[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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July 6, 2010

Jang Dong-gun Tops CNN's List of Korea's Hottest Male Stars

Jang Dong-gun, Won Bin, and Bae Yong-joon are Korea's top three hottest male celebrities, according to CNN's Asian website CNNGO. The website featured a list of "Korea's 20 hottest male celebs."

Joo Jin-mo was a surprising fourth over more popular stars Zo In-sung (fifth), So Ji-sub (ninth), Rain (10th) and Lee Min-ho (12th).

Ha Jung-woo, who came in 20th, was introduced as an "action star," while 48-year-old veteran actor Choi Min-sik made the list at 17th place.

Also on the list were Lee Jun-ki, Daniel Henney, Denis Oh, Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, Jang Keun-suk, Lee Seung-gi, Song Seung-hun and Kwon Sang-woo.

From left, Jang Dong-gun, Won Bin, and Bae Yong-joon englishnews@chosun.com / Jul. 06, 2010 11:12 KST

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 5, 2010

Actress Kim Ah-joong's Book Used For University

Kim Ah-joong can add another job title to her name as a book that she had written hand in hand with a guidance professor was selected by the nation's top university, Seoul National University, to be used as part of the media studies curriculum.

An official from Korea University explained that the actress had written the book titled, "Emotional Communication" with Professor Kim Seong-sook. In fact, the book will be used at Korea University as well under the head of professor Kim Gwang-soo and other related officials with pop culture. Copies of the book have already been printed and will be used for the focused demographics of Korea University students.

The star of popular movie "200 Pound Beauty" is currently a student enrolled in the Media Graduate program at Korea University. She's currently working on her thesis.

Source: KBS Global

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July 6, 2010

Lee Byung Hun, Wonder Girls and 2PM to Promote Seoul City

Seoul city official announced on July 5 that Seoul city will broadcast four kinds of TV commercials to promote Seoul city in foreign countries, in which Hallyu stars such as Lee Byung Hun, Wonder Girls, and 2PM appear. The advertising commercials for Seoul city were made in order to inform the world of the attractiveness of Seoul city, and the contents and themes were differentiated by different regions targeting Japan, China, South-East Asian countries, and countries in Europe and the American continent.

▲ Wonder Girls in commercial for China

▲ Lee Byung Hun in commercial for in Japan

Lee Byung Hun, who will be appointed as a global honorary ambassador of Seoul city, appeared in a promotion commercial to be broadcast in Japan. He showed off attractive and lively Seoul city by visiting places such as Gwanghwamun, Cheonggyecheon, Seonyudo Park, Apgujeong-dong, and Myeong-dong along with Japanese tourists, and the commercial used the theme of “Lively Touch” to show the overflowing passion, energy, pleasure, and vitality of Seoul.

The commercial for China focused on the romantic lifestyle of Seoul city with the theme of “Romantic Touch.” It was filmed like a romantic movie to reveal Seoul’s romantic and stylish lifestyle. In the commercial, members of the Wonder Girls made cameo appearances in scenes filmed at an amusement park and restaurant.

▲ 2PM in commercial for South-East Asian countries

In a commercial for South-East Asian countries that used the theme of “Fascinating Touch” to present Hallyu culture and a fascinating exotic atmosphere, 2PM appeared with young people from South-East Asian countries and they enjoyed the culture of Seoul together. The commercial for Europe and America will introduce both the modern and traditional appearance of Seoul city under the theme of “Timeless Touch.” It shows the city transcending time and space by keeping cutting edge IT technology and the history of 600 years together.

The commercials began airing from June 28 in China and July 4 in Japan, and the TV commercials for South-East Asian and Europe and America will begin airing from the beginning of next month.

A video showing the filming of those commercials along with pictures of the star actor and singers and interview images will be provided online through YouTube.

Source: KBS Global

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July 6, 2010

TV series "Athena" to air on SBS in November

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Teaser poster for upcoming TV series "Athena" [Taewon Entertainment]

TV series "Athena," the spin-off from last year's blockbuster drama "IRIS," has been confirmed to go on air on public network SBS in November, according to the show's producer Taewon Entertainment on Tuesday.

Taewon announced that the series will be broadcast on Monday and Tuesday evenings on SBS, and released a teaser poster featuring six actors in the main roles -- namely Jung Woo-sung, Cha Seung-won, Soo Ae, E Ji-ah, Kim Min-jong and Choi Si-won of idol group Super Junior.

The teaser poster will be produced into a billboard ad and hung on the outside of the Cine City building, a major theater located in Seoul's trendy Shinsa-dong district.

"Athena," currently filming in Korea, will kick off its location shoots later this month in six foreign countries including Japan and Italy.

The storyline for "Athena," named after the Greek goddess of war strategy, will be about terrorist acts and threats against the Korean Peninsula and the whole world.

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

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July 6, 2010

Legendary `gumiho’ tale gets a facelift

By Han Sang-hee

Staff reporter

The poster for the new drama "Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho." The series airs

Monday and Tuesdays at 9:55 p.m. on KBS. / Courtesy of KBS

Along with the sizzling heat comes the tragic tale of the "gumiho," or nine-tailed fox.

Major network KBS is bringing the legendary gumiho this summer through its new drama series "Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho," but with an interesting twist that will hopefully captivate horror fans.

Legend says that the gumiho transforms itself into a beautiful woman to seduce men, eventually leading to deadly revenge or murder.

In the new series, the beautiful gumiho named Gu-san has a daughter. Born of a human father and monster mother, Yeon-i is an innocent young girl, and the two cursed souls wander searching for a safe place to stay. They end up living with Yoon Du-su, a former official and a father looking for a cure for his sick daughter, and the tale of love, betrayal, friendship and jealously starts to unfold.

This is certainly not the first time for a network to bring the ancient horror tale to life, and one may wonder what KBS has in store this time. There are two factors networks can play with: the storyline and the computer graphics.

The storyline is indeed different. The original gumiho tale is simple: The ill-fated gumiho feeds on human blood, determined for revenge.

However, "Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho" unveils the deadly bloodline. Yeon-i, played by 11-year-old Kim Yu-jeong, may have an innocent smile, but after realizing that she is different, she accepts her fate and lays low to avoid getting caught.

Yoon may seem the kind and gentle type, but he actually has a big plan in mind. His daughter Cho-ock, played by 12-year-old Seo Shin-ae, suffers from a mysterious disease, and the only way to save her is to feed her the liver of a girl of the same age. When he realizes that the beautiful Gu-san and her daughter has no place to go, plus that the young Yeon-i is the same age of his daughter, he takes them in and awaits the perfect time to strike. The tale moves on to a more emotional note, as Yoon starts to fall for the lovely Gu-san, and Cho-ock starts to envy her father's interest in the mysterious mother and daughter.

The trickiest part of such monster dramas is how to mix in the computer graphic scenes. Television viewers and netizens here are very critical, and for a network to use too many or too few computer graphics can draw harsh criticism.

Numerous dramas were bashed due to the poor use of CG, including big budget works such as "Kim Su-ro, The Iron King" and "The Man Almighty," but it seems KBS was well aware of such scrutiny.

The screening at the press conference and also the first episode aired Monday showed that the makers were serious when they said they wanted to bring realism. Transformations of characters are the most difficult, and the makers tried to avoid criticism. Instead of showing the full transformation, the cameras moved swiftly back and forth, as the gumiho transformed first in the eyes, the fangs and finally the overall wardrobe and hair.

The horror drama scene received a rating of 8.7 percent from Total National Multimedia Statistics, and "Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho" is expected to create a new trend in combining the old and new with innovative ideas and a strong script.

"Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho" airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9:55 p.m. on KBS.

Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 6, 2010

Lee Wan to enter military next week

Reporter : Kang Seung-hun Editor : Lucia Hong

Korea actor Lee Wan [Logos Films]

Korean actor Lee Wan will be joining the army next week to fulfill Korea's two-year mandatory military service, according his agency Logos Film on Tuesday.

Logos announced that the actor will serve in the Korean military for 20 months starting with a five weeks of basic training at Nonsan camp on July 12.

"It seems sudden that I have to enter the military... I am sorry and thankful for the fans that have always shown their love. I will return safely after fulfilling my duties," Lee was quoted as saying.

The actor was looking for a follow-up role before entering the military after starring in drama "Swallow The Sun" but decided to enlist after receiving a draft notice.

Lee Wan, whose real name is Kim Hyung-soo, is the younger brother of top Korean actress Kim Tae-hee. He made his debut in the hit TV series "Stairway to Heaven" in 2003 and has appeared in other dramas including "In-soon is Pretty" and "Let's Go To the Beach."

Reporter : Kang Seung-hun tarophine@ Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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July 6, 2010

Gay actor’s lone fight against prejudice

‘I was devastated. I received e-mails with death threats. My career was over and I didn’t leave the house for a month.’

Actor and restaurateur Hong Suk-chun stands in his new restaurant, Play,

near Hongik University in western Seoul. By Jeong Chi-ho

Lounging on a balcony seat in his fashionable new restaurant, Play, in western Seoul, it seemed nothing could faze Hong Suk-chun as he welcomed the afternoon sunlight with a lingering puff from his Parliament cigarette.

“It might sound conceited of me, but my restaurant business hasn’t been affected by the global economic crisis at all. All of them are doing quite well,” he said on a recent afternoon during a one-on-one interview with the JoongAng Daily.

Clad in a casual sky blue shirt and matching glasses, Hong looked every bit the young, successful entrepreneur that day in his roomy, bistro-style restaurant complete with vibrant art and tall, open windows. It was a far cry from just a decade ago, when Hong, the first Korean public figure to come out as gay, became a target of almost every conservative religious group in Korea, a country with strong Confucian and Christian traditions.

Last month, Hong celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his coming out at the 2010 Korea Queer Culture Festival held near Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul. "Oh, it [coming out] felt like the biggest thing on earth,” he said, chuckling at his dramatic past as if it were a distant rumor. “My manager, the reporter [who broke the story], the head of the newspaper bureau, my parents and I all gathered inside my house and had a meeting on whether or not to print my coming out article.”

The SBS TV drama “Life is Beautiful” is the only program airing

on Korean television with a plot featuring homosexual love.

Provided by SBS

In 2000, Hong Suk-chun made a decision that changed the course of his adult life. He had just broken up with his Dutch boyfriend in New York and was on a plane to Seoul. The new millennium was beginning, Hong had just turned 30, and he was starting to feel like a caricature of himself.

“When we [Hong and his former boyfriend] were together, he would always complain about the fact that I always introduced him to friends and acquaintances in Korea as my English teacher or as just a friend. I was a celebrity - I couldn’t help it,” he said. “On a plane ride back to Seoul after our break up, I decided right then and there that I would live the new millennium as myself and that I had to come out publicly.”

The moment of truth came while Hong was appearing on an entertainment show, when a comedian friend asked jokingly whether Hong preferred men over women. “I thought for a few seconds and responded truthfully,” he said. Although the show’s producer decided to edit out that part, a reporter found out about the incident and approached Hong for an interview. He agreed and has never looked back.

Even after being fired from all six of his shows on TV and radio, including the popular children’s show “PpoPpoPpo,” Hong firmly states that he had no regrets. Still, he said, “I was devastated. I received e-mails with death threats. My career was over, and I didn’t leave the house for a month. I started smoking and smoked three packs a day in those days.”

Hong Suk-chun speaks to a group at the American Embassy of Korea’s Information Resource Center

in Namyeong-dong, Seoul, during a human rights conference hosted by the U.S.-based Gays and

Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies in May, where he was given the “Person of Courage” award. [YONHAP]

Hong’s way out

After a month of hiding from the world, Hong made another decision to come out again - this time, to face the public. “I looked at my face in the mirror one day and it was so ...” He flattened his cheeks with his hands. “And I thought, this is what they want me to be - ruined. So I went outside, walked around Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun and rode subway trains,” he said.

He jokes that in a way, it was one of his very “Korean” traits that pushed him to do so. “You know how Koreans put forth a different face in times of crisis? Well, in that respect, I was the typical Korean. My original plan was to go to New York to study after I came out, but the public’s anger and hatred made me unyielding in a way. If their response had been more favorable, my restaurant business wouldn’t have happened.”

With no acting roles for him available, Hong invested around 180 million won ($147,000) to open his first restaurant, Our Place, in October 2002. For the first 14 months, Our Place failed to break even and Hong lost around 10 million won a month. The restaurant, a narrow, three-floor space in Itaewon, was obscure. People even started calling it a gay bar.

Yet diligence and a close network of friends saved the restaurant, which started to become a popular spot for small, friendly parties. Soon afterwards, Our Place became the “it” venue for farewell parties, birthday parties and other events for trendy Seoulites.

Second success as a restauranteur

On the heels of Our Place’s success, Hong opened My Thai near the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon in June 2007. At present, he owns or co-owns a total of seven restaurants: six in Itaewon and Cheongdam-dong, and one, Play, in Hongdae. Hong’s “My” series includes My China, a Chinese-fusion restaurant; My Bed, a lounge bar; and My Chelsea, among others. His newest restaurant, Play, is a joint operation with actress and close friend Lee Seung-yeon.

Hong said that he earns an annual profit of over 1 billion won from his restaurants. The secret to his success, he said, is his down-to-earth attitude in dealing with customers. “When I’m in my restaurants, I try to forget that I am a celebrity. When I look at other restaurants run by famous people, I think that the fastest way to failure is being arrogant and wanting to be treated like a celebrity,” he said.

Asked which restaurant reflects his personality the best, he answered My Thai. “When I opened My Thai, I was trying to introduce a fairly unknown cuisine in Korea, Thai food, but I did it in a way that would be Korea-friendly and was very careful not to make overtly ‘Thai’ food when creating the menu,” he said. “You see, people viewed me the way they view Thai cuisine - unfamiliar and unapproachable. Through My Thai, I began to open my heart to other people.”

No one by his side

In 2004, Hong’s activism for gay rights was recognized by Time magazine, which featured him as one of 20 “Asia’s Heros” under 40. Last year, Hong gave an honorary speech during the World Out Games 2009, a sporting event organized by the gay community held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Yet, despite Hong’s personal success after coming out and his prolific activism, no other Korean public figure of his stature has followed in his footsteps and come out. In fact, society is still so closed off to sexual minorities that a recent SBS TV drama, “Life is Beautiful,” which portrays gay characters and romance, caused the People’s Association Against Pro-Homosexuality Laws to run anti-homosexuality advertisements in the country’s biggest conservative newspaper, the Chosun Ilbo, from late May to early June.

“In Korea, public awareness and social backing for gays and lesbians are still extremely far off,” said Li En, an activist at the Korean Sexual Minority Culture and Rights Center. “Although Hong Suk-chun fought the tide and succeeded, we still remember when he was fired by all the broadcasters the day after he came out. In a country where an anti-homosexuality ad runs in the biggest newspaper, how many do you think will actually sacrifice everything they have to come out?”

Approached for a comment on the issue, an official at the Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights in Korea refused to comment, saying that the group does not speak to anyone affiliated with Korea’s “big three” newspapers - the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo (the Korean edition of the JoongAng Daily) and the Dong-A Ilbo - seen by many as conservative-leaning.

Struggling with his true calling

Hong said that since he came out, roles given to him on TV and in film have been unsatisfactory, to say the least.

After opening his first restaurant, his big comeback on TV was the 2003 drama “Complete Love,” in which he played a gay character. But it was greeted with a flood of hate mail from viewers, and since then, he has appeared in only a handful of TV dramas and shows. None of his roles has matched the scale of his stints pre-2000, such as his role as the fashion designer Poison in the hit sitcom “Three Men, Three Women,” which first catapulted Hong to national fame.

“I really liked playing Poison because he was so approachable and funny. But the people who give me roles now do not assign characters like that to me anymore,” said Hong. “They give those funny, commercial roles to other actors.” With the exception of “Life is Beautiful,” gay roles on Korean television are still qualified. For example, this year’s popular TV drama “Personal Preference” tells the tale of a man who pretends to be gay to befriend a female roommate. Another hit TV drama “Coffee Prince,” aired in 2007, has a male protagonist fall in love with a “male” co-worker at a coffee shop who turns out to be a girl in disguise.

“The notion of gays on Korean television is more of a temporary trend than anything else at this point,” said Lee Dong-yeun, a cultural theory professor at the Korea National University of Arts. “You see these young, attractive, straight actors playing gay roles in trendy dramas. They are chic and cool, and are closer to ‘metrosexuals.’ Korean TV is not ready to deal with homosexuality in a serious, creative light yet,” Lee said.

Still, Hong is hopeful. “Korea today has changed enormously from 10 years ago. Mothers come up to me in restaurants and say to their children, ‘Do you know what a great man this person is?’ And I think that those moments are my greatest compensation for what I have been trying to do.”

Even after all his success as a restaurateur and an internationally recognized activist, he says he still considers himself an actor first. “If you ask me what my job is, I am still an actor and will be until I die. Yes, I am an actor who doesn’t have a lot of opportunities, but I believe it will get better,” said Hong, a weary smile on his face.

By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

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July 6, 2010

Kangta Making His First TV Appearance Since His Military Service

Having started off as a member of one of the hottest boy groups in kpop, H.O.T, the now solo artist Kangta is planning on making his return to the kpop industry. He recently completed the filming of a segment called "Kneecap Expert" on the TV show "Golden Fishery". This will be his first TV appearance since he completed his mandatory military service in February of this year.?

A related official said on July 6th, that despite the fact that it's been awhile since Kangta was featured on a variety show like this, he exhibited wit and poise like the veteran entertainer that he is. The episode will be aired on the 7th. The former idol group member?has been laying relatively low in Korea though he has performed in Shanghai, China at the World Expo Korean Music Festival. He's also prepping for his "Kangta Asia Tour 2010 in Beijing" starting on July 24th.

On a related note, Kangta also announced that he was planning on staying with SM Entertainment having already have been signed for 15 years under the entertainment giant. The same giant that many other artists and groups have complained about. He said that the company was fair to him and that they have common interests and goals which is to not only focus on Korea, but to expand overseas.

Source: KBS Global

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July 6, 2010

[iNTERVIEW] Child actor Yeo Jin-goo

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo Photographer : Chae ki-won Editor : Lucia Hong Editor : Jang Kyung-Jin

Interview with actor Yeo Jin-goo

Korean actor Yeo Jin-goo [10Asia/Chae Ki-won]

My name is Yeo Jin-goo. My name means the nine treasures and when I asked my mom why not ten, she said I should live my life looking for the last one.

I was born on August 13, 1997. I will be 14 years old and I am in seventh grade just like my character Gang-mo in SBS TV series "Giant."

I have a brother who is five years younger than me. He doesn't do it in front of me but when he's in front of his friends he boasts about me to them. However, he's not envious of me because I act or come out on TV. When I ask him if he wants to act he would say no, no, no. He is a lot more bashful than I am.

There is a scene in "Giant" where I hit So-tae's (played by Seo Ji-won) head with a coal briquette and before filming we practiced it a couple of times by me pretending to hit his head. Even the martial arts team members were saying we shouldn't get hurt so they told us that it's all about striking at the right timing. We had to do several takes because I would hit him on the side of his head instead of hitting him on the back of his head when he turns around. We kept on repeating the process of smashing the briquette, dusting it off and Ji-won would rest. And because he was hit not once but several times Ji-won wouldn't turn around naturally and would dodge the briquette. Eventually, we got in trouble by the camera director.

From all the child actor roles that I've played the actor that I mostly want to become like...speaking with my hand on my chest, I really wanted to become like Zo In-sung from "A Frozen Flower" but after I met him he was different from what I had imagined him to be. When I grow up I want to be like actor Lee Beom-soo from "Giant."

I'm about 162 centimeters tall. My goal is to be 184 centimeters. I'm drinking at least 1000 to 2000 mililiters of milk to grow. I also try to jump higher when I jump rope instead of counting, play basketball instead of soccer and work on my jump shot rather than my dribbling skills.

I don't know if it's because I swim but the lower half of my body is seriously thicker. I learned [how to swim] for about two years when I was younger and it helped a lot when I was working underwater for SBS' "Swallow the Sun."

I would like to learn to play an instrument to help with my acting skills. I want to play the piano, drum or guitar. I have always tried to learn how to play the piano properly but whenever I am about to, I'll have a new role and when that's over and I try to learn it again, I'll have another role. So I have not learned to play the piano yet. There is a scene in "Giant" where Jung-yeon (played by Nam Ji-hyun) is actually playing the piano and you can't see her fingers because she's playing so fast.

I get dizzy whenever I play computer games so I just like to kick around a ball with my friends. When I was in elementary school we didn't have a basketball rim so we mostly played soccer. Since entering middle school, I've been playing a lot of basketball with my friends because we have a basketball rim. And I try to keep in mind that I have to grow so I'm supposed to shoot a lot but once I start playing the actual game, I only dribble. All the tall kids stand under the rim and most of the smaller kids like me try to steal and pass the ball. But when I miss a shot after having thrown off other players by dribbling, the taller kids say "Hey, why didn't you pass it?" and I walk away saying sorry. (laugh)

I think middle school is more fun than elementary school. In elementary school you are only taught by one teacher but in middle school you have classes with different teachers. It's fun because you have classmates from various elementary schools. We are a coed class but we're comfortable around each other so much that it's like we're at an all-boys middle school. Sometimes I think the girls are cooler. For guys when someone accidently hits them, they would hit the person back, but for girls they would just walk away saying "Don't do that next time." They're cool.

I have to constantly study on set because it's not easy to keep up with my studies. I ask my friends to get me copies of the work that the teacher passes out during class. And when I go to school there will be piles of paper inside my desk. My friends would linger around me even after I thank them. At first I didn't know why they did that but I found out they wanted something in return. So after class I sometimes buy them snacks like bread or ice cream.

My mom gives me my allowance whenever I need money. I secretly ask my grandparents for allowance but they tell me to go and ask my mom. When I get lucky he'll give me maybe 5,000 won?

The very first thing that I want to do as a grown-up is to get my driver's license. Whenever I go back and forth from the set, my mom seems so tired -- she's always fighting against the urge to fall asleep while driving. After I get my license, my mom could stay home and rest while I can drive around with my manager. I don't have a specific kind of car that I want to drive yet. And when I see a cool car, I just get jealous instead of thinking I want to be able to drive it. I think cars like the lamborghini is cool. I didn't know it before, but it's very expensive. I looked up the price online and was surprised to see it, thinking "Wow, I have to make a lot of money."

The military...It'll probably still exist even when I get older, right? Ah...I know I have to go. Even if I have to go I would enlist to serve full-time and for the Army for two years.

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo eight@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@, Jang Kyung-Jin three@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3

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July 7, 2010

Kim Hye-soo to Host Global Affairs Program

Kim Hye-soo /Newsis

Actress Kim Hye-soo will be the next host of MBC's global issues program "W" from July 16, to succeed Choi Yoon-young.

The production team said that in a bid to make changes in the program as it marks its fifth anniversary, they found that Kim is interested in environmental and other global issues and an avid watcher of documentaries about them.

Kim's volunteer work in Nepal, where she distributed food and looked after children, was featured in "W" in November last year.

"I like the warm perspective on the world that 'W' has shown over the last five years," Kim said. "I feel very honored and happy to take part in current issues program since that has long been a dream. I'm going to take a cautious and serious approach to this work."

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

Actress Kim to host MBC’s 'W'

By Han Sang-hee

Staff reporter

Actress Kim Hye-soo

Actress Kim Hye-soo is well known for her creative range, and this time she is trying out for a more serious, worldly role.

The 39-year-old will host MBC’s documentary program "W" and is expected to bring both style and information to the small screen. "I will do my best to connect the viewers and the show," Kim said during an interview with the network.

"W" made headlines with its experimental and adventurous issues and footage from around the world, and after successful five years, the show decided to shift to a friendlier version. Kim was chosen to guide the viewers to that goal.

"'W’ is one of those programs that I have personally followed over the years. I’m both excited and nervous (to host the show) at the same time. But a good kind of nervous," she said.

Amid all the entertainment programs showering viewers these days, "W" has been in the center of reminding television viewers of the hopes, concerts and tragedies happening around them. The program opened the eyes of viewers who considered current issues as something boring and difficult and Kim admitted that the show helped her learn a lot about her surroundings. "Good deeds have been carried out by so many people before us. I was also affected by them and also the program: getting information, courage and actually starting to be more active. Healthy actions can create a healthy world," she said.

According to MBC, Kim chose Paul Newman as one of her favorite and most respected actors, not just because he was a respected entertainer, but because he took an important role in making the world a better place. "Newman was an excellent actor, director and also a philanthropist and a successful entrepreneur. When I say successful, I don’t just mean commercial success. He donated the proceeds from his company Newman’s Own and also used organic ingredients for his food company. He was a successful actor, but an individual who reflected his beliefs onto society," she said.

"I hope 'W' will continue the beliefs of the makers and bring more interesting and various issues to the small screen. As the host, I will work hard to connect the viewers with the subjects and hopefully bridge the gap between them and the world," Kim added.

"W" hosted by Kim will start airing on July 16 at 11:50 p.m.

Source: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 7, 2010

Actress Kim Ji-ho makes lunch boxes for the poor with a child at a charity center in Seoul on Tuesday. /Newsis

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 7, 2010

Kim Hyun-joong in talks to star in new TV series

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Korean singer and actor Kim Hyun-joong [10Asia]

Korean singer and actor Kim Hyun-joong of idol group SS501 is rumored to star in an upcoming TV series based on popular Japanese comics "Itazurana Kiss."

According to various media reports, the singer is currently talking with the show's producers to play the male lead, who is smart, athletic and perfect in every way but has a cold personality.

But an official at production company Group 8 downplayed the rumor, saying "We are discussing it but nothing has been set." "We are in the final stage of negotiations but we cannot say anything at the present time. A decision will be made soon," he added.

The original comic series "Itazurana Kiss," which sold over 27 million copies in Japan, has been made into animation and TV dramas in Japan and Taiwan as well, where the local TV version scored the highest viewership rating for the year.

The local TV version will be helmed by Hwang In-roi, who previously directed "Goong" (MBC, 2006) and "The Return of Iljimae" (MBC, 2009), and adapted for the small screen by noted television writer Go Eun-nim.

The romantic comedy is scheduled to air on MBC after war drama "Road No.1" ends its run.

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

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July 7, 2010

Girls' Generation Vow to Clean Up Showbiz

The manufactured band Girls' Generation, management agency SM Entertainment and Grand National Party lawmaker Cho Moon-hwan on Monday launched a campaign to clean up showbusiness in Korea, which remains mired in sleaze.

They launched the campaign at a press event in the National Assembly. Their aim is to shed light on what they say are virtual slave contracts many performers sign with their management agencies, which can involve women being practically pressed into prostitution and teenagers signing away their rights for a chance at the big time.

Attendants pose for a photo in an event to promote efforts to rectify abuses in the entertainment

industry in the National Assemblymen's Hall on Tuesday. From left, Girls' Generation member Yu-ri,

Grand National Party lawmaker Cho Moon-hwan, Soo-young of the girl band, and its agency SM Entertainment's

head Kim Young-min /Newsis

Members Soo-young and Yu-ri were there to represent Girls' Generation. "We are happy to be a part of this event promoting constructive and exemplary contracts between entertainers and management agencies," said Soo-young. "I hope that our small efforts can lead to a brighter future for Korea's entertainment industry." Yu-ri promised to "show my best side to promote Korean pop culture to a wider audience."

The event was arranged by the GNP lawmaker, who has been a vocal advocate of protecting the rights of artists, many of whom are bound by stifling terms in their contracts with powerful management agencies. "I hope that this event will allow more artists to seek their rights and to create an atmosphere of trust in the industry," Cho said.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 7, 2010

Jung Yong-hwa being considered for numerous acting roles

Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Jessica Kim

CNBLUE frontman Jung Yong-hwa [FNC Music]

Korean rock band CNBLUE's leader Jung Yong-hwa is being considered for roles in upcoming dramas, movies and musicals, according to his agency FNC Music on Wednesday.

FNC announced in a press release that Jung has been offered five roles each in dramas and musicals, as well as two movie roles.

However, Jung is planning on focusing on his music career, promoting their latest release overseas through events in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, China and other countries in the Asia region. "Jung is thinking about making a decision on choosing a drama or movie in the latter half of the year because he wants to focus on his activities overseas right now," an associate from FNC explained.

Jung, who gained popularity through his role in SBS hit TV series "Minamishineyo" last year alongside Hallyu stars Jang Keun-suk and Park Shin-hye, is the frontman for the boy band CNBLUE.

They recently released their second mini-album "BLUE LOVE" featuring the title track "LOVE" which has topped numerous online and offline music charts since its release in May 19.

He is currently appearing as a make-believe couple in MBC's reality show "We Got Married" with Girls' Generation's Seohyun.

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

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July 6, 2010

Bikini fad sparked: a win-win situation

Bikini pictorials have become a must for attractive female celebrities. This bikini fever gained momentum in 2008 when it saw immense popularity online, often topping search engine charts.

An SBS entertainment program "Bae Gi-wan, Choi Young-ah, and Jo Hyung-gi's Good Morning -Live Entertainment Special" put the spotlight on this phenomenon of celebrity bikini pictorials, July 5.

The origin of the trend can be traced back to the '70s. Renowned celebrities of the time, such as Jun Yun-hee, Chang Mi-hee, Kim Hyung-ja, Yu Ji-in, and Park Hye-suk, all took part in forging the bikini pictorial craze. "Most of the famous TV actresses did it," said Yu Ji-in. Park Hye-suk also published pictorials under the title, "Beautiful Celebrities," and Kim Hyung-ja's own bikini shoots earned her the title "'70s Lee Hyo-ri."

It seems that hiding beauty is no longer a virtue, as bikini-clad stars dramatically increase the viewer ratings of drama series. Female celebrities work out for months for a single appearance on TV. To maintain her slim, attractive figure, Chae Young-in, a TV actress, works out every morning on an empty stomach, doing as many as 240 sit-ups at once.

She occasionally releases her bikini photos online to publicize her shopping mall website. According to Chae, the sales rate skyrockets to a point where the server crashes as soon as she posts her pictures.

"I always keep my stomach muscles tense for bikini pictorials," said Kim Jun-hee, a female celebrity, who did a second bikini shoot after receiving overwhelming responses for her first one.

Bikini pictorials help celebrities transform their public image by revealing their hidden stunning figures.

Online posting is an alternative way to release bikini photos. These photos are increasingly popular because they give off a naturally-shot aura that formal photo shoots don't have. Ga-in, a member of a girl group, "Brown-Eyed Girls," attracted attention when she posted pictures of herself in a bikini on her website. Her pseudo-husband Jo-Gwon from another idol group 2AM responded with his own photos exposing his bare torso on his website.

Source: mook@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 7, 2010

Entertainers’ yearly income averages 28.5 million won in 2009

Entertainers such as actors, musicians and models are often seen by the general public of enjoying feverish popularity and a luxurious life. But the reality is not always so.

According to the National Tax Service (NTS), the yearly income for actors, musicians and models averages 28.5 million won, almost 10 million won less than normal office workers' 38.2 million won.

An NTS analysis of income of non-salaried people and services providers shows that movie and TV actors earn more than musicians or models

The NTS says 12,029 actors who are exempted from value added tax reported their combined total income as 463.7 billion won in 2008, averaging 38 million won a year.

It also says the income of 3,152 musicians averaged 26 million won in 2008, two thirds that of office workers, and 6,238 models earn 11 million won a year, less than 1 million won a month ― almost the legal minimum wage.

A total of 347 pro baduk players reported their average income as 24 million won a year and 1,103 pro sportspersons such as baseball or football players reported earning 3,300 million won.

"Since the reported income includes all expenses, most celebrities are sure to have a hard time living on their small income," said an NTS official.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

Many entertainers earn less than average

Despite being in the spotlight on stage or leading glamorous lives on screen, entertainers do not always make a great living, a report shows.

According to an analysis by the National Tax Services released Wednesday, entertainers such as actors and actresses, singers, and models on average earn 28.5 million won ($23,332) annually. The analysis was based on 12,229 entertainers registered in 2008 for the value-added tax exemption. The total income reported was about 463.8 billion won.

Entertainers make nearly 10 million won less than the average annual salary of office workers who pay taxes, who earn 38.2 million won. But entertainers earn 2.7 million won more when including non-taxpayers.

By profession, actors and actresses earned the highest income, 38 million won, while singers make 26 million won and models make 11 million won.

Comedian Yu Jae-suk is known to have received 954.4 million won from the Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. in 2008 for his appearances on shows including “Infinity Challenge” and “Come to Play,” according to data from the MBC Foundation for Broadcasting Culture.

As the biggest earner among TV show hosts, Yu’s total salary is expected to be much higher, when counting his other shows on Seoul Broadcasting System and Korea Broadcasting System.

Among high earners, comedian Park Myung-soo made nearly 843 million won in 2008, followed by MC Lee Hwi-jae with 574.5 million won, the data shows.

By contrast, the tax analysis shows that the average income of 6,238 models was 11 million won in the same year, indicating they made less than a million won a month, which is nearly equivalent to the minimum wage set by law.

“Contrary to people’s expectations, most entertainers make as much money as ordinary people, or sometimes they even make a poor living,” an official said.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldm.com) koreaherald.com

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July 7, 2010

Korean box office sets all-time high during first half of 2010

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Movie posters for Korean films "WOOCHI" (left) and "Secret Reunion," both starring actor Gang Dong-won

[[CJ Entertainment/Showbox]

The Korean box office set a new record during the first half of 2010 with ticket sales hitting an all-time high, according to data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

KOFIC's official report on the local film industry, released Tuesday, stated that Korean moviegoers paid out approximately 547 billion won for theater tickets during the first six months of the year, up 14.6 percent from the same period last year.

However, at nearly 70 million, the total number of viewers dropped by 3.9 percent, or 2.8 million persons, from the previous year. The sales jump despite the smaller number of audience appears to have been due to the increase in ticket sales, especially for 3D-film releases, most notably James Cameron's smash hit "Avatar."

The month of January saw the biggest number of viewers, thanks to the dual success of "Avatar" and Korean fantasy action pic "WOOCHI." The two films brought in over nine million moviegoers from around the country in January alone.

Except for in February and June, domestic films trailed Hollywood pics in terms of their presence on the local box office. The total number of people who watched Korean films around the country clocked in at close to 30 million, down 7.3 percent from the previous year, but ticket sales were up 2.1 percent, thanks to higher ticket prices.

The biggest commercial hit on the Korean box office during the first half turned out to be Hollywood 3D blockbuster "Avatar," which set several records in the country including the most-watched film of all-time and highest ticket sales (at 81.4 billion won).

The most-watched Korean film during the period was "Secret Reunion" with 5.42 million moviegoers, followed by "WOO CHI", "Harmony", "A Story of Bangja" and "The Housemaid."

Half the top ten most-watched movies during the period were distributed by major media company CJ Entertainment.

The upcoming movie line-up for the second half include Korean films "Moss", "I Saw The Devil", "The Man From Nowhere" as well as Hollywood pics "Shrek Forever After", "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse", "Inception" and "Salt."

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

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July 7, 2010

Drama "Goong" to air in Japan for 2nd time

Jessica Kim

Official poster for MBC TV series "Goong." [MBC]

Hit MBC TV series "Goong" from 2006, which aired the same year in Japan, will be shown in the country again this month, according to the drama's producer Group 8 on Wednesday.

Park Rae-hyun, in charge of the PR & Promotions team at Group 8, told 10Asia over the phone that Fuji TV will broadcast "Goong" throughout the country everyday through its "Hallyu Alpha" program starting July 19.

This will make it the second time the popular show will hit airwaves in Japan. It is rare for a Korean drama to air twice nationwide, Park explained.

"Goong," about an average high-school girl marrying a royal prince in 21st century Korea which is in fiction a monarchical country, was not only a huge success in Korea but internationally, selling to 23 countries including China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and the United States.

The drama starring Yoon Eun-hye and Joo Ji-hoon was received favorably in Japan in particular.

Fuji TV has been airing its "Hallyu Alpha" program since January 11 in hopes of creating 'a new Hallyu generation.'

Korean dramas including "My Name Is Kim Sam-soon," "Woman In The Sun," "Shining Inheritance" and "New Heart" have shown on the program while blockbusters "IRIS" and "Hard To Say I Love You" are lined up for the second half of the year.

Source: Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

Musical "Goong" to show overseas starting Jan next year

Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Jessica Kim

Official poster for musical "Goong" [Group 8]

The musical adaptation of hit TV series "Goong" will show overseas next year, according to the musical's producer Group 8 on Wednesday.

Park Rae-hyun, a PR official from Group 8 told 10Asia over the phone that producers will take the show to countries outside of Asia, starting with Japan, in January 2010.

He added that the company has yet to decide on the official dates and locations for its overseas run -- details for its showing throughout South Korea will be set first.

In Seoul, the musical will run at the National Museum of Korea from September 8 to October 24 and continue on into other provinces in the country until the end of the year.

U-Know Yunho, Kim Dong-ho and RUN will play the lead crown prince role of Lee Shin and actresses Gwak Sun-young and Shin Eui-jung will take over the role of the tomboyish Chae-kyeong.

"Goong," originally based on the best selling comic series of the same name, is about an average high-school girl marrying a royal prince in 21st century Korea, which is in fiction a monarchical country.

It was adapted for the small screen in 2006 and was a huge hit in the country recording viewership ratings in the high 30 percent mark and turning the two leads, Yoon Eun-hye and Joo Ji-hoon, into household names.

The drama was sold to 23 countries including China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and the United States, creating a Hallyu craze among the fans, particularly in Asia.

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

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July 7, 2010

Yoon Son-ha to make small screen combeback in "Domangja s1"

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Korean actress Yoon Son-ha [Domangja s1]

Korean actress Yoon Son-ha will be making a comeback to the small screen through upcoming TV series "Domangja s1," her first acting work in Korea in three years.

According to a press release by the show's producer on Wednesday, the actress has been cast for the role of Hwang Mi-jin, who is given orders to kill character Jin-yi, to be played by Lee Na-young. "I am glad to make a comeback in a high-quality drama with the best director and writer," the actress was quoted as saying. "Please look forward to it because I am going to get rid of the pure, innocent image and transform into a femme fatale."

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.

Yoon will be joining the show's high-profile cast which so far includes multi-talented entertainer Rain, Daniel Henney, Lee Jung-jin, Kong Hyung-jin plus Japanese actors Takenaka Naoto and Uehara Takako of J-pop idol group Speed.

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 34-year-old actress made her debut in 1994 thru KBS TV series "Love Greeting" and has starred in several dramas including "Did We Really Love?" (MBC, 1999) and "Snowflakes" (KBS, 2001).

She has been leading an active career in Japan since appearing in NHK TV's "Mouichido Kisu" in 2000, starring alongside Kyoki Fukada in "Fighting Girl" (Fuji, 2001) and Kimura Takyua in "Good Luck!!" (TBS, 2003)

Known as Yun Sona in Japan, she will be releasing an essay book titled "Tokyo Sonagi," which is about her ten-year life in Tokyo and introduces some of her favorite places and stores in the city.

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

July 8, 2010

Yoon Son Ha to Make Comeback to TV Dramas with ‘Runaway’

Actress Yoon Son Ha, who has been acting in Japan, will make a comeback to Korean TV dramas after three years away with the KBS drama “Runaway,” in which Rain (real name Jung Ji Hoon) will appear as a main protagonist.

According to a spokesperson for the production company of “Runaway” on July 7, Yoon Son Ha will play a femme fatale character named Hwang Mi Jin, who will approach detective Ji Woo (Jung Ji Hoon) to kill him.

Yoon Son Ha debuted as an actress through a KBS open recruitment in 1994 and went into the Japanese entertainment industry in 2000. By appearing on various programs, she established a solid foothold in Japan and successfully established her name as an actress when she appeared in the drama “Good Luck” with star Japanese actor Kimura Takuya. She has come back to Korean dramas for the first time in three years since she appeared in the SBS drama “Lover” in 2007.

Her agency quoted what Yoon Son Ha had said about appearing in the drama, stating, “I am very glad to be cast in a good drama which will be produced with the best producers. I will transform into a femme fatale character in the drama, so I want you to watch my transformation in the drama.”

The drama “Runaway,” which will begin airing from the end of September, is about people who are chasing an astronomical amount of money, and it is notable that writer Chun Sung Il and producing director Kwak Jung Hwan, who worked together in the KBS drama “The Slave Hunters,” have formed a production team again.

Rain, Lee Na Young, Daniel Henney, and Lee Jung Jin have been cast as the main actors, and Japanese character actor Naoto Takenaka and a member of the Japanese group “Speed,” Uehara Takako, will also appear in the drama.

Source: KBS Global

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July 8, 2010

Strong, silent and addicted to action

I’m not interested in playing a ‘nice guy’

So Ji-seob

Every Wednesday and Thursday night there is a war of sorts - between three of the hottest actors on television. Kim Nam-gil plays a bad guy on SBS and Yoon Si-yoon steals the hearts of women who are addicted to pretty boys on KBS.

So Ji-sub, the most popular of the three, has returned to the screen after a yearlong absence and is currently playing a soldier longing for his first love in the war drama “Road No. 1” on MBC.

So says he was attracted to this role because of the similarities between himself and his character, Lee Jang-woo.

So Ji-seob plays army officer Lee Jang-woo in his new TV drama “Road No. 1”[JoongAng Ilbo]

In a recent interview at a cafe in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, So said of his character, “He loves and only thinks of Su-yeon [Jang-woo’s first love] and I like his pure heart. We’re pretty similar in that sense.”

This is So’s first role since his appearance in the TV drama “Cain and Abel,” which aired from February to April last year. In the new drama, as in previous programs, So plays the strong and silent type - he is a man of few words but has a warm heart.

The show has a budget of about 13 billion won ($10.6 million) for 20 episodes, which is equivalent to the average budget for a major motion picture.

Here are excerpts from an interview with him.

Q. Despite the astronomical production costs, the audience share is less than expected. How do you feel about that?

A. Audience share isn’t that important at this point because the drama has just started. We have a lot more to offer.

Some say the plot moves too quickly for the average viewer to follow. How would you respond to that?

For me, it was a little fast but there are many other dramas that unfold at a faster pace. This seems like it is the newest trend and I just hope the audience can adapt.

Was it difficult to shoot such a physically demanding drama?

Most of the scenes were battle scenes but I can still manage. [Laughs.] Other than that, I tried hard to avoid the sun. I put sunscreen on whenever I had time. I also used a facial mask after filming but as production intensified, I had no time to care for my skin.

You’ve been injured many times while doing this drama. You hurt your retinas during an explosion scene and your body was covered with scratches and bruises throughout the four-month production process. Your last film “Rough Cut” (2008) was also full of action scenes and you seem to prefer action-packed projects. Is that true?

I feel comfortable when I do these roles. I’m not interested in playing a “nice guy.”

You’ve worked with actors your age [mid-30s] but this time you’ve teamed up with veteran actor Choi Min-soo. What was that like?

I’ve realized that growing older makes you a better actor. I was surprised to see that he can communicate so much without saying a word. He complimented me, as well, saying that I’m the type of actor who will have a long career.

What would you like to do next?

Maybe a spine-chilling villain like the Joker from “The Dark Knight” (2008). But I know I’ve been doing strong characters over the past years. I’m thinking about doing something softer next time, like a romantic comedy.

By Shim Su-mi [so@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com