[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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July 2, 2010

Han Eun-jung poses at a press conference for her new TV drama in Seoul on Thursday.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 2, 2010

Park Hae Il: I Want to Become Good Actor Completely Immersed in Movie’

Actor Park Hae Il had been a rising star actor on the theater stage and debuted as a movie actor by appearing in director Im Soon Rye’s movie “Waikiki Brothers” in 2001.

As he has already acted for ten years, he has become a star actor popular enough to be cast as the main lead of the Korean movie industry’s powerful director Kang Woo Suk’s ambitious new film “Moss.” In the movie “Moss,” which will be released on July 14, Park Hae Il will play Yoo Hae Kook, who has to confront remote village people to find out the truth regarding his father’s death. He successfully heads the cast of the movie without faltering while acting competitively with other great experienced actors.

"Moss” is a thriller based on the original internet cartoon written by Yoon Tae Ho, which has the same title. In a recent meeting at a café located in Samcheong-dong, Park said, “After I scanned through the original, I tried not to depend on the original. There are gaps between a cartoon and a movie, so I had agonized many times to find the way to fill those gaps."

Park said that he had met the original writer due to director Jung Ji Woo’s introduction -- who wrote the scenario of the movie “Moss” - before he received a casting suggestion by director Kang Woo Suk. Park continued, “The writer told me that when he wrote the original, he tried to recall the image of Lee Won Sang in the movie ‘Jealousy Is My Middle Name’ when he was confused about the character Yoo Hae Kook.” Lee Won Sang is the character that Park Hae Il played. From the time that Park Hae Il was cast in the movie “Moss,” there have been many opinions saying that Park has similarities with the character Yoo Hae Kook in the original.

He disclosed that he could not adjust to director Kang Woo Suk’s filming style in the beginning. He said, “Director Kang usually begins filming with lightning speed whenever he is ready, but usually I was clumsy at first. I needed some time before I could adjust to his style. Actually, I am a person who requires time before accelerating.” Park explained that he put efforts to making harmony with director. He said, “It was my first time that I worked with many experienced veteran people. They told me many things about their previous works, and actually listening to other actors’ stories was very exciting. I also heard many tips that might be very helpful for me in the future.”

Park Hae Il’s counterparts, Jung Jae Young, Yoo Hae Jin, Kim Sang Ho, and Kim Joon Bae, were all theater actors and they have been very close since Park was a student at university. Park Hae Il had to confront those senior actors fiercely in the movie. He confessed that he tried to act at his best due to their excellent acting skills.

He said, "Their acting is very powerful, so I thought that I should not be defeated by their acting because I took the role of ‘viewers’ eyes’ in the movie, and I thought that if I was overpowered, then viewers might be overpowered as well.”

Among movies in which he has appeared, there were hit movies such as “The Host” and “Memory of Murder,” which were directed by Bong Joon Ho, but actually star actor Song Gang Ho, who is guaranteed to be a box office hit, played an important role for those movies to gain huge popularity.

Does Park Hae Il have a desire to become an actor like Song Gang Ho, who can determine the commercial success of a movie?

He answered, “This is not something that can come true just by having a desire. First of all, I have to become an actor who can be completely immersed in the story. Then, it will be better if I can appeal to viewers.” He added that he actually feels some pressure as a main actor because director Kang Woo Suk’s previous movies such as “Silmido" and “Public Enemy,” in which actor Seol Kyung Gu appeared as a main actor, were very successful.

Even though Park Hae Il is an actor mostly appearing in commercial movies, he has also appeared in low-budget films and short films. Sometimes he decided to appear in those movies due to director Bong Joon Ho’s suggestion, but sometimes he appeared only due to his curiosity about the movies.

He said, “The innovative way of telling stories and topics are very interesting. Actually, this is something more than simply interesting."

From next month, he will begin filming young director Yoon Jae Geun’s movie “Confrontation" (working title). And the low-budget movie “The End of Animal,,” in which Park Hae Il appeared right after he finished filming the movie “Moss,” will be released during the Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival held in CGV Apgujeong from August 18 to August 24.

Park Hae Il said, “I want to perform in movies as long as I can perform. And I want to become an actor who can be honest to myself.”

Source: KBS Global

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July 2, 2010

Park Yong-ha's coffin borne out of St. Mary's Hospital

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc Editor : Lynn Kim

Korean actor So Ji-sub carries a photograph of the late actor Park Yong-ha during the coffin-bearing ceremony held at St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul, Korea on July 2, 2010. [Asia Economic Daily]

The coffin for the late Korean actor Park Yong-ha, who committed suicide two days ago, was borne out of St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul earlier this morning amidst a sea of celebrities and fans attending the ceremony.

Actor So Ji-sub, a close friend of Park, led the coffin-bearing procession while carrying a photograph of the deceased, followed by Park's parents, family members and fellow actor friends. Several celebrities broke out into tears and started sobbing loudly.

The ceremony, held at 6 a.m at St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul, was also attended by some 200 fans and 80 media outlets from Korea and Japan.

The hearse will drive past Korea's three major broadcasting stations SBS, KBS and MBC where Park had worked, his old home in Hapjeong-dong and current home in Cheongdam-dong.

Park will be cremated in Sungnam and his remains will be buried at the Bundang Memorial Park in Gyeonggi Province.

Numerous Korean celebrities had paid a visit to Park's wake service for the past two days including CNBLUE, Eugene, Gummy, Kangta, Kim Bum, Kim Ha-neul, Kim Hyun-joo, Kim Jin-pyo, Lee Byung-hun, Lyn, Park Hyo-shin, Psy, Song Seung-heon and U-Know Yunho.

Best known for his role as Sang-hyuk in the smash hit TV series "Winter Sonata" (KBS2, 2002), Park had led a successful acting and singing career in Korea and Japan as well.

However, sources close to Park said he recently had been having a very hard time juggling his career, his company and family problems. His father is currently suffering from late-stage stomach cancer.

Park was found dead in his apartment around 5:30 a.m. on June 30. He hanged himself from the cord of his camcorder charger.

Although many suspected that Park had been suffering from depression and severe stress, local police ruled his death as "a suicide taken on impulse" after drinking the previous night and claimed there were no emotional or financial issues involved.

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc kun1112@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 2, 2010

Park Yong-ha laid to rest

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Staff reporter

Rain fell persistently as grieving entertainers, colleagues and family of the late Park Yong-ha bid a tearful farewell to the top star during his funeral, Friday.

The cortege left the Seoul St. Mary's Hospital early Friday morning to a cremation site after a private Buddhist service with family and friends.

Park's father, battling cancer and his mother, shocked by her son's sudden death did not attend the ceremony.

Park hung himself at his home Wednesday and the police concluded that the top "hallyu" star, distressed over his career and his father's illness, committed suicide on an impulse.

Actor So Ji-sub, one of Park's closest friends, led the funeral procession, carrying a smiling portrait of Park.

The procession went to the Yeouido and Mok-dong areas, where major broadcasting stations are located, and Hapjeong-dong, the actor's childhood home. Lastly, the funeral cortege visited Park's home.

Park's remains were buried at Bundang Memorial Park in Gyeonggi Province.

Many colleagues who are entertainers and had worked with Park came to his funeral. Actors Park Hee-soon, Kim Moo-yeol and Ryu Si-won, actresses Kim Min-jeong and Park Si-yeon and singer Kim Won-joon attended a ceremony at the burial site.

Some 300 fans from Korea and Japan also stayed to the last moment.

"Park has become a star in the far sky and we cannot see him anymore. But we will always remember you and love you," said Lee Hee-jung, an official of Yona Entertainment owned by Park, in a memorial address.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr l koreaherald.com

Singer and actor Park Yong-ha laid to rest

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc Editor : Jessica Kim

Actor So Ji-sub carries late actor Park Yong-ha's portrait and mortuary tablet to Park's burial site at Bundang Memorial Park in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on July 2, 2010. [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Singer and actor Park Yong-ha has been laid to rest at a private funeral attended by close family and friends.

The remains of the late star, who was cremated around noon on Friday, arrived at Bundang Memorial Park in Gyeonggi Province located south of Korea's capital of Seoul.

Actor So Ji-sub, carrying Park's portrait in his hands, led a procession of family and friends toward the burial site where song "STARS," from Park's last album, was being played in the background for the Buddhist ceremony.

Park's parents were not present for the service however -- Park's father, diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer and his mother, who had previously lost consciousness over the shock of losing her son, had attended Park's coffin rites yesterday in wheelchairs.

Among the mourners were many of Park's celebrity friends including Park Hyo-shin, Kim Won-joon, Kim Hyun-joo, Kim Min-jung and Kim Moo-yeol.

Actress Park Si-yeon, who had starred in Park Hyo-shin's music video with the late Park, sobbed out loud crouched down, unable to contain the grief of losing her close friend.

Ryu Si-won, who arrived at the cemetery just as the service was wrapping up, also shed tears as he bid farewell to Park whom he had described as being "like a younger brother."

Ryu had been set to stay in Japan till next week to take part in concerts and racing competitions but he pushed back the events and flew into Korea today morning. "We trust that Park Yong-ha will always shine by our side... We will no longer be able to see him but we promise we will always stand by you and love you for a long time," an official at Park's agency said.

Numerous Korean celebrities had paid a visit to Park's wake service for the past two days including Lee Byung-hun, Bae Yong-joon, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Ha-neul, Kim Bum, Yoon Eun-hye, CNBLUE, Eugene, Gummy, Kangta, Kim Jin-pyo, Lyn, Psy, Song Seung-heon and U-Know Yunho.

So Ji-sub was present throughout the three-day wake service and up until the burial ceremony, often seen sobbing over the sudden and unexpected loss of his best friend.

Best known for his role in Asia as Sang-hyuk in the smash hit TV series "Winter Sonata" (KBS2, 2002), Park had led an active acting career in Korea since his debut in 2004, last starring in drama "The Slingshot" and film "The Scam" last year. He had also branched out to singing, which was particularly successful in Japan. He won an award at Japan's Golden Disk Award for four years straight starting in 2005, making him the first Korean to win and award at the event and the first to win four times in a row.

His music career in Japan continued to flourish even after he set up his own agency YONA Entertainment in 2008 -- his fifth full-length album "STARS" released in June this year reached No. 16 on the prestigious Oricon weekly chart. He had kicked off a three-month long 16-city tour on June 19 to promote "STARS" when during a brief visit to Korea to check up on his ailing father, Park committed suicide by hanging himself from the cord of his camcorder charger early on Wednesday. His mother found him dead in his apartment around 5:30 a.m.

Sources close to Park said he recently had been having a very hard time juggling his career, his company and family problems.

Although many suspected that Park had been suffering from depression and severe stress, local police ruled his death as "a suicide taken on impulse" after drinking the previous night and claimed there were no emotional or financial issues involved.

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc kun1112@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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July 2, 2010

Lee Min-ho sets up official Twitter account

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Lee's official Twitter page]

Korean actor Lee Min-ho has set up an official Twitter account after falling victim to a Twitter impersonator last March.

The actor announced on his Cyworld mini-hompy board Thursday afternoon that he had created his own account (http://twitter.com/actorleeminho) on Twitter, a popular social networking and micro-blogging service.

Lee made his first Twitter entry, saying "I want to ride a bike" along with a photo of himself riding a bicycle in a commercial. He then 'followed' actor Jung Sung-hwa, his co-star in the recent MBC TV series "Personal Taste," and 'tweeted' to Jung, "I made a Twitter account too. Teach me."

The actor also visited the Twitter page for filmmaker Park Kwang-choon, who directed Lee in films "She's On Duty" (2005) and "Our School E.T." (2007), and wrote "Director Park, it's me Lee Min-ho. The one you went to before was fake."

Last March, Lee's agency Starhaus Entertainment warned fans that a fake Twitter account had been opened up under the actor's name and had over 70,000 followers at the time. The agency was even seeking to take action to protect the actor's fans.

As of July 2, the number of followers on the fake account currently stands at 88,573 compared to 8,282 on Lee's official page.

The 23-year-old actor became a household name in Korea and throughout Asia last year with the success of KBS drama "Boys Over Flowers," co-starring actress Ku Hye-sun and singer Kim Hyun-joong of SS501. In "Taste", he played a man pretending to be gay in order to move in with a female roommate, played by Korean actress Son Ye-jin.

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

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July 3, 2010

Teddy Bear Maker Brightens World with Celebrity-Themed Creations

At the ISU Grand Prix Final in Tokyo last December, Kim Yu-na picked up a teddy bear thrown onto the ice after she finished her programs. The doll wore the same costume as Kim, and it became an instant hit among Kim's fans as the moment was broadcast live around the world.

Won Myung-hee / wonteddy.com

Won Myung-hee, the president of the Korea Teddy Bear Association, made the famous doll. "I made it to support Kim Yu-na," Won said. "An acquaintance who went to the competition delivered it instead of me. I didn't have any commercial goals, but I ended up selling a lot of them due to the explosive response from Kim's fans."

Won started working on celebrity-related projects when she was asked by Won Bin's fans to make a toy dog for the actor, who had lost his pet dog. About two thousand were sold to his Japanese fans and some donated to an orphanage he sponsors.

The toy maker next launched a series of character dolls of celebrities like Rain, Lee Young-ae, Choi Ji-woo, Lee Seo-jin, Ji Jin-hee, and So Ji-sub. Her teddy bear series of characters from hit TV series such as "The Great Queen Seondeok" and "IRIS" have also become popular among Korean Wave fans.

"Character dolls are especially popular in Japan," she said. "Over 80 percent of the audience at Rain's concerts are middle-aged women, and they each have seven or eight Rain dolls attached to their bags. The Japanese love collecting things, and they buy every new item that is related to their favorite stars. Chinese fans are starting to join the market as well."

Won has made around 10,000 teddy bears since she first got into the toy business 20 years ago. She loved drawing as a child, and enjoyed making costumes for her dolls. After graduating from university with a major in art, she worked as a doll designer for 11 years.

"I worked for a toy exporting company, and I made frequent overseas business trips. In Europe, teddy bears are more than merely a toy, they're a sort of cultural thing. I envied the artists who were making and selling them, so I decided to make my own," she said.

Now Won is planning to explore overseas markets. She has set up a teddy bear museum at the Miami Children's Museum in Florida, and a non-profit organization recognized by the Florida state government to introduce Korean-made teddy bears to the U.S. One of her dreams is to build children's theme parks around the world.

"Teddy bears are a well-known character worldwide, which would save PR costs," Won said. "There seems to be a great market potential for specialized teddy bears."

Won also opened the Department of Toy Character Design at Korea Nazarene University in 2005. Another of her ambitions is to cultivate professional doll makers by establishing a doll designer school. At the center of all her dreams is a wish to instill hope in children through toys with fun and inspiring stories.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 2, 2010

Is Kim So-young a younger Ko So-young?

Kim So-young became the first woman represented by JYP Entertainment, a music entertainment agency, to debut as an actress.

Kim made her debut in KBS 2’s “Even a Mother Is Pretty” as a teenage runaway.

JYP Entertainment reportedly made strenuous efforts to get Kim to pursue her career in acting since she is not only tall with pretty face, but because the agency believes she also has huge acting potential.

When her photos for Elle Girl magazine were released, they surprised many netizens because of the similarity in appearance between her and top actress Ko So-young.

The management agency said the photo shoot aimed to present a stylish and fit image. Kim appeared in the shoot in a variety of clothes, ranging from a vintage flower-patterned dress to simply mix-and-matched print t-shirts, it added.

By Christy Jin Intern reporter koreaherald.com

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July 2, 2010

Korean actress dating a Dubai prince?

Actress Min Young-won, 26, is becoming a popular search keyword online after news reports that she was proposed to by an Arab prince.

The reports quoted an unnamed official in the entertainment industry as saying Tuesday that the man was a crown prince of Dubai. They said the prince has often flown to Korea by private jet to meet her. The reports added that he fell in love with her beauty and the personality.

But Min’s PI Entertainment agency denied the reports, saying the two are just friends.

Min acted in “Boys over Flowers” and “Shining Inheritance” and is currently acting in a drama “Happiness in the Wind.”

By Jung Joo-bin Intern reporter koreaherald.com

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Actor Park Yong-ha's demise sparks wave of suicides?

Posted: 05 July 2010 1322 hrs

SEOUL : Just a day after popular Korean actor-singer Park Yong-ha hung himself, singer Roh Jin-woo from rock band Lazybone attempted to off himself by jumping into the Han river but survived when the police rescued him, reported Chinese media.

According to a police statement, Roh, 31, said he was "suffering from depression" and started having "suicidal thoughts" after hearing of the "Winter Sonata" actor's demise on June 30.

However, Roh's manager claimed that the singer was simply drunk at the time and accidentally fell into the river.

Roh may have survived this incident but a 40-year-old female owner of a Korean production house was not so lucky.

She apparently hung herself with a belt at home on July 1, leaving behind a suicide note that read "I am sorry mother!"

Another 49-year-old woman had also hung herself on that same day. After examining her suicide note, police have expressed that the woman, who was a fan of Park, may have taken her own life to follow her idol.

Park was the latest of a number of entertainers to kill themselves. They include top movie actress Lee Eun-Joo, who committed suicide in 2005, and Choi Jin-Sil who died in 2008.

Suicide is the highest cause of death among those in their twenties and thirties in South Korea, which in 2007 had the highest suicide rate among members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The health ministry said 23.9 in every 100,000 South Koreans committed suicide in 2007, compared with 19.4 in Japan, 16.7 in Finland, 14.2 in France and 14.0 in Switzerland.

- CNA/ha

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1067623/1/.html

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July 5, 2010

Why Do So Many Korean Celebrities Kill Themselves?

The roster of recent celebrity suicides in Korea is getting longer and longer, with Lee Eun-ju, U;Nee, Jeong Da-bin, Ahn Jae-hwan, Choi Jin-sil, Choi Jin-young and now Park Yong-ha killing themselves since 2005. The numbers swell if actors or actresses who were either unknown when they took their lives or rose to fame only by committing suicide are included.

Although there are no accurate statistics, Korean celebrities seem more prone to suicide than stars in the U.S., Europe or Japan. They experience the same pressures as their counterparts overseas in terms of the fickleness of fame and irregular lifestyles. So what is it that drives them so often to take their own lives?

◆ Suicide Capital of the World

For one thing, Korea as a whole has the world's highest suicide rate. For every 100,000 Koreans, 21.5 commit suicide, as against the OECD average of 11.1. Experts say celebrity suicides can provide insight into why Koreans tend to be more prone to taking their own lives.

"Koreans tend to form their sense of identity through how they are perceived by others and may give up and make drastic choices when they're no longer able to show their best side to others," said Hwang Sang-min, a psychologist at Yonsei University. "And that tendency is stronger among celebrities, whose livelihood depends on their popularity."

Park Yong-ha (left) and Choi Jin-sil

◆ Lack of Counseling Programs

"Three years ago, a singer employed by our agency showed signs of depression, refusing to leave home because of unfounded rumors circulating on the Internet, but was unable to get psychiatric help for fear that it would cause more rumors that he was seeing a shrink," the CEO of an entertainment agency said. Seeking psychiatric help is becoming more common among ordinary Koreans, but among celebrities it is still taboo.

Large entertainment agencies in the U.S. and Japan hire professional counselors and regularly check the psychological health of their high-profile clients. Compounding the pressure on celebrities is the Internet, where every detail of their private lives is fodder for gossip or malicious comments. "I realized that celebrities these days have to watch out for so many things," said one top actress whose passing comment at a ceremony spread through the Internet and caused a major scandal.

"The fact that Korea is one of the world's most wired countries is a source of tremendous pressure for Korean celebrities," said Kang Tae-kyu, director of agency Music Farm. "A bigger problem is that talent agencies are operating like they did during the 1990s even though the environment has changed radically."

◆ Copy-Cat Suicides

Some experts cite copy-cat behavior as a reason behind increasing suicides among celebrities. Following the suicide of actress Lee Eun-ju in 2005, the rate of suicides among show-biz people increased markedly. But an even bigger problem is the impact celebrity suicides have on ordinary people.

"When famous people commit suicide, people who used to look up to them feel like they have no reason to live, since those who they considered better resorted to taking their own lives,” said Oh Kang-seob, a psychiatrist at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. "Such thinking spreads and actually raises the suicide rate. That is why celebrity suicides are even more worrisome."

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 5, 2010

"Bread, Love and Dreams" blows away competition

Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Jessica Kim

Drama poster of "Bread, Love and Dreams" [KBS]

KBS series "Bread, Love and Dreams" blew away competition on TV charts last week, becoming the most-watched television show in the country.

Figures from TNmS (Total National Multimedia Statistics) on Monday revealed that "Bread" recorded TV ratings of 34.6 percent, while AGB Nielsen Media Research indicated to slightly lower ratings of 31.3 percent.

"Bread, Love and Dreams," about the success story of baker Kim Tak-koo, has been dominating the Wednesday and Thursday primetime lineup. Meanwhile, MBC's historical drama "Dong Yi - Jewel in the Crown" came in second place with viewership ratings of 31.5 percent on TNmS' chart and 28.3 percent on AGB's survey.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of 8 game against Germany and Argentina rounded out the top three shows with ratings of 27.2 and 26.5 percent, respectively, on each chart.

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

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July 4, 2010

Veteran actor Kim to promote senior film fest

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff reporter

Actor Kim Hi-ra

Kim Hi-ra, a 1970s action star, will promote a film festival for senior citizens as its honorary ambassador, festival organizers announced last week ahead of the event's opening on July 19.

The 63-year-old actor has recently reemerged in the local entertainment scene as he appeared in Lee Chang-dong's "Poetry," which won the award for best screenplay at Cannes, in France in May.

Kim was one of the most sought-after screen personalities in his day and is also famous for being the son of the late movie star Kim Seung-ho. He said he was happy to be the face for the film festival, which advocates communication and understanding between different generations, according to a press release by the festival.

Organized by the Senior Welfare Center in Seoul, the festival is the first of its kind in Korea. This year it will screen 21 short films created by amateur directors ― the average age of the group is 71. Also to be screened are original films by filmmakers regardless of age that feature themes concerning the elderly.

The third edition of the festival will run from July 19 to 30 at Seoul Art Cinema, Jongno, downtown Seoul. Call (02) 6911-9555.

Source: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 5, 2010

Park Shin-hye "moved" by recent Japan fan meeting

Korean actress Park Shin-hye [Man Insight]

Korean actress Park Shin-hye has said she was "shaken and moved" by the recent fan meeting she attended in Japan with "Minamishineyo" co-star Jang Keun-suk, according to a press release by PR agency Man Insight on Monday.

"I was really shaken and moved after experiencing firsthand the Hallyu craze that I had only heard about," the actress was quoted as saying after attending the fan meeting, held at Tokyo's C.C Lemon Hall on June 26. "I received a lot more love and support from the fans than I had expected, and I came back feeling very strengthened," the actress is said to have told her agency Ava Entertainment.

Upon her arrival at Haneda Airport in Japan, Park was greeted by fans from China, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the U.S. who were wearing T-shirt that said "I♥Hacci," a nickname for the actress.

At the fan meeting, the actress performed the song "Tik Tok" by Kesha and later shook hands with everyone who came to the event.

"'Minamishineyo' is very popular among young fans in Japan," an executive at Japanese agency AVEX was quoted as saying. "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say there hasn't been a Hallyu drama that has caused this much craze in several years. And the Japanese fans' interest in Park Shin-hy has grown a lot as well."

The series, which was first introduced in Japan through Hallyu-exclusive cable channel KNTV, will air on Fuji TV as part of the "Hallyu Alpha Summer Festival" starting July 20.

Park, 20, first gained fame when she appeared in the hit TV series "Stairway to Heaven" (SBS, 2003) starring Kwon Sang-woo and Choi Ji-woo. She shot to stardom throughout Asia after starring in "Minamishineyo," in which played a girl pretending to be a man in order to join the popular idol group "A.N.JELL".

She recently wrapped up filming the romantic comedy "Cyrano Agency," which will open in theaters on September 16.

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

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July 5, 2010

Uehara Takako joins TV series "Domangja s1" cast

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Japanese actress Uehara Takako

Japanese actress and singer Uehara Takako of J-pop idol group Speed has been added to the star-studded cast of upcoming KBS2 TV series "Domangja s1," according to a press release by the show's producer on Monday.

The actress will be playing the role of Kieko, a top Japanese singer who falls in love with the character Ji-hoo, played by Korean superstar Rain.

She is the second Japanese actor to be cast in the series -- last week, producers announced that veteran Japanese actor Takenaka Naoto will be portraying a powerful figure named Hiroki, the father to Uehara's character.

So far, the A-list line-up for the romantic comedy-intelligence action drama includes multi-talented entertainer Rain and Lee Na-young in the lead roles with Daniel Henney, Lee Jung-jin and Kong Hyung-jin playing supporting characters.

Filming for "Domangja s1," about a hefty sum of money popping up sixty years after it disappeared in times of the Korean War, will take place in various Asian cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Shanghai, Beijing, Macau and Hong Kong.

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

Uehara, 27, made her debut in 1996 as a member of Okinawan female idol group Speed, which instantly became one of the hottest bands in the country.

After selling over 20 million singles and albums in less than four years, the members announced in March 2000 that the group would be disbanding and they would be pursuing individual careers. The four-member band reunited for good in 2008.

Uehara has since released ten solo singles, three solo albums and three photo collection books. She has also crossed over to acting, starring alongside Hallyu star Ryu Si-won in television drama "Koino Karasawagi - Drama Special" (Nihon TV, 2005).

"Domangja s1" will premiere in Korea around late September.

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

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July 5, 2010

Ryu Si Won Sheds Tears Reminiscing About Park Yong Ha

"It is hard to believe. I really feel bad because I could not help him at all.”

Hallyu star Ryu Si Won expressed his heavy heart about the late Park Yong Ha and shed tears on the last day of his concert entitled “Ryu Siwon 2010 Live Tour Fun Fan” held at the First Gymnasium of Yoyogi National Stadium.

He began the concert with a splendid performance while singing and dancing along with around forty dancers when he sang “Call My Name” and other songs included in his 7th album, which was released last April, but he was wearing a black ribbon on his chest. After that, he sang songs that he personally wrote the lyrics for such as “Why, Why,” which is a memorial song for Yooni who committed suicide in 2007, and “Like The First Time.”

Ryu Si Won said, “Whenever he had problems or worries, he used to discuss those matters with me as if I was his real older brother and we talked about many things about what he could not decid for himself. But, actually when he was in a difficult situation, we could not see each other due to our busy schedules, and I could not help him at all. I feel very bad because I did nothing right beside him.” His eyes were filled with tears.

He also said, “Ten minutes before this concert began, I received an email from Korea saying that Yong Ha’s casketing had been finished. I also cannot believe this incident. I am a human, and actually it has been very difficult for me to hold concert from yesterday until today. Those concerts were actually my most difficult performances. I am very sorry for you audience members because I cannot make a fake smile in front of you.” He was all choked up and could not speak.

Ryu prayed for the repose of Park Yong Ha's soul saying, “I hope you can rest in a happy and better place” and he requested the audience members, “Pray for Yong Ha that he can be happy.” Then, he passionately sang his own song “Do You Have To Do?” included in the new album.

But, when he sang the part of the song with the lyrics, “I hope this is not the last time with you. How come the time for farewell has come to our love,” he stopped singing as if he was recalling his memories with Park Yong Ha, and shed tears. The audience members, who were also crying together, continued to sing the song together.

Ryu Si Won’s tour concerts began last May and 18 concerts had been successfully finished in eight different cities in Japan. This concert, as the final concert of the tour, was performed for a lengthy four hours.

In a press conference held before the concert, Ryu said, “In the middle of the tour concert in Japan, Yong Ha once called me, wishing me good luck. Also, he told me with a pleasant voice that he would also cheer for my racing, which begins from July 3 in Japan. We had promised that we would work together in the same drama.” After he said this, he could not continue to speak for a while, and he finally said, “Today’s concert will be the most difficult performance for me, but I want to sing with my deepest heartfelt feelings toward Yong Ha.”

Source: KBS Global

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July 4, 2010

Musical star Park debuts in play

By Chung Ah-young

Staff Reporter

Top musical actor Park Geon-hyeong will make his debut in the play “Fool for Love”

at SM Art Hall in Daehangno, central Seoul, from July 6 to Sept. 12./ Courtesy of Aga Company

Top musical actor Park Geon-hyeong will make his debut in the play "Fool For Love" as the opening performance of a drama festival to be staged in Daehangno.

The Broadway play written by American playwright Sam Shepard will be adapted by veteran producer and director Cho Kwang-hwa who has previously directed the musicals "Claws of Angle," "Soridoduk" and "Harmonium in My Heart."

The play revolves around the relationship between two lovers ― Eddie and May ― who are half-siblings and focuses on the yearnings, violence and inner struggles of the couple who are in conflict but complementary rather than just the basic love and hate existing between them.

Park will take the role of Eddie in the play. He has a strong fan base for numerous hit musicals such as "Saturday Night Fever," "Wedding Singer," "Mozart!" and films "Dancing Princess" and "Ddukbang Legend."

Park's huge popularity was proved once again when the play topped in ticket reservations within 30 minutes after the ticket sales opened last month. Not only Park but also celebrated actors Han Jung-soo, Cho Dong-hyuk, Kim Hyo-jin and Kim Jung-hwa will perform together in the play.

The original play premiered at the Magic Theater in San Francisco in 1983 and was staged in the Circle Repertory Theater and Douglas Fairbanks Theater afterwards. The work was also made into a film version starring Kim Basinger and Sam Shepard in 1985 and was invited to the Cannes International Film Festival. The drama was also performed at the Apollo Theater in 2006 in England including Juliette Lewis in the cast.

The Aga Company will present eight plays for nine months at the Play Festival 2010 titled "I Love the Stage." The festival is designed to boost the small theater works and develop the local theater culture as a whole. "We will portray the meaning of true love through love today," the company said in a statement.

The play will be on stage at SM Art Hall in Daehangno, central Seoul, from July 6 to Sept. 12. Tickets cost 40,000 won. For more information, call (02) 764-8760.

Source: chungay@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 5, 2010

Son Ye-jin pulls out from Kang Je-gyu Hollywood debut pic

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok Editor : Jessica Kim

Actress Son Ye-jin [barunson Entertainment]

Actress Son Ye-jin has taken back her decision to play the lead female role in South Korean director Kang Je-gyu's Hollywood debut pic, according to her agency Barunson Entertainment and the film's producer on Monday.

Son was set to star in the film opposite top Korean actor Jang Dong-gun in the war film tentatively titled "My Way," but decided to pull out over a drastic reduction of her character's weight in the film after modifications were made to the scenario.

Son was to play the role of a woman who agonizes over her love for a Korean man, played by Jang, and a Japanese man who both fight in the story based on the Invasion of Normandy during World War II. Sources close to the director had last said producers are in talks with multi-talented Japanese star Takuya Kimura for the war epic, although no additional details have been announced.

"Way", directed by Kang Je-gyu of Jang's 2004 blockbuster hit "Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War," the third most-watched film in South Korean box office history, has been promised investment by a Hollywood production company. The pic will go into shoot starting October in various locations including Korea, Germany and China.

Son, 28, gained popularity in Asia after appearing in TV series "Summer Scent" and was commended for her role in films "The Classic" and "My Wife Got Married", both of which she won awards for Best Actress.

Jang is also an award-winning actor who has won several critical acclaims for his roles in films since his debut in 1993. He got married in early May to actress Ko So-young who is now about six months pregnant.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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July 5, 2010

Lee Byung-hun, Wonder Girls, 2PM will promote Seoul

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Staff reporter

Actor Lee Byung-hun appears with a Japanese tourist in an advertisement for Seoul City

airing in Japan. / Courtesy of Seoul City

Actor Lee Byung-hun and singers 2PM and the Wonder Girls filmed separate television commercials for a special overseas promotion of Seoul City targeting specific countries.

Lee was selected for the Japanese version which started airing from Sunday. He presents the "Lively Touch" of Seoul by visiting Gwanghwamun, Cheonggye Stream, Myeong-dong and Seonyudo Park with Japanese tourists. He will be designated a global honorary ambassador of the capital city in August.

A commercial aired in China from June 28 is themed "Romantic Touch" Seoul, featuring girl group Wonder Girls as guest stars in an amusement park and restaurant. This version aims to show off the stylish and romantic parts of Seoul.

Popular idol group 2PM appeared in the "Fascinating Touch" Seoul version for Southeast Asian countries. In the commercial the six-member group plays with young visitors from the region and participates in cultural events held throughout Seoul.

The advertisement for America titled "Timeless Touch" portrays Seoul's 600 year history and the state-of-the-art information technology of the capital. A video of the filming of the commercials and interviews with the stars is available on YouTube.

"Influential 'hallyu,' (Korean wave), stars appear in these commercials for Seoul tourism and we expect a good response from the word of mouth spread by their fans," a city official said.

Seoul started overseas marketing in 2008 and tourists to the capital city increased 13.4 percent last year. "Seoul was ranked third in a list of 'The 31 Places to Go in 2010' by the New York Times in January and the preference for the city is continuously increasing as a result of overseas marketing," the official said.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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July 5, 2010

New wave of pop culture redefines Korea

By Andrew Salmon

Contributing writer

In 1990, the American academic Joseph Nye coined the term “soft power.” This referred to nations winning friends and influencing people through the attraction of their values, culture, institutions and policies, as opposed to “hard power,” based on coercion and payment. At the heart of soft power is the assumption that other people “want what you want.”

This theory rationalized much of what the United States already offered, disseminated and lived up to ― or, at least, attempted to live up to: values such as political freedom, liberal democracy and free market economics. While these values could be disseminated by policies and institutions, it is, arguably, the US entertainment industry that has done most to disseminate the “American dream” globally.

A Changing Korea

“Soft power” challenged Korea’s traditional development paradigm. From the 1960s, authoritarian governments had placed absolute primacy on economic growth. Social and political development was de-prioritized as the entire nation was hitched to an economic locomotive that would convey Korea to the terminus of “advanced nations.” It succeeded: Economically, Korea is arguably the greatest national success story of the 20th century:

On prosperity’s heels came demands for political freedom. After a decade of struggle, people-power demonstrations overthrew the military government in 1987. Though it had slow and uncertain beginnings, democracy took root. As the 1990s unfolded, political democracy engendered a social liberalism that seeped into society.

What values encapsulated this changing Korea ― a nation with an ancient heritage and a powerful cultural grip on its people, but one that was new to prosperity, democracy and liberalism?

In the 1980s and 1990s, Singapore’s Lee Kuan-yew and Malaysia’s Mohamed Mahathir argued for “Asian Values,” as an alternative to what they saw as the irresponsibility and excessive liberalism of the West. Critics saw “Asian Values” as a cover for authoritarianism and anti-Westernism, but few thinkers had the credibility to challenge them.

It would take freedom fighter and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kim Dae-jung to shoot down this paradigm in a brilliant 1994 essay in Foreign Affairs Magazine, “Is Culture Destiny? The Myth of Asian Values.” Kim argued that his country’s ultimate destiny was to improve Western concepts by reference to Asia’s own ancient traditions of democracy, rule of law and respect for the individual, rather than ignore them

A New Wave Gathers

In the early 1990s Korea was liberalizing. Previously restricted from taking overseas trips, Koreans could now study abroad. A number traveled to the US and elsewhere to attend film schools and examine cultural content industries. By the mid-1990s, people like Lee Seung-man, who would form SM Entertainment, soon to be Korea’s leading pop music powerhouse, were returning home with new ideas. In 1996, censorship laws were declared unconstitutional. What had once been taboo ― from scantily-clad singers oozing sex appeal while they lip-synched on live TV, to filmmakers portraying North Koreans sympathetically ― was increasingly acceptable on Main Street, Seoul.

In 1997-8, the economic crisis shook the old entertainment industry. New opportunities appeared for new entrants; financially disciplined firms such as CJ and Orion invested. The crisis had exposed deep faults in the old economic system, and smart graduates who would once have sought safe careers in chaebol were now considering ventures or the content industry.

Conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai were reluctantly divesting multiple lines to concentrate on core products: For the first time, chaebol were forced to focus. Specialization became the norm. Branding took off. Meanwhile, the foundation of a hi-tech infrastructure laid in the mid-1990s was enabling Koreans to leverage the Internet and mobile telecommunications more efficiently than anyone else.

The Wave Breaks

This combination of factors was, by the end of the 1990s, generating a creative wave of popular culture This new content combined slick production with professional marketing, underpinned by a key local ingredient - the raw emotion Koreans express so passionately. As Korean music, soap opera, film and computer games flooded the continent, from East Asia through to the Middle East, Chinese reporters coined the term, Hallyu (“Korean Wave”) to describe what was happening: A sudden surge of funky new content streaming out of a nation that had previously exported industrial, but not cultural content.

“Winter Sonata” (2002) a typically syrupy soap opera, drove Japanese housewives wild over its star, Bae Yong-joon ­ better known by the honorific “Yonsama” in the island nation. Bae became Korea’s first international sex symbol, and his profile reached such stratospheric heights that he was invited to appear on television alongside Japanese prime ministers. Daejanggeum (2003;”The Jewel in the Palace”), featuring the trials and tribulations of a chef in the Joseon Dynasty palaces, became the most widely watched TV program in Hong Kong’s history. And violent noir thriller “Old Boy” (2004) raked in a bucketful of prestige for the local film industry when it captured the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film festival.

Korea’s brand added value at a rate that sent it soaring off all previous charts. “Winter Sonata” did more for Korea’s image in Japan than any PR activity by the Korean Tourism Authority could ever hope to match, as Japanese matrons flocked to Korea to visit filming locations and go on “Yonsama” shopping tours. Moreover, “Daejanggeum” put Korean cuisine on the map region-wide. In Hong Kong, Korean restaurants serving hanjongsik (the table d’hote served in aristocratic and royal households) gained overnight popularity, with hungry viewers reportedly queuing outside their doors. (Life even imitated art: Gyeongbok Palace, Seoul’s top tourist attraction, added a Daejanggeum-style kitchen display.) “Old Boy”(2004) would not necessarily attract tourists to its shoddy and violent Seoul backstreets, but it won plaudits from pulp wunderkind Quentin Tarantino and proved that Korea could do thrillers that were as violent, cool and edgy as anything coming out of Hollywood or Hong Kong.

While the wave did not self-consciously present “Korean values” it did represent “Korean value:” Korean films and soaps were cheaper than their US or Japanese counterparts.

And there were some inbuilt “Asian values:” Many of the themes of the wave products were recognizable to Asians who shared similar familial/social structures. For example, many of the contradictions built into these structures lay at the heart of a number of smash-hit Korean soap operas. Moreover, there was no inbuilt historical antipathy toward Korea ― a factor that Korean directors believed inhibited Japanese pop culture’s outreach.

With soap opera and pop video depicting glamorous lifestyles, local manufacturers utilized product placement to reach audiences commercials could not, and leveraged Korean stars as product endorsers. For viewers in China and Southeast Asia, Korea’s lifestyle became aspirational.

While soaps restricted themselves to social critique ­ albeit, viewed, often, through rose-tinted lenses ­ Korean film took on bolder themes. “JSA”(2000) was a groundbreaking take on national division; “Silimdo” (2004) examined the murky massacre of a secret Korean bloodbath in the Park Chung-hee era; and “The King and the Clown” (2005) dealt with homosexuality in Olde Corea. It is difficult to see this kind of material being produced in some of the region’s more repressive states. For Asian viewers, it became clear that 21st century South Korean society was more open and liberal.

Old Wave?

The wave peaked in 2005, when Korea sold $22 billion worth of pop culture abroad. Today, the “Korean Wave” is an old hat. Korean content is no longer new; it has become part of the Asian and ― increasingly the global ― entertainment fabric. Now, with a greatly improved distribution infrastructure ― multiplex cinemas and a proliferation of cable ― it is no longer so necessary for Korean producers to sell abroad; the local market has matured.

Although Seoul mandarins have been oddly unsuccessful in promoting the nation’s economic model to the developing world, the cultural industry has showcased its results. The wave disseminated an attractive new perception around the region; the national brand was elevated from a factory-scape inhabited by fierce workers, salary men and soldiers, to a prosperous, funky and open society: “Kool Korea.”

Yet on the political/strategic front, the “soft power” embedded in the Korean Wave may yet impact the steepest geopolitical challenge facing the peninsula: Reunification. Through South Korean films and dramas smuggled into North Korea, decades of Pyongyang’s state propaganda are being undermined: If South Korean society is aspirational for Southeast Asians, how much more alluring must it be to impoverished and downtrodden North Koreans? This aspect of soft power may eventually prove as important a factor in crumbling the walls of Kim Jong-il’s benighted nation as any single aspect of hard power.

On the crest of the wave: 10 must-see Korean movies

While Korean TV dramas ― with their “lay it on thick” melodrama and formulaic plots ― and K-pop ― with its emphasis on soft-pop, dance choreography and image over musicality ― look unlikely to win the affection of Western audiences in the near future, the new wave of Korean movies stands up to anything in the international marketplace. Below are the writer’s suggestions of 10 of the best from the Hollywood of the East ― and unlike K-pop and most of the soaps, these are available in English-dubbed DVDs.

Swiri(1999)

The one that started it all. South Korean counter-espionage agents in Seoul pursue a ruthless team of crack North Korean killers from one pile of corpses to the next in a race to prevent mass mayhem. The humanizing of the agents from the heretofore demonized North raises Swiri above the level of everyday action cinema.

A swiri is a codeword in the film; it is also a species of freshwater fish native to the Korean peninsula. When the film outdid ‘Titanic’ at the local box office, media dubbed it “The fish that sank ‘Titanic’”

JSA /Joint Security Area (2000)

Taut thriller set in the Joint Security Area between the two Koreas. Two South Korean soldiers stationed at a tense demilitarized zone guard post secretly befriend two North Korean soldiers with similar duties ― but the tentative friendships will have unforeseen and tragic consequences. The plot is as plausible as a CNN news spot and the symbolism is as clear as it is poignant.

Chingu (“Friend”) (2001)

Coming-of-age buddy drama, evocatively set in the 1970s and ‘80s in Busan, the southern Korean port city closest to Japan. A bunch of teenagers, high-school tearaways, find themselves unable to escape the fast track to nowhere as they progress from playground bad boys to grown-up gangsters. Loyalty and friendship are tested to the breaking point, and yes, it all ends in tears.

My Sassy Girl (2001)

OK, this is one film where you almost have to be a fan of Korean TV dramas, but it did explosive business in Hong Kong, and propelled female lead Chun Ji-young to Asian superstardom. Based on a famous Korean Internet novel, wimpy male student bumps into apparently sociopathic young woman ― the “sassy girl” of the title ― and sparks fly. Starts silly, gets melodramatic, but is well carried off. Dreamworks bought the U.S. remake rights.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2002)

Two girls return to their country home after a mysterious illness, only to be terrorized by their wicked stepmother and the apparently supernatural forces that inhabit the house. The plot is a jigsaw puzzle, and the tension mounts effectively ― leading critics to hail this as the equal of the best of the Japanese horror films. Despite being strongly psychological, almost Freudian, in its approach, it is lushly photographed. Dreamworks brought the remake rights.

Silmido (2002)

1968. After a North Korean assassination squad raids the Blue House, Seoul responds by tasking a special unit to take out Kim Il-sung: Composed of convicted criminals, it is trained by Special Forces on Silmi Island off Incheon. When inter-Korean détente sets in, the unit no longer has a mission. The men break out, arm themselves, hijack a bus and head for Seoul, but regular troops are lying in ambush…… Incredibly this was a true story; the film was the most open treatment of the incident ever to come to light, and became a talking point when released.

Memories of Murder (2003)

A deadbeat local cop, in a dead-end rural town, finds himself saddled with a big-city investigator as he attempts to track down a serial killer. Despite the grimness of the theme ― loosely based on a true story ― the film is liberally spiced with black humor and even the shabbiest surroundings are lovingly shot. One enthusiastic reviewer went so far as to call it “the best detective story ever made.”

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (2004)

Instant art-house classic, underpinned with Buddhist philosophy, from wunderkind director Kim Ki-duk. A young monk at an idyllic floating temple matures under the guidance of his spiritual master. But the outside world harshly intrudes, and the monk, briefly losing his grip, is confronted with love, death and consequences thereof. Beautifully filmed ― a dream captured on celluloid?

Old Boy (2004)

The premise of this stylish noir thriller would have had Alfred Hitchcock applauding in the aisles. A man ― character actor Choi Min-sik, who deserves an Oscar solely on the strength of his desolated facial features ― spends 15 years locked up in solitary confinement in a threadbare motel suite. By whom? For what? His captors remain invisible. Then, one day, he is released……The mystery transforms into an ultra-violent action romp that netted the Grand Prix award at Cannes 2004 ― the year a certain Mr. Quentin Tarantino headed the jury. Nicholas Cage reportedly wants to star in a remake.

The King and the Clown (2005)

Groundbreaking for its depiction of homosexuality in Joseon Dynasty Korea, the film featured the lust of aristocrats ― and the king himself ― for transvestite traveling actors. Lush production values recreated the inner life of the ancient palaces, and the look of the film’s star helped to usher in the “pretty boy” look that today dominates South Korea’s male fashion scene.

Credits: andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk koreatimes.co.kr

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July 6, 2010

Actresses Baek Bo-ram, Park Han-byul, and Bae Seul-ki (from left) pose after being appointed as PR ambassador for the 13th Boryeong Mud Festival in Seoul on Monday.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com