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

[netira]

20181125 Ha Jung Woo for GQ Korea December Issue

MEN OF THE YEAR 2018

 

source : http://www.gqkorea.co.kr/2018/11/25/men-of-the-year-2018-%ED%95%98%EC%A0%95%EC%9A%B0/

 

 

Edited November 25, 2018 by netira

[rubie]

November 27, 2018

 

Korean Movie Actors with highest ticket power 2018

 

Source: Naver via KoreanUpdates! @KoreanUpdates

 

Song Kang Ho claims his spot for 3 year in a row as the Korean actor with strongest ticket power.

 

Based on the survey conducted by media and movie portals MyDaily & MaxMovie from November 1 till November 23 involving 12,890 participants.

 

The top 10 actors:

 

1. Song Kang Ho

2. Ha Jung Woo

3. Ryu Jun Yeol

4. Lee Byung Hun 

5. Ma Dong Suk 

6. Kang Dong Won

7. Hwang Jung Min

8. Yoo Hae Jin

9.  Cho Jin Woong

10. Kim Yun Seok

11. Joo In Sung

12. Ju Ji Hun

13. Choi Min Sik

Spoiler

 

[rubie]

November 28, 2018

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo Pens Book of Essays About Joy of Walking
 

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

 

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo has authored a book detailing his lifelong love of walking.

 

The book vividly recounts some unforgettable episodes he has had while walking, and the benefits the pastime brings him.

Ha Jung-woo speaks at a press event in Seoul on Tuesday to mark the release of his book of essays on walking.

 

"Since the period when I was an unknown actor, I often walked to work, a practice I continue to this day," Ha said at a press event in Seoul on Tuesday. "It also helps keep your mind away from stress," he added.

 

He said he loves to wander through small alleys and along the Han River in both good times and bad times. As a promoter of walking, he walks about 30,000 steps a day, and once walked up to 100,000 steps.

[rubie]

December 13, 2018

 

Movie Stars That Lit Up The Screen In 2018 According to Gallup Korea Poll

Source: Soompi by C. Hong

 

Ever since 2007, Gallup Korea has held polls to decide the entertainers/movie stars/TV stars/pop stars/sports stars of the year.

 

To kick off the end of 2018, Gallup Korea has revealed the results for their poll on “movie stars that lit up the screen in 2018.” The poll was conducted from November 7 to 30 and included 1,700 men and women over the age of 13 all over the country.

 

Ma Dong Seok took first place in the poll with his role in this year’s hit film “Along with the Gods 2.” The contrast between his tough-looking exterior and his soft personality has also earned him the nickname “Ma-vely” (Ma + “lovely”). The actor is also well-known for his never-ending body of work, many of which go on to become hits at the box office: “Veteran” (2015), “Along with the Gods” (2017), and “Train to Busan.” In 2018 alone, on top of “Along with the Gods 2,” he appeared in “Champion,” “The Soulmate,” “The Villagers,” and “Unstoppable.”

 

In second place was Ha Jung Woo, who also starred in both “Along with the Gods” movies. He is another heavy-hitter at the box office, with films like “The Handmaiden,” “Tunnel,” and “Assassination” under his belt, and has appeared in the Top 5 of Gallup Korea’s “Movie Stars of the Year” poll every year since 2012.

 

Third place was Lee Byung Hun, a global star who kicked off 2018 with the film “Keys to the Heart.” Although he gained acclaim this particular year for his first drama role in years with tvN’s “Mr. Sunshine,” he is still mostly known as a movie actor rather than a TV actor, even appearing in Hollywood productions like “Misconduct” and “The Magnificent Seven.” In 2009 and 2012, he had risen as high as No. 1 on Gallup Korea’s “Movie Stars of the Year” poll.

 

Rounding out the top 5 were Song Kang Ho and Joo Ji Hoon. Song Kang Ho has not yet released a film in 2018, with his latest movie “Drug King” awaiting a December 19 release, but is still riding high on his impressive career to date, not least with 2017’s box office hit “Taxi Driver.” “Taxi Driver” catapulted him to the top of the poll in 2017, a feat that he previously accomplished in 2008 and 2013.

 

Joo Ji Hoon also starred in the “Along with the Gods” series, but this has been a landmark year overall in the young actor’s career. 2018 saw the release of two other movies in which he has starred, after “Along with the Gods 2”: “The Spy Gone North” and “The Dark Figure of Crime.”

 

Like 2016 and 2017, the top 5 movie actors chosen in 2018’s poll were dominated by male actors. The last time a female actress appeared in the top 5 was in 2016 (Jun Ji Hyun). The highest that a female actress has ever placed on the poll was in 2012 (Kim Hye Soo was third). Despite 2018 being a landmark year for female-led films in South Korea, the highest an actress placed on 2018’s poll was No. 14 (Kim Hye Soo, tied with another actor), No. 16 (Son Ye Jin, tied with another actor), and No. 19 (Han Ji Min).

 

Here are the top 10 movie stars of 2018, as picked through Gallup Korea’s survey:

 

1. Ma Dong Seok
2. Ha Jung Woo
3. Lee Byung Hun
4. Song Kang Ho
5. Joo Ji Hoon
6. Yoo Hae Jin
7. Jung Woo Sung
8. Hwang Jung Min
9. Jo In Sung
10. Cha Tae Hyun

 

Source (1)

[rubie]

December 28, 2018

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo Is a Disciplined Artist

 

By Pyo Tae-jun The Chosun Ilbo

 

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo does not have an overpowering screen persona or great looks, but he is a reassuring presence, striking a perfect balance between playfulness and seriousness while others chew up the scenery.

 

That is why he has become one of the biggest stars in Korean cinema and his filmography includes some of the biggest hits like "Assassination," and the "Along with the Gods" series.

His latest film, "Take Point," which hit theaters on Wednesday, promises to be a memorable addition.

 

In "Take Point," Ha plays a team leader who controls drone cameras to guide foreign mercenaries. Viewers watch the battles from Ha's point of view and observe his minute, seemingly effortless reactions. 

In addition to being a hugely successful actor, Ha is a screenwriter and director of two films, "Fasten Your Seatbelt" and "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant," an established artist and a writer of two books of essays.

 

He has produced over 100 paintings, one of which sold for over W18 million (US$1=W1,124). His exhibition in New York in 2015 sold out.

 

He made his writing debut with a collection of essays on art and acting in 2011 and last month published a book about his lifelong love of walking.

 

Ha describes himself as an artist with a disciplined lifestyle and insists that the perception of artists as moody and emotional, prone to drinking, drugs and a dissolute lifestyle is wrong. Ha walks, draws, paints, and does at least three films each year.

 

In his new book, Ha explains the reason why he walks over 30,000 steps each day. "I think your life just gets destroyed at some point if you believe that good ideas come in some kind of serendipitous moment out of the blue. I believe that inspiration comes from a good life. My work is not bohemian, it's like going to the office preparing for a very important presentation that has the future of the company at stake."

[rubie]

December 28, 2018

 

How to make profitable real estate investments: Actor Ha Jung-woo may give you tips

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo has bought a building in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. Yonhap

 

By Dong Sun-hwa, Park Si-soo The Korea Times

 

Are you interested in investing in real estate? 

 

Making a good investment decision could reward you with a worry-free life in regard to money. But what happens if you make the wrong decision? 

 

A-list actor Ha Jung-woo recently took people by surprise ― not because of a performance in his bread-and-butter job, but with his real estate investment acumen. 

 

Ha recently bought a three-floor building in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, for 2.4 billion won ($2.14 million). He took over ownership after paying the balance in October. 

 

Real estate experts say the actor's purchase price was quite "reasonable," adding the building's value will rise because an amusement park is nearby and there are signs the surrounding areas will flourish. Perhaps in a preemptive action, Starbucks Coffee signed a long-term deal to rent the building. 

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo bought this building in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. Capture from Naver Map

 

"The building is located nearby an amusement park," a real estate expert said. "Thanks to the facility, the region has recently seen an inflow of many foreign tourists. Leasing can be profitable and the property will be good for sale in the future as well."

 

In a previous deal, the actor bought a three-floor building in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, currently valued at 7.3 billion won ($6.52 million).

 

Starbucks has been using the entire building and its monthly rental is said to be tens of millions of won.

 

"Ha has made wise investment decisions by taking both profitability and future value into account," another real estate expert said. 

 

Ha, whose name is Kim Sung-hoon, debuted in the film "Madeleine" in 2003 and rocketed to stardom thanks to several hits including "The Chaser" in 2008 and "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time" in 2012. His latest movie "Take Point" premiered on Wednesday. 

sunhwadong@koreatimes.co.kr 

[rubie]

December 26, 2018

 

This year’s trends in Korean film:

Women, word-of-mouth define 2018 at the cinema

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

“Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days,” the second in the “Along with the Gods” fantasy blockbuster franchise, was the highest-grossing movie of 2018. [LOTTE ENTERTAINMENT]

 

The growing prevalence of movie streaming giants like Netflix is worrying many cinema chains, but these new filmmaking giants actually had a limited impact on Korean cinema this year.

 

Local cinemas sold more than 200 million tickets this year for the sixth consecutive year since 2013, according to the data provided by the Korean Film Council. 

 

The highest-grossing movie this year was the fantasy blockbuster “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days,” which sold 12.27 million tickets upon its release in August. This was less than the first in the popular webtoon-based franchise, “Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds” (2017), which sold 14.41 million tickets.

 

“Avengers: Infinity War” was the second-best performing movie this year, selling 11.21 million tickets. It was also the second Marvel title to sell more than 10 million tickets in Korea after 2015’s “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” (10.49 million tickets).

 

Apart from ticket sales, several key characteristics that defined this year’s Korean cinema trend are the growing importance of word-of-mouth, stronger female characters and the success of smaller-budget movies over blockbusters. 

 

One of the biggest beneficiaries of strong word-of-mouth was “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the film about the British rock band Queen and its lead singer Freddie Mercury. The film debuted on Oct. 31 to moderate success. 

 

But it received positive word-of-mouth and reviews. Thanks also to the popularity of sing-along screenings, the film climbed up the box office ladder and managed to stay strong despite the unleash of new releases. In its eighth weekend, its total ticket sales amounted to 8.5 million.

 

“‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was also popular among younger audiences, who did not grow up listening to Queen’s music,” said Hwang Jae-hyun, a spokesman for CGV. He also pointed to “strong word-of-mouth” as the key to the film’s success in attracting younger viewers into theaters.

Relatively low-budget movies like the horror flick “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum,” top, and comedy-drama “Intimate Strangers” succeeded in the box office thanks to positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth from audience members. [SHOWBOX, LOTTE ENTERTAINMENT]

 

Other movies that received an unexpected boost from the public buzz include the horror mystery flick “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum,” comedy drama feature “Intimate Strangers” and the drama “Searching.”

 

“Gonjiam,” which tells the story of a group of seven people going on an adventure to the abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital and filming their experience along the way, far exceeded break-even ticket sales of 600,000. Despite being made for less than half of the average production cost of Korean movies, “Gonjiam” managed to sell 2.67 million tickets. This is particularly surprising, as the entire cast was made up of rookie actors.

 

“Intimate Strangers,” which cost 5.8 billion won ($5.16 million) to make, sold 5.2 million tickets, a little less than three times its 1.8 million break-even-point. 

 

The movie depicts a group of childhood friends and their spouses playing a game that requires them to reveal all their text and phone calls. It received a positive response from viewers. Despite film journalists’ criticisms of the plot’s simplicity, “Intimate Strangers” received a rating higher than nine stars out of 10 on portal site Naver’s film rating system, far higher than the critics’ rating of 6.13.

 

“Searching,” starring Korean-American actor John Cho, is another movie that succeeded through positive word-of-mouth. The film is about a single father desperately attempting to find his missing teenage daughter, and it was moderately successfully after its Aug. 29 release. But after viewers praised the film for taking an unconventional approach to storytelling - the film takes place entirely on computer screens - the movie topped the box office for a couple of weeks, selling a total of 2.95 million tickets.

 

Another notable trend this year is the growing significance of strong female characters. 

 

Period epic “Herstory,” about the struggles of women who were forced into sexual slavery by the imperial Japanese army during its colonial rule in Korea (1910-45), depicts independent and strong-willed women trying to speak up for women’s rights. 

 

Kim Hee-ae plays the head of a Busan-based tour agency who helps comfort women launch their court case against the Japanese government. 

Though the number still remains fairly low, films featuring strong-willed and independent women were notable this year, including “Miss Baek,” top,” and “Herstory.” [LITTLE BIG PICTURES, NEXT ENTERTAINMENT WORLD]

 

“Miss Baek” is another notable film with a strong female lead. The movie explores child abuse through the eyes of a socially excluded female character. It received a lot of support from audience members welcoming a rare movie that places a female character at the center. Its main star Han Ji-min won a number of awards, including the Blue Dragon Awards, for her role in the film. 

 

Rookie actor Kim Da-mi was also at the center of attention this year for her charismatic role in “The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion.” In the action-packed movie, Kim plays a mysterious high school student with superpowers who struggles to live a normal life.

 

Films like “Illang: The Wolf Brigade,” “Rampant” and “Psychokinesis” proved that high production costs is no longer a prerequisite for a movie to hit the jackpot. 

 

“Illang,” which cost around 16 billion won to make, sold less than a million tickets. This comes especially as a surprise due to its strong star cast, including popular actors Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo and Jung Woo-sung, and the involvement of Kim Jee-woon (“The Age of Shadows”) in the director’s chair. Fantasy period title “Rampant,” starring Hyunbin and Jang Dong-gun, was another highly anticipated big-budget flick. 

 

“Illang: The Wolf Brigade,” top, and “Psychokinesis,” proved that big-budget movies with superstar actors are not guaranteed success. [WARNER BROS. KOREA, NEXT ENTERTAINMENT WORLD]

 

However, it sold only 1.59 million tickets, which was a huge disappointment due its production costs of 17 billion won. Yeon Sang-ho’s new feature “Psychokinesis,” which followed the massive success of zombie thriller “Train to Busan,” also fell short at the box office. Despite costing more than 13 billion won to make, it attracted less than a million moviegoers.

 

In contrast, movies like “Dark Figure of Crime,” “The Witness” and “Little Forest” also proved that films with smaller budgets could be strong enough to become box office hits.

 

“Dark Figure of Crime” cost around 8 billion won to make, but sold nearly twice the tickets (3.78 million) necessary to break even. Despite fierce competition coming from summer blockbusters like the second “Along with the Gods” film, horror title “The Witness” sold 2.5 million tickets and was made for just 4.5 billion won. The low-budget drama “Little Forest” sold an impressive 1.5 million tickets and cost only 1.5 billion won. 

 

“The success of a movie is no longer decided by high production costs or strong star power,” said film critic Kim Heon-sik. “Audience members have started to look for a trendy and unique story that does not repeat what they have seen in the past.” 

 

BY JIN MIN-JI [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]

[rubie]

January 5, 2019

 

Korean Actors Brush up on English-Language Skills

 

By Pyo Tae-jun The Chosun Ilbo

 

In his latest film "Take Point," Ha Jung-woo's lines are mostly in English as he heads a group of mercenaries. Ha admits that playing the part was "quite a challenge."

 

"It drove me nuts whenever my language coach pointed out an incorrect pronunciation when I said a line while trying to immerse myself into my character," he said.

 

But as Korean films ride a wave of K-pop enthusiasm overseas, it has to be done. Ha took one-on-one English language lessons for six months before filming began.

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo (left) talks with co-star Kevin Durand on the set of "Take Point." /Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

 

He and his teacher, Christine Kim, would go for walks during lessons to make speaking English become more natural. "I made him memorize the words, accent and gestures of his favorite basketball player Kobe Bryant and Tom Cruise after watching YouTube," Kim said. "We never sat down when we met for lessons and I trained him to speak in English while walking or moving. A natural sense of language comes with gestures or movements."

 

In the movie "Default," which is about the 1997 Asian financial crisis, French actor Vincent Cassel and his co-star Kim Hye-soo speak to each other in English. And in "The Drug King," which opened last month, Bae Doo-na also speaks English. She has employed a dialect coach since the early 2000s as she has appeared in a couple of Hollywood films.

 

Lee Byung-hun, who played a U.S. Marine in the TV drama, "Mr. Sunshine," took English conversation classes at a crammer in Gangnam. Park Jung-geun, the personal tutor for Lee as well as Yoo Ji-tae and Han Hyo-joo, said, "Learning English while sitting down and focusing primarily on grammar is no help at all when acting in a scene. The secret is using hands and learning other gestures."

[irilight]

Thank you for the updates,  @rubie, @netira.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Joo Ji Hoon In Talks To Reunite With Ha Jung Woo In New Film
 

Joo Ji Hoon and Ha Jung Woo might be reuniting in a new film!

On January 8, a source from KeyEast Entertainment reported, “Joo Ji Hoon is currently reviewing the offer to appear in the upcoming film ‘Kidnapping’ (literal translation).”

“Kidnapping” is a new film directed by Kim Sung Hoon who is known for directing the 2016 film “Tunnel.” The upcoming film will be based on the true story of the kidnapping of a diplomat in Beirut, Lebanon in 1986.

If Joo Ji Hoon accepts the role, he will be reuniting with his “Along with the Gods” co-star Ha Jung Woo. Ha Jung Woo reportedly made the recommendation to cast Joo Ji Hoon.

“Kidnapping” will begin filming in the latter half of 2019. Joo Ji Hoon currently has the premieres of the two dramas “Kingdom” and “The Item” ahead of him.


source

[rubie]

January 12, 2019

 

Ha Jung Woo Praises Uniqueness Of “Memories Of The Alhambra” And Other Recent Dramas

 

Source: Soompi by C. Hong

 

 

In an interview for his new movie “PMC: The Bunker,” veteran actor Ha Jung Woo talked about being impressed by recent TV dramas.

 

“Dramas have gotten a lot more bold in their subject matter,” he said. “I was watching ‘Memories of the Alhambra’ and I thought, how did they make something so unique?”

 

He continued, “I was surprised to see moments where there was no talking for up to a minute, only music and sounds. I realized that these things are now possible in TV dramas.”

 

He shared some other examples of dramas that have impressed him with their production value, saying, “I thought about this with ‘Goblin’ too, but the cinematography for ‘Mr. Sunshine’ was brilliant. I think that since dramas reflect the current trends, they have to recognize that and also go beyond.”

 

“PMC: The Bunker,” also titled “Take Point,” is about a global mercenary force (PMC) that is commissioned by the CIA to apprehend a North Korean official in a secret bunker 30 meters (about 98 feet) underground. It stars Ha Jung Woo as the captain of the mercenary force and Lee Sun Gyun as the doctor with the key to the bunker.

 

“Memories of the Alhambra” is a tvN drama about the CEO of an investment company (Hyun Bin) who gets involved with the owner of a hostel in Granada (Park Shin Hye) as the boundary between the real world and AR games begins to blur.

 

Source (1)

[rubie]

January 8, 2019

 

End-Of-Year Peak Season Scores 
Box Office Results of Korean Films Released in December over the Last 5 Years

 

by HWANG Hee-yun / KOFIC

 

 

December is one of the most profitable periods for Korean films, along with summer. Blockbusters with huge production costs flood the market and reap large box office takes on par with their impressive budgets. The period that saw the all-time biggest commercial successes is indeed December. One only need look at a list of the Korean commercial hits of the last five years that were released in December to get a sense of how crucial this period can be. The Attorney (2013), Ode to My Father (2014) and Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) all managed to get some legs and were still running in the following month, selling over 10 million tickets. In that respect, this year’s slate of December releases, namely The Drug King (Dec. 19), Swing Kids (Dec. 19) and Take Point (Dec. 26), was eagerly anticipated by moviegoers. Add to that the fact that the first two marked the return of SONG Kang-ho and HA Jung-woo, two of the most bankable actors, while the third one was the latest from Sunny (2011) director KANG Hyoung-chul. However, now that the December peak season is behind us and the figures are in, it appears these three movies have performed rather poor. Released a week earlier than Take Point (2018), The Drug King (2018) welcomed 1.86 million viewers while Swing Kids (2018) took in 1.43 million admissions. Take Point, which opened on December 26, also had a rough time as it only sold 1.6 million tickets. Considering that all three movies had production budgets of over KRW 14 billion (USD 12.5 million), this is seen as a major disappointment by people within and outside of the film industry. Because of this box office slump, it was the first time since 2011 that the December admission figures for Korean movies were way behind those for foreign films.

[rubie]

April 1, 2019

Im Siwan In Talks To Join Ha Jung Woo In Upcoming Film About Boston Marathon

Source: Soompi by D. S.kim

 

 

Im Siwan is looking to make his return to the silver screen!

 

On April 1, news outlet Sports Chosun relayed words from several sources in the film industry that Im Siwan was confirmed for upcoming film “Boston 1947” (tentative title).

 

“Boston 1947” will tell the story of South Korean athletes who participated in the 1947 Boston Marathon, which was the first international sporting event following the end of World War II. Ha Jung Woo and Bae Sung Woo have confirmed their appearances, and Kang Jae Kyu of the 2015 film “Salut d’Amour” will direct the film.

 

In response, a source from Im Siwan’s agency Plum Actors clarified, “It is true that [Im Siwan] received an offer to star in ‘Boston 1947,’ but nothing has been confirmed. The offer is being positively reviewed.”

 

Im Siwan was discharged from the military on March 27 and will be making his comeback through OCN’s upcoming drama “Strangers From Hell.”

 

Source (1) (2)

Top Photo Credit: Xportsnews

[rubie]

April 3, 2019

Ha Jung-woo Reveals Impressive Line-up for New Movies

 

Source: Nate via HanCinema.net

 

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo proved his love for his fans by telling them all his plans for his next movie.

Ha Jung-woo met his fans on the 30th of March and talked about his future movie plans and the line-up that was going to be involved.

 

His next film is of keen interest as it is Ha Jung-woo, a box-office surety that drew 100 million viewers. He's not just an actor, but a filmmaker as well so the release of many of the next lineups, not just one, has attracted public attention as well as industry insiders.

 

Ha Jung-woo announced his reunion with director Yoon Jong-bin from "Nameless Gangster". He claims he'll be working on a Netflix drama with him.

 

He mentioned his co-stars of "Boston 1947", director Kang Je-gyu's latest movie about a marathon runner led by the legendary coach Son Ki-jung played by Ha Jung-woo himself. Additional casts to the film are Im Si-wan and Bae Sung-woo.

 

Ha Jung-woo is working on the film "Mount Baekdu" with Lee Byung-hun, Suzy, and Ma Dong-seok until July, and "Closet" with Kim Nam-gil has confirmed the third week of August for its release. "Kidnapped", a film by Kim Seong-hun cranks in next year in 2020 and he'll be working with Joo Ji-hoon again.

 

Ha Jung-woo is a multi-tasker from actor to producer and artist and his has more plans for more work in the upcoming future. The scenario for a piece he was going to direct is complete but scheduling has resulted in someone else directing the film and actor Lee Sun-kyun is in his radar for casting.

 

There are many variables for a film to reach its release date and Ha Jung-woo's statements may not all be 100% accurate. However, it is an interesting fact that Ha Jung-woo, the leading actor of Chungmuro, just announced his year's plans as if making a brand announcement for his fans.

[rubie]

July 25, 2019

 

BAEKDUSAN filming ends and set for a Winter premiere

 

Source: News1 // Interview365 // Yonhap ++ (Google-gist)

 

 

The disaster-thriller 'Baekdusan', a new film by Dexter Studio, that produced the series 'With the Gods', featuring the cast of Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Ma Dong Seok, Jeon Hye Jin and Suzy, has finally finished filming on July 21.

 

Mount Baekdu which started shooting on February 17th, cranked up after the filming schedule of 5 months, filled with passionate energy of the actors and staffs. 'Baekdusan' draws the stories of those who wanted to prevent the mountain's last explosion, which would be the catastrophic disaster that swallows both the South and North Korea.

 

Lee Byung Hun portrays a secret agent of the North Korean Armed Forces, who holds decisive information to prevent the last explosion of Baekdu Mountain. He is expected to express his three-dimensional character with unique charisma and acting ability. 

 

Lee Byung Hun said, "Since movies are done by a group of people who love movies so much that they always wanted good results, I think the (filming) process is as important as the results.

 

'Baekdu Mountain' was filmed very meaningfully and I hope that you will expect as much as the movie which has various stories, " said Ha Jung Woo. "I had a lot of dangerous shots, but I am grateful to have done so well."

[rubie]

July 27, 2019

 

July Male Advertisement Model Brand Reputation Rankings Revealed

Source: Soompi by E. Cha

The Korean Business Research Institute has announced this month’s brand reputation rankings for male advertisement models!

 

The rankings were determined through an analysis of consumer behavior, using big data collected from June 25 to July 26. The Korean Business Research Institute evaluated the participation, communication, media, and social values of 50 male advertisement models in order to calculate each star’s total brand reputation index for July.

 

Spoiler

 

Soccer star Son Heung Min and celebrity chef Baek Jong Won topped the list for the second consecutive month, maintaining their positions at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Son Heung Min scored a total brand reputation index of 1,619,269 for July, while Baek Jong Won enjoyed a 39.37 percent increase in his score for a total index of 1,057,421.

 

Actor Ma Dong Seok took third place in the rankings with a brand reputation index of 783,190, marking an impressive 71.69 percent rise in his score since May (the last time the rankings were calculated).

 

Finally, Kang Daniel came in at a close fourth with a brand reputation index of 764,053, while Gong Yoo rose to fifth place with a score of 535,631 for July.

 

 

Check out this month’s top 30 below!

 

1. Son Heung Min
2. Baek Jong Won
3. Ma Dong Seok
4. Kang Daniel
5. Gong Yoo
6. Park Seo Joon
7. Yoo Jae Suk
8. Jung Hae In
9. Park Bo Gum
10. Lee Si Eon
11. ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo
12. Jo Jung Suk
13. Hyun Bin
14. Kang Ho Dong
15. Yeo Jin Goo
16. Lee Jung Jae
17. Jo Se Ho
18. Ryu Jun Yeol
19. Ha Jung Woo
20. Lee Byung Hun
21. Kim Sang Joong
22. Jun Hyun Moo
23. Kim Jong Min
24. Kim Jong Kook
25. Bae Jung Nam
26. Shin Dong Yup
27. Lee Dong Wook
28. Won Bin
29. Yoo Hae Jin
30. Ji Jin Hee

Source (1)

[rubie]

August 8, 2019

 

LEE Byung-hun and HA Jung-woo Wrap MOUNT BAEKDU

Don LEE Co-Stars in Latest from Dexter Studios and CASTAWAY ON THE MOON Director

 

by Pierce Conran KOFIC

 

 

Superstars LEE Byung-hun and HA Jung-woo wrapped production on the star-studded action drama Mount Baekdu (translated title) on July 21 after five months of filming. The project, which co-stars Don LEE (aka MA Dong-seok), JEON Hye-jin and BAE Suzy, among others, is being co-directed by LEE Hae-jun and KIM Byeong-seo.

 

LEE Byung-hun (Inside Men, 2015) plays a former top North Korean agent who attempts to prevent the eruption of Mount Baekdu in North Korea. Also looking to put a stop to the disaster is a South Korean expert played by HA Jung-woo (The Handmaiden, 2016), while Don LEE (TRAIN TO BUSAN, 2016) plays a geologist who predicted the threats, JEON Hye-jin (Hit-and-Run Squad) incarnates the government official who puts together the task force to face the disaster, and K-pop star BAE Suzy (Architecture 101, 2012), portrays the wife of HA Jung-woo’s character.

 

Director LEE Hae-jun is known for the cult comedy favorite Castaway on the Moon (2009) and his comedy-drama My Dictator (2014). KIM Byeong-seo is a noted cinematographer, having worked on the Along with the Gods films, among others, and previously served as a co-director on Cold Eyes (2013).

 

Mount Baekdu is the latest project from Dexter Studios, the hit VFX and production house behind the Along with the Gods series. Dexter will also serve as a co-distributor for the very first time, along with CJ Entertainment. The film is scheduled to hit screens this winter.

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October 8, 2019

 

CGV to Screen Classic South Korean Films Through October 27th.

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

 

In recognition of the one hundreth anniversary of South Korea's film industry, CGV will be running screenings from October 14th to October 27th of various classic South Korean films. However, the films in question will skew toward more recent releases, namely major box office performers of recent years, and some of the more well-known titles from the Hallyu Wave period of the late nineties and early two thousands.

 

The box office section will feature "Haeundae", "The Thieves", "Miracle in Cell No.7", "The Admiral: Roaring Currents", "Veteran", "Train to Busan", "A Taxi Driver", "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds", and "Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days". The melodrama section will include "The Contact", "Christmas in August", "Bungee Jumping of their Own", and "The Classic". The manly section will include "The Big Swindle", "The New World", "The Unjust", and "Inside Men".

 

Tickets for these movies will only cost six thousand won, half the price of a full priced ticket. Showtimes can be confirmed on CGV's homepage, and free tickets for regular movies will also be handed out to participants in the promotion.

 

Written by William Schwatz

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October 24, 2019

 

S. Korean actor Ha Jung-woo

 

South Korean actor Ha Jung-woo (2nd from R) poses during an event to mark the first anniversary of used car dealer K Car at a company store in southern Seoul on Oct. 23, 2019. (Yonhap)

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Source: mes #TeamPinky @OH_mes2 // University News Network

 

Korean college students choose the Actors + Idols they most prefer

 

1 Song Kang Ho
2 Ha Jung Woo
3 Kim Hye Soo
4 Lee Byung Hun
5 Kang Dong Won + Kim Tae Ri

 

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Source: Soompi