Ha Jung-Woo 하정우 [Drama “Narco-Saints” | Upcoming: Movies “Nocturnal”, “Ransomed” | Travel Reality Show “Bros on Foot”]

[Guest kdramafanusa]

^ Thanks Melusine.

Another movie after "Yellow Sea", it's called "Client".

http://sports.chosun.com/news/news.htm?nam...26/9bz69162.htm

I thought he'll take a break from acting after Yellow Sea. No complain though.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

[The Korea Times 12-01-2009 14:09]

Ha Ji-won Wins 1st Best Actress Award

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Staff Reporter

Popular actress Ha Ji-won collected her first Best Actress award at the 5th University Film Festival of Korea, Tuesday.

Ha starred in the blockbuster disaster film "Haeundae'' and the melodrama "Closer to Heaven'' this year, proving both her box office appeal and powerful acting skills. This was her first acting award in her 14-year career.

Actor Ha Jeong-woo, who appeared in the hit film "Take Off,'' was named Best Actor. Bong Joon-ho, who directed "Mother,'' received the Best Director prize.

The results were from a survey of 980 college students, who are majoring in film. They were asked to name the Film of the Year, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Film.

"Take Off,'' a sports film inspired by the actual South Korean national ski jumping team, captured the Best Film award.

Rising Star Awards were given to Kang Ji-hwan, the heartthrob lead actor of "My Girlfriend Is An Agent,'' and actress Park Bo-young of "Speed Scandal.''

Best Supporting Actor went to Jin Gu, who appeared in Bong's "Mother,'' while Best Supporting Actress went to Kim Hae-suk, who starred in Park Chan-wook's Cannes Film Festival award-winning film "Thirst.''

The film festival opened at CGV Yeongdeungpo Times Square Tuesday and runs through Thursday.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

[Guest kdramafanusa]

[The Korea Times 12-01-2009 14:09]

.....5th University Film Festival of Korea, Tuesday.

Actor Ha Jeong-woo, who appeared in the hit film "Take Off,'' was named Best Actor. Bong Joon-ho, who directed "Mother,'' received the Best Director prize.

The results were from a survey of 980 college students, who are majoring in film. They were asked to name the Film of the Year, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Film.

....

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Ha Jung-Woo accepting his award!

http://sstv.freechal.com/News/Detail.aspx?...1&pSn=70415

as mentioned before, he shaved his hair for movie "Yellow Sea" which reunited him with The Chaser director Na Hong-Jin & co-star Kim Yoon-Seok. They were winners in last year's University Film Festival of Korea.

The 4th Korea University Film Festival

Best Film: The Chaser

Best Director: Na Hong-Jin (The Chaser)

Best Actor: Kim Yoon-Seok (The Chaser)

Best Actress: Son Ye-Jin (My Wife Got Married)

Best Supporting Actor: Park Hee-Soon (Seven Days)

Best Supporting Actress: Shin Min-Ah (Go Go 70)

Best Editing : Kim Seon-Min (The Chaser)

Best Cinematography: Lee Mo-Gae (The Good, The Bad, The Weird)

Technical Award: Park Cheon-Bok (The Good, The Bad, The Weird)

Best Music: Lee Seung-Cheol (Seven Days)

Award ceremony will be held on the 15th at 7pm.

Chosen by 1200 students (majoring in film) from 24 universities.

Source: http://www.newsen.com/news_view.php?uid=200812111114081003

[Guest inezjang]

..wow...what happened to you JungWoo..all prepared for his new role i reckon!

awesome man-actor and congratz again!! cool!

thanks Helena..!!

[Guest GRAPEJUICE]

Oh I thought he'd actually be shaving all his hair off for the role, as in bald head lol.

I think he looks really hot with the short cut hair

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Source: JoongAng Daily

Year of the thriller for Korean movies

Film insiders excited over new works by three star directors

January 13, 2010

The Housemaid

Above, a scene from "The Housemaid" (1960), the classic Korean thriller directed by Kim Ki-young. Right, Im Sang-soo will direct the remake of the film, while Jeon Do-youn, left, will star. [JoongAng Photo]

Hits came from all quarters in Korean cinema last year, with big blockbusters "Take Off" and "Haeundae," auteur films "Thirst" and "Mother" and indie sleepers "Old Partner" and "Breathless" all filling seats.

Disaster flick Haeundae was the first locally made film to top 10 million tickets sold in three years. Industry-wide box office returns hit a record high of 1.08 trillion won ($964 million), about half from Korean-made films.

The state-funded Korean Film Council forecast in a recent report that the local movie market will continue its incremental growth over the next five years, and 2010 is expected to be another bonanza for the local film studios. But the most hotly anticipated movies inside the industry aren't quite as diverse as 2009's top sellers - on the contrary, they're all in a single genre: thriller.

Korea's thriller renaissance, kicked off by "The Chaser" in 2008 and continued by "Secret" at the end of last year, continues with "No Mercy," the first big, locally made release of 2010.

The Murderer (working title)

Above, Ha Jung-woo stands during the shooting of " The Murderer" (working title). Provided by Showbox / The new thriller will be directed by Na Hong-jin, right, who is rejoined by Ha and actor Kim Yun-seok, left, his stars in "The Chaser." [JoongAng Photo]

According to a recent survey by the JoongAng Ilbo of 20 film experts including producers, investors and critics, the three most highly anticipated films scheduled to be released this year were all thrillers. "The Housemaid," a remake of a local classic, came in first, followed by "The Murderer" (working title), which will reunite "The Chaser" director Na Hong-jin with his two leads from that film. In third was "Moss" (working title) by veteran director Kang Woo-suk.

"The Housemaid," a remake of the 1960 film by the late director Kim Ki-young, was chosen as the No. 1 most anticipated Korean movie in 2010 by a majority of the respondents. The movie tells the story of a man who has an affair with the maid, eventually leading to the destruction of his life.

Though it may sound riddled with old cliches, the film is still considered a classic for the legendary director's aesthetic prowess. Critics say it's no one thing that makes the movie special: There are its comments on the downfall of the middle class, its tinge of eroticism and its taut plotting.

Last year, the Korean Film Archive restored a black-and-white original print of "The Housemaid" that had been damaged with the aid of the World Cinema Foundation, a nonprofit organization led by world-renowned director Martin Scorsese that works to preserve neglected films from around the world.

Moss (working title)

Above, the online hit graphic novel series "Moss" was taken as the inspiration for director Kang Woo-suk's latest film, an adaptation of the same name. Provided by Daum.net / Actor Park Hae-il, left, plays the lead role in "Moss" by director Kang, right. [JoongAng Photo]

When the remake was announced in late 2008 it set the local movie industry on fire - especially later, when the project fell into the hands of Im Sang-soo, the bold and unique director of "The President's Last Bang" (2005) and "A Good Lawyer's Wife" (2003), whom film critic Kim Bong-seok describes as "the most provocative director in Korea."

Adding to expectations for the project is its star, Jeon Do-youn, the beloved Korean actress who exploded onto the world stage with a Best Actress win at Cannes in 2007. Jeon will play the titular character.

"I look forward to seeing Jeon's version of The Housemaid, as I know she can pull off the role of a femme fatale so perfectly," said Lee Jin-hoon, director of the Korean cinema team at Lotte Entertainment.

Actor Lee Jung-jae, who co-starred in "Typhoon" with Jang Dong-gun, and the young and promising actress Seo Woo, who caught the eye of the industry with her performance in "Paju" last year, have been cast as the husband and wife.

"I can't wait to see the results - the meeting between the director of the moment and one of the best films in Korean cinema," said Jeon Chan-il, regular programmer of the Pusan International Film Festival.

But the seemingly blessed remake was recently marred by a very public conflict between the writer and the director.

Screenwriter Kim Soo-hyun, who has built up a reputation as a hit-maker with numerous popular TV dramas and several award-winning movies, was invited by the producer to write a script for the highly anticipated new Housemaid. The project ground to a halt after the director who had been attached to it initially quit, and Kim suggested Im take the reins.

All seemed to be going well until Kim finished the script and handed it over to Im. The director made changes, reportedly to suit his provocative style, and Kim expressed her dissatisfaction. The matter seemed settled when Im apologized, but later problems would crop up again when Im took his version of the script to the producers. Kim claimed the director had agreed to cooperate on the script in the future, but took his version to the studio apparently without consulting her.

The enraged Kim withdrew from the project and later posted a note on her Web site that read, "I've been stabbed in the back by someone I trusted [and] have no mind to go on with my work."

Despite the turmoil, the producers have decided to adopt Im's changed version of the script. Shooting is scheduled to begin this month with the hope of bringing the film to theaters this year after only minor delays, according to Mirovision, the production company.

Second on the list of most anticipated Korean movies was The Murderer, mainly for its trio of Chaser veterans. The 2008 hit directed by Na Hong-jin and starring Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yun-seok attracted about 5 million viewers, about on par with its genre predecessor "Memories of Murder."

The Murderer tells the story of a man from Yanbian, China who is smuggled into Seoul as a contract killer to pay off his debt, but ends up threatened by another hit man.

Ha, who found his breakout role in The Chaser and confirmed his rise to stardom with the 2009 hit drama Take Off, takes the lead role opposite Kim, who has now become one of Korea's most prolific actors, appearing in such well-received films as "Running Turtle" (2009) and "The War of Flower" (2006).

Unusual for Korea, The Murderer has also drawn some Hollywood money, with its estimated production cost of 11 billion won partially paid by Fox Korea, the local branch of the Twentieth Century Fox film studio, which finalized its contribution late last year. Shooting started last month, and the finished product is scheduled to be released this summer, according to its distributor, Showbox.

"The movie will be the one in which director Na will show his real ability, a glimpse of which we got through The Chaser," predicted Kim Young-jin, a film professor at Myongji University.

A famous director is also behind the third selection on the list, Moss, helmed by the filmmaker known internationally for "Silmido" (2003) and "Public Enemy" (2002). Kang made his directorial debut in 1988, making him an "old man" of modern Korean cinema.

Moss brings together Kang's cachet with the hugely popular online graphic novel series on which it's based, drawn by Yoon Tae-ho. The cinematic adaptation, featuring well-known names including Park Hae-il, Jung Jae-young and Yoo Hae-jin, follows a young man who comes to a rural village after hearing about his father's death and later becomes embroiled in its hidden secrets.

The movie is currently in production and will hit local theaters around the first half of the year, according to the production company Cinema Service.

By Ki Sun-min, Park Sun-young [spark0320@joongang.co.kr]

[Guest kdramafanusa]

The 7th Maxmovie Film Awards

Best Actor - Ha Jung-Woo (Take Off)!!! he received 204,941 votes!

Take Off co-star Sung Dong-Il won Best Supporting Actor.

Kim Dong-Wook won Best New Actor

source: naver

[Guest inezjang]

Yayy!!..Congratz Ha Jung Woo!! And i just watched 'Take Off'...wow..simply one awesome hilarious movie!! They're a team of whackos that made you feel good!! Ha Jung Woo and all the cast are terrific!!

Thank you Helena for all the pics and news!!

[Guest kdramafanusa]

^ glad to share.

MOVIEWEEK's Promising Actors of 2009

[melusine]

Vogue

Ha Jung-woo reveals his artwork

March 7th, 2010 // by javabeans

Actor Ha Jung-woo is exploring his creative side with an individual exhibit of his artwork (his first ever), which will be on display for the next month at a gallery in Yangpyeong, Kyeonggi-do. A recent spread in the March issue of Vogue magazine also featured a few of his paintings, pictured here.

This opportunity came through a bit of happenstance; a scriptwriter on Ha’s movie team had seen photos of the paintings in Ha’s cell phone, and made the recommendation for the exhibit. Curators then visited Ha’s home to take a look at his work, which led to the planning of this show.

Ha is currently filming The Murderer, which reunites him with director Na Hong-jin of the hit thriller The Chaser, and said, “I act as a murderer at night, and paint in the mornings. Acting alone without an opponent, I feel these pressing emotions. I take those feelings home and paint with them.”

Regarding his interest in art: “It began in my university days as a hobby, and I started painting in earnest starting in 2007 because I wanted to give my father [actor Kim Yong-gun] a painting to cheer him up.” (Ha seems close with his father and younger brother, who is also trying to break into acting; the three have lived together since his parents divorced some time ago.) He also explains that Go Hyun-jung, Kim Hye-soo, and Yoo Hae-jin encouraged him in his artistic pursuits, and he has also painted together with his girlfriend, model Go Eun-ae.

The exhibition opened on March 6 and will run through April 4.

Via Newsen

Stars play new roles in other media

Five A-list celebrities show visual artworks at the 5th Seoul Open Art Fair

By Sung So-young, JoongAng Daily [so@joongang.co.kr]

April 22, 2010

Actor Ha Jung-woo’s paintings are said be reminiscent of those of U.S. artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

A group of celebrities will get together today to show their skills - not as actors or performers, but as visual artists.

They join a group of over 200 artists exhibiting 5,500 artworks as part of the fifth annual Seoul Open Art Fair at COEX in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul.

The five celebrities - actors Ha Jung-woo and Um Tae-woong, actress Ko Ah-sung, singer 100Ga and pop artist Nancy Lang - are known for their skills as painters and photographers.

The singer 100Ga, a member of the dance trio Koyote, even opened his own studio and regularly does photo shoots for his fellow performers, a group that includes Lee Pa-ni, who became the first Playboy model from Korea in 2006. When Lee made her debut as a singer in 2008, 100Ga took the photos for her album.

Another of 100Ga’s celebrity clients is the Korean singer and actor Rain, which 100Ga revealed on a recent TV show.

100Ga had his first solo exhibition in May last year at a gallery in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul.

Ha, who has appeared in hit films such as “Take Off” (2009) and “The Chaser” (2008), is also known for his work as a painter. The 32-year-old had his first solo exhibition last month in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi. Critics have said his paintings are reminiscent of those by U.S. artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“This is a different way of expressing myself off screen,” Ha told reporters on the opening day of his solo exhibition.

Shim Eun-ha, who starred in many hit movies in the 1990s but retired from film in 2001, showed her ink-and-wash paintings last year. [JoongAng Ilbo]

The teenage actress Ko, who recently appeared on the TV drama “Masters of the Art of Study” and the 2006 film “The Host,” will exhibit three photos at the fair.

She will also display other photos, many of which are images from her personal life, at the Cine 21 Photo Exhibition, which runs from this Saturday to May 1 at Gallery LF in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul.

Actor Um Tae-woong is also well known for his love of photography. Um, who recently appeared in the hit TV drama “Queen Seondeok,” started out by taking pictures of his fellow actors between scenes and uploading them to his Web site.

Pop artist Nancy Lang also loves to carry a camera and camcorder wherever she goes. She is often seen holding a small camcorder or a camera when she shoots TV shows.

The fair is a major event in Korea and includes the participation of 80 Korean galleries and art professionals from Korea and abroad. But organizers wanted to add a new element to the program.

“I wanted to do something other than exhibit the works of professional artists,” said Jeong Jong-hyun, the director of the fair. “So we decided to invite celebrities who have been making a name for themselves in the art world to participate in the fair via the Star Art Project.”

The project was launched last year as an outlet for the works of celebrities who are also visual artists.

Last year, it drew the participation of celebrities including Kim Hye-soo, who has starred in many hit TV dramas and films including “Style” (2009) and “The War of Flower” (2006). Kim taught herself to paint and, discussing her work on a local TV show, she described the act of painting as a moment when she enters a world of her own.

Shim Eun-ha, who had a burgeoning career as an actress but retired from film in 2001, displayed delicate ink-and-wash paintings through the SOAF last year.

A percentage of the proceeds from this year’s art fair will be used to help young patients suffering from a congenital muscle disease who are hospitalized at Gangnam Severance Hospital.

The Seoul Open Art Fair kicks off today and runs through next Monday at COEX B Hall in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul. A variety of artworks including paintings, photographs and sculptures will be on sale throughout the duration of the show. The fair is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, visit www.soaf.co.kr or call (02) 545-3314.

Ha Jung-woo to Open 2nd Solo Art Exhibition

Chosun Ilbo / englishnews@chosun.com

Jun. 23, 2010 05:39 KST

Actor Ha Jung-woo will have another solo exhibition of his paintings. The show will be held in the lobby of the DongA Ilbo Media Center in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul from Wednesday to July 25.

Proving a talented and passionate artist, Ha has shown his works in a number of exhibitions. He had his first solo show of his works in March, displaying some 40 paintings. In April, he took part in an exhibition of works by celebrities in the 2010 Seoul Open Art Fair.

Ha's paintings mostly reflect the psychological state of the characters he plays in his films. The works he will showcase in the upcoming exhibition continue in that theme, using contrasting colors, eye-catching patterns and unique compositions.

Ha is usually tied up with acting, but he enjoys working on paintings when he finds spare time. Ha has been praised for his work in films such as "The Chaser" and "Take Off."

[Guest kiia]

↻

Impressive! Srsly this guy is so talented. *~*

That is a kind of art I would want to hang on my own home's walls.

Take Off did well in The Maxmovie Awards. Congrats to the cast~~!

[Guest inezjang]

^ yeah he's such an amazing guy! wow..to think he paints together with his girlfriend

his birthday is coming!

[Guest valley girl]

Ha jung woo won Best Actor Film On Baeksang 2010

..

i know that kim ji suk is 184cm..

cred labeled

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Impressive stills from ‘Hwang Hae’, starring Ha Jung Woo and Kim Yun Seok released…anticipation↑

November 09, 2010 / mitman

Seoul, Korea – Still cuts from the movie Hwang Hae, seen as the last trendy film of 2010, have been released.

Hwang Hae has been receiving attention for its reuniting of director Na Hong jin and actors Ha Jung Woo and Kim Yun Seok, the same team that made The Chaser. It tells the story of Goo Nam (Ha Jeong Woo), who is being chased by many as he is caught up in a double homicide after crossing the Yellow Sea (Hwang Hae) after receiving a contract to murder someone from gambling lord Myun Ga (Kim Yun Seok) in order to pay off some debts.

The 12 stills show Goo Nam accepting Myun Ga’s offer and the detailed process of getting himself into complications after crossing the Yellow Sea, struggling to stay alive. The photos also show the atmosphere of Yianbien and numerous scenes of car explosions, showing the grand scale of the production process of Hwang Hae. The photos are stimulating interest in the movie, which is set to open in theaters in December.

By Lee Jae Hoon (kino@tvreport.co.kr)

Source: TVReport (Original article in Korean)

Photo from TVReport DB

Translated by Timothy Nam / Korea.com

[Guest kdramafanusa]

‘Hwang Hae’ starring Ha Jung Woo and Kim Yun Seok to open December 22nd

November 23, 2010 / mitman

Seoul, Korea- The opening date for the last expected hit of the winter, director Na Hong Jin’s Hwang Hae, has been set to December 22^nd.

Hwang Hae, a collaboration between actors Ha Jeong Woo, Kim Yun Seok and director Na Hong Jin, who also worked together for The Chaser, tells the story of a man who is being chased by numerous people after being framed for murder, which he agreed to do in order to pay off a debt. Hwang Hae grabbed headlines earlier for being the first movie to receive a 20% production fee backing from FOX International Productions (FIP), a part of 20^th Century Fox, after only receiving a short synopsis because of the trust they have in the two lead actors.

Thus, it is expected that Hwang Hae will be able to compete not only on the national stage but on the world stage as well, creating more anticipation for it in the winter. Reaching no.1 in movie searches a month before it opens, this movie is proving that director Na Hong Jin is rated no.1 as the director most looked forward to for their next project and Ha Jung Woo and Kim Yun Seok are ranked no.1 as the ones people want to meet the most.

Meanwhile, the press conference for Hwang Hae is set to take place on the 23^rd along with a 15 minute behind the scenes footage to be revealed.

By Lee Jae Hoon (kino@tvreport.co.kr)

Source: TVReport (Original article in Korean)

Photo from TVReport DB

Translated by Timothy Nam / Korea.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Press Conference gallery -> http://spn.edaily.co...asp?hot_cd=2898

 

 

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Source: The Korea Times 11-23-2010 16:52

'Yellow Sea' to offer real drama, thrills

 

By Han Sang-hee

The buzz has not started quite yet, but the three names that appear on the poster of the new film “Yellow Sea” will likely be more than enough to have local cineastes marking their calendars.

Director Na Hong-jin captivated viewers with his debut thriller “The Chaser” last year, and he is joining hands with the same cast — actors Kim Yun-seok and Ha Jung-woo — for his new action thriller slated for release next month.

“As I started to build up the story and scenario, the two actors just popped into my head. I didn’t worry about it becoming something like a sequel to ‘The Chaser,’ because it’s not. (Yellow Sea) is a completely different movie,” Na said during a press conference at a movie theater in northern Seoul, Tuesday, where the two actors were also present.

“If ‘The Chaser’ didn’t give viewers the chance to breathe, holding onto their seats scene after scene, ‘Yellow Sea’ will have the viewers peeking into the emotions of the characters. Because emotions are pretty subjective, I think there will be more room for various ideas and perspectives depending on the viewer,” Kim added.

The storyline may be a bit different, but the new flick may remind viewers of Na’s first feature film as it actually has similar components: rough, mysterious male characters, secrets and betrayals, chases and, most of all, real drama.

Gu-nam (Ha) is a taxi driver in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China. His wife left for Korea to earn money, but their debt just keeps piling up and Gu-nam loses contact with her. With no hope and desire to pay back his debt, let alone pick himself up from his misery, Gu-nam bumps into Myeon Jeong-hak, who offers to pay his debt if he agrees to kill someone in Korea.

The desperate and hopeless Gu-nam shakes hands with the mysterious gunslinger, but things take a turn when the man he is supposed to strike is killed by someone else. Now both Gu-nam and Myeon are in trouble, and they both get tangled up in a cat and mouse chase not knowing who the real villain is.

“To sum up the storyline into one sentence, it’s about a man from Yanbian and his desperate search for his wife. There are murders and chases, but that’s the main plot,” Kim said, adding that the details are so real, it may even feel like “watching a 4D film.”

The preview of the film proved that he was not joking about the details. From Ha’s blank, sorrowful eyes to Kim’s greedy and hair-raising smirks, the actors transformed themselves into the characters perfectly, making the viewer feel like they were actually next to Gu-nam, wandering the streets of Seoul, running for his life after being accused of a murder he didn’t commit and staring at his wife’s picture with empty eyes.

The two actors said it was especially an honor to work from start to finish in the filmmaking process with the director, as it helped them become more attached to the film and also have the chance to evolve with it as it grew day after day.

“Na is excellent in creating a story that is relatable to everyone and bringing it to life on the big screen. If you really think about it, his stories are not about that particular character, but about you and me, about relationships, family, betrayal and love,” Ha said.

“Yellow Sea” will be in theaters Dec. 22 and distributed by Showbox.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

[JoongAng Daily]

2010.12.17 NOW PLAYING

December 17, 2010

The Yellow Sea (18)

Thriller / 158 / Korean

Na Hong-jin, director of the 2008 award-winning film “The Chaser,” is back with another action thriller that crosses borderlines. He brings with him “Chaser” stars Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yon-seok, who are once again in the lead.

Gu-nam (Ha), a taxi driver in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, in Northeastern China, is living with a mounting debt. His wife left for South Korea six months ago and he hasn’t heard from her since. He starts gambling to make money but always ends up losing.

One day, Gu-nam is offered a job that will pay off all his debts. The job is to assassinate someone in South Korea. He takes the job without knowing much about his target and to see his wife. But when he arrives in Seoul, he ends up being chased by the police because he is wanted for a murder that he did not commit. Gu-nam is starting to realize that he has been tricked into a dangerous trap. But the police aren’t the only ones looking for Gu-nam. Myun-ga (Kim), a professional assassin who also lives in Yanbian, is sent to Seoul to look him as well. Gu-nam has two choices: solve the mystery of who hired him and why Myun-ga is after him by himself or end up in jail for the rest of his life.

 

[^naver^]

~

cine21

http://www.cine21.co...rticle_id=64129

http://www.cine21.co...rticle_id=64130

http://www.cine21.co...rticle_id=64131

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Korea Herald]

Actors in their 40s draw highest audience

2010-10-08 14:40

The influence of actors varies according to their age. Recent statistics by Korea Film Council proves male actors in their 40s pull the highest audience figures. The experienced actors’ growing charisma and acting skills are just two of the reasons for their boost in popularity. 

Song Kang-ho (The Korea Herald)

Song Kang-ho, 43, attracted the highest average number of viewers for his films. In the younger 20-40 age group, Ha Jung- woo, 32, was recorded as the most popular star. 

Stars in their 40s’ Mighty Power: Song Kang-ho, Sul Kyung- gu and Jung Jae-young 

Since 2005, the most popular films Song Kang-ho appeared as the lead in were “The Host” (2006), ‘”Thirst” (2009) and “Secret Reunion” (2010). In total, Song Kang-ho appeared in a main role in seven movies and attracted 28.8 million viewers.  

Sul Kyung-gu, 42, followed Song Kang-ho for audience figures. He was as a main character in nine movies and attracted 26 million viewers.

Jung Jae-young ranked third for the total number of viewers, following Song Kang-ho and Sul Kyung-gu. 

Since 2005, Hwang Jung-min, 40, played main roles in 10 movies, more films than any other actor.

Stars in their 30s, Ha Jung-woo’s heyday and Won Bin’s sudden rise

Ha Jung-woo has been nominated as the actor who played the most diverse roles in the last five years. “National Team, Take-off” (2009) and “The Chaser” (2008) were his most successful films. From the five movies he was cast in, Ha Jung-woo has had 14.3 million viewers.  

Ha Jung-woo (The Korea Herald)

Then there was the best comeback in some time, from Won Bin. After his military service, he came back to the big screen with “Mother” (2009) and this years’ hottest movie “The Man from Nowhere” (2010). After his comeback, Won Bin attracted over 9 million viewers.

From left: Jung jae-young, Kang Dong-won, Won Bin

Stars in their 20s, Kang Dong- won’s rise

Kang Dong-won, 29, has had unmatched numbers of viewers when compared to other actors in their 20s. After 2005, the five films he was cast in the leading role, including the “Voice of a Murderer,” appealed to 15 million viewers. Even film critics commended Kang Dong-won’s work as without fault. The only thing likely to interrupt his success is his need to serve in the military for two years, soon after the up-coming movie premier of “Psychics” (2010).

(Herald Online)

[Guest kdramafanusa]

december 20, 2010

Movie 'Yellow Sea' Premiere

http://spn.edaily.co...asp?hot_cd=3070

director Na Hong-Jin, actors Kim Yoon-Seok & Ha Jung-Woo 

 

~~

Yonhap News 2010/12/20 23:18 KST

'The Yellow Sea' chases after betrayals in the mean streets of Seoul

By Kim Hyun

SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Yonhap) -- In Na Hong-jin's sophomore film, "The Yellow Sea," an indebted young taxi driver in China's destitute Yanbian district takes a job as a contract killer, not knowing who is behind it or where it would take him.

   What seems to be his last option as a means to pay off his gambling debts spirals into deadly conspiracies in the mean streets of Seoul, where his employer turns his back on him. There's nothing more cruel than betrayal and being killed, without knowing why.

   Using the same actors -- Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yoon-suk -- as in his 2008 hit thriller "The Chaser," Na tells the story of an ethnic Korean man in China who is trapped in a scam in South Korea, abandons his conscience but eventually seeks his revenge for his own soul.

   "This film portrays a man who, with no other course of action left open for him, and not knowing where it would take him, takes the job. And he proceeds toward his death, not knowing what all of this means," Na said after the film premiered to the press in Seoul on Monday.

  

In "The Yellow Sea," Ha Jung-woo plays a destitute taxi driver in China who smuggles into South Korea on a murder contract. (Yonhap)

The 156-minute film opens in a dismal gambling den in Yanbian, the Korean autonomous prefecture in eastern China, which has cost Gu-nam (played by Ha) all his money, his career and his family. His wife has gone to South Korea to make money, but he hasn't heard from her for a long time. Then Mr. Myeon (played by Kim), a sunglass-wearing big wheel in the gambling business, proposes to rescue him from his debts in return for killing a man in Seoul. His tone is casual, and for Gu-nam, his wife's alleged infidelity feels much more vicious.

   To be able to capture the daily scenes of ethnic Koreans in Yanbian, their struggles and hybrid accent, Na said he backpacked, made a laborious trip by boat and train to Yanbian and stayed there for a month. Some of their representations may not be accurate in the present-day, and may be too much on the downside, but the film came out of affection for them, the director said.

   "After deciding to tell this story, the first thing I did was backpack and go to Yanbian," Na said. "We talked to people there trying to learn about them and feel them ... Perhaps I still don't know well about them in my bones, but we tried what with the time given to us. The sincerity of this film is our affection toward them. We wouldn't have been able to make this film had we had no affection for them."

   Like in "The Chaser," nonstop action and sweaty car chase scenes in "The Yellow Sea" create suspension and tension that builds solid thrills for the audience. There are also comic farces, like Mr. Myeon wielding a steamed pork hog, a popular dish in Korea and China, like an ax. But grotesque murder scenes are too excessive, and there is little room left for viewers to look into the psyche of Gu-nam while the story tries to be sympathetic in the end.

   The audience may tend to compare this film with "The Chaser," which drew 5 million viewers at home and earned the director a number of awards, but the filmmakers asserted freshness in the story.

   "Some call this film a sequel to 'The Chaser,' but I think there's nothing in common unless that Ha Jung-woo, Kim Yoon-suk and Na Hong-jin teamed up again," Kim said. "In 'The Chaser,' I wore an Armani and Versace, but here Mr. Myeon comes with a pair of 9,000 won pants (US$9)," he said jokingly.

   The actors said shooting the film was physically challenging, which at times required them to dive into the winter sea and fight in racing cars. The filming took more than a year.

   "The hardest thing was that I had to live with that shaggy face for one year," Ha, who sheds his masculine image here to transform into the desolate, forlorn taxi driver, said with a smile. "Shooting was physically tough and the weather was very cold that I now wonder why I hadn't used a stuntman."

  

Ha Jung-woo, Na Hong-jin and Kim Yoon-suk (L to R) pose for the camera after their film premiered in Seoul on Dec. 20. (Yonhap)

hkim@yna.co.kr

(END)

[Guest kdramafanusa]

wonder if he started filming for Client yet.

입력 2010.11.03 (수) 14:33, 수정 2010.11.03 (수) 16:21

The cast of actors Ha Jeong-woo, Park Hee-soon and Jang Hyuk in film ‘The Client’ has been confirmed.

Ha Jeong-woo, who is coming back to the screen with Director Na Hong-jin’s ‘The Yellow Sea’, will play Lawyer Kang struggling to prove a suspect’s innocence. For the part of Prosecutor Ahn who is engaged in a fierce battle with Lawyer Kang, Park Hee-soon, the lead role of ‘A Barefoot Dream’, which was chosen as the Korean entry to the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, has been cast. Jang Hyuk plays suspect Han Cheol-min, who has the key to the truth.

‘The Client’ is a court drama about a battle of wits between a lawyer and a prosecutor around a suspect in a murder of his wife, and it is directed by Director Son Young-seong of ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’. ‘The Client’ will be filmed starting in November. 

<국제TOSEL위원회 제공>

[ⓒ 스포츠월드 & Segye.com, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지]

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기사입력 2010.12.22 18:04   최종수정 2010.12.22 18:27

[REVIEW] “The Yellow Sea”

A scene from the film "The Yellow Sea"

Goo-nam (Ha Jung-woo) is heavy in debt yet he can’t get his hands off mah-jong. He is then approached by Myun-ga (Kim Yun-seok) who tells him he can start everything anew if he does her the favor of killing a certain person in Seoul. So that is how he takes off from Yanbian to the capital city of Korea, all to just accomplish that task. Meanwhile Tae-won (Jo Sung-ha) feels uneasy over the murder he requested as it did not end quite as clean-cut as he expected. As the setting changes from Yanbian to Seoul, then to Busan following the chase between Gu-nam who entered Korea to do his job and also to find out the whereabouts of his wife whom he lost contact with since she left in search for a job, and Myun-ga who comes to get rid of Gu-nam, the film turns more and more into a world of primal instincts that demands more and more blood. As monstrous as the film has turned out to be, this may be something viewers may catch on from the very first cut in the film as this is what “The Yellow Sea” is.

 

Scenes from film "The Yellow Sea"

The film that took complete control over all sense in the film for its likes, ends up changing the very faces of its actors. Kim Yun-seok has truly changed into a wild beast who is forced to attack with just about anything he can get his hands on -- a sword, an axe or even a bone of a dog. Ha Jung-woo with his bare face too, dons a kind of expression that “The Yellow Sea” wishes to deliver to its the audience. Director Na in his 156-minute film divided into four chapters, practically wrote about the history of the building of primal instincts, how they get awakened by chance, how they crash with other instincts and the ending to it all. Had he given more commercial consideration he could have made the running time more compact. The latter half of the film drags on a bit due to the repeated pattern of killings and chase. Therefore dividing the film in chapters to show three people’s perspectives from beginning to end is 100 percent director Na’s own doing. “The Yellow Sea”that pushed all its characters to their limits -- to the point of getting worried about the actors -- premieres on December 22.

Reporter: Lee Ji-Hye seven@

Editor : Heidi Kim heidikim@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[Guest kdramafanusa]

VIP Premiere of Yellow Sea

clip: http://eq.freechal.c...&serviceId=QT00

 

Gallery -> http://spn.edaily.co...DirCode=0030401

Park Hee-Soon (will be working will Ha Jung-Woo in Client)

 

Park Cheol-Min

 

director Lee Myung-Se

 

Seol Kyung-Gu, Song Sae-Byuk

Jung Jin-Young

Son Ye-Jin

Uhm Tae-Woong & Uhm Jung-Hwa (real life bro-sis)

Lee Beom-Soo

Joo Sang-Wook

Chun Jung-Myung

Oh Dal-Soo

 

Im Ha-Ryong

Kim So-Eun

Jo Jin-Woong

Seo Hyo-Rim

 

Baek Sung-Hyun

Park Min-Young

 

Lee Min-Ki & Kang Ye-Won

 

 

Lee Min-Jung

 

 

Shin Eun-Kyung & Park Sung-Woong (real-life couple)

SS501 Kim Kyu-Jong

 

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Chosun

Movie This Week

The Yellow Sea (2010)

\

• Genres: Action and Thriller
• Running Time: 156 min.
• Directed by: Na Hong-jin
• Starring: Ha Jung-woo, Kim Yoon-seok

Synopsis: Gu-nam, a taxi driver in Yanbian, China, is living with a mounting debt. His wife left for South Korea six months ago and he hasn't heard from her since. He is offered a job that will pay off all his debts. The job is to assassinate someone in South Korea. He takes the job without knowing much about his target to go to Seoul to find his wife. But when he arrives in Seoul, he ends up being chased by the police because he is wanted for a murder that he did not commit. Gu-nam realizes that he has been tricked into a dangerous trap. But the police aren't the only ones looking for Gu-nam. Myeong-ga, a professional assassin who also lives in Yanbian, is sent to Seoul to look for him as well.

englishnews@chosun.com / 1Feb. 24, 2010 10:21 KST

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Korea Times 12-23-2010 16:39

Gory 'Yellow Sea' is worth the wait

Director Na Hong-jin's second film ``Yellow Sea," a thriller now in theaters, has reached the top of the box offices since its release Wednesday.  / Courtesy of Showbox

By Han Sang-hee

The new thriller “Yellow Sea” has been one of the most highly anticipated films of 2010, but beware, this is certainly not for the timid and sensitive.

Na Hong-jin, the brilliant maker of “The Chaser,” has employed the two protagonists from the popular thriller — Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yun-seok — to prove once again that shaking the audience to its very core is what he does best.

“Yellow Sea” actually has a lot more to offer than “The Chaser”: More blood, violence, car chases, and darker secrets and betrayals.

Gu-nam (played by the excellent Ha) is a taxi driver in the Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture in China and has lost contact with his wife who left for Korea to earn money. With their debt piling up, he eventually loses contact with her and spends his nights with hopeless dreams, cheap beer and unsuccessful games of mah-jong. Gu-nam bumps into assassin Myeon Jeong-hak (Kim) and before he knows it, he is off to Korea to kill a man. Myeon offers to pay Gu-nam’s debt if he takes care of a deadly mission in Seoul, but little does Myeon know that Gu-nam agreed to do this not only for the money, but in the desperate hope of finding his wife.

He has 10 days before he has to leave Seoul, and Gu-nam studies his target night after night, but just when he gets ready to strike, he is outdone by strangers who kill the target first. The bewildered Gu-nam gets accused of the murder and to make matters worse, he loses contact with Myeon. Now he starts on a dangerous and thrilling escape from the police and the unknown murderers, while still searching for his wife and Myeon.

In short, this is not a very pleasant movie to watch on a relaxing Friday night. There are many violent scenes that will have viewers cringing, and the sound effects just add more intensity. Aside from the gory graphics of the film, however, it’s clean cut, speedy and pulls the viewer into the rusty and dark world of ruthless killers. The car chase held in the dark streets of Busan made headlines for being one of Korea’s best chase scenes even before the film’s release, and yes, they are impressive thanks to the speedy and smart use of 13 cameras, 50 cars and some 150 crews.

“The Chaser” may have been a tale of two men in a cat and mouse chase but “Yellow Sea” speaks more from the heart: it delves deeper into the emotions of a young man who simply wants to turn his life right side up.

Ha once again gives an excellent performance, from running and stabbing, to piercing cries and motionless stares. In the scene where he muffles his tears in the mountains, the character uses one of his socks to put pressure on a gun wound as a cry of desperation seeps out: this young man is sad, scared and lost, and has no one else to turn to in this harsh world. Ha consistently captures all these complex emotions perfectly. Even the cold, calm stares shine throughout the film, adding intensity and depth to his character.

Myeon, on the other hand, goes through a transformation in character. The sober dog seller devolves into a ruthless, and probably the most brutal, killer in the movie, without any disconnection or awkwardness in sight. His steely, composed eyes instantly turn into those of a murderer and indeed, he does his job very well.

Whatever the scene and situation, the energy of the two actors is powerful, and this overwhelming rush continues from start to finish. It may be unfair to compare Na’s two films, but one thing is certain; this director has a keen eye for detail and speed, along with a deep understanding of spatial effects, fancy yet stable camera work and a knack for gory sequences, and will surely have fans and viewers waiting for his next work as soon as they walk out the theater. Distributed by Showbox.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

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Cine21