thank director Kim Kyu-tae, who helmed "Blue Night Jeju," because he always keeps me in mind. And thanks to him, I was given a small role in KBS drama "A Love to Kill." When he was producing "IRIS," he asked if I worked out and I became a bit hopeful. But there weren't too many roles for actresses so... (laughs).

I think the character Eop-bok in "Hunters" is blood type A. My character Cho-bok has given enough hints so far, its just that she has never said "I like you," but I don't think he got the message. Or maybe he's just pretending! He's actually quite the bad boy. I think my character is blood type AB because her personality changes so much.

I feel like actor Kong Hyung-jin is my older brother because he's so nice. He helps me out in the areas I still lack in and encourages me so I don't lose my confidence. Actor Jo Hee-bong usually plays comic roles but in person he is very earnest and has such thoughtful eyes! Everyone on set is very nice to me because I'm the youngest and only girl in our crowd. But of course, it's a bit disappointing that I don't get to meet with the slave hunters who have such great physique.

The slave tattoo on my face is actually just a stamp. We took pictures of the tattoo on my face to make sure it's in the exact same spot every time. I feel comfortable with my character because the whole idea is to be dirty. In the beginning, my character was even dirtier but the director thought if Eop-bok is going to develop feelings for her, I should become cleaner.

"The Slave Hunters" is a drama which is intriguing even for the viewers. Don't you become curious about what will happen next and become excited about it? The soundtrack for the show is great too. When you hear the main theme song your heart drops to your stomach and when there is an action scene the music makes your heart pound. I feel satisfied and happy to think that I'm part of this series. I wish "Hunters" would never end. (laughs)

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

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

Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr, Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

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2010.02.26

"Slave Hunters" maintains grip on Wednesday and Thursday nights

KBS2 drama poster of "The Slave Hunters" [KBS2]

Ratings for KBS2 drama "The Slave Hunters" continued to remain solid, surpassing the 30 percent mark for the sixth consecutive week, according to ratings from TNS Media Korea and AGB Nielsen Media Research.

Statistics by TNS and AGB on Friday indicated the show brought in viewership ratings of 31.9 percent and 31.3 percent, respectively, each gaining by 1.5 percent and 0.2 percent from the previous day.

"Hunters," which premiered on January 6 with ratings of 22.9 percent on TNS and 19.7 percent on AGB, has consistently drawn in more audience with each episode.

TV demographics revealed the historical series has exceeded viewership ratings of 30 percent since January 14 on TNS' poll and January 20 on AGB's survey to remain the most-watched show in its primetime slot for Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The action-filled drama is about the life of slave hunter Dae-gil, played by Korean actor Jang Hyuk, also stars actors Oh Ji-ho and Lee Da-hae.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

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2010-02-17

2010 Cinematheque Friends Film Festival 2010-02-17

On a Saturday afternoon on February 5th, about 40 people gathered at a cozy 50-square-meter book café in Insa-dong, a popular tourist spot in Seoul. Movie fans came to listen to a lecture on the theory on film direction by veteran director Bong Jun-ho, who is famous for his works “The Host” and “Mother.”

The young audiences who aspire to work in the film industry took notes vigorously as they listened intently to director Bong’s talk about his major productions.

Filmmakers like director Bong say that they are stimulated and inspired when they meet young people who also dream of becoming screen makers. In this gathering, even renowned directors look back at their passion and the resolution they originally felt for movie production. Although they have great hope, they also express some concern.

I’m very glad to meet the future screen makers. But at the same time, it’s concerning. Since filming is a tough job, I hope they manage to overcome the obstacles. While I have great expectations for these young people, at the same time, I feel the need to work harder. Every year, I participate in the short film fest, and I find excellent short films by students majoring in filming. They have great talent. I have not doubted about their ability, but what concerns me is how much the local film industry will accept them.

The meeting with director Bong went on for two hours. His lecture was mainly focused on the relationship between film and images. The participants responded emphatically to the noted director’s lively lecture based on his real experience,

- What impressed me the most was the reason why the director became to work in the film industry. He said that he hoped to create images. It was a great time. I can identify with many things and was energized by this lecture. I had been going through a hard time lately, but now I feel like I’ve been relieved. As I listened, I felt that I shouldn’t be depressed like this, and I also realized that it’s important to act.

- Bong said that he begins with an image when he works on a film. I also have many images but I had difficulty developing them. But I found out that I haven’t been wrong. The meeting was very helpful because I could confirm the importance of having an image in the beginning before working on filming.

This kind of meeting between famous directors and youths, future directors, doesn’t take place just any time. This program was the cine club event part of the “Cinematheque Friends Film Festival” that kicked off on January 15 and will run through February 28. Although the fest, which is in its fifth year, isn’t well-publicized, it’s quite famous among people working in the film industry and among avid movie fans. Programmer Kim Seong-uk explains.

It’s a very unique film fest. People working in the film industry join the event and screen the movie they have chosen. After screening, they have time to discuss why they have chosen the work and what they like about it with the audiences. Friends here literally mean the friends of film. Movie makers used to be very loyal viewers before they became directors. And if you don’t have a friend, you don’t have anyone to watch or discuss a film with. As such, filmmakers join the event as friends and screen chosen flicks. Films picked by audiences are also screened.

In a nutshell, the “Cinematheque Friends Film Festival” is a film fest in which movie makers and fans befriend one another and discuss the work as they watch the flicks picked by the directors as well as audiences. This year, a total of 36 films including both classics and new movies were screened.

The directors who participated in the event showed great interest in the American films of the 1970s. There are a great number of American flicks that are full of energy and are yet unstable at the same time. Interestingly, most of the works picked by the directors are related with their work one way or the other. Director John Boorman’s film “Deliverance,” which was recommended by director Bong Jun-ho, has been his favorite flick from his early age. He also explained that he was inspired by the film when he produced “Memory of Murder” and “Mother.”

The film “Deliverance,” recommended by Bong, was director John Boorman’s 1972 film based on the novel by the same name. While four friends were on a canoeing trip in a rapid stream, one gets sexually harassed. An irate friend then commits murder. That’s when the survival game begins to cover up the murder case. Director Bong first watched the flick when he was in his first year in middle school. He said that the film gave him inspiration when he worked on the hit flicks “Memory of Murder” and “Mother.” The strong impression he got from the foreign movie helped develop young Bong Jun-ho into a star director 27 years later, like Toto in the flick “Cinema Paradiso.”

The film Cinema Paradiso centers on the love and friendship between a young boy named Toto, who likes motion pictures, and the old film-screen technician Alfredo. In the hard days in the aftermath of the end of World War II, Toto dreams about becoming a director as he spends all day watching films in the screening room. Then he really becomes a famous director and comes back to this hometown. Most of the star directors have such past memory like Toto. Here is director Jeon Gye-su.

It’s very significant. Frankly it’s quite hard to watch all the films that I really wanted to at home. It’s great because there are many films which otherwise would have been difficult to get a copy of and watch. Nothing is new. We learn everything from the past. We can’t develop great work if we don’t have much knowledge on old classical films. I think we should keep watching classics. That’s why this kind of fest should be vitalized.

On February 7th, two film directors Jeon and Lee Jae-yong picked “Female Trouble” by John Waters. They had some time to talk with the audiences as they watched the film together.

Filmmaker John Waters is well-known as a director producing cult flicks that are detestable, horrifying, and brutal. The 1974 work “Female Trouble” is about the thief who makes debut as a model, but commits murder as she clings to her fame. In the end, she dies in an electric chair. Although it’s an abstruse film, the director who recommended it and the audiences can exchange opinions through the program Cine Talk, part of the event.

- It’s so fun. In particular, many scenes in this film are too extreme, so it wasn’t screened much in a regular movie theater. But it’s great to watch it here. I joined again in order to meet another new challenge.

- Actually, I have the video at home, but I came to watch on the big screen. Frankly I came to see if I can listen to the opinions shared by the professionals. I think the meeting with the director is very meaningful as we don’t have much of a chance to meet these directors. It’s also meaningful to watch films that have influenced the directors.

The directors recommend classics that they hoped to watch and they exchange opinions with the audiences as they enjoyed the film together. But this kind of event wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the efforts put by the Seoul Art Cinema which has insisted on screening classical art films. In particular, this year’s event was more special than before because participants have added another slogan to the fest. They hope to establish a cinematheque which is like a film library.

This is a ceremony held at the Seoul Art Cinema on January 15th to congratulate the inauguration of the committee that will be leading the campaign to establish a cinematheque, an exclusive theater.

In short, cinematheque is a theater. But the venue doesn’t screen newly released flicks but the classics from the past that are highly-praised for their artistic value or interesting stories throughout the year. In a way, you can consider it a film library. If the cinematheque is installed, it can become an attraction to Seoul, and people can watch oldies and artistic films that weren’t screened in regular theaters.

That’s how the Seoul Art Cinema was voluntarily created by filmmakers and movie fans 16 years ago. It started out as a small gathering but it developed into the Korea Association of Cinematheques. It then settled at Nagwon Shopping Arcade in Jongno, Seoul, with the new title Seoul Art Cinema. Although it’s a non-governmental group with a small budget, barely managing to run the office, the group has hosted the “Cinematheque Friends Film Festival” for five consecutive years. And they have bared some fruitful results. Here again is the programmer Kim.

It’s a very special occasion for the audiences to meet their favorite actors and filmmakers. Quite a few movie fans flock to the international film fests but they only cheer or applaud for the stars who walk on the red carpet, and if lucky, they get a photo snap with the celebrity or an autography. But here, it functions like a school where fans can directly learn about the film from the producers. It’s where audiences and the professionals from the film industry can meet under the same objective. In that sense, this fest and Seoul Art Cinema are a very unique. That’s the fruitful outcome of the five-year-long event. It’s a cultural and artistic value that can’t be measured in mere numbers. And if there are newcomers to the fest this year, they will be quite surprised by such an event.

Director Bong said that the establishment of a cinematheque theater is the matter of film culture pride. He believes that the venue, if built, will serve as the foundation for fostering future professionals in the film industry.

To be exact, it’s like the film culture pride. Isn’t it hard to imagine a country with no art museums when there are numerous outstanding painters and sculptures? So, having no cinematheque is like an imbalance in the local film sector. Establishing a cinematheque won’t instantly double the sales in the film industry, but in the long run, it will contribute in nurturing future filmmakers of the nation who could represent Korea. Most of all, it’s a basic need. Compared with the National Library of Korea or the National Museum of Contemporary Art, or the Seoul Arts Center, it’s rather surprising that there isn’t an exclusive cinematheque in the major metropolitan city like Seoul. We have yearned to watch classical films and we hope to enjoy them for years to come.

As film directors have come forward to support the establishment of a cinematheque exclusive theater, more people have also joined the endeavor. An online signature-seeking campaign is underway, the number of volunteers for the film fest has increased, and more people are contributing their support through financial help or fund-raising events.

In the past 16 years, Seoul Art Cinema has been screening classical art films for film fans, professionals in the film industry, and students studying the genre. The venue has greatly served as the grass-root cinematheque in Korea. Although it is currently undergoing a difficult time, it seems like they will soon hear good news amid the great support from the public. Let’s hope for the day to join the “Friends Film Festival” at the properly-built cinematheque in the center of the capital.

Source : KBS WORLD

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Feb.18, 2010

Bong Joon-ho retrospective to screen in NY

A retrospective of Korea’s top name-brand director BONG Joon-ho is headed to Brooklyn, New York, for a showcase at the BAM cinématek from February 25 - March 1. Titled “Monsters & Murderers: The Films of Bong Joon-ho,” the retro brings together all of the director’s feature films to date with BONG attending the event February 26 and 27.

The showcase is timed to highlight Magnolia Pictures upcoming theatrical release of the director’s latest film Mother (2009) across the US in a limited run beginning March 12. The gripping tale of a mother who goes to extremes to clear her son’s name when he is arrested for the murder of a schoolgirl, the film will be presented to New York audiences in a sneak preview on Feb. 26 at BAM with BONG holding a Q&A session. 

BONG will also hold a talk on his 2006 box-office megahit The Host (2006), about the plight of a family after one of its members, a middle-school girl, is taken by a chemically-spawned monster living in Seoul’s Han river. BONG’s debut feature Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) and sophomore hit thriller Memories of Murder (2003) round out the program.

Credits : Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)

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Feb.12, 2010

WOOCHI breaks the 5 million ticket mark

A local film has already broken the 5 millionth viewing mark this year. WOOCHI, a supernatural action hero story, has pulled in 5,883,519 viewings since opening on December 23 and is still on general release. Significantly, the film by CHOI Dong-hoon who directed the 2006 hit Tazza: The High Rollers, has found success while going head to head with the box office Goliath Avatar. James Cameron's film has become the first foreign film to hit the 10 million viewing mark, and could eventually knock BONG Joon-ho’s The Host (2006) off its Korean all-time number one perch.

Released in time for the winter vacation season, WOOCHI is an accessible mix of big budget action aesthetics and colloquial Korean mythology. The movie tells the tale of super, anti-hero ‘Woochi’ played by KANG Dong-won (M, 2007), a womanizing trouble maker who lives in the 1500s. Then a prophetic pipe is taken by evil goblins threatening to bring chaos to the world. Woochi is trapped inside a secret painting for centuries, and is only bought back to the world in 2009 when the goblins again start to wreak havoc on a modernized Korea. Trouble is, our hero is more interested in the trappings of modern day life rather than super hero ethics. 

WOOCHI currently holds the number 4 position at the Korean box office. The film was produced by Zip Cinema with financing from CJ Entertainment, and is sold internationally by M-Line Entertainment.

Credits : David Oxenbridge <KOFIC>

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Feb.18, 2010

60th Berlinale Invites 9 Korean Films

Asian films will highlight the 60th anniversary of the Berlin International Film Festival, both bookending the main program and dominating the Forum section of the top-tier fest. While films from China and Japan open and close the fest (Feb 11 – 20), Korean films show a strong presence throughout with a total of 7 features and 2 shorts selected.

In the festival’s Forum sidebar are 3 Korean features. Among them SO Sang-min's I'm in Trouble! (winner of Pusan’s 2009 New Currents award) and RYU Hyung-ki's Our Fantastic 21st Century were both produced by KOFIC’s Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). Korean-Japanese director YANG Yong-hi's second feature documentary Sona, the Other Myself also screens in Forum.

In the Panorama section is E. J-yong’s fifth feature The Actresses with six of Korea’s top female talent playing themselves. In the new Culinary Cinema section is HONG Ji-young’s debut feature The Naked Kitchen, a comedy ménage à trois set in a restaurant. Both directors E. and HONG are alumni of KAFA.

In the Generation K-Plus and 14-Plus section are 2 Korean features about youth. French-Korean director Ounie Lecomte’s autobiographical drama A Brand New Life, which screened in Cannes 2009, is in the K-Plus section and Korean-Chinese director ZHANG Lu’s sixth feature Dooman River screens under 14-Plus. Both films are France – Korea co-productions.

The Berlinale Shorts section will present 2 Korean short films. KAFA alumni JEONG Yu-mi’s Math Test will screen along with actress-turned director LEE Ran-hee’s Perm. LEE previously starred in Korean indie-hit Daytime Drinking (2008). Her directing debut, Perm, screened last fall in Pusan’s Wide Angle section. It was the recipient of an independent film grant from KOFIC.

Credits : Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)

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Feb.18, 2010

Secret Reunion Unseats Avatar

Avatar has been knocked off its seven week perch at the top of the box office by spy thriller Secret Reunion. The SONG Kang-ho starring blockbuster pulled in 741,552 admissions in its first 3 days after opening. Secret Reunion is helmed by up and comer JANG Hun who joins the ranks of other Korean promising-young-directors such as NA Hong-jin who jumped head first into the box office with his first feature The Chaser (2007). JANG Hun in turn, made his cinematic splash with the KIM Ki-duk produced Rough Cut (2008).

Secret Reunion stars SONG Kang-ho (Thirst 2009, The Good The Bad and The Weird 2008) whose films always seem to turn to block buster gold. Also starring is GANG Dong-won (M 2007) whose current film WOOCHI is number 4 at the box office. SONG plays a secret service agent who is kicked out of the service after pursuing a North Korean spy and failing. Six years later, SONG’s character comes across an accomplice of the spy, played by GANG.

The current Korean box office number 3 film Avatar however is certainly not to be dismissed. The 2.24 billion (U.S. $) world wide grossing film raked in 11.9 million viewings in Korea becoming the third most watched film in Korea’s history. Both films stand to increase their admissions totals even more as they head into the Korean New Year long weekend, traditionally a busy time at cinemas. 

Credits : David Oxenbridge <KOFIC>

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Feb.18, 2010

Le Grand Chef – Kimchi War to Have Simultaneous US Release

Le Grand Chef – Kimchi War (2010), the prequel to Korean culinary hit Le Grand Chef (2007) will be released both locally and in the US this month. The film’s producer IROOM Pictures announced a deal where the film will open across 20 major US cities including New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles on February 12. 

The film is to screen at AMC theaters, one of the largest multiplex chains in North America. It will be the first time a Korean film is to be released simultaneously in both territories. The film’s overseas distributor JS Media & Entertainment, a company that specializes in the US release of Korean films, is currently negotiating the number of screens it will play on.

Based on a popular comic series by Korean artist HEO Yeong-man, the film is directed by PAIK Dong-hoon. It stars actors JIN Goo and KIM Jeong-eun as two rival chefs in a kimchi competition that aims to globalize the famous Korean dish.

Credits : Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)