[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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June 16, 2010

Lee Dong Gun: ‘I Will Return After Fulfilling My Military Duty’

Actor Lee Dong Gun (30) Joined the army at the 102 Reserves located in Chuncheon, Kangwondo province on June 15. He arrived at the training camp two hours and fifteen minutes before the time that he was supposed to enter, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and jeans and stood in front of news reporters and his fans.

▲ Actor Lee Dong Gun is answering for reporters’ questions before he enters the training camp in the afternoon on June 15.

A reporter asked how he feels about entering the army and he answered, “Actually the timing of entering the army was somewhat delayed against my will. I am worried that I might cause trouble to other fellows who will train together with me. I came here today after I had promised to myself that I would make a great effort when I receive military training.” He continued, “Also, I am so sorry that I informed you too late that I would join the army. I actually thought that it might be better if I joined the army without notice. Anyway, I will sincerely fulfill my military duty for two years and will come back to you with better looks.”

▲ Actor Lee Dong Gun is answering for reporters’ questions before he enters the training camp in the afternoon on June 15.

Lee also sent messages to his fans by saying, “Do not feel disappointed and please wait until I will come back with better looks.” After he said this message, he showed a big smile and entered into the military camp leaving news reporters and his fans behind, who were holding placards saying, “Dong Gun! It is only two years. I will wait until you will come back. Go for it.” Lee Dong Gun will receive basic military training for five weeks and serve with the colors for two years.

▲ Actor Lee Dong Gun is answering for reporters’ questions before he enters the training camp in the afternoon on June 15.

Lee Dong Gun debuted as a singer in 1998 and since then he has appeared in dramas such as “Lovers in Paris” and “Sweet 18” and movies including “My Boyfriend is Type-B.” After he finished filming the drama “When It’s at Night” in 2008, he has been taking a break.

▲ Actor Lee Dong Gun is answering for reporters’ questions before he enters the training camp in the afternoon on June 15.

Source: KBS Global

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June 16, 2010

[REVIEW] TV series "Three Brothers" - Final episode

Editor : Lynn Kim

"Three Brothers" - Final episode (KBS2 TV, 7:55 PM)

The final episode of "Three Brothers" would make a good example of a collection of all the cliches that could be seen in the finale of a family drama. It being a show that focused on characters' conflicts throughout its 70-episode run, the drama poured out cheesy, conventional solutions as it rushed to work out all the problems; trashy mother-in-law Gwa-ja (played by Lee Hyo-choon) threw herself into doing community service, as if she had to do more to be forgiven than just reconciling with her family; while Soon-kyung (played by Park In-hwan), who had been feeling helpless since retiring from work, restored his authority as the man of the house by setting up a counseling office to help ex-convicts adjust to society; Gun-gang (played by Ahn Nae-sang) helped Chung-nam (played by Do Ji-won) achieve her belated dream of going to college; married couple Hyun-chal (played by Oh Dae-gyu) and Woo-mi (played Kim Hee-jung) enjoyed their second honeymoon phase as well as expanding their business; another couple Lee Sang (played by Lee Joon-hyuk) and Eo-young (played by Oh Ji-eun) finally ended their pain of being unable to conceive a baby with Eo-young making a particularly heartwarming reconciliation with her stepmother Sol-yi (played by Lee Bo-hee).

On the other hand, female villain Yeon-hee (played by Kim Ae-ran) shed tears of repentance while looking like a beggar and faithfully completed the dual formula of a family drama; that there is no gain without pain and that what goes around comes around. During the sixty minutes, which was barely enough time to show how characters Tae-baek (played by Yoon Joo-hee), Sa-joong (Kim Min-hyuk) and Nan-ja (Lee Sang-sook) ended their romance, even went as far as showing a subtitle that read "Two years and five months after" and depicted sisters Eo-young and Boo-young (played by Jung Da-yoon) both giving birth on the same date. This means that a total of four newborn babies including the twins bore by Chung-nan, were used in the final episode as tools of reconciliation.

Even the final scene -- the finishing touch of all these familial sutures -- where everyone was dancing in front of the banquet table looked bizarre. With its extreme characters and contrived circumstances, "Three Brothers" was indeed a drama that was worthy of being labeled a "trashy drama." On another note, the drama -- within its boundary as a home drama -- portrayed all kinds of conflicts that could possibly exist in the world and made people aware of the uncomfortable truth that there is no one as close and distant as one's own family. Even people, who said it is a show they love to hate, could not bring themselves to turn the channel. Seriously, is the writer -- the ever-so-consistent Moon Young-nam -- the cruel one or is reality?

- Written by Kim Sun-young (TV critic)

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 16, 2010

Korea Times readers invited to free movie screening

A scene from the film "A Barefoot Dream"

In tune with the 2010 World Cup fever comes "A Barefoot Dream," a sports drama inspired by the true story about a former South Korean football star coaching East Timorese children. It was recently shown at the U.N. Headquarters in New York.

The Korea Times' foreign readers are invited to attend a movie preview at 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 22 at the Apgujeong CGV Theater in southern Seoul, ahead of the film’s nationwide release on June 24. It is for the purpose of introducting the film to the local foreign community.

"A Barefoot Dream" will be shown with English subtitles. All ages are admitted to the movie, which has a running time of 121 minutes and is distributed by Showbox/Mediaplex. Apgujeong CGV is located near exit 3 of Apgujeong Station on subway line 3.

Requests for tickets to the free screening will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis until all seats are taken. Each person will be entitled to two tickets.

Email your full name and a phone number (cell phone number if possible) to hyowlee@gmail.com.

Source: hyowlee@gmail.com koreatimes.co.kr

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June 16, 2010

Lee to play opposite Rain in new drama

Actress Lee Na-young

Actress Lee Na-young will join singer and actor Rain in the highly anticipated drama “Domangja s1. Plan B” (working title).

Created by hit drama making team Kwak Jeong-hwan and writer Cheon Seong-il, the new series will be filmed in various cities, including Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong and involve the thrilling plot of chasing a fugitive. "Domangja" means fugitive in Korean.

"We are looking forward to the drama as it has a great script and a refreshing and charming female character. We believe it will turn out to be a very wellmade drama," an official from Lee’s agency Key Easy said Wednesday.

Lee will play Jinny, who gets tangled up with the fugitive Jiwoo, played by Rain. Jinny approaches Ji-woo to solve a case, and she eventually finds herself developing feelings for him.

This is the first drama for Lee in six years and the first in five for Rain. Lee appeared in the movie "Happy Change” last year. Her last drama was "Ireland" opposite Hyun Bin in 2004. Making her debut in 1998 as a model in a t.v. commercial, she has appeared in various dramas and movies including “KAIST” (2000, SBS) "Maundy Thursday” (2006) and "Someone Special" (2004). Besides acting, she is also famous for being in numerous commercials, including some for electronics, drinks and cosmetics.

The new soap "Domangja s1. Plan B” will start filming mid- June and airing is scheduled for August on KBS.

Source: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

June 17, 2010

Lee Na-young to star in TV series "The Fugitive" with Rain

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Korean actress Lee Na-young [KEYEAST]

Korean actress Lee Na-young has been set to star in upcoming KBS TV series tentatively titled "The Fugitive" alongside Asian superstar Rain, according to her agency KEYEAST.

KEYEAST made the announcement on its official website on Wednesday, confirming that Lee has been cast as the female lead opposite Rain, playing a mysterious woman named Jin-yi who approaches Rain's character with a hidden motive. Both actors are returning to the small screen for the first time since starring in "Ireland" (MBC, 2004) and "A Love To Kill" (SBS, 2005), respectively.

"The drama has a high-quality script and the female character stands out because she is refreshingly charming, unlike anyone we had seen before," explained an executive at KEYEAST in the message. "We expect that it will be well-made drama since it will be produced by the best creators."

The series will be directed by noted television producer Kwak Jung-hwan and written by Chun Sung-il, the duo behind recent hit TV series "The Slave Hunters."

Lee had previously worked with Chun on the comedy pic "Lady Daddy" released last year and Chun is said to have approved of casting Lee for the part. Viewers are likely to have a visual eyeful since the show's location shoots are said to take place in various Asian cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Shanghai, Beijing, Macau and Hong Kong.

Lee, 31, first rose to stardom with TV series "Ruler of Your Own World" (MBC, 2002) and has appeared in dozens of television commercials. She has also starred in several notable films such as "Please Teach Me English" (2003) and "Maundy Thursday" (2006) and "Someone Special," for which she won best actress at the 25th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

"Fugitive," which goes into shoot in Seoul this month, is scheduled to go on air in September.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 16, 2010

[iNTERVIEW] "Bad Boy" actresses Han Ga-in and Oh Yun-su

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun Photographer : Chae ki-won Editor : Lynn Kim

Actors Kim Nam-gil (left) and Han Ga-in in TV series "Bad Man" [photographed by Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

The young, smart woman has no money while a rich, beautiful woman does not know love. Female characters Jae-in (played by Han Ga-in) and Tae-ra (played by Oh Yun-soo) in SBS TV series "Bad Man" each have a desire that they cannot fulfill. Bad man Gun-wook (played by Kim Nam-gil), whom Jae-in approached when she mistook him for a conglomerate heir and whom Tae-ra wants to steal away from younger sister Monet (played by Jung So-min), twists their lives into an unexpected direction. What sort of a female character do actresses Han Ga-in, whose image transformed from pure and innocent girl to a materialistic woman who dreams of climbing the social ladder, and Oh Yun-soo, who plays the elegant married woman swayed by temptation so perfectly, want to show viewers? We met with the two actresses on the open-set shoot of "Bad Man" in Yong-in, Gyeonggi Province on June 14.

Actress Han Ga-in [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Q: In fourth and fifth episodes of "Bad Man," which aired last week, you had long lines in Japanese during your Japan location shoot. How did you prepare for that? Did actor Kim Jae-wook, who is fluent in Japanese, help you with it?

Han: I wasn't very close to Jae-wook at the time so I didn't get any help. (laugh) I went to Japan with a Japanese teacher who was hired by the production company. I listened to a [Japanese] recording of my lines every morning and night before I went to sleep. I listened to it so much for three weeks that I could automatically start saying my lines if someone poked me. I don't think I will forget them for the next five years.

Q: The male characters Shim Gun-wook and Hong Tae-sung, the two men standing by [Han's character] Jae-in, are very different. Who would you choose to be with in real life?

Han: I am not saying this because I play the role of Jae-in but I think that is something one would have to mull over a lot. I think she is attracted to Gun-wook because they have a lot in common and they say things like, "You are me, just a separate person" or "Do you think you are so different from me?" On the other hand, I think Tae-sung is a little adorable, perhaps because he is the son of a rich family. But more than that, I think something about him stimulates her maternal instinct and makes her want to take care of him like a mother would. But if I choose one over the other, somebody is going to get very upset so I am not going to answer that. (laugh)

Q: Does your husband [actor] Yeon Jung-hoon mind that you are working with two handsome actors?

Han: I think he does, at least a little. They are both younger than he is and great looking too. Even my friends often say things like, 'I want to come over to the set, can I come play? Get me an autograph' and they had never said such things during my previous dramas. (laugh) So I think my husband does mind a little bit but he doesn't let it show particularly.

Q: Surprisingly, Jae-in is a character who sometimes appears easygoing and wild. The scene where she cleaned Gun-wook's house and did his laundry and imagined herself getting angry was funny.

Han: Shooting the imaginary scene was a little hard on me. Because it is closer to the real me in real life. (laugh) And up till now, my Japanese-speaking tone was a bit high when I was talking to Lady Shin (played by Kim Hye-ok) or Tae-sung. But I think my voice will gradually go lower as the show progresses. My original voice is actually so low that I worry whether I should really use it on television. But the director told me that he wants to use my usual way of speech so I think there will be some changes after the seventh or eighth episode. In the beginning, Jae-in is just vaguely thinking that she wants to marry into a conglomerate family but after she goes through some incidents, she makes up her mind to go further in that direction.

Actors Kim Nam-gil and Han Ga-in in scenes from TV series "Bad Man" [sBS]

Q: What kind of changes will we be seeing in Jae-in in the future?

Han: Through some upcoming incidents, I think the way Jae-in heads toward achieving her desire will be depicted in more details rather than its current vague description. I don't know how the viewers will see it but I hope it is not the lovely, pretty female lead characters that I have previously shown. I want the story to be a bit more clear, however it may end. Either she charge forward toward her desires or fall in love and go through conflicts during the process. Jae-in is a character who is going through an inner battle because she has her desires and the emotion of love keeps creeping up on her. So I would like the producers to express her as someone who gets hurt more and lives more intensely. When I tell the director, "Sir, I would like to this to be more intense," he would say (Han impersonates director Lee Hyung-min's voice) "Ga-in, you don't like pretty, lovable characters? The viewers could hate you." But I want my character to have a clear, definite motivation as to why she has to go her way, even if means viewers might hate me a little. Even the director told me that Jae-in is a character who changes and grows up in the story and that she will have more force in the latter part of the drama. I too worried a lot about how I can express such aspects and I think I will be able to grow up a lot more. So I want to show people a different image and personally hope that Jae-in will be a more memorable character.

Actress Oh Yun-soo [movie production company "Soop"]

Q: You are playing another version of a married woman who falls in love with a younger man, after playing one in MBC TV series "Sweet Life." Are you particularly attracted to such roles?

Oh Yun-soo (Oh): It is not that I am attracted to that kind of roles but I have reached the age where I can pull off such characters, and so I am getting offers to play them.

Q: In the first episode, the scene where Gun-wook was taking a hair off Tae-ra's chest are caused a stir. But it felt a bit awkward too.

Oh: We thought so when we were shooting the scene. (laugh) If a stranger tries to take something off the way he did, normally people would either shake it off or run off and we said, 'Why is Tae-ra standing still?' But we kept it the way it is for the next development in the story.

Q: The trailer for next week's episode showed a kissing scene between Tae-ra and Gun-wook.

Oh: In the script, it only led up to the moment they were about to kiss. But right before the shooting, the director said that there should be a kiss around this point in the story so we suddenly had to kiss. There weren't any big bloopers but we shot it several times to get it from different angles. Kim Nam-gil is a younger actor but he is so talented. I learn a lot from him and there shouldn't be any problems in the future if we keep working well together. Melodramatic elements are often seen in a drama so I don't think it is too racy, but I don't know how the viewers would feel.

Q: I think you are one of the people that younger actresses look up to because you have worked in various genres and played a variety of characters. But getting older must be quite a burden for an actress.

Oh: You can't do anything about time passing. You can't stop time and it is not so great to take medical procedures to fight the aging process. These days, the images comes out in HD (high definition) and particularly, I get very nervous when I have to appear in a scene with young actresses like Monet. Because the difference in the skin tone and face is very clear. (laugh) Photographs and screens cannot lie. When you do a commercial, they do post-production stuff but there is no such thing in a drama. But when you start caring about things like that, you get frustrated and stressed so I am trying to feel satisfied about how I look at my own age and getting through it by staying positive.

Actors Kim Nam-gil and Oh Yun-soo in scenes from "Bad Man" [sBS]

Q: But your appearance barely feels like it ages. People envied you when you appeared on a TV show and said that your stress level is zero. Is that your personality?

Oh: You can't have zero worries in life so I tend to worry for a short time and forget about it. I wasn't like that way from the start but I started thinking, 'What can you do but forget? Worrying is not going to solve anything.' Then my mind gradually changed positive and now I worry for just a little bit and not worry at all. I am surprised myself. In a way, it may look like I live my life thoughtlessly. (laugh) I think my personality has changed to one that can shake things off quickly.

Q: You are communicating with fans through Twitter. How did you come to start using Twitter?

Oh: A lot of people around me use Twitter so I first started for fun. I am not the kind of actress who goes on a lot of variety show, so I didn't have much interaction or communication with fans. But when I was shooting MBC's "Sweet Life," I communicated a lot through my mini-hompy [on social networking site Cyworld] and this time I am talking to fans who like "Bad Man" through Twitter. It is fun because Twitter is faster than mini-hompy.

Q: You have worked with a lot of actors over the years. Is there one that you would like to work with on your next project?

Oh: There are many cool, talented and handsome actors but I would like to work with Park Hae-il. Watching his movies, I think he has a very unique color to his acting.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 16, 2010

[iNTERVIEW] "Bad Boy" Actors Kim Nam-gil and Kim Jae-wook

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun Photographer : Chae ki-won Editor : Lucia Hong

Korean actress Han Ga-in and actor Kim Nam-gil on the set of SBS' "Bad Boy" [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Two men who shared the name Hong Tae-sung, live lives which are unfortunate in their own ways. Gun-wook (played by Kim Nam-gil), who is kicked out after being found to have not been the son of chairman Hong, wants to destroy everyone's lives by seducing both Monet (Jung So-min) and Tae-ra (Oh Yeon-su), while Hong's real son Tae-sung lives in anxiety and loneliness because he was a child of a concubine. The different charms of each character, such as the thoroughly calculative personality and animal instincts of Gun-wook and the impulsive and destructive yet easily wounded Tae-sung, are the new points to watching SBS' "Bad Boy." Below are excerpts from a press conference with actors Kim Nam-gil and Kim Jae-wook on the open-set shoot of "Bad Man" in Yong-in, Gyeonggi Province on June 14.

Korean actor Kim Nam-gil [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Q: In MBC's "Queen Seon-deok," your character received no love but in "Bad Boy" your character is loved by three women. How does that feel?

Kim Nam-gil (Kim NG): But Gun-wook doesn't want anyone's love. (laugh) Right now he is acting with purpose rather than actually being in love and he will probably be punished for it later on. I think that at this moment, he is using the purity of the three women rather than feeling love. But it feels like I'm shooting separate dramas because the personalities of Monet, Tae-ra and Jae-in are so different and I like that I have a lot to learn while trying to find my ground. Monet is young and naive and Jae-in is materialistic and individualistic yet someone Gun-wook can become close with on a more honest level. And I feel that I have to create a more sensual and strong atmosphere with Tae-ra, be attractive enough so that she will slowly leave her child and family despite being such a strong and sturdy character.

Q: Are there any seduction scenes you remember in particular?

Kim NG: There is a scene where I ask Tae-ra "Have you ever experienced first love?" That theoretically, everyone knows what love is about but if she had actually felt such emotions before. And there is a reason that I remember such scenes. In "Queen Seon-deok," actress Ko Hyun-jung's reactions were more on the stronger side while the reactions from actress Oh Yeon-su seemed soft yet were intricate. Oh expresses her character's emotions through slight movements, such as through movement in her eyes or the tip of her nose, by turning her head away or avoiding eye contact, to show that person is being shy or is convinced by my actions. I think that is why Gun-wook is excited in front of Tae-ra and tries to get her even harder.

Q: The mustache and round hat has left a strong impression. How did that idea come about?

Kim NG: The director really likes the round hat. He wanted to use it for when I need to bring out the atmosphere of being alone, hold back on showing my expressions and instead express my emotions just with my eyes. I feel that it suits Gun-wook. I couldn't wear a cap to do that. (laugh) I was worried about the mustache because during the latter half of "Seon-deok" my character had a mustache so I was in the position where I couldn't break completely away from Bi-dam [my character in Seon-deok"] and show another character. So I thought I would bring back the general public’s enthusiasm for him, even if I may be told I'm playing a 'present-day Bi-dam.' And because I am 31-years-old, I thought that if I shaved off my mustache I would look younger and I wanted Gun-wook to seem older than my real age when he is with Tae-ra. As of now we are shooting the ninth and tenth episode and I think he needs to change his physical appearance in order for his revenge to seem more mean and colder. That's why I'm thinking about cutting the mustache shorter.

Screen shots of "Bad Boy" [sBS]

Q: You have shot kissing scenes with Jae-in and Tae-ra -- what are some of the differences that you felt?

Kim NG: With Jae-in, I would say we briefly locked lips and then stepped away from each other rather than calling it a kiss. My character did it because he wanted to hug her, feeling sorry for her over how hurt she is, and he tries to express 'Will it be okay to show this emotion? Why am I doing this when I know I shouldn't be doing it.' It is completely different with Tae-ra though because he kisses her on purposes and he's trying to appeal to her sexually. In a bad way, he's trying to show, "I'm going to eat you alive. So that you fall. I'm going to bring you down to the point that you cannot free yourself. Let's see if you won't fall for me.' (laugh)

Q: Last week "Bread, Love and Dreams" began its run on KBS and next week "Road No. 1" will premiere on MBC.

Kim NG: I watched "Bread, Love and Dreams" yesterday because veteran actor Jung Sung-mo is in it. The composition and script are good, the same goes for the direction, and the visuals and the level of focus of the veteran actors is great. What's worse is that my family said they liked watching "Bread, Love and Dreams" more! (laugh) As for "Road No. 1," we're in unstable times because of the sinking of the Cheonan naval ship and it's the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, so I am interested in it just like other people are. So I'm curious to see how they will portray the pain that our country expressed during the Korean War and the story of love and friendship amongst the characters. Ah, I feel like I'm the one starring in "Road No. 1." (laugh) From the many storylines that has already unfolded, "Bad Boy" will show the thorough measures that Gun-wook takes in order to bring down the female characters and I think it's important on showing the well thought-out revenge. I think giving a legitimate reason for the character's pain that everyone can't help but sympathize with would help.

Q: "Bad Boy" will not be aired this week because of the broadcast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Africa matches. Did you get a chance to see the Greece vs. Korea match last Saturday?

Kim NG: I did. And I couldn't cry nor laugh about it. (laugh) It was weird because unlike the other World Cup matches I didn't feel anxious. It felt like the neighborhood was under attack because of the uproar of 'WOW~" when they scored the first goal. All I did was clap a couple of times but kept thinking 'They are good but if it continues to the round of 16...we'll have to postpone our show once more' and after thinking of several other circumstances, I just decided to just drop the thought completely. (laugh) Dramas have certain risks and I think that the audience will watch the show again even if it is postponed because they will be curious about the next episode.

Korean actor Kim Jae-wook [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Q: The scene at the beginning of "Bad Boy" where you cry at the spot where your girlfriend dies, was quite impressive. And it has been called 'the world's ugliest crying scene' because of how your whole face becomes distorted but I think that's why your emotions were able to be delivered more directly. What was it like shooting that scene?

Kim Jae-wook (Kim JW): I felt a lot more pressure with this one scene because it was where I would show a completely different side to my character after having shown his general disposition so far, such as his violent and immature actions. However, I shot the scene without rehearsing for it because I felt that I might lose the important emotions if I practiced. But honestly, I didn't know I would look like that. I also didn't know that I had knelt down while crying. I think the whole staff must have been surprised when I did quite unexpectedly. I am thankful to them because they must have had a hard time filming it. I hurt a lot while shooting that scehe. So did my knees. (laugh)

Q: You spoke fluent Japanese in the fourth and fifth episodes. I know that you lived in Japan when you were younger so did you continue to study the language?

Kim JW: I didn't know how to speak Korean because I went to Japan at such a young age and came back to Korea when I was seven years old. It's hard to forget Japanese. I think it's because it was the first language that I learned. I didn't speak it as much when I was in high school but at home I still use Japanese to communicate with each other. That's why my ears have always been open but no matter how much I wanted to speak in front of new friends who were Japanese or Korean-Japanese, I wasn't able to because the words wouldn't come out. When I was in my early-twenties, I was finally able to speak Japanese freely because of the continuous efforts I put into trying to get along with those friends. What helped the most was still having the pronunciation.

Q: How did Tae-sung's short hairstyle with the middle parting come about? It is quite unique.

Kim JW: I worried a lot on how to visually portray a son of a conglomerate like Tae-sung and while the clothing and his line of movement are important, I felt that hairstyle would be quite important. The middle parting is something that most guys in the country don't try out even though it may seem like you've seen it a lot and I thought that if I pull it off, it could look luxurious. It began with my greed to be the first one to try it out because it seemed that not even many actors had tried it out yet. I kept on insisting and said I would put up with the high risks on pulling it off. I have gotten cursed at a lot too because it. (laugh) I don't have that many people around me who give me compliments.

Screen shots of Kim Jae-wook in "Bad Boy" [sBS]

Q: Besides the hairstyle and clothing, are there any other parts that you worked on in trying to look like a son of a conglomerate?

Kim JW: Primarily I focused on the outer appearance but I honestly didn't study up on other factors other than that. When it comes to clothing, even the smallest differences such as the material or a handkerchief can make a person look luxurious so I consulted with my stylist on this a lot before the shoots. An actor being able to act well and be loyal to his character is a basic condition to be fulfilled -- I think his expressions, clothes and hairstyle can also express his character. I also work in fashion so I didn't want to miss out on those factors.

Q: Tae-sung seems like an impulsive and destructive person. Were there any scenes that you acted out in which you thought to yourself 'He is really an idiot'?

Kim JW: There were no such scenes. I rather wanted to amplify his sensitivity or actions. When it came to scenes where his actions were destructive or violent I requested to add onto it. And many times I thought that I wanted to be even more dramatic in showing how he breaks apart at one point. The scene on the yacht where Tae-sung falls down after being slapped in the face by Jae-in was made up on set after talking with the director. Up until now regarding Gun-wook and Tae-sung, I think it will be a lot easier for the audience to watch the series if the two showed how they contrast in terms of their characteristics.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 16, 2010

Jo Hyun-jae to be discharged from military on June 19

Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Jessica Kim

Korean actor Jo Hyun-jae [star N Hit Entertainment]

Korean actor Jo Hyun-jae will be discharged from the military on Saturday upon completing South Korea's two-year mandatory military service.

Jo's agency Star N Hit Entertainment announced in a press release that on the day of his discharge on June 19, he will hold a short meeting with about 500 fans from Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in front of his army base.

"Jo wants to thank his fans for supporting him during his military service and he hopes that this meeting with his fans will be a happy and thankful moment," a representative from his agency said, adding that the actor plans on holding several fan meetings in Asia.

Jo, 30, made his debut in the entertainment business in 2000 with his appearance in the commercial for sports drink Pocari Sweat. He made a household for himself after his roles in SBS' "Rays of Sunshine" and "Only You."

He also appeared in several movies including "GP506" and "Untold Scandal" alongside Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon and critically acclaimed actress Jeon Do-youn.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 17, 2010

Rain, Jeon deny relationship rumors, threaten legal action

Actor-singer Rain and actress Jeon Ji-hyun

Actor-singer Rain and actress Jeon Ji-hyun have denied reports they are dating and their management companies are threatening to take legal action against the tabloid that published the report earlier this month.

Speculation about the couple began when the tabloid Sports Seoul reported on June 10 that the two had been dating since October 2009. According to the report, which was accompanied by photos of the couple, the two stars met frequently at Jeon’s apartment.

The stars’ respective management companies have refuted the report and both have talked about taking legal action against the tabloid for infringement of privacy.

On the day the report was published, Jeon’s management company, Sidus HQ, said that the couple is not dating. The company also said that reports that the two have matching accessories - a ring and a bracelet - is only true in so far as the accessories are of the same brand.

Also that day, Rain’s management company, JTune Entertainment, issued a press release saying that Rain’s ring was from his family and that he was near Jeon’s apartment building because he was visiting a friend of his who lives there.

By Hannah Kim Contributing writer joongangdaily.com

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June 17, 2010

Actress hones her craft through living

Sin Se-gyeong. By Park Jong-keun

For most of her early teens, Sin Se-gyeong was known as the “Seo Taiji girl,” after she debuted in K-pop icon Seo Taiji’s music video, “Take Five,” back in 1998. Her long locks as well as her mysterious and mournful eyes made her presence as a child actor distinct.

“They [the music video staff] told me to cry so I just did. I guess it came out as quite mysterious. They really liked it,” she said during a recent interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. Although the actress subsequently appeared in smaller roles on television, she failed to gain a large following until her breakthrough role on the second season of the popular TV sitcom “High Kick” last year. Her role as a housemaid won her both critical and popular acclaim.

The last episode of the sequel - a cliffhanger in which her character and actor Daniel Choi’s character seem as though they are on the verge of a tragic death - was one of the most talked about TV episodes in recent years.

Sin Se-gyeong

Building on her sitcom fame, the 19-year-old actress can now be seen in numerous television commercials and print advertisements. She is also set to appear opposite veteran actor Song Gang-ho in director Lee Hyeon-seung’s new film “Blue Salt,” which will begin production next month.

Before saying more about Sin, I must confess my dislike of interviewing young celebrities, due to my memories of when I was a cub reporter at the culture desk. Most of the young celebrities I interviewed back then all gave succinct “yes” or “no” answers to any question I had. The joy of meeting these beautiful people was therefore short-lived, because my agony over making the interview interesting felt much longer.

To avoid that situation, I decided to make Sin feel at ease. “I must be your father’s age, so I hope you think of me as a comfortable person to talk to,” I said. “So how old is your father?”

Sin replied, “61,” and then went on to say that her father and her mother have a 10-year age difference and that they couldn’t conceive a child for a number of years.

During high school, she said she hardly did any acting because she felt it was an important time for her to grow as a person and experience things, just like other people. In her free time, she said she wrote a lot, especially short stories, although she never showed her writing to anyone but her friends. “Because of that decision, it was the happiest time of my life,” she said, adding that she feels “very lucky.”

In fact, all throughout the interview, she often referred to herself as lucky. Even though “High Kick 2” is a sitcom, Sin’s character didn’t have one funny or comedic scene. When asked if that bothered her, she said, “Actually, I worried that my role was too plaintive. But the director cut the seriousness just enough so it was okay. I actually feel lucky to have played a traditional dramatic role in a sitcom, and as a result I’ve received a lot of love from viewers.”

Sin described herself as moody and a typical blood-type-B personality. “I’m shy sometimes and a tomboy in certain moods. My emotions fluctuate easily. People say that great actors must never show their emotions up front, but for me everyone knows what I am feeling just by looking at my face.”

She says her ideal man is Optimus Prime, the lead character in the 2007 film “Transformers.” “I think [Optimus Prime] is so manly and cool. He also has a great voice,” she said.

“Have you ever had a boyfriend?” I asked. “Well, it would be a lie if I said I never had one.?.?.um.?.?.I haven’t had one,” she said. As with this bewildering statement, Sin, throughout the interview, was different from the other young actors I have interviewed. She seemed grown up.

On the question of acting versus life, she concluded, “A director once told me that it is most important to reveal oneself at a time when you are needed the most. If I were to achieve this, don’t you think I would need more life experience? That is why I want first to have life experiences rather than act.”

By Lee Hoon-beom [jainnie@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

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June 17, 2010

Jung Jun-ho to Be Knighted in France

Jung Jun-ho

Actor Jung Jun-ho will be knighted in France. The Jurade de Saint-Emilion, an organization that promotes the wines of Saint-Emilion in the Bordeaux region, selects celebrities from around the world to be knighted, and Jung was picked to be honored this year.

The organization holds two wine festivals every year and presents its honors. The title of Protecteurs de la Jurade is given to heads of state, while Jung will be named Pair de la Jurade, awarded to VIPs in the fields of politics, culture, the arts, agriculture and national defense.

Jung was selected in recognition of his friendship with Château Angélus, a prominent winery in the Bordeaux region, and his dedication to charitable works.

The knighting ceremony will take place in the town of Saint-Emilion near the city Bordeaux. Jung will arrive in Bordeaux on Saturday for the ceremony the next day, and visit a wine cave built by famous Italian architect Mario Botta, who also designed the Kyobo Building in Gangnam, southern Seoul.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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June 17, 2010

U-know Yunho, a member of boy band TVXQ or Dongbangshingi, and Shin Eui-jung pose at a press event for the musical version of hit drama "Princess Hours" in Seoul on Wednesday. /Newsis

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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June 17, 2010

Kim Nam-joo voted top ten Asian actors in China

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Korean actress Kim Nam-joo [Wellmade Star M]

"Queen of Housewives" actress Kim Nam-joo has been named one of the top ten actors of Asia by China Entertainment TV (CETV), according to her agency Wellmade Star M on Thursday.

Wellmade Star M announced through a press release that the actress will be attending the award ceremony, to be held at Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center on June 19, as well as a press conference with some 100 Chinese media outlets.

"Kim Nam-joo is the only Korean to be selected as one of the top ten Asian actors, thanks to the popularity of 'Queen of Housewives,'" an associate at CETV was quoted as saying. "We are honored that she will be attending the event."

A handful of celebrities from the Greater China region will be attending the ceremony including Mike He, Rainie Yang, Wilber Pan, Ethan Ruan and Joseph Cheng, who is called the "Rain of Taiwan." Many pop stars including Ashin and Bang Bang Tang will also be performing at the event.

Celebrating its sixth anniversary, the Chinese broadcaster had asked viewers to cast votes for top ten actors in Asia. Fans' voting had taken place every year with stars from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan being awarded the title.

"Housewives", about a 30-something woman who struggles to help her husband succeed, became one of the most-watched shows during its run early last year, topping Korea's TV ratings charts for three consecutive weeks.

Kim, 39, made a successful comeback by taking on "Housewives," her first acting job since marrying actor Kim Seung-woo in 2005 and giving birth to a daughter. Her comedic portrayal of a modern Korean housewife won her numerous accolades including being named 'Actor of the Year' by Korea's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism last December.

She is currently shooting several television commercials and recently agreed to star in the second season of "Housewives," tentatively titled "Queen of Tears."

"Tears" is scheduled to air in September after historical drama "Dong Yi - Jewel in the Crown" ends its run.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 17, 2010

Hye Sun: ‘I Have Become Positive as I Directed Movie’

When we mention actress Goo Hye Sun, the modifier “jack-of-all-trades” always follows. She undertakes various activities such as writing a novel and drawing illustrations and plays all over in and outside of the picture tube. At this time, she is attracting interest as she has directed a movie for the first time.

The interviewer met Goo Hye Sun at a café located in Samcheong-dong in Jongno-gu on June 15. When she listened to the phrase “jack-of-all-trades,” she burst into laughter and said, “You have given too big a compliment to me even though there are actually not many things that I can do very well. Why do you call me ‘jack-of-all-trades?' I do not understand. Anyway, I really appreciate that you call me such a nice word. I feel much more responsibility. I hope that I can do things, which I like to do, very well in the future not just to be remembered for my favorite work.”

The movie “Magic,” which is directed by Goo Hye Sun, is a movie containing music and it portrays love and jealousy of three men and women who go to a music school. The movie will be released on June 24. When Goo planned the movie, she watched a cello concert and suddenly realized that she wanted to make a movie, which is like a performance. She said, “I would like to say to people who expect a melodrama from my movie that they will be disappointed. What I wanted to show through my movie is actually the inanity of youth.”

How does she evaluate her own movie? She said, “I cannot evaluate my movie because I did not personally make the movie only by myself. Many staff members participated in making the movie. If I exclude myself, I would like to give a perfect score.” There is actually a criticism that the flow of the movie is not smooth and there are even disconnections. Goo explained this criticism by saying, “They might feel that the movie is not kind at all. But, from the beginning, I did not intend to make a story, but only to present the important plots of the movie, and I wanted to let viewers organize the story while they are watching the movie. Also, there are some parts that I even tried to mix different scenes together. I wanted to draw emotions from viewers not from the storyline, but from the impact of visuals and audio.”

The late Jeong Seung Hye, who was the representative of Morning Movie Production Company, had made a huge influence on her decision to become a movie director. Goo Hye Sun said, “I always had a desire to write a story, so I wrote a script for a short film and visited her to let her check my script. At that time, she suddenly told me, ‘You had better direct a move.’ Without her, I would not be a movie director."

So she started to direct a film and her life has been changed in many ways. She said, “I think that I have become a more positive person as I made a movie. I used to be a passive person who always regards things as negative. But, by directing, I could come out of my own world and communicate with others. Directing is not work that I can do alone. When it comes to acting, sometimes I build a barrier as I am concentrating on acting, but, when it comes to directing, I have to talk with many people about many things to share opinions.”

When she was asked what title she prefers, she answered, “Actress, director, and painter are all weird for me to hear. I just want people to call me by my name, Goo Hye Sun.”

She talked about her childhood, “When I was young, I cannot say that I had a talent, but I had huge interest, and I think that keeping the interest for ten and twenty years is a kind of talent. I used to listen to music and write a diary in a room. One of my neighbors was a musical actress, so she gave me free tickets to watch musicals, and I used to visit a pianist and learned how to play the piano by watching.”

Her next movie will be about a girl’s first love and she already finished writing the script for the movie. Also, as an actress, she is planning to appear in a drama about musicals. Directing and acting are not all that she is planning to do, she will undertake various activities as well.

When she was asked whether she has a role model, she answered, “I want to live like writer Lee Oi Soo. He is doing art, but, at the same time, he is communicating with many people. I found out that the number of followers on his Twitter is the second largest in Korea after skater Kim Yuna.”

Source: KBS Global

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July 17, 2010

Comedian Lee shows off English speaking ability

Comedian Lee Hwee-jae, who is currently appearing in the SBS World Cup special 'The Fluttering Korean Flag' (태극기 휘날리며), showcased his English skills in the International Broadcast Center in South Africa.

The 'Fluttering Korean Flag' crew visited the television station, which broadcasts World Cup games globally, to interview broadcasters from various countries on June 16.

Lee led the day's program by expertly communicating with international newscasters through his English skills.

There are even rumors that he surprised his fellow staff members by making witty jokes about the Korean team's firm determination in an impromptu interview with Argentine and American newscasters.

"Since I knew about Lee's English ability, I didn't worry about today's filming," said Sung Ki-hoon, the producer of the program. "He created a comfortable atmosphere as I predicted."

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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June 16, 2010

Actress Choi pledges to donate organs

Actress Choi Eun-hee has pledged to donate her organs through the One-Body One-Spirit Organization, an organ donation campaign unit of the Archdiocese of Seoul.

She also has been appointed as an honorary ambassador of the organization.

Actress Choi Eun-hee (left) receives a letter of appointment from Cardinal Cheong

Jin-suk after being named as an organ donation campaign envoy of One-Body One-Spirit Organization on Monday. Archdiocese of Seoul

“I wanted to do something meaningful as I get ready for my last days. Once I told a priest that I wanted to donate my eyes, he recommended One-Body One-Spirit,” Choi told reporters. “First, I just wanted to pledge to donate my organs, without letting the others know my pledge. But, I decided later to accept the publicity envoy title. I thought it could be of a little help to raising the awareness of the importance of organ donation.”

“The news that Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan donated his eyes when he died prompted many people into donating organs. Likewise, I hope that her pledge to donate her organs would serve as a momentum for lots of people to carry out organ donation,” said Archbishop of Seoul Cardinal Cheong Jin-suk.

Cardinal Cheong received a written pledge of organ donation from Choi in his office on Monday.

Choi, born in 1926, began her film career in 1947. For the next 20 years, she was one of the most popular film stars and led the Shin Film Co. along with her husband, director Shin Sang-ok. In 1978, Choi and Shin were kidnapped to North Korea by orders from its future leader Kim Jong-il. The couple fled to the U.S. embassy in 1986 while on a trip to Vienna.

The One-Body One-Spirit Organization was established during the 44th Congressus Eucharisticus held in Seoul in 1989. It began a campaign for organ donation in 1990.

Through June 7, 80,615 people have pledged to donate their organs through the organization. The figure accounts for more than 10 percent of all Koreans who have vowed to donate organs.　(swchun@heraldm.com)

Source: koreaherald.com

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June 17, 201

Park Jae-bum to make a comeback

He will be back. No, really. Ex-2PM member Jay Park, 23, will return on June 18 to start filming "Hype Nation," according to the film community.

This will be the first time in nine months that Park visits Korea since he left due to controversial comments allegedly about Korea last September.

A representative said that "[Park] was scheduled to arrive Friday but chose to return earlier to prepare more thoroughly for filming."

"Hype Nation" will start filming in Seoul on June 21.

As the lead in the film, Park had been adjusting his comeback date to meet the filming schedule.

The movie stars Park and T-ae from girl group Rania in an adventurous tale about B-boys.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

Park Jae-beom rolls into town with a new film

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921909

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June 17, 2010

Kwon Sang-woo to cheer on Korean soccer team with son

Reporter : Kang Seung-hun Editor : Lynn Kim

Hallyu star Kwon Sang-woo [Asia Economic Daily]

Hallyu star and avid soccer fan Kwon Sang-woo will be cheering on the Korean soccer team, who plays the Argentinians tonight in the 2010 World Cup games, with his son Rookie and other family members.

"I think he was planning to watch tonight's game with friends but I am not sure because he hasn't been feeling well recently," a source close to the actor told Asia Economic Daily over the phone. "For now, I was told that he was going to cheer for the game with his family."

He explained that Kwon "feels happy about watching the games with Rookie, talking and laughing with him," adding that watching the actor so happy with his one-year-old son "makes me envious."

The source also asked that people support Kwon's latest pic "Into Fire," which opened at No. 1 in Korea yesterday by attracting 114,131 viewers, according to statistics released by the Korean Box Office System (KOBIS).

Kwon has starred in several notable television dramas and films including "My Tutor Friend" (2003) and "Love, So Divine" (2004).

His most famous role to date however, was in the 2003 TV series "Stairway to Heaven", which co-starred another Hallyu star Choi Ji-woo and became a smash hit throughout Asia.

War drama "Into Fire" is based on the true story of 71 student soldiers who fought during the Korean War, which marks its 60th anniversary this month.

Ranked 47th on FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), the Korean soccer team surprised the world last Saturday by defeating Greece, ranked 17th, 2-0 in their first match of the World Cup.

Reporter : Kang Seung-hun tarophine@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 17, 2010

Bae Yong-joon to make donation for Japanese project

Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Jessica Kim

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon for the "Miso Project" [KEYEAST]

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon will take part in a Japanese project to help out the future of children in Asia, according to his agency KEYEAST on Thursday.

KEYEAST announced in a press release that Bae has decided on taking part in the philanthropic "Miso Project" which has been established by Japan's DATV (Digital Adventure TV).

The "Miso Project" is a contribution-based philanthropy project in charge of taking care of the future of the children in Asia. With the help of nonprofit organization KnK (Kokkyo naki Kodomotachi), they will donate the money to the underprivileged children in Cambodia and the Philippines.

Bae will participate in the various events and programs that DATV has planned for the "Miso Project." An mega-event is scheduled to take place in the Japan's Tokyo Dome in December with other famous Asian stars in attendance.

"Bae Yong-joon has set long-term plans in taking part of the 'Miso Project.' He has shown great interest and wants to become active for this project," explained a representative from KEYEAST.

The actor has made many donations in the past to various organizations in Asia such as donating 300 million won to the tsunami victims in 2005 as well as shooting an environment-themed photo spread and delivered the funds raised from the shoot to the UNEP committee.

Bae, 37, rose to mega-stardom in Korea and throughout Asia with the 2002 KBS hit series "Winter Sonata."

He has also been actively promoting Korean culture in Asia, publishing a photo essay titled "Discovering the Beauty of Korea" last year, which features self-taken photographs of various cultural artisans that the actor met during his year-long travel around the country.

He recently finished lending his voice to the Japanese animation "Winter Sonata~Another Story~" in Japan.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 17, 2010

Ku's feature debut is more spoof than 'Magic'

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff reporter

Actors Im Ji-gyu, left, and Seo Hyeon-jin star in a scene from Ku Hye-sun's feature film debut "Magic." The tragic teen romance premiered at the 11th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) and features songs written and performed by Ku. It will be released in theaters on June 24. / Courtesy of YG Entertainment

It’s no doubt that Ku Hye-sun is talented. And ambitious.

The popular actress has displayed her prolific talent by holding a solo art exhibition, penning a novel and foraying into music, releasing an album and performing with the renowned Japanese artist Isao Sasaki. In 2008, she made her directorial debut with a short film, “Yukwehan Doumi” (Happy Helper), which screened at local and Japanese film festivals.

The 25-year-old brings to local theaters her first feature film “Magic,” which premiered at the 11th Jeonju International Film Festival. Also the first film to be produced by the entertainment giant YG, the project fits in the genre of much-loved “music movies” here, though with a more art house cinema sensibility ― or at least it tries to.

Ku trips many times in her attempt to create a Proustian montage of music-heavy images, and the viewer is left with the palpable sense of lost time, quite literally (a good hour-and-a-half to be exact though it actually feels longer). And this comes from someone who will sit through almost any experimental film.

But what can you say? A convincing audiovisual search for le temps perdu is often difficult to achieve unless you’re Wang Kar-wai. The film, however, wasn’t invited to Asia’s largest indie film event for nothing. It boasts impeccable production values ― in spite of being a low-budget enterprise ― and displays promise of Ku’s capacity as a filmmaker.

Moreover, its lead actor Im Ji-gyu, the little prince of hit indie flicks “Milky Way Liberation Front” and “Who’s That Knocking at My Door?” will save the film from sinking into complete oblivion, while newcomer actress Seo Hyeon-jin peppers the soundtrack with her lilting voice. The tracks include an eclectic array of songs from the folksong “Arirang” to Bizet’s operatic arias and original crossover pieces by Ku.

“Magic” is basically a teen love triangle gone awry, and the protagonist is still haunted by the puppy romance decades later. The premise works in a way since first loves, usually experienced during adolescence when the sight of a single falling leaf inspires tears, last forever. But it must also be said that it took a while, in spite of the uniforms, for this viewer to realize that the story is set in high school, since all three of the lead actors, save for the baby-faced Im, are older than Ku.

The film is set in an arts high school in the not-so-distant past. Kim Jeong-wook, the bad boy of teen TV soaps, stars as a cellist equipped with perfect pitch, good looks and a nasty habit of chain smoking. Perhaps Ku had been trying to create an amiably rude artist like Kim Myung-min’s Maestro Kang from “Beethoven Virus,” but Jeong-wu is merely a narcissistic bully that likes to show off his gift. Musicians may be offended to see him commit such heresy as using an instrument, albeit a cheap practice one, as an ashtray.

A victim of Jeong-wu’s bullish behavior is his diligent friend Myeong-jin (Im), who is often seen carrying both their cello cases and meal trays during lunch. Caught in between the duo is the lovely pianist-composer Ji-eun (Seo). The two boys are both obviously infatuated with the girl, and they stand at a crossroads of friendship and artistic rivalry when they enter a music competition.

Here the film suffers because substance is unfortunately compromised by focus on style ― everything from the set to antique furniture and small props is really, really pretty like one of Garosu-gil’s trendy shops. The camera aims to capture the subtle emotional dynamics between three teenagers, but ends up feeling more like another one of Korea’s typical melodramas that rant about unrequited love while not forgetting to dramatize the situation with tragic incidents.

Source: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 17, 2010

[iNTERVIEW] Big Bang T.O.P - Part 1-2

Senior Reporter: Kang Myoung-Seok Photographer: Chae ki-won Editor: Lee Ji-Hye Editor: Jessica Kim

Singer and actor T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

'A rapper with the face of a wolf yet the soul of a lamb.' This exquisite sentence a fan wrote on the Internet may be the most clear description of T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun). He is a rapper with sharp eyes and a tough voice but has the sentimentality to like Damian Rice and Labelle. And he is a member of one of Korea's top idol groups but was once a boy who fought against his inner insecurities. That is why it is useless to ask what sort of actor T.O.P wants to be or what project he has planned next as a rapper. Because as he has been doing from his teen years and continues to do so, he will write lyrics to express himself while sitting at his desk. And he said he chose to take on the role of Oh Jang-beom in "Into Fire" because he felt he was looking at himself. 10Asia sat down with the 24-year-old singer and actor to talk about his acting, rapping and Choi Seung-hyun.

10: How does it feel doing an interview alone, without members of your group Big Bang?

T.O.P: I didn't have to talk a lot when I'm with them because there are those who are good at speaking but I have to talk a lot now. I think they'll make me talk a lot when I go back as a member of Big Bang so I think I should do a poor job of speaking at

interviews. (laugh)

10: This is your third time working as an actor. How is it? It could either become increasingly enjoyable or burdensome.

T.O.P: In the past, I never did anything without hesitation, whatever it may be. I would enjoy myself but I always had concerns and I tried to be careful. And I think it was because I was scared of something but I think I don't have that fear anymore. I think "Into Fire" has had a good influence on me.

10: I met with Cha Seung-won and Kim Seung-woo before interviewing you. And they would both call you 'Our Seung-hyun' when referring to you. (laugh) I think they liked you a lot.

T.O.P: I am so grateful to the senior actors and director I worked with for "Into Fire." I feel uncomfortable around adults and try to be polite to them so they might feel that I'm hard to approach. But the senior actors [from "Into Fire"] approached me first, helping me to become close with them. I felt a lot from seeing how they would be the director and senior actors on set but treat me as if I'm their younger brother when we're done filming.

10: Has your own life or sentimentality influenced the shooting for the film?

T.O.P: I felt a lot while looking at my senior actors. I like figure skating and it's because there's a certain stability to it. I think I'm drawn to how figure skating gives off the vibe of being an orderly entirety which is firm and stable, and I think I got a similar feeling of stability from the actors in "Into Fire." I felt a lot seeing how they would constantly call their families when they don't have shoots because I've never been in such a stable state before. I would wonder what would happen tomorrow or if tomorrow will even come. But I think I've found more composure after doing "Into Fire."

10: Is that why you chose to play the role of Oh Jang-beom in "Into Fire"? He's a 17-year-old boy but he has to risk his life for a war. So he's someone who can't help feeling nervous because he really can't tell what will lie ahead of him the next day.

T.O.P: That's why I was drawn to it. Because he's a nervous 17-year-old boy. On the other hand, I thought that both I and Oh would want to become stable adults. I felt that Oh is similar to the actual me, especially how he is when he is alone. That's why I wanted to try to become him as much as possible.

Singer and actor T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

10: When you played Vick in KBS TV series "IRIS," I understand that you imagined your character thinking, 'If there were a character like Vick in film "Clockwork Orange."' I think that is proof of how much you thought of him as an imaginary character but I think you must've shown a lot of your actual self in "Into Fire."

T.O.P: I tried to inject as much of my real self as possible into my role. So I felt that I wasn't acting out an imaginary character but myself. I wouldn't say I have matured completely yet but I've lived my twenties pursuing various types of experiences and I think I'm maturing, little by little. I wanted to project that style of life I had lived into Oh Jang-beom. He has to take part in a war at 17 and lead a group of student soldiers which will mean he cannot help having many concerns and lead to him having no choice but to mature a lot during that short time period. I myself too would have been scared to play the role of Oh had I not matured at all.

10: How was it trying to express the emotions of a 17-year-old boy?

T.O.P: I think there is still a part to me which is young. It's also one of the reason's I like figure skating -- because I want to stay young. And my character Oh is innocent and humane in many ways which is completely different from what I have shown [to the audience and fans] so far so I tried to find this to me too.

10: What's different?

T.O.P: Up till now, I think I tried to package myself to seem like someone who is completely different from me. I'm not saying that I fooled myself and acted fake. I'm someone who does music and I have to show myself to the public. But I think I was worried that the closer I got with them, the more sick of me they would get. That's why I thought at one point that someone who does music should not be on TV too much. So there was a time when I tried to hide myself to keep the public from noticing this. I wanted to keep a distance from others. But I think I showed as much of myself as possible through "Into Fire."

10: I saw that you once said during an interview that you asked yourself questions to establish your character when doing "IRIS." What did you ask yourself this time?

T.O.P: I actually try to rid myself of those thoughts because I end up having too many questions. When I was acting before, I thought too much, wondering 'Is this right?' I went the opposite way this time around, ridding myself of complex thoughts and told myself I am acting like I do when I'm on stage. I don't have any know-how into how to establish my character like my great senior actors do. But I tried to use my five years of stage experience to establish my character. I couldn't do this production otherwise.

10: In Big Bang's essay book, you wrote that you refused to go to acting school when doing KBS' "I Am Sam" because you were worried your acting might become standardized. What about now?

T.O.P: Everybody probably has different thoughts on acting, but I think that's right for me considering my personality. So far, I prefer maintaining the experiences I've had or emotions I have felt and reflect them into my acting rather than become standardized by learning something. For example, I thought about what my rapping voice should be like for 10 years until I came to use my current voice that I came up with myself. It's not my original voice but something I've purposely come up with so the head of my agency too tells me that I use a different type of vocalization technique to rap. So I'm taking the same approach with acting too -- that I'm slowly establishing my style. Only then I think I will be able to learn the technicalities.

10: You need to concentrate that much on your role to act but isn't it difficult to do that while also pursuing a singing career in Japan?

T.O.P: I listened to music on the film's set to focus on my emotions. I had no know-how whatsoever when it comes to immersing myself into my role so I wanted to graft music into the process.

Singer and actor T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

10: What kind of music did you listen to?

T.O.P: I listened only to classical music for six months while shooting "Into Fire." I listened to a lot of Labelle. And I've been listening to Nine Inch Nails recently. I switch back and forth. (laugh)

10: Labelle is so elegant that women usually like it more.

T.O.P: There's a very feminine side to me. I'll write manly lyrics, those that will suit my voice but I think I also understand women's sentimentality to a certain point too. I think such aspects influence my rapping and acting too.

10: What's the difference between rapping and acting?

T.O.P: When I'm with Big Bang, I show who I am as TOP but when I'm acting, I think I show who I am as 24-year-old Choi Seung-hyun. Of course, both are me and both enjoy music. But I think TOP is an imaginary character who I had been picturing in my mind. He's another me that is not quite me. On the other hand, I am myself while doing this interview and a lot of the me you see right now is reflected into my acting.

10: Now that I think of it, I think there were many times you were acting as your imaginary character on stage. Especially when you do featurings for female singers like Gummy or Uhm Jung-hwa.

T.O.P: I'm a rapper and I believe rappers are people who deliver messages. That's why it's important that I am remembered in many people's minds so I try to deliver my emotions and messages through certain expressions. With "I'm Sorry," I imagined myself as a boy who has been hurt emotionally and with "DISCO" I tried to show an imaginary being like the robot Jude Law acted as in his film.

10: I think that's how differently you rap depending on the situation you're in. Your voice changes a lot too between the Korean and Japanese songs, just like the style of songs change. The song "Tell Me Goodbye" that you recently released in Japan left a strong impression in particular. The rap is more melodical so that it suits Japanese tastes and you cry in the music video while rapping. It's as if the actor TOP and TOP in Japan has been added onto the normal you.

T.O.P: I was supposed to just lip-sync that part, not act it out. But I think I hadn't been able to free myself of my character Oh Jang-beom from "Into Fire" because it had been less than a week since I had wrapped up filming it. I think I just cried, without knowing what it's about or what character I'm supposed to be. That's why the music video director asked me why I cried. (laugh)

10: I think your acting has influenced your music, and your music your acting.

T.O.P: I think so. I think I apply who I am as a rapper and an actor while trying to learn to act at 24, putting in the effort to develop a style of my own, and trying not to waste my time. I think I'm learning to do what only I can do rather than do what other people know how to do.

Singer and actor T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

10: Doesn't that mean the thoughts that you have at a certain point will be that much more projected into your rap?

T.O.P: I'm a rapper so I don't want to do anything that isn't meaningful, even when it comes to acting. As a rapper or as an actor, I want to become someone who delivers certain messages. That was why I was able to take on "Into Fire" too. I spent a lonely childhood and it wasn't because of the situation I was in but I just had a lot of complex thoughts. I felt lost for a while too. Oh Jang-beom from "Into Fire" reminded me of my teens. I think that's why I was able to do it.

10: When I look at your lyrics, it seems you constantly have concerns but that you're thinking about how to overcome your present state.

T.O.P: I'm always asking myself questions. I think I had complicated thoughts in my teens. I spent a lot of time sitting at my desk to write lyrics. That's why when I write lyrics, I don't like becoming a storyteller who lays out a detailed picture for the listener. For example, talking about where I am right now and where my love is going to. (laugh)

I prefer to write what the listener can sympathize with, yet leave out a certain amount of my thoughts so that everyone can think their individual thoughts. And more than anything, it's important that it seems sincere.

10: I think that's why it becomes so important to know who you are. I understand that your grandfather had emphasized the important of meditating. Do you have time to meditate these days being so busy?

T.O.P: I haven't been able to recently. That's why I actually feel like I don't know who I am. I think I still haven't freed myself from Oh Jang-beom either. I think it may be because I don't have much acting experience. I felt that I threw myself into the role but I haven't been able to bring myself out from it yet. I had wanted to go on a trip after filming the movie although I don't have time to but I think I've been able to sort out my thoughts about myself while doing music.

10: I think you'd be able to discover who you are again by making music. What style of music do you want to make these days?

T.O.P: I've written lyrics since I've been 11-years-old and I've liked hip-hop. And honestly, I've grown a bit sick of it too because I've liked hip-hop up till now. (laugh) That's how much I've been listening to it. That's why I think it would be an issue of conscience to do just ordinary hip-hop music (laugh) so I've been trying to make music that is as refreshing as possible, containing fusion elements.

10: You work on a very tight and busy schedule but on the other hand, I think you would make music that is reflective.

T.O.P: That's why I think I'd make very difficult music. The head of my agency text messaged me one day and said my music moves too fast (for the public's taste). (laugh) That's what I'm worried about. People in this industry are so emotional that once they start to fall into another world, it's hard to come out of it. I think a smart person is someone who can separate his own world from what can be relayed to other people. I do my music to be shared with the public so I can't get lost in my own world. I sometimes think that my own world and communication with the public clashes.

10: Then what will your solo album be like?

T.O.P: I want to have a larger perspective and make an album in which each song is different from the others. I also hope I will be able to communicate with the public with them while writing unique lyrics. I think that the more attachment I have to the album, the more responsibility I feel for it. My agency's head told me that I don't need to do music that has mass appeal because what I do becomes that. I think it's neither good or bad to hear that (laugh) but then wouldn't that mean I should be able to do what I want to do and release an album when I want to? (laugh)

10: Last question. If you could write lyrics for a rap right now, what would you write?

T.O.P: A very sweet melody with sweet lyrics. (laugh) I think such lyrics will help me discover who I am.

Big Bang member T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) who starred in film "Into Fire" poses during an interview with 10Asia.

Senior Reporter: Kang Myoung-Seok two@ Photographer: Chae ki-won ten@ Editor: Lee Ji-Hye seven@ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3 l 4