Kim Min Hee 김민희

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March 11, 2012

'Train' aka 'Helpless' Leads Weekend Box Office

CJ E&M enewsWorld Lee, InKyung Translation Credit : Erika Kim

Director Byun Young Joo′s Train is proving to be a strong contender for Love Fiction in the March Box Office.

According to the Korean Film Council′s Compiled Ticket Computer Network on March 10, Train led the Box Office on March 9 with 104,814 moviegoers, with a total of 183,282. Train premiered on March 7, and immediately shot to the top with more than 70,000 tickets sold on its first day.

Love Fiction, which premiered on February 28, had a total of 1,274,555, 48,390 of which came in on March 9, making the film settle in at no. 3 for the day.

The numbers show that Love Fiction seems to be petering down after gathering more than 1 million moviegoers in just five days.

Train is a thriller film adaptation of a novel from Japan′s queen of mystery, Miyuki Miyabe. It is famed for covering many modern social issues such as bad credit ratings, bankruptcy, private loans, personal info leaks and single households.

The film contains a shocking mystery about how a man looking for his missing fiancee and a former detective find out that everything about the fiancee was false. Despite the movie rated unsuitable for teenagers, it seems to be set for continuing its success.

The no. 2 spot on the March 9 Box Office went to John Carter with 50,198 in a total of 95,151, no. 3 went to Love Fiction and no. 4 went to This Means War.

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March 12, 2012

Korean Box Office: March 9-11

Source: Seen in Jeonju

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March 13, 2012

Kim Min Hee Opens Up About Love and Future

CJ E&M enewsWorld Lee, JinHo Translation Credit : Ju Ahn Lee

That was the vivacious response of actress Kim Min Hee in response to the question, "Are you seeing anyone?"

Kim, who recently reached the top of the box office with Helpless (Train) (directed by Byun Young Joo), revealed plans to seize the opportunity given to her and shared her light and honest views on love.

Kim recently met with enews and replied, "I′m not [dating]" when asked if she was seeing anyone.

"Now that spring is here, I should work harder. Besides, aren′t all relationships like that? You can′t try to force it, it has to happen naturally," Kim said as she smiled.

Helpless, starring Lee Sun Gyun and Kim, attracted 680,000 moviegoers (according to the Korean Film Council′s Compiled Ticket Computer Network) in the first weekend alone and was well on its way to the top of the box office.

Helpless received plenty of attention as it leapt over other formidable movies like the Hollywood blockbuster, John Carter, and Love Fiction, which stars Ha Jung Woo and Gong Hyo Jin.

Helpless held even more significance to Kim because this film is her biggest success since her silver screen debut back in 2002 with Surprise.

"Whether it’s dating or acting, I want to follow my heart and do what I want [to do]. While I could reach out to more viewers by appearing in dramas, it seems like my happiness is my main priority. At the moment, I′d rather be an actor. While it might not hold much significance today, when people think of ′Kim Min Hee′ in the future, I would like to be known as an actress who wasn’t ashamed of her work," Kim said.

Kim concluded, "I′m a little weary due to my busy schedule of late. I′m looking forward to visiting the United States and seeing my sister and nephew again, who I have not seen in some time due to my production activities. I will think about my relationship [prospects] and upcoming movie roles while I rest and recharge.”

Helpless is a thriller movie based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe, Japan′s queen of mystery.

The film tells the story of bride-to-be Sun Young (Kim Min Hee), who disappears after receiving a phone call, and the shocking discovery by Moon Ho (Lee Sun Gyun) and police detective Jong Gun (Jo Sung Ha) that everything about her (including her name, age, and family) was all a lie.

Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan

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March 15, 2012

Kong Hyo-jin, Kim Min-hee, Han Ga-in…they are back

Source: Daum via hancinema.net

Clockwise from the upper left; Kim Min-hee, Kong Hyo-jin, Kim So-yeon, Suzy, Kwak Ji-min and Han Ga-in.

The ladies are back on screens. Actresses are making endless appearances in movies in the Korean movie industry currently swarming with male stories.

The mark of these actresses in the movies "Helpless", "Love Fiction" and "Russian Coffee" which are currently heating up the box office, are significant. "Helpless" is about a man who looks for his fiancé when she goes missing and discovers that everything about her was a lie. Kim Min-hee's performance in this movie was great enough to say that her potential exploded out.

"Love Fiction" which was released before "Helpless" on the 29th last month is a movie about a man who hasn't had a relationship in his life but falls in love with a woman who grows out armpit hair. Kong Hyo-jin is the one with the armpit hair and she is lovely and cheeky as ever.

"Russian Coffee" is based on the Korean Royal Refuge to the Russian Legation period about a man and a woman who used to be robbers returning to take out King Gojong. Kim So-yeon portrays the role of Tanya who holds back the Japanese's plot against the king who shakes her up with his cause.

This isn't all. A forgotten actress came back with the movie "Youth Groove" on the 15th. She is Kwak Ji-min. "Youth Groove" deals with the things that happen when a newly rising hip hop star gets threatened by a friend of exposing a sex video and everyone who used to work on the album together gather up. Kwak Ji-min played her part as the 4th-dimensional and ingenious beauty. This is the return of an actress after "Samaria".

Han Ga-in and Miss A Suzy are in the movie "Architecture 101" which is being released on the 22nd. This movie is about a woman finding her architect college mate 15 years later and asking him to build her a house. Han Ga-in plays the woman in the modern times and Suzy is the same character during college. It's been a long time for Han Ga-in since "Once Upon A Time In High School" and this will be the chance for Suzy to make her mark as an actress.

It's extraordinary the way actresses are so active in Korean movies. For several years Korean movies were taken over by actors with the thriller boom and actresses had to be content with the 'flowery' roles in action blockbusters as well. Even the audience are used to seeing it that way.

The way so many actresses are returning with characters that fit the unique sources of their movie isn't totally irrelevant to the various types of movies that have been released so far this year. Mystery and romantic comedy, historical plays and youth films to mellow are what have been lining up in cinemas this year.

A new gust of wind is blowing in what we thought was a set atmosphere. Korean movies seem good this year in 2012. Two movies recorded 4 million audiences until February, one movie with 3 million audiences and another with 2 million. The total number has reduced but many have been coming see Korean movies.

The way the actresses are playing their roles in this phenomenon means that the public has been thirsty for various movies. But we can't say that their roles have expanded. There are still many more movies that are based on male stories.

A movie production said, "In a place where variety is virtue, the women's stories are the blue ocean. The current pattern of the movie industry could be a favorable factor for women to express attractive women".

We just have to sit back and watch if the return of the ladies will stay that way.

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Korean Box Office: March 16-19, 2012

Source: Seen in Jeonju

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March 22, 2012

Gong Hyo Jin, Kim Min Hee and Han Ga In Head the Box Office

Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Lee, InKyung Translation Credit : Erika Kim

Actresses who were born in the early 80s are blooming these days on the big screen.

The goddesses Gong Hyo Jin, Kim Min Hee and Han Ga In have stepped forth as the faces of the off-season March Box Office to breathe new life into the scene.

Gong Hyo Jin’s Love Fiction (Distributed by NEW) shot through its break-even point of 1 million ticket sales in just five days since its premiere, and is currently eyeing the 2 million record. Kim Min Hee’s Helpless (Distributed by CJ E&M) also gathered 1.7 million moviegoers on March 20 despite its R rating, making it only a matter of time before it shoots past 2 million.

The last member Han Ga In made a comeback to the big screen through Architecture 101 (Distributed by Lotte Cinema), which premiered on March 22, eight years since Once Upon a Time in High School. It’s forecasted to be a big success, as the preview reactions were fairly favorable.

Why are these three actresses emerging recently as the flowers of the big screen and icons of success? It is because they overcame their personal weaknesses and prejudice to become real and mature actresses.

Gong Hyo Jin, lovely with her armpit hair

Love Fiction is set to become Gong Hyo Jin’s most famous piece. She’s recorded many hits in the drama scene with Splendid Days, Thank You, Snowman, Pasta and The Greatest Love, but she’s never enjoyed much success in the Box office.

She’s appeared regularly in many films, but they were mostly low-budget independent films or non-commercial, and her biggest success came with her 2008 film Dachimawa Lee, which was directed by Ryu Seung Wan and brought in 620,000 moviegoers.

Love Fiction, however, is now close to selling its 2 millionth ticket. Many actresses had been hesitant to appear in the film as they would have had to reveal an embarrassing part of themselves: their armpit hair.

Gong Hyo Jin, however, perfectly fit the armpit hair girl role well, and acted like a pro, saying, “I can go even farther. This is nothing.”

She was probably being sincere when she said that Love Fiction was “as close to commercial as [she] can get.”

A rep from Gong Hyo Jin’s agency said, “She’s not that pretty, and she was never that good at acting, but she’s an actress that has a sensibility she was born with. She knows what makes her shine, and so she boasts a will that doesn’t fear ruining her image. There are a lot of individualistic actresses who dream of becoming the next Gong Hyo Jin, but there are no actresses as of yet that can replace her.”

She broke through the prejudice that actresses absolutely need to be beautiful, and earned herself the nickname ‘Lovely Gong’. It’s been 14 years since she first started on her career, and she’s 34 years old, but still, she’s gathering anticipation from Chungmuro as an actress that is still beautiful and still has something to show that people can look forward to.

Kim Min Hee, an angel and devil

Kim Min Hee headed the X-generation that boomed at the end of the 90s, and gathered interest more for her fashion and styles rather than her acting. Her peculiar untouched cat-like face and her model-like body shone with her own aura.

In acting, however, she never left any big impressions because she had been embroiled in controversies about her bad acting soon after her debut. She managed to win the Female Rookie Award for her 2008 film Hellcats, in which she acted with a skill that matched that of Lee Mi Sook, but she failed to plant that image in the minds of the public when the film flopped in the box office.

She got the chance to redeem herself through Helpless. She made her audience cringe in fear by acting out a devilish woman that didn’t hesitate to kill other people for her new life.

Thanks to her acting, Helpless is poised to become her most successful film in her 15 year career. Her film Moby Richard gathered a 420,000 audience, while Hellcats gathered 570,000. Helpless is her first film to sell over 1 million tickets, and can be said to be a film for Kim Min Hee, by Kim Min Hee.

“It is true that the public used to think the actress Kim Min Hee was just a fashionista who appeared in photo spreads. If you take a look at her filmography, you can see how attached she is to acting and being an actress, but we were sorry that we never got to spread that knowledge. We’re happy that more people are getting to know Kim Min Hee’s presence and her skill in acting through Helpless. Kim Min Hee is ready to take on a bigger variety of challenges in drama and film regardless of genre,” a rep from Kim Min Hee’s agency said.

Han Ga In, ever the icon of first love

Han Ga In was recognized for her acting in the MBC drama The Sun and the Moon, and now she’s aiming to hit another mark with the film Architecture 101. She appeared as Kwon Sang Woo’s first love in a pure school uniform eight years ago for Once Upon a Time in High School, but even after she became the wife of Yeon Jeong Hun, she’s still known to be as beautiful as ever.

She boasts a baby face that didn’t look awkward even when she was acting as the lover of Kim Soo Hyun, who is six years younger than her in The Sun and the Moon. She’s even showing a new brand of polished acting. She was praised and rediscovered for fitting her role as the shaman Wol with amnesia perfectly, and she also showed she was a pro by not shrinking away from slaps, hair grabs, tattered clothes and beggar costumes.

A rep from Han Ga In’s agency said, “It was probably her first time since she was born that she was hit and scorned by someone. It would’ve been a big challenge for her, but she did well. She didn’t yield to the prejudice surrounding her being wed, and wasn’t awkward at all in acting out a character in her early 20s. It’s an unprecedented feat to be a married woman in her 30s that is still loved as the icon of first love among people in their 20s and is still active as a cosmetics brand model.”

Architecture 101 will be another new challenge for her to take on. She was the female lead for Once Upon a Time in High School, but because the film was mostly about men, her role was limited.

This time, it’s different. Han Ga In needs to hold up the center as the icon of first love for the general story to flow smoothly. The reactions to the preview for Architecture 101 are riddled with praise.

An official said, “Han Ga In has an image of a first love that men dream of. Her presence itself helped the film shine, and her couple teamwork with Uhm Tae Woong was good. It seemed that experiences such as marriage helped her add to her actress aura. It’s the start of the second phase of Han Ga In’s life as an actress.”

Will Architecture 101 be extending the success of March actresses to April?

We’ll have to wait to find out.

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March 23, 2012

’2012 Paeksang Arts Awards’ releases its list of nominees

by VITALSIGN allkpop.com

Nominees for the ‘2012 Paeksang Arts Awards‘ have finally been revealed!

On March 23rd, the official homepage for the awards ceremony updated with a list of nominations for the film and TV categories that have been the topic of much discussion online.

Check out some of the names below!

MOVIE CATEGORY

Best Movie Award

- Nameless Gangster

- Broken Arrow

- Sunny

- Punch

- Helpless

Best Actor Award

- Gongyoo (The Crucible)

- Kim Yoon Suk (Punch)

- Park Hae Il (War of the Arrows)

- Ahn Sung Gi (Broken Arrow)

- Choi Min Shik (Nameless Gangster)

Best Actress Award

- Kim Min Hee (Helpless)

- Son Ye Jin (Chilling Romance)

- Shim Eun Kyung (Sunny)

- Uhm Jung Hwa (Dancing Queen)

- Jung Ryeo Won (Pain)

Rookie Actor Award

- Kim Sung Kyun (Nameless Gangster)

- Lee Kwang Soo (Wonderful Radio)

- Lee Je Hoon (Introduction to Architecture)

- Joo Won (SIU)

Rookie Actress Award

- Kang Sora (Sunny)

- Go Ara (Papa)

- Kim Hye Eun (Nameless Gangster)

- miss A’s Suzy (Introduction to Archiecture)

- Oh Nara (Dancing Queen)

TV CATEGORY

Best Drama Award

- The Princess’ Man

- Brain

- Deep-Rooted Tree

- The Greatest Love

- The Moon That Embraces the Sun

Best Variety Award

- Gag Concert

- I Am a Singer

- Jjak

- K-Pop Star

- 1 Night 2 Days (Season 1)

Best Actor Award

- Kim Soo Hyun (The Moon That Embraces the Sun)

- Park Shi Hoo (The Princess’ Man)

- Shin Ha Gyun (Brain)

- Cha Seung Won (The Greatest Love)

- Han Suk Gyu (Deep-Rooted Tree)

Best Actress Award

- Gong Hyo Jin (The Greatest Love)

- Kim Sun Ah (Scent of a Woman)

- Kim Hyun Joo (Shiny Shiny Shining)

- Moon Chae Won (The Princess’ Man)

- Soo Ae (A Thousand Days’ Promise)

Rookie Actor Award

- Kang Dong Ho (Shiny Shiny Shining)

- Park Yoohwan (A Thousand Days’ Promise)

- Park Yoon Jae (Indomitable Daughters-In-Law)

- Yeo Jin Goo (The Moon That Embraces the Sun)

- Joo Won (Ojakgyo Brothers)

Rookie Actress Award

- Kang Sora (Dream High 2)

- Kim Yoo Jung (The Moon That Embraces the Sun)

- Im Soo Hyang (New Tales of Gisaeng)

- After School’s UEE (Ojakgyo Brothers)

- Jung Yoomi (A Thousand Days’ Promise)

Check out the rest of the nominees on the official homepage here. The ceremony will be held on April 26th.

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March 25, 2012

'Helpless' Becomes Fourth Most-Watched Movie of 2012 in Korea

Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit : Stewart Ho

The movie Helpless has exceeded two million viewers.

According to the Korean Film Council, as of March 24 Helpless was viewed by 2.9 million movie-watchers. On March 24 alone, 1.4 million people watched Helpless to make it third in the box office behind the movies Architecture 101 and Untouchables.

Helpless has become the fourth most viewed movie of 2012 in Korea, behind Nameless Gangster, Dancing Queen and Broken Arrow. Helpless surpassed the one million view mark within a week and went on to easily overcome the two million view mark.

Helpless tells the story of bride-to-be Sun Young (Kim Min Hee), who disappears after receiving a phone call, and the shocking discovery by Moon Ho (Lee Sun Gyun) and police detective Jong Gun (Jo Sung Ha) that everything about her (including her name, age, and family) was all a lie. The movie is based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe, Japan′s queen of mystery.

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March 26, 2012

Korean Box Office: March 23-25

Source: Seen in Jeonju

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April 4, 2012

Actresses in their 30s relay woman power

Source: Nate via hancinema.net

There is a common factor in all the recent hit movies. That is the performances of actresses in their 30s.

Kong Hyo-jin from "Love Fiction", Kim Min-hee from "Helpless", Han Ga-in from "Architecture 101" and Park Si-yeon from "The Scent" are the few that captured the hearts of viewers.

They are also responsible for heating up the off season of February and March. It is not an understatement to say that these ladies widened the pi of theaters during the off-season.

Kong Hyo-jin transformed into a career woman who is honest about love and relationships in the February movie "Love Fiction". She made a shocking reveal of her armpit hair and created a synergy effect with actor Ha Jeong-woo.

Kim Min-hee from the movie "Helpless" which was released on the 8th of March, got the most spotlight. She played the role very much like Janus as she traveled from angel to devil.

Han Ga-in from the movie "Architecture 101" which was released on the 22nd last month is her movie come back project and she earned herself the nickname 'icon of fist love'.

Park Si-yeon continues the march. She appears as a mysterious and sexy woman who appears to be fancy and perfect but actually lives a sad life in the upcoming movie "The Scent" on the 11th.

She is being called the Korean Sharon Stone for her bold exposure and many wonder if her voluptuous appeal can turn on the audience. The maturity and dense acting skills of the women in their 30s can be seen as what impersonates them.

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April 6, 2012

Moviegoers Surpass 10 Million in March, Despite Slow Season

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

Domestic movies dominated local box office sales in March, according to the latest tally revealed on Thursday. They drew a total of 6.79 million viewers last month, marking a 2.5-fold increase from the same period a year ago.

Domestic movies seized a 60 percent share of box office receipts last month -- the first time in five years that audiences for Korean movies surpassed those watching foreign films in March. In the corresponding month last year, Hollywood productions and other overseas movies gobbled up a 66 percent share of the market.

The total market share of domestic films for 2011 stood at just less than half, or 46.6 percent.

But moviegoers bucked the trend last month, when a total of 11.32 million people visited local theaters. Industry watchers say it is unusual for the number to top 10 million at this time of year, whether it is to watch foreign or domestic films, as March and April are usually considered the slow season.

Industry insiders also point to the fact that the most popular Korean movies last month were all low-budget affairs. The top three movies were "Helpless," "Love Fiction" and "Architecture 101," which all cost less than W4 billion (US$1=W1,128) to produce. In contrast, Hollywood blockbusters such as "John Carter" and "Clash of the Titans" cost tens of billions of won to make but only ranked No. 5 and No. 9 here last month.

Critics say the popularity of domestic films will likely continue as they increasingly deal with a variety of subjects backed by solid plots and themes, rather than limiting themselves to stories about gangsters and love affairs. Others see their dominance of the box office in March as a one-off.

"Moviegoers have regained confidence in Korean flicks after previously growing tired of them, because they have been inspired by seeing films such as 'The Crucible' and 'Punch,' which dealt with controversial social issues," said movie critic Jeon Chan-il. "As this trend continues, small-budget Korean movies, which used to be shunned by viewers, have been picking up steam."

One movie production company executive said the figures were slightly skewed due to the paucity of foreign films released in March. "We have to wait and see how domestic films hold up when they have to compete with formidable Hollywood productions in the coming months," he added.

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April 18, 2012

In with the old, out with the new

By Kim Hyo-eun [so@joongang.co.kr]

Back in the 1980s and ‘90s, Korean dramas adopted the principle “the younger, the better” when casting heroines. Heartthrob actors in their 40s were often coupled with youthful beauties in their early 20s, at the expense of more experienced actresses.

But as of late, the trend has been reversed, with the average age of star actresses on the small screen shooting up to 33.4, according to a JoongAng Ilbo analysis of 20 drama series on national network and cable channels. Only five shows cast a lead actress in her 20s, while the other 15 feature actresses in their 30s and 40s.

Ten years ago, the scene was starkly different. Many veterans such as Kim Hye-ja (“Since We Met” from 2002) expressed disappointment in switching to supporting roles - typically playing mothers or aunts - as younger, less experienced actresses stole the spotlight.

Familiar names today including Kim Hee-sun, Jun Ji-hyun, Song Hye-kyo, Son Ye-jin, Kim Min-hee and Kong Hyo-jin all debuted in this era when they were in their early 20s. But today, now established actresses, they are holding on tight to their stardom.

“Dramas that portray the lives of working women in their 30s and 40s are getting more attention from viewers,” said Kim Sung-geun, a chief producer of “You Who Rolled In Unexpectedly,” which is one of the most popular drama series today, claiming a 30-to-35-percent share of the audience on average.

The hit drama centers on a working woman named Cha Yoon-hee (played by Kim Nam-joo) as her husband, who was put up for international adoption, reunites with his biological parents. With a new family right next to her, Yoon-hee faces an unexpected burden stemming from her new relationship with her in-laws.

According to experts, the shift represents a larger trend in Korean culture, mainly a reflection of women marrying at a later age and working more in their 20s.

But another catalyst can be found in so-called pretty boy craze that was sparked by the 2009 massive hit series “Boys over Flower.” While younger actresses are hard to come by on the small screen, many rising young actors are replacing their predecessors. “The main target audience of these drama series is made up of women, which means there are more of pretty and handsome male characters to entice female viewers,” said drama critic Gong Hee-jeong.

Lee Seung-gi, 25; Yu Ah-in, 26; and Kim Soo-hyun, 24, are just a few of the up-and-coming actors taking K-dramas by storm. Recent series such as “Flower Boy Ramen Shop,” “Shut Up Flower Boy Band,” “The Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Rooftop Prince” have all featured a majority of male characters.

These competing trends have often matched up actresses in their 30s with younger men in their 20s, couples seldom seen on Korean television two decades ago. Lee Seung-gi from “The King 2 Hearts” is nine years younger than his counterpart Ha Ji-won, while another couple from “Rooftop Prince” is comprised of Park Yoo-chun, who is four years younger than actress Han Ji-min.

In addition to the pretty boy craze, structural changes have pressured the prevalence of veteran actresses on screen.“Each broadcaster used to have a teen drama back in the ’80s where newbies could make a name for themselves, but this no longer exists,” Kim from “You Who Rolled In Unexpectedly” said. “I think it is part of the reason why we don’t see that many young actresses.”

The emergence of idol singers in K-dramas has also taken away opportunities for younger actresses. Yoona, Yuri, Eun-jeong and Uee, all are members of different K-pop girl groups, have dominated recent drama series. “Most idol singers learn how to sing, dance and act before they debut,” said an official from a major entertainment company. “Production companies also want them to be part of drama series due to the recent Korean Wave craze.”

Featuring K-pop singers has provided a major boost to drama ratings, according to industry insiders. Rising actresses, however, are getting the short end of the stick.

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April 26, 2012

Kim Min Hee at the 48th Baeksang Awards 2012

Source: Nate.com

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May 2, 2012

'Helpless' Heats Up Los Angeles

Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit : Erika Kim

The mystery film Helpless, which marked an unexpected success with a 2.42 million audience in Korea, is also heating up Los Angeles.

Helpless premiered in America’s LA CGV on April 20. The three screens in LA CGV are currently premiering Helpless along with My Way and Nameless Gangster.

Because LA holds many Korean residents, most of the films’ audience was comprised of Koreans, but there were some visitors that are not Korean. The film’s future is looking bright, as local moviegoers are leaving great praise for the film on blogs and Twitter.

Director Byun Young Joo told enews, “I heard that [the film] is being received well in LA. I was happy to hear that it may premiere in more cities.”

Helpless is a mystery about how a former detective chases after his fiancée when she suddenly disappears just one month before their marriage. It stars Lee Sun Gyun, Kim Min Hee and Jo Sung Ha.

The film is based on a mystery novel of the same title by Miyuki Miyabe, the queen of Japanese mysteries, and managed to stay at the top of the Korean Box Office for two weeks in a row in March thanks to Kim Min Hee’s great acting and director Byun’s neat adaptation.

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May 10, 2012

Stars Dazzle at the VIP Premiere of "All About My Wife"

by jnkm soompi.com

The VIP premiere for the film, "All About My Wife" was held on May 10 at the Coex Megabox theaters in Seoul.

Many top stars attended the premiere including miss A's Suzy, T-ara's Eunjung, Kim Soo Hyun, Bae Yong Joong, Song Yoon Ah, Yoon Eun Hye, Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Min Hee, Nam Bo Ra, Kim Min Suh, Hwang Jung Eum, Choi Kang Hee, Jung Jae Hyung, Park Hee Soon, Bae Soo Bin and more.

"All About My Wife" stars Lim Soo Jung, Lee Sun Gyun and Ryu Seung Ryong. This rom-com about a man (Lee Sun Gyun) who is desperate to get rid of his beautiful but difficult wife (Lim Soo Jung) and asks a famous casanova (Ryu Seung Ryong) to try to win her over.

The film is expected to release on May 17.

Check out the photos below: (please refer the soompi link for the rest of the photos)

T-ara's Eunjung looks hot and chic in a shoulder-less blouse with studs on the collar and tight skinny jeans. She finishes the look with killer black open-toe booties.

miss A's Suzy looks sweet and charming in a polka dot blouse tucked in neatly into dark skinny jeans. She wears nude sandals to finish her look.

Kim Soo Hyun has his hair down for a change and he looks sweet yet edgy in his nude leather jacket.

The man himself, Bae Yong Joon came to support the film in a dazzling two-toned jacket and a slightly feminine looking bag.

How to do like Hwang Jung Eum's 70s fashion? She tucks in a funky and bright patterened shirt into her wide-leg jeans paired with platform sandals.

Joo Ji Hoon definitely doesn't need heel inserts! He casually strolls down the red carpet in just flip-flops! Love it!

Yoon Eun Hye's white and black striped leggings caused quite a stir amongst the media. What do you think?

Nam Bo Ra looks sweet and lovely as always in a simple black/white outfit.

Fashionista Kim Min Hee is daring with a bright pink blazer with some extra oomph in her shoulders.

Choi Kang Hee never fails to impress the crowd with her bold and daring fashion.

Kim Min Suh looks like a pretty spring lady in her long white dress.

Park Hee Soon's outfit seemed boring just up until his funky shoes!

Song Yoon Ah is still dazzling in her white mini dress paired with orange platform sandals.

Bae Soo Bin dresses down for a casual outing.

Jung Jae Hyung knows how to pull off those carrot leg trousers!

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May 15, 2012

Stars Attend the VIP Premiere of "The Taste of Money"

by: jnkm soompi.com

On May 15, the VIP premiere of the upcoming film, "The Taste of Money" was held at the Lotte Cinemas in Seoul.

"The Taste of Money" is a innovative and unconventional story that unveils the many biases and preset images of the wealthy. Many Korean dramas and films feature characters who are heirs or heiresses. Whether they are depicted as good or bad, this clearly proves that money is always one of the top topics of conversation and interest. However, "The Taste of Money" will try to shy away from those past images of the wealthy and try to show the audience a raw and real depiction of Korea's wealthy.

The film revolves around the fictional Baek family, who is one of the wealthiest families in Korea and what they do to retain or gain power from money. "The Taste of Money" stars Kim Kang Woo, Kim Hyo Jin, Baek Yoon Shik and Yoon Yeo Jung.

Many top stars attended this premiere including Yoo Ji Tae, Lee Jung Jae, Uhm Ji Won, Yoo Joon Sang, Kim Nam Joo, Han Hye Jin, Chae Yeon, Kim Jung Hwa, Ji Jin Hee, Park Shin Hye, Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Min Hee, Lee Yoon Ji, Baek Do Bin, Park Hee Soon, On Joo Wan, and more.

"The Taste of Money" will hit theaters on May 17.

Check out the photos below: (more at the link)

Park Shin Hye's natural beauty radiates through her overall style.

Lee Yoon Ji flashes a huge smile in her white summer dress with a pretty black fedora.

Joo Ji Hoon turned heads with this "scarecrow fashion." Yay or nay?

It's been a while, Chae Yeon! She looks like she's ready for summer in her denim cut offs and nude sandals.

Han Hye Jin sports a lovely, yellow blazer as she attends the premiere to support her brother-in-law, Kim Kang Woo!

The two leading actors of the drama, "My Husband Got A Family," Yoo Joon Sang and Kim Nam Joo attends to support their co-star Yoon Yeo Jung.

What does everyone think of Kim Min Hee's two-toned top?

Hope it wasn't awkward for Lee Jung Jae to see his ex-girlfriend Kim Min Hee (pictured above)!

Ji Jin Hee sporting the Comme des Garçons cardigan is looking grave and serious.

The lovely Kim Jung Hwa dresses casually for the premiere.

On Joo Wan captures the essence of spring with his bright yellow shorts and his blue patterned scarf.

Yoo Ji Tae is here to support his wife, Kim Hyo Jin!

The happy couple!

Yoo Ji Tae can't keep his hands off his wife!

Park Hee Soon in a denim shirt and awkwardly cropped white pants.

Uhm Ji Won shows off her shapely legs in a summer appropriate attire!

Baek Do Bin supports his father Baek Yoon Shik!

The Cast!

[rubie]

May 27. 2012

'Helpless' Rises to Top of Portal Site Keyword Charts

Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit : Erika Kim

Why did the film Helpless suddenly make it to the top of the keyword search charts?

Helpless was the most-searched topic from May 25 until early May 26, and it appears to be due to the fact that IPTV and cable companies have begun offering the film on video-on-demand (VOD) services through their sites.

Those who didn′t get to see the popular Helpless in theaters began searching for the film online as soon as it was released through VOD. Viewers also took notice when the ad for the VOD service started appearing onscreen through cable services whenever they flipped the channel on May 25.

Director Byun Young Joo tweeted on May 25, ′I opened Qook TV today and I saw Helpless.... You can watch the actual film, interview videos and the trailer also. I hope a lot of you purchase and watch it.′

The start of VOD services also means a rise in illegal downloads and pirating. Despite the downsides, however, the fact that the film appeared on the keyword search charts means that movie fans are still very interested in the film, interested enough, in fact, to search the film although it has been quite some time since it first premiered in theaters.

Since the VOD services started, fans have also been uploading more reviews on portal sites.

Helpless is thus expected to blow through the VOD market just like it blew through the Korean Box Office with 2.43 million tickets sold since it opened on March 8.

The May 25 broadcast of SBS′ Curious Stories Y also drew more interest to the film when it aired an episode about a man who went through a similar incident as the film′s storyline, in which a woman who had given a fake name, fake job and fake news of her pregnancy disappeared.

Helpless is about a man looking for his missing fiancee, and it drew attention for touching on many social issues.

[rubie]

June 13, 2012

Lee Soo-hyuk opens up about past love
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily 

 
Actor Lee Soo-hyuk appeared on an episode of SBS’s “Mighty Heart” on June 12 and claimed that dating actress Kim Min-hee really helped his career.

“Regardless of whether you are dating a celebrity or an ordinary person, every relationship experience helps you that much as an actor,” said Lee.

Meanwhile, the host of the show, comedian Shin Dong-yup advised the 24-year old model-turned-actor to keep dating for the sake of his career as an actor.

Lee starred in the drama “Vampire Idol” earlier this year and on the talk show, he confessed that he only took the role due to the convincing of his agency head.

Lee and actress Kim dated back in 2008 when Lee was relatively unknown. The two parted ways back in 2010 after two years together.

[rubie]

June 13, 2012

Lee Soo-hyuk opens up about past love
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily 

 
Actor Lee Soo-hyuk appeared on an episode of SBS’s “Mighty Heart” on June 12 and claimed that dating actress Kim Min-hee really helped his career.

“Regardless of whether you are dating a celebrity or an ordinary person, every relationship experience helps you that much as an actor,” said Lee.

Meanwhile, the host of the show, comedian Shin Dong-yup advised the 24-year old model-turned-actor to keep dating for the sake of his career as an actor.

Lee starred in the drama “Vampire Idol” earlier this year and on the talk show, he confessed that he only took the role due to the convincing of his agency head.

Lee and actress Kim dated back in 2008 when Lee was relatively unknown. The two parted ways back in 2010 after two years together.

[rubie]

July 4, 2012
Kim Min-hee chooses "Break Up"Source: StarNews via hancinema.net

Actress Kim Min-hee from the movie "Helpless" chose a romantic comedy movie this time.
Kim has chosen the movie "Break Up" which is about a campus couple who've been together for a long time breaking up and getting back together again several times.
Kim appeared as a mysterious woman who did the extreme to get rid of her old life and start over new in her previous movie "Helpless". She shows potential of making another hit in the romantic comedy "Break Up".
Lee Min-ki will be her opposing partner.