Bae Yong Joon 배용준

[Guest liezle]

Hello again everyone!

Since we are on the topic of "Untold Scandal" here's something that i got from BYJ's Quilt. I like this article...go and read you'll discover why

~liezle

The Story Behind The Untold Scandal:

The Secret Meeting Between the Director Lee & BYJ

Original article in Chinese on www.sina.com.cn /新浪网 15.06.2004

Translated by: happiebb / www.loveyongjoon.com

___________________________________________________________________

[happiebb: This article was written in early June when Director Lee Jae-Young

was in Shanghai to attend the 7th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).

The Untold Scandal was one of the 13 competition films in SIFF.

The Untold Scandal earned itself the awards of Best Director and Best Music at the SIFF.

In addition, the movie was also voted the Best Movie in Audio-Visual Effect by the media.]

____________________________________________________________________

Ha, don’t imagine that the superstars always have their ways,

or that actors and actresses always have the last say.

In reality, movie-making doesn’t leave them much room to throw tantrums or dictate what they want.

Fact is whoever backs the movie financially has the final decision-making right,

and whoever is the brains behind the movie [the director, I assume?] always has the choice.

At most, the stars “sell” their faces and popularity,

and maybe, just maybe, they may have some say in some small ways.

The very established old-names in the game of movie directing

include China’s Zhang Yi-Mou, Chen Kai-Ge and Hong Kong’s Wang Jia-Wei.

Tell me, which of these does not have a fiery temper

and tell me which of them is not stubborn to the core?

Most of them, once they have made up their minds about something, are hard to be dissuaded.

In “The Untold Scandal”,

Director Lee Jae-Young also had a field day directing Superstar Bae Yong Joon [bae],

literally having Bae jump to his every tune.

So, there you see, even the young, up-and-coming directors can score big too,

they can even liven up a boring and monotonous documentary film.

But, before you go thinking these directors are gods…

Well, these so-called masters may have the ability to simplify serious, deep and abstract concepts

and make movies out of them such that the masses can comprehend,

they sometimes also over-glorify and over-complicate the simplest of everyday life.

So what do we do when we cannot understand what they are trying to portray?

Well, we shall just leave them to do the movie-watching themselves…!

Just a mere two hours after the tickets were up for sale, every single ticket was snapped up.

The Untold Scandal can be said to be the hottest movie in the Shanghai International Film Festival [sIFF].

Just how explosive the intimate scenes? Just how far did Bae go?

Everyone was watching The Untold Scandal in keen anticipation,

all because of one name: Bae Yong Joon.

Although everyone, both fan and media, was praying hard for Bae to grace the occasion,

he did not turn up.

But Director Lee revealed many little stories behind the movie,

stories that not many people knew about.

Bae asked for the Role of Cho Won

Lee was frank in his admission,

he had never watched any of the TV drama serials that Bae starred in.

His only “encounters” with Bae were

what little glimpses he caught in commercials and magazine articles.

Lee’s overall impression of Bae prior to the movie was that of someone

who appears to be a romantic and with a smile that’s as shiny bright as the sun.

And yes, someone whom the female fans would just scream and shout at the sight of.

Other than this, Lee knew absolutely nothing about Bae,

and therefore naturally, in his choice of cast for the movie,

Bae would not be part of his consideration at all.

Just when Lee was busy preparing for the movie,

Bae had, through unknown means, gotten hold of the script for The Untold Scandal.

He initiated contact with Director Lee,

and expressed, “I like the character of Cho Won very much!”

Can a TV drama megastar do well in a movie?

Can a man who has been described as a “flower guy” and who has always been cast

as a hopeless romantic deeply in love with just the female lead be able to act as Cho Won?

Would he have the ability to aptly portray the very essence of Cho Won?

Would he be able to enact the lascivious Casanova convincingly?

Suffice to say that many had doubts.

But Director Lee thought otherwise.

“A 30-year-old actor who’s hungry for a change can have an innate ability

to give something unexpected, something extraordinary.

The hidden potential cannot be denied.

To Bae, and to me, these are Herculean challenges,

but if we can make it, then it will be a completely new beginning.

The more people think that it will not work, or the more incredulous the situation is,

the more I yearn to prove them otherwise.”

After many exchanges, Director Lee and Bae decided to have a “clandestine” meeting.

The Secret Meeting at 12 Midnight

One night after the clock struck 12 midnight, Bae quietly stole into Director Lee’s room.

There, he’s supposed to change into the traditional period costume, the whole works.

If he passed the physical appearance test, then they would carry on with the discussion.

If he could not even carry off the look of a scholar from the olden days,

then they would just pretend that nothing happened.

In the steal of the night, nobody, absolutely nobody needed to know a thing.

Bae was in the costume room for an achingly long, long time,

to the extent that Director Lee, who was waiting outside, was beginning to have an ominous feeling.

However, when Bae appeared in front of him, he had a shock, albeit a pleasant one though.

Having bunned up his hair, pasted on the beard and donned the traditional costume,

Bae was literally Cho Won reincarnated!

Scrutinising the splendidly transformed man in front of him,

Director Lee felt a shiver running down his spine,

“This is too beautiful, too exquisite!”

The perfectly formed face as if sculptured, the beautiful arched nose,

and the cold, cold expression,

Bae was completely, totally transformed.

Director Lee did not hesitate even one moment, he was sold there and then.

He made the decision to cast Bae as Cho Won, discarding his original choice of Lee Jung Jae.

[happiebb: Director Lee worked with Lee Jung Jae in his directorial debut, An Affair.]

Director Lee had always wanted to shoot a Korean historical drama,

a movie that had meaning, in both substance and in form.

“When I saw Bae that night,

with Lee Mi-Sook [LMS] and Jeon Do-Yeon [JDY] as the leading actresses,

I knew then that the movie would be a success.

Yes, for sure it would be a success.”

Director Lee chose to invest 40% of total production cost

on costumes, props and other areas that related to the aesthetics of things.

“Perfection and aesthetics are what drive me to make movies.”

Bae’s Diet

Reflecting on the course of filming the movie, Director Lee recalls how committed the cast was.

Each of the actors and actresses remained dedicated and passionate about their craft and work.

For this, Director Lee expressed his immense gratitude.

He had worked with LMS on his first two movies,

the chemistry between the two of them has reached a matured stage.

Communication between them was almost unnecessary

as LMS seemed to understand perfectly and exactly what Director Lee wanted.

So, at the shooting sites, Director Lee would hardly communicate much with LMS

with regard to what he needed her to do or portray in each scene.

Basically, whatever feel he needed from her,

she was able to comprehend and enact without any prodding or prompting from him.

Finally, came one day, LMS couldn’t bear it anymore and complained,

“Please do show some care and concern for me too!”

LMS’ head-dress was incredibly complicated and heavy.

One day, a young girl insisted on trying on the head-dress to take a picture.

She had only worn it for ten minutes when she started to yell in pain.

It was then that Director Lee realised how heavy the head-dress was.

Wearing the 4-5kg head-dress on one’s head

could be likened to carrying a small child on one’s head while filming.

Yet, LMS had never uttered a word about it.

As for Bae, he had completely no airs,

in fact, there was no trace of “superstar behaviour” on him at all.

Throughout the making of the movie, he behaved like a newcomer,

like a new actor learning his craft for the first time.

He was always seeking advice and feedback from his co-stars and others around him.

Not once did he say, “In the past, I used to …”

Bae loves to exercise, but he loves good food even more,

so he’s constantly in danger of “exploding sideways”, yes, of gaining weight.

But considering the character of Cho Won and the requirements of the script,

there was a need to watch his waistline.

Bae was worried about not looking good in the intimate scenes where he had to bare his body.

So, he, with strong will power, subjected himself to a dietary therapy [the protein diet]

whereby he would take only chicken breast [low fat, high protein], vegetables and fruits.

He also regulated his food intake such that he did not take any food after 6pm everyday.

And that’s not all, he also spent some three to four hours working out in the gym everyday.

Within a short span of day, he lost eight kg.

The Passionate 17 Hours

In The Untold Scandal, Bae had a much-talked-about bedroom scene with JDY.

Director Lee had hoped to depict the grace and elegance of intimacy through beautifully crafted angles.

JDY, in her previous work, had prior experience with nudity and intimate scenes.

On the contrary, Bae, his first attempt at pushing his own limits in such scenes,

took a while to adapt to the scenes.

To protect the actors, Director Lee cleared the site during the shooting of such scenes,

keeping only the minimum of crew.

The only people left were the director, the camera crew,

and almost all the male crew were asked to leave the site.

The lights were dimmed, the entire place was so quiet one could almost hear a pin drop.

The camera moved slowly, very slowly and rested on Bae’s buttocks.

Suddenly Bae gave a loud shout, “No! You can’t shoot like this!”

Everyone was taken aback from his sudden outcry.

At first, Director Lee thought Bae was really shy and so uncomfortable that he was resisting the scenes.

At this point, Bae stood up, pulled the clothes to wrap around himself and said,

“My buttocks is not my best part, can you shoot more muscle instead? That’ll be better.”

Everyone present broke into laughter.

The shooting of this bedroom scene between Bae and JDY took a total of 17 hours.

More Quotable Quotes from Director Lee

“Unplanned” is possibly an appropriate word to describe how the idea of The Untold Scandal was mooted.

You will understand what I mean when you have a look at the exclusive interview Shen” newspaper

had with Director Lee before the announcement of the SIFF Jin-Jue Awards in Shanghai.

[R : Reporter LJY : Director Lee]

R: I understand that The Untold Scandal was sort of bridged together?

L: In the beginning, I first watched the movie Dangerous Liaisons and I really liked it.

I remember thinking to myself that the original novel should be even better,

so I decided to adapt it and marry it with Korean history.

Milan Kundera even proclaimed the original novel as one of the world’s best novels.

[happiebb: The original novel is in French and was written by Choderlos de Laclos.

Milan Kundera is one of the most important contemporary Czech writers,

and one of his most famous works is The Unbearable Lightness of Being.]

R: The Untold Scandal has only won the Best Costume in the recent Daejong Awards in Korea.

This is in contrary to our expectations. What are your thoughts on this?

L: Of course anyone would be happy to win awards,

but shooting a movie is not like a race, it does not need awards to determine its value.

Each movie is an outcome, a result of a group of movie crew’s effort, dedication, hard work and time.

So each movie is a work that deserves to be respected,

there is no need fto subject it to any competition systems.

R: Then you have no expectations when you brought the movie to Shanghai for competition?

L: I’m actually more interested in the food in Shanghai!

Let me ask you, are there authentic Shanghainese restaurants near here?

And how is smoked fish prepared?

[Guest vignette]

I'm about to watch UNTOLD SCANDAL now. Hope this is good... So he only has 2 movies? Untold Scandal and April Snow? Does anyone know when April Snow is available for download or purchase or something? I really want to watch it.

S_h_a_d_o_w, welcome to BYJ's thread here in soompi. Please do watch Untold if you can get hold of a copy. It's visually appealing and the actors did justice to their role.

hello vignette, thanks again sis for the update. i was really hoping that TV ads will also include ch 7 since this channel shows korean dramas on a regular basis thus it has a large base of kr drama/movie fans. anyways, lets just hope that AS will gain momentum in our place & ABS will hit the right chord in its promo blitz.

It was also my wish but since it's not possible the only recourse I found is to go back to BYJ's thread at iGMA to let them know that the movie will be shown here soon. There is also a big tarp of April Snow at the audience entrance of ABS.

[Guest frances]

Btw, I've posted below Shirley compilation which she posted in BYJ' Quilt, Untold Scandal's snippets from various film festivals.

“Untold Scandal” was invited to the following film festivals:

yup, that was a great compilation made by shirley, thanks liezle for reposting

and may i add ~~~ [ brace urself, lots of reading to do actually, there are lots more )

Top 10 films of 2004

By ANDREA GRONVALL

Offoffoff.com

8. Untold Scandal

(Kino International)

East meets West in this South Korean adaptation of the Choderlos de Laclos novel, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Choosing the educated Confucian aristocracy of the late 19th century as the story's milieu, director Lee Je-yong has elicited marvelously adroit performances from his ensemble cast, led by Bae Yong-jun as the dilettante playboy who bets his elegant married cousin (Lee Mi-sook) that he can seduce a virtuous Catholic widow (Jeon Do-yeon). The exquisite period costumes and décor are matched by the precision of Bae and Lee, who like all great movie stars are compulsively watchable.

Various Untold Scandal reviews from UK

From hi-arts.co.uk April 24, 2005

Review of Allan Hunter

Les Liaisons Dangereuses may have been published in 1782 but it retains a powerful fascination for modern filmmakers. Six years ago, Cruel Intentions set the story of sexual intrigue and scandal among jaded teenagers in contemporary America

Two years ago, Scotland provided the setting for a new French television adaptation starring Catherine Deneuve and Rupert Everett. Now, director E J-Yong has translated the story to 18th century Korea for a lushly photographed period drama notable for its picturesque locations and delicately handled emotions.

Looking as pretty as a picture, Untold Scandal is recounted with a remarkable degree of restraint. Everything is about maintaining propriety and respecting the rigid codes of behaviour that existed in this society at this period.

It makes for a rather stately, well-behaved production but does underline the essentially tragic nature of a story in which the power of love stages a bittersweet triumph over cynical hearts and cruel intentions.

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From the Daily Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk) April 22, 2005

It seems possible to transplant Dangerous Liaisons almost anywhere. Cruel Intentions (1999) reimagined Laclos's cruel seduction games among vicious New York teens, and the ravishing Untold Scandal, a new version from director E J-Yong, finds an ideal milieu for them in the brittle aristocratic society of 18th-century Korea.

This is much sexier than the 1988 Stephen Frears version, which boasted more verbal sparring than heaving bosoms; the frocks are exquisite, the defrocking even more so. And the choice of a baroque-pastiche score works wonders.

But the real genius of Untold Scandal is how sublimely it manages Laclos's ending. E J-Yong saves his most painterly and striking sequences to illustrate the idea not of love feigned, but of love lost, and his last 20 minutes are pure, devastating poetry.

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From observer.guardian.co.uk April 24, 2005

Review by Philip French of The Observer

All of this week's other films are remakes, sequels or in some way derivative, the best of them being E J-Yong's Untold Scandal, a Korean version of Laclos's epistolary novel, Les Liaisons Dangereuses. E J-Yong combines geographical transposition with fidelity to the original text. He sets his picture in 18th-century Korea but uses European baroque music on the soundtrack.

In this beautiful film, which combines subtle hues and bright colours to dramatic effect, the French conspirators, Valmont and Juliette de Merteuil, have become the aristocratic libertine Jo-Won, an aesthete who has turned seduction into an art, and his embittered cousin, Lady Cho.

The victims of their attentions are the virginal Lee So-ok, soon to be the new concubine of Lady Cho's husband, and the chaste widow, Lady Sook, a convert to Catholicism, a religion proscribed by the declining Chosun dynasty. Performed with considerable wit by the arch schemers, the story unfolds in a society where social formality and carefully observed etiquette conceal moral hypocrisy and cruel machinations. This matches Laclos's story to perfection. The erotic scenes are elegant and highly charged, and the letters exchanged between the characters have great metaphorical power in the way their calligraphic beauty is at the service of lies and deception.

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From warwickartscentre.co.uk April 2005

Based on the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Untold Scandal captures all the hypocrisy, double standards and fake morality of a repressive and degenerate society. This scathing satire works as effectively in aristocratic 18th century Korea as it did in France.

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From channel4.com - Jamie Russell

A fresh and original adaptation of a familiar novel, this Korean take on Dangerous Liaisons is bold, beautiful and quite beguiling.

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Untold Scandal reviews from Salt Lake City, USA

1 ) Movie Review from Sean Means of The Salt Lake Tribune

15 April 2005

"Revenge is more amusing when the victim is unaware" doesn't have the same sting as "Revenge is a dish best served cold." Otherwise, Choderlos de Laclos' Les Liaisons Dangereuses translates fairly well in director E J-yong's variation, set among the nobles of 18th-century Korea. The womanizing Cho-won (Bae Yong-jun) makes a bet with his Machiavellian cousin Lady Cho (Lee Mi-suk) to deflower her husband's newest concubine (Lee Soh-yeon) - but he sets his sights on a more difficult conquest, a virtuous widow (Jeon Do-yeon). Tension builds as plots unfold within plots, and the movie's sex scenes are frank and elegant. Among the many movie versions of this tale ("Dangerous Liaisons," "Valmont," "Cruel Intentions"), "Untold Scandal" is one of the most visually arresting.

2) Movie review from Deseretnews.com Salt Lake City

15 April 2005

Koreans put spin on familiar 'Scandal' (3 out of 4 stars)

Solid performances redeem film from an overplayed story line

By Jeff Vice

Deseret Morning News

Seeing Choderlos de Laclos's novel and Christopher Hampton's stage play "Dangerous Liaisons" performed in a language other than English or French is interesting enough to recommend "Untold Scandal" all by itself.

But co-screenwriter/director E J-yong's Korean-language version of the tale also manages to broaden its perspective, with the inclusion of material that discusses the introduction of Western religion into the fiercely conservative, fervently Confucian 19th-century Korea.

"Untold Scandal" is also surprisingly sympathetic toward its female characters, even when they don't always make it easy. That's especially true of the manipulative Lady Cho (Lee Mi-Sook), who's bitter toward her husband for, in essence, abandoning her emotionally. He has set her up in a palatial estate, but he's off trying to sire children with his concubines.

Obviously, this story has been told so many times in the past 15 years that it's become overly familiar. And yet, "Untold Scandal" overcomes that obstacle with its handsome production values, solid ensemble performances and explorations of Far Eastern civilization.

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from Miami Herald

**the critic gave 3.5 stars out of 4 ^=^

ELEGANT EROTICISM: A familiar plot is enhanced by stunning cinematography and costumes. Kino International

A yen for revenge ripens deliciously

Marta Barber

Miami Herald

24 Mar 2005

Untold Scandal begins and ends with exquisite images of the pages of a book that tells the story of a scandalous affair in 18th century Korea. So scandalous, says the narrator, a tad tongue-in-cheek, that there are doubts that the characters really existed.

In addition to its elegant eroticism, haughty characters and stunning cinematography dotted with gorgeous period costumes, director E-J Yong adds religion to the list of dangerous liaisons. Lady Sook is a devout Catholic, and her faith must be kept hidden in the Buddhist Korea of the time.

Love, of course, catches up with the rogue. Cho won falls for Lady Sook, and their romance is as warm as it is tragic. Bae Yong-jun is not as devilish as John Malkovich, who played the role in the American film, but he is more playful in his deceits. He's also more believable as a man for whom the ladies would fall.

Because Untold Scandal takes place in 18th century Korea and not 18th century France, the story seems even more scandalous or perhaps just unimaginable in a society in which women didn't have a voice. Yong succeeds because he treats the subject with irony and makes the story even more sophisticated than it was originally conceived.

In those opening scenes, as the pages of the book turn, baroque music plays, a masterful liaison between the two versions of the film. A Frenchman may have thought of the story first, but this Korean film pays tribute to the original while perfectly standing on its own.

[Guest frances]

this photo came with a news article fr reviewstar. it says that its an honor to be given that opportunity to hold a presscon in the people's great hall w/c is normally being used for heads of state i hope that we get a full translation soon..

[Guest frances]

latest from the monthly sportschosun poll as of 26 oct

http://www.sportschosun.com/enter/list_vote_r10.htm

Favorite film actor (male/female)

1 배용준 30.1% 1008368명 Bae Yong Joon

2 장동건 22.9% 766258명 Jang Dong Gun

3 최민수 13.3% 446804명 Choi Min Soo

4 이미연 6.2% 209097명 Lee Mi Yeon

5 안성기 4.9% 163790명 Ahn Seong Gi

6 김하늘 4.6% 153813명 Kim Ha Neul

7 한석규 4.3% 144911명 Han Seok Kyu

8 설경구 3.3% 110849명 Sul Kyoung Gu

9 원빈 3.2% 106058명 Won Bin

10 송강호 2.6% 87298명 Song Kang Ho

[Guest cheelam]

though i think yoong joon deserves the credit he has right now.. dont you think that son ye jin is terribly underated? she did a great job in her movies and in april snow--yet she is hardly mentioned in the article.. have you watched april snow? what do you think of ye jins performance? hopefully as good as yoong joon..

great job to yong joon..#1~~

[sara2908]

Online version of Malaysia The Star

Bae Yong-jun the white knight

By LI EE KEE

There was a hush when Bae Yong-jun (pic) walked into the press conference hall in COEX Intercontinental Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, their gaze transfixed on the Bespectacled One. Only the sound of flashing cameras broke the silence.

He flashes his megawatt smile. He tells the 1,000-odd media representatives who came from as far as Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Indonesia that he was too nervous to attend the preview of April Snow earlier, but was curious to know what they thought of it.

If you have been reading your Eastern entertainment pages, you should already know who Bae is. He is the man who has done the impossible by turning usually rational middle-aged women into devoted groupies. They wait for hours at airports to catch a glimpse of the man, throng malls in hope of being in his presence and spend oodles amount of money buying his DVDs and numerous memorabilia. Rarely in Asian history has there been such a widespread outburst of passion for one man.

And I was curious to know why. I had hoped my trip to Seoul back in August for the April Snow press conference would provide some answers. An originally scheduled round-table interview with the Malaysian media was cancelled. Prior to his grand entrance, media members were told not to ask personal questions or anything unrelated to the movie.

The announcement pretty much set the mood for the 90-minute press conference. Dutifully, all questions were about the movie.

The only time we got close to asking a personal question was when we asked Bae what he would do if he found himself in his character, In-su’s, situation. The story goes that In-su finds out about his wife’s infidelity after her lover and her are involved in a terrible accident.

The media-savvy Bae, who never let slip anything and was seen jotting down his answers, replied that he hoped it would never happen to him.

“If it did, I think I will struggle with it a lot more than In-su. Perhaps, I would die from all the heartache and pain. Or maybe try to find a new hope in life and possibly even love again.”

April Snow is Bae’s second feature-length film after Untold Scandal last year. As testimony to his star appeal, there has been much interest in the movie.

On the first day of filming, the idyllic little town of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, South Korea, where the movie was shot, was crowded with over 350 international and domestic journalists and more than a hundred tourists.

Asked if this has put pressure on him, Bae admitted that the high expectation has caused him to feel stressed out.

“We have done our best. I know the movie will open simultaneously in many Asian countries and I think that is why it has generated a lot of interest. I hope that the film will help increase cultural exchange between Asian countries,” said the 33-year-old.

Unfortunately, the grand plan fell through and Malaysia is only screening the movie a month after it opened in South Korea and Japan.

It is common knowledge that Bae signed on to the film project before reading the script; a first for the actor who makes it a point to vet scripts before accepting a role. He mused that it must be his trust in director Hur Jin-ho.

“This time, I decided to select a film that would be a challenge. The challenge was coping with the director’s unique working style. He likes impromptu acting. It was a new experience. There were difficulties but I learned a lot from the director, and I think it will help me in my future roles.”

One of those difficulties was the lack of dialogue. Bae and his co-star Son Ye-jin were expected to express complicated emotions using only their eyes and gestures.

“I think director Hur wanted to capture our spontaneous reactions and responses. This was a challenge, an opportunity to try new things. But at times during shooting, I felt like I was trapped in a dark tunnel.”

Bae added that unlike his past practice of studying and creating the character, this time he became In-su.

“I felt this deep sadness throughout the duration of the shoot. It was as if this was my experience. So I can say that In-su and I are the same person.”

It was also the first time that Bae drank liquor on the set. This light drinker, who admitted that his face becomes flushed just after one glass, explained that he wanted to add to the reality of the scene.

“It was a very emotional scene and I was unsure if I could do it convincingly. I decided that it was okay to drink to immerse myself in that situation.”

As expected, the topic of the love scenes came up. A Japanese reporter remarked that Bae’s Japanese fans were worried how the scenes would turn out. But after watching the preview, she was delighted to note that it was beautifully done.

Bae revealed that the director had paid a lot of attention (nine hours!) to film the scenes. “It is a special expression of love.”

The press conference then concluded with final words from him. Then it was time for pictures. I came away none the wiser about the Bae phenomenon, but I guess some things should just be left a mystery.

April Snow opens in Malaysian cinemas tomorrow.

Son Ye-jin shines

There were over 1,000 journalists at the April Snow international press conference in Seoul, South Korea, and it was not surprising that the centre of attraction was its megastar Bae Yong-jun. So much so that the emcee had to plead: “Will someone ask Ms Son Ye-jin a question?”

It must have been an awkward moment for Son, who until then seemed contented to just sit back and watch with amusement as co-star Bae had his hands full fielding one question after another.

Aptly enough the first question posed was how she coped under the spotlight working with a star like Bae.

“Everyone from cast and crew had great expectations for the movie and we just wanted to give our best. There was pressure but this was too precious an opportunity for me to pass up,” answered the soft-spoken Son.

Son Ye-jin.

It seems unfair that in a movie headlined by two actors, one should get eclipsed by the other. But when you are paired alongside Bae, you expect to be sidelined. While a lesser actress may have felt threatened, but not Son.

At 23, she is an established actress in her own right despite having only made her acting debut four years ago in the MBC drama Sweet Propose.

In 2002, this Seoul Institute of Arts film graduate picked up the best new actress award at the 22nd Korean Movie Critics Award for her performance in Lover’s Concerto. With April Snow, the buzzword is she is on the rise to stardom.

Always playing the good girl, Son is ready to buck the trend. Although as Seo-young (her character in April Snow) she is still very prim and proper, there is an unmistakable wild streak about her – the way she candidly proposes the idea of an affair to In-su (played by Bae) and boldly taking him as her lover despite the moral conflicts that come with such a decision.

To top it all off, she decided to bare all, well, almost. Viewers will get peeks at her ample bosoms and see her fantastic figure. But Malaysian audiences should be forewarned that they might not see any of these scenes after our Film Censorship Board is through.

When asked about her bed scene, Son pointed out that it is a scene between a married man and woman.

“I felt that they didn’t fall for each other because of lust. So there is this sense that they should not be doing this and we tried to show the emotional conflict that they were going through. It took nine hours to shoot the five-minute scene, but I’m happy we were able to convey In-su and Seo-young’s feelings.”

On what she would do if she found herself in Seo-young’s position, Son said she hopes it will not happen to her.

“It hurt Seo-young so much to love In-su, that’s why I never want to be caught in such a relationship. Before we started filming, I would say I understood their situation about 70%. But now, I think I completely empathise with them. They are ordinary people, not much different from us.”

Love and betrayal

By LI EE KEE

After examining the excitement of love in Christmas in August and the heartache of seeing a love come to an end in One Fine Spring Day, director Hur Jin-ho decided to focus his third directorial effort on extramarital affairs.

“Although two people trust each other, sometimes there is betrayal. How can we understand the anger that arises? Should it be understood? Or should they remain furious and end everything?

Director Hur Jin-ho: "Although two people trust each other, sometimes there is betrayal."

“There are also some who say that when others do it, it is an affair. But when it happens to them, it is romance. If so, what is the difference? These are the questions I wanted to pose in April Snow.”

The result is an interesting piece of work that approaches the oft-told tale of extramarital affairs from a different perspective.

To help bring his movie to life, Hur turned to South Korean superstar Bae Yong-jun and the queen of melodramas Son Ye-jin.

“They worked hard and I think their efforts paid off. To express In-su’s emotions, the role called for subtle and intrinsic acting skills, which Bae handled brilliantly.

“When In-su cries in the movie, In–su and Bae become one and you sense that he is shedding genuine tears.”

He added that Son is really good at expressing emotions.

“When the scene calls for tears, she has the ability to immediately get into character and deliver.

“Son’s character is supposed to be a passive and quiet housewife, but she brought much of her energetic self into the role and created a deeper, well-shaped character.

“I am happy to have worked with such good actors.”

[sara2908]

I read in the news section the takings for April Snow...I would think they understated the takings for the movie April Snow...with a 2.5 million viewers the takings will be around 30 to 35 million dollars .

[willenette]

Thanks for sharing the news about Bae.

[Guest cheelam]

great-- im glad they stated that part about ye jin. . .lol.. thanks for the news!~

[Guest s_h_a_d_o_w]

I just finished watching Untold Scandal! I liked it. Really a different acting of BYJ.

[Guest adikkeluangman]

Bae Yong-jun to hold first movie promotion in China

2005-10-26

Following his exploding popularity in Japan, actor Bae Yong-jun,

nicknamed 'Yonsama' in Japan, is now set to take China by storm as well. Bae will

make his first official visit to China on Nov. 11 along with director Heo Jin-ho to

promote the movie 'April Snow' prior to its opening in that country.

Bae was invited to China by Huaxia, the local distributor of 'April Snow' and Jungbo

Media. During his three-day visit, the actor will hold a press conference and a

special movie preview, and make appearances in front of audiences at major

Chinese theaters.

Given the skyrocketing interest in the actor's first visit to the country, Huaxia will

organize Bae's press conference at the Beijing Great Hall of the People, where

actress Kim Hee-sun and the Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan held a press

conference recently. It is quite unprecedented for a Korean actor to hold a solo

press conference at that hall.

Bae's agency, BOF, said on Oct. 25 that the actor decided to visit China in

response to Huaxia's longtime requests and a signature-collecting campaign held

by 10,000 of Bae's fans asking the actor to visit their country.

'April Snow' had drawn two million viewers in Japan as of Oct. 24, taking in 25

billion won in ticket sales and setting a box-office record among Korean movies

shown in Japan.

The movie's investor and distributor, Showeast, reported on Oct. 25 that it had

notified its Chinese counterpart of its plan to open 'April Snow' in China on the

largest scale ever in the history of Korean movies.

"The exact figures are unavailable yet, but we expect 'April Snow' to break the

record of 'Windstruck' starring Chun Ji-hyun. Plus, Bae's visit to China will also

contribute to the movie's box-office performance," said a person from Showeast.

c: KBS Global News

[Guest chiligoyo]

Bae Gals.... I have a great news to announce~

Remember that infamous article written by an ex-taugeh aunty in a Singapore entainment magazine? A petition was signed both online and during the Singapore's Bunggae on 15th Oct, it was feature in one of the newspaper called 'The New Paper' today'!!

Note: Tiffany and a fellow fan are one of the 4 professional working executives featured in this article... *clap clap*

[Guest vignette]

Bae Gals.... I have a great news to announce~

Remember that infamous article written by an ex-taugeh aunty in a Singapore entainment magazine? A petition was signed both online and during the Singapore's Bunggae on 15th Oct, it was feature in one of the newspaper called 'The New Paper' today'!!

Note: Tiffany and a fellow fan are one of the 4 professional working executives featured in this article... *clap clap*

Any chance of seeing that article here?

[Guest liezle]

Bae Gals.... I have a great news to announce~

Remember that infamous article written by an ex-taugeh aunty in a Singapore entainment magazine? A petition was signed both online and during the Singapore's Bunggae on 15th Oct, it was feature in one of the newspaper called 'The New Paper' today'!!

Note: Tiffany and fellow fan are one of the 4 professional working executives featured in this article... *clap clap*

Chili some great news you have there! I've a big smile plastered in my face while reading this. Ok where can we read it dear? Does it have any website?

[Guest chiligoyo]

Yes yes.. give me a mo.... am trying to find the site and also type out the article~

I'm sooo excited.. my fingers are trembling! Hehe~

The New Paper

Wednesday 26 Oct 2005

KOREAN HUNK'S FANS PROTEST

We're NO taugeh-plucking ah sohs*

(* beansprout-plucking middle-aged housewives)

By Chang May Choon

On Monday, a petition containing one bean sprout went out via registered mail.

It was signed by more than 90 fuming fans of Korean superstar Bae Yong Joon and was addressed to a local weekly entertainment magazine.

They were protesting against the publication labelling them "taugeh-plucking ah sohs" in a recent report.

The description sparked a furore on Internet fan sitesw.

No, they do not pluck taugeh (bean sprouts). The eat them instead.

And they are not ah sohs (middle-aged housewives).

Contrary to popular belief, these hardcore fans of supposed Korean "aunty-killer" are anything but aunties.

The majority of the 500 members of his local fan club, Joon's Family, are career women whose occupations range from administrators to managers, lawyers, doctors and financial consultants.

They were initially shy to come out of their professionals shells and dispel the aunty misconception and some declined to be photographed.

Still, four stepped forward - although they still withheld certain information, such as the name of their companies - in the hope of proving that they're no bean-sprout matrons.

(to be continued as I've got work to do.. BRB! )

[Guest liezle]

Thanks Chili for the effort in typing the article. I wonder what Ms Taugeh-plucking response to this. Hope she got Tiff's letter already and that they'll publish it. I hope she gets a sanction or ax from the editor for being so unprofessional (am i bad?)

[Guest delinnia]

Hi vignette,

I saw your posting on the news on celebs corner. I was understood that the news thread is forbidden to post comments but this particular topic has made through since there is a conflict of interest in it because it is a mouth watery 'move over BYJ' story. By the way who are the 12 most prominent film producers? Does anyone know their names? I'd like to know their names. How do you define that they are the most prominent ones whereby there are scores of film producers in Korea? By wealth or by fame? Only 12? Why not 13?

Above all, what is the problem that the reporter facing with BYJ? The heading is his/her own creation that comes out with jelousy and vengeance. No one needs to remove BYJ from any position. He is just there, alone and never compare himself with any other artists. Up, down or sideways, the individuals will decide by time but not by the 12 PDs and definitely not by the reporter.

[Guest vignette]

Hi D, I never knew you cannot make a comment and I others did before me so I have to say my piece. I guess yesterday I lacked patience to take for granted all those negative innuendos and slights against our MAN. The mods can always delete it right?

[Guest frances]

Yes yes.. give me a mo.... am trying to find the site and also type out the article~

I'm sooo excited.. my fingers are trembling! Hehe~

The New Paper

Wednesday 26 Oct 2005

KOREAN HUNK'S FANS PROTEST

great going chili !! actually, there's another net article that i came across that featured Joon's Family, special mention to Tiffany

from movieXclusive.com

Reported by Mohamad Shaifulbahri

April Snow on an October Evening

The prospect of having members of Joon’s Family liking being called “aunties” is as rare as having snowfall during spring. Curious to find out what this is all about? Read on to find out more about MovieXclusive.com’s coverage!

MovieXclusive.com was honoured to have been invited to the Charity Gala Premiere of April Snow on 5th October 2005 at Cathay Cineleisure. The event was jointly held by United International Pictures (UIP) and Encore Films in aid of the Breast Cancer Foundation. Proceeds from the gala event would be contributed to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Singapore.

The evening was an exciting one as fans of Korean drama and especially that of Bae Yong Joon turned up and as everyone crowded around Level 6 of Cathay Cineleisure, they were able to mingle with Mediacorp artistes like Priscelia Chan, Pan Ling Ling and Apple Hong. Those who turned up also received an April Snow poster and of course, the opportunity to be the first few in Singapore to watch the most promising love story of 2005.

Joon’s Family

While it was a night to support charity, it was also a big night for the Joon’s Family. What’s Joon’s Family you ask? Well, that’s what the Bae Yong Joon Fan Club of Singapore calls themselves. MovieXclusive.com caught up with Tiffany, a committee member of the two-year old club. She explained that the number of people coming out to support Bae Yong Joon has grown over the years and the club now boasts an estimated 100 official members.

The age range of the members is between those in their twenties to those in their seventies; the most ranging in their early 30s. As such, Tiffany revealed that “members of the Joon’s Family are a diverse group consisting of lawyers, teachers, accountants, doctors and a small handful of housewives.”

Thus, being a working adult, Tiffany lamented “the media has the wrong impression of Bae Yong Joon fans.” She went further by saying the club is often frustrated at being labeled “aunties” as most of them are professionals in their respective crafts and that their club consist a variety of people. While they set out to change this stigma, Tiffany was very happy to share that about thirty members of the club were at the gala premiere and that they had booked a theatre at Cathay for a special screening for their club members during the weekend. Slowly but surely, the fans are coming out in full force!

To find out more about the Bae Yong Joon Fan Club of Singapore known as Joon’s Family, you can visit www.joonsfamily.com

Why Bae?

While MovieXclusive.com managed to learn more about the fan club, we were mighty curious whether our own Mediacorp artistes are fans of Bae Yong Joon. We caught up with them and most of them were more than happy to admit that they are his fans!

The burning question we had for them was “Why [support] Bae Yong Joon?” The answers came fast and furious. There were those who felt that Bae Yong Joon’s charm is just too irresistible. Lina Ng, former Mediacorp artiste said “He is good at romance and has charming gestures which have captured the hearts of both young and old.”

J Team artiste, Margaret Lee echoed Lina Ng’s sentiments by saying that “every girl grows up dreaming of fairytales and finding their Prince Charming.” When asked if Bae Yong Joon is her Prince Charming, she gamely revealed, “Yes!”

For many, Winter Sonata remains the TV series that introduced Bae Yong Joon to the world. For Mediacorp artiste, Apple Hong, who has followed his TV serials and caught his last movie, Untold Scandal, she became a fan of Bae Yong Joon for his versatility. She said, “He can play the role of a good lover in one yet a baddie in another.” In knowing that the premise of April Snow is a very challenging one for the actors, Apple continued, “He [bae Yong Joon] will be able to portray [the character as to] what the director wants.”

Tiffany said it best when she retorted, “Why not?” We went further by asking why she had chosen Bae Yong Joon over other Korean actors. She smiled saying that this was the kind of things that one could not explain. Later, when the club brought out their banner for a photo-taking session, we saw the phrase “Love needs no reason.”

We then understood what Tiffany had meant and we nodded in agreement.

What about the men?

While everyone seems to be talking about Bae Yong Joon, many have forgotten that his co-star, Son Ye-Jin, is a versatile actress who is able to hold her own on screen. We were curious to find out if any of the men in attendance are fans of hers.

A male audience member who was there avoided the question and explained that he was just there to accompany his partner, who is a Bae fan. We also asked Pan Ling Ling if her husband, Huang Shinan is a fan of Son Ye-Jin, to which she replied that both of them are fans of Korean dramas.

While some of our male friends out there were pretty coy when it came to revealing their liking for Son Ye-Jin, there were those who talked to us. Andy, who caught Son Ye-Jin’s last movie, A Moment to Remember, explained that she was able to carry off her character well enough to warrant his presence at the premiere.

Another male audience member who only wanted to be known as “S” proclaimed his support for the pretty Korean actress. “I first saw her [son Ye-Jin] in The Classic and she really made me cry and cry.” He continued, “I’ve seen all her movies since then and I’ve been waiting for April Snow.”

Things may seem relatively quiet on the male front as Andy and “S” were the only two male members of the audience who were game enough to confess their support for Son Ye-Jin. The husbands, too, are not making a big deal out of things or so Tiffany said. When asked what her husband had to say about her being a fan of Bae Yong Joon, she confidently replied, “He is supportive but he thinks I’m nuts!” To which she added, “I’ve never done such a thing when I was a teenager!”

Gentlemen, beware the power of Bae perhaps?

Expectations

Knowing that they are fans of Bae Yong Joon, we naturally asked if they had any expectations for April Snow. While the general response was “not really,” Tiffany said that she “would probably see it [April Snow] again, again and again.” Pan Ling Ling confessed that April Snow is her first Korean movie and while she had no expectations of the movie, she was looking out for the cinematography as she believed the Koreans are very particular about their scenery.

April Snow has been touted as Korea’s biggest movie of 2005 and “it will be a blockbuster despite the mixed reviews it has received,” said Heartlanders actress, Priscelia Chan. She continued, “Fans from both camps [bae’s and Son’s] will turn out in full-force to support their respective stars.”

Have you purchased your ticket for the love story that will transcend all seasons yet?

http://www.moviexclusive.com/article/aprilsnow/aprilsnow.htm