[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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July 21, 2010

Lee Byung-hun pic "I Saw The Devil" to open August 11

Reporter: Lynn Kim

Official movie poster for "I Saw The Devil" [showbox]

Official posters for film "I Saw The Devil" has been unveiled as the pic gears up for its summer box office debut next month.

Film's distributor Showbox announced in a press release on Wednesday that the Lee Byung-hun starrer will hit local theaters on August 11 and released two official movie posters featuring Lee and Choi Min-sik.

With two of the country's top actors in the lead roles, the thriller pic is being lauded as one of the year's most anticipated movies.

"Devil" is helmed by noted filmmaker Kim Ji-woon, who has directed both actors in his previous films; Choi in "The Quiet Family" (1998), and Lee in "A Bittersweet Life" (2005) and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird "(2008).

Lee, 40, has long been considered one of the most popular actors in Korea with dozens of television dramas and films under his belt.

The actor enjoyed a particularly successful year in 2009, making his Hollywood debut in action flick "GI Joe" and co-starring with Josh Hartnett and Takuya Kimura in the film "I Come With The Rain."

Choi, 48, has starred in numerous films, most notably "Swiri" (1999), "Oldboy" (2003) and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" (2005).

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

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July 21, 2010

Lee Seung-gi, Shin Min-ah to play couple in new TV series

Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Lynn Kim

Korean actress Shin Min-ah (left) and Lee Seung-gi (right) [sBS]

Korean singer and actor Lee Seung-gi will be romancing actress Shin Min-ah in a new SBS TV series tentatively titled "My Girlfriend is Gumiho," according to the show's PR firm IM Company on Wednesday.

IM announced in a press release that Lee and Shin have been cast as the male and female lead for the upcoming drama, where Lee will play an unlucky guy named Cha Dae-woong who falls in love with a nine-tailed fox, or 'Gumiho,' to be played by Shin.

Lee and Shin garnered much attention after photos of the two taken on set surfaced on the Internet.

"They seem to create a lively atmosphere on the set even with their [Lee and Shin] busy schedules," explained a staff member on the show, adding that the two spend their free time going over their lines and asking the crew for advice.

"Gumiho," written by sisters Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran who previously wrote hit dramas "Minamishineyo" (SBS, 2009) and "Hong Gil-dong" (KBS, 2008), is a fantasy love story between Cha Dae-woong and Gumiho, who was unleashed by Cha after being imprisoned for 500 years.

Meanwhile, girl band T-ara member Jiyeon will be making her acting debut in the series with a supporting role.

Lee, 23, made his debut as a singer after being discovered and trained by one of Korea's top female vocalists Lee Sun-hee. He rose to stardom with his first single "Because You're My Girl," which created a huge older female fan base. The ballad singer crossed over into acting in 2005 with a role in MBC's sitcom "Nonstop 5" and "Famous Princesses" (KBS, 2006). He solidified himself as an actor with his role as Hwan Sun-woo in the hit series "Shining Inheritance" (SBS, 2009).

Shin, 27, has appeared in numerous movies and television dramas since her debut in 2001. Her most notable works include KBS' drama "A Love To Kill" (KBS, 2005) with Korean entertainer Rain and movie "A Bittersweet Life" (2005) and "The Naked Kitchen" (2009).

"Gumiho" will premiere on August 11 after "Bad Boy" finishes its run.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 21, 2010

Director Kang Woo-suk tops 30-million viewers mark

SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- Kang Woo-suk became the first director in South Korea on Wednesday whose accumulated number of viewers surpassed the 30 million mark, with his latest thriller "Moss" thriving in cinemas across the country.

According to box office data compiled by the Korean Film Council, the audience number of "Moss" reached 1.42 million just eight days after its release, lifting the director to the honorary record for the first time in Korean film history.

After a feature debut in 1988 with "Sweet Brides," Kang made a series (the "Public Enemy" franchise) of high-grossing comedies poking at the corruption of police and prosecution officials, and the landmark film, "Silmido", which revealed stories of secret commandos trained to infiltrate North Korea.

With 19 movies under his belt, Kang's accumulated audience number reached 30.02 million as of Wednesday, the data showed. Director Yoon Je-kyun of "Haeundae" and "Sex Is Zero" ranks second with his accumulated view record of 18.9 million.

Set in an isolated rural village, "Moss" tells the story of a man who tries to find truth behind his religious father's sudden death but encounters an unwelcoming, inauspicious village community that is orchestrated by a mysterious old man.

Source: hkim@yna.co.kr yonhapnews

Director Kang Woo-suk tops 30-million viewer mark

The accumulated number of people who have watched films directed by Kang Woo-suk has surpassed 30 million.

According to the Korean Film Council Wednesday, the number of viewers of Kang’s latest movie "Moss" reached 1.42 million just eight days after its release, passing the 30-million viewer mark for a single director’s work for the first time in Korean film history.

The new thriller is set in a remote rural village. A man tries to discover the truth behind his religious father's sudden death.

After making his debut in 1988 with "Sweet Brides," Kang, 50, made a series of high-grossing comedies disclosing corruption involving law-enforcement officials such as policemen and prosecutors, and the box-office hit movie "Silmido," which depicted secret commandos trained to infiltrate North Korea.

Silmido, which attracted 11.08 million people, ranks sixth in the list of all-time box-office hits in the country.

The accumulated number of viewers of his 19 films amounted to 30.02 million as of Wednesday, according to the council.

Yoon Je-kyun, director of "Haeundae" and "Sex Is Zero," currently places second with 18.9 million viewers.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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July 21, 2010

Ha Ji-won cast as female lead in new SBS drama

Reporter: Ko Jae-wan Editor: Lucia Hong

Korean actress Ha Ji-won [Wellmade StarM]

Korean actress Ha Ji-won, who is returning to small screen after four years, will play the female lead in a new SBS weekend drama tentatively titled "Secret Garden," according to an official related to the show on Wednesday.

"Ha has been set to play female character Gil La-im. She has finished negotiating on the details of the contract," the official explained.

Gil will an easy-going female stuntwoman who becomes involved in a love triangle with Kim Joo-won (played by Jang Hyuk), CEO of a department store and washed-up Hallyu star Oscar (played by Yoon Sang-hyun).

Other cast members include former 2PM leader Park Jae-beom who will play Sun, a gifted singer, Kim Sa-rang as CF director Yoon Seul and Philip Lee will take on the role of Im Jong-soo, a martial arts director.

"Garden," a fantasy melodrama revolving around incidents occurring between reality and a game, brings together producer Shin Woo-cheol and scenarist Kim Eun-sook who are famous for creating smash hit series "Lovers in Paris" and "On Air."

Ha, 32, is currently filming science fiction flick "Section 7" opposite Oh Ji-ho. She has appeared in numerous dramas and movies including "Something Happened in Bali" (SBS, 2004) and "Hwang Jin-i" (KBS, 2006) for which she won the grand prize at the 2006 KBS Acting Awards.

The actress also starred in the summer blockbuster "Haeundae" (2009) and "Closer to Heaven" (2009) alongside Korean actor Kim Myeong-min.

"Secret Garden" will go on air at the end of September after "Beautiful Life" ends its run.

Reporter: Ko Jae-wan star @ Editor: Lucia Hong luciahong @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 21, 2010

Park Yong-ha still not let go by Japanese fans

Editor : Lynn Kim Editor : Lee Ji-Hye

The late Korean actor Park Yong-ha [photographed by Lee Won-woo/10Asia]

Japanese fans have still not let Park Yong-ha go

"We pray for the soul of Park Yong-ha from the bottom of our hearts. We are truly grateful for your bright smile." As Japan still continues to commemorate late Korean actor Park Yong-ha who took his own life on June 30, TBS' television show "KinSma" hosted by Nakai Masahiro, the leader of popular J-pop group SMAP, featured a special one-hour episode for Park on July 9. The relationship between the actor and the show began in July 2006 when Park stepped in as a temporary emcee for "KinSma." The special episode featured interviews with Japanese celebrities who had been close to Park, including producer Tsunku who created [J-pop girl band] Morning Musume and popular emcee Utsumi Midori who is famous for her connections with Korean stars, as well as showing Park's activities in Japan. A video letter from the late actor's fan Ishibashi Etsuko, who is suffering from an incurable disease, made viewers eyes well up with tears.

After TV series "Winter Sonata" aired in 2003, the most sought-after star in Japan was inarguably 'Yonsama' Bae Yong-joon. But Park Yong-ha also enjoyed as much popularity in the country after playing the role of Sang-hyuk, Bae's rival in love. When the show aired, the Japanese fans had reportedly divided up into 'Yonsama Group' and 'Yong-ha Group.' Park, who also led a singing career, had released his full-length album "STARS" in June and was in the middle of a nationwide tour in Japan. Thus, on the morning of June 30, numerous media outlets reported on Park's sudden death as much as they covered the results for the World Cup soccer game that had taken place the previous day. For several days afterwards, every TV station and program delivered Park's death as the headline news. The funeral services, which was carried out in Seoul, also aired live on television. Park, who had been nicknamed 'Rain Man' in Japan because it had always rained whenever he put on a big event, also saw rain on the day of his funeral, which broke the hearts of his Japanese fans all the more.

In relation to Park's death, some media outlets reported extensively on a series of suicides that have been committed by Korean celebrities. While most medias including "Sankei Sports" reported that the biggest cause of celebrity suicides was groundless negative comments made by netizens, entertainment portal site Movie Walker said that "In Korean society which values other people's judgement as much as Japan does, the stars are afraid to get criticized over a small scandal and end up falling into depression because they have no one to talk to about their problems." The website pointed out that "in order to solve the issue of increasing celebrity suicides which include actresses Lee Eun-joo in 2005, Jung Da-bin in 2007 and Jang Ja-yeon in 2009, they need to re-think the relationship between stars and their fans."

Meanwhile, the Japanese fans are still paying their tributes to Park Yong-ha. At the request of fans, broadcaster TBS started re-airing the TV series "On Air," which starred Park Yong-ha, on July 6. And it was urgently decided that his most recent film "The Scam" would be played in theaters in memory of the late actor. In addition, a memorial service was held for Park in Japan at the request of fans who were unable to attend the funeral in Korea. On July 18, the Japanese fans held a flower-offering ceremony at Tokyo International Forum, where Park Yong-ha had performed concerts every year since 2005, but they are still not able to let Park Yong-ha go.

Reporter : Im Da-ham (Tokyo correspondent) Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ , Lee Ji-Hye seven@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 21, 2010

Han Hyo-joo named PR ambassador for G20 summit

Reporter : Ko Jae-wan Editor : Lynn Kim

(From left) Figure skater Kim Yuna, actress Han Hyo-joo and soccer player Park Ji-sung

Korean actress Han Hyo-joo, along with figure skater Kim Yuna and soccer player Park Ji-sung, has been named publicity ambassador for the upcoming G20 summit, to be held in Seoul on November 11 and 12.

The G20 organizing committee announced through a press release on Wednesday that they are appointing Han, Kim and Park as PR ambassadors to promote the event to the public for the next four months.

"Since the G-20 Seoul summit is an international event through which Korea will become the center of the world, we commissioned Han Hyo-joo, who is recently receiving spotlight as the newest Hallyu star, along with the two top athletes as publicity ambassadors."

The actress shared her feelings about the news, saying "As a proud citizen of the Republic of Korea, I want to be of help, even if it's not much, in letting the public know the importance of the Seoul G-20 summit and bring out their participation and support."

The G20 committee plans to promote the trio's various activities as PR ambassadors on its official website (www.seoulsummit.kr). The appointment ceremony will be held on July 28.

Han, 23, became a household name after starring in the hit TV series "Shining Inheritance" (SBS, 2009), which scored viewership ratings of around 46 percent during its run. She is currently starring in hit MBC TV series "Dong Yi - Jewel in the Crown" as the title character.

Kim, 19, is the most celebrated figure skater to come out Korea who has won numerous championships and claimed the gold medal in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics earlier this year.

Park, 29, is regarded one of the most talented soccer players who led the country to its first "Round of 16" stage in the World Cup last month. He plays for the English football club Manchester United.

Reporter : Ko Jae-wan star@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 21, 2010

Top stars to promote G20 Seoul summit

By Han Sang-hee

Staff reporter

Figure skating champion Kim Yu-na, football superstar Park Ji-sung and actress Han Hyo-joo will be the official faces for the upcoming G20 Seoul summit scheduled in November, Seoul.

The G20 preparation committee led by chairman Sakong Il announced that the three stars will work as goodwill ambassadors.

"Kim, the gold medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Park, who led the national football team to the round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa and Han Hyo-joo, the protagonist of popular drama 'Dong Yi' (MBC) will promote Korea to the world as goodwill ambassadors and also help input the meaning of the summit to fellow Koreans," the committee said through a press release.

It added that since the summit is an international event where Korea will hopefully emerge as one of the leading countries in the world, they specifically chose the two sports stars and the aspiring actress to promote the event.

Kim, who has become an international star after her win at the Winter Olympics, is enjoying her popularity in Korea as well. She has appeared in numerous commercials and television programs, and most recently announced her plans of competing at next year’s International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championships in Tokyo.

Football star Park Ji-sung rose to stardom from the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup games and continued to wow fans with his skills as Korea’s first English Premier Leaguer with Manchester United. The national team’s captain was chosen as one of the best midfielders by FIFA.

Actress Han made her debut in 2004 and appeared in many commercials before she had her big break with the drama "Brilliant Legacy" (SBS, 2009) The 23-year-old is currently starring in the historical drama "Dong Yi," aiming to become the next Lee Young-ae, who played Jang-geum in the hit period drama "Jewel in the Palace" (MBC, 2003).

The Seoul summit is the fifth of its kind since it was initiated in November 2008 in Washington. The world’s 20 largest economies have joined together in a series of presidential and ministerial meetings to plan a fast recovery from the recent financial crisis.

For more information on the G20 Summit, visit www.seoulsummit.kr.

Source: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

July 22, 2010

Stars Tapped to Promote G20 Summit

Figure-skating champion Kim Yu-na, footballer Park Ji-sung and actress Han Hyo-joo have been named promotional ambassadors for the G20 Summit to be held in Seoul in November.

The summit's preparation committee said, "We picked two world-champion athletes and a rising star as ambassadors for the international event, which will solidify Korea's status on the world stage."

An official appointment ceremony will take place next week.

From left, Kim Yu-na, Park Ji-sung, and Han Hyo-joo

"I'm honored to be named a promotional ambassador for such a significant event," Kim said. "I will join in the efforts to help support it."

Footballer Park said, "Playing in foreign lands for so long, I have come to understand the importance of a country's national image. I'll do my best to boost Korea's national prestige."

Han said she is looking forward to promoting the summit to the public and drawing participation and support.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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July 21, 2010

Kwon Sang-woo apologizes in 'handwritten letter'

Actor Kwon Sang-woo Wednesday posted a hand-written message on his fan website, apologizing for his hit-and-run accident last month.

"First and foremost, I am sorry that my recent actions have worried my fans. For the past month, I've stayed at home reflecting back on my actions," the 34-year-old said.

"I will do my best to restore the public's trust by acting more maturely."

Last month, Kwon drove into a parked car and a police vehicle and ran away. He has been summarily indicted with a fine of 5 million won.

The police officers involved in the accident face disciplinary actions for their failure to determine whether the actor was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Kwon is set to appear in soap opera 'Dae Mul,' slated to air in October.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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July 21, 2010

Ryu Si-won says got good vibe about young Rottyful Sky

Reporter: Park Kun-ouc Photographer: Park Sung-Ki Editor: Jessica Kim

Ryu Si-won speaks during singer Rottyful Sky's showcase held at multiplex Coex Megabox

in Seoul, South Korea on July 21, 2010. [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

Korean star Ryu Si-won said he cast female solo artist Rottyful Sky because he "got a good vibe about her despite her young age."

Ryu spoke to reporters during a showcase for Rottyful Sky's digital single "No Way" held at multiplex Coex Megabox in Seoul on Wednesday, explaining how he became the producer for the singer.

Rottyful Sky, whose real name is Kim Hanul, had first made her debut in Korea in 2001 at the young age of 13 but Ryu said he had "not thought much about her since she was a child."

He met her a few years later again through an acquaintance however, and realized she was Kim when he heard her singing at a get-together. "I cast her not just because she is good at singing but because she was very good at expressing her unique appeal and color," Ryu remarked.

Ryu, a singer and actor, is kicking off his career as a record producer through Rottyful Sky.

The newcomer singer stars as a female warrior in Sony Korea's 3D music video, as part of Sony-sponsored project, helmed by female director Lee Sa-gang who also attended the day's showcase.

Rottyful Sky will launch her new singing career tomorrow, unveiling the 3D music video for "No Way" and giving her stage performance at cable music channel Mnet's "M! CountDown."

Reporter: Park Kun-ouc kun1112 @ Photographer: Park Sung-Ki musictok @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia l 1 l 2 l 3

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July 22, 2010

Oh and Jo admit to dating

Oh Man-seok and Jo Ahn have finally announced that they are in a relationship.

The two confirmed that they are dating after Ilgan Sports captured the two departing together on a trip to Japan at Incheon International Airport on Friday.

In a statement released the following day, Oh’s management company, Fresh Entertainment, said: “Oh and Jo’s relationship was strictly professional while they were filming the KBS1 drama, ‘All Together Chachacha’ [which wrapped in January], but they grew closer after it was reported that they were dating in May.”

Rumors that the couple were dating began circulating after the two were spotted at a children’s center in Anyang with Oh’s daughter on May 5.

Source: joongangdaily.com

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July 22, 2010

Actress gets ‘Closer’

Actress Moon Geun-young will make her stage debut in a Korean version of the play “Closer.”

The play is about four men and women living in London. It was written by English playwright Patrick Marber and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1998 and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1999.

In the play, Moon is Alice Ayres, a role played by Natalie Portman in the 2004 film directed by Mike Nichols.

The play is one of eight productions in the Aga Theater Company’s Play Festival, which runs until April 2011 in theaters in Daehangno, central Seoul,

Closer runs from Aug. 6 to Oct. 10 at the Art One Theater in Daehangno.

By Hannah Kim Contributing writer joongangdaily.com

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July 22, 2010

Animal actress set for another star turn

Dal-yi returns in the role of a devoted mother dog

Owner and trainer Kim Zong-kwon poses with Dal-yi, the heroine of the film “Maumi 2.” [YONHAP]

Like other A-list actors, she has her own chair when she’s on set. She has a private black van with cushy red carpet inside. And she was the highest paid actor in “Maumi 2,” which opened yesterday in theaters nationwide.

But this lady is no diva: she isn’t picky about makeup or camera angles, nor is she particular about what she eats. After a tough scene, perhaps one that requires her to run a lot, all she needs is a couple pieces of meat.

Her name is Dal, which means “moon” in Korean, and people call her Dal-yi (the “yi” is a particle that is attached to Korean names). She first played Maumi in the 2006 film “Hearty Paws,” which was also her screen debut.

In Maumi 2, the sequel to Hearty Paws, Dal-yi plays a devoted mother dog who embarks on a journey to find her puppy, who is kidnapped by villains.

Dal-yi has great timing on-screen and off, knowing just when to let out a low snarl to express discomfort and when to let loose and bark. The movie was far more demanding for the 10-year-old Labrador Retriever than the previous installment. But Dal-yi, ever the professional actress, handled it with grace - not an easy feat after giving birth to four pups last July.

With Maumi 2, Dal-yi has become the first four-legged actress to star in a sequel. In fact, Maumi 2 is the nation’s first film franchise starring an animal. To find out more about Dal-yi’s experiences on set and off, the JoongAng Daily talked to Kim Zong-kwon, Dal-yi’s owner and trainer.

Kim, who once owned a factory that manufactured cotton gloves, adopted Dal-yi from an acquaintance when she was just 60 days old. The puppy changed Kim’s life. After Kim had to shut down his business because of health problems, he opened an animal acting academy in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, as a tribute to Dal-yi, and it has been a big success for both him and his animal companion.

Dal-yi plays a devoted mother dog who embarks on a journey to bring back her lost puppy

in “Maumi 2.” Provided by Lotte Entertainment

Q. Did you adopt Dal-yi with the idea of training her for films or did you see her cinematic potential as you were raising her?

A. I love animals. Dal-yi was a gift from a friend, but I soon realized that she had special talent. When she came to live with me she was just 60 days old, but she already understood basic commands such as “sit,” “down” and “stand.” Ordinary dogs understand about 15 words, but Dal-yi understands nearly 80. She’s really smart.

How long was Dal-yi’s day during the production of Maumi 2?

Dal-yi filmed between two to three hours a day on average. With human actors, you get better results if you shoot the same scene over and over again but animals are different. The longer it takes to shoot a scene, the more distracted they become. So everyone on set prepared for scenes before Dal-yi was brought in.

How did you teach her to act?

The director sent me the details of Dal-yi’s scenes so I could start training her. Practice was the only way to prepare Dal-yi for her scenes. And she never refuses training sessions.

Did Dal-yi receive special treatment from the production staff?

Before filming began, director Lee Jung-chul and the camera crew would spend a couple of days with her a week. They felt they needed the time with Dal-yi to ensure a good outcome. And it worked.

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

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July 21, 2010

Actor Jung Woo-sung the First Asian Model For Guinness Beer

The international beer brand, Guinness, has chosen actor and model Jung Woo-sung to be their face. This is the first time that the company has selected a model to specifically target Korea.

Mark Edwards from Diageo Korea Marketing announced that Jung has that certain trendy and urban appeal that's perfect for the beer company's image. Jung boasts a string of popular films such as "Beat", "Guy Guy Guy", "A Moment to Remember", and "Season of Heavy Rain". Next up, he's set to star in the drama "Athena: Goddess of War".

Jung added that he's honored to be the new face for a brand that carries a history of 250 years. Also, that Guinness is the brand that he personally likes to drink.

Source: KBS Global

Jung Woo-sung to advertise Guinness Beer

Reporter: Lee Yeong-kyu Editor: Lynn Kim

Korean actor Jung Woo-sung [photographed by Lee Ki-bum/Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actor Jung Woo-sung will be lending his starpower to advertise Guinness beers, which produces world-famous dry stout beers.

This is the first time that the Irish beermaker has hired an Asian star to promote the brand, perhaps in a bid to seize Korea's alcoholic drinks market.

Jung will be filming television commercials and get involved in various online and offline activities starting next week. Yesterday, Guinness Kicked off a Promotional Campaign called "Catch Jung Woo-Sung You have ... Only 119.5 seconds," WHERE Asked to Post comments were people on The Official Website for The Actor (www.guinness.com).

The winner of the campaign (and his 'plus one') will be given an opportunity to go on an actual date with Jung. The first five thousand participants will also receive gift certificates for free Rotiboy coffee buns and Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Jung, 37, has starred in numerous Korean films including "Beat" (1997) and the critically acclaimed "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008) alongside Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun.

He made his first English-speaking feature film appearance through "Season of Good Rain" last year, which was directed by South Korean filmmaker Heo Jin-ho and co-starred Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan.

The actor is set to make his international debut through John Woo's martial arts pic "Reign of Assassins," due out in Korea in August.

Reporter: Lee Yeong-kyu fortune @ Editor: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 22, 2010

Yoon Son-ha reveals on-set pictures from new drama

Reporter: Lucia Hong Editor: Jessica Kim

On-set pictures from upcoming KBS drama "Domangja s1" [blog of Korean actress Yoon Son-ha]

Korean actress Yoon Son-ha has revealed pictures from the set of the upcoming KBS drama "Domangja s1" on her personal blog.

Yoon posted several photographs on her blog two days ago with the comment, "We filmed 'Domangja s1' at Chiba. I shot a lot of photos with the crew and other actors during my free time."

Yoon also wrote, "Rain is really nice and is humble even though he is a big star. He creates a good atmosphere on set, "on the picture of herself with Korean entertainer Rain. She added that she became a fan after attending his Japanese concert. She explained however that failed to take a picture with co-star Lee Na-young but said Lee is "a cute and charming person."

Yoon will be playing the role of Hwang Mi-jin, who is given orders to kill Jin-yi played by Lee.

"Domangja s1," about a hefty sum of money popping up sixty years after it disappeared in times of the Korean war, features other high-profile cast members including Daniel Henney, Lee Jung-jin, Kong Hyung-jin with Japanese actors Taeknaka Naota and Uehara Takako.

The series, filmed in various Asian cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Shanghai, Beijing, Macau and Hon Kong, will be helmed by noted TV producer Kwak Jung-hwan and written by Chun Sun-il, the team behind the hit drama " The Slave Hunters "(KBS, 2010).

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

She led an active career in Japan since 2000, appearing in NHK TV's "Mouichido Kisu," "Fighting Girl" (Fuji, 2001) and "Good Luck!!" (TBS, 2003)

"Domangja s1" is scheduled to premiere at the end of September.

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

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July 22, 2010

Chae Rim in talks to star in Chinese TV series

Reporter: Ko Kyoung-seok Editor: Lucia Hong

Korean actress Chae Rim [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actress Chae Rim is high likely to play the female lead in an upcoming Chinese TV series tentatively titled "Jie Zi Tui."

According to Chae's agency Sidus HQ on Thursday, the actress is currently in the final stage of negotiations to star in the drama, set to air on CCTV (China Central Television) at the end of this year.

The 31-year-old actress, if she signs on, will be visiting China in mid-August to begin filming the series, Sidus added.

The drama is about a historic Chinese official named Jie Zi Tui, who served Crown Prince Chong'er during the Spring and Autumn Period. When the two were in exile, he was known to have cut off a part of his own flesh in order to save the royal from starving to death.

Chae Rim, whose full name is Park Chae-rim, has appeared in more than a dozen television dramas since she debuted in the early 1990s.

Some of her best-known works include "KAIST" (SBS, 1999), "All About Eve" (MBC, 2000), "Oh! Pil Seung, Bong Soon Young" (KBS2, 2004) and most recently "Oh! My Lady "(SBS, 2010).

She will be making a special appearance in the Chinese remake of her hit TV series "All About Eve," which will air on Zhejiang Satellite TV starting September.

Reporter: Ko Kyoung-seok kave @ Editor: Lucia Hong luciahong @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 23, 2010

Lee Young-ae confirmed to be 4 months pregnant

Reporter: Ko Kyoung-seok Editor: Jessica Kim

Actress Lee Young-ae [storm S Company]

Actress Lee Young-ae's agency has confirmed that the heroine of smash hit TV series "Jewel in the Palace" is four months pregnant.

"It is true that she is pregnant and we were going to inform the press at an adequate time because this is when a pregnant woman is most cautious but it seems like the news has gone out through her father," Lee Ju-yeol, chief of Lee's agency Storm S Company told Asia Economic Daily over the phone on Friday.

A report in the August issue of monthly magazine Lady Kyunghyang had first broken the news, quoting the actress's father who said the family recently found out about Lee's pregnancy. He had also explained that they do not know yet whether it is a boy or a girl but both sides of her family are happy over the news.

Lee Ju-yeol added that the actress plans to halt all activities and focus on prenatal care until she gives birth.

Actress Lee, 39, has yet to make an acting comeback since getting married last August but she had been shooting television commercials while studying for a doctoral degree in theater and cinema at Hanyang University.

Best known for her role in hit TV drama "Jewel in the Palace", Lee took all of Asia by surprise last year when she married a 55-year-old Korean-American businessman in Hawaii.

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

Top actress Lee Young-ae pregnant

By Ines Min

Staff reporter

Actress Lee Young-ae

Lee Young-ae, one of Korea’s top acting stars, is pregnant with her first child, management associates said Friday.

"Lee is currently pregnant," representatives of Storm S Company said, adding that further details would be released later so that the excitement won’t distress Lee in her condition.

The 39-year-old actress married a Korean-American in August 2009, in a low key wedding kept away from the prying eyes of the public. The sudden marriage in Hawaii came as a surprise to many of her fans. The only information Lee released about her husband was that he had graduated from an engineering college in Illinois and was working at an IT firm.

Lee first made her debut on Korean TV as a model before moving on to gain popularity in dramas and films. Her role in "Dae Jang Geum," or "Jewel in the Palace," led her to reach a new level of hallyu popularity in Southeast Asian countries and Iran. Her film performances include a role in the 2000 "Joint Security Area" and the lead in Park Chan-wook’s "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance."

Though Lee has kept her acting profile low since 2005, immediately after her wedding she applied to attend the graduate-level drama and film school at Hanyang University. The last time she was spotted in public was with her new husband, to watch a basketball game between the Ulsan Mobis Phoebus and the Jeonju KCC, at the Jamsil Gymnasium in April.

Source: inesmin@koreatimes.co.kr

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July 23, 2010

Lee Dong-gun appointed celebrity military officer

Reporter: Ko Jae-wan Editor: Lynn Kim

Korean actor Lee Dong-gun [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actor Lee Dong-gun, who entered the military last month as part of fulfilling the country's mandatory army duties, will be working as a celebrity military officer for the remainder of his serving period.

According to Korea's Defense Media Agency on Friday, the actor was recently assigned to the PR department in the agency after receiving five weeks of basic training at Chuncheon's 102 Reserve.

"I am personally honored that I will be able to use my talent in serving the military," the actor was quoted as saying. "I will do my best in my assignments to be of great help to the military such as boosting the morale of military officers and appearing on TV programs."

He will kick off his activities as a celebrity officer tomorrow by appearing in a military-special television show, to be held at Seoul Plaza in front of the city hall.

Lee, who first debuted as a singer in 1998, rose to stardom after starring in TV series "Lovers in Paris" (SBS, 2004) and "Sweet 18" (KBS, 2004). He has also made several big screen appearances including "My Boyfriend is Type B" (2005).

He entered the military on June 15, a day after he announced that he would be enlisting.

Reporter: Ko Jae-wan star @ Editor: Lynn Kim lynn2878 @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia

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July 23, 2010

Hallyu Stars Accused of Ignoring Korean Fans

It has continuously been pointed out that Hallyu stars who are actively performing overseas rarely arrange performances and events for Korean fans.

Hallyu stars reportedly consistently neglect Korean fans and usually do not have much contact with fans in Korea; on the other hand, they have adopted friendly images to the public overseas by holding large-scale fan meetings and releasing photo and music albums.

Hallyu star Kwon Sang Woo, who evoked criticism with a hit-and-run last month, has raised controversy because he delivered a message of apology on his official Japanese fan website before his Korean website. After the news on his hit-and-run was spread, he just made a brief apology in Korea on the following day, which was June 25, simply by using the press release that his agency had distributed, but he still had not personally expressed an apology officially in Korea for three weeks after the accident. On the contrary, his agency had urgently left apology messages on the board of his official website in Japan on the very next day, which was on June 25. There was another posting made by the agency on June 29 to apologize for the accident on the Japanese website.

When the fact that he already apologized personally in Japan became known in Korea, Kwon Sang Woo posted his own written apology on his Internet fan café in Korea on July 21. A spokesperson for his agency explained, “It is the result of a misunderstanding. We just made the press release to the Japanese agency, which was distributed on June 25, so the Japanese agency just posted the notice along with the apology on the website.”

But criticisms were continuously raised on the Internet, such as, “He regards Japanese fans as the 'source of money,’ and regards Korean fans as the 'sitting duck,’" and, "Why is he concerned about Japanese fans when he caused the hit-and-run in Korea?"

As Hallyu stars actively perform overseas, they can elevate the status of Korea, which is a positive result. Stars’ activities have actually contributed in large portion to attracting Japanese tourists to Korea. The Korea Tourism Organization produced an advertising commercial with star actor Lee Byung Hun last March. But, as he has concentrated on overseas activities, he is also not free from the criticism that he lacks consideration for Korean fans.

Hallyu stars also have many Korean fans, but their fan meetings held in Korea are usually really events for foreign fans because the fan meetings themselves are mostly held as the part of tour packages, so in actuality Korean fans cannot participate in those events. Actor Lee Byung Hun invited around 1,500 fans from Japan and countries in Southeast Asia and held large-scale fan meeting on Jeju Island from July 9 until July 11. Korean fans were not the target audience, so they naturally felt disappointed about it. In addition, Korean fans rarely have the opportunity to see stars except in dramas, movies, or TV commercials, but stars hold fan meetings in Japan and Southeast countries very often.

Last December, actors Lee Hyung Hun, Song Seung Hun, Won Bin, and Jang Dong Gun held a large fan meeting together in the Tokyo Dome in Japan. It is very difficult to see those four actors together in Korea, but they willingly flew to Tokyo to meet Japanese fans, and their fan meetings were held twice and ended with a flourish to the enthusiastic cheers of around 70,000 fans.

Star singers also tend to focus on overseas activities rather then performances in Korea. The truly pan-Asian star singer Boa performs in Japan for longer periods than Korea. Dong Bang Shin Ki also devoted themselves in activities in Japan after they advanced into the Japanese music industry. Korean fans often buy star singers’ special albums and special photo exhibitions, which they have released overseas, from agencies who buy them from foreign countries and sell in Korea. In addition, fans basically support stars’ overseas activities, but it is easy to find fans’ comments on the stars’ fan café sites expressing their disappointment. As stars advance overseas and become more focused on overseas activities, Koreans fans, who have actually made them stars in the first place, feel more neglect.

A person in the entertainment business said, “Overseas activities usually are so-called money-making opportunities, more so than here in Korea. More than that, to keep their popularity overseas, they have to have more chances to see their fans in foreign countries, so they cannot help focusing on overseas activities.”

Source: KBS Global

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July 22, 2010

Box office revenue up, attendance down

Buoyed by the rise in ticket costs and the higher priced admissions for 3-D IMAX films, the total box office revenue tallied thus far at the half-way mark of this year has seen a significant increase compared to 2009 despite a drop in the total number of tickets sold.

The local movie industry saw a 14.6 percent spike in its total box office take over the same period last year, according to a recent report released by the Korean Film Council.

However, the number of admissions at multiplexes was down 3.9 percent.

From January to June, a total of 69.44 million tickets were sold -- about 2.8 million less than during the same period last year while current revenues are up with a record haul of 547 billion won ($454 million) compared to 476 billion won in the same period last year.

The reason for this anomaly is due mainly to the increase in standard ticket prices from 6,600 won to 7,880 won, the KOFIC says.

However, largely helping boost the box office earnings was the runaway success of James Cameron’s 3-D extravaganza “Avatar,” which drove the nation’s film revenue to a record high. With an estimated 13.25 million tickets sold, it is the highest grossing film of all time in Korea at 81.4 billion won. Cameron’s epic sci-fi adventure also sits atop the charts as the all time international box office champ. The writer-director managed to trump his own 1997 epic “Titanic” pushing it to second place.

Since the whirlwind performance of the film, a ripple effect has occurred as more local movie-goers sought subsequent Hollywood films released in 3-D such as “Alice in Wonderland.” In fact, “Alice in Wonderland” and the local hit “Woochi” were responsible for January recording the most traffic at cinema multiplexes.

Both films carried a family friendly rating that helped to attract group ticket purchases.

As many had expected, June recorded the smallest box office numbers as it was during the FIFA World Cup when thousands of multiplexes across the peninsula screened Korean matches past matinee hours. Excluding the months of February and June, local films were soundly beaten by their bigger, badder Hollywood competition.

There has been a steep 7.3 percent decrease in ticket sales for local films this year compared to 2009 while revenues are up 2.1 percent. Among local film studios, CJ Entertainment was at the top with a comfortable lead from its closest rivals Showbox, Mediaplex, and Lotte Entertainment, garnering 27.3 percent of the market share.

Industry pundits are expecting Korean films to bounce back with a slew of post-World Cup titles currently playing like “Moss” and ones down the pipeline such as “The Man from Nowhere” starring Won Bin, and the eagerly anticipated “Hwang-hae,” the follow up film by “The Chaser” writer-director Na Hong-jin to be released later this year.

In September, Korean filmmakers will look to jump on the 3-D bandwagon taking on the Hollywood onslaught head on beginning with the 3-D romantic melodrama “Natalie.”

By Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com) koreaherald.com

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July 23, 2010

Top actress Han named goodwill envoy to KOICA

By Kang Hyun-kyung

Staff reporter

Actress Han Go-eun, 35, was named a goodwill ambassador to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Friday for her active charity work in Peru.

The aid agency is scheduled to announce another goodwill ambassador, Rep. Cho Yoon-sun of the ruling Grand National Party, next Tuesday.

If the lawmaker is named for the position, KOICA will have four goodwill ambassadors including Park Jung-sook, professor of Kyung Hee University, and GNP lawmaker Hong Jung-wook.

Han began her entertainment career as a supermodel in 1995 and appeared in numerous TV dramas and films.

Recently, she was a member of a medical volunteer team in Peru with several KOICA overseas volunteers.

In a press release, the aid agency said it appointed Han as a goodwill ambassador to raise public awareness of overseas volunteer projects and aid to the less developed world.

In her acceptance speech, Han said she was deeply impressed by the dedication and devotion by KOICA volunteers during her recent trip to Peru and proud of the aid agency for the caring work in the country.

“Rep. Cho is active in collaboration projects with the countries that had sent troops to South Korea during the Korean War,” a KOICA staffer told The Korea Times, asking not to be named.

“As KOICA offers aid to some of those countries, we reached a conclusion that Rep. Cho shared a lot in common with us regarding values and thus decided to name her as our goodwill ambassador.”

A lawyer-turned-politician, Cho is a first-term lawmaker and previously served as spokeswoman for the ruling GNP.

Source: hkang@koreatimes.co.kr