Kim Hye-Soo 김혜수 [Drama “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” | Movie “Smugglers”]

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August 31, 2012
'The Thieves' Looking to Steal No. 1 Spot in All-Time Box-Office RankingsChosunIlbo
The crime flick "The Thieves" has claimed second place in the all-time box office rankings for domestic films by luring more than 12.31 million moviegoers as of Thursday. 
It overtook "The King and the Clown," which drew 12.3 million viewers, and has almost caught up with "The Host," which attracted 13 million.
Now attention is being paid to whether it will replace "The Host" as the nation's most-watched movie. "The Thieves" maintains a strong showing, drawing around 50,000 spectators even on weekdays some six weeks after its release.

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August 31, 2012

Actress Kim Hye-soo Appointed as UNICEF's Special Representative
KBS GLobal

UNICEF Korea has designated actress Kim Hye-soo as a special representative, acknowledging her continuous interest in causes for young children and her volunteer activities.

As part of her official duties, she will be taking part in UNICEF’s charity events and advertisements while also visiting various developing countries. Kim said, “I want to help children who are living in difficulty around the world and I want to let everyone know that no matter how small, the continuous help that these children receive can be a light of hope for them.”



UNICEF chooses special representatives from celebrities in film, music, sports, arts, fashion, performances etc. If these celebrities work for a number of years they can be appointed as goodwill ambassadors. Figure skater Kim Yu-na, maestro Chung Myung-hoon, actor Ahn Sung-ki, cellist Chung Myung-hwa, novelist Shin Kyung-sook are currently serving as goodwill ambassadors, representing the organization to the world.

Other UNICEF special representatives include musician Hwang Byung-ki, Jang Sa-ik, TV personalities Kim Mi-hwa, Son Bum-soo, and actors Lee Byung-hun, Kim Rae-won, Won Bin and Lee Bo-young.[Yonhap]

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August 31, 2012

'The Thieves' now 2nd top-selling Korean film
The Korea Herald


Actresses Kim Hye-soo and Jun Ji-hyun star in Choi Dong-hun’s box-office hit “The Thieves.” (1st Look)

“The Thieves” has outperformed “The King and the Clown” to become the second most popular Korean film ever shown at home, according to an industry tally.

“The Thieves” has attracted 12.31 million viewers as of 5 p.m. Thursday, breaking a record set by the all-time No. 2 Korean film “The King and the Clown” (12 million) in 2005, Mediaplex Co., the distributor of the latest film said on Friday.

Directed by Choe Dong-hoon, who is known for “Tazza: the High Rollers” and “The Big Swindle,” the new heist film features 10 Korean and Chinese thieves teaming up to steal a valuable diamond necklace at a Macau casino.

“The Thieves” broke the 10 million mark in audience numbers on its 22nd day since opening on July 25. It also broke audience records of box-office hits “Silmido,” (11.08 million) “Haeundae” (11.45 million) and “Taegukgi” (11.74 million) this month.

The popularity of “The Thieves” has continued in the film’s sixth week since opening, drawing more than 50,000 moviegoers a day, Mediaplex said.

The company expects, if this popularity continues, the new movie may beat the No. 1 Korean film “The Host” (13.01 million) and Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar,” which sits on top of local box-office sales with 13.35 million viewers. 

(Yonhap News)

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Source: innolife.net
 DL VOD

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September 18, 2012

Stealing hearts in Hong Kong
The Thieves reach number one at the Hong Kong box office

by JANG Sung-ran KOFIC



The second most popular film in the history of Korean cinema, The Thieves has once again proved the power of Korean films, reaching to the top spot at the Hong Kong box office in the first week after its release. The film opened in Hong Kong on the 6th September and on its first weekend, (6th-9th), it reached the number one stop.

The overall profits garnered by the film during the film’s first weekend have been found to be 204,950 dollars. The release of The Thieves in Hong Kong has drawn much media attention for opening on 36 screens, the second biggest released there since Haeundae with the number of screens being twenty more than The Host. My Sassy Girl of 2002 reached the top stop at the Hong Kong box office and the two films have Gianna Jun in common.

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September 20, 2012

Cinema box offices on course for record year
By Cho Chung-un The Korea Herald



The number of movie tickets sold at domestic theaters is expected to hit a record high this year, thanks to the growing popularity of Korean films.

According to the Korean Film Council, 128 million tickets were sold at movie theaters in the first eight months, an increase of 20.2 percent from the same period last year. If the number continues this trend for the rest of the year, the tally for all of 2012 will reach 180 million, a 13 percent increase from 160 million last year, officials said.

The estimated figure would be the highest turnout since the film council started compiling box-office data in 2004 through online networks of movie theaters around the country.

The market share of Korean films at local theaters is also rising.

The share of patrons watching Korean movies is expected to reach 58.3 percent this year, up from 51.8 percent last year.

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October 2, 2012

'The Thieves' becomes top-selling Korean movie
The Korea Times



"The Thieves" has became the most popular Korean movie of all time, beating the previous record set by the 2006 movie "The Host," the latest box-office sensation's distributor said Tuesday.

The movie by director Choe Dong-hoon had drawn 13,020,393 local movie goers as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, breaking the previous top audience record of 13,019,740 set by "The Host," directed by Bong Joon-ho, Showbox said.

After opening on July 25, the film about 10 Korean and Chinese thieves plotting to steal a diamond in Macao has demonstrated explosive ticket power, topping the 5 million mark in 10 days and the 10 million barrier in 22 days.

In ticket sales, "The Thieves" recorded about 93.56 billion won (US$84 million), followed by "The Host" with 78.5 billion won and "Haeundae," another Korean film, with 81.9 billion won, according to official box-office figures by the Korean Film Council.

Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar" (2009) sits on top of local box-office sales with 13.62 million viewers.(Yonhap)

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October 3, 2012

'The Thieves' steals Korean box office record
By Julie Jackson The Korea Herald

Director Choe Dong-hoon’s box office smash hit “The Thieves” has now become the top-selling Korean movie of all time. 

As of Tuesday, the movie featuring a star-studded cast set a box office record for Korean films by drawing in 13,020,393 movie goers to the theaters, stealing the top spot from director Bong Joon-ho’s 2006 sci-fi thriller “The Host.” 

Official box office figures showed that the movie has earned approximately 93.6 billion won ($84 million), surpassing the previous admissions leader “The Host,” which earned about 78.5 billion won.

The film’s domestic success and strong box office numbers have received widespread international attention as well. “The Thieves,” set in Macau, was released on 32 screens in Hong Kong last month, making it the second-largest Hong Kong release for a Korean film following “Haeundae,” which was released on 36 screens. 

The distribution rights to the film were sold all over Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Taiwan, China, Thailand and Vietnam. The movie also premiered in North America at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. 

“The Thieves” is an action-packed heist film about a team of Korean and Chinese thieves plotting to steal the “Tear of the Sun,” a $20 million diamond necklace that is kept guarded in a casino safe in Macau. It features some of Korea’s top actors and actresses such as Kim Yoon-seok, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Soo-hyun, Giana Jun and many others.

James Cameron’s Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar,” which attracted 13.6 million locals, still sits at the top in the country’s all-time box office sales that include non-domestic films.

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October 4, 2012

The Thieves becomes most-watched Korean film
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily



It’s official. As expected, “The Thieves” has become the most-watched Korean film with a whopping 13 million plus viewers having watched the flick in the last 70-odd days.

Show Box, the film’s distributor announced on Oct. 2 that the film chalked up some 13,020,393 views, and usurped the place of “The Host” which was released in 2006 and amassed 13,019,740 views in 106 days.

The current hit movie starring Kim Soo-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Hye-su was No. 2 as of Sept. 3. Having garnered 12.31 million views at the time.

After its release on July 25, “Thieves” began breaking records across the board.

Just three days after the film opened, more than a million people had watched it; that number doubled the following day and tripled by day six.

Directed by Choe Dong-hoon, the film is about a heist carried out by 10 Korean and Chinese thieves stealing a $20 million diamond necklace at a casino in Macau. 

To date, the most-watched film of all time in Korea is “Avatar” with some 13,624,328 views. It should be interesting to see if the Korean action-drama can usurp the place of the Hollywood blockbuster.

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October 9, 2012
Kim Hye Soo Shows Class and Glamour in 'W Korea' Pictorial
jnkm  soompi.com
One of Korea’s top actresses, Kim Hye Soo has recently taken part of an alluring “baroque” theme photo shoot.
This recent photo shoot was a collaboration between the luxury brand BVLGARI and “W Korea” magazine. Kim Hye Soo didn’t fail to transform into a charismatic and sexy goddess.
Kim Hye Soo did a great job in bringing the concept of this photo shoot, “fatal fantasy,” to life with her strong and glamorous style. Kim Hye Soo modeled beautiful BVLGARI jewelry pieces, which shine throughout the pictorial. Just like the top actress she is, Kim Hye Soo showed professionalism and experience through her poses and detailed facial expressions, receiving much praise from the photo shoot staff.
About 50 pieces of jewelry were prepared for this shoot, which was worth over 13 billion won (13 million USD).
Meanwhile, Kim Hye Soo’s latest film “The Thieves” is enjoying great success.





Photos from Nate

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LKFF2012 Film Screening Details
*Details courtesy (& copyright) of The London Korean Film Festival: *
http://www.koreanfilm.co.uk/ via Hangul Celluloid
The 7th annual London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) returns 1 - 16 November 2012 showcasing the very best Korean films, UK premieres and events with a diverse programme this year to build on the recent successes of Korea Shines Bright (100 days of Korean cultural events), and the fact that Korea ranked 5th place during the Olympics.
Ranging from gritty mystery thrillers to comedies and family animation films, and from art house gems to period dramas and sports films, the festival takes place in London (1 – 10th Nov) at the Odeon West End and ICA cinemas, and is on tour nationally (from 11 – 16th Nov) at the Glasgow Grosvenor Cinema, Bristol Cube and the Bournemouth Odeon.
The opening night Gala 1 Nov (Odeon West End), kicks off with the European premiere of the Korean box office heist smash hit, The Thieves with director Choi Dong-hoon, lead actor Kim Yoonsuk (who starred in the cult hit, The Yellow Sea) and actress Kim Hye-su  (known for Tazza: The High Rollers and The Red Shoes) Q&A’s, and followed by a gala reception. The festival closes with another box office hit, the European premiere of historical drama Masquerade 16 Nov (Odeon West End), followed by a Q&A with Director Choo Chang-min and lead actor Lee Byunghun (star of I Saw The Devil), the latter who is currently in London shooting Red 2 with Bruce Willis and Anthony Hopkins. 

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October 22, 2012
Who's Who in Korea's 10 Million Movie Club
Source: Nate
The 10 Million club = actors whose movies have sold 10 million tickets

1st Row: Sul Kyung Gu (Silmido, 2003 & Haeundae 2009), Ahn Sung Ki (Silmido, 2003), Jang Dong Gun (Taegukgi, 2004)
2nd Row: Lee Byung Hun (Gwanghae, 2012), Ryu Seung Ryong (Gwanghae, 2012), Won Bin (Taegukgi, 2004)
3rd Row: Lee Jun Ki (King & Clown, 2005), Song Kang Ho (The Host, 2006), Park Hae Il (The Host, 2006)
4th Row: Ha Ji Won (Haeundae, 2009), Kim Hye Soo (The Thieves, 2012), Jeon Ji Hyun (The Thieves, 2012)
5th Row: Park Joong Hoon (Haeundae, 2009), Kim Yoon Seok (The Thieves, 2012), Kim In Kwon (Gwanghae, 2012)

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September 11, 2012
Kim Hye-Su, a proud fashionista of Korea  Source: Innolife Korea

There is a star who makes people being excited and expected at an awards ceremonies, which is Kim Hye-Su. Her style is chick and ahead of others. 
There are thousands of fans and even entertainers who follow her fashion. Many new fashionistas try hard to be better than her at red carpets every year, but they cannot. 
One of the reasons for that is due to Kim Hye-Su’s attitude that doesn’t swayed by prospects of others. The red carpet event of the premiere of the movie ‘The Thieves’ may be possible because of Kim Hye-Su who has a solid position as an icon of fashion. Currently, ‘The Thieves’ is breaking a new record every day after it broke the record of 10 million audiences.

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October 29, 2012
Korean films to shine at the City of Light
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily

The 7th annual Le Festival du Film Coréen à Paris will kick off today in the French capital and run until Nov. 6.
Over the next week, iconic Korean films ranging from classics, documentaries, animated films and experimental works will be shown. 24 features and 23 short films will be screened in total. Some major films to be shown include “The Crucible,” “The Taste of Money” and “War of the Arrows.”
The opening piece will be “Gwanghae,” starring Lee Byung-hun, while the closing film will be “The Thieves” featuring the all-star cast of Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Hye-soo and Kim Soo-hyun among others.
In the shorts segment, 10 works will compete against one another to win the “Fly Asiana Award,” which is being sponsored by the Korea-based airline.
In addition, director Kim Kyung-mook and composer Hyun Jung-jae have been invited to open the ceremony, while “The Thieves” director Choe Dong-hoon, producer Ahn Soo-hyun and actor Lee Jung-jae have been asked to take part in the closing ceremony.
Bae Yong-jae, a member of the film festival’s committee, said that this year they focused on bringing a diverse range of films to the event.
“After last year we have been receiving support from the Paris city government and this year we hope to win over the hearts of French cinemagoers.”

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November 21, 2012
Korean films break 100 million in attendance
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
Korean films are set to break the 100 million mark in attendance by Wednesday, according to the state-run Korean Film Council.
As of Tuesday morning, some 99.8 million viewers had watched Korean films since the beginning of January. 
The milestone means Koreans saw at least two local films on average this year. 
Korean films enjoyed much success this year, at both the box office and film festivals. Two local films ― Choi Dong-hun’s star-studded heist film “The Thieves” and Choo Chang-min’s period drama “Gwanghae: the Man who Became the King” ― sold more than 10 million tickets. It was the first time two Korean films had done so in the same year.
Local auteur Kim Ki-duk also made headlines by winning the top prize at this year’s Venice Film Festival for his bleak morality tale “Pieta,” becoming the first Korean filmmaker to win the award. 

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November 30, 2012

ChosunIlbo



Actress Kim Hye-soo attends a UNICEF charity fashion show in Seoul on Thursday. She is a promotional ambassador for the organization.

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December 20, 2012
[12 Days of 2012] Top 5 Movies
CJ E&M enewsWorld Nancy Lee 
Christmas is fast approaching, which means the New Year is just around the corner!
Although we’re looking forward to what 2013 has in store, we can’t close out 2012 without looking back on the stars, dramas, movies and more that shined this year, so we’re launching a new series here at enewsWorld, called 12 Days of 2012, to round up and reflect on one exciting year in Korean entertainment. 
Stick around (and wish us luck) as we try to jam pack everything 2012 into 12 days!
We’re kicking off our countdown to 2013 with the top 5 films of 2012.
It was a particularly standout year for Korean films, where many domestic films across genres drew in record numbers of viewers with refreshing storylines and talented casts. From melodramas and romantic comedies to heist films and even period pieces, the Korean film landscape was colored with a wide range of features to satisfy every moviegoer’s taste. 
Dancing Queen
The year was off to a great start thanks to the romantic comedy Dancing Queen, starring Hwang Jung Min and Uhm Jung Hwa, which opened in January. 
Rave reviews for the underrated film drew moviegoers to theaters by means of word-of-mouth, enabling it to cross the 2.5 million mark within two weeks of its premiere. 
The film was even released in North America, spreading its positive message about following your dreams (just because it’s cliché doesn’t meant it’s not true!) to cities like New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto. 
Architecture 101
We think it’s safe to say Architecture 101, starring Uhm Tae Woong, Han Ga In, miss A’s Suzy and Lee Je Hoon, was one of the runaway hits of 2012.
The melodrama proved to appeal to more than just its typical, largely female target audience, drawing in more than one million viewers within eight days of its release back in March, later becoming the most-watched melodrama in Korea. 
Although Suzy rose to fame in the acting world with KBS drama Dream High, Architecture 101 proved to be the breakthrough film that would solidify her as one of the brightest young talents as well as the ‘Nation’s First Love’ and earn her the Best New Actress Award at the 48th Paeksang Arts Awards. 
The Thieves

It appears if you graduate from Dream High, you go on to achieve great things, as another alum, Kim Soo Hyun, and his cast mates found astounding success with heist film The Thieves, which was released in July. 
The action comedy, which stars A-listers like Jun Ji Hyun, Lee Jung Jae and Kim Hye Soo, was out to do some serious damage from the outset, smashing the record for the biggest opening in Korean film history. 
As of August, it was the number one film of the year, drawing in more than five million moviegoers to theaters in August, before hitting the 10 million mark later that month. 
The Thieves definitely stole the show this year, that’s for sure. 
Masquerade
From Los Angeles to London, the world’s eyes were on Lee Byung Hun—and not because of his budding romance with actress Lee Min Jung. 
The globetrotting star of Masquerade has received worldwide attention, not only for his successful foray into Hollywood but for his portrayal of the Joseon Dynasty king Gwanghae in the period piece. 
The film swept the 49th Daejong Film Awards, taking home 15 awards, including Lee Byung Hun’s Best Actor Award. 
A Werewolf Boy
With Song Joong Ki on the roster, it came as no surprise that feature film A Werewolf Boy would find success, even before its premiere. 
But we know what matters in the film world is opening day, and the movie lived up to expectations, even knocking 007 Skyfall down to second place when it premiered on October 31. 
The big names and intriguing storyline made for the perfect recipe at the box office, proving James Bond has nothing on our werewolf boy!

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January 4, 2013

What Does 2013 Hold for Korean Film?

The ChosunIlbo

Korean films drew more than 100 million viewers over the past year, but there are a number of concerns if they are to sustain their momentum. Here are five of the top issues for this year that have insiders speculating about the future of the movie industry. 

◆ Can Korean Movies Break the 100 Million Mark Again?

In 2012, domestic movies set a new record by attracting 115 million moviegoers. With many much-anticipated films out this year, the question is whether the industry can repeat that milestone.

Potential blockbusters include "The New World" directed by Park Hoon-jung, which revolves around a cop who goes undercover into gangland and Kang Woo-suk's "Fist of Legend," based on a webtoon.

Other releases include a Korean version of "True Lies" by Yi Seung-jun, and Won Shin-yeon's new film about a delivery man who draws upon his experience in the North Korean special forces when he is falsely accused of the murder of a company CEO.

◆ Can Korean Directors Capture Global Audiences?

Korea's most noted directors are debuting in Hollywood. Kim Ji-Woon's Hollywood debut "The Last Stand" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger will be released in North America this month. In February, "Stoker," directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Nicole Kidman, comes to cinemas around the world, and in the second half of this year, the W40 billion (US$1=W1,062) production "Snow Piercer" by Bong Joon-ho will hit screens in North America.

◆ Kim Hye-soo or Jeon Ji-hyun?

The stars of "The Thieves," the biggest local box office hit of 2012, will compete against each other with their new films. Jeon Ji-hyun appears in "The Berlin File" by Ryu Seung-wan, set to be released in January. It also stars Han Suk-kyu, Ha Jung-woo and Ryu Seung-beom. Kim Hye-soo co-stars with Song Kang-ho in Han Jae-rim's period movie "Fortune," which will be released later this year.

Kim Yoon-seok will return to screens with "Run to the South" by Lim Soon-rye and "Hwayi" by Jang Joon-hwan, while Kim Soo-hyun landed his first starring film role in Jang Cheol-soo's "Covertness."

◆ Are Co-Productions the Way Forward?

A 3D Korean-Chinese co-production, will hit theaters in China in the second half of this year. The movie tells the story of a girl from a circus troupe and a gorilla joining a Korean professional baseball team and growing into superstars.

The Chinese distributor covered more than 25 percent of the production costs of W22.5 billion, and the movie is expected to secure at least over 5,000 screens in China.

◆ Will Hong Sang-soo Finally Land International Festival Prize?

Hong Sang-soo's 14th feature film "Nobody's Daughter Haewon" will compete in the official competition at the Berlin Film Festival in February. Hong has entered international film festivals 242 times since he debuted with "The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well" in 1996. This is his fifth time in competition in the world's three major film festivals -- Cannes, Berlin and Venice -- but so far he has not managed to win an award.

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February 5, 2013
Kim Hye-soo cast for "Come Back Miss Kim"
Source: TVdaily.com via Hancinema.net

"Come Back Miss Kim" has been organized to broadcast after "Ad Genius Lee Tae-baek" according to producer Jeon Chang-geun and the title is open to change.
"Come Back Miss Kim" is about a modern woman who develops her own life and is based on the original Japanese drama "Dignity of Dispatch". Kim Hye-soo is a likely candidate for the main role.
"Come Back Miss Kim" will be aired in April after Jin Goo and Park Ha-seon's "Ad Genius Lee Tae-baek".

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February 25, 2013
Kim Hye-soo to play career woman
By Park Eun-jee Korea JoongAng Daily



Actor Oh Ji-ho and actress Kim Hye-soo are set to pair up for the upcoming KBS drama tentatively named “Come Back Miss Kim.” 
“Kim Hye-soo will appear in ‘Come Back Miss Kim,’ which will begin airing on April 1, as the title character Miss Kim,” said a representative of the actress’s agency Bliss Media. 
“Actor Oh Ji-ho will take up the opposing role,” the agency representative added.
“Come Back Miss Kim” is a workplace comedy that revolves around a successful career woman named Miss Kim. Oh will play an elite employee who works with her after earning an MBA in the United States.
The drama is based on the Japanese series “Haken No Hinkaku” but reportedly plans to significantly rework the original premise.
It was written by Yoon Nan-joong of “Flower Boy Ramyun Shop” fame and produced by Jeon Chan-joong.
The upcoming comedy marks Oh’s first drama in three years after KBS 2TV’s “The Slave Hunters.”
It will also be Kim’s first drama since 2010.