[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

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November 8, 2010

"The Unjust" sees second box office win

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

Korean film "The Unjust" [CJ Enterainment]

Korean film "The Unjust" directed by Ryoo Seung-wan remained on top of the box office chart for second consecutive week.

According to the Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS) on Monday, "The Unjust" starring Hwang Jeong-min, Ryoo Seung-bum, Yoo Hae-jin and Cheon Ho-jin attracted 452,328 viewers during the weekend of November 5 to 7.

The movie, an action-packed thriller that delves into widespread corruption which occurs within a prosecutors' office, had debuted atop the box office after its premiere two weeks ago.

The second runner was US action film "Red," starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich, that premiered last Thursday with 181,690 visitors during the three-day period.

Another Korean film "Bad Couple" starring actor Lim Chang-jung and actress Uhm Ji-won came in third place selling 172,647 tickets followed by a new US supernatural horror flick titled "Devil" directed by M. Night Shyamalan with 56,630 tickets.

The 3D animation "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" came in fifth, after being sought by 55,914 moviegoers over the weekend.

Other blockbusters that settled in this week's top 10 chart included "No Doubt," "After Shock," "Paranormal Activity: 2" and "The Social Network."

[CHART] Weekend Box Office: November 5-7

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November 9, 2010

'Life is Beautiful' broke barriers for gays

By Kang Hye-ran [estyle@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

While some viewers were outraged, the show’s writer says ‘this is the face of any family.’

Veteran television writer Kim Soo-hyun. Provided by SBS

Veteran television writer Kim Soo-hyun is no stranger to controversy. And by bringing the taboo subject of same-sex relationships to prime-time television in Korea, she once again thrust herself into the spotlight.

In the SBS drama “Life is Beautiful,” which came to a close this Sunday, Kim brought up the issue of gay relationships to an audience that had rarely, if ever, given them any thought. Along with this, other touchy subjects such as abortion and adultery were addressed in the 63-part series.

“This is the face of any family,” said Kim in response to criticism of the television show in a recent one-on-one interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. “When there are many people in a family, there is the possibility to have a gay member. I did know that I could touch a sensitive spot, but I never intended to make this much controversy. This is simply an issue that can be raised in any household.”

Life is Beautiful centers around a family of four generations that runs an inn together on Jeju Island. On the outside, they are like any other family in Korea. But behind closed doors, the family struggles to deal with one of the most taboo topics in society when they learn that Tae-seob is gay. “I don’t think sexual orientation is something that you can control. It’s simple - I don’t like discriminating against others,” Kim said.

But as averse as she is to discrimination, she said the rest of Korean society is still very closed to openly gay people. The drama reflects this. By the end of the series, Tae-seob’s family had been made aware of his sexual orientation, but his relationship with Gyeong-su, who works at the hospital with Tae-seob, was kept a secret from colleagues. “If I had let their hospital colleagues know, it would have been too cruel for the couple,” Kim said. “It’s very different revealing this sort of thing to your family and to society in general. Many gays have more difficulties coming out to their family, but I think when your family accepts you, it would become a lot easier for society to do so as well.”

She revealed that some viewers told her they have come out to their families after watching the groundbreaking drama. Because Life is Beautiful digs deep into modern relationships - perhaps deeper than most people care to look - not everyone was receptive. Some were hostile.

A national mothers’ group, for example, ran an advertisement in the Chosun Ilbo, one of the top three newspapers in the country. The September ad said: “When my son becomes gay and is inflicted with AIDS after watching ‘Life is Beautiful,’ SBS should take the blame.”

In another instance, this one slightly more baffling than outrageous, gay-rights groups were up in arms when the Ministry of Justice banned the drama from Korea’s prisons. Officials said they were concerned the show might “negatively affect prisoners.”

Not surprisingly, Kim takes a much more liberal position. She fervently opposed editing out any scenes that were deemed too sensitive, including one particular scene in which the gay couple promises their undying love for one another inside a Catholic cathedral. “The Catholic Church now isn’t what I thought it was,” Kim said.

“A cathedral is a place where even a murderer can find sanctuary - but I guess gays can’t. Actually, I was more angry at the television network because it should be the one doing all it can to alleviate discrimination, not chickening out.” Even with the uproar the show created among conservative parts of society, the drama recorded an average rating of 19.1 percent, according to AGB Nielson Media Research.

Kim’s previous hits, “My Man’s Woman” and “Angry Mom” recorded average ratings of 24.7 percent and 28.1, respectively. Kim emphasized that she is especially appreciative that so many viewers tuned in to watch Life is Beautiful. “Many avoided watching, just because of the issues it dealt with,” Kim said. “But at the same time, those who were able to maintain a bigger perspective on things complained that there weren’t enough shots of Gyeong-su and Tae-seob’s lovey-dovey moments.”

She is quick to emphasize that the show is not only about Gyeong-su and Tae-seob’s relationship.

She allocated more screen time to the relationships of other characters because she didn’t want the focus of the drama to be squarely on sexuality - there were a lot more stories to tell, Kim said.

“All characters that I showed had their own attractive qualities and you just couldn’t hate them,” Kim said. “I think it’s only up to you to decide whether life is beautiful or not. “We tend to hurt others without intention, but all you need to do is be truly sorry and ask for forgiveness. When you are able to embrace others and their faults, wouldn’t life be beautiful?”

The famed writer received some pressure from producers throughout the show’s lifespan, but she refused to make the show something it was not.

Using Twitter as a mechanism to voice her concerns - Kim said she’s pretty hip for a 67-year-old woman and keeps up with all the modern trends, including Twitter. She posted that she was asked to change certain aspects of the show’s direction so it could gain a higher market share in its time slot.

“The production company, hungry for ratings, had asked me to send Gyeong-su and Tae-seob somewhere far away in the middle of the drama,” she posted on Twitter after the last episode.

“I just won’t take that kind of obsequious attitude as a writer until the day I die.”

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November 9, 2010

Han Ji-hye to star in final episode of KBS omnibus series

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

Actress Han Ji-hye [Trophy Entertainment]

Actress Han Ji-hye has been cast as the heroine to the last episode of "KBS Drama Special," a 24-part single-episode omnibus series showing on the major public network.

A press release by Han's agency the Trophy Entertainment on Tuesday said that Han will play the role of a music teacher in the program's finale episode titled "Pianist" set to go on air November 20.

Han's character, named Yoon In-sa, was forced to give up her dream as a pianist because of her poor financial background and instead leads an exhausting life as a temporary instructor in elementary school.

One day, Yoon will meet a boy named Oh Je-ro, a tuner in a piano factory who is gifted in music but was never granted the chance to even touch a piano due to unfortunate circumstances.

A piano will bring the two souls together to share their dreams, hopes, pain and eventually heal each other.

The role will be Han's return to the small screen for the first time in a year and a half - she last appeared in MBC drama "East of Eden" in March of last year.

"Everyone has a future dream that they work toward every day. I could relate to these characters who continue to hope that their dreams will come true even if they may seem out of reach. I decided to take on this drama because I think I will be able to deliver a true message of hope, "Han was quoted as saying in the press release.

Han, 26, is a top actress in Korea who made her debut as a supermodel in 2001. Since then she has appeared in many hit TV dramas such as "Summer Scent (KBS, 2003)," "Sweet 18 (KBS, 2004)" East of Eden (MBC, 2008) "and films including" My Boyfriend is Type B ( 2005), "" Humming (2008) "and" Blades of Blood (2010). "

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November 10, 2010

Ji Jin-hee to visit Taiwan to promote drama "Dong Yi"

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

Actor Ji Jin-hee [NOA Entertainment]

Korean actor Ji Jin-hee will leave for Taiwan next week to promote historical drama "Dong Yi," the latest TV series he starred in, according to his agency NOA Entertainment on Wednesday.

NOA announced in a press release that the actor will visit Taiwan from November 14 to 16 to promote "Dong Yi," a 60-part historical drama which will air on Taiwan's GTV starting November 15 at 9 pm

During his three-day stay, Ji will hold a fan meeting and carry out interviews with numerous Taiwanese and Hong Kong media outlets including the United Daily News, The China Times, Apple Daily, GTV, NEXT TV, MTV, and Channel V.

The drama will air in Taiwan's GTV staring from November 15 at 9 pm prime time.

Ji has already made a name for himself in Taiwan for his role as Sir Min Jung-ho in historical series "Jewel in the Palace" starring Lee Young-ae which aired in late 2003.

The drama was a smash hit in Asia, attracting over 15,000 fans to his promotional event in Taiwan in 2004. He also caught the attention of Hong Kong director Peter Chan which landed him a supporting role in his film "Perhaps Love" the following year.

In "Dong Yi," Ji plays a funny and romantic King Sook-jong who comes to love and protect a young palace maid named Dong-Yi played by actress Han Hyo-joo. The show ran in Korea from March to October this year. "I'm grateful for the attention by fans have been giving me even before the drama's premiere in the country. I look forward to meeting my fans there, "Ji was quoted as saying in the press release.

After rising to fame with "Jewel in the Palace," Ji, 38, has since starred in other dramas including "Miss Kim's adventures in Making a Million (2004)," "Spotlight (2008)," "The Man Who Can't Get Married (2009), "and films" The Old Garden (2007), "" Bewitching Attraction (2006) "" Soo (20070 "and" Parallel Life (2009). "

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The 31st Blue Dragon Film Awards soompi thread

November 10, 2010

Korea's Blue Dragon Award Nominees Announced

by Park Soo-Mee hollywoodreporter.com

Lee Chang-dong Conspicuously Absent from Nominees

SEOUL – Five nominees for the best picture of the Blue Dragon Film Awards given to innovative Korean films of the year were unveiled today. The nominees are The Man from Nowhere, Moss, Secret Union, A Taoist Wizard and Housemaid.

Kang Woo-seok, the helmer of Moss and Im Sang-soo of Housemaid were nominated for best director along with Lee Jeong-beom of The Man from Nowhere, Jang Hoon of Secret Union and Choi Dong-hoon of A Taoist Wizard.

Kim Yun-jin from the ABC series Lost was nominated for best actress for her performance in Harmony, a story of female prisoners in a choir along with Yun Jeong-hee from Poetry who won the best actress at the Grand Bell awards and Jeon Do-yeon, who has previously won the best actress award at Cannes for director Lee Chang-dong’s drama Secret Sunshine. Su Ae from Midnight FM and Seo Yeong-hee from Bedevilled were also nominated in the section.

For best actor, Lee Byung-hun from I Saw the Devil and Kang Dong-won from Secret Union were nominated along with Park Hee-soon from A Barefoot Dream, Won Bin from The Man from Nowhere and Jeong Jae-young from Moss.

Separately, the director Lee Chang-dong’s Poetry was excluded from the nomination for the award’s best picture and best director as Lee boycotted the awards and refused to attend the ceremony since 2002. Lee won the best pictures at the awards with his debut film Green Fish in 1997.

But Chosun Ilbo, a conservative South Korean newspaper which hosts the awards, has run into frequent conflicts with Lee when he served as the minister of culture, sports and tourism under a liberal government led by the late president Roh Moo-hyun in 2003. Regardless, actresses Mun Sori and Jeon Do-yeon who starred in Lee’s films were nominated for the awards and attended previous festivals.

“The film Poetry was excluded as Lee strongly expressed through direct and indirect routes that he will not attend the awards ceremony,” the awards’ organizers said in a press release. “But we nominated Yun based on a decision that the awards could not curtail the actor’s rights to her reward regardless of the director and the producer’s political judgment.”

This year’s Blue Dragon Awards ceremony takes place on November 26 in Seoul.

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November 11, 2010

Actor’s record- breaking salary stokes conflict

By Choi Min-woo [so@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

Cho Seung-woo will return to the stage after two years of military service

in a production of “Jekyll and Hyde,” beginning Nov. 30. Despite his absence from the musical-theater

scene, he has become the country’s highest-paid musical-theater actor, which has created controversy in the industry. [YONHAP]

Unlike most male celebrities who struggle to regain their popularity after completing their two years of mandatory military service, 30-year-old actor and musical theater star Cho Seung-woo is set to make a comeback later this month in the Korean version of the musical “Jekyll and Hyde,” just a month after he completed his service.

But it is his sky-high salary that is making headlines. Cho’s pay will be the highest of any musical theater actor in Korean history - a fact that has stirred controversy among producers who fear that demands for similarly high fees could follow, which could eventually put them out of business.

On the other side are those who say that the fee is justified, based on the hope that Cho will help spark a renaissance in a once vibrant but now stagnant musical theater industry.

The issue has created such a stir that Shin Chun-su, head of OD Musical Company, the musical’s producer, called a press conference on the issue earlier this week, in which he defended his company’s decision to hire Cho for such a high fee. “I don’t think Cho’s salary is too high,” Shin said. “I think he deserves it.”

Prior to his departure for the military, Cho dominated the musical theater scene, leading sold out productions of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Rent” and “Man of La Mancha.” He was also a prominent screen actor who made his film debut in Im Kwon-taek’s “Chunhyang” (2000), which was the first Korean film to compete at the Cannes Film Festival.

Cho Seung-woo in a scene from “Jekyll and Hyde,” which premieres later this month.[JoongAng Ilbo]

These successes stoked anticipation of Cho’s return to the stage, and he was cast in what will be the sixth Korean production of Jekyll and Hyde before he was discharged from service.

The musical opens Nov. 30 and runs through the end of March. Tickets for the 14 performances in December in which Cho, who is alternating with another actor in the role, will appear sold out in 15 minutes.

Cho will receive 18 million won ($16,363) per performance, according to OD Musical Company.

Over the musical’s scheduled 198-day run, Cho is scheduled to appear in 80 performances, giving him a potential total salary of 1.4 billion won. Before Cho, the highest performance fee for an A-list musical actor was 3 million won per performance.

Cho’s salary is unheard of even for actors in the film industry, where top stars such as Song Gang-ho and Sul Kyung-gu receive less than 500 million won for a single film. “For a long-running show [like Jekyll and Hyde], at least 1 billion won is spent on marketing. But you don’t need an extra budget for marketing with a star like Cho because he sells out all the seats,” said an official at CJ Entertainment who wished to remain anonymous. “He is worth the money.”

But others worry about the effect on the industry. “This is Korea, where nine out of 10 musicals go bankrupt,” said a producer who organizes small-scale productions in Daehangno, the city’s theater district. “I’m really concerned about whether his performance fee will escalate others’ fees as well.”

There are other concerns that Cho’s salary will widen the already significant income gap among performers. A survey conducted earlier this year by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shows that about 37 percent of artists and entertainers are unable to make any money in the business.

For Cho, who starred in Jekyll and Hyde in 2004, 2005 and 2006, the musical is simply a chance to challenge himself in a role that has already earned him critical acclaim.

“This is the [role] that pushed me into the world and encouraged me to have the guts to challenge myself,” Cho told reporters at a press conference late last month. “I look forward to seeing a new side of myself.”

*Jekyll and Hyde premieres Nov. 30 and runs through March 31 at the Charlotte Theater in Jamsil-dong, southern Seoul. Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and at 2 and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. There are matinees in December and January. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won. Call 1588-5212 or 726-4812, or visit www.charlottetheater.co.kr.

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November 10, 2010

Uhm Ji-won (left) and Shin Ha-kyun pose at a press event for their new film "Festival" in Seoul on Tuesday.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

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November 11, 2010

"Haunters" sees highest advance tickets sales for 2010

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

Film "Haunters" [Zip Cinema]

New film "Haunters" has become the movie to sell the most advance tickets so far this year, according to the findings of online reservation website Max Movie.

Data by Max Movie on Wednesday, a day prior to the film's release today, showed that ticket reservation rate for the film starring actors Gang Dong-won and Ko Soo stood at 83.47 percent, the highest figure this year and also the first time in four years, after smash hit film "The Host," for bookings to pass the 80 percent mark.

"Haunters" posted high reservation rates on other websites as well; over 75 percent according to the official Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS), 82.53 percent on InterPark, 42 percent on Yes24, 71.4 percent on Nate Movies and 56.25 percent on Ticket Link .

At the websites for major movie theaters, the numbers stood at 84.2 percent at Cinus, 53 percent at Lotte Cinema and 44.2 percent at CGV.

Korean film "The Unjust," which followed in second place in terms of reservations on all websites, lodged figures in the six to 15 percent range.

"Haunters," directed by Kim Min-suk, features a unique story about a duel between two men, one with a supernatural power who can control people with his eyes and another who is the only one that the former's power do not work on.

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November 11, 2010

Ryoo Seung-bum cast as male lead in upcoming movie

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

Korean actor Ryoo Seung-bum [Wellmade Star M]

Korean actor Ryoo Seung-bum has been cast as the male lead for an upcoming drama film.

A press release from the movie promoter's on Thursday announced that Ryoo will take on the role of Byung-woo, a former baseball player who begins working at an insurance company, in the film tentatively titled "Life is Beautiful."

Ryoo will be joined by other actors including Sung Dong-il who will play Byung-woo's best friend, Park Chul-min the role of Byung-woo's former role model, and singer Younha will make her film debut in the pic as Soo-yeon , an aspiring singer.

"Life is Beautiful" will crank in this month and is scheduled to open in theaters early next year.

Ryoo, 30, who made his debut in 2000 through the movie "Die Bad" is known for playing a wide variety of characters.

He starred in the comedy "Arahan Jangpung Daejakjeon" (2004), "Crying Fist" (2005), "The Beast and the Beauty" (2005) and recently in the action pic "The Unjust" with actor Hwang Jung-min.

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November 12, 2010

[20 NOTABLE FILMS FROM KOREA]

Cinema's long journey to achieve global respect

[johnburton@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

Long Live Freedom

Choi In-gyu, 1946

The first major film of the post-World War II period tells the story of a Korean freedom fighter opposing Japanese colonial rule in the war's waning days. The director had previously been forced to make Japanese propaganda films, and this film was seen as his response to having been exploited during Japanese colonialism.

The Housemaid / Seopyeonje

The Housemaid

Kim Ki-young, 1960

Kim Ki-young was Korea’s first renowned filmmaker, establishing his reputation with “The Housemaid,” which explores a destructive love affair between a married music teacher and a sexually predatory household servant. So convincing was Lee Eun-shim in her performance as the femme fatale that she angered the public and was unable to continue her film career.

My Mother and Her Guest

Shin Sang-ok, 1961

Shin Sang-ok was one of the dominant directors during the brief Golden Age of Korean cinema in the early 1960s. This film, considered to be his masterpiece, tells the emotional story of a young girl’s attempts to have her widowed mother remarry. Kim Jong-il was apparently a fan because he had Shin and his actress wife kidnapped in 1978 and brought to North Korea in the hope that they could revive the country’s leaden film industry. They escaped in 1986.

Aimless Bullet

Yu Hyun-mok, 1961

Cited in several local surveys as the best Korean film of all time, “Aimless Bullet” is a portrait of survival in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950-1953). The film, which was influenced by Italian Neorealism, was shot on location in Seoul as the city struggled to rebuild after the war. It was later banned by the military dictatorship for its depressing depiction of postwar life.

Killer Butterfly

Kim Ki-young, 1978

The Korean film industry fell into decline in the 1970s after censorship by Korea’s autocratic governments and a lack of funding. Kim abandoned the realist auteur status he established with "The Housemaid" and turned to making low-budget movies, like this fantasy-horror melodrama, in the belief that it would give him more freedom to pursue innovative and personal work less likely to attract the attention of authorities.

Seopyeonje

Im Kwon-taek, 1993

On its release, “Seopyeonje” was almost immediately recognized for signaling the rebirth of modern Korean cinema after decades of government censorship. It tells the story of an itinerant Korean folk-art family that performs pansori - the traditional Korean style of dramatic singing - over three decades starting in the early 1940s. Seen as Korea’s first modern art-house classic, it enjoyed immense popularity at home.

The Power of Kangwon Province

Hong Sang-soo, 1998

Parallel troubled love affairs are played out against the background of a popular Korean vacation destination, with its beautiful beaches and mountains.

The U.S.-educated Hong Sang-soo has been described as a Korean Eric Rohmer with his exploration of the often messy relationships that occur between flawed men and women.

Attack the Gas Station!

Kim Sang-jin, 1999

This film is a satirical look at modern Korean society. A gang of young street punks occupy a gas station and proceed to take the customers hostage as they arrive for a fill-up. It is the anarchic interaction between the rebel outsiders and those they capture, who represent a wide social spectrum, that provides the subversive comic assault on Confucian values.

Nowhere to Hide

Lee Myung-se, 1999

Kinetic style and innovative editing techniques drive the simple plot of this cop film involving of a pair of detectives searching for a killer in the rainy, nighttime streets of the port city of Incheon. The blend of technical virtuosity and an off-kilter narrative have led critics to call the film “an art-house actioner.”

My Own Breathing

Byun Young-joo, 1999

“My Own Breathing” is the final film in a documentary trilogy about the lives of former “comfort women,” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army during World War II. It’s an emotional examination of how these now elderly women dealt with the subsequent trauma and survived.

Shiri / Oldboy

Shiri

Kang Je-gyu, 1999

This tale of a North Korean terrorist team in Seoul was Korea’s first Hollywood-style blockbuster. Its huge box-office success was a commercial milestone because it convinced the Korean film industry that it could compete against U.S. imports and led to bigger budgets for local movies.

Joint Security Area

Park Chan-wook, 2000

An investigation is launched into a fatal shooting incident between border guards near the truce village of Panmunjom, along the DMZ that separates the two Koreas. JSA followed in the wake of Shiri and was just as commercially successful as it explored the effects of the North-South division.

The Isle

Kim Ki-Duk, 2000

A controversial film that's not for the squeamish, "The Isle" portrays a violent sadomasochistic relationship in the idyllic setting of a fishing island. Condemned at home but acclaimed abroad, it established Kim Ki-duk’s reputation as the enfant terrible of Korean cinema.

Oldboy

Park Chan-wook, 2003

A winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, “Oldboy” is a tale of vengeance as a man locked in a room for 15 years escapes to hunt down his kidnapper. Based on a Japanese manga, its innovative and graphic fight scenes create a brutal, but also dreamlike, atmosphere for this black comedy thriller.

Memories of Murder

Bong Joon-ho, 2003

This gripping and grimy humorous thriller uses an unsolved real-life case of serial killings in the 1980s in Gyeonggi, near Seoul, to examine the effects of the country’s authoritarian rule at the time. The police investigation is a study in ineptitude as the government appears to be more interested in political suppression than trying to catch the killer.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring

Kim Ki-duk, 2003

Having established a reputation for excessive violence and misogyny, Kim Ki-duk suddenly switched gears in this 2003 film, which follows a wayward Buddhist disciple as he passes through the different stages of his life from childhood to old age. Despite the film’s idyllic setting of a monastery floating in a forest lake, the underlying theme is that life is full of suffering.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird / Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

Kang Je-gyu, 2004

This is another blockbuster film by the director of "Shiri" and is a rather melodramatic story of two brothers in the South Korean army as they fight northward to the streets of Pyongyang in the first year of the Korean War. The impressive sequences of urban warfare were influenced by the battle scenes in “Saving Private Ryan" - one reason why it has been one of Korea’s most successful movies abroad.

3-Iron

Kim Ki-duk, 2004

A drifter, who breaks into homes and takes up temporary residence while the owners are away, stumbles across a battered housewife with whom he begins a literally silent love affair.

The film, whose original Korean title was “Empty House,” amounts to a surrealist meditation on emotional isolation and the complexity of human relationships.

The Host

Bong Joon-ho, 2006

Bong Joon-ho uses the monster movie genre to make a wry political commentary. His targets include the U.S. military presence in Korea and bureaucratic bungling as a creature arises out of the Han River to terrorize Seoul.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird

Kim Ji-woon, 2008

A “kimchi-western” occurring in Japanese-occupied Manchuria in the 1930s, the film is based on Sergio Leone’s “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”

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November 12, 2010

Jung Gyu-woon joins cast of upcoming SBS medical drama

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

Korean actor Jung Gyu-woon [inStyle]

Korean actor Jung Gyu-woon has been cast as one of the male leads for an upcoming SBS drama.

A press release from his agency NOA Entertainment announced Friday that Jung will join actor Park Shin-yang and actress Kim Ah-joong for the medical drama titled "Sign." Jung will be playing the role of a playful yet scatterbrained inspector named Choi E-han.

"I am excited to be given a chance to work on another drama right away. I am determined and ready to take on this role since it will be my first time playing an inspector and the qualities of my character is similar to who I play in 'Doctor Champ,' "Jung was quoted as saying.

"Sign," helmed by famed producer Jang Hang-joon from movies "Break Out" and "Attack the Gas Station 2," is Korea's first medical drama on forensic scientists at a national institute for scientific institution.

The medical drama will begin its run on January 5 after current series "The President" starring Ko Hyun-jung and Kwon Sang-woo ends its run.

Jung made his debut in the mobile drama "5 Stars" and has since starred in numerous TV shows including "Happy Girl," "Women in the Sun," "Love Me Once Again" and "I Love You Ten Million Times," which aired in Japan in May.

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November 12, 2010

Founder of largest English K-pop site 'Soompi'

Korean-American web developer creates first global online community devoted to K-pop, Asian entertainment

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Main page of the ultimate K-pop site “Soompi”

If you’re looking for news about a SuperJunior concert, reviews for a 2NE1 album, recaps of Korean drama "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" or simply anything about Korean entertainment, chances are you’ll find it on Soompi.com.

Soompi.com is the oldest and currently the largest English-language online community devoted to Korean and Asian entertainment, with a million unique visitors every month.

Soompi has come a long way from its early days as a personal online shrine devoted to K-pop started by Korean-American Susan Kang in 1998.

"I had recently graduated from college with nothing much to do. As a recent fan of both K-pop and the Internet (AOL was all the rage), I noticed that there weren't any English-language sites devoted to Korean pop music or TV dramas, so I purchased a book called `Make Your Own Website with Microsoft Word '97’, and the rest, as they say, is history," Kang said, now a 35-year-old mother living in Irvine, Calif., in an email interview with The Korea Times.

Kang’s original site, Soompitown, was fairly simple. She would just upload photos of her favorite K-pop acts like H.O.T., S.E.S., Shinhwa and FinKL and English translations of Korean magazine articles, as well as post CD audio samples and her own album reviews. Basically, Kang ran the website out of ``love’’ for K-pop.

(If you’re wondering about the meaning of Soompi, it simply refers to a nickname that a roommate’s family gave Kang in college.)

In the early 2000s, hallyu or the Korean wave began spreading around Asia and international fans discovered Soompi, the first website that actually provided English-language information about their favorite Korean stars.

Soon Soompi became more and more popular, requiring more servers and more technical expertise. A team of volunteers helped moderate the forums and post content on the website, but Kang, who also worked full-time as a web developer, was running the website on her own as a hobby and it was starting to feel burdensome.

For one, it was getting expensive to pay for the server fees out of her own pocket, although it was partially funded by member donations and small ad buys.

Then came the fateful day, Oct. 5, 2005, when the entire Soompi website crashed. Its entire database of 80,000 members and millions of forum posts was gone. "I seriously thought of just making that the end of Soompi, as I'd been running the site as a hobby for seven years at that point, and was paying for the servers completely out of my own pocket," she said.

"The turning point was when we re-opened an empty forum with 0 members and 0 posts, and within 5 days, we already had 40,000 members. That's when I knew that Soompi was bigger and more important than just one person's hobby."

Soon, it became apparent that a more serious, business-oriented approach to Soompi was needed.

In 2006, Joyce Lan Kim, a lawyer then working for technology firms in Silicon Valley, joined Soompi to handle the business side, albeit on a part-time basis.

"I joined the company, working on advertising and thinking of ways the company can break even. Susan never started this with business in mind. It was always just about fun. It was about bringing K-pop to the people. But how we make this sustainable is our job," Kim told The Korea Times at a coffee shop in downtown Seoul, last week.

Last year, Kang and Kim both decided to leave their full-time jobs and focus on Soompi.

The 33 year old Kim, who studied at Cornell and Harvard universities and received a law degree from Columbia University, had no second thoughts giving up a law career. She sees Soompi as a good business opportunity with K-pop’s potential to expand around the world.

Soompi is may not yet be profitable, but there is no doubt it is an Internet success with 500,000 registered members, and attracts over one million unique visitors every month (``That's like a small city,'' Kim quipped.) Revenues are currently generated from ads, premium membership and affiliate programs, but not enough for the company to break even.

There may be other K-pop websites that attract more hits, but Soompi has the most activity among community members, such as posting content and comments on the site. "Our success comes from covering such a wide variety of topics - not only the latest K-pop news, but Korean dramas and variety shows, original fan fiction, our own member-run shops, beauty & fashion, among so much more," Kang said.

Aside from sections on entertainment news, fan clubs and beauty & fashion, Soompi also has its own weekly music chart and annual contests, such as Soompi Idol, Soompi Dance Idol, Soompi Ulzzang, fan fiction writing and graphics contests.

All contests were originally started by Soompi members themselves. This year, Soompi Ulzzang Contest, a modeling competition for Soompi members, has become an official event and sponsored by Korean entertainment company Sidus HQ.

Member feedback is invaluable to keeping Soompi relevant. Whenever new features are launched, Soompi looks at the comments from members and makes the appropriate tweaks. Members can also vote for which Soompi fan clubs should be created next, as well as recommend new forums and sub-forums.

Soompi is working to make the site more user-friendly. "It's not a hobby anymore. We have to do it for real. Functionality is very important for us. We are definitely working on making it easier to use, and on getting great content," Kim said.

In terms of technical innovations, the Soompi Street Teams Twitter application is being launched. This will make it easier for fans to get their favorite K-pop idols on Twitter’s top trending topics.

"We wanted to make it easier for everybody to join together and tweet in support of their celebs. Twitter is not just for K-pop, because it's for everyone... Each time a K-pop celebrity ends up as a Twitter topic, people go, `who is this guy?’ Like when (SuperJunior member) Kim Hee-chul was trending on Twitter, everyone was talking about him... We can expose more people to the world of K-pop," Kim said.

An Asian website

Soompi is no longer just devoted to Korean pop music, but Asian pop and entertainment in general. It is also very much a global community, with most members from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia.

The majority or 81 percent of Soompi members are Asian, while 8 percent are white, 5 percent are multi-ethnic and the rest are African-American, Hispanic and other ethnicities. The most surprising fact was 60 to 80 percent of the non-Asian groups said they "know some Korean."

"It’s mostly non-Koreans, as opposed to 7 or 8 years ago when majority were Korean-Americans. Now Korean Americans are a minority on the site. We have ever growing number of people who are not even Asian. We have Caucasians, African-Americans, Middle East, Latin American, South East Asians," Kim said.

Soompi stands out because of its tight-knit community and its members. "Soompi is very community-focused, not just information or gossip-focused. It feels like home to many, and there are many members who have literally grown up on the site ― from Junior High to High School to College to getting married and having children," Kang said.

Noticeably, the Soompi forums are relatively free from the anti-fans and trolls who frequent K-pop websites to post vitriolic comments that rile up fans.

"I think our biggest defining feature is our members. Our members are the ones who do the subtitles, episode recaps and organize fan meetings," Kim said. "We have good members."

Future of Kpop & Soompi

Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that Soompi has helped give a boost to K-pop and Korean entertainment’s popularity among English speakers.

But while K-pop is undeniably big in Asia, there is yet to be a real K-pop breakthrough in the U.S., despite attempts by Rain, Wonder Girls and Se7en. "Honestly, I'm not sure if the U.S. is ready to accept Asians as idols, as Asians are still widely portrayed as awkward geeks or kung fu masters on TV and film, but I do believe it's just a matter of 'when', not 'if'. I hope it's sooner than later," Kang said.

Looking back, Kang admitted being constantly amazed and inspired by the level of commitment and amount of time people will willingly volunteer to support their favorite idols. "Passion will drive people to do crazy and wonderful things," she said.

In the future, Soompi hopes to leverage its brand value as the oldest K-pop online resource, and to continue fanning the flames of K-pop and Asian pop fever around the world.

"In 10 years, I'll be 45 years old. I hope by then, the Soompi community will still be going strong, with the love for Korean and Asian pop being passed to a much wider audience. We'll still be providing the best place for people to express their fandom and meet others who share their passion," Kang said.

[rubie]

November 12, 2010

JANG Dong-gun’s The Warrior’s Way gets U.S. release

David Oxenbridge <KOFIC>

The long gestating The Warrior’s Way is finally coming to the big screen with a release in the U.S. The multinational cast who play within the film’s fantastical narrative include Korea superstar JANG Dong-gun (Friend 2001), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns 2006) and Geoffrey Rush (Shine 1996). G Don-gun joins a host of other Korean actors such as LEE Byung-hun (GI Joe 2009) and Rain (Ninja Assassin2009) who have been making inroads into Hollywood and other English speaking markets of late.

JANG plays Yang, the world’s greatest swordsman, who leaves his home with baby in tow and settles in the Wild West. as a lowly laundry worker in a small town he soon comes in conflict with a gang of vicious thugs who threaten the town and Yang’s hidden identity. his forced to abandon his washing and again pick up his sword and lead the town to battle.

Not only the US$40 million budget but also significant expectation has been invested in the film’s success. ambitious project includes a multi-ethnic cast, a broad genre traversing narrative and is also a multi-national project that was shot in New Zealand with Korea and the U.S. sharing co-production credits. film has taken over two years to reach the big screen since shooting wrapped up in the beginning of 2008. The film is produced by Michael Peyser (Speed 2 1997), LEE Joo-ik (Late Autumn 2010) and Barrie Osborne (The Rings Trilogy 2001,2002,2003) and is being distributed in the U.S. by Relativity Media. film will be released simultaneously in the U.S. and Korea on December 2.

The Warrior's Way to get simultaneous Korea-US release

Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)

Unveiled earlier this autumn at the Pusan Internationa this l Film Festival, the US $40 million Korea – New Zealand co-production The Warrior’s Way gears up for a simultaneous release in Korea and the U.S. on Dec 2nd.

With Korea’s pan-Asian star JANG Dong-gun in the lead, the fantasy-western is directed by first-timer Sngmoo LEE and produced by Lord of the Ringstrilogy producer Barrie Osbourne. The film co-stars Hollywood actress Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns), playing JANG’s love-interest and marks one of the first cross-cultural romances depicted in a commercial Korean feature.

The film also stars Geoffrey Rush and Danny Huston and was shot in New Zealand using facilities and crew from Osbourne’s Rings trilogy. The film’s soundtrack is by Javier Navarette, who scored the award-winning 2006 Spanish feature Pan’s Labyrinth. Actor JANG plays an Asian warrior who gives up his killing ways to seek peace and love in a quiet western township, until trouble tracks him down.

[rubie]

Official Website koreanfilmfestival.co.nz

November 12, 2010

4th Korean Film Festival held in NZ

David Oxenbridge <KOFIC>

New Zealand again plays host to the 4th Korean Film Festival which this year has expanded its screening locations to Christchurch. The festival, which is a biannual event is run by the Korean Cinerama Trust and was set up to raise awareness of Korean films and consolidate the film production relationship that the two countries share. Both Korea and New Zealand signed a Co-production Film Treaty in 2008.

This year’s Korean Film Festival will focus on five blockbuster films that were released over the last couple of years. First up is Haeundae (2009), perhaps the biggest blockbuster of the last few years and the reigning number one at last year’s box office. Also of note is IM Sang-soo’s remake of KIM Ki-young’s 1960 classic The Housemaid. Other films include one of a host of films to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Korean war, LEE Jae-han’s 71-Into The Fire, sexually charged period drama A Frozen Flower (2008) and drama Harmony about a woman in a prison who begins a choir.

The nationwide festival kicks off November 25 and will play the five films over a 3-day period wrapping up November 28.

[rubie]

November 12, 2010

The Unjust has strong domestic opening

Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)

The Unjust, a new high-voltage thriller from City of Violence director RYOO Seung-wan, topped the Korean box office after opening Oct 28 nationwide. Over its 3-day opening weekend to Oct 31 it grossed US $4.35 million, playing on 572 screens.

Starring top lead HWANG Jung-min and the director’s younger brother, RYOO Seung-bum, the film delves into corrupt practices by individuals within the Korean justice system. It is the first time director RYOO has worked with material written for him.

RYOO is considered one of Korea’s top directors starting with his breakthrough debut Die Bad (2000) to his 2002 feature No Blood, No Tears and follow-up hits Arahan (2003) and Crying Fist (2004). The film is his fifth collaboration with his younger brother, a popular lead actor in many Korean features including last year’s No Mercy.

[Guest Bradamante]

November 14, 2010

International co-productions to aim for box office loot

Three international co-productions slated for late November and early December releases will aim for box office glory officially kicking the winter movie season into high gear.

“Hallyu” heartthrob Song Seung-hun will romance Japanese actress Matsushima Nanako from the afterlife in the Otani Taro-helmed Korea-Japan-U.S. remake of “Ghost” the beloved 1990 Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore film that brought the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” back into reverence.

Song Seung-hun with Matsushima Nanako in a scene from the Korea-Japan-U.S. remake of “Ghost.”

Producers will be trusting in the bankability of Song, as the 34-year-old has gained huge fanfare from the 2000 continental hit television drama “Endless Love.”

The highly anticipated film is scheduled for a Nov. 25 nationwide roll out.

A week after its release, another Korean Wave stalwart, Jang Dong-gun will be making his Hollywood debut in the Barrie Osborn (producer of “The Matrix” and the “Lord of the Rings” series) produced sci-fi westerner “Warrior’s Way” on Dec. 12 in a joint premiere with North America.

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

In the U.S. co-production, Jang plays a spin-off the archetypical lone-gunmen character in Westerns as a lone swordsmen set in the Wild West.

Early word has not been kind regarding the film’s quality but with Jang headlining the bill, its financers are confident audiences here will be turning up in droves to their local multiplex.

The film co-stars Academy Award-winning Briton Geoffrey Rush and American Kate Bosworth as Jang’s love interest.

The final film to complete the trifecta of internationally co-funded releases, the three-part anthology film “Camellia” will open sometime in December.

The Korea-Thailand-Japan production had its world premiere as the closing film of this year’s Pusan International Film Festival in October.

Each segment stars actors from the three countries under Korea’s Jang Joon-hwan, Thailand’s Wisit Sasanatieng and Japan’s Yukisada Isao’s direction.

Noteworthy is that all three segments were filmed in Busan with Jang’s portion starring some heavy hitters in Sul Kyoung-gu, Kang Dong-won, and Song Hye-gyo.

Jang’s attachment to the film alone will look to garner huge interest from fans since he made a splashing debut with “Save the Green Planet” in 2003 which was also largely credited with reviving the career of veteran thespian Baek Yoon-sik.

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

Source: koreaherald.com

[rubie]

November 15, 2010

"Haunters" tops weekend box office chart

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

Film "The Haunters" [Zip Cinema]

New Korean film "Haunters," opened on top of the local box office over the weekend, according to the official Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS) on Monday.

"Haunters," starring actors Ko Soo and Gang Dong-won, led the box office chart from November 12 to 14 with a total 676,641 viewers to gross over five billion won during the three-day period.

The film, about a fight between a man with a supernatural power and another who can resist it, had seen the highest number of advance ticket sales so far this year on the day of its release on November 10.

Following behind was the previous week's winner "The Unjust" which attracted 272,254 viewers during the same period to gross over 2.1, accumulating over 2.17 billion won.

The Hwang Jung-min and Ryoo Seung-bum starrer which tells of widespread corruption within a prosecutors' office had maintained its place atop the chart for two weeks straight.

US film "Unstoppable," which opened last Wednesday, debuted on the box office in third place with 156,817 entrants last weekend, raking in close to 1.2 bilion won.

The action pic starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine is centered on a quest to stop an unmanned runaway train heading toward a city.

Other films that continued to hang on to the top 10 included the US action-packed "Red," local comedy "Bad Couple," 3D animation "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga 'Hoole," another US thriller "Devil, "local suspense film" Midnight FM "and Chinese disaster film" After Shock. "

The newcomer in the chart was "The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya," a Japanese animation which opened in theaters on November 11.

[CHART] Weekend Box Office: November 12-14

South Korea's box office estimates for the weekend of November 12-14, 2010 [Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS)]

[Halo21]

Kim Hyun-Joong sings at Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games

Korean singer and actor Kim Hyun-joong took to the stage of the opening ceremony of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games on Friday alongside several international artists.

A press release from his agency KEYEAST announced Monday that Kim sang the theme song "Sunshine Again" for the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games alongside Chinese singers Wei Wei and Tan Jing, Taiwanese singer David Tao and Hong Kong Cantopop singer Joey Yung.

The singers sang in front of about 10,000 people during the ceremony and the performance was broadcast live to numerous countries worldwide.

The Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games, hosted by the Olympic Council of Asia, is a multi-sports event where athletes from 45 countries in Asia are invited to compete at.

Kim made his debut as the leader of the popular boy band SS501 in 2005. He became a household name in Korea and throughout Asia after his role in the 2009 hit series "Boys Over Flowers."

He recently starred in the MBC drama "Naughty Kiss" alongside actress Jung So-min, which is the Korean small screen adaptation of the Japanese comic "Itazura na Kiss."

Credit  :  10Asia

Editor : Jessica Kim

Reporter: Lucia Hong

http://10.asiae.co.kr/Articles/new_view.htm?sec=ent0&a_id=2010111510204287970

[rubie]

November 16, 2010

Song Hye-gyo's First Foreign Film Project

Source: KBS Global

Song Hye-gyo fans can look forward to November 25th, the confirmed release date of her non-Korean project, "Fetish". "Fetish" is a psychological thriller about a woman with supernatural gifts living in the US.

This is the actress's first project abroad and had already garnered interest as it was featured in the Presentation World Premiere section of the 13th Pusan International Film Festival. It also received invitations from other film festivals, such as the Oldenburg Film Festival in Germany and the San Francisco Asian Film Festival. The movie was also selected to be a part of the Contemporary Asian Fall program at the MoMA in New York.

Song Hye-kyo's Hollywood debut pic to open November 25

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

Movie poster for pyschological thriller "Fetish" [sponge]

Korean actress Song Hye-kyo's Hollywood debut film "Fetish" will open in local theaters on November 25, according to the film promoter's Sponge on Tuesday.

"Fetish," debut feature helmed by Sohn Soopum, is a psychological thriller about Sookhy (played by Song) who has supernatural powers to possess her neighbor's body in order to steal her husband.

The movie, featuring cast members Korean-American actor Rob Yang, Athena Currey and Arno Frisch, made its world premiere under the gala presentation category of the 13th Pusan International Film Festival in 2008 as well as being invited to German's Edinburgh International Film Festival and San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

Son, 28, shot to fame throughout Asia after starring in KBS 'hit TV series "Autumn in My Heart" (2000), "All In" (SBS, 2003) and "Full House" (KBS, 2004) alongside Asian pop star Rain.

She also appeared in drama "The World That They Live In" (KBS, 2008) and made headlines for dating her co-star Hyun Bin. She has also done work on the big screen including "Poetry" (2008) and the Asian omnibus pic "Carmelia" (2010).

[rubie]

November 17, 2010

The changing reality of Korean TV

By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

'The public is growing tired of scripted TV. The younger generation craves rawness and interactivity'

Nam Yong-sub was flipping through TV channels on a wintery day two years ago when supermodel Lee So-ra made him a life-changing offer. “I was eating alone at home. As soon as I saw the commercial for ‘Project Runway Korea,’ I thought finally, this is my chance! I put my chopsticks down and submitted my resume immediately,” said Nam, who placed second in the first season of the fashion reality show with Lee So-ra as its host. Project Runway Korea is the Korean version of the original American show, Project Runway, which airs on Bravo.

At the time, Nam, now 31, was an ordinary employee at local fashion brand On&On’s development division and was aching to break out on his own and design women’s clothing himself. During the show, he was praised for his craftsmanship and pattern-making skills by the show’s celebrity judges, including editor in chief of Elle Korea Shin Yoo-jin and fashion designer Kim Seok-won.

Last week, Nam launched his own clothing line, Savvy.

In recent years, Cinderella stories on television like Nam’s have helped alter the face of Korean television. Local television programs, once celebrity-oriented and thoroughly formulated, are now becoming more open and accessible thanks to reality television.

And the public cannot seem to get enough of it.

Last month, local cable network Mnet’s talent competition Superstar K, now in its second season, catapulted a fan repairman to national stardom and made Korean cable TV history: the show earned a rating of 18.1 percent during its live finale. Before Superstar K, no other show on Korean cable had broken the 10 percent mark.

The show also attracted more than twice the viewership of the most popular terrestrial programs airing at the same time. More than 1.3 million people voted via text message during the final show.

“The public is growing tired of scripted TV. The younger generation is well-versed in the Internet and media. They crave rawness and interactivity in television,” said Han Dong-chul, a chief producer at Mnet.

“In short, the public now demands television shows that actually reflect the reality they know - not a cleaned-up version,” Han added.

Network version of reality television

Except for documentary programs, reality television in Korea - going by the common definition of a genre of TV programming that features unscripted situations, both dramatic or humorous - is quite new. On terrestrial channels, the first such programs to have gained popularity are MBC’s “Infinite Challenge” and the KBS variety show “One Night Two Days,” which started airing in the late 2000s.

In comparison, reality shows have been a staple in American prime-time TV for the past decade.

Infinite Challenge takes the form of what local experts call a “real-variety” show, in which the host, comedian Yoo Jae-seok and other male entertainers go through various challenges, often silly and impossible to achieve. It is said to be the first real-variety program on Korean TV. At its peak, the show garnered a rating of almost 20 percent, making it one of the most-viewed nondrama programs in Korean television history.

One Night Two Days also features male celebrities, including its host, comedian Kang Ho-dong. Guests are put in trying situations and travel to different parts of the country. The show’s success has led to numerous copycats, including an all-female version called “Danyeoogetseumnida,” a Korean phrase that roughly translates to “I’ll see you soon.”

Many, however, have doubted the shows’ “reality” and have raised questions about how accurately the shows reflect society, as they rely heavily on celebrities. “Although Infinite Challenge and One Night Two Days paved the way for Korean reality television to develop, the shows are not entirely ‘raw’ reality TV per se. Although minimal, the celebrities have scripts, and they are celebrities, not real people faced with these situations,” said Won Yong-jin, a communications and broadcasting professor at Sogang University.

Won said Korea’s celebrity craze has made even the regular people featured in these so-called reality shows minor celebrities, or at least has laid the groundwork for these people to become stars in their own right.

The public’s enthusiasm for these shows waned with each passing season, which was reflected in their ratings.

Criticism of terrestrial real-variety shows came to a head early last year, when a leaked script for “Family Outing” was published in the Korean TV & Radio Writers’ Association’s monthly magazine. Netizens expressed disappointment, some even anger, at the thoroughly scripted nature of the show. Although the producers defended the script - saying it was merely a guideline - the outcry affected the show’s ratings. After three years, Family Outing went off the air earlier this year.

Cable television gets in the act

While real-variety shows were ruling the nondrama segment of Korean terrestrial television, local cable networks started to turn their attention to reality dating and audition-format programs - both imported and locally made, featuring noncelebrities.

“In a broad sense, around 90 percent of all programs on Korean cable TV are reality programs now. Cable is the perfect platform for edgy, nondocumentary reality TV because it is smaller in scale compared to network television, with a little less concern for harsh censorship,” said Han.

At the forefront in Korea were cable networks Mnet, QTV and OnStyle, which began producing relatively low-budget reality shows in the early to mid-2000s. The shows gained a steady following among viewers who wanted something edgier and different than what terrestrial networks had to offer. Among these networks, Mnet’s most popular reality shows catered to Korea’s younger generation, including “Seo In-young’s Kaist,” in which the singer attends the prestigious Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology for a semester; dating reality shows, such as “Ajjilhan Sogeting [Mind-blowing Blind Date],” featuring ordinary teens and 20-somethings in blind dates; and the recent Superstar K2, a singing competition similar in format to Britain’s Pop Idol and the U.S.’s American Idol.

Q Channel relaunched under the new name QTV last year with the slogan “100% Real Entertainment.” In the past, the channel featured mostly documentaries and reality shows such as “Switching Moms” - similar to popular British reality show “Wife Swap” - as well as imported programs including “Top Chef.” With the relaunch, QTV announced that it will only feature reality shows, with no scripted programs whatsoever.

OnStyle began airing successful, imported reality shows targeting female audiences in their 20s and 30s, including “Project Runway” and “America’s Next Top Model,” in which the contestants go through auditions and tough challenges to be selected as the winner.

On the heels of these shows’ ratings success, OnStyle then went on to air licensed Korean versions of the programs. “The advantage of these licensed Korean versions of popular reality programs is that the public is already familiar with the concept and format, thus making it easier for them to get into the show,” said Lee Woo-chul, head producer of the first season of Project Runway Korea as well as Korea’s Next Top Model.

In addition to its edgy appeal, reality television is a draw for cable networks because of its relatively low production costs compared to scripted shows. The New York Times reported last year that network reality shows cost around $1 million an hour, nearly half the budget for scripted shows.

But the low-budget appeal for cable networks is a burden for local reality television producers, who have found themselves at the bottom of the food chain, Lee says. “The average cost to make an episode of a reality program in the U.S. is around $1 million to $2 million. Now in Korea, I have to make the same quality of program with one-tenth the budget,” said Lee.

Nonlicensed reality programs, on the other hand, have been enmeshed in copyright controversies. Despite the success of its second season, Superstar K faced accusations of copying American Idol and Britain’s Pop Idol.

“There was some talk in the industry about lawsuits against Superstar K, in that it was supposed to have bought the license from Pop Idol, like American Idol did,” said an industry insider who refused to be named.

Superstar K’s head producer Kim Yong-bum, meanwhile, said that during the making of the second season, the show put more emphasis on the contestants’ personal lives, diverging from the “strong, competition-based structure that is popular on U.S. reality shows.”

Reality television is here to stay

The trend toward reality programming is growing stronger by the minute, according to local experts.

“Reality programming is the biggest trend in the local television scene at the moment. For the next few years, it will dominate cable TV and start seeping in more into network TV as well, in various forms,” said Won. He pointed out network broadcaster MBC’s singing competition “Great Birth,” which started airing early this month on the heels of Superstar K2’s success on cable. The first episode of the show gained a high rating of 8.7 percent, according to media research company TNmS.

Industry experts worry about the impact of these shows on the lives of the participants, because they are often unprepared to deal with the lack of privacy that comes with television exposure.

One such victim was Kim Gu-rim, a contestant on this year’s Superstar K. When she was typecast as being “selfish” by one of the show’s judges, netizens started brutally criticizing her online. In interviews after the show, she said she had suffered the toughest time of her life. The criticism, she said, affected not only her but her entire family.

But for those like Nam Yong-sub, who is reaping the benefits of overnight fame, reality television has given him a second chance and the promise of a better future. “The show was the greatest gift for me. If it weren’t for Project Runway Korea, I would probably still be working at the sales end of the fashion world,” he said with a lingering pause. “Without the show, I might have never gotten a chance to design and have my voice heard.”