[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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July 17, 2010

Korean Songs Replace Dramas as Latest Fad in Japan

Manufactured bands are the latest forces driving the popularity of Korean culture and entertainment in Japan. While Japanese fans of the so-called Korean Wave had primarily been women in their 40s and 50s until now, the rising popularity of idol groups has widened to teens and 20-somethings.

◆ Idol Groups

The boy band Big Bang recently won a number of accolades in Japan, including Best Pop Video at the MTV Music Awards in May. Big Bang was one of the Best Five New Artists at the Japan Golden Disc Award in February. Almost every Japanese concert tour of the boys has sold out since they started working in Japan in 2008, while other Korean groups such as 2PM, 2AM, SHINee, BEAST and MBLAQ are also doing well in Japan. "Many Rain and Seven fans were in their 30s to 50s, but today's idol groups like Big Bang are popular among Japanese teens," said Hwang Min-hee of YG Entertainment.

Girl groups Kara and 4Minute are growing more popular, while Girls' Generation plans to hold its debut concert in Japan on Aug. 25 in front of around 10,000 people. "It's because there are only a few Japanese girl groups including AKB48 that are grabbing attention there," said Min Byung-ho, an official at M.net Japan, which showcases Korean songs and performers there. "What's especially promising for Korean girl groups is that 80 to 90 percent of their fans in Japan are in their teens or 20s," Min said.

The rapid growth of M.net Japan also attests to the rising popularity of Korean singers and songs in Japan. In January 2008, only around 50,000 people in Japan watched the program, but the number has almost doubled to 90,000.

Girl group Kara

◆ Ballad Singers

Korean crooners known for their tranquil ballads have also established a solid fan base in Japan, especially among older audiences. A key example is SG Wannabe, which held around 100 performances in Japan over the last four years. A staffer with IS Entermedia Group, which manages SG Wannabe, said, 70 percent of SG Wannabe's concert audiences are in their 40s or 50s.

Actors Ryu Si-won and the late Park Yong-ha, who rose to fame in Japan with their performances in Korean soap operas, also gave concerts there singing ballads. Ryu Si-kwan, head of R's Company, which manages Ryu, said most Korean dramas broadcast in Japan are dubbed in Japanese, so it's not easy for Korean actors to interact with Japanese fans, "which is why fans like to hear their favorite actors sing, since it can bring them closer together."

◆ The Future

While Korean music enjoys rising popularity in Japan, Korean soaps appear to have lost their luster. There have been no major hit soap operas since "Winter Sonata" and "Jewel in the Palace." The Korean spy drama "IRIS" was broadcast on Japan's TBS network earlier this year but viewer ratings were between just 7 and 8 percent. "Taewangsasingi" starring the island country's favorite Bae Yong-joon, failed to draw much interest when it aired there in 2008.

A location shoot for the action TV drama "IRIS" in Gwanghwamun Plaza last November.

But recent moves by Fuji TV, TBS and other Japanese terrestrial broadcasters to allot regular daytime slots to Korean dramas are encouraging, showing a steady appetite for Korean soaps. "The Korean Wave in Japan saw explosive growth around 2005 through dramas and movies, but it looks like the trend is stabilizing now rather than growing," said Prof. Sohn De-hyun of Hanyang University. "The Korean Wave could attract more Japanese fans if Korean songs and dramas achieve synergy, since Korean singers are drawing younger Japanese fans these days."

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 19, 2010

Oh Man-seok admits to dating Jo An

Reporter: Ko Kyoung-seok Editor: Lynn Kim

Actor couple Jo An (left) and Oh Man-seok

Korean actor Oh Man-seok has confirmed reports that he is dating actress Jo An, his co-star from the hit daily drama "Jolly Widows" (KBS, 2009).

"Oh Man-seok and Jo An have recently started officially dating," a source at Oh's agency Fresh Entertainment told Asia Economic Daily over the phone on Saturday, a day after the two were spotted returning from a one-day trip to Japan.

Oh and Jo had left for Japan early Friday morning and returned home late that night.

News of their romantic involvement first surfaced in early May when it was revealed the two had visited an amusement park with Oh's five-year-old daughter on Children's Day (May 5).

At the time, their agencies had denied that they were a couple, saying they are "just close actor friends."

However, Oh's agency have now confirmed that Oh and Jo are an item, although stressing they were not a couple in May and that "it was only recently that they started officially dating."

Jo An and her agency, in contrast, have not said anything after the Japan getaway went public.

Oh, 35, has appeared in various plays, musicals, films and television dramas including "The Vineyard Man" (KBS2, 2006) and "The King and I" (SBS, 2007). He currently appears in the war drama "Road No.1" alongside Hallyu stars So Ji-sub and Kim Ha-neul.

Jo, 27, has starred in several notable movies and dramas including "Seoul 1945" (KBS1, 2006), "Chosun Police" (MBC, 2005) and "Land" (SBS, 2004). She currently stars in the daily drama "Three Sisters" (SBS, 2010) with actresses Myung Se-bin and Yang Mi-ra.

Reporter: Ko Kyoung-seok kave @ Editor: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 19, 2010

Actress Yoo In-na enters the field to throw a ball before the baseball match between Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Sunday. /Newsis

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 19, 2010

"Moss" makes debut atop Korean box office

Reporter: Lucia Hong Editor: Jessica Kim

Movie poster of Korean thriller "Moss" [CJ Entertainment]

Korean thriller "Moss" made its debut atop the local box office this weekend, stealing the top spot from the latest "Twilight Saga" installment.

Figures from the Korean Box Office System (KOBIS) released on Monday showed that "Moss," which was released on July 15, attracted 845,868 viewers during the weekend of July 16 to 18.

The movie, based on a popular online comic series which received over a total 36 million hits, stars Korean actors Jung Jae-young, Park Hae-il and Yoo Sun.

It is about how Ryoo Hae-gook, played by Park, is at a village for his father's funeral while also trying to figure out the cause of his father's death but the village people want him out of their lives.

Vampire threequel "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, dropped a notch to second place with 397,496 viewers after a mere one-week reign on the box office, while "Shrek Forever after" also slipped one spot to No. 3 with 289,638 admissions.

Korean war film "71 Into the Fire" came in fourth with 186,368 admits and "Knight & Day" fell down two slots to fifth place selling 184,249 tickets.

Other movies on the top 10 included "Man of Vendetta," "A Story of Bangja," "Barefoot Dream," "Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard" and "Splice."

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

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July 19, 2010

Sylvester Stallone says almost cast Rain in film "Expendables"

Reporter : Choi June-yong Editor : Lynn Kim

Hollywood movie star Sylvester Stallone talks about Rain during an interview with "Entertainment Weekly" [KBS2]

Asian superstar Rain was offered a role in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming action pic "The Expendables," according to the Hollywood heavyweight.

In an interview with KBS2 TV's showbiz news program "Entertainment Weekly," which aired Saturday evening, Stallone explained that he had asked Rain to appear in "Expendables."

"I haven't visited [Korea] but I am familiar with some of the people... We almost used a Korean actor called Rain," explained the legendary action star. "I wanted him to play like [Chinese actor] Jet Li's son or his brother or something in there... I thought it would have been great." He said that Rain was doing a tour when they were filming the movie however, and could not appear in the film.

Stallone, 64, is considered one the biggest Hollywood stars who has appeared in numerous movies during his forty-year acting career. He is best-known for the hit franchises "Rocky" and "Rambo" which each turned out six and four films in its series.

"Expendables," about a team of top-notch mercenaries trying to take out a South American dictator, will feature special cameos by Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Stallone, who stars in the film, also co-wrote and directed the pic.

The film is set for a U.S. release next month.

Reporter : Choi June-yong yjchoi01@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 19, 2010

[iNTERVIEW] Actor Park Hae-il - Part 1-2

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo Photographer : Chae ki-won Editor : Lee Ji-Hye Editor : Jessica Kim

Park Hae-il [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

When told he had not changed much appearance-wise from the days of his debut film "The Waikiki Brothers," Park Hae-il responded, "Because I'm still immature..." But the caution he showed in explaining his role as Yoo Hae-gook in film "Moss" which he had won support for by fans of the original comic even while casting was in process, and using as minimal conclusive expressions about working with director Kang Woo-suk for the film, revealed that Park was far from being the boy in "The Waikiki Brothers" who out of drunkeness, handed the score for a self-composed song to the girl he likes. It has already been nine years since then, during which he has enjoyed success from movies such as "Memories of a Murder" or "The Host," as well as leave short yet long-lasting impressions in unique productions such as "Skeletons in the Closet." In short, he has constantly grown as an actor. And that is why we predicted he has grown yet again while working on "Moss."

10: When fans of original comic "Moss" simulated casting for the movie adaptation, you were the actor that was chosen the most for the role of Yoo Hae-gook.

Park Hae-il: I think that's just in terms of my image, in other words, from a one-dimensional aspect. Once I was actually cast for the part and started doing the acting, I found out that it wasn't just all good because fitting the image and being able to act the role are different issues. I had also thought whether it could be an advantage for me but I decided that I may end up depending on it and have other thoughts so I told myself that it isn't just plain good and that there are other things I should show myself.

10: You must've really felt a desire to depend on that image.

Park: Yet at the same time, I told myself that the emotions that my character shows would be mitigated if I try to copy the expressions he puts on in the comic. Oh, and this is another thing I thought... So does this mean that no matter what I do, I would still seem like Yoo Hae-gook? But that's not true, right? That's why I had to let go of more things.

10: Director Kang Woo-suk said he filmed the movie with the determination that he would do better than Yoon Tae-ho, the writer of the original comic. Did you in any way feel that you were competing against your character Yoo Hae-gook?

Park: With the Yoo Hae-gook from the original comic? No, I think it's a bit different. The moment I was cast as Yoo Hae-gook, I told myself that have no choice but to be a bit different from him -- from his inner sides to what he's like overall. Whether it be on the good side or the bad side, there was going to be a subtle difference. Plus, the original comic is by Yoon Tae-ho while the film is by Kang Woo-suk. So I think the Yoo Hae-gook in the movie must've been created from director Kang's perspective. I wouldn't recommend that you read the original comic beforehand because of the movie but if you do get to see both, I think you'll have fun seeing the difference between the two.

Park Hae-il [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

10: For example, in the scene where Hae-gook appears for the first time, the tone in the scene where he talks to prosecutor Park Min-wook (played by Yoo Jun-sang) over the phone was very different from the original comic. In the comic, it seemed like he wanted comfort for what he had done but in the movie, it seemed like he was trying to discern between the rights and the wrongs of the matter.

Park: That's what I was trying to explain. The film takes off from a minutely different point from the original comic and as the story progresses, that gap widens to create a difference in the vibe.

10: Then how did you try to interpret your character Hae-gook?

Park: That I tried to do while talking to the director. It was a process through which we tried to set the tone for the character rather than creating him by adding something to him. My character is based on the original comic but I think the director didn't want to tell the story in the way the comic did. We tried to create a character who stood out more and was straightforward with his feelings. He explained that he wanted Hae-gook to be more active in his actions so that the tight tension or the confrontation with the villagers would stand out more.

10: It must've been much more difficult for you to explain the tenaciousness of Hae-gook in the movie compared to the comic because in the comic, everything is explained through his past.

Park: It's true that Hae-gook's past is explained very convincingly in the comic since it's 80 episodes long. And despite the fact that the running time of our movie is not that short either, I'm sure the producer didn't have an easy time reducing the narrative [from the comic]. I think he must've had to make the bold decision to cut out parts which harm the tempo of the movie even if it explains the character's past or is description and leave the narrative at a comprehendable level. But I do think that people who haven't read the comic could become curious about Hae-gook's past. In the same sense, prosecutor Park Min-wook's past was omitted a considerable amount too. And one may wonder whether to accept this as an inevitable choice because there is a difference between comics and movies or whether it should've been explained even if it means having to split up the movie into two parts. But that is up to the director to decide. I don't think it's an issue where I can say, 'I want more of my past.'

10: But it must have not been easy for you as an actor to portray your character convincingly without having explained his profile to the audience.

Park: That's right. The villagers have definite entrances and exits in the movie and their past is shown through their reminiscing scenes which show clearly how they're feeling. So I do feel that my character lacks in that sense but does that mean the audience would've been able to become immersed with my character even more if there was more detaield explanation about him? I'm not sure which is right. I think it's something we'll be able to judge after communicating with the audience when the movie is released.

10: It seems that you went in the direction that the director pointed to but aren't the actor and director sometimes concerned about different aspects when it comes to analyzing a character?

Park: Rather than us having a difference in opinions, I think I constantly checked in advance with the director to establish my character. We would talk in advance about which direction it would be better for Hae-gook to take and the director would give me feedback. I think he made things very clear in that sense. In other words, he was saying, "Follow me."

10: Are you usually the type that is good at following directions?

Park: I'll follow if it makes sense. And I think the director made it make sense this time. This is a director who is strong at portraying masculine and outspoken characters so I sensed that this was what the director was trying to do [with my character]... the vibe that the actor should give off in order to pull off his character rather than the detailed picture. He explained those parts clearly and I understood. Hae-gook is someone who within the movie, represents the audience's perspective, so I think I put in a lot of effort to maintain the tight tension because if I was pushed over by the villagers, so would the audience.

Park Hae-il [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

10: Just like you said, you have to maintain a tension with the villagers so I think having to pull off such a role as a stranger must've had an influence on the vibe on set even when the camera wasn't rolling.

Park Hae-il: Tremendously. We were filming over an extended period in the district of Muju and when we go onto the set to start shooting in the morning, Jung Jae-young would arrive at the dressing room first, starting the day by shaving his head. It almost felt like a ritual. And then I would start becoming wary of him while watching him get his make-up done which changed him into a village foreman, and then changed the look in his eyes. I also felt an immense amount of power from seeing how my senior actors would look at the conti while smoking in the shade before going into shoot, or how people would transform completely after having disappeared from the set for a while. And these are people who exude twice to three times that force about them once they actually go into shoot.

10: Do you tend to think that you don't want to lose against them when you see that?

Park: Honestly, yes. I also think that's the characteristic of this movie. And I'm not just talking about competing against them in terms of acting but that I should hold my ground.

10: That must mean you felt emotions which almost made you almost lose your ground.

Park: I was working with seniors whom I had known in the past but had never worked with on a fim together. I was nervous about the fact that I was going to have to face each of them at least once. It actually took us a week to shoot the scene where I sneak into the house of Jeon Seok-man, the role played by actor Kim Sang-ho, then get stabbed by a gimlet and run away to the cliff. A week may sound like nothing, but when Kim was chasing me with an axe while chasing after me with magical methods of contracting space... He may look docile but he's the type that can become very scary if he has malice. I realized while shooting that scene that Hae-gook has gotten himself into an insane location and that's when I started my struggle to make it out of there.

10: The movie showed that you must've had a hard time physically.

Park: Now that I look back on it, I think I really did have a tough time. I was sick back then although I have nothing to say should someone come up to me and tell me that actors are supposed to take care of their health. My body was aching so much that I was suspicious of whether I had caught the influenza virus. And yet in that situation, we had to close all the windows for the first scene to record real-time, so I was dripping with sweat during filming it. That's why it was even more tough. In the aforementioned scene, with actor Kim Sang-ho, my allergies kicked in while I was going up the mountain so marks that looked like I got bitten all over my body by mosquitoes appeared and they spread all the way up to my neck. I told myself I couldn't keep shooting in that state so I quickly went to the closest dermatologist and got a month's worth of medicine for it for the summer scenes but then you know how strong medicine for the skin is, right? I felt lethargic and dopey after taking it. That memory is embedded in my mind so deeply that it's to the point I could become neurotic just talking about it. I do think I somehow managed to wrap up the shoot well somehow though.

10: In part, you must feel proud about the fact that you overcame that.

Park: I want to pat myself on the back, telling myself that I had a hard time and that I managed to wrap up the shoot well, regardless of whether I did a good job or not.

Park Hae-il [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

10: Then do you think you have become stronger both physically and psychologically by working on this film?

Park: A certain amount, in some ways. It'll help in my future films. It's not to the extent that it's like a turning point though -- I'm accumulating on good nourishment. It'll be helpful to me even if it isn't received well by the audience.

10: Do you think the experiences of expanding on your filmography accumulates within you.

Park: I may not be aware of it but I'm sure at least one percent of each movie is accumulated within me. Even if it may be in my subconscious. I think that has an influence on me in my life as an ordinary individual. Minutely.

10: In that sense, which movie has had the most influence on you?

Park: It's not because it's my debut film but "The Waikiki Brothers" is a film that has a lot of significance for me. It's a movie that taught me in what sort of attitude I should tell a story to the audience. The film is ultimately about people. Realistic [stories].

10: Then could we consider such learning as you developing?

Park: I want to see for myself too. Whether that has happened. There are definitely moments from the past that I remember while working on films. It's quite amazing. Images from movies I worked on a very long time ago sometimes pop into my head without me being aware of it. I do think they come to me because they're related in some way and I think about why that happens at those moments.

10: I guess you're not the type that it that pays too much attention to such things.

Park: Then I should be going back and looking for it. But I'm not the active style.

10: But don't you need an evaluator other than yourself if you want to see yourself develop? It's not easy to judge yourself and say, I did well. (laugh)

Park: I don't think it's absolute but I do have evaluators with objective perspectives. My best friends. I have about seven to eight friends from elementary school that I still keep in touch with. We can be ourselves completely so they tell me about my acting comfortably, in a very straightforward manner, whether I did good or bad. Of course, I sometimes feel hurt but I get over it after a drink. It's definitely not absolute but it helps a lot.

10: Then which role did your friends give you the most favorable evaluation for?

Park: They have never given me good evaluation. They always talk about the bad things. (laugh) That everyone else did great except for me.

10: But you must still feel lucky as an actor to have such people around you.

Park: I'm not too sure but I don't want to lose them.

10: It seems that you carry on one life -- you don't distinguish between your daily life and your life as an actor.

Park: I think it's hard to, yet. There is so much power and ingredient I have gained [for my acting] through everyday experiences. And I'm not saying I'm going to act the way I do in everyday life for my acting. I'm trying to show emotions from everyday life, for example, how people in documentaries and newspaper articles live. Stories in scenarios take off from how people live so I try not to separate the two.

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo eight@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Lee Ji-Hye seven@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2

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July 19, 2010

Kim Hyun Joong to Play Handsome Genius Boy

SS501 member Kim Hyun Joong has been cast as the male lead in the MBC drama “Mischievous Kiss" (written by Ko Eun Nim, directed by Hwang In Roi and Kim Do Hyung), which will begin airing from September.

According to a spokesperson for his agency Keyeast on July 16, Kim Hyun Joong will play the male lead named Paek Seung Jo in the drama. The character he will play is a handsome genius boy who can learn anything one hundred times faster than others.

In the original Japanese comic book, the name of the character was Arie Naoki.

Production director Hwang In Roi revealed reason why he cast Kim Hyun Joong for the role by saying, “Kim Hyun Joong has an appearance that looks like he just came out of the romance comics and he also has purity in his mind, so he is very suitable for the character Paek Seung Jo.”

The drama “Mischievous Kiss“ is based on the original Japanese comic book which has been very popular in Japan, selling more than 27 million copies. The original comic book has been evaluated as the best romance comic book ever along with another Japanese comic book, “Boys Over Flowers.”

The story is about a genius but cynical male lead who has an IQ of 200. He meets an impatient troublemaking female lead and they fall in love.

The original comic book was already made as a drama in Taiwan with star actor Cheng Yuan Chang as the male lead, so the drama has gained huge popularity not only in Taiwan, but also in Korea and Japan.

The Korean version of the drama will be produced by the production company Group Eight, which made the drama “Boys Over Flowers,” along with star production director Hwang In Roi, who made popular dramas such as “Nymph Of Shampoo,””What Women Live By,” and “Princess Hours,” and star writer Ko Eun Nim, who has written famous scripts for the movie “Bungee Jump Of Their Own” and the TV dramas “Rebirth – NEXT” and “Soul,” so the big production team has drawn attention.

New actress Jung So Min has been cast as the female lead Oh Ha Ni (Aikara Kotoko in the original), who loves Paek Seung Jo in the drama. Oh Ha Ni does not have an interest in studying, but she has positive personality and loves Peak Seung Jo.

The drama “Mischievous Kiss” will begin filming in July and will air its first episode on September 1 as the follow-up drama to MBC’s “Road No.1.”

Source: KBS Global

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July 19, 2010

On the set of the film "Cyrano Agency"

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

A scene from the romantic comedy film "Cyrano Agency" [photographed by Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

"Choi Daniel appears in the film, as do Lee Min-jung, Park Shin-hye and myself," answered actor Uhm Tae-woong on the set of the film "Cyrano Agency" in response to the question what viewers should watch for in the upcoming pic. That is right. The film "Cyrano Agency" draws one's curiosity just for the fact that actors Uhm Tae-woong of MBC drama "Queen Seon-deok", Choi Daniel of sitcom "High Kick Through The Roof", Lee Min-jung of SBS series "Smile, You" and Park Shin-hye of drama "Minamishineyo" will be appearing in the movie after starring in each of their hit TV dramas. Also in the sense that it is the newest movie by director Kim Hyeon-seok, who succeeded in combining romance and comedy in the film "When Romance Meets Destiny."

It is June 28, the open-set day for the film which has fallen on the Monday that Korea's National Museum of Contemporary Art is closed. In the scene being shot that day, theater director Byung-hoon (played by Uhm Tae-woon), who has turned into a 'romance assistant' for financial reasons, is helping a man named Sang-yong (played by Choi Daniel), who has zero ability in dating women. Byung-hoon helps Sang-woon stake out around Hee-joong (played by Lee Min-jung), the women that he likes. As the film's crew members, who are gradually ripening under the blazing sunlight and the heated wind, arm themselves with towels and bandanas, it is hard to discern whether this shoot is taking place in the city of Gwacheon or in Dubai. But actress Lee Min-jung, who is even wearing a pair of boots and a trenchcoat in accordance to the season in the scene, walks up and down the stairs without shedding a single drop of sweat.

However, actors Uhm Tae-woong and Choi Daniel, who says they have become 'best friends' during the shoot that they go out for drinks and movies together, are engrossed in a friendly conversation with no regard to the beautiful actress. The sight kicks up the curiosity a notch as to where this incomprehensible three-way romance will be heading.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@, Jang Kyung-Jin three@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Lee Min-jung [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Actress Lee Min-jung takes part in a shoot for film "Cyrano Agency" at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea on June 28, 2010.

Uhm Tae-woong and Choi Daniel [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

From left, actors Uhm Tae-woong and Choi Daniel take a break from filming "Cyrano Agency" at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea on June 28, 2010.

Daniel Henney [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Actor Choi Daniel squints his eyes in the sun while taking a break on the set of film "Cyrano Agency" at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea on June 28, 2010.

Photographer: Chae ki-won ten @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3 l 4

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July 19, 2010

Korean film "George and Bong-sik" presold to China

Reporter: Lucia Hong Editor: Jessica Kim

Korean actors Jung Jun-ho and Shin Hyun-jun [Official website Jung and Shin]

Korean film tentatively titled "George and Bong-sik" has been presold to China ahead of premiering in Korea, according to its production company Mega Pictures on Monday.

Mega Pictures revealed in a press release that China's media giant Guangdong Century Limited acquired distribution rights for the film on July 12 after watching footage of what has been shot so far, as well as in consideration of its cast and scenario.

"We bought the distribution rights to the film because of the all-star cast and how comic action genres are popular in China," an official from Mega Pictures explained.

Mega Pictures added that the company has received several inquiries from Japan and Thailand as well.

"George and Bong-sik" is about how a LAPD cop George (played by Jung Jun-ho) and Korean cop Bong-sik (played by Shin Hyun-jun) deal with chaotic situations. "George" also co-stars Korean actress Seo Young-hee and Australian-born super model Jessica Gomes.

The local release date for the action comedy has yet to be set.

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

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July 19, 2010

Kim Su-ro says "Yoon Si-yoon is truly remarkable"

Editor : Lynn Kim

From left, actors Kim Su-ro, Hwang Jung-eum, Yoon Si-yoon, Park Eun-bin and Park Jiyeon pose

during a press conference for film "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp" held at COEX Megabox in Seoul,

South Korea on July 16, 2010. [Rubikino]

Press conference for film "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp"

In the summer of 2008, the film "Death Bell," about a group of grade-obsessed students who must get the right answers in order to avoid mysterious death, succeeded in attracting 1.8 million viewers by telling a story related to the country's overly competitive college entrance phenomenon. The film's sequel "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp" also deals with the survival game on the whole but, unlike the original film, it does not provide any clues beforehand nor the order of deaths, making the story unfold in a more cutthroat and cruel way. However, in terms of the film's characters, director Yoo Seon-dong's "more speedy and detailed direction than the first film" did not wield its strength to a full degree. The features various characters including a student suffering from an obsessive-compulsive disorder to get good grades, a swimmer, a hip-hop mania and a precocious young girl. But it is disappointing how each character was not believable enough and was counterproductive to the film. Below is the interview from the press conference after the screening of the film "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp." The film opens in Korea on July 28.

Q: What was your strongest focus in directing the sequel pic "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp"?

Director Yoo Seon-dong (Yoo): I tried to make the direction more speedy and detailed while absorbing the strengths of the first film. If the original pic focused on the examinations, this movie puts more focus on the physical space that is a school. Authoritative teachers like Teacher Kang (played by Kim Byung-ok) and Teacher Cha (played by Kim Su-ro) or the competition and violence between the students were things that I saw and felt when I was in school. I tried to put such horrifying elements into the film.

Q: The set-up of solving problems is the same, but the format of problems appears to have changed a bit.

Yoo: When we writing the script, there were suggestions that we should make the characters solve the problems in a quiz show format, like in the first movie. But I thought it would just be an imitation. If the first film was like the college entrance test, you could say that this one is like an essay exam. It is not important whether you get one right answer. I want this film to be a movie that makes the viewer go to school, look for answers as to who kills whom, who dies, how he dies and why.

Q: There is a scene where several students are having a sexual conversation and then rapes a friend. The character development felt somewhat contrived in such scene.

Yoo: I tried to place various characters in the film that would have existed in one's school days. If it felt contrives, I think it was due to the lack of my abilities. But when I was in school, there were some students who clearly drank alcohol and did things similar to rape.

Q: Actors like Kim Su-ro, Park Ji-yeon, Hwang Jung-eum and Yoon Si-yoon have usually played bright characters up till now. How did come to casting them as lead actors in a horror film?

Yoo: I thought that if their existing images can change in the film, it would be a scarier stimulation for viewers. In the case of Kim Su-ro, he has often played funny characters but I think the viewers will probably feel frightened watching him in this movie.

Q: After appearing in the sitcom "High Kick Through The Roof," Yoon Si-yoon is working on the drama "Bread, Love and Dreams" as well as this movie. How does it feel to be so busy?

Yoon Si-yoon (Yoon): I have been lucky enough to do three projects consecutively. I feel like I am learning something rather than I am working on something. You can't take a break from learning so I am working hard to study acting, even cutting down on my sleep. It is fun to learn something and applying what I learned to acting.

Q: Your character in the film is an incredibly loyal person. What were you really like in school?

Yoon: I loved being with people, so I felt happier goofing around and hanging out with friends than studying.

Q: Kim Su-ro has recently taken on many teacher roles such as in the film "Our School E.T." and KBS TV series "Master of Study" and worked with young actors. If you had to recommend one promising actor in this movie, who would you pick?

Kim Su-ro (Kim): I was actually more interested in playing a student rather than a teacher. One of the movies that had a big influence on me was the film "Yalgae," about kids studying at the academy. I was busy doing theater in my twenties and couldn't do those [student] roles, and now this much time has passed. There are so many promising youngsters here and if just pick one person, I will get a Chuseok [Korean Thanksgiving] present from that person and bad Internet comments from the rest. (laugh) Instead of picking one young actor, I am happy to work with good kids like Miss Ji-yeon, Miss Hwang Jung-eum and Mr. Yoon Si-yoon.

Q: Then what was your first impression of young actor Yoon Si-yoon?

Kim: He is extremely serious, modest and faithful to the scenes. He is a young actor who surprises me in many ways. When you work with many newcomer actors, you see that those who have the potential to grow big are a little different. And this kid [referring to Yoon] is, wow, he is a whole lot different. I really thought that he was going to do well and swoosh, he succeeded in "Bread, Love and Dreams." If he goes swoosh and does well with this film, then he would be swooshing in both directions. What do you do about that? (laugh) Anyway, Yoon Si-yoon is truly remarkable.

Q: And now it is Yoon Si-yoon's turn. What was your first impression of Kim Su-ro?

Yoon: In one word, he was cheerful and warm-hearted just like I had seen him on TV. He is comfortable to be around like someone I had known for a long time, and it's great.

Q: It is the first film for Park Ji-yeon and the first horror movie for Hwang Jung-eum. You must have certain feelings about the movie, what was it like?

Park Ji-yeon (Park): It still feel awkward to act, but I hope the viewers will look at me favorably. Compared to the time I spent shooting the film, I think I appeared in the movie more than I expected. So I like it.

Hwang Jung-eum (Hwang): I had so much fun watching the first movie and I liked the character when I read the script for this film. It was an extension of my character in "High Kick Through The Roof," but there was a twist at the end and I thought it was a three-dimensional character. I am ashamed that my acting is going to be displayed on a big screen but, at the same time, my heart is pounding.

Q: The underwater scene was impressive. Did Park Eun-bin, who plays a swimmer in the film, prepare anything in particular?

Park Eun-bin (Park): I didn't know how to swim but I got to learn this time. I have always been afraid of the water and I even had to go about five meters into the water. Plus, I had to go to school while I was working on the movie. I fainted for the first time while I was shooting it.

Q: There must have been some scenes that terrified you during the shooting even if you were aware of everything in the script.

Park: The scariest scene was when I was standing on the diving board. I am afraid of heights and the water, so can you imagine how scared I must have been when those two fears overlapped?

Hwang: What freaked me out the most was the dummy doll made after a human being. It was so terrifying that I thought it might haunt me in my dreams.

Q: Were there any instances where you saw a ghost during the shooting?

Park: We were filming a scene where Hyun-ah (played by Nam Bo-ra) is hurting herself and dying, then suddenly the director yelled 'cut.' All the actors stopped acting and looked at the director, but the director shouted why we were stopping. The director said that he did not call out 'cut' but when we monitored the scene, there was clearly a voice that said 'cut' at that very scene.

Q: In the final scene, Yoon Si-yoon is doing CPR on Park Ji-yeon. How did it feel at the time?

Yoon: I was engrossed [in the scene] the first time we shot it but I put in too much air. (laugh) So Ji-yeon came out looking this big, like a blowfish. Scene like these were more difficult to shoot than I thought and made me nervous.

Q: There were a couple of scenes in the film that are clearly serious but makes you burst into laughter -- such as the CPR scene you just mentioned and the part where Yoon Si-yoon throws a lighter.

Yoo: The lighter-throwing scene was not intended to provoke laughter. It was a situation where the characters escape from the school after having been locked inside the building, so I was trying to think of a way to blow up the steel door in a bit more thrilling way. I wanted to unfold the story in a unique, brilliant way rather than telling it in a realistic way.

Reporter : Lee Ga-on Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

From top down, film "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp" male cast Yoon Si-yoon and Kim Su-ro speak during a press conference held at COEX Megabox in Seoul, South Korea on July 16, 2010.

Yoon Si-yoon [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Kim Su-Ro [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

From top down, film "Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp" female cast Park Jiyeon and Hwang Jung-eum speak during a press conference held at COEX Megabox in Seoul, South Korea on July 16, 2010.

Park Jiyeon [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Hwang Jung-eum [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Photographer: Han Youn-jong hyj0709 @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3

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July 20, 2010

Photos of Kim Nam-gil, Lee Wan at military camp released

Reporter: Choi June-yong Editor: Lynn Kim

Korean actor Lee Wan serving in the military [Republic of Korea Army website]

Photographs of actors Lee Wan and Kim Nam-gil, who entered a training camp last week as part of fulfilling their mandatory military duties, have been released.

The Military Camp in South Chungcheong Province on Nonsan posted Monday on its Official Website Pictures of The Actors (http://www.army.mil.kr) in The section titled 'Search for Faces We Miss.'

In the group photos, both actors are seen posing with fellow trainee soldiers in their military uniform with their right hand clenched into a fist.

Lee, whose real name is Kim Hyung-soo, made his debut in the hit TV series "Stairway to Heaven" (SBS, 2003), which starred Hallyu stars Kwon Sang-woo, Choi Ji-woo and his sister Kim Tae-hee .

The 26-year-old actor had been looking for a new acting project when he was notified by the government to enlist. Lee entered the army on July 12 and will receive five weeks of training at Nonsan.

Kim, 29, became a household name last year playing the role of Bidam in MBC's historical drama "Queen Seon-deok" alongside top Korean actress Ko Hyun-jung.

The actor was in the middle of shooting the SBS TV series "Bad Boy" when he received a notification to report to military by July 15. He tried to defer his military entrance date in order to wrap up the shoot for the series, but was unable to do so as he had already asked for deferment back in March.

Kim shot all his scenes for "Boy" by July 13 and entered the military two days later. He will receive four weeks of basic training at Nonsan and then work as a public service worker for the next two years.

Korean actor Kim Nam-gil serving in the army [Republic of Korea Army website]

Reporter: Choi June-yong yjchoi01 @ Editor: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 20, 2010

"The Housemaid" to open in U.S. theaters

Reporter : Lynn Kim Editor : Jessica Kim

Official poster for Korean film "The Housemaid" [sidus FNH]

Korean film "The Housemaid" will be shown to U.S. audiences later this year, according to the film's distributor Sidus FNH on Tuesday.

Sidus FNH announced in a press release that production company Miro Vision, which handles overseas distribution for "Housemaid," has closed a U.S. distribution deal with IFC Films on July 16 (U.S. time).

"'The Housemaid' is one of the most entertaining and sexiest thrillers that I have seen in the past couple of years," IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring was quoted as saying. "It is a movie which reconfirms that the world's best filmmaking is happening in Korea."

IFC also revealed plans to show the Jeon Do-youn starrer at major film festivals in North America, starting with the Toronto Film Festival which will be held in September. The film will be released in U.S. theaters sometimes around the end of this year or early next year.

"Housemaid" will also be pushing for a possible Golden Globe or Academy Award nomination, IFC said.

IFC Films specializes in showing independent films to the public via Sundance Channel and Independent Film Channel as well as its online and offline distribution networks throughout the country.

It had previously distributed several Korean pics such as "Secret Sunshine", "The Chaser" and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird."

"Housemaid," a remake of a 1960s classic erotic thriller, premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival in May, where it swept up six deals at the film market. The pic stars 2007 Cannes best actress award-winner Jeon Do-youn, Lee Jung-jae and veteran actress Yoon Yeo-jung.

The film, about a young maid who comes to work for a wealthy couple and starts having an affair with the husband, attracted over 2.3 million viewers in Korea during its local release earlier this year.

The pic is scheduled for release in major Asian cities including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore in early September, and will open at a hundred theaters in France on September 15.

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

IFC Films books 'The Housemaid'

Erotic thriller set for release early next year

Staff report

IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Im Sang-soo's erotic thriller "The Housemaid," which had its world premiere In Competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

The distributor plans to screen the film at key fall film festivals and then release it early next year.

The story of a young maid who wrecks havoc within the household of a wealthy family, the film is a remake of Kim Ki-youn's 1960 classic of the same name which was recently restored by Martin Scorsese.

"We're extremely happy to find IFC as the North American home for our film," president of Mirovision and the film's producer Jason Chae said. "We've always been impressed by IFC's passion for Korean landmark films and this is an honorable deal."

The deal was negotiated between IFC's Arianna Bocco and Jeff Deutchman and Mirovision's Chae and Erica Nam.

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

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July 20, 2010

Late Park Yong Ha Still Lives in Japanese Fan’s Mind

In a concert hall normally filled with the sounds of singing and shouting, only the sound of crying could be heard in a heavy-laden atmosphere. Some fans even came up onto the stage and wailed.

The memorial ceremony to offer flowers to the soul of the late Park Yong Ha, who passed away on June 30 (died at the age of 32), was held at the International Forum Hall in Yurakucho, Tokyo. The agency of the deceased, Pony Canyon, hosted the ceremony entitled “Stars Forever” from 10 am until 6:20 pm for eight hours and twenty minutes on July 18. The ceremony to offer flowers to the late Park Yong Ha was actually scheduled to finish at 6 pm.

In the concert hall where the late Park had planned to hold a concert in Tokyo after a five year break, numerous fans continuously visited and some fans even took the first train which departed as early as 5 am to come to the hall, and some fans kept waiting for a long time in the evening. According to the host agency, around 14,200 fans came to the hall to pray for Ha to rest in peace.

Park Yong Ha’s unreleased photo which had been taken for the album jacket of his mini album entitled “Once In A Summer,” which was released in July last year, was unveiled as the picture of the deceased, and Park Yong Ha’s guitar that he had used to play when he performed in concert was displayed at the platform prepared for offering flowers. The late Park Yong Ha’s mother and older sister came to the hall and prayed for him when they arrived earlier at around 9:30 am.

Park’s close friend and famous producer Tsunku (42) also offered flowers for the dead. At around 10 am in the morning, more than 4,000 fans gathered in the hall and formed a grand procession which was so long it's end was difficult to see.

The organizer had to order more white carnations as an unexpected number of fans came to offer prayers for him. On a large screen hanging on the wall inside the hall, the videos of his live concerts filmed during his Japan tour held at Yokosuka and Kawaguchi played, although his appearance singing enthusiastically made fans sad. Fans who were waiting for their turns to offer flowers cried in front of his picture and prayed for him to rest in peace. Some fans even wailed while holding onto the platform.

The host gave the late Park Yong Ha’s photo that was taken at the concert in Kawakuchi on June 26, his autographed signature, and the thank you note that his older sister had written to his fans as a representative message from the bereaved family, to his fans who visited the hall. The letter that his sister Park Hye Yeon had written for the fans began by saying, “To the many dear fans who have loved and helped my brother Yong Ha.” She continued to write, “I do not know how I can start this letter. Still, I cannot help crying. Just like all of you, our family members are in deep sorrow. I think that we need more time until we can accept this situation. Yong Ha had loved his work and he had dreamed of many things. He also had wanted to become happier with his family. Our Yong Ha who had been healthy in his body and mind and who had had a bright personality, no longer stays with us.” She expressed her sadness and continued to write, “Our family cannot understand the reason why Yong Ha left us so suddenly like that because he always used to talk about pleasant and happy episodes to us. But our family and all those people who had helped him so far want to treasure everything that he has left behind.”

Source: KBS Global

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July 20, 2010

Hong Sang-soo's 'Oki's Movie' to close Venice film fest

SEOUL, July 20 (Yonhap) -- Director Hong Sang-soo's latest film, "Oki's Movie," will be featured at this year's Venice International Film Festival as the closing film of its new competitive section, the festival's Web site said Tuesday.

"Oki's Movie" will have its world premiere Sept. 11 as the closing screening of the Orizzonti section, dedicated to new trends emerging in cinema, it said. The festival runs from Sept. 1-11 in the Italian tourist city.

At the Cannes film festival in May, Hong received the grand prize in the "Un certain regard" category with "Hahaha."

His latest film is the story of a young filmmaker, his old cinema professor and a woman named Oki, who is caught between the two men.

Source: hkim@yna.co.kr yonhapnews.co.kr

Hong Sang-soo to attend Venice Film Festival with new pic

Reporter: Lynn Kim Editor: Jessica Kim

Korean director Hong Sang-soo [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo will be attending the Venice Film Festival for the first time with his latest pic "Ok-hee's Film."

US film publication Variety reported July 19 (US time) that Hong's newest pic has been chosen as the closing film for the Horizons (Orizzonti) section of the festival, to be held in Venice from September 1 to 11.

This is the first time that Hong has been invited to the prestigious Italian film fest, which marks its 67th anniversary this year.

The director has made six trips to Cannes Film Festival, however, and was awarded the grand prize in the "Un Certain Regard" category for the film "Hahaha" earlier this year.

Hong's eleventh feature production "Ok-hee's Film," which stars Lee Sung-gyun and Jung Yoo-mi, is about a movie directed by a film major student, to be played by Jung.

Hong is considered one of the most prominent filmmakers in Korea who is known for unique vision and originality. He has won international acclaim with his films which include "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" (1996), "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors" (2000) and "Woman Is the Future of Man" (2004).

"Ok-hee's Film" will be shown on September 11, on the last day of the festival.

Reporter: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 20, 2010

Actor Kim Nam-gil appears as dashing Army recruit

Top actor Kim Nam-gil, 29, appears as a dashing Army recruit in recent photos.

A snapshot of the actor has been posted on the official website of the Army training camp. Kim in the photo shows off his masculine physique, his right fist raised with an energetic and playful grin.

The actor joined the army, July 15 upon finishing shooting the SBS miniseries “Bad Guy.” Hundreds of avid fans all across Korea, Japan, and Taiwan saw their beloved celebrity off. Kim is currently receiving 4-week entry training at a military camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province.

He is scheduled to be discharged from military service on July 14, 2012.

Kim made his acting debut on MBC in 2003. He was acclaimed for his outstanding performances in television series and films including “School 1,” “My Lovely Sam-soon,” “Good-bye Solo,” “Queen Sun-duk,” “Kang Cheol-jung: the Public Enemy” and “Bad Guy.”

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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July 20, 2010

Fantasia presents 14 Korean features

Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival, running July 8 – 28 in Canada’s second-largest city, presents a total of 14 Korean features this year. The festival which highlights fantasy and strong genre-oriented films from Asia will screen the Canadian premiere of Lee Yong-joo’s debut feature Possessed – a new Korean horror that has drawn much attention already at fantastic fests in Amsterdam, Brussels and Gérardmer.

Fantasia 2010 will also play a large number of large scale films and Korean blockbusters. This includes Choi Dong-hoon’s Korean superhero blockbuster Woochi, the period action drama Blades of Blood (2010), love-triangle period drama A Frozen Flower (2008), Jang Hun’s Secret Reunion (2010) starring Song Gang-ho and Kang Dong-won, Korea’s most successful comedy Scandal Makers (2009) and the ironic Castaway on the Moon (2009) about a man trapped on an island in the Han River in the middle of Seoul. Also of note is What is Not Romance (2009) which uses the colour and creativity of animation to focus on the banality of a Korean family.

Blood and comedy come together in The Neighbor Zombie (2009). The movie goes back in time to plot the path of various characters before they succumb to the world wide epidemic that slowly takes over their bodies. Death is also the major theme of The Executioner (2009) the drama which asks what if executions, which have been put on hold since 1997, were to be reintroduced back into the Korean legal system. The film directed by first time feature director Choi Jin-ho film looks at how executions affect not only those who are hung but those who are involved in the practice.

Source: Fantasia2010 via KOFIC

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July 21, 2010

Moon Geun-young says "trying to be less friendly"

Editor : Jang Kyung-Jin Photographer : Chae ki-won Editor : Lucia Hong

Korean actress Moon Geun-young and actor Um Ki-joon [10Asia/Chae Ki-won]

The second project of the series of plays produced by talent agency Namoo Actors and Aga Entertainment will feature Moon Geun-young and Um Ki-joon. The theatrical play "Closer" was written by Patrick Marber and became a huge movie hit in 2004 with Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. The play premiered in Korea in 2005 with a cast of Nam Sung-jin, Park Hui-soon, Kim Yeo-jin, Son Byung-ho and Yoon Ji-hye. It was performed eight times on stage and known as the main repertoire of Aga Entertainment, receiving a lot of love from the public. Unlike other works where it 'romanticizes' love, "Closer" points out the cynicism and cold aspects of it. The play reflects on how "with their own laws of love everyone breaks apart" and the selfishness and coldness of four modern urbanites. Compared to previous productions of "Closer" that had been adapted to fit the Korean sentiments, the 2010 version will be close to the original play with the same inclination and feeling to the London show. Below are the excerpts from the press conference with the cast and director of the Korean adaptation of the play "Closer."

Q: Moon Geun-young, you're talk of the town even for the fact that you've taken on the role of Alice after having shown portrayed kind and innocent images.

Moon Geun-young (Moon): I thought I had showed a strong and rough image in "Sister of Cinderella." (laugh)

Q: Moon, why did you chose "Closer?"

Moon: When I choose a project, I mainly think about how fun and interesting it will be to be a part of it. I don't choose a project because I want to transform. What I found appealing about "Closer" was that I will be on a stage, that it was a play. While watching the movie "Closer," I thought that some of Natalie Portman's acting was extremely appealing and it made me want to play the role.

Q: Alice has the interesting job of being a strip dancer but she is not calculative when it comes to love. Is there anything that you prepared separately in order to play the character?

Moon: The director, who oversees the rehearsals, told me that I'm doing a good job but said numerous times that I'm too nice. I am trying to be less nice. Now I'm greedier to become able to exchange emotions with other actors on stage, instead of focusing on the details in my speech or facial expression.

Cho Haeng-deok (Cho): There are several things that actors, who have done dramas and movies, will find confusing when they first take on plays. It was the same case for Moon Geun-young. Actors have to work on relaying their emotions more directly to the audience through their gaze and intonation since plays go hand-in-hand with the audience. It’s been about a month since we've been rehearsing but Moon caught on after the first week so I think she has been becoming closer to her character Alice ever since.

Q: You've become one of the string of actors who have recently begun working in theater. It is a lot easier to receive harsh review since you'll meet the audience face-to-face. Do you feel any pressure about that?

Moon: I feel a lot of pressure. As time goes by, I feel more nervous, anxious and scared than when I first decided to do this project. I'm only human and I don't want to hear people saying that I'm not good, but the more rehearsals we have, the more I feel that I lack in many ways and that this is a hard genre. I've always had the desire to do stage plays. Even if it's not right now, if I was still acting, I knew that I would have the aspiration and greed to perform on stage. Then I thought about how it will easier to have the courage to do it now rather than later. I'm not good yet but I'm still young so I think I'd be able to overcome criticism and pain quickly. I can fill in those shortcomings. If I took on this project at an older age, I think I'll be more afraid and my pride will be hurt. Every day, I think to myself that I should forget those negative thoughts and just do my best in acting.

Q: How do you plan on working out the scene in the club for Alice?

Cho: I plan on sticking to the original play as close as possible -- the past five productions of "Closer" used Korean names of the characters and places. That is why we retranslated the original piece and in the process, Moon pointed out several new parts that I missed out on. I plan on focusing on the conversation between Alice and Larry after the dance than the actual strip dance itself. The audience can view the scene as where the two understanding and embracing each other. There will be dancing but what's more important in the drama is how Alice and Larry's emotions change. And of course, there will be dancing. I and the choreographer are the only ones who know how much dancing there will be. I haven't talked to the actress on that part yet. Right now, all I will say is that it will be beautiful and sexy.

Q: Um Ki-joon, you recently announced that Moon Geun-young is your ideal woman. What was it like working with her?

Um Ki-joon (Um): I am happy. (laugh)

Q: Moon, since this will be your first time taking on a stage play. Did Um take good care of you?

Moon: I became close with Um while drinking at the MT [an overnight trip]. (laugh) I am enjoying my time [on stage] since the other actresses and actors are taking care of me. I'm the only one who should try to do my best and not be nervous on stage.

Q: Um, is there any particular reason that you continue to work without being picky about the type of genre you play?

Um: I basically love being on stage. Especially if it's a good project or role and I was given the opportunity. I will do it and it doesn't matter if it's a play, musical, drama or movie. But plays don't have bust shots or close-ups unlike in movies and dramas. That's how naked I feel for first performance because it's a space where there is no place to hide or lean on. I get evaluated on my performance in front of the audience but I like how after finishing a show, it feels as if I have matured and know more about acting. And I don't have any plans on going on a vacation but I really want to go. (laugh)

Q: "Closer" is originally a play but the movie was loved by many viewers in 2004. Did you refer to the characters in the movie?

Bae Sung-woo (Bae): I believe the actors referred to the characters in the movie. The movie was an adaptation by the same writer, so the actors probably considered the validity of it to a certain extent. However, what we have to show is the emotion. The emotion can't be seen just because an actor imitates it but it should rather be something that they [the actors] feel themselves.

Q: Someone mentioned that the cast has practiced for about a month now. What is the atmosphere like within the team?

Jin Kyung: There is a lot of physical contact in the play. And there is a 10-second kissing scene between Dan and Anna. It's in the second scene and we haven't even gotten close to it yet so the actors are worrying about it. (laugh) And we usually kick a cup around in the rehearsing studio but Moon likes it so much that she keeps asking the others to play. (laugh) Thanks to her the actors are getting plenty of exercise.

Bae: The important part of kicking the cup depends on its resilience because you can kick it better. But it's a lost game once someone steps on it. We decided on a penalty for the person who steps on the cup. Moon stepped on it and she is going to buy everyone pizza and beer. I think we will be eating it pretty soon. (laugh)

Reporter : Jang Kyung-Jin three@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Korean actress Moon Geun-young [photographed by Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Korean actress Moon Geun-young attends the press conference for play "Closer" held at CJ E & M Center in Seoul, South Korea on July 20, 2010.

Korean actor Um Ki-joon [photographed by Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Korean actor Um Ki-joon attends the press conference for play "Closer" held at CJ E & M Center in Seoul, South Korea on July 20, 2010.

Photographer: Chae ki-won ten @ Editor: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3

Moon Geun-young poses at a press event for her debut stage appearance in "Closer" in Seoul on Tuesday.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 21, 2010

Cha In-pyo joins Kwon Sang-woo for TV series "Big Thing"

Reporter: Lynn Kim

Korean actor Cha In-pyo [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actor Cha In-pyo will be joining Kwon Sang-woo and Ko Hyun-jung for the upcoming TV series "Big Thing," according to the show's production company Lee Kim Productions.

Lee Kim announced in a press release on Wednesday that Cha has been cast for the role of Kang Hyun-seok, a charismatic politician who falls in love with Ko's character Seo Hae-rim.

Based on a popular comic series of the same name, "Big" is about a gigolo played by Kwon, who helps a human rights lawyer played by Ko, to achieve her dream of becoming Korea's first female president.

"Big" had drawn much publicity when Ko chose the series as her next acting project after starring in last year's smash hit "Queen Seon-deok."

Cha, 42, rose to instant stardom when he starred in his first TV series "Love In Your Arms" (MBC, 1994) opposite actress Shin Ae-ra whom he later married.

He has since appeared in numerous television dramas and films including "Fireworks" (SBS, 2000), "Her House" (MBC, 2001), "Perfect Love" (SBS, 2003) and "Crossing" (2008).

"Big," which starts shooting this month, will premiere on the small screen on October 6.

Reporter: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 21, 2010

U.S.-Based Korean Director Brings 1st Feature Home

The Korean film director Sohn Soo-pum has made his name in the U.S. through a number of big film festivals around the globe. He was invited to the Cannes Film Festival in 2002, and he was a silver medalist of the 2002 Student Academy Awards. He has also won an award at the Chicago International Film Festival.

The U.S.-based director's first feature film "Make Yourself At Home" is due to be released in Korea in September. It stars Korean actress Song Hye-kyo and was featured in the Pusan International Film Festival in 2008.

Sohn Soo-pum

How come his films get more attention abroad than in Korea? "Perhaps the main reason is that I studied film in the United States, so I naturally made films with funding from the school, working with American filmmakers. As my films got invited to film festivals overseas, including Cannes, I got more opportunities to work in the States," the 41-year old says.

"Make Yourself at Home" is about a girl who was born to a shaman mother and tries to flee her fate by becoming an immigrant bride in the U.S. It's a thriller centering on her efforts to adapt to her new life. "While many Korean films introduced in the U.S. film market are about Koreans living in the States, growing up in unfamiliar surroundings by learning new language and culture, this film is more introvert, focusing on the changes to one's identity," Sohn explains.

Making films, he says, is "a process of finding myself. I look back and wonder why I'm living in this world, and how I should live in society. The advice I have for aspiring filmmakers is that although they may have so many reasons to do it, the most important thing is to have a story to tell."

Shooting a film requires constant collaboration between the director and the crew. "It's easy to think that all the credit for making a film goes to the director, but the director is never the only person involved in the process. I made my debut as a director after gaining hands-on experience while working as a crewmember and a director of photography on four features and 30 short films. Learning the craft is vital."

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

[rubie]

July 21, 2010

Song Hye-kyo Named Most Popular Korean Star in Hong Kong

Song Hye-kyo

Actress Song Hye-kyo was voted the most popular Korean celebrity in Hong Kong.

In a poll by the Korea Tourism Organization on 938 visitors to the International Travel Expo Hong Kong last month, some 20.4 percent chose Song as the Korean entertainer they would want to spend the summer holidays with.

Lee Young-ae, heroine of hit drama "Jewel in the Palace," followed with 17 percent. K-pop star Rain came in third with 10.7 percent, and actors Bae Yong-joon and Lee Jun-ki fourth and fifth with 7.2 and 5.8 percent, respectively.

Among those who had visited Korea, 69.1 percent said they would most like to see Seoul again, while 35.6 percent chose Busan and 25.3 percent picked Gangwon Province.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com