[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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December 2, 2010

Actor Gong Yoo to hold fan meeting in Japan

Reporter: Heidi Kim heidikim @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

Actor Gong Yoo [Mind Bridge]

Actor Gong Yoo plans to hold a fan meeting in Japan this week, according to his agency NOA Entertainment on Thursday.

NOA announced today that Gong will meet with fans through a meet-and-greet titled "Love Song for You" in Osaka and Yokohama on December 3 and December 5, respectively.

Some 3,000 fans are expected to turn up at the main hall of Osaka's International Convention Center and another 10,000 at Yokohama's Arena Hall.

At the event to be held in the format of a live concert, Gong will sing a total of eight new songs, three of them in Japanese.

One of the songs will be "First Love For The Second Time," the theme song to Gong's latest film "Finding Mr. Destiny (2010), "which is his first film since being discharged from his two-year mandatory military service in December of last year.

An official at NOA explained that he has been working on his Japanese and band skills for months now for the fan meeting.

Gong had visited Japan four months ago to promote his hit MBC drama "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2007)" which went on air in Korea three years ago but was recently broadcast on Japan's Fuji TV.

Gong Yoo, whose real name is Gong Ji-cheol, debuted with a role in KBS 'TV series "School 4" in 2001.

Since then he has appeared in more than a handful of dramas and movies including "My Tutor Friend," "S Diary," and "She's On Duty" and "Hello My Teacher (2005)."

He is currently busy promoting his latest film "Finding Mr. Destiny "with actress Lim Soo-jeong which will open in theaters on December 9.

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December 2, 2010

Korean sitcom "High Kick" confirmed for new season

Reporter: Lee Eun-ji ghdpssk @ Editor: Lucia Hong luciahong @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

Album cover for "High Kick 2" soundtrack [MBC]

A new season of MBC's smash-hit daily sitcom "High Kick" will hit airwaves, the show's production company Chorokbaem confirmed on Thursday.

An official from Chorokbaem told Asia Economic Daily's Sports Today over the phone that they are currently producing the third season of "High Kick" with director Kim Byung-wook once again taking the reigns for the show.

However, when asked whether the show will air after current MBC sitcom "All My Love" finishes its run, the official a date has yet to be set.

The "High Kick" series was widely popular between 2006 and 2007 and the second season, which ran for six months starting September last year, was a success as well, bringing in viewership ratings in the high 20 percent range.

A number of Korean actors rose to stardom through the show, including Jung Il-woo, Kim Hye-seong, Hwang Jung-eum, Yoon Si-yoon and Choi Daniel.

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December 2, 2010

'Destiny' sweetly reminisces first loves

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

Im Soo-jung, left, and Gong Yoo appear in a scene from the romantic comedy “Finding Mr. Destiny,”

which opens in theaters on Dec. 9. / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

First loves last forever, and a new romantic comedy delightfully captures that tingly, fuzzy, and oftentimes heartrending, experience and how it tends to map out the blue print for people’s romantic patterns.

“Finding Mr. Destiny” offers the audience precisely what is expected of the genre — charming oddball characters, plenty of good laughs and a touch of poignant drama.

The premise is quite simple. Ji-wu (Im Soo-jung), unable to forget a youthful affair in India that has tattooed itself onto her heart, rejects an eligible suitor and is forced by her father, who fears she will end up an old maid, to seek the help of an agency that specializes in tracking down first loves. Heading the business is Gi-jun (Gong Yoo), who is of course young, single and male, and equipped with goofy charm. The two are polar opposites yet eventually grow fond of each other as they bicker along the way to find Ji-wu’s elusive Mr. Destiny — and it’s a long journey since there are 1,108 men who have the same name as her ex-boyfriend, from a Buddhist monk to an overweight farmer and a really unctuous plastic surgeon, to name a few.

The fall box office has already seen a story about hired cupid services, “Cyrano Agency,” which was the first memorable local romantic comedy since the 2001 “My Sassy Girl.” “Destiny,” however, manages to stand apart by bringing in the dramatic tension of the detective genre.

The movie is actually based on a hit musical of the same name (“Finding Kim Jong-uk” in Korean), and newcomer director Jang Yu-jeong makes a great screen adaptation marked by fine visuals that reflect a minute attention to props and details, with flashy scenes from a musical (paying homage to the script’s origins) and the picturesque exoticism of India where the heroine’s unforgettable romance unfolds.

Jang brings a fresh rhythm and zest to what is actually a rather complex story about coming of age, and musings about first loves and second chances. The idea of being haunted by a brief affair that occurred 10 years ago may seem implausible for some. But the consistency of the film’s internal logic, with its fairytale-like appeal and whodunit format, keeps the viewers engaged and wondering about what really happened in India and what will become of the blooming attraction between the uncanny detective and his client.

The film takes the time to introduce characters and their convincing personas, complete with very human flaws and histories — the heroine is a disheveled and foulmouthed theater director who has yet to make amends with her inability to finish or start anything substantial in both her love life and career. The hero is a naive guy with an obsessive compulsive fixation on order, safety and hygiene — manifested in his perfectly pressed attire and color coded post-its — who has yet to leap into a whirlwind life experience. The rich character development makes the “Along Came Polly” dynamics between the two into something more than light slapstick.

“Destiny” is also packed with memorable sideline stories and supporting characters, including a militant soldier father who is actually all mushy inside and a feverishly devoted fan of “saju” (Korean equivalent of horoscopes), and even cameos by household names. The film drags a little in the middle section, but the slight glitches are easy to ignore.

In theaters Dec. 9. Distributed by CJ Entertainment.

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December 3, 2010

[movie REVIEW] 'Warrior’s Way' cut down by tired plot tricks

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

“The Warrior’s Way” features Korean actor Jang Dong-gun, right, as a warrior who goes West to exorcise his demons,

and Hollywood actress Kate Bosworth, who looks to the Asian hero for help in exorcising hers. Provided by SK Telecom

They say there is nothing new in the world. Fashion comes and goes and history repeats itself. The same goes for films. Directors find inspiration in the classics and produce films based on the work of their predecessors. That’s what Korean director Sngmoo Lee tried to do with his first film, “The Warrior’s Way.”

In an interview with the local press last month, the 47-year-old director, who also wrote the script, said his first feature is an ode to his favorite films, which include “Shane” (1953) and “Seven Samurai” (1954).

In The Warrior’s Way, Lee imagines a world where East meets West, and he manages to achieve that through the cast, which includes Kate Bosworth and Danny Huston, as well as Korean actor Jang Dong-gun.

The film was released on Wednesday in Korea and is to open in the United States today.

The Warrior’s Way tells the story of an omnipotent Asian swordsman Yang (Jang Dong-gun), who slays his enemy, but can’t kill the last living member of his enemy’s clan - an adorable baby girl with rosy cheeks - so he takes her with him. He has already decided to go West, and he and the baby settle down in a dusty, run-down town in the middle of a desert. Yang, a man of few words and empty eyes, soon learns to appreciate the joys of ordinary life. He gets into gardening and builds relationships with his neighbors. Romance also blossoms between Yang and Lynne (Bosworth), a tomboy who is waiting for her chance to kill her own enemy, the Colonel (Huston).

Among the townspeople, there are some interesting characters, including a former-cowboy turned drunkard (Geoffrey Rush), a whimsical dwarf and a trio of mischievous teenagers.

It is a novel idea for an Asian swordsman to go to the West and become a hero there. But that plot twist is not strong enough to save the film from all of the usual cliches.

There’s a warrior with a past, whose new-found happiness doesn’t last that long. There’s a former cowboy who is always drunk but later transforms himself into a wise sage. There is the obligatory romance between the hero and the town beauty. In one such scene, Yang, holding a baby in one hand and a sword in the other, his face stained with blood from his previous fight, stands alongside his true love.

With a reported budget of $52 million, which is equivalent to that of such Hollywood blockbusters as “300” (2006), The Warrior’s Way could have gone beyond cliches to really show us something different. Unfortunately, what emerges is a string of tired plot tricks that don’t add much to the genre.

These days, people watch movies for two reasons: they either want a good story or they want to be overwhelmed by strong visuals and special effects.

And since the film fails to deliver the former, I was hoping to be dazzled by the latter. Sadly, visual imagery is not the film’s strong suit either. The Warrior’s Way looks less like a film and more like a well-designed online role-playing game.

Another problem is that Lee, the director, tries to mix elements from Asian and Western films, but the end result is a little like going to a buffet and eating too many different kinds of food. After all that, your palate just can’t remember what you’ve eaten.

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December 3, 2010

Choi Kang Hee: 'I Want to Become a Blank Slate'

Source: KBS Global

Actress Choi Kang Hee appears in the movie “Petty Romance.”

She kills many men and goes out with a man living next door as if nothing has happened (in the movie “My Scary Girl”) and she calls her teacher while drunk and places an embarrassing placard at her older brother’s wedding (in the movie “Goodbye Mom”). In this manner, actress Choi Kang Hee usually played extraordinary and “strong” characters up until now, and the character Da Rim, whom she will play in her new movie “Petty Romance” to be released on December 1, again seems to be very much suitable for actress Choi Kang Hee.

She said, “I have not done anything perfectly. I have played some cute characters and some cheerful characters, but I have never played a character who is completely pretending to be cute or who is completely a troublemaker. I thought that I would play a character with an entirely perfect personality.” The movie's storyline is about writer Da Rim and illustrator Jeong Bae (Lee Sun Kyun) preparing for an adult cartoon contest with huge prize money, and they come to love each other. There are many compromising lines. Choi Kang Hee said, “When I spoke risque lines, I felt excited because it was like breaking a taboo. Females usually cannot read a column about sex in a magazine when they go to a beauty shop, so they might feel more excited about the fact that I speak about those things out loud.”

Choi appears with actor Lee Sun Kyun again, whom she had appeared together in the drama “My Sweet Seoul” two years ago. Choi Kang Hee said, “We could not become friends at that time, so this time I once again felt nervous and tense. But I could have intimate relations onscreen.” She revealed that she could feel more excited about playing Da Rim in this movie than ever. Choi said, “From the moment when I first met production staff members, I behaved like Da Rim. From the first shoot to the last dubbing schedule, I wore a mini-skirt that Da Rim used to wear. In a singing room, I danced and sang along with the song like Da Rim, even though I usually do not do that, but it so exciting.” She also revealed her strong confidence about this movie. She said, “This movie ends with a happy ending. You might feel happiness from this movie. The audience might want something sweet and warm, like a romantic comedy movie.” She called herself an actress with “0.08 million viewers” because she had attracted 1.98 million viewers when she appeared in the movie “Goodbye Mom” (2009) and she also had attracted 2.38 million when she appeared in the movie “My Scary Girl” (2006). She said, “At this time, I want at least 2.98 million people to watch my movie.”

She said that she enjoyed watching movies as much as she enjoyed participating in the Pusan International Film Festival, finishing filming the movie and watching four movies a day during the festival. She particularly enjoyed watching the movie “Toilet,” which was produced by the director Naoko Ogigami, who had made movies such as “Kamome Diner” and “Megane,” when she visited the Pusan International Film Festival. She said, “I want to work with director Naoko Ogigami, but I am not sure whether she will like me or not because I have played a character with a strong personality.” She said that she wanted to play a typical female protagonist. She said, “When it comes to a female protagonist, they are all bright and have good personality and they can cry very often, but they can overcome any difficulties. I want to play this typical female protagonist with my own way of acing.” She explained, “I want to disappear. I have thought about it. Do I have an appearance that can be cast for director Hong Sang Soo’s movie? I don't think so. It might look very awkward. I want to abandon my own personality and I want to play this typical character and make myself into a blank slate. I have already played a character with a red color and with a green color, so this time, I want to play a character with a white color that is blank.” Choi Kang Hee said that her images which were cute, pleasant, and boyish had nothing to do with her own original personality, but she did not care about this. During the interview, she mentioned several times that she recently learned to knit and made a scarf to give to her friends as a gift.

She sometimes assumed a pose in the middle of the interview while resting her chin on her hand and continued to talk in a quiet manner. The reporter asked her what kind of actress she wanted to be. Choi Kang Hee answered by talking about the movie “Lost in Translation” directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Scarlett Johansson. She said, “When I went to the movie theater, I found a movie leaflet saying “Director falls in love with actress’s talent,” and watched the movie. After I watched the movie, I thought that director Sofia Coppola and actress Scarlett Johansson both might have been very happy while filming the movie. I really felt envious. Director and actress can never fall in love even though they both play their own parts very well. They have to have a same taste for falling in love with each other like in the story of the novel by Haruki Murakami. In the story, 100 percent matched people meet together and fall in love.”

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December 3, 2010

"Poetry" actress and director win at film fest in Australia

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

Official poster for "Poetry" [uni-Korea]

Actress Yoon Jeong-hee and director Lee Chang-dong of Korean movie "Poetry" both won honors at the 4th annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

According to the official Asia Pacific Screen Awards website on Friday, Yoon Jeong-hee won the award for best performance by actress and Lee Chang-dong the honor for achievement in directing.

"Poetry," which was released in Korea on May 13, is about an elderly woman who learns how to write her own poems while fighting Alzheimer's.

The film was also a smash hit during the Cannes Film Festival, winning the award for best screenplay and sold its distribution rights to several countries including Hong Kong, Syria, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Russia, Taiwan and Brazil.

Meanwhile, Director Park Chan-ok of Korean film "Paju" won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award, given to emerging filmmakers in the business and to nurture new and rising talent in within the Asian region.

Established in 2007 as a cultural initiative of the Queensland State Government in Australia, ASPA brings together cinematic excellence and cultural diversity in the Asia-Pacific region as well as the only awards program to broadcast documentary series.

[Guest cofioca]

Hallyu-fueled 'Ghost' remake to inspire nostalgia: actors

The famous pottery wheel scene from the 1990 love story "Ghost" is remade in "Ghost: In Your Arms Again."

/ Courtesy of Filament Pictures

Remember the passionate pottery wheel scene between Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in the 1990 film “Ghost.” Now, 20 years later, Korean heartthrob Song Seung-hun and Japanese sweetheart Nanako Matsushima have reenacted the “Unchained Melody” moment.

“The remake reenacts some of the most touching scenes in the original, including the pottery-making scene. I hope viewers can feel a pang of nostalgia, thinking ‘oh there was that kind of scene,’ while watching the movie,” Song told reporters in Seoul, Tuesday, following a press preview.

The Korea-Japan-United States joint production,“Ghost: In Your Arms Again,” is about an undying love affair between a Korean pottery artist (Song) and Japanese businesswoman (Matsushima) ― even death does not come between the inseparable couple.

But a twist in the new film, directed by Taro Otani, is that the heroine, rather than the hero, reappears before her lover as a ghost after an untimely death.

“I was 17 when the original movie opened in Japanese theaters, and I was truly moved,” said Matsushima. “I never imagined I’d be starring in a remake of the movie as an actress.”

Song said he hopes the Asian version will inspire the sweet reminiscence of first loves, rather than attempt to eclipse the appeal of the original.

Language barriers, more than the burden of doing a remake, concerned him, he said. “Acting in my mother tongue is itself overwhelming, so working in Japanese was truly a big challenge for me. But it was a rare opportunity to work with Japan’s foremost star actress, and I thought I would regret not taking part in this remake.”

His co-star said that language was certainly a barrier off screen and they had to communicate through an interpreter ― “But when we were acting, we locked eyes and communicated with our hearts. I was really surprised by that kind of experience, and it inspired a lot of confidence.”

The actress revealed that she had Song in mind from the beginning.

“I thought it would be nice to make a film that has an Asian appeal, and that it would be ideal to act opposite a Korean actor. When the project was set, I suggested a Korean actor, Song Seung-hun, to the production company,” she said, adding that “Korean actors, or Korean men in general, seem to be more candid in their expression of love.” “I think the audience will be touched to see two people, from two different cultures, falling deeply in love.”

Now showing in theaters nationwide. Distributed by Filament Pictures.

Source: By Lee Hyo-won @ Korea Times , 25 November 2010

[Guest sxso1018]

Watch the latest action thriller "THE UNJUST" (부당거래) AT A THEATER NEAR YOU! "THE UNJUST" has been reeling in a lot of viewers for the past few weeks in Korea and now you can watch it at an American theater! The following is a list of theaters and the date the movie is released!

"UNJUST" will be released in following theaters on FRIDAY 12/3:

1. AMC Rios 18- Washington DC

2. AMC Showplace Niles- Chicago

3. AMC Ridgefield Park- New Jersey

4. AMC Empire 25- Manhattan

5. Rave Motion Pictures, Fairfax- Virginia

and in following theaters on FRIDAY 12/10:

1.  Cinemark Century 16- Seattle

2.  Cineplex silvercity coquitlam cinemas- vancouvero

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December 4, 2010

Bae Yong-joon's Book About Korea Published in English

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

Korean actor Bae Yong-joon's book "A Journey in Search of Korea's Beauty" will be published in English on Dec. 6. The Korean version became an instant bestseller and it went into a 13th print run just a month after it came out in September 2009.

The book has been published in Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese versions so far. The English version will go on sale in Korea first and then in the United States, Singapore, Germany and other parts of Europe.

Hollym, the publisher, said there was a lot of demand for an English version as soon as the Korean version came out last year. "We worked very hard on the English version as it will be presented in countries whose cultures differ greatly from Korea. It will be an excellent guide of the past and present of Korean culture to the West."

The English version is being showcased on Tuesday at a charity bazaar hosted by the Seoul International Women's Association.

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December 5, 2010

Actor caught for methamphetamine use

By Kwon Mee-yoo meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr

Kim Sung-min

Actor Kim Sung-min, 36, was arrested Saturday for possessing and habitually using the banned drug methamphetamine.

According to the prosecution, he admitted to purchasing the drug overseas and smuggling it into the country, during the questioning.

The prosecution requested an arrest warrant for Kim Friday and the court issued one the following day. “We are investigating Kim further to determine what was the exact process of purchase and whether he had accomplices,” a prosecutor said.

He has been appearing on KBS Happy Sunday’s “Qualifications of a Man,” a variety show, and presented a fun, positive image. However, the discovery of his drug use has ruined the trust he had built up with the viewing public.

He apologized through Twitter Saturday evening. “I am sorry to all those people who are disappointed in me and hurt by me, my family and everyone I love,” he wrote on his micro-blog.

He will also be taken off “Qualifications of a Man.” The producer of the variety program said it is expected for him to be removed from the show as he was arrested for drug use. “We edited out Kim’s appearance on the program from this week’s broadcast and will discuss finding his replacement soon,” he said.

Kim, who made his small screen debut in 2005, has appeared on several hit television dramas including “Miss Mermaid” (2002), “Heaven’s Fate” (2004) and “Couple or Trouble” (2006).

Actor Kim Sung-min arrested on drug charge

By Moon ye-bin (yebinm@heraldm.com) Intern reporter Edited by Hannah Stuart Leach koreaherald.com

Actor Kim Sung-min’s alleged use of illegal drugs has sent shock throughout the domestic entertainment industry.

Kim, an actor and cast member of popular reality show “Happy Sunday -- The Qualities of a Man,” was arrested Friday at his apartment in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, for using illegal drugs. Korea strictly bans the import and use of illegal drugs such as methamphetamine, and Kim reportedly told the authorities that he had smuggled meth from overseas and regularly used it in violation of the law.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office stormed into Kim’s apartment Friday, believing he may have engaged in illegal drug use.

The news instantly generated a flood of comments in cyberspace, particularly because he has long maintained a positive public image. Kim, who made his debut as a stage actor in 1995, gained fame in recent months for his role in “Happy Sunday.”

The production team of the show said Kim would drop out of the program immediately. A prerecorded episode to be aired Sunday was hurriedly edited, cutting out Kim’s part entirely.

Kim posted an apologetic message on Twitter saying, “I feely deeply sorry for those who have been hurt and disappointed in me, including my family members and loved ones.”

Kim had played a leading role in several television drama series such as “What’s for Dinner?” and “Glory of the Family.”

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December 5, 2010

'Poetry' wins Asia Pacific Screen Awards

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

Korean film “Poetry” swept two of the major categories at the 4th annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony held on Australia’s Gold Coast on Dec. 2.

The film’s leading lady Yun Jung-hee won the Best Actress Award while director Lee Chang-dong received the Best Achievement for Directing Award.

The film had already swept four awards, including Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best Film at the 47th Daejong Film Awards in October, and won the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

South Korean actress Yun Jung-hee (right) and French actress Juliette Binoche show their honorary awards

during the opening ceremony of the 34th Cairo International Film Festival, in Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 30.

(Xinhua-Yonhap News)

The 66-year-old Yun, who returned to the silver screen after a 15-year-long hiatus, also received the lifetime award at the 34th Cairo International Film Festival in November.

“Poetry” director Lee is a three time APSA winner. In 2007, he won the Best Feature Film for “Miryang (Secret Sunshine)” and in 2009 he won Best Children’s Feature Film with “Ya Haeng Ja (A Brand New Life).”

Established in 2007, the APSAs are an international cultural initiative of the Queensland government of Australia. The winners were picked by an international jury headed by Academy Award-winning producer Lord David Puttnam.

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December 6, 2010

Marine deaths hit a nerve for Jeong Seok-won

Actor served until 2007 as sergeant with special reconnaissance unit

By Yuh Ah-jeong [jason@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

Actor Jeong Won-seok had a busy year. Aside from appearing on television dramas, he will also be in two films

set for release in 2011. By Lee Ho-young

Actor and ex-marine Jeong Seok-won attended the funeral service honoring fallen Marine Corps soldiers who were killed in the North Korean shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea.

Among the hundreds of government and military officials, religious leaders and civilians in attendance at the service for Sgt. Seo Jeong-woo and Pvt. Moon Kwang-wook were entertainers who served with the ROK Marine Corps. Lee Jung and Choi Phillip were just two of the notable former Marines in attendance at a military hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

Jeong visited the wake on Nov. 24 and was in attendance at the funeral service on Nov. 27. He was a sergeant with the ROK Marine Corps Special Recon until April 2007.

The 25-year-old vented his anger over the Yeonpyeong Island incident on his Twitter and personal Web pages on Nov. 24.

“I was overcome with anger that day,” Jeong said. “But I stopped from uploading more text on the Web because some might get the wrong idea that I was using the incident to promote myself to the public. That’s why I attended the wake and service quietly, without getting noticed by cameramen and photographers. But even that didn’t work out the way I intended.”

Jeong was part of an elite special reconnaissance team with the Marine Corps, widely known as the toughest branch of the Korean military. “My dream was to become a stunt coordinator specializing in martial arts,” said Jeong. “I thought I could learn a lot by volunteering for the Marine Corps. Once I got in, I was told that they had a special reconnaissance team, but that candidates had to go through a series of tough physical tests. I was told only the very best, or 0.3 percent of the candidates, made the final cut.

“I passed the tests and ended up learning a lot. I was trained in scuba diving, parachuting and to go an entire week without sleeping. We even marched from Daegwallyeong, Gangwon to Pohang, North Gyeongsang over 14 consecutive days.”

As planned, Jeong initially got into stunt work after completing his military service, but came across acting jobs. “Once I got my foot in the door, I came across several opportunities,” Jeong said. “I started off with the thought that I could benefit from doing stunt work as well as acting.”

Jeong most recently appeared in a television drama called “Dr. Champ,” a story about the national judo team and the medical staff at the National Training Center in Northern Seoul. Jeong appeared in the drama as a star athlete.

“I was really drawn to the role,” Jeong said. “It was a feel good story and appropriately enough, the actors and staff on set were made up of really nice people. “It was also a meaningful experience from the standpoint that the director trusted me enough and allowed me to experiment with the role. I also became really close with the national judo team members.”

Jeong was also cast in two films this year, one romance - set for release in February - and one action flick (“The Beast”) that is set for release in May.

“It was really tough to juggle both schedules, but now that it’s all done, I’m really happy about the results,” said Jeong.

He said he slept three hours a day over the past three months. Filming The Beast was especially tough, he said. “Since I went to a sports university and also served in the Marine Corps, I might be in better physical shape than other actors, but it’s always tough to handle such busy schedule,” he said.

Jeong hopes to continue to put his strong work ethic to good use in making films.

“I haven’t been cast in any other films or dramas at this point, but whatever offer I get, I want to put everything I have into it,” said Jeong. “I was told by veteran actor Kim Jung-nam that actors need to soak in other experiences, even when not involved in acting. That’s why I try to read as much I can these days. I also watch a lot of films.”

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December 6, 2010

"The Petty Love Affair" debuts on top of box office

Reporter: Heidi Kim heidikim @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2

Film "The Petty Love Affair" [Lotte Entertainment]

Local romantic comedy "The Petty Love Affair," which opened in theaters on December 1, debuted on top of Korea's box office during the first weekend of December.

Lee Sun-kyun and Choi Kang-hee starrer "The Petty Love Affair," about an unskilled cartoonist and a former sex columnist coming together to write an adult comic, attracted 456,629 viewers from December 3 to 5, according to data by Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS) released Monday.

Opening the same day was "The Warrior's Way," an action flick produced in New Zealand, which came in second with 213,653 viewers.

In the film, Korean actor Jang Dong-gun's Hollywood debut pic, Jang plays an Asian warrior that flees into a small town in search for a peaceful life, only to be pursued by assassins.

American alien invasion SF film "Skyline," starring Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson and Donald Faison, had claimed No.1 the previous weekend but slipped to third place during the past three-day period by selling 133,683 tickets.

Other hot, new ticket sellers included "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage Of the Dawn Treader", "The Last Exorcism," and "The Switch."

Weekend Box Office: Dec 3-5

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December 7, 2010

Actress Kate Bosworth: Jang Dong-gun ‘a lovely guy’

By Moon Ye-bin (yebinm@heraldm.com) Intern reporter Edited by Hannah Stuart Leach koreaherald.com

Jang Dong-gun as the lone swordsmen in his Hollywood debut film “Warrior’s Way.”

Kate Bosworth, who appears in the “Warrior’s Way,” as top Korean actor Jang Dong-gun’s counterpart, praised the Korean entertainment industry.

During an interview with “Chelsea Lately,” a U.S. popular talk show, Bosworth hailed Jang as “such a lovely guy.”

She also made comments on being a celebrity in Korea and how it differs from the United States.

“The Korean audience actually thinks that scandals are a bad thing,” Bosworth said during the interview last Thursday. The host of the show later jokingly said, “We could ship a whole bunch of people over there,” referring to some of the most scandalous Hollywood stars like Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian.

“The Warrior’s Way” is Jang Dong-gun’s Hollywood debut film and he is referred to as “the Korean Brad Pitt,” by various foreign media. The film co-stars Academy Award-winning Briton Geoffrey Rush and American actress Bosworth.

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December 7, 2010

Yoon Eun-hye cast a female lead in upcoming movie

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

Korean actress Yoon Eun-hye [3Park]

Korean actress Yoon Eun-hye will be making her first big screen comeback in four years as the female lead in an upcoming movie.

A press release from the film's distributor CJ Entertainment on Tuesday announced that Yoon will play the role of main female character Yoo-min in the movie tentatively titled "My Black Mini-dress."

"My Black Mini-dress," helmed by director Heo In-moo, is about the honest and vivacious lives of four women in their twenties. The movie also stars Korean actress Park Han-byul, Cha Ye-ryun, Yoo In-na and U-Kiss member Dongho.

The film will crank in this month and is scheduled to open in theaters late next year.

Yoon Eun-hye made her debut as a member in the girl group Baby VOX in 1997. She has appeared in numerous variety shows and entertainment programs after leaving the group in 2005.

She rose to stardom in Korea and throughout Asia after starring in the smash hit TV series "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince" alongside actor Gong Yoo and in "My Fair Lady" with Yoon Sang-hyun.

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December 7, 2010

Korea Festival Raises Money for Flood Victims in Thailand

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

The Korean Embassy in Thailand and the Korea-Thailand Communication Center hosted a Korea festival in Bangkok on Sunday.

The event included a charity bazaar selling personal items donated by 130 Korean celebrities such as Lee Jun-ki, Lee Min-ho and members of TVXQ, Super Junior and Girls' Generation.

Visitors pose at a Korea festival in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday.

The bazaar raised W24 million, which will be donated, along with an additional W28 million raised by Korean residents there, to aid victims of recent devastating floods in Thailand (US$1=W1,134).

Korean pop culture is extremely popular in the Southeast Asian country, with over 150 Korean soap operas airing there over the last four years.

November 25, 2010

Hallyu Stars Donate Prized Possessions to Thailand Charity Event

Source:

KBS Global

The Korea Thailand Communication Center (KTCC) said on November 24 that Hallyu stars such as Lee Min Ho and Lee Joon Ki have donated their prized possessions to a charity event to be held in Thailand. A total of 130 Korean stars including actors Lee Min Ho, Lee Joon Ki, Lee Jeong Jae, Lee Da Hae, Ha Jeong Woo, Kim Sun Ah, Kim Rae Won, Cho Hyun Jae, and Gong Yoo, comedians Kang Ho Dong and Lee Soo Geun, and idol group members of Super Junior, Girls Generation, Brown Eyed Girls, and Dong Bang Shin Ki have donated their personal belongings to the charity event entitled “Korea Festival 2010,” which will be held in Bangkok from November 30. Production directors Yoon Seok Ho and Pyo Min Soo, who had created the Hallyu boom by producing popular dramas such as “Winter Sonata” and “Autumn in my Heart,” and “Full House,” respectively, also participated in the donations.

The charity event, which will be hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand and Korea Thailand Communication Center and sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, has been prepared to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Thailand army’s participation in the Korean War and to help three million victims from the recent flood in Thailand.

The KTCC said, “In Thailand, more than 150 Korean dramas have been aired during the most recent four years since 2006. In a situation where the Hallyu boom has reached its peak, more than 130 stars’ participation in a charity bazaar in Thailand is unparalleled. Stars’ possessions will be displayed for one week and sold to people after that, and the entire profits from the event will be delivered to the head office for the helping of flood victims in Thailand.”

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December 8, 2010

'10 more entertainers involved in drug use'

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

TV actor Kim Sung-min, under investigation over drug use such as injection of meth and smoking of marijuana, has reportedly told the prosecution that more people are involved in illegal drug use or trafficking.

An insider well versed in the investigation, who refused to be identified, said Monday that Kim confessed a list of some other 10 entertainers involved in an intensive probe of the drug case for the fifth consecutive day. He was arrested last Saturday on charges of illegal taking of meth and smoking marijuana.

On the list were figures involved in injection, sale and delivery of drug. The insider did not rule out that there are other celebrities or famous entertainers on the list. However, the prosecution was reportedly confirmed to say that they “could not confirm whether or not entertainers are included in the list of other drug users.”

As a result, public attention has focused on how much the investigation would be extended.

If more entertainers are on the ‘Kim’s list,’ it is certain that the drug investigation will be flared up further.

There have appeared numerous rumors among netizens about who are accomplices with TV actor Kim.

Kim has showed suspicion on the possible supply of drugs by expert brokers to him or existence of his girlfriend whom he probably met during the period of drug use.

Actually, this is similar with the case involving another TV actor Joo Ji-hoon last year. A string of entertainers were revealed to be engaged in the drug use and trafficking in the process of investigation. All the entertainers involved were punished eventually.

Sleeping anesthesia, Propofol, which will be designated as psychoactive medicine next year, has poised a serious problem due to its abuse by many entertainers. The investigation is expected to be further extended in other drug cases, if questions are raised about the habitual injection of propofol, which is called “panacea” to entertainers who are always uneasy psychologically.

December 9, 2010

Kim Sung-min Implicates Others in Drug Scandal

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

Actor Kim Sung-min, who has been arrested for methamphetamine possession and smuggling, has reportedly confessed that there are a dozen other people involved in the scandal.

There have been suspicions that there were others involved due to Kim's highly efficient way of smuggling the drugs in. It is unknown whether Kim's accomplices include other celebrities.

"The fact that he bought drugs in from frequent trips to the Philippines and passed security checks at the airports by hiding them in pain relief patches suggests that someone was helping him," A police spokesman said. "Usually, drug users tend to use them in groups. It is very rare for an individual to obtains drugs overseas and smuggle them in on his own."

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December 9, 2010

Celebrity couple spreads the joy of charitable giving

By Kim Joon-sool [so@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

Jung Hye-young and Sean Ro say that making a donation

is something that everyone can do, whether it’s 100 won

or 100 million won. The couple makes regular contributions

to a variety of charities. [JoongAng Ilbo]

It’s one thing to talk about sharing the wealth, but it’s another thing entirely to actually do it. Celebrity couple Sean Ro, whose real name is Ro Seung-hwan, and Jung Hye-young have been giving their money away on a regular basis since they wed six years ago.

Ro, who is a rapper, and Jung, an actress, are famous for their annual ritual of donating 3.65 million won ($3,318) every October to celebrate their wedding anniversary. They save 10,000 won every day, and when the amount reaches 3.65 million won they give it to a charity that supports the homeless.

But their philanthropic spirit doesn’t end there.

The couple sponsors about 100 children in developing countries through Compassion Korea, a Christian charity. And instead of throwing parties to celebrate the first birthdays of each of their children - a significant event for Koreans - Ro and Jung donated the money they would have spent to a variety of charities. They also lead a Happy Family campaign, through which they fund wedding ceremonies for couples that can’t afford them on their own.

In June, netizens ranked the couple No. 1 among celebrity role models. The JoongAng Ilbo sat down with Ro and Jung to talk about their philosophy on sharing wealth.

Q. You were recently chosen as promotional representatives for Compassion Korea. Tell us about your relationship with the charity.

A. Ro: The first time I got to know Compassion Korea was in the summer of 2005. That was around the time when my wife and I had our first child. Everyone stresses the importance of early education, so I was thinking about what I could do for our unborn child. I decided I wanted her to learn what love is. So we sponsored three children overseas. One for me, one for my wife and one for my first child.

So how did you end up sponsoring more than 100 children?

We had originally planned to have four children. So we decided to support three more children, even though we only had one child at the time. [Ro and Jung now have three children.] The crucial moment came in May 2008 when my wife went to the Philippines to meet one of the children we were supporting. She realized that our monthly donation of 45,000 won had changed the life of one small girl. That was when we decided to give up buying our own house and keep donating.

But it must be difficult to help others.

Right. I always thought about helping others but it was hard to put my ideas into action. When I was working as a member of Jinusean [a hip-hop duo that was popular in the 1990s], I would donate money if I had much more than I needed. It was just a one-time donation. But when I settled down, I asked myself what would make us a happy family. My answer was sharing what we had.

Did your wife agree with the idea?

Jung: Absolutely!

What do you think about people who are suspicious of your intentions?

Ro: I know there are some people like that. About six years ago, there were more people who were suspicious about our motives, but now people know we’re not doing this to impress others.

What is your definition of sharing?

It’s something everyone can do. Everyone says they will start making donations when they become richer, but I don’t think that’s right. There are all different types of sharing. You can donate just a single 100 won coin or 100 million won.

What do you hope for your children?

I hope they will grow into people who make their neighbors happy.

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December 9, 2010

Actors Bae Soo-bin (left) and Han Chae-young pose after being appointed promotional ambassadors for the Korea Red Cross in Seoul on Wednesday. /Newsis

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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December 9, 2010

Kim Hyun Joong to Appear in Cameo in 'Dream High'

Source: KBS Global

Singer and actor Kim Hyun Joong (24) will make a cameo appearance in the KBS 2TV drama “Dream High,” which will air from next January.

In the drama, which Bae Yong Joon and Park Jin Young co-produced, Kim Hyun Joong will play a star actor who is coming back to the country after conducting overseas activities.

Kim filmed the scene in which he met Bae Young Joon, who plays the chairman of the board of Kirin Art School, the best star training school, at the Incheon international airport on December 7. It was the first time that Kim Hyun Joong and Bae Yong Joon appeared in a scene together after Kim had transferred to Bae’s agency, Keyeast. The production company of “Dream High” said, “Bae Yong Joon monitored Kim’s acting and carefully provided advice about his acting. We had actually planned to film the scene without advance notice as we had worried that too many people might gather at the airport, but many fans were waiting at the airport from the early morning anyway and the entrance of the airport was almost blocked.”

“Dream High,” which will air its first episode on January 3, will portray the process of how students at Kirin Art School become world stars through constant challenges.

December 8, 2010

Kim Hyun-joong Tours Singapore & Malaysia

Source:

KBS Global

Singer and actor Kim Hyun-joong has successfully completed his tour of Singapore and Malaysia.

Kim arrived in Singapore on December 1st, greeted by cheering fans, and met with the press for ongoing interviews until the 3rd. Then he met with 2,000 fans at the Sky Garden for a special photo opp and autograph signing session. Kim, known for having made various charity donations in the past, presented a donation of 18 million won (some of his own personal contributions included) to the NGO, World Vision.

He then jetted off to Malaysia later that night to meet with the Malaysian press first thing on the morning of the 4th. Once again, he met with about 3,000 fans at the Pavilion Mall for a autograph signing session.

The next country on the busy star's agenda will be Japan. Kim will be making an appearance on December 14th at the Tokyo Dome for the Message! to Asia event which is a part of the Smile Project.