[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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KimSo-eun's popularity rises in Taiwan

    

             Korean actress Kim So-eun [N.O.A    Entertainment]

          

  

Korean actress Kim So-eun's popularity in Taiwan has been on the rise,according to her agency N.O.A Entertainment on Thursday.

N.O.A announced in a press release that Kim is becoming increasingly popular inthe country after KBS TV series “Good Day” began its run in the country's StarTV channel on July 22. 

The agency also added that a local newspaper printed the childhood photos ofthe actress on their front page. 

"Kim has become a notable actress in other Asian countries as well sincestarring in the hit series 'Boys Over Flowers' last year," several sourcesin Taiwan explained. 

An official with N.O.A said the agency has been receiving numerous requestsfrom fans in Taiwan asking for her visit. 

Kim made her debut in 2005 in the MBC drama "Sister of the Sea." Theactress appeared in several other series such as "Sad Love Story"(2005) and "The Iron Empress" (2009). 

She rose to fame after playing the role of Choo Ga-eul in KBS’ "Boys OverFlowers" starring Korean actors Lee Min-ho and Kim Bum. 

She is currently starring as Oh-bok in daily drama "Good Day." 

Pictures and fan made items for Kim So-eun [N.O.A Entertainment]

Reporter :Lucia Hong luciahong@

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@

<ⓒ10Asia Allrights reserved>

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September 16, 2010

Actor Lee Byung-hun wins Seoul Tourism Award

By Bae Ji-sook bjs@koreatimes.co.kr

Movie star Lee Byung-hun

Top actor Lee Byung-hun was honored with the Seoul Tourism Award Thursday in recognition of his promotion of the capital city to both foreigners and locals. He is among five people and six organizations acknowledged by the award for their contribution to portraying and boosting the beauty and lively aspects of Seoul.

The Seoul Municipal Government said Lee, who appeared in the major Hollywood flick “G.I. Joe” and some other transnational films, was selected for promoting Seoul through his latest TV drama "IRIS" and due to his wide fan base ranging throughout Asia.

In order to attract more Japanese tourists to the country, the administration authorized the closing off of Gwanghwamun Plaza, one of the most crowded areas in central Seoul, for the filming of one of the major action scenes in the drama. A smart move as "IRIS" marked the highest rating for a Korean drama airing in Japan.

Kim Tae-ho, director of the MBC’s ever-popular entertainment program, “Muhandojeon (infinite challenge),” was awarded in the journalist category for featuring the Seoul Design Olympics, N Tower in Mt. Nam and other tourist spots in the program.

Other recipients are Robert Koehler, author of a comprehensive tour and living guidebook, Seoul Selection Guides and Ruby Shin, a Chinese actress who appeared in the sensational and highly-rated Chinese TV drama “The Emperor’s Daughter.”

Also “Jump”, a non-verbal performance that has attracted 30,000 foreign audiences last year; Incheon International Airport Corporation and KBS’s entertainment program “2 days, 1 night” have also received the distinction for their efforts to promote Seoul tourism.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon presented the awards in a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mt. Nam.

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September 17, 2010

Actress Kim So-yeon poses at a showcase for her new TV drama in Seoul on Thursday.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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September 17, 2010

"Bread" makes proud exit on small screen

Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

"My Girlfriend is Gumiho," "Naughty Kiss," "Bread, Love and Dreams" [sBS, MBC, KBS]

KBS 'baking drama "Bread, Love and Dreams" successfully ended its three-month long run, holding onto the No. 1 spot on the Wednesday and Thursday primetime lineup.

According to figures released by TNmS (Total National Multimedia Statistics) on Friday, "Bread" recorded viewership ratings of 46.5 percent on September 15 and 50.8 percent on September 16, breaching the 50 percent mark on the final episode.

The drama saw slightly lower ratings on AGB Nielsen Media Research, accumulating ratings of 45.3 percent on Wednesday and 49.3 percent last night.

The finale episode focused on the reconciliation between Tak-koo (Yoon Si-yoon) and Ma-joon (Joo Won). Ma-joon and Yoo-kyung (Kim Eugene) embark on their life together as a married couple while Tak-koo and Mi-soon (Lee Young-ah) start a romantic relationship.

The series will be succeeded by "Fugitive Plan B," featuring a star-studded cast of Rain, Daniel Henney and Lee Na-young. Meanwhile, SBS 'drama "My Girlfriend is Gumiho," starring Lee Seung-gi and Shin Min-ah, trailed behind No. 2 with viewership ratings in the ten to 13 percent mark, according to both charts.

Meanwhile, MBC's teenage series "Naughty Kiss," starring Kim Hyun-joong and Jung So-min, came in third.

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September 17, 2010

Magnolia's Magnet picks up "I Saw the Devil"

Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

A scene from film "I Saw the Devil" [showbox]

Magnet Releasing, Magnolia Pictures' genre film label, has bought the North American rights to Korean director Kim Jee-woon's thriller "I Saw the Devil," the film's distributor Showbox announced on Friday.

Showbox said that the Korean-language film, starring critically acclaimed actors Lee Byung-hun and actor Choi Min-shik, was picked up on Tuesday at the currently ongoing Toronto International Film Festival.

"'I Saw the Devil' is one of the most riveting and unrelenting films I've ever seen," Magnet's senior vice president Tom Quinn was quoted as saying.

The film is aiming for a North America release during the first quarter of next year, Showbox added. "I Saw the Devil," also set to compete at the upcoming San Sebastian International Film Festival, had been pre-sold to France, England, Taiwan and Turkey at this year's Cannes film market.

The pic's director Kim Jee-woon has been recognized internationally for several of his works including "A Bittersweet Life" and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird."

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September 17, 2010

Yoon Sang-hyun to hold special fan meeting in Japan

Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

Korean actor Yoon Sang-hyun [MGB Entertainment]

Korean singer and actor Yoon Sang-hyun will hold a special fan meeting in Japan next Tuesday, according to his agency MGB Entertainment on Friday.

A press release from MGB announced that Yoon will meet and greet his fans on September 21 as well as celebrate his birthday with them. The actor, who also has a successful singing career in the country, will kick off the show with a performance of his song "Saigo No Ame" and share a birthday cake with the audience that he made himself.

Yoon made his debut in 2005 in the SBS TV drama "Marrying a Millionaire" and rose to fame in Korea and other Asian countries after starring in the smash hit series "Queen of Housewives" and "My Fair Lady." He will be returning to the small screen in upcoming SBS weekend drama "Secret Garden."

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September 17, 2010

Writer Kang Eun Kyung: 'Yoon Si Yoon Is Miraculous Actor'

Source: KBS Global

The writer of the KBS 2TV drama “Bread, Love, and Dreams,” Kang Eun Kyung, highly praised the actor Yoon Si Yoon, who performed the protagonist of the drama, by saying, “Yoon Si Yoon is a miraculous actor. Thanks to his powerful acting, viewers loved the drama and cheered for the drama’s success.”

At an interview with a reporter held on September 14, she said, “I think that the actor Yoon Si Yoon’s sincere acting might be transferred to the viewers, which helps to record the high viewer ratings. Thanks to his sincere and heart-warming acting, viewers could feel like cheering for him while watching the drama.”

She added, “The reason why we are enthusiastic about the soccer player Park Ji sung is because he has shown diligent play by running across the ground all the time during the running time and he always runs right beside the ball. Like this, there might be many reasons how we can achieve the viewer ratings as high as 48.4 percent for the drama ‘Bread, Love, and Dreams,” but the most critical factor might be the same reason why people love Park Ji Sung. People love the protagonist named Tak Koo and the actor who performed the character who has shown sincere acting with humble attitude in the drama. His acting has captured the viewers’ mind."

Actually, many people including staff members of KBS, had opposed the cast of Yoon Si Yoon for the role. He had received the spotlight by appearing in “High Kick Through The Roof,” but he was still a rookie actor and it had been regarded as too risky to cast the rookie actor for the role of protagonist. But the writer Kang Eun Kyung said that she wanted to cast him for the role. She said, “I do not know, but I liked him, I thought that he would be a suitable actor for playing the role. So, I had watched the drama “High Kick Through The Roof” again to see his acting. When we had held the first meeting with him, his eyes were sparkling. I had explained him that the character, Kim Tak Koo, was a person with the absolutely positive attitude, so I wanted someone who could act the character with the positive mind. But, after the meeting, many people still opposed to cast him, so I myself had been confused about casting him. In the second meeting, by the way, he told me with a firm voice without feeling of tension, ‘Trust me. I will perform the character perfectly to calm every concern.’ At that moment, I was touched by his attitude. So, I had sent text message to him saying, ‘Let’s do our best to smile when we finish filming the drama.’ I am very happy now that our drama has gain great success.”

She continued, “Yoon always has told me, ‘I will do my best’ and ‘I will perform it as good.’ In the middle of the filming, he also sent me a text message, ‘I have started as a baby who just started to walk, but in the end, I will become a great actor.’ For the reply, I told him, ‘You are a miracle itself.’ Actually, sometimes I had gotten the goose bumps by watching his powerful acting. As a writer for the drama, I am really appreciated for his good performance even though he is a rookie actor. He might have to have many difficulties while filming the drama. He had to act with many characters in the drama, and he might be distressed by the burden of acting as the protagonist, but he performed the character perfectly without giving up anything. I even felt admirable toward him.”

It was not the first time that the writer Kang Eun Kyung had casted a rookie actor and achieved a successful outcome. She already had casted rookie actors such as Han Ji Min and Cho Han Sun for the MBC drama “A Good Man” and Yoo Gun and Kim Ok Bin for the KBS drama “Hello, God.” They all were rookie actors at that time, but Kang boldly had casted them as the protagonists of those drama.

Kang said, “I already had casted rookie actors and I know very well about the merit of casting rookie actors, so this time again, I just pushed away with my casting plan. It would be better to cast and work together with those rookie actors who are saying ‘I am very appreciated for being cast for the role’ instead of other star actors who are saying ‘I will accept your casting suggestion.’ Actor Yoon Si Yoon has humble attitude, but, at the same time, he has the boldness and confidence, and it has an important influences. Actors have to have those influences to attract viewers. Yoon Si Yoon might feel pressured due to the great success of this drama, but I trust him that he will overcome those pressures and become much better actors in the future.”

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September 17, 2010

So Ji-sub to receive honor at Daejong Film Awards

Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

Korean actor So Ji-sub [51K]

Korean actor So Ji-sub will be honored with an award at the upcoming Daejong Film Awards, according to the Motion Pictures Association of Korea on Friday.

The 33-year-old actor will be recognized for the awareness he has created of Korean culture throughout Asia at the opening ceremony of the acclaimed film fest on September 25, to be held at the Seoul City Hall Plaza.

So's hit drama "I'm Sorry, I Love You" and film "Rough Cut" had been shown in several countries in Asia and most recently, his photo essay about his travels during the summer of 2010 titled "The Journey of So Ji- sub "is receiving inquiries from overseas.

The 47th Daejong Film Awards, held from September 25 to 30 this year, will feature various movie events such as first-hand experiences with cinema effects, an exhibition of old movie signs, a cultural music festival and screenings of Korean films "Secret Reunion" and "Barefoot Dream."

The awards ceremony will take place on October 29 at Kyunghee Uinversity.

So is one of the most popular actors in Korea and has appeared in numerous TV dramas and movies since his debut in 1995. He became a household name in Asia with his roles in the 2004 hit TV series "Something Happened in Bali" and "I'm Sorry, I Love You."

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September 18, 2010

Young Women Boost Viewing Figures for Won Bin Action Flick

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

Won Bin

The violent action film "The Man from Nowhere" continues to draw crowds at the box office, staying at No. 3 in the sixth week after its release following three weeks at the top. According to statistics from the Korean Film Council, "The Man from Nowhere" has attracted 5.56 million viewers since its release, surpassing the year's previous record set by "Secret Reunion" in the spring.

It now ranks third among the highest-grossing R-rated movies in all time record following "Friend" and "The War of Flower" which lured 8.18 million and 6.84 million viewers.

The film's star Won Bin said, "Because it was an action thriller, it required a lot of preparation. Three months before the shooting started, I began practicing handling of guns and knives from the very basic level until I could do it naturally. Because I had no previous experience of action films, it was interesting and fun to experiment with new moves."

The plot is simple, following the lonely struggle of a mysterious man who tries to save the girl next door, who has been kidnapped by a criminal organization. Won, who had mostly played boyish leads, successfully transformed himself into a more rugged action star.

But Won points to the warmth of emotions behind the action. "The protagonist never shouts or wears his feelings on his sleeve. He suppresses his emotions. The love of a man who would risk his life for someone who is neither family nor a relative really touched me, and I was attracted to the character for that reason," he says.

The real driving force behind the success is that women, who are generally averse to action-packed or violent films, were drawn to the theatres by Won's allure. A spokesman for the distributors said, "The number of women viewers keeps increasing. The credit also goes to young women who come to cinema to watch the film two or three times."

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September 18, 2010

SKorea shocker screens at San Sebastian festival

By Elisa Santafe (AFP) Source

South Korean director Kim Jee Woon poses during a photocall after the screening

of his film "I Saw the Devil"

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain — Graphic scenes in the ultra-violent South Korean thriller "I Saw the Devil" had some viewers heading for the exits at the San Sebastian Film Festival Saturday.

Director Kim Jee-Woon's latest film, built around a secret agent's pursuit of the serial killer who murdered his wife, contains a string of scenes so shocking that there was a special warning in the festival programme. The film, which clocks in at nearly two and a half hours, was also targetted by the censors in the director's home country.

But Kim insisted that the violence was a means and not an end itself.

The film dealt with the irony of life, he told reporters: his aim was to show that to "punish the devil," to obtain a "perfect revenge", you have to transform yourself into a devil yourself. But he acknowledged that because of the violence the film had performed more poorly in South Korea than any of his previous works.

Kim's latest film is a change in tone from earlier, more atmospheric works such as the ghost story "A Tale of Two Sisters" (2003), remade in the US as "The Uninvited" (2009). "I Saw the Devil" (Akma-reul Bo-at-da) is one of the 15 films in competition for the festival's top prize, the Golden Shell, the winner of which will be announced next Saturday.

Also competing is Spanish film The Great Vasquez (El Gran Vasquez), set in 1960s Barcelona, about the comic book artist Manolo Vazquez, which screened Saturday. Billed a comedy, it nevertheless also seeks to explore the light and shade of the artist's life, without descending into ridicule, said director Oscar Aibar, who himself has worked as a scriptwriter for underground comics.

Other films in competition include "Amigo", which unites US independent director John Sayles with actor Chris Cooper in a film about the US occupation of the Philippines. Scotland's Peter Mullan will show his latest film "Neds" a coming-of-age film set in 1970s Glasgow. His last film "The Magdalene Sisters", won the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

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September 18, 2010

On the set of a one-act drama with MBLAQ's Lee Joon

Reporter: Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer: Chae ki-won ten@ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@, Jang Kyung-Jin three@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

Lee Joon and Yang Mi-kyung [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

"Okay, fans please get ready." On a hot August day, boy band MBLAQ member Lee Joon, no, him as the rapper of popular idol group, is waiting on the stage of the Melon AX Hall in Seoul. This location, where a fan meeting and birthday party are shot together, is the set for MBC's one-act drama "Housewife Kim Kwang-ja's New Activity." Housewife Kim Kwang-ja (played by actress Yang Mi-kyung), who was spending boring and tedious days because of her curt husband and supporting her indifferent high school daughter, for the first time in her life starts acting as a 'fan' after coming across Jin's music. This starts to slowly change the life of Kim Kwang-ja's life and the people around her in the most unexpected ways.

It was not an open recording but when the stylist fixed Lee Joon's make-up and even when he just took a gulp of water, the screams that burst out from fans heated up the scene even more. Lee Joon, embarrassed from the cheering and applauding whenever the director gives an okay sign, shows the most natural stage manner when singing his group's song "One Better Day" wish revised lyrics. When glow-in-the-dark sticks are handed out, the supporting cast who have no experience being 'fans,' they start shaking them thoughtlessly but it's a piece of cake for actual fans who have volunteered to take part in the shoot. For the climax scene where Kim Kwang-ja and Jin meet on stage, Lee Joon takes actress Yang Mi-kyung's hand and places it above his heart during a rehearsal. The audience automatically breaks out into a scream but the crew is busy steadying them while telling them, "Scream all you want, even more than you did now, when we go into shoot!" What is this strange meeting between an idol star and middle-aged lady -- romance? Just a scandal? Or something else? You can check the results of "Housewife Kim Kwang-ja's New Activity" at 10:35 a.m. on September 22.

Lee Joon, Yang Mi-kyung shoot one-act drama

Photographer: Chae ki-won ten @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

From left, MBLAQ member Lee Joon and actress Yang Mi-kyung shoot a scene for one-act TV series "Housewife Kim Kwang-ja's New Activity" at the Melon AX Hall in Seoul, South Korea.

Lee Joon and Yang Mi-kyung [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

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September 20, 2010

Soo Ae: ‘I Felt Relieved After Filming Scenes Heaping Insults’

Source: KBS Global

"I had been worried about filming the scene where I had to curse and speak harsh words, but actually, I felt relieved because I could criticize Han Dong Soo, who distressed me in the movie." -Soo Ae

The production presentation for the thriller movie "Midnight FM," in which actors Soo Ae and Yoo Ji Tae appear as the protagonists, was held at the Lotte Cinema's Kunkook University branch located in Jayangdong on September 15.

The movie tells the story about what happened to the radio DJ named Sun Young (Soo Ae), who had left only one broadcasting schedule before she quit, when she received a phone call from an unidentified radio listener named Dong Soo (Yoo Ji Tae). When Sun Young hosted the live radio program, she received a phone call from Dong Soo, who threatened her by saying he would kill her family unless she did what he ordered her to do. And she ended up fighting desperately against him to save her family.

Soo Ae, who used to play mostly naïve and feminine characters so far, had changed her acting by taking a role of a chsracter who confronts a killer, and Yoo Ji Tae challenged himself again by playing a villain again after he had played a villain in the movie "Old Boy."

Yoo Ji Tae said, "Two characters, Lee Woo Jin in the movie 'Old Boy' and Han Dong Soo in the movie 'Midnight FM' contradicted themselves, but the origin of their evil are totally different. Playing Han Dong Soo was much more difficult."

Soo Ae reportedly attended classes for announcers to prepare for her role as the radio DJ. She said, "I have always wanted to become a radio DJ, and I was very happy while filming because I could experience the job of announcer even for a short while."

Soo Ae smiles. Actress Soo Ae answers questions at the presentation for the movie “Midnight FM”

(directed by Kim Sang Man) held at the Lotte Cinema on the morning on September 15.

Being asked about what kind of radio program they would like to host if they could become a radio DJ, both actors replied they wanted to introduce soundtracks. In particular, Soo Ae said, "My voice sounds like a lullaby during the daytime, so I want to interact with listeners in a friendly manner at midnight."

The movie is the second work by director Kim Sang Man, who directed the movie "Girl Scout." Kim said, "I had chosen this movie because I wanted to produce a movie in a genre that is filled with tension and suspense during the running time."

He had taken part in managing the various elements of movie, such as art and music, before he began directing movies. He added, "I think that I might be able to present special elements that could be differentiated in terms of music and the artistic setting of the closed space.”

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September 16, 2010

Haunting portrait of modern Korea

By Lee Hyo-won hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

A scene from "Enlightenment Film," which reenacts aspects of Korea in the 1960s.

The film, which traverses through different periods of modern Korean history, sheds light

on contemporary society, and moreover, the meaning of family. It is now showing in theaters.

/ Courtesy of Indiestory

Now this is what you call a fine film: An absorbing script, gripping characters and impeccable production values ― all in spite of being low-budget ― and crowned with an atmospheric poeticism only possible in indie projects.

"Enlightenment Film" is a family movie to watch out for in theaters over Chuseok, though it’s far from being one of those warm, fuzzy dramas that later make their way into the batch of holiday reruns. Its bona fide resume includes an orbit through international film festivals including Pusan, Moscow and most recently Cinema Digital Seoul, but it need not resort to disturbingly noir elements or art house inscrutability to paint a haunting portrait of Korea’s tumultuous past century.

The medium of choice for this peculiar portrait is through the microcosm of society, the family, and the skeletons in its closet amassed over three generations. It meets a timely release for a season that invites many reflections upon days gone by, for the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and the centennial of Japan’s forced annexation of the country.

But this is no stuffy historical drama; it remains rooted in the present, but unlike many contemporary sketches of domestic affairs it is devoid of self-serving cynicism or confused indifference. Instead, director Park Dong-hoon opts for a distanced yet incisive observation to show how family history can deeply affect an individual.

In 1931, Korea is under colonial rule (1910-45) and Gil-man works for a state-run agency that symbolizes Japan’s exploitation of local agricultural resources. Gil-man in a way is an average guy and feels terrible having to make demands of poor farmers, and is particularly torn when he crosses paths with an old friend working as an independence fighter. But while trying to make ends meet for his wife and two young sons, he would be branded a disgraceful Japanese sympathizer.

We meet Gil-man’s son Hak-song in one of the trendy "dabang (coffee shop)" in 1965 post-Korean War (1950-53) Seoul, where the romantic young man whips up the perfect cup of coffee himself for the lovely Yu-jeong. He makes a romantic marriage proposal to her, and their future seems rosy: he has a stable job at a nylon company, a promising position during the rapid economic growth of the Park Chung-hee administration, and an ultra-modern, two-storey house to inherit from his parents.

Twenty odd years later, during the grim military regime, Hak-song has hardened into a militant patriarch who has amassed wealth and honor through rather corrupt measures. His only solace is alcohol, and his love for classical music is all that remains of his youthful ebullience. In the center of grim family life is his daughter Tae-seon, who is burdened with the task of recording classical performances for her father and victim of his outbursts of violence.

In the present, Tae-seon is living in the United States so that her son can learn English, while her husband has remained in Korea to work and provide for them as a typical "gireogi (goose)" father. Tae-seon returns home to attend her father’s deathbed, and is forced to face her childhood traumas. She stumbles about the family house ― the Western-style place that once symbolized newlywed hope is now abandoned and simply awaiting a prime real estate bid ― and the memories start pouring in.

The images are rendered through fragments of memory, including all its cracks and blind spots, as well as touches of fantasy. The movie reads like an audiovisual novel, and engages the viewer to become part of solving the puzzle as only inferences can be made through the attitude of the characters and rich literary elements.

The family portrait the movie paints remains tastefully incomplete. Like Kierkegaard once said, "Life can only be understood backward but must be lived forward," and the story of Tae-sun ― or Korea ― remains part of history perennially in the making.

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September 20, 2010

"The Invincibles" shine over "Trapped"

Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

Movie poster for "The Invincibles" [CJ Entertainment]

Korean action movie "The Invincibles" bowed into the No. 1 spot on the local box office over the weekend, outshining previous winner "Trapped" during the fourth week of September. According to the Korean Box Office System (KOBIS) on Monday, "The Invincibles," which opened in theaters on September 16, placed in first with 309,831 admissions, which amounts to 2.3 billion won, over the weekend of September 17 to 19.

"The Invincibles," a Korean remake of Hong Kong film "A Better Tomorrow," features a star-studded cast of Song Seung-heon, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Kang-woo and Jo Han-sun. The film is about gangsters involved in the black market for arms trade.

Meanwhile, Hollywood horror film "Resident Evil: Afterlife," starring Milla Jovovich and Ali Larter, made its debut in second place, attracting 295,224 moviegoers, while Korean romantic comedy "Cyrano Agency" climbed up a spot from last week to third place, selling 265,553 tickets.

Former No. 1 action flick "Trapped" slipped three notches to No. 4 with 191,331 admits and computer animated picture "Despicable Me" came in fifth place with 147,469 tickets sold. Other movies on the top 10 included "The Borrowers," "King of Quiz," "The Man From Nowhere," "Grand Prix" and "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore."

Weekend Box Office: September 17-19

Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

South Korea's box office estimates for the weekend of September 17-19, 2010 [Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS)]

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September 20, 2010

[Chuseok] English-subtitled films to catch eyes

By Lee Hyo-won hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

A scene from "Resilience." The award-winning documentary will be screened with English subtitles

on Wednesday at Cinecode Sonje, downtown Seoul./ Courtesy of Jin Jin Pictures

The nation’s biggest holiday means migrating to hometowns en masse for Seoulites, but for some local residents it might mean trying to find something to do in the eerily vacant city. The movie theaters are wide open during Chuseok, and, in addition to Hollywood offerings, a couple of domestic films, conveniently subtitled in English are also available.

Cinema is a window into a culture’s history, present and future, and overseas adoption has been part of the landscape since the post-Korean War (1950-53) days. Even without war orphans, Korea continues to be one of the few non-underdeveloped countries to ” babies, due to the relatively low percentage of domestic adoption.

Overseas adoption has thus been regarded as a rather taboo issue, with tragic cases being televised — and largely ignored — through stark documentaries. But in recent years, the topic has been depicted in a more pluralistic way in mainstream culture, such as the film “My Father” starring heartthrob Daniel Henney.

“Resilience” documents the story of Brent, who reunites with his birth mother after a 30-year separation. The two try to make amends for lost time and overcome cultural differences, to learn about and understand each other. The director Tammy Chu is herself an adoptee, and she retains a critical view of problems regarding overseas adoption that Korean society has largely ignored. The running time is 75 minutes and all ages are admitted.

The film recently picked up the prize for best documentary at the Asian Pacific American Film Festival in Washington D.C. and has been invited to the San Diego Asian Film Festival in October and Vancouver Asian Film Festival in November. A special screening of the film will take place on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Cinecode Sonje, near Anguk Station, exit 1, on subway line 3.

Korean films have gained prominence near and far but it is often difficult to catch the latest offerings outside of film festivals. To cater to the local demand and interest in Korean films, Seoul City has teamed up with CGV Theater, the country’s largest cinema chain, to regularly screen a local mainstream film with English subtitles.

“Troubleshooter” has attracted over 1 million in audience members as of Monday in an 11-day period, and foreign residents can check out what the hype is all about through the English subtitled version being offered at CGV Gangnam, Guro, Myeong-dong and Yongsan.

The action flick features Sul Kyoung-gu, one of the country’s most respected actors, in the role of Tae-sik (Sul) as a former cop now working as a notoriously skilled personal investigator. One day he is assigned to his toughest case yet — he is framed for murder and a mysterious caller watches and controls his every move. In order to prove his innocence he must kidnap a high-profile lawyer who is involved in a political scandal. The film’s running time is 100 minutes and is rated 15 and over. Visit www.cgv.co.kr.

The movie features everything people love about Korean action films — a rather uncanny character, though otherwise flawed and completely relatable, championing corrupt authority figures in a most unexpected way, and the central drama being nicely packaged with high-flying action sequences and comic relief. While it might not be one of Sul’s better films, as it lacks character development, it provides for some Korean-style entertainment.

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September 23, 2010

Celebrity racer sees bright future for Korea F1

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldm.com) koreaherald.com

Ryu hopes Korea’s first F1 Grand Prix at Yeongam circuit will draw many fans

South Korea’s first ever Formula One Grand Prix is only a month away from its Oct. 24 start date, but the world’s most expensive sport is not understood by many in this country.

That’s how honorary ambassador for the 2010 Korean Grand Prix Ryu Si-won feels and the sentiment he’s trying to change. “I think still many don’t know how big this thing is,” said the 38-year-old actor, singer and professional auto racer.

While speaking over coffee in his racing team office in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, his voice grew louder and more intense as he explained the value of the sport, citing how, like the World Cup and the Olympics, F1 also has a big following around the world. But Ryu confessed that he is disappointed as the anticipation from local fans is still relatively low compared to what was seen for the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. “I remember this whole country was really vibrant during the Olympics and the World Cup. But now many are skeptical about the Korean Grand Prix.

Ryu Si-won, honorary ambassador of 2010 Korean Grand Prix, poses at the offices of his racing team,

Team 106, in Yongin, Gyeonggi League semifinals Province. (Chung Hee-cho /The Korea Herald)

“Why can’t we be more supportive?” he said, banging his fist on the table. “F1 is a huge thing in other countries,” he added, mentioning the Singapore and Japan Grand Prix, which draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. “I was really surprised by the number of people who turned out at the Suzuka Circuit. Even hours before the doors opened there was a really long queue waiting to get in,” he recalled of his visit to the Japan Grand Prix last year.

The singer, who attracted more than 80,000 fans to his concert in Tokyo last year, admitted he felt envious to have witnessed the sport’s popularity in the neighboring country. “I just thought it’d be great if one day Korea would become like that too,” he said.

But the Hallyu star is confident that day is not far way. “I saw the Yeongam circuit. It’s really beautifully laid out,” he said, adding that having had a demo run at the 5.615 kilometer circuit was like a dream come true for him.

“Now we have an international-size racing track. I’m sure it’ll help boost the popularity of the motor sport here,” he said.

Ryu, who has been competing for the last 14 years at the CJ Super Race, the country’s only professional touring car race, insisted that racing is the profession to which he devotes the most time and energy. “I take this job really seriously. I honestly want to devote my life to this,” he said.

In 2008, however, Ryu had to take some time off from the sport to give 30 concerts in 18 cities across Japan. Also, after having gone through the rigorous schedule, he suffered a herniated disc in his lower back and had to undergo surgery at the end of the year. But that’s when he decided to set up a racing team, he explained. “Lying in bed for more than 10 days, all I was thinking about was driving a racing circuit. I realized I wanted to do it again, and do it properly,” he said.

So as soon as he recovered from surgery he set up his own racing team, Team 106, in early 2009.

Why 106? “It’s my birth date. Sixth of October,” said the actor, beaming.

Ryu confessed that his fame helped him establish his own team, consisting of four drivers, including himself, four racing vehicles one 6-liter and three 3.8-liter engine touring cars and seven mechanics. “My agency told me that I’m only focused on driving rather than my entertainment business, which is partly true at the moment,” he chuckled.

“We are much more consistent than last year.” So consistent, in fact, that Team 106 won two races this season, and Ryu is currently running third place in the 3.8-liter-class table. Ryu said he believes that in five years time motor racing will be considered a mainstream sport here. “My goal is to make the most successful racing driving team in Korea by then,” he said.

Asked whether he hopes to establish Korea’s first F1 team, he raised his eyebrows, saying: “No, that would be too ambitious.” “But, I hope, one day, to produce F1 drivers. That’s my dream.”

[rubie]

September 24, 2010

Filmmaker explores life after the reunion

By Sung So-young [so@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

In ‘Resilience,’ documentary filmmaker Tammy Chu (pictured above) tells the story of a Korean birth mother

and her now-adult son, who as a child was adopted to the U.S., and their attempts to build a relationship

after 30 years of living apart. By Oh Sang-min

Television shows featuring reunions between long lost relatives are popular in Korea, which is perhaps not surprising given the division of North and South Korea and the heartache it continues to cause on both sides of the border. But the war that divided the country also gave birth to international adoption, and there have been several TV programs showing teary reunions between birth parents and the now-adults, who as children were adopted by parents in foreign countries. The scenarios on these programs are often similar: the adoptee waits nervously for her birth mother to come out from behind a curtain, and the two embrace as sad music plays in the background.

But none of these programs show what happens after the reunion, when parent and child often struggle to communicate across cultural and linguistic barriers.

“Resilience” by documentary filmmaker Tammy Chu - who is herself an adoptee - tells this side of the adoption story. The film focuses on Noh Myung-ja and her son Brent Beesley, and their attempts to form and sustain a relationship after 30 years of living apart.

In tracing their story, Chu delves into lesser known aspects about adoption. “I always wanted to make a film about the issue,” she said last week at a cafe near Samcheong-dong, central Seoul.

Chu reunited with her birth family in 1996 when she was 22, but as she recalled, “Along with the language difficulties and cultural differences between us, there were so many more questions that arose. I wanted to capture that.”

In the course of making the film, Chu interviewed 30 unwed single mothers and a host of other people working in the field of international adoption. “Early on in the process, my intent was to include the stories of other unwed single mothers,” Chu said. “But when we started editing, Myung-ja and Brent’s story was so strong, the way their relationship was developing was so interesting, that we decided to focus on them.”

Although the film centers on the budding relationship between Noh and Beesley, the larger message seems to be that international adoption shouldn’t be given priority over other forms of care for children. Korea is beginning to shed its reputation as a “baby-exporting country,” but adoption continues - and the majority of children relinquished for adoption are children of unwed single mothers, who still face a strong social stigma here.

Chu hopes the film will help raise awareness to this aspect of adoption. Although the majority of children adopted immediately after the war were orphans, those adopted today have families, Chu said.

She also noted the increase in “celebrity adoptions,” with stars such as Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Meg Ryan adopting children from Asian and African countries. “I definitely think celebrity adoptions have led us into thinking that it’s a glamorous thing to do,” Chu said. “But the problem is that many birth parents are misled into relinquishing their children, like my mother was. And people want to believe that adoption equals a happy family.”

Chu said that assistance should instead be given to poor families and unwed single mothers so that families are not separated.

In addition to this film, Chu is currently coproducing two other documentaries. One is about an American father who is taking care of his severely disabled son and the other is about the world of online gaming.

Resilience opens Sept. 30 at Cinecode Sonje, in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul. For details, visit http://cafe.naver.com/artsonjearthall or www.resiliencefilm.com.

[rubie]

September 24, 2010

Gong Yoo to Hold Live Concert In Japan in December

Source: KBS Global

The protagonist of the hit drama “The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince,” Gong Yoo (real name Kong Ji Chul), will hold a live concert in Japan.

The CJ Media Japan, which operates Kong Yoo's official fan club in Japan entitled "With YOO" (http://gong-yoo.jp), announced on September 14 that Gong Yoo would hold the concert entitled "Love Song for You" at the Yokohama Arena on December 5.

Gong Yoo is reportedly planning to hold the concert as a form of "mini live performance," and he will present his new image as a singer, not as an actor, by showcasing his new song made only for his fans for the first time during the concert.

Gong Yoo had been discharged from the army last December and held the fan meeting entitled "Gong Yoo Fan Meeting 2010 - With YOO" along with his 7,000 fans in Kobe and Yokohama last February. At that time, he had performed the finale by singing a song to which he had written the lyrics himself with the help of singer Jung Yeop, and had drawn a favorable response from his fans.

[rubie]

September 24, 2010

The Way

Source: Chung Ah-young koreatimes.co.kr

So Ji-sub; Sallim Books: 329 pp., 19,800 won

Top actor So Ji-sub has published his first ever photo travel essay. The book will appeal to fans, not only for the various beautiful photos but also because of the snippets of personal thoughts and impressions within.

The photos were taken of the scenic backdrops of Gangwon Province, including the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Cheorwon, along with his simple but candid writings. “I am neither a novelist nor a photographer. I started this project with the excitement that I would be able to experience a region that is regularly forbidden to civilians in deep Gangwon Province. Also, I think I can present a different aspect of myself not as an actor who is seen as a fictional character in a drama,” he wrote in the epilogue.

The book includes dialogues with sarcastic cartoonist Park Jae-dong, celebrated novelist Lee Oi-soo and hip hop singer Tiger JK who accompanied So in his travels.

The 34-year-old says that like the DMZ that has remained unaltered for the last 60 years, he wants to establish his own way as an actor for good. “The way is open to anyone and which way to choose is always a dilemma until we die. Whether I have to break the line in front of me or not is always a conflict with myself. Now I want to share this issue with many people around me,” he wrote.

[rubie]

September 26, 2010

'Realism essential for local teen dramas'

Upcoming television series to revamp overlooked genre

By Han Sang-hee sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

"Sharp" (2006)

KBS is seeking to bring about a change in the sluggish teenage program scene with its new series “Jungle Fish 2” this week. Hopes are running high, but with numerous shows captivating the younger crowd these days, it will take more than pretty school uniforms and fresh faces to keep the viewers watching.

A bumpy road

When it comes to television programs for teens in Korea, there’s not much to show other than entertainment or music shows starring idol stars. Perhaps because it’s hard to come up with something more exciting than texting with their friends or following around their favorite celebrities, teenage programming overall has seen a slump.

“It’s sad, indeed. There are really not many teenage dramas, let alone programs, for teens to enjoy,” producer Kim Jeong-hwan told The Korea Times in a separate interview at the press conference for the new soap on Sept. 16 at the KBS Media Center in Sangam-dong.

As a public broadcaster, KBS recognizes the need to offer various programs fit for basically everyone, but according to Kim, it’s difficult to “find a balance.”

“There are so many different programs, both on major broadcasters and on cable, and when we air teenage programs, kids don’t watch them. If they don’t watch them, it becomes harder for the network to squeeze them into possible time slots,” he said.

Teenage dramas in the past were quite popular and also worked as an effective stage for nourishing not only aspiring actors, but also writers and producers, but this has failed to follow through, mostly because of other entertainment channels such as the Internet.

Actors Kim Rae-won, Ha Ji-won, Kim Min-hee and even Bae Doo-na all appeared in teenage dramas before their big breaks, while younger stars Ara, Yoo A-in and Kim Su-hyun polished their acting skills in previous soaps including “Sharp” and “Jungle Fish 1.”

“(Teen dramas) may be a minority among other programs, but I feel great responsibility. You have to have affection for young unknown stars, writers and also the overall teenage drama industry,” the producer said.

Delving into teenage life

The drama “Jungle Fish 1” may not ring any bells, as the first season aired as a pilot show in 2008. Starring now movie star Park Bo-young and 2PM member Hwang Chan-sung, the series received critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including the Peabody Awards.

Instead of depicting the everyday lives of youngsters in a casual way, “Jungle Fish 2” will meet viewers in a mystery format, starting with the death of a friend.

The soap will be led by six main characters — the pretty and smart Seo Yul (played by girl group T-ara member Ji-yeon), the outcast Lee Ra-i (Shin So-yul), the handsome and cool Min Ho-su (Hong Jong-hyun), the bubbly and weird Yun Gong-ji (Kim Bo-ra), the princess with secrets Baek Hyo-an (Han Ji-woo) and the tough bully Ahn Ba-wu (Lee Jun) — and feature their journey in exposing the truth surrounding their friend’s death. “I basically wanted to work with what high school students were dealing with today but in a more interesting and fun format. I chose the mystery genre to prove that teen dramas can be fun too,” the producer said.

KBS explained that the actors were chosen from some 1,000 applicants to discover some fresh faces, but the network managed to squeeze in some familiar faces as well, including Lee from MBLAQ and Ji-yeon from T-ara. The two have had experience on both the big and small screen, which will hopefully help them lead the others.

Some of the most important factors of a teenage drama are sympathy, realism and entertainment. How well the storyline and the characters touch the hearts of fellow teenage viewers is crucial, as such dramas need to be connectable.

In the case of “Jungle Fish 2,” most of the issues dealt with during the eight episodes are indeed serious and often found in the news, such as violence, pregnancy, stress regarding studies and also heated competition.

This may be a different approach compared to the more bubbly and musical-based shows in the United States such as “Glee” and “High School Musical,” but Kim stressed that by bringing such issues to the surface in a drama format, viewers will get to learn more about the real life of Korean teenagers. “Bringing flashy and glittery scenes, including dances and songs may be fun, but this is what Korean students are going through today — daily competition in their studies, lack of communication, stress, violence and bullying. Hopefully, the drama will be able to bridge the gap, represent teenagers and also entertain viewers, all at the same time,” Kim said.

The show has opened a social network service (SNS) at http://me2day.net/junglefish.

Chat rooms and information on the series will be listed daily on the site. The final airing date of the first episode will be revealed online, Monday.