Chae Si Ra (채시라)

[Guest N&M]

The Chameleonlike Actress

Chae Si-ra (채시라)

Biography

Born: June 25, 1968

Family: married to Kim Tae Wook; has 1 daughter

Height/Weight: 168 cm (5' 6") / 49 kg (108 lbs)

School: Dongkuk University

In the 90's, she swayed the hearts of audiences all over Korea, Chae Si-ra. Over the course of 20 years, her talent for acting grew in depth as did the adoration from fans. From teen star to one of the best middle-aged actresses of Korea, STAR FOCUS brings you Chae Si-ra!!

Our cameras caught her at the set of ¡°Invisible Man, Choi Jang-soo.¡± It had been one year since she was back in drama after ¡°Emperor of the Sea.¡± With a head of short curly hair and stretched out t-shirt, she was playing the role of a stubborn housewife - and her transformation was making headlines.

In ¡°Invisible Man, Choi Jang-soo,¡± a family is broken up due to the father's indifference towards his family. After the divorce, the ex-wife learns of her husband's deathly illness, and the story centers around rediscovering the importance of love and family.

A wife and mother for the past 7 years, Chae Si-ra's performance was incredibly convincing.

Unlike many other middle-aged actresses who, after marriage, find their careers waning, Chae Si-ra's career continued to soar... It was like she had gotten her second wind!

In the TV drama, ¡°Terms of Endearment¡±, Chae played a woman who had been through endless hardships which ultimately led in divorce. After a stunning performance, audiences realized that Chae Si-ra was STILL at the top of her game.

In last year's historical fusion drama, ¡°Emperor of the Sea,¡± Chae played "Lady Jami," a character whose elegant exterior hid the ferocious femme fatale underneath.

Whether the drama was historical or a modern-day production, her charismatic presentation was one and the same - a constant.

She debuted in 1984 in a chocolate commercial, and when she starred in the drama, ¡°The Eye of the Dawn.¡± her popularity went through the roof.

The drama first aired in 1991, and 15 years later, it's still found to be the drama that most viewers want to watch again.

For the past 20-plus years, Chae's been in the spotlight, but she still harbors a strong desire for certain roles.

Even at an older age, Chae Si-ra's beauty continues to blossom. In advertisements, as an actress, and as a fashion leader in showbiz, she prospers. Fans and stars both continue to look up to her. But Chae Si-ra views herself first and foremost as a mother to her children and a wife to her husband.

Soon she'll have to prepare for a scene requiring an ocean of tears, as she finds out her husband has a terminal illness. It is sure to be a heart-wrencher for viewers, as well.

An innate ability to portray all her characters in a light that is "all too real"! Perhaps that's Chae Si-ra's long-kept secret to her success? Audiences are able to empathize with her characters! We love her work and can't WAIT to see more!

Filmography

2006: Invisible Man Choi Jang-soo TV Series

2004: Emperor of The Sea - 해신 (Hae Sin) TV Series

2004: Terms of Endearment - 애정의 조건 (Ae-jeong-eui Jo-geon) TV Series

2003: Maengs Success Period TV Series

2003: Cheers for the Women TV Series

1996: Returned Hero Hong Kil-Dong

1995: Mommy, Star and Sea Anemone

1995: Sunset into the Neon Lights

1994: Sons and Daughters TV Series

1992: Seoul's Moon (1994) TV Series

1991: Eyes of Dawn TV Series

Movie Clips

Wedding Ceremony&Honeymoon

Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_Chae_Si-ra.php

& <a href="http://www.arirang.co.kr/TV/Show_Biz_Online.asp?Page=3&PROG_CODE=TVCR0112" target="_blank">http://www.arirang.co.kr/TV/Show_Biz_Onlin...G_CODE=TVCR0112</a>

[Guest N&M]

Emperor of The Sea (Drama - 2004) - 해신 (Hae Sin)

KBS Drama Historical

Directed by

Kang Byeong-taek (강병택)

Kang Il-soo (강일수)

Screenplay by

Hwang Joo-ha (황주하)

Jeong Jin-ok (정진옥)

Cast

Choi Soo-jong (최수종); Chae Si-ra (채시라); Song Il-gook (송일국); Soo-ae (수애)

For a variety of reasons, including the quantity of resource material available and the public's familiarity with the period, Joseon (1392 - 1910) had always been Korea's favorite period when it came to films and TV Dramas. After all, one of the most popular folk tales (Chunhyang of many film and TV Drama adaptations), and many famous figures (King Sejong, Prince Yeonsan, Lady Jang, Prince Sado, Admiral Lee Soon-Shin, medical genius Hur Joon) made their mark in that period. But the more people grew accustomed to those stories, the more they felt the need for something new. Although tentatives to move history forward were frequent, the closer the history portrayed on screen was to our modern days, the more political those shows became. An entire series of shows dealing with Korea's various republics started emerging from the 80s, with last year's fantastic MBC Drama 제5공화국 (The Fifth Republic) dealing with Jeon Du-Hwan's rule. So they weren't simply 사극 (sageuk, Historical Dramas), but full fledged Political Dramas, sometimes with an agenda and an axe to grind.

With people increasingly tired of Joseon Palace life, the three major stations in Korea took different roads: MBC created a brand of 'new age' Historical Dramas centered on 'heroes' the average Korean could relate to. Be it the amazing story of one of the country's leading figures in medicine with 2000's landmark 허준 (Hur Joon) or legendary merchant Im Sang-Ok in 상도 (Sang Do), those 'rags to riches' stories eventually led to the birth of Fusion Dramas, with 2003's 다모 (Damo) as the first shining example of the new genre. But KBS took another direction, focusing on Goryeo (918 - 1392), the Wang Dynasty. With three consecutive shows -- 태조왕건 (Wang Gun), 제국의 아침 (Dawn of The Empire) and 무인시대 (The Age of Warriors) -- KBS portrayed the Kingdom's history from its progenitor and founder Wang Gun to Lee Ui-Bang's coup d'etat in 1170 (passing from Emperor Gwangjeong in 'Dawn of the Empire').

Although 'Wang Gun' was an incredible success, with ratings of over 60% and plenty of acclaim from critics and viewers alike, the following two shows failed to capture the public. Historical Dramas in the traditional sense, the three shows focused more on political intrigue and a strong ensemble cast instead of MBC's 'new age' Dramas, often centered on a couple of figures. The biggest critics of those shows often said that while the new historical setting was a welcome change of pace, nothing much had changed from the palace manipulations of Joseon-based Dramas. Although KBS moved to another Joseon-based Drama in 2004, the excellent 불멸의 이순신 (The Immortal Lee Soon-Shin) (which mixed traditional elements with MBC's new age formulae), a few people involved with the Goryeo series took things in another, unexpected direction.

Kang Byung-Taek and Kang Il-Soo, who worked together in 'Wang Gun' as assistant producers, embarked on a very ambitious and risky project: making a serious attempt (although not the first, obviously) at an Historical Drama set in the Unified Shilla period, adapting a famous novel by master Choi In-Ho, and casting Choi Su-Jong, who started a second career of sorts with the incredible popularity of 'Wang Gun'. But they knew doing another 'traditional' Sageuk wouldn't have worked, so they learned a few things from 'Damo', 대장금 (Dae Jang Geum) and other new age Dramas. Part of the dramatization process for 해신 (Emperor of the Sea), telling the story of legendary 'God of the Sea' Jang Bo-Go, one of the most influential figures in 9th Century Korea, would involve using tropes associated with 'regular' TV Dramas with a modern setting, and improved production values to attract a younger crowd.

Kang had a long history of working in Sageuk, even before the Goryeo series, as he was in the production team of the 1996 masterpiece 용의 눈물 (Tears of The Dragon), and also worked for 3 years on KBS' Historical Documentary series 역사스페셜 (History Special). The first thing he did was moving the show from the traditional Weekend spot to Wednesday and Thursday, when the most popular (and often the best) Dramas face off in a 3-tier ratings war. With a budget of over 15 Billion Won (quite high by last year's standards, although by now it looks like peanuts), wisely spent on several locations around China, the two Kang were ready to write a new chapter in KBS history. And maybe even get their throne back after years of MBC domination, at least on the critical sphere.

Although you might be familiar with the Three Kingdoms era so entertainingly portrayed in Lee Joon-Ik's 황산벌 (Once Upon a Time in the Battlefield), 'Emperor of the Sea' deals with the later Three Kingdoms period. The Three Kingdoms were Goguryeo in the North (parts of Manchuria, current North Korea, Gyunggi and part of Kangwon Province, more or less); Shilla in the South East (current Gyungsang Province) and Baekje in the South West (current Jeolla Province). One of the reasons why 'Battlefield' worked so well was its using this Three Kingdom period allegory to mirror the current regionalist attitude in Korean society and politics, which in many ways stem from conflicts happening in this period. When Shilla absorbed the small Kingdom of Gaya around the middle of the 6th Century, this alerted neighbouring Goguryeo and Baekje which formed an unlikely alliance. This moment is where ties between Shilla and the Tang Dynasty in China increased exponentially, until the two marched together against Baekje and Goguryeo in the mid 7th Century, beginning the Unified Shilla period. This was also the dawn of the Balhae Kingdom up North, which is the basis for the recent Wuxia 무영검 (Shadowless Sword).

Although the late 7th Century was a moment of great military expansion for Shilla, it only ended up deepening the rift between nobles and commoners. The 골품제도 (骨品制度, Bone Rank System) used in Shilla back then was in some ways similar to what would later happen in the Joseon Dynasty with the 양반 (yangban, literati) and 쌍놈 (ssangnom, commoners). Mostly based on lineage, this system was slowly eroding by the time the Unified Shilla period started, but its consequences for the commoners were still very difficult to handle, with hordes of people who didn't have the means to pay taxes forced to become slaves in labor villages built to cater to the needs of Shilla's nobility. You had farming villages, communities forging weapons, and even those who built ships.

One of those talented ship-builders was Goong-Bok (Choi Su-Jong) -- also nicknamed 궁파 (弓巴, able archer, roughly) in the 삼국유사 (三國遺事, Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) -- who along with his friend Jung Nyeon (Kim Heung-Soo) spent his youth in Chunghaejin (the current Wando, a little Island near Namhae), one of the best places in the region for ship building and repairing. The 삼국사기 (三國史記, Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) records that Goong-Bok and Jung Nyeon were able fighters, and the latter was even a great swimmer. Still very young, the two went on a journey to Tang China, where their fighting skills didn't remain unnoticed, as they eventually joined the Wuning Jun (the army of the Wuning District, now Jiangsu Province) as Junior Commanders. But military life wasn't Goong-Bok's vocation. Although the bone rank system limited him in Shilla, he always dreamed of becoming a merchant, spending his life on the sea, discovering new worlds and opening trade routes with other countries.

Back then certain areas of the Tang territory were ripe with commercial activities dominated by ethnic Shilla people, especially in the Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces. That's where young Goong-Bok learned the tricks of the trade, and gained the name Jang Bo-Go (which in Chinese meant 'lucky family name' - commoners in Shilla didn't have family names). But the condition Shilla men were facing in China changed him, prompting him to return to his native land, and form a sort of of 'traders paradise' in Chunghaejin, a garrison created after King Heungdeok appointed him maritime commissioner in 828.

By the end of the Century's first third, Jang controlled a fleet of impressive proportions, suppressed pirate activities in the waters between Tang, Shilla and Japan, and managed to create the first trading route between the three countries. While Jang was instrumental in influencing the fate of Shilla politics for a decade or so, if we distance a moment from his feats and look at the bigger picture, we'll see he was merely a piece of the puzzle. Between 800 and 857 the Shilla throne changed hands seven times, as part of a controversial internal war between nobles over the style of government two ruling clans wanted (one wanted a more centralized, Chinese-style government, the others wanted to keep the bone rank system intact). The moment Jang involved himself in palace politics, the ruling clans simply started using him: either as a scapegoat enemy to combat, or as a pawn to use on the way to power.

He was known as a God of the Sea both in Japan and China, yet the story was a little different in Korea. We all know history is written by the winners, but Historical Dramas are written by people, often with opinions, surely with certain needs (entertaining an audience). Korean history often saw Jang's acts as treason (saying why would spoil and essentially ruin the second part of the Drama, especially if you know nothing about Jang) and simply considered him a private warlord with immense political clout, more interested in gaining power than in further developing his incredibly successful commercial activities. But since Confucian scholars wrote those records filtering history through their set of values, a few hundreds years after Jang's feats, one could simply interpret them as if Fox News wrote today's history for tomorrow's generation. But this Drama is different, much more so that anyone even vaguely familiar with the legendary accomplishments of Jang Bo-Go could ever expect. With the help of Choi In-Ho's three-parts best seller, writers Hwang Ju-Ha and Jung Jin-Ok (who wrote parts of 'Sang Do' in 2001) created a different Jang Bo-Go, something closer to what we'd call hero.

When you think of famous sources of adaptation for Korean Cinema (and later TV Dramas), the name Choi In-Ho might not sound familiar, but Chungmuro wouldn't be the same without his influence. Born in 1945, Choi became the youngest writer to win the Hanguk Ilbo's annual literary contest in 1963, and after that one of the most successful literary careers started flourishing. Several of Choi's best sellers have been adapted (either by Choi himself or others) on the big screen, and we're talking about classics: 별들의 고향 (Hometown of the Stars) by Lee Jang-Ho in 1974, one of the biggest box office successes of the 70s; Ha Gil-Jong's 1975 masterpiece 바보들의 행진 (March of Fools); 겨울 여자 (Winter Woman), the biggest hit of the 70s; Bae Chang-Ho's smash hit 고래 사냥 (Whale Hunting) from 1984; Kwak Ji-Gyun's 겨울 나그네 (Winter Wanderer), amongst the most acclaimed melodramas of the 80s; and, last but not least, several different version of his 불새 (Phoenix) novel, including the TV version starring Moon Jung-Hyuk, Lee Seo-Jin and the late Lee Eun-Joo. But simply dramatizing the novel (which wasn't 100% historically accurate, obviously) wasn't enough, so the writing team added fictional characters, as with most other Historical Dramas, traditional or not.

With Goong-Bok and Jeong Nyeon taken care of, the Drama needed some strong antagonists to work. Yeom Moon (later Yeom Jang) was one historical figure they could use, as his involvement with Jang Bo-Go was already familiar. Han Jae-Seok, always on the verge of becoming a star but never really catching fire, was cast in the role. But the team also created many fictional characters: the vicious Madame Jami (Chae Si-Ra), one of the many Shilla merchants based in Tang China; Lee Do-Hyung (Sageuk veteran Kim Gab-Soo), leader of a gang of pirates; Choi Mu-Chang (Lee Won-Jong), the usual 'big guy with a heart of gold' who helps Goong-Bok and Jeong Nyeon in their endeavors, and finally Lady Jung-Hwa (Soo Ae) and her brother (Jung Sung-Hwan).

The draft dodging scandal of 2004, which forced Song Seung-Heon to drop out of 슬픈연가 (Sad Sonata) and Jang Hyuk out of 왕의 남자 (The King and The Clown) also hit 'Emperor of the Sea', as Han Jae-Seok was one of the people involved. The production company had to make a quick decision about his replacement, as shooting already started (there's a few pics online with Han posing with Choi Su-Jong in costume) and they couldn't delay their trip to China. Old (but still as beautiful as she was on her debut!) fox Chae Si-Ra, a longtime veteran of classics like 여명의 눈동자 (Eyes of Dawn) and 서울의 달 (The Moon of Seoul) quickly made a proposal to PD Kang: Song Il-Guk. Although back then he was just known as a 'famous son' -- of Kim Eul-Dong, one of the ajumma in 마파도 (Mapado: Island of Fortunes) -- Song worked with Chae in KBS' 애정의 조건 (Terms of Endearment), where he showed he had enough potential to become a star. With Han out of the picture, Song Il-Guk became the new Yeom Moon.

Everything was ready to begin: a two months long shoot in China (Shanghai, Shandong and the Desert areas near Central Asia), top stars, spectacular locations, naval battles and plenty of mano y mano action to satisfy the fans. But while the history buffs might have been intrigued by the period setting and the central figure, the writing team tried to do something new, in a way similar to what 'Damo' succeeded in presenting a couple of years back. Kang wanted to get rid of the image KBS Sageuk like the Goryeo series had, so centered on dialogue and political intrigue but a bit too cold and 'meaty' for the average viewer.

So through the writers, he brought the Drama closer to the people: he simplified the dialogue (perhaps too much) and the issues, increased the action and melodrama, and even threw in the dreaded 삼각관계 (love triangle). Yes, because even if Jang's commercial and military feats are still the focus of the story, a good portion of the show is spent showing the struggle between Jang Bo-Go and Yeom Moon to win over Lady Jung-Hwa. And it certainly makes for interesting viewing, especially for those used to old formulas which had gotten a little stale. Yet, despite upping the ante in terms of emotional power compared to the Goryeo series (at least the last two, although I've only seen parts of 'The Age of Warriors'), 'Emperor of the Sea' suffers the same problems other 'regular' TV Dramas often go through: although the beginning is quite exciting and well written, the middle portion dealing with the building love triangle drags quite a bit, and using Kim Beom-Soo's 니가 날 떠나 (you're leaving me) twice per episode for the first half of the Drama is a little excessive. And I like the song, imagine if I didn't...

Also, one feels the 'shorter' format compared to traditional Dramas (100-200 Episodes against 'Emperor' and its 51) creates a sort of 'Dumb Blonde' effect. What's that? Remember 24, when Elisha Cuthbert's character would run into a new problem moments after solving the old one? Although Jang Bo-Go's life has been full of interesting anecdotes, based on the very little historical data we have, by making him a sort of Korean 'Gladiator' (again, pun intended, you'll see) and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him, it all sort of removes you from the historical context. Hell, even 'Damo', a Fusion Drama which takes wild liberties in the storytelling department, was more historically realistic.

Kang commented that since very little data is available for this historical period, they went their way with art direction, costumes and sometimes even sets. But that's not the problem, otherwise I could have never watched something like 형사 Duelist. You get a feeling you're watching one of those excessive Hollywood colossal flick sometimes, with some of Jang's feats in his pre-trade days looking like the average Braveheart or Gladiator rolled into one. And the dialogue is too simplistic, with some of the lines uttered by Jang Bo-Go sounding like the material you'd see in an unintentionally hilarious 70s action flick, like those with Park No-Shik and Lee Dae-Geun. 'I will trust my enemy!' - 'Why?' - 'Because I trust myself first!'. This is not a Shilla version of 다찌마와 리 (Dajjimawa Lee), and the sub-par dialogue only ends up taking some of the pathos off of Jang Bo-Go's (maybe that's why I was rooting for Yeom Moon?) character.

But those might simply be prejudices I have after watching 'traditional' Historical Dramas for a long time, because there's plenty to enjoy in 'Emperor of the Sea'. For starters, this is one of the best looking Korean Dramas ever made. The battles in the desert remind of 무사 (Musa: The Warrior) in scale and realism, mixing excitement with strategy; the naval battles pale in comparison to 불멸의 이순신 (The Immortal Lee Soon-Shin) but are still well orchestrated and consistently engaging; the sets and costumes are stunning, far removed from the 백의민족 (white clad folk) blandness of many older Historical Dramas. This thing simply looks fantastic, and although production values won't compete with the newer Fusion Dramas, they're still miles better than older shows, in particular the Goryeo series. And, despite being conditioned by the writing team's 'inserts', Choi In-Ho's talent for great drama shines in the long run.

Abandoning the love triangle (or at least giving it less attention) around the final 20 Episodes, the show moves to the core of the story, the relationship between Jang Bo-Go, Yeom Jang and the King, and that's when things get intense and exciting. Mixing the intrigue of traditional Dramas, the thrill of the action seen in 'Damo' (but this is more realistic, brutal Korean style, opposed to the 2003 show's wuxia-influenced wire action) and production values usually associated with films, 'Emperor of the Sea' increasingly wraps the story around emotional power, not historical events, which at the end allows the cast to give it their all, without being trapped by their roles.

And as I said many times, without good acting Historical Dramas can't work -- unless we're talking about 서동요 (The Ballad of Seo Dong). The dialogue can be oversimplified and a little too 'Saturday morning superhero flick', but Choi Su-Jong clearly has enough charisma to carry the role, and Song Il-Guk is just fantastic. There were more than a few instances when I sympathized more with his character than Jang Bo-Go's holier-than-thou heroic histrionics, because he's less an icon and more a real person full of conflicting emotions. Song was even called 'Lead killer' back then, as he became more popular than Choi, even playing a supporting role. If the most important scenes concerning Yeom Moon/Yeom Jang are always so hard hitting, that's certainly thanks to Song's wonderful performance.

Last but not least, the 'salad dressing.' If you weren't a Kim Gab-Soo fan before, this show will change your mind, as he's simply mesmerizing. Playing the kind of role which could become like a 50s villain, he gives his character the right amount of pathos and terrifying calm, enough to make you understand why people fear and respect Lee Do-Hyung so much. But Chae Si-Ra is no different, making Madame Jami a devilish femme fatale, embracing all her friends and foes and biting them in the neck when they least expect it, like a vicious snake. Kim Heung-Soo proves once again 꽃보다 아름다워 (More Beautiful Than Flowers) wasn't a fluke, as he admirably carries the role of Jung Nyeon with the right balance of youthful energy and the maturity of someone who's gone through many ordeals. And, although Soo Ae's character is the most predictable and cliched, she does a good job. It would take a day to list all the minor characters, from Lee Won-Jong's terrific performance as Choi Mu-Chang's to Lee Hee-Do's usual smarmy character, but let's just say it's a great ensemble cast.

'Emperor of the Sea' is a challenging show for those used to the old ways. It works with different dynamics, and embraces different genre elements. It's not as historically relevant as traditional Sageuk, and some of the allegory seems tacked in at the last minute. For those who grew up with Dramas like 'Tears of The Dragon', the change might be too much to handle, as even the last bastion of storytelling-based Dramas has been invaded by the 'melodrama code'. But the formula is still young, so elements of the past keep re-emerging, in some ways stronger than you'd expect. That's the major strength of this show, balancing two different, seemingly incompatible worlds (that of sageuk and regular TV Dramas) and creating something that still feels exciting. That's the reason why it did so well in the ratings, and why it's a very good start for those who never experienced Historical Dramas. This trend might lead us in very dangerous waters, like finding a 'Joseon Winter Sonata' down the line, something I clearly don't want to see. But taken in this context, as a tentative to do something new and embrace the entire spectrum of people watching TV, it's quite successful.

Given the choice, I'd still go back and watch 'Tears of the Dragon' or 허준 (Hur Joon), but when it comes to exciting, well written, extremely well acted 'New Age' Historical Dramas, this is a great start.

Web site: www.kbs.co.kr/drama/jangbogo...

Source: http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/005215.html

_____________________________________________________

Terms of Endearment (Drama - 2004) - 애정의 조건 (Ae-jeong-eui Jo-geon)

KBS Drama

Directed by

Kim Jong-chang (김종창)

Screenplay by

Moon Yeong-nam (문영남)

Cast

Chae Si-ra (채시라); Han Ga-in (한가인); Ji Seong (지성); Lee Jong-won (이종원); Song Il-gook (송일국)

60 episodes

Synopsis

This drama shows how devastating and hurtful it can be for a woman to live with a boyfriend before marriage and not end up tying a knot with him. Korea has the second highest divorce rate in the world as more and more families become ruined -- mainly because one of the spouses cheats. To make things worse, the mass media continues to champion premarital cohabitation as a choice that unmarried couples are free to make. Terms of Endearment depicts today's harsh reality and once again reminds us of the sacred meaning of marriage and the importance of family.

Casting

Chae Si-ra

Keum-pa's married life is quite enviable on the surface: her husband is a lawyer, and they have a child. But in reality, she is one of the unhappiest women. Her husband cheats on her with his female coworker, and Keum-pa doesn't have courage to divorce him even though she knows about her husband's betrayal. One day, she runs into her elementary school boyfriend, her first love, through online chatting. The two become close, and Keum-pa even finds spiritual consolation in him. But eventually Keum-pa's husband learns about their precarious relationship, and Keum-pa ends up divorcing her husband.

Lee Jong-won

Eun-pa is a protagonist of a tragic life. Since childhood, she has been treated coldly by her mother, who always compared her with her older sisters. While in college, Eun-pa falls in love with Jun-sung, who was very popular with girls. Eventually, Jun-sung moves in with Eun-pa, who lies to her mother that she will live with one of her college friends. Although she is scared that her family may find out that she is living with a boyfriend, Eun-pa's firmly believes that Jun-sung will marry her one day, and does her best to become a caring girlfriend to him.

Han Ga-in

Eun-pa is a protagonist of a tragic life. Since childhood, she has been treated coldly by her mother, who always compared her with her older sisters. While in college, Eun-pa falls in love with Jun-sung, who was very popular with girls. Eventually, Jun-sung moves in with Eun-pa, who lies to her mother that she will live with one of her college friends. Although she is scared that her family may find out that she is living with a boyfriend, Eun-pa's firmly believes that Jun-sung will marry her one day, and does her best to become a caring girlfriend to him.

Ji Seong

Yun-taek once dreamed of becoming an ethics teacher. He had to take a leave from college because he didn't have money, and went to the army. He is vibrant and witty, and has a good sense of humor, but on the other hand he is also very prudent, gentle and warm-hearted. As soon as he becomes discharged from the army, he embarks on looking for Eun-pa, his first love, but to no avail. One day, he suddenly meets Eun-pa at a nightclub where he works as a waiter in order to earn money and go back to college.

Web site: www.kbs.co.kr/drama/aejung...

[Guest N&M]

Best Dressed Celebs Honored at Awards

By Han Eun-jung

Staff Reporter

Soap queen Chae Si-ra, dance group Tongvfangxinqui! and fashion model Chu Ji-hoon were among the celebrities named as best dressers at the 21st Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards, which were held at a Seoul hotel on Thursday evening.

After having portrayed in-laws in the recent drama ``Terms of Endearment,'' Chae Si-ra and Song Il-guk reunited on stage to collect awards in the categories of television actor and actress. Married and the mother of one, Chae is considered by many to be just as stylish as she was in her 20s, if not more so, while Song has shown just how beautifully he can sport an array of suits both on screen and at major outings over the past year.

Actress Kim Jung-eun, who set off the Paul Frank craze and had 20-something women complement their outfits with cloth belts, was awarded a Swan in the Movie Star category while the dashing Jung Jun-ho garnered an award in the same category for men.

In the vocal artist category, boy band Tongvfangxinqui! and Bada, the former S.E.S vocalist who went solo last year, walked off with Swan Awards, proving that Tongvfangxinqui!'s futuristic black-on-black outfits and Bada's hand at demonstrating new possibilities had attracted attention.

Exotic beauty Lee Ki-yong, perhaps better known as the model in skimpy red shorts and matching cap featured in commercials for SK gas stations, and the dark, handsome Chu Ji-hoon, the local Levis spokesperson, received awards in the fashion model category. Lee has turned quite a few heads in glamorous formal dresses, but many have commented that she looks just as fabulous when carrying her 180-centimeter-tall knockout figure in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

Swans also went to jazz singer Yun Hee-jung, music star Park Kun-hyong, in-line skater Kwon Chae-I, Samsung Lion slugger Unicorn pitcher Shim Jung-soo, and lawmakers Han Sun-kyo and Na Kyung-won.

Approximately 20,000 voters, online and offline from the fashion scene, the media and a group selected from the general public cast ballots that chose the 14 recipients.

Model Line, a leading model agency headed by veteran model Lee Jae-youn, first organized the Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards in 1983. It has now become the most prestigious fashion gala in the country.

ejh09@koreatimes.co.kr

12-02-2004 17

Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...17222411710.htm

[Guest N&M]

All Time Top Viewer Rating for Korean Series.

1: KBS First Love 1996 (65.8%) - Bae Yong Jun, Choi Soo Jong, Park Sang Won, Lee Seung Yun

2: MBC What Is Love? (64.9%) - Ha Hee Ra, Choi Min Soo, Shin Ae Ra

3: SBS The Sandglass 1994 (64.5%) - Choi Min Soo, Park Sang Won, Ko Hyun Jung, Lee Jung Jae

4: MBC Huh Joon 1999 (63.8%) - Jun Kwang Ryul, Hwang Su Jung

5: KBS A Sunny Place of the Young 1995 (62.7%) - Bae Yong Jun, Lee Jong Won, Ha Hee Ra, Jeon Du Yeon

6: MBC You and I 1997 (62.4%) - Choi Jin Shil, Cha In Pyo, Park Sang Won, Song Seung Hun

7: MBC Sons and Daughters (61.1%) - Choi Soo Jong, Kim Hee Ae, Chae Si Ra

8: MBC Dae Jang Geum 2003 (60.8) - Lee Young Ae, Ji Jin Hee

9: KBS Emperor Wang Gun 2000-2002 (60.2%) - Choi Soo Jong, Kim Young Chul, Kim Hyeo Ri, Suh In Suk

10: MBC Eyes of Dawn (58.4%) - Park Sang Won, Chae Si Ra

11: MBC 보고 또 보고 1998 (57.3%) - Kim Ji Soo, Yoon Hae Yong, Park Yong Ha

12: MBC Truth 2000 (56.5%) - Choi Ji Woo, Ryu Si Won, Park Sun Young, Son Ji Chang

13: SBS Rustic Period 2002 (56.4%) - Ahn Jae Mo, Kim Young Chul

14: MBC Jealousy (56.1%) - Choi Jin Sil, Choi Soo Jong, Lee Eung Kyung

15: KBS Blowing of the Wind (55.8%) - Choi Soo Jong, Yoon Sohn Ha

16: KBS 목욕탕집 남자들 2000 (53.4%) - Lee Soon Jae, Go Doo Shim, Kim Hee Sun, Bae Jong Ok

17: MBC Kukhee 2000 (53.2%) - Kim Hye Soo, Park Young Gyu

18: SBS Trap of Youth 1999 (53.1%) - Shim Eun Ha, Lee Jong Won, Yoo Ho Jung, Jun Kwang Ryul

19: SBS Tomato (52.7%) - Kim Hee Sun, Kim Ji Young

20: MBC M (52.2%) - Shim Eun Ha, Lee Chang Hoon, Kim Ji Soo

21: MBC Stormy Season (52.1%) - Kim Hee Ae, Choi Jin Sil

22: MBC Mother's Sea (51.9%) - Go So Young, Go Hyun Jung, Choi Min Soo

23: SBS Ladies of the Palace 2001 (48.6%) - Kang Su Yeon, Jung In Hwa, Park Sang Min, Kim Jung Eun

24: SBS All In 2003 (46.6%) - Lee Byung Hun, Song Hae Kyo, Ji Sung, Park Sol Mi

25: KBS Autumn's Tale 2000 (46.1%) - Song Seung Hun, Song Hae Kyo, Won Bin, Han Chae Young

26: MBC Miss Mermaid 2002 (45.9%) - Jang Suh Hee, Jung Young Sook, Kim Sung Taek, Woo Hee Jin

27: SBS Stairways to Heaven 2003 (45.2%) - Kwon Sang Woo, Choi Ji Woo, Shin Hyun Joon, Kim Tae Hee

28: SBS 덕이 (43.2%) - Kim Hyun Joo, Go Doo Shim, Kang Sung Yun

29: SBS Success Story of a Bright Girl 2002 (42.6%) - Jang Hyuk, Jang Nara, Han Eun Jung, Ryu Su Young

30: KBS Tears of the Dragon (42.0%) - Yoo Dong Geun, Ahn Jae Mo, Song Yoon Ah, Ha Ji Won

31: SBS Glass Slippers - Giày thủy tinh 2002 (41.8%) - Kim Ji Ho, Kim Hyun Joo, Han Jae Suk, So Ji Sup

32: SBS Piano 2001 (40.2%) - Kim Ha Neul, Jo Jae Hyun, Jo In Sung, Go Soo

33: MBC Fox and Cotton Candy 2001 (40.1%) - So Yu Jin, Yoo Joon Sang, Go Doo Shim

34: MBC All About Eve 2000 (39.2%) - Jang Dong Gun, Chae Rim, Han Jae Suk, Kim So Yeon

35: MBC Hotelier 2001 (38.6%) - Bae Yong Jun, Kim Seung Woo, Song Yoon Ah, Song Hae Kyo

36: SBS Mr Q (38.4%) - Kim Min Jong, Kim Hee Sun, Song Yun Ah

37: SBS Happy Together (37.9%) - Lee Byung Hun, Song Seung Hun, Kim Ha Neul, Jeon Ji Hyun

38: SBS Beautiful Days 2001 (36.3%) - Lee Byung Hun, Choi Ji Woo, Ryu Si Won, Lee Jung Hyun

39: KBS Winter Sonata 2002 (35.4%) - Bae Yong Jun, Choi Ji Woo, Park Yong Ha, Park Sol Mi

40: MBC A Wish Upon A Star (35.2%) - Ahn Jae Wook, Cha In Pyo, Choi Jin Sil, Jeon Do Yeon

41: MBC Sunflower - Hoa hướng dương 1998 (34.2%) - Ahn Jae Wook, Kim Hee Sun, Han Jae Suk, Choo Sang Mi

42: KBS Yellow Handkerchief - Khăn tay vàng 2003 (34.1%) - Jo Min Ki, Lee Tae Ran, Kim Ho Jin, Choo Sang Mi

43: SBS Kaist (33.6%) - Chae Rim, Lee Min Woo, Kim Jung Hyun

44: KBS One Million Roses 2003 (33.2%) - Son Tae Young, Lee Chang Hoon, Yoon Hae Young, Kim Seung Soo

45: MBC Sang Do (33.1%) - Kim Hyun Joo, Hong Eun Hee, Lee Jae Ryong

46: MBC Romance 2002 (33.0%) - Kim Jae Won, Kim Ha Neul, Jung Sung Hwan, Kim Yoo Mi

47: KBS Who's My Love 2002 (32.6%) - Ryu Jin, Kim Jung Hyun, Myung Se Bin, Lee Tae Ran

48: SBS Perfect Love (32.5%) - Cha In Pyo, Kim Hee Ae

49: KBS Kokji (32.4%) - Park Ji Young, Lee Jong Won, Won Bin

50: KBS Sun-Hee and Jin-Hee 2001 (32.2%) - Kim Kyu Ri, Son Yae Jin, Park Yong Woo, Yoon Tae Young

51: MBC Into The Sunlight (32.1%) - Cha Tae Hyun, Jang Hyuk, Kim Hyun Joo, Kim Ha Neul

52: SBS Guardian Angel 2001 (31.8%) - Kim Min Jong, Song Hae Kyo, Kim Min, Yoon Da Hoon

53: SBS Rival 2002 (31.7%) - Kim Jae Won, So Yu Jin, Kim Min Jung

54: KBS Lost Empire (31.6%) - Lee Mi Yeon, Yoo Dong Geun, Lee Jin Woo

55: SBS Splendid Days 2001 (31.3%) - Ji Sung, Park Sun Young, Gong Hyo Jin, Ryu Seung Bum

56: KBS On the Prairie 2003 (31.1%) - Choi Soo Jong, Chae Rim, Chae Jung Ahn, Yoon Tae Young

57: SBS Into the Sun 2003 (31.1%) - Kwon Sang Woo, Myung Se Bin, Kim Jung Hwa, Jung Sung Hwan

58: MBC Delicious Proposal 2001 (30.9%) - Jung Joon, Son Yae Jin, So Ji Sup, So Yu Jin

59: MBC Destiny (30.9%) - Hwang Shin Hye, Yoo Dong Geun

60: KBS Bodyguard 2003 (30.6%) - Cha Seung Won, Im Eun Kyung, Han Go Eun, Song Il Kook

Source: http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-13033.html

[Guest huangsy]

new thread started for her drama, Empress Cheon CHu http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=218776

[obbor4]

In addition to the many many scenes during The Invisible Man that forced me to let loose large quantities of liquid from my eyes, the final goodbye that this actress' character gave to her now dead husband's ghost that set me to balling (which I'm close to now just thinking of it ) was when she tearfully asked him if she had been "...a good wife to him. And that she was happy that he had been her husband." A truly heart rendering series and an outstanding actress. Thank you for the background information on her. I'll make it a point to re-trace her fabulous career.

[kish_agnes]

In addition to the many many scenes during The Invisible Man that forced me to let loose large quantities of liquid from my eyes, the final goodbye that this actress' character gave to her now dead husband's ghost that set me to balling (which I'm close to now just thinking of it ) was when she tearfully asked him if she had been "...a good wife to him. And that she was happy that he had been her husband." A truly heart rendering series and an outstanding actress. Thank you for the background information on her. I'll make it a point to re-trace her fabulous career.

ilove her in TEO and you will hate her in EOTS...good actresss...

[Guest meyyale]

Chae Si Ra is a successful actress but I hated her when she played the role of Madam Jami...Madam Jami was a devil at that time so beautiful woman! Look her!!!

[Guest meyyale]

Again pictures!!!!!

[Guest huangsy]

Press conference of The Iron Empress on 19 Dec 2008.

PD Shin Chang Suk

[Guest huangsy]

[Guest huangsy]

presenting prize at 2008 KBS Entertainment Awards on 27 Dec 2008

[Guest N&M]

Thank you everyone for sharing info about Chae Si Ra.

Please keep the thread alive.

[obbor4]

Does anyone know where I might The Invisible Man on the web? The series seems to have become "invisible" as well.

[Guest LolitaMan]

She is an amazing actress!  Just saw her in "Five Fingers"  Her acting was superior.  She played her role so good that she was the most evil character I've ever seen in Kdrama lol.  She deserves all the awards and recognition! 

[suchadiva42]

I loved CSR in Terms of Endearment and she's a very good actress as well and is one of my favorite actors hope to see her in dramas for 2014..

[suchadiva42]

I'm hoping to see more of CSR in another drama or movie soon and will come back more often as well..

[suchadiva42]

I'm back like I said and hoping to see CSR in another drama soon and will continue to come here more for updates as well..

[rubie]

November 26, 2014
Korean actresses pay homage to Audrey Hepburn
Source: KPOPHERALD
Korean actresses Chae Shi-ra, Jo Yeo-jeong and Go Ara imitated Audrey Hepburn’s style in a recent photo shoot.
The shoot was organized by the magazine Harper’s BAZAAR to celebrate the exhibition “Audrey Hepburn, Beauty beyond Beauty,” to be held in in central Seoul from Nov. 29.

Go Ara (Harper's BAZAAR)

Jo Yeo-jeong (Harper's BAZAAR)

Chae Shi-ra (Harper's BAZAAR)
Paying homage to the iconic Hollywood actress of the 1950s, the female Korean stars styled on her elegant looks, with short bangs and a high bun.
Their photos will be put on display at the exhibition.

[Guest adikkeluangman]

Poster for drama KBS2 Unkind Ladies starring by Chae Shi Ra as Kim Hyun Sook.

http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/badwoman/about/cast/index.html