[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

[rubie]

Updated Oct.19,2005 19:48 KST

Korean Films Conquer Europe

Korean movies continue to enjoy wide acclaim abroad, with director Kim Ki-duk's "The Bow" to go on release across Italy starting Friday. This comes after Kim was awarded the country's renowned Vittorio de Sica Film Award. The screening committee praised Kim as the best film director from the Far East. Born in 1960, Kim studied fine arts in Paris in the early 1990s and won Best Director last year at two festivals for two different films -- one at the Berlin International Film Festival for "Samaritan Girl," and in Venice for "3-Iron."

Spain, too, is impressed. At the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia 2005, Korean actress Lee Young-ae won the Best Actress award for her role in "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance." Earlier, the tale of a young woman's elaborate plot to get even after spending 13 years in prison for a murder she did not commit was also invited to the Venice Film Festival as one of three Asian films in competition.

Also at the prestigious fantasy film festival in Spain, "Antarctic Journal" by Yim Phil-sung took the Orient Express-Casa Asia Section Best Feature Film Award, while another Korean film, "A Bittersweet Life," won for Best Original Soundtrack.

Arirang News

Source: Digital Chosunilbo

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0510190012.html

[koalabear]

Actor's politics wins him few fans

October 19, 2005 ㅡ

▶ Left: Kim Eul-dong with politicians

Right: Ms. Kim's son, Song Il-kook.

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Fans of the Korean television drama actor Song Il-kook, 34, are aghast at his recent announcement that he would support his mother's political work.

By doing so, Mr. Song is not only breaking an unwritten rule that entertainers and politicians should not mix, but he is doing so on the behalf of a rather unpopular politician.

Mr. Song said last Friday that he had decided to support his mother, who is working in a campaign for an independent candidate, but adding that he was doing so "only out of love for my mother."

But when some of his fans found out that Mr. Song's mother was backing the former Grand National Party floor leader Hong Sa-duk, who has been at times a controversial figure, the actor's homepage faced a barrage of criticism.

One of Mr. Hong's more infamous statements was that participants in candlelight vigils were "jobless people," who were "bored enough" to take part in demonstrations.

When the government was considering sending troops to Iraq, Mr. Hong said that if the troops went, he would go with them. Korean troops were sent to Arbil, Iraq in 2003; Mr. Hong has not yet joined them.

"That was a promise between me and the former defense minister," Mr. Hong said in an interview with a Seoul paper. "But he stepped down shortly afterwards, so I couldn't go."

Some fans expressed concern that Mr. Song's reputed ability to play honest characters will be damaged by the move. Mr. Hong's supporters, however, had different reasons for opposing the alliance.

"We have seen many unfortunate cases when actors recklessly jumped into the political world," one person wrote on the Web site for Mr. Hong's campaign. "[Mr. Song] should just concentrate on acting instead."

Making things worse, Mr. Song's mother came to the defense of her son ― which did not impress many.

"I asked my son to help me," Ms. Kim said on a morning talk show. "I am very proud of him."

Some responded by asking why a grown man took order from his mother. He explained that after his mother had lost in a Grand National Party internal election, she wanted to help Mr. Hong win instead. Mr. Song said he told her that she would have his full support.

"I saw tears in my mother's eyes, it was the first time I saw her cry," he said in his statement titled, "My mother's dream."

source: JoongAng Daily

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200510/18/2...0091009101.html

[Guest CindyW88]

----------

10/19/05 – Jung Woo Sung is scheduled to visit Japan and China. On 10/18, he left for Japan to promote his movie “A Moment to Remember (내 머리 속의 지우개)” with Son Yeh Jin, and he will stay there for 2 days 1 night. Then, he will start the filming of his new movie “Midair (중천)” in China on 10/24. During his filming in China, his domestic activities would be temporarily discontinued for a while.

http://sports.hankooki.com/lpage/cinet/200...07572958470.htm

http://www.mydaily.co.kr/news/read.html?Ne...510191025350100

10/18/05 – Nam Sang Mi (남상미) will costar with Lee Joo Hyun, Yoo Sun, Dennis O’Neil, and Sung Eun (이주현, 유선, 데니스 오, 성은) in the Monday-Tuesday drama “Policewoman Miss Lee (여순경 미스리)", aka “Spy (스파이)”, scheduled to be aired by MBC on 11/7 following the final episode of “Secret Man and Woman”.

She plays the role Lee Soon Ae (이순애) who is a policewoman working in the special investigation unit after her husband died in the line of duty as a policeman. Originally, Hwang Shin Hye (황신혜) was selected to play the character, but she backed out recently. Lee Joo Hyun plays the role Kang Joon (강준) who joins the police center as a new policeman. Dennis O’Neil plays the character Han Yoo Il (한유일) who is the supporting force behind Soon Ae and Kang Joon. Yoo Sun plays Park Eun Joo (박은주) as Soon Ae’s colleague. Singer Sung Eun plays Lee Ji Soo (이지수) who is a rookie actress. The start of the filming is scheduled on 10/19.

http://news.goodday.co.kr/2005/10/18/20051...258162100.shtml

http://www.chosun.com/se/news/200510/200510170212.html

http://sports.hankooki.com/lpage/entv/2005...06504158390.htm

http://www.mydaily.co.kr/news/read.html?Ne...510170936180100

10/18/05 – On 10/15, Kim Rae Won records a song of the Original Sound Tracks of his new movie “Mr. Socrates (미스터 소크라테스)”. The song is called “Sorry, Love (미안하다 사랑아)”. In the movie, he is transformed to a detective filled with charisma. Singing an OST is a challenge to his versatile talents. The song has medium tempo. The represenetative of the production company “커리지필름” states, “The music director Sung Gi Wan (성기완) suggests that Kim Rae Won records a song for the movie. KRW joyfully completes the recording.” The debut of the movie is scheduled on 11/10.

http://sports.hankooki.com/lpage/cinet/200...07061558470.htm

10/18/05 – Shim Eun Ha (심은하, 33) and Ji Sang Wook (지상욱, 40)’s wedding is held at 3:00p.m. in “Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel (쉐라톤워커힐 호텔)” on 10/18. About 150 guests are invited to the wedding. Actor Ahn Sung Gi, Han Suk Gyoo, and actress Lee Mi Yun (안성기, 한석규, 이미연) attend the event. SEH’s wedding gown is designed by Vera Wang (베라왕). This newly-wed couple would stay in Walker Hill Hotel for one night and then leave for Japan to enjoy their honeymoon.

http://www.chosun.com/se/news/200510/200510180314.html

http://news.goodday.co.kr/2005/10/18/20051...736532100.shtml

http://www.chosun.com/se/news/200510/200510180411.html

Box office Top 10 (10/10/05 – 10/16/05)

1. All for Love (Lim Chang Jung, Uhm Jung Hwa)

2. You are My Sunshine (Jun Do Yun, Hwang Jung Min)

3. The Myth (Jackie Chan, Kim Hee Sun)

4. Marrying the Mafia 2 (Shin Hyun Joon, Kim Won Hee)

5. Wicker Park (Josh Hartnett, Diane Kruger)

6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter)

7. Four Brothers (Mark Wahlberg , Tyrese Gibson)

8. Never to Lose (Kim Min Joon, Huh Joon Ho)

9. Fever Pitch (Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon)

10. Welcome to Dongmakgol (Shin Ha Kyun, Jung Jae Young)

http://www.krmdb.com/office/krbo-2005103.b5.shtml

------------

[Guest cairo]

excerpts:

Jeon Ji Hyun is My Sassy Girl

The long wait is over. Asia’s hottest romantic film will soon be shown in Manila.

Korea’s hottest female superstar Jeon Ji Hyun stars in My Sassy Girl, a film that managed to successfully export itself (and its soundtrack) to the rest of Asia. Total gross to date has reached $1B, out-grossing giant films such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter across Asia.

For the rest of the article: http://www.manilastandardonline.com:8080/m...fe02_oct20_2005

[rubie]

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Film star comes back to drama stage

Sul Kyung-gu, a Korean film star with outstanding talent, will be back where he started as he prepares to land a major role in a Daehangno drama for the first time in nine years.

Under the directorship of his college professor Choi Hyung-in, Sul, who is well known through his high-profile films such as "Peppermint Candy" (2000) and "Oasis" (2002), will play Andrew Makepeace in A.R. Gurney's two-person drama "Love Letters," which will be staged at Hanyang Repertory Theater in Daehangno from tomorrow through the end of the year.

"What attracts me to drama is that it is always performed live in front of the audience," Sul told reporters Tuesday. "I feel a bit awkward acting on the stage, but still, acting is acting. Not much will be different."

Actor Sul Kyung-gu (left) is joined by his college professor

Choi Hyung-in at a news conference Tuesday.

Starting his professional acting career as a theater actor in 1993, Sul made his big-screen debut with a small movie role in the 1996 movie "A Petal." He jumpstarted his career with "Peppermint Candy" four years later, which brought him a few best actor awards including that of the prestigious annual Blue Dragon Film Awards. Recently, he transformed into a cop in "Public Enemy 2." In all his roles, Sul is praised for his exceptionally chameleon-like ability to completely morph his image and personality. A Korean actor who is widely considered to be the closest to the "world class" in terms of acting skill, Sul confesses dramatic acting is never easy. "I really wanted to play in the drama much later, probably after I have become 50, because the role seems to take much more of life experiences to play well," said the 37-year-old actor.

The last time Sul performed onstage was in the original cast of the musical "Subway Line 1" in 1999, but, he has never performed in a genuine drama since "The Snake Groom and His Wife" in 1996. What motivated him to come back on the stage was advice from his life-long mentor Choi, the director and the professor of Hanyang University's Department of Theater and Cinema.

"Sul is not a film star to me at all," Choi said. "Upon seeing his latest film, I felt that it was time for him to be fueled anew by a new theatrical experience. The stage should serve as a training center for all kinds of actors."

A superstar like him might feel embarrassed to hear that in front of the press, but Sul puts his full trust in Choi. "It was Choi's lecture back in college years that motivated me the first and strongest to be a professional actor. When she suggested me I take on the role, I could only think that she must have something important to give me through the role." Sul said.

Written by Albert Ramsdell Gurney, one of the most prolific American playwrights, "Love Letters" is a story of a man and a woman told through letters to each other. It traces the lifelong correspondence of the staid, dutiful lawyer Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and the lively, unstable artist Melissa Gardner.

Andrew and Melissa are childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes. Romantically attached, they continue to exchange letters throughout their lives, making it eloquently clear how much they mean to each other over the years.

"The two characters represent as many selves that exist in everyone, which contrast with each other," said Choi, who will also play in the drama as one of five different Melissas. "It is a play that was born to be performed in autumn: sad but beautiful."

Gurney is one of the most prolific and produced playwrights in America. His work focuses primarily on the issues and realities of middle-class life and has been produced on international theater stages for more than 30 years. His breakthrough success came in 1982 with "The Dining Room." Other award-winning plays include "The Perfect Party," "Another Antigone" and "A Cheever Evening."

"Theater actors depend much on the audience's reaction for energies they pour onstage," Sul continued. "I hope there will be many people to come to see the play."

Besides Sul, four other actors - Lee Ho-jae, Choi Yong-min, Lee Dae-young and Kim Kyung-sik - will play Andrew according to the schedule that is yet to be set. Tickets are 30,000 won. For more information, call (02) 764-6460.

(danlee@heraldm.com)

By Lee Yong-sung

Source: The Korea Herald

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00510200028.asp

[shirley]

there are criticism. if you just look at soompi for k-entertainment news that might not be seen. but other sites, and in korean media (but that'd be in korean...um, dunno if you can read korean) the criticisms are out there.

yup~~ .there are ..obiviously criticism jut perhaps it is not posted here in soompi or available in language for foreginers ....~~ .how can an entertainment industry survive and thrive only on praises .~~ ..that will be real disaster if that day arrive ~ ..

=================================

The 10 Young Leaders of Korean Cinema

OCTOBER 20, 2005 06:16

source donga.com

Directors Park Gwang-hyeon, Choi Dong-hoon, and Jeong Yoon-cheol have each written a new chapter of Korean movie history with a single film. Actors Hwang Jung-min, Jeong Jae-yeong, and Yoo Ji-tae have conquered the silver screen as the “Post Big Three” of Korean cinema. Ryu Seong-hee, Kang Jong-ik, Song Seon-dae, and the “Peach Project” played important roles and achieved much behind the glitzy lights as crew members and composers.

These are the “10 Young Leaders” of the Korean cinematic world as named by the cable movie network OCN.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, OCN will air a three-part documentary titled, “The Power of Korean Movies!: 10 Young Leaders” at 8:30 p.m. on October 21, 22, and 23. The documentary features 10 prominent figures in the Korean movie industry as they talk frankly about their experiences and views on moviemaking. Rather than relying on voiceover narration, the program is oriented around interviews with the “10 young leaders” and the people who know them.

The first part is devoted to three young directors: Park Gwang-hyeon (36) of “Welcome to Dongmakgol,” Choi Dong-hoon (34) of “The Big Swindle,” and Jeong Yoon-cheol (34) of “Marathon.”

Nothing came easy to these three. A national box office draw of eight million people for “Welcome to Dongmakgol” and various “best new director” awards in 2004 for “The Big Swindle” show the remarkable results of their work. But at the time they were making their films, every day was filled with uncertainties. “Financing, casting, everything was a struggle,” recalls Park, while Jeong notes, “It was my first feature-length film, and the on-site experience was tougher than running a marathon.” Choi describes “incessant rewrites” and “field investigations into the world of crooks.” But these young directors did not give up; they held on to their subjects: a warm gaze on humanity for Park, communication between people and the world for Jeong, and a story structure that can being joy to audiences for Choi. The documentary stresses that it is this kind of unflinching dedication that lends strength to Korean cinema.

The second part highlights the three actors, Hwang Jung-min, Jeong Jae-yeong, and Yoo Ji-tae, who are being hailed as the successors to the “Big Three” of Choi Min-sik, Seol Gyeong-gu, and Song Gang-ho. It tells the story of their lives in the movies and their takes on acting.

The third part turns the camera to the people behind the scenes: Kang Jong-ik, a CG artist who greatly contributed to the evolution of visual effects in Korean movies; art director Ryu Seong-hee, famous for her work in “Memories of Murder” and “Old Boy”; cinematography specialist Song Seon-dae, who brought scenes to realistic life by developing his own equipment; and the music-making foursome “Peach Project,” who composed such memorable songs as “You Are My Destiny.” The segment recounts the efforts and rewards of their behind-the-scenes moviemaking

[Guest adikkeluangman]

Won Bin to join military in late November

2005-10-20

Actor Won Bin, 28, will join the military on Nov. 29, as was originally planned. His

agency reported on Oct. 20 that though the actor has yet to receive his enlistment

orders, he will join the military on Nov. 29 if everything goes as planned. The

agency added that Won will join the 102nd Reserves in Chuncheon, Gangwon

Province, where several other celebrities, such as Song Seung-heon and Yoon

Kye-sang, are currently stationed.

Won has postponed his military service several times due to his busy acting

career, but since last year has repeatedly expressed his willingness to join the

military as soon as he receives his enlistment orders.

The actor has been taking a break from acting since the opening of his latest

movie, 'My Brother' in October of last year. He had planned on starring in one

more movie or TV drama before joining the military, but apparently his military

service will come first.

Won's agency said that although it had no plans for fan meetings prior to the

commencement of the actor's military service, Won will certainly express his

gratitude to his fans before joining the military.

c: KBS Global News

[rubie]

Updated Oct.20,2005 19:25 KST

Jang Dong-gun Voted Korea’s Most Bankable Star

Who is the most popular star in Chungmuro, Korea’s Hollywood? The Chosun Ilbo asked the country’s 12 most influential film producers, who are thought to be the most realistic in evaluating the commercial value of actors and actresses, “How many viewers do you think a movie will attract across the country if it stars a certain actor or actress?” Based on the results, we have listed the most 10 appealing actors and actresses. This is the third survey of its kind after 2002 and 2003.

Clockwise from top left, Jang Dong-gun, Song Kang-ho, Kwon Sang-woo,

Cha Seung-won, Cho Seung-woo, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Sun-a, Lee Young-ae,

Jun Ji-hyun and Moon Geun-yeong.

Jang Dong-gun and Moon Geun-yeong topped the list, with their pulling power estimated at 1.43 million people and 1.29 million people. Among the men, Jang was followed by Song Kang-ho, Kwon Sang-woo, Cha Seung-won and Cho Seung-woo, and among the women, Moon was followed by Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Young-ae, Kim Sun-a, and Kang Hye-jeong.

Picked by 10 out of 12 producers, Jang is now Korea’s most bankable actor. It seems the result reflects expectations for his movies “The Promise” and “Typhoon” scheduled for release late this year.

Moon, who has become the apple of everyone’s eye since she starred in the movie “My Little Bride” last year, emerged as a dark horse beating all-time favorite Jun Ji-hyun.

Han Suk-kyu, who ranked first in the first survey and 13th in the second, has dropped to 22nd place. Bae Yong-joon fell to a poor 28th place from sixth, showing that while he may be Japan’s favorite son-in-law, he certainly isn’t Korea’s.

(englishnews@chosun.com )

Source: Digital Chosunilbo

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0510200017.html

[Guest nep13tune]

Silly or Serious, Kim Yun-jin Reaches for Stardom

October 20, 2005

The influential U.S. entertainment magazine People calls her "Korea's Julia Roberts,” becoming the latest American media outlet to make a beeline for Kim Yun-jin’s door because of her growing popularity in the ABC hit drama "Lost”. People ran a wide-ranging interview with the Korean actress, who plays the mysterious Sun in the show.

As for being the Julia Roberts of Korea, the actress responded, "Oh, I don't know about that, but I like the comparison!” She told the magazine she did her first feature film, “Shiri”, in 1999. “I played a North Korean spy who falls in love with her enemy. It was very popular all over Asia. (South Korea) was the only country where its own movie beat the record of Titanic.”

When the interviewer from People asked, "Your character, Sun, and her husband, Jin, are so serious, but you and actor Daniel Dae Kim are so ?" Kim jumped in and answered, "Silly? Yes. We were at this photo shoot one time and I lifted up my skirt and Evie (Evangeline Lilly) was like, ‘Yunjin, what are you doing? That's not you!’ She just didn't expect me to do that."

When asked how Hawaii has been treating her, she answered, “It's luxurious. I've been learning how to golf. I also bought a condo and I'm spending my days off shopping for furniture.” When asked about the reaction from the local Asian community, she said, “I know that in Koreatown in L.A., things practically shut down when the show is on because people want to tune in to see these two Koreans go at each other. I heard that people dressed up as Sun and Jin for Halloween last year, too.”

“You're one of the few single cast members on the show. You must get a lot of guys hitting on you," the reporter asked. But no, she said. “People are very cautious about coming up to you, like you must be very busy or you must have tons of guys surrounding you. I would really like to make it official that it's not true! Please! God, do I have to make the first move? Maybe."

Now busy with her new movie "Diary of June", Kim is also busy filming the second season of “Lost” in Hawaii.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com @ http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0510200007.html

[Guest chibikko]

Film 'Antarctic Journal' Wins Award in Spain

A scene from “Antarctic Journal”

SEOUL (Yonhap) _ South Korean movie ``Antarctic Journal’’ won the best Asian film award at this year's Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia in Spain, film producers in Seoul said Wednesday.

The movie, which was written and directed by Yim Pil-sung, captures the tale of the mysterious deaths of six South Korean explorers during an expedition to reach one of the remotest points in the South Pole.

In the annual 10-day event dedicated to horror and fantasy films, South Korean film ``A Bittersweet Life,’’ starring popular actor Lee Byung-hun, won the award for best original soundtrack, they said.

The event, which ended on Tuesday (Spanish time), is reportedly one of three such European film competitions along with the Fantasporto festival in Portugal and the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival.

Earlier, South Korean movie star Lee Young-ae won the best actress award for her leading role in the recent release ``Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.’’

Directed by Park Chan-wook, the 112-minute thriller depicts a young woman's vengeance after her release from 13 years in prison after being framed for kidnapping and infanticide.

Park won the best film award in the festival last year with his violent thriller "Old Boy."

Source: The Korea Times

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...17100511720.htm

[Guest cairo]

Jang Dong-gun Voted Korea’s Most Bankable Star

Who is the most popular star in Chungmuro, Korea’s Hollywood? The Chosun Ilbo asked the country’s 12 most influential film producers, who are thought to be the most realistic in evaluating the commercial value of actors and actresses, “How many viewers do you think a movie will attract across the country if it stars a certain actor or actress?” Based on the results, we have listed the most 10 appealing actors and actresses. This is the third survey of its kind after 2002 and 2003.

guys, do u have the link or any info on the most bankable stars in 2002-2004?

[Guest adikkeluangman]

Teaser of 'A Love To Kill' starring Rain creates stir

2005-10-21

The new KBS Monday-Tuesday series 'A Love To Kill' written by Lee Kyung-hee

and produced by Kim Kyu-tae, has already drawn significant attention from

viewers ahead of its premiere on Oct. 31. The series' leading actor, Rain (real

name Chung Ji-hoon), said that viewers would be surprised when they see the

pilot episode of the drama, and it seems he is absolutely correct.

Immediately after the teaser of 'A Love To Kill' aired on Oct. 20 prior to the

Wednesday-Thursday series 'My Rosy Life' the drama's Web site bulletin board

was flooded with messages. It was the second teaser for the new series so far,

with the first one airing on Oct. 13.

The 38-second-long teaser caught viewers' eyes by featuring a bruised Rain, who

plays a K-1 fighter in the drama, against the backdrop of a cloudy sky in the heart

of a city, and his co-star Shin Min-ah against a clear blue sky at the seashore. The

teaser was produced in the form of a wide aspect movie-like screen. The final

scene of the teaser showing Rain shedding tears seemed to particularly impress

fans.

More than 1,600 messages have been posted on the series' Web site as of Oct. 21.

One viewer wrote, "I finally saw the teaser today, and now I really look forward

to seeing this drama." Another viewer wrote, "It looks even more impressive and

sad on the screen."

Viewers are placing high expectations on Rain as the series' leading actor. One

viewer wrote, "Now I can watch Rain on TV as much as I want."

"The sad look in his eyes arouses so much compassion. [Rain] must be very busy

these days preparing for his concert in China and filming a drama. I will pray for

his well-being so that he can fully show off his acting skills," wrote another viewer.

'A Love To Kill' in which Rain plays the K-1 fighter and bodyguard 'Kang Bok-ku'

opposite Shin, who portrays a star actor named 'Cha Eun-seok' will premiere Oct.

31, replacing the series 'Wedding.'

c: KBS Global News

[Guest YoonEe]

guys, do u have the link or any info on the most bankable stars in 2002-2004?

i think last year ..it was either song kang ho or Sol Kyung-gu who top the list ~ -;; cannot really remember ...

Here is the full list... including the ranks for 2002 and 2003

Source: chosun.com

Han Suk-kyu and Jeon Ji-hyun... and Song Kang-ho and Jeon Ji-hyun (again ) topped the list in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

[rubie]

Screen quota defenders rally for Unesco draft

October 20, 2005 ㅡ The long-running dispute over Korea's screen quota system is moving onto new ground: the quota's supporters are rallying around the final draft of a Unesco convention that would exclude the cultural industries in all of the organization's member states from free trade agreements or World Trade Organization bylaws.

Advocates of the quota, which forces theaters to show a certain number of Korean films, have touted the system's protection of "cultural diversity" since protectionism became harder to defend internationally.

The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions is to be voted on tomorrow at the 33rd general assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Advocates of the quota are understandably nervous about its future. The Korean government is eager to sign a bilateral investment treaty or free trade agreement with the United States, and the screen quota system is perhaps the biggest stumbling block.

If the draft is adopted, it could be used to justify the quota even if an FTA were signed with the United States. The screen quota is so named because it requires theaters to screen Korean films 146 days a year and protects the domestic film industry from its arch-nemesis: Hollywood.

According to Unesco's 2000 world report on culture, the eight leading Hollywood studios share 85 percent of the world market, and the three biggest audiovisual media firms ― Time Warner, Viacom, and Walt Disney ― are located in the United States.

The size of the American industry is the crux of the problem. It gives opponents reason to fear Hollywood and Washington a reason to back it up.

And back it Washington has. In a letter to foreign affairs ministers of Unesco member states earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice urged Unesco to delay adopting the draft convention, citing the draft's "ambiguous language" that could be interpreted in a way that would undermine existing trade agreements and derail progress toward a global trade opening under the WTO.

"I urge you to work with us to postpone action on this convention until we have had more time to address its serious flaws," the letter read.

In Unesco's June negotiation, 127 of the organization's 135 countries approved the draft, including France, Canada and Spain. And at the Pusan International Film Festival, both Korean film industry representatives and foreign guests argued in favor of the convention, pointing out that the United States was the only country to speak openly against it.

Ahn Sung-ki, a famous actor and the head of the Coalition for Cultural Diversity in Moving Images, said the reduction of the quota system could bring risks in uniformity of art and cultural visions given the current distribution networks in Korea.

In 2002, China adopted a similar quota system, regulating Chinese theaters to show 66 percent of domestic films.

"The Korean movie industry suffers from the lack of distribution channels to show diverse films," says Ahn Jeong-suk, chief of the Korean Film Council.

Some say the quota should be changed. Ven Bures, a Dutch film critic, said the quota system should be based on a consensus to protect the diversity of Korean films in the market including independent films that have a harder time being screened in theaters.

by Park Soo-mee <myfeast@joongnag.co.kr>

Additional reporting by Kong Jun-wan

Source: INSIDE JoongAng daily

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200510/19/2...0091009101.html

--------------------------------------------------------

Friday, October 21, 2005

UNESCO adopts diversity pact, despite US opposition

PARIS, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- Despite U.S. opposition, UNESCO adopted a convention aimed at protecting the diversity of cultural expressions of each country in an overwhelming vote Thursday.

In the 33th UNESCO General Conference attended by the 154 member states, 148 voted for the draft, two objected, and four abstained.

As expected, the United States and Israel opposed, with Australia one of the four who did not vote.

In previous voting of the cultural committee on Monday, the U.S. and Israel also voted against the convention.

The convention entitled "Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions," authorizes states to the Convention to take "all appropriate measures" to protect and preserve cultural expressions under serious threat.

The U.S. has called for redraft, as it said vague definitions of the draft could authorize governments to impose protectionist trade measures in the guise of protecting culture.

Washington said that the draft could be interpreted to provide the grounds for barriers to free trade in goods, services, or agricultural products that might be construed as being related to "cultural expressions."

The convention could also be used to authorize measures limiting freedom of expression or restricting the flow of information, it claimed.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sent letters to member states, calling for adequate consideration.

But the member states rejected all 28 versions of amendments proposed by the U.S., which rejoined the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in 2003 after a 19-year hiatus.

South Korea has inexplicitly supported the draft, considering U.S. trade pressure on Seoul to ease a safeguard on its so-called screen quota system as conditions for a bilateral investment treaty with Washington.

The screen quota system, aimed at protecting the domestic film industry from big-budget Hollywood movies, requires local cinemas to fill 40 percent of their schedules with homegrown movies.

However, the U.S. has demanded South Korea cut the quota to 20 percent as it seeks the wider distribution of Hollywood films.

The convention, which takes precedence over similar previous pacts, will be legally binding once more than 30 countries ratify the pact. Countries who do not ratify the convention will not be bound to it.

smjoo@yna.co.kr

(END)

Source: Yonhap News

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20051021/...21112932E8.html

[Guest Hae_Won]

excerpts:

Jeon Ji Hyun is My Sassy Girl

The long wait is over. Asia’s hottest romantic film will soon be shown in Manila.

Korea’s hottest female superstar Jeon Ji Hyun stars in My Sassy Girl, a film that managed to successfully export itself (and its soundtrack) to the rest of Asia. Total gross to date has reached $1B, out-grossing giant films such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter across Asia.

For the rest of the article: http://www.manilastandardonline.com:8080/m...fe02_oct20_2005

Here's the complete article:

Jeon Ji Hyun is My Sassy Girl

The long wait is over. Asia’s hottest romantic film will soon be shown in Manila.

Korea’s hottest female superstar Jeon Ji Hyun stars in My Sassy Girl, a film that managed to successfully export itself (and its soundtrack) to the rest of Asia. Total gross to date has reached $1B, out-grossing giant films such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter across Asia.

My Sassy Girl starts with Kyun Woo (Korean superstar Cha Tae Hyun), a kind-hearted but at times naive college student who seems to keep getting into trouble. On his way home one night, he encounters a beautiful but completely drunk young woman (Jeon Ji Hyun) who causes a scene in the subway, she calls him “honey,” and then passes out. With the eyes of the other subway passengers upon him, he has little choice but to take responsibility for her. Thus begins his relationship with the at-times charming, at-times violent damsel who steals his heart.

With a fruitful plot and many unforgettable moments, My Sassy Girl is definitely the best romantic-comedy film to date. It is a film that requires multiple viewings. The more you watch, the more fun you can retrieve from it.

Without doubt, the jokes and the performance of the actors are excellent, yet the romantic part is also impressive and heart-warming. Considering that it is a romantic-comedy movie, the sincere conversation of Jeon Ji-Hyun at the end is much more susceptible than expected. The romance is depicted more faithfully and passionately than many pure romance films. Both Cha Tae-Hyun and Jeon Ji-Hyun have done a very splendid job. While both of them are new actors, they were able to humanize their characters and make them look appealing. They also succeeded in commanding the emotions of the audience at will.

The five faces of Jeon Ji Hyun

The drunk girl

Gyun-Woo has recently been discharged from his compulsory tour of duty in the Korean army. After a dinner with friends, he sees The Girl at the subway station. The Girl is sloshed, soused, schnockered. She’s so drunk she’s about to fall on the tracks. Gyun-woo pulls The Girl back, and sees that The Girl is very pretty. But she also stinks because of alcohol, so he finds her disgusting. And it’s about to get worse.

As Gyun-Woo and The Girl ride in the same subway train, The Girl causes a scene by literally vomiting on one of the passengers and passes out. The other passengers believe that Gyun-Woo and The Girl are together, so he is obliged to carry her out of the car. He deposits her onto a nearby bench and walks away from her, like any sane person saddled with an anonymous drunk would. But conscience and gentlemanly duty makes him turn around. Thus his adventures with The Girl begins.

The outrageous girl

The Girl leads him around by the nose, and routinely calls and commands him to appear here or there and do ridiculous things. While standing on a river’s edge and admiring the sunset, The Girl decides she needs to know how deep the river is ... so she pushes Gyun-Woo in to find out. (It’s deep.) The Girl marches into Gyun-Woo’s lecture hall, and tries to get him to cut class. When he refuses, she asks the professor to excuse him from class ... by saying that she is getting an abortion and he is the father. (It works.)

The violent girl

Aside from frequent slapping and jabbing, The Girl often coldcocks Gyun-Woo-hard! When she’s not physically abusing Gyun-Woo, The Girl also harasses strangers for various offenses: for being ill-mannered, for littering, or for being dirty old men.

There seems to be a sort of fascination with female-to-male abuse in Asia. There are several Asian movies and series where the girl pummels the boy, and it’s supposed to be funny ( and it actually is). The Girl slaps The Boy around quite a bit, too.

The sappy girl

My Sassy Girl is truly bizarre and hilarious. It is guaranteed to make you go into uncontrollable bursts of laughter. There isn’t one sour moment in this movie. The unusual story works because the actors are particularly good and totally committed to their roles. Gyun-Woo is played by Tae-Hyun Cha, a very popular star in Korea, and he does this sort of role very well: He can transform from goofy mouth-breather to a sincere and dignified manly man in a blink of an eye. And there are probably just a few actresses in the world who can be so ferocious and not come off as shrill and hateful. Ji-Hyun Jun manages the right mixture of charm and menace; it’s hard to believe anyone can be simultaneously so vicious and so adorable, but she pulls it off.

The most fun parts of the movie are when the characters are themselves having fun. In between the drunken physical abuse, The Girl displays some moments of genuine sweetness, pathos, and even wisdom. And there’s a scene where they dance in a club in their high school uniforms—it’s such a cute moment that they refer back to it later.

And there are so many weird little throwaway moments that really make the movie. Gyun-Woo hands The Girl a handkerchief while she is drunkenly weeping, and before using it, she inspects it for snot. At some point, Gyun-Woo and The Girl are held hostage in an amusement park by an army deserter with a broken heart.

The sassy girl

The best thing about My Sassy Girl is that it’s very entertaining and totally believable. My Sassy Girl becomes a three-hankie weepie by the end. But it feels genuine and not labored or arduous—the cheesy melodrama works this time, because it earned it. Truly a romantic-comedy movie worth watching over and over again.

Source: Manila Standard Online

[Chiechay]

Won Bin to join military in late November

2005-10-20

Actor Won Bin, 28, will join the military on Nov. 29, as was originally planned. His

agency reported on Oct. 20 that though the actor has yet to receive his enlistment

orders, he will join the military on Nov. 29 if everything goes as planned. The

agency added that Won will join the 102nd Reserves in Chuncheon, Gangwon

Province, where several other celebrities, such as Song Seung-heon and Yoon

Kye-sang, are currently stationed.

Won has postponed his military service several times due to his busy acting

career, but since last year has repeatedly expressed his willingness to join the

military as soon as he receives his enlistment orders.

The actor has been taking a break from acting since the opening of his latest

movie, 'My Brother' in October of last year. He had planned on starring in one

more movie or TV drama before joining the military, but apparently his military

service will come first.

Won's agency said that although it had no plans for fan meetings prior to the

commencement of the actor's military service, Won will certainly express his

gratitude to his fans before joining the military.

c: KBS Global News

O my! most of Korea's showbiz "hot" guys.."Oppa"'s is in military..Won Bin, Song Seung Heon, So Ji Sub, Ji sung etc...who's next!?!

[rubie]

2005.10.21

Kim Ki-duk wins Vittorio de Sica award from Italy

KIM Ki-duk, one of the most internationally recognized Korean directors, has been presented with the Vittorio de Sica Film Award from the Italian government.

The award recognizes artists from around the world in various categories for their career achievement. Past recipients of the award include Ingmar Bergman of Sweden and Akira Kurosawa of Japan.

The award will be presented to Kim by Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in a ceremony at the Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome on October 28.

Kim has a special relationship with Italian audiences, as he first rose to international attention at the Venice International Film Festival in 2000 and 2001 with the screening of his film The Isle and Address Unknown, respectively. In 2004, he was presented with the Best Director award at Venice for his acclaimed feature 3-Iron.

Kim's films have also performed well on commercial releases in Italy, with Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring and 3-Iron both earning many times more what they earned in Korea. Kim's latest work The Bow is scheduled to be released by Italian distributor Mikado on October 21.

Darcy Paquet

Source: KOFIC (Korean Film Council)

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/news/news_view...em=&tmp_cnt=305

[Guest nep13tune]

Box Office in Seoul (Oct. 14 ~ 20, 2005)

1. My Lovely Week

2. You’re My Sunshine

3. The Myth

4. Wicker Park

5. Marrying the Mafia 2

6. Four Brothers

7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

8. Never to Lose

9. Welcome to Dongmakgol

10. Fever Pitch

Source: CINEMA CHOSUN

[Guest CindyW88]

Updated Oct.20,2005 19:25 KST

Jang Dong-gun Voted Korea’s Most Bankable Star

Who is the most popular star in Chungmuro, Korea’s Hollywood? The Chosun Ilbo asked the country’s 12 most influential film producers, who are thought to be the most realistic in evaluating the commercial value of actors and actresses, “How many viewers do you think a movie will attract across the country if it stars a certain actor or actress?” Based on the results, we have listed the most 10 appealing actors and actresses. This is the third survey of its kind after 2002 and 2003.

Clockwise from top left, Jang Dong-gun, Song Kang-ho, Kwon Sang-woo,

Cha Seung-won, Cho Seung-woo, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Sun-a, Lee Young-ae,

Jun Ji-hyun and Moon Geun-yeong.

Jang Dong-gun and Moon Geun-yeong topped the list, with their pulling power estimated at 1.43 million people and 1.29 million people. Among the men, Jang was followed by Song Kang-ho, Kwon Sang-woo, Cha Seung-won and Cho Seung-woo, and among the women, Moon was followed by Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Young-ae, Kim Sun-a, and Kang Hye-jeong.

Picked by 10 out of 12 producers, Jang is now Korea’s most bankable actor. It seems the result reflects expectations for his movies “The Promise” and “Typhoon” scheduled for release late this year.

Moon, who has become the apple of everyone’s eye since she starred in the movie “My Little Bride” last year, emerged as a dark horse beating all-time favorite Jun Ji-hyun.

Han Suk-kyu, who ranked first in the first survey and 13th in the second, has dropped to 22nd place. Bae Yong-joon fell to a poor 28th place from sixth, showing that while he may be Japan’s favorite son-in-law, he certainly isn’t Korea’s.

(englishnews@chosun.com )

Source: Digital Chosunilbo

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0510200017.html

Here is the list of Top-20 -- Source: http://www.chosun.com/se/news/200510/200510200379.html

Actors:

1. Jang Dong Gun

2. Song Kang Ho

3. Kwon Sang Woo

4. Cha Seung Won

5. Jo Seung Woo

6. Kang Dong Won

7. Sul Kyung Gyoo

8. Hwang Jung Min

9. Jung Woo Sung

10. Choi Min Shik

11. Won Bin

12. Park Shin Yang

13. Ryu Seung Bum

14. Lee Byung Hun

15. Jung Jae Young

16. Park Hae Il

17. Im Chang Jung

18. Kim Joo Hyuk

19. Lee Jung Jae

20. Yoo Ji Tae

Actresses:

1. Moon Geun Young

2. Jun Ji Hyun

3. Lee Young Ae

4. Kim Sun Ah

5. Kang Hye Jung

6. Jun Do Yun

7. Son Yeh Jin

8. Jang Jin Young

9. Soo Ae

10. Im Soo Jung

11. Ha Ji Won

12. Uhm Jung Hwa

13. Moon So Ri

14. Kim Jung Eun

15. Lee Na Young

16. Yum Jung Ah

17. Kim Ha Neul

18. Choi Ji Woo

19. Lee Mi Sook

20. Han Ga In

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[Guest sailormoongal]

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10/18/05 – On 10/15, Kim Rae Won records a song of the Original Sound Tracks of his new movie “Mr. Socrates (미스터 소크라테스)”. The song is called “Sorry, Love (미안하다 사랑아)”. In the movie, he is transformed to a detective filled with charisma. Singing an OST is a challenge to his versatile talents. The song has medium tempo. The represenetative of the production company “커리지필름” states, “The music director Sung Gi Wan (성기완) suggests that Kim Rae Won records a song for the movie. KRW joyfully completes the recording.” The debut of the movie is scheduled on 11/10.

http://sports.hankooki.com/lpage/cinet/200...07061558470.htm

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Thanx 4 the news! krw sings a song 4 his new movie, cool!! I can't wait 2 hear it! :=))

and I'll surely miss Shim Eun Ha! she is a very good actress!

.