|
|
October 6, 2009
Machismo, six-pack abs the latest business trend
Flip through a magazine these days and you’ll likely come across an advertisement featuring a physically masculine male wearing a tight shirt - or no shirt at all.
Machismo, it seems, is all the rage in the entertainment and advertising worlds, in a major way.
“I registered with a fitness club last month with my friends because I was motivated to when I saw celebrities with exceptional abdominal muscles on TV,” said Lee Jun-ho, a 32-year-old who lives in Seoul.
From young idol groups whose members like to show off their bare torsos during performances to older Korean actors like Lee Byung-hun, whose rock-solid body was on display in the summer Hollywood blockbuster “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” muscles and masculinity in general are what’s selling.
Korean companies are capitalizing on this move to macho in a variety of ways, flaunting models with chiseled abdominal muscles in their advertisements and even developing new products aimed at males looking to bulk up. It’s a noticeable shift from an earlier trend that focused more on the softer, even feminine side of men.
Gyms, in particular, are benefitting from the trend.
Kam Min-gyu, a trainer at a sports center in Jamsil, southern Seoul, said the number of people signing up for gym memberships has jumped “thanks to the phenomenon.” Sales of chicken breast, a low-calorie, healthier alternative to red meat that Kam and other trainers recommend for those looking to add muscle, have also rocketed - some of which can be tied to the increased focus on machismo, observers say.
According to the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 830 tons of chicken breast were imported in the first five months of this year - a massive increase from the 11 tons imported during the same period last year. “Because of this trend, our revenue has increased rapidly,” said Kang Ki-cul from the marketing department of Harim, a chicken company. “Following this trend, we introduced a canned chicken breast product targeting males in their 20s and 30s.”
MISSHA, a cosmetics company, recently launched a premium cosmetic brand for men with advertisements emphasizing the muscularity of the uber-macho actor Lee Byung-hun. The result? The company said it is selling 1,000 products in the line on average every day.
By Jesslyn Jang, Michelle Kim [[email protected]] via joongangdaily.joins.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 24, 2010
Akita soaks up 'IRIS' drama series tourism boom
With a 360-degree observation floor
100 meters above the ground, Port Tower Selion
is an Akita Port symbol. (Mainichi)
Ever since the broadcast of the spy action drama series "IRIS" in South Korea last year, tourism in the northern prefecture of Akita has boomed. Visitors hail from Japan, South Korea and elsewhere, and flights between Akita and Seoul, which began running in 2001 and had been floundering since, saw a record number of passengers in January of this year.
I arrive at Tazawako Station in Akita's city of Senboku, a three-hour bullet train ride away from Tokyo Station. From there to my hotel, Ischia, it's a 15-minute ride in the hotel's complimentary bus.
The second-floor lounge at Hotel Ischia
has been left the way it was during shooting,
and is on exhibit. (Mainichi)
"This is probably my 20th time coming to Akita this past year," says Tazuko Asakawa, a 67-year-old homemaker from Morioka in neighboring Iwate Prefecture that I happen to meet in the hotel lobby. She's a big fan of Lee Byung-hun, the South Korean actor who starred in "IRIS," and says she's been visiting Akita since Lee came here on location for the TV series in March of last year. There's a group of some 40 South Korean tourists staying at the hotel, too, and Asakawa says, "It's great to be able to interact with Koreans like this."
Close to 100 actors and staff of "IRIS" -- which began showing in Japan this April following its success in South Korea -- stayed at Ischia for three weeks, during which shooting also took place in the hotel. According to Ischia proprietor Kyoko Sato, 66, the production team was not charged a single yen. "My wish was for people to learn about the beauty of Akita, where the landscape of old Japan remains, through the TV drama."
A set in the hotel's second-floor lounge, where a romantic scene between Lee and actress Kim Tae-hee was shot, is on display. Even visitors who are not staying at the hotel can have a look if they order a drink. Cigarette butts, a used bathrobe and a cologne bottle are on display in the room where Lee stayed, and because the actor told the hotel staff that he would be back some day with his mother, the room has not been rented out to any other customers.
Lake Tazawa is visible from all the seats
at restaurant Orae. The seats where the actors
sat in the TV series are decorated with photos
and autographs. (Mainichi)
Shooting also took place at Orae, a restaurant on Lake Tazawa that is 15 minutes from the hotel on foot. The 2,000-yen "IRIS Special" created for Lee, who during shooting was on a diet to maintain his weight, is popular among female diners. "We've been featured in fans' blogs, and have had people come visit us from the Kansai region and even the U.S.," says Kumiko Sekiguchi, managing director of Toast, the local company that operates the restaurant.
With a depth of 423.4 meters, Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan. Legend has it that a girl named Tatsuko who lived by the lake drained a spring dry, hoping that drinking the water would keep her forever young and beautiful. Instead, she turned into a dragon and became the master of the lake. It's a 40-minute ride on one of the hotel's rental bicycles to the Tatsuko statue, where a scene of an embrace between Lee and Kim was shot. Tourists hoping for a picture alongside the statue continued to come even in drizzling rain.
Tourists pose by the statue of the legendary Tatsuko.
Lake Tazawa is a mysterious lake that does not freeze over,
even in the middle of winter. (Mainichi)
The following day, I take a one-hour ride on the Akita Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tazawako Station to the city of Akita. Smuggling scenes in the drama were taken at Akita Port, which takes 25 minutes on a local bus from Akita Station. Port Tower Selion, a glass-walled tower, looms higher than any other structure in the area. At 143.6 meters including the antenna, it is the highest building in the Tohoku region. From the observation floor 100 meters above the ground, I have a view of the World Heritage Site Shirakami Sanchi mountain forest that straddles Akita and Aomori prefectures, and Mount Chokai on the border of Akita and Yamagata prefectures.
On the Oga Peninsula, which stands out clearly in the distance, is the hotel in which Lee's character -- dressed like the local legendary demon "namahage" -- assassinated an enemy. It is also where the aquarium Gao, where a date scene was shot, is located.
I eat fresh fish caught in nearby waters at Ichiban Zushi, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant operated by the food market near Akita Station -- where shopping scenes in the drama were taken. At Yoneshiro, a Japanese-style pub located five minutes from the market, I sit at a counter seat with a sign that announces: "Kim Tae-hee sat here," and devour a grilled rice ball filled with salted cod roe that Lee is said to have eaten. On the wall by the counter are instant camera photos of all the "IRIS" fans that have flocked to the pub.
Apparently, it's not just local specialties like kiritanpo (pounded cooked rice on skewers, which are toasted) and Inaniwa udon (flour noodles) that Lee and the staff enjoyed during shooting. As it turns out, "B-kyu" (B-grade or second-class) foods proved surprisingly popular with the actors and staff.
"Yo**** Yakisoba," a fried noodle dish that came in first place in the 2009 B-1 Grand Prix -- a B-grade food contest -- and now considered a new specialty of Yo****, is made of thick straight boiled noodles, and comes with a side of a runny egg, sunny side up, and fukujinzuke (a type of pickles). I buy a 1,050-yen gift pack that comes with 4 servings and try it out at home. The noodles, flavored with Worcestershire sauce, are a great match with the yolky egg.
The "Aigake Jindai Curry" is a "B-kyu" food that came in fourth place in the same competition. In this dish, two types of curry roux -- a "traditional" one with fish sausages and mushrooms that is said to have been made in Senboku (previously Jindai village) for 50 years, and a newer one -- are poured over rice, and served with a side of daikon radish pickles and a poached egg. It's like getting three dishes in one.
By Yuko Shimizu, Home-Life News Group (Mainichi Japan) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 30, 2010
Tokyo's Okubo a mecca for fans of Korean pop culture
The crowds at Hanryu hyakkaten (Korean Department Store). (Mainichi)
Once viewed as the somewhat dull neighbor of major shopping and entertainment district Shinjuku and college town Takadanobaba, Tokyo's Okubo district is quickly becoming a kind of go-to district for Korean pop culture. I get off the train at JR Shin-Okubo Station and walk east on Okubo-dori Avenue. Signs are written in Hangul and there's a faint whiff of spices in the air.
Immediately up ahead is Hanryu Hyakkaten, or "Korean Department Store." It's crowded with shoppers, as if a big sale is taking place. The 400 square meter floor space is filled with Korean pop-star paraphernalia, Korean CDs and DVDs, Korean cosmetics and food. Women crowd around a cart filled with goods related to boy band TVXQ, which is no longer active but is still popular, and throw wall hangings and photo collections of Korean stars into their shopping baskets. The most popular goods are for the pop groups Big Bang and SS501, and the actor Lee Byung-hun. The dates of performances by Korean stars are recorded on a big calendar on the wall.
"There have been 20 percent more customers here than last year," says store manager Lee Kun-haeng. "We get over 2,000 people on weekends and holidays." Last year, the store made 600 million yen in sales. The goal this year is a billion.
With half of the store's customers now young women, the earlier image of middle-aged women as the main fan demographic of things Korean no longer holds, according to Lee. Okubo is filled with teenagers and twenty-somethings looking for K-Pop paraphernalia. I run into three junior high school girls from Tokyo's Higashi-Yamato. Fans of Big Bang, it's their first visit to the district, and they've spent over 5,000 yen on Big Bang stickers and other goods.
Miyuki Mitsunaga, a 45-year-old part-time worker and TVXQ fan, tells me she's come to Shin-Okubo at the urging of her 14-year-old daughter, who influenced her into becoming a fan, too. "They have such great voices," she says. "They're cute, and they move me with their performances. I want to support them."
A bustling Okubo street. (Mainichi)
Fifteen years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine middle-schoolers travelling long distances just to go to Shin-Okubo. The alleys of this area used to be filled with what looked like foreign prostitutes, although that's said to have changed as a result of police crackdowns. "There used to be an Imperial Army facility nearby before World War II, and military men would rent homes around here," says a man in his 70s who's lived in a house here for a long time.
Although the area previously had a run-down image and was nicknamed "Shokuan-dori" (Unemployment Center Boulevard), since the '90s, Korean restaurants began popping up, and with the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea and the popularity of the Korean television drama "Fuyu no sonata" (Winter Sonata) among Japanese audiences, restaurants rapidly spread out onto Okubo-dori Avenue and smaller alleyways in the area.
What many fans of Korean dramas and other things Korean come to these restaurants for is not as much the food as the seats themselves. A woman from Tokyo's Kita Ward who brought a friend to dine at the eatery Omuni Shokudo (Mom's Eatery) sat where Korean actor Hyun Bin once sat during a visit. "Even if we're not here at the same time, I'm happy to be in the same place he once was," she says.
Actor Jo In-sung, pop group SS501, and other Korean stars are said to have visited the restaurant Daehan Minguk (Republic of Korea), where the walls are filled with posters and photos on which fans have written messages. Fans flock to the restaurant to sit where their favorite stars did, reserving seats ahead of time.
It is a Sunday afternoon, and woman in her late 40s from Hiroshima is eating a menu item named after her favorite band, FT Island. She was unable to grab a seat that one of the group's members had sat on, but she's happy enough looking at the posters on the walls: "They're all so good looking, it makes me giddy." Having travelled to Tokyo on an overnight bus with her 16-year-old daughter, she'll get on the overnight bus home after going to an event held by her daughter's favorite pop group.
A 49-year-old part-time worker from Yamanashi Prefecture is waiting to be seated where the trio SG Wannabe once sat. "Once I get to the seat, I touch the wall around it, wondering whether they touched it, too." Her husband suffered a brain hemorrhage eight years ago and uses a wheelchair. She says she first heard SG Wannabe's songs when she was "just being a good homemaker," and was hooked. For the first time in her life, she became a groupie. "I like them because they tell us they love us from the stage," she says. According to her, her husband waits for her at home, taking care of their dogs, and is happy to see her get so excited. "It makes him happy when I come back from a concert and tell him with a smile on my face that my eyes met so-and-so's. It's not like I'm actually going out with someone else," she adds. "Korean pop culture is something I live for now."
What feeds this Japanese fever for things Korean is the abundance of Korean television shows. This year, major Japanese broadcasting network Fuji Television began regular broadcasting of Korean dramas on a timeslot they named Hanryu (alpha). The series "Karei Naru Isan" (Brilliant Legacy), which aired in March, recorded a viewer rating of 9.7 percent. Meanwhile, TBS, another major broadcaster, has been showing "IRIS" starring Lee Byung-hun since April, marking the first time that TBS has shown a Korean drama series during prime time.
The Internet, too, has helped foster this craze. A 28-year-old TVXQ fan from Chiba Prefecture says that she and three people she met on the Japanese social networking service Mixi have met up in person through their shared interest in the pop band. I see preparations for the June opening of a Korean food stall market progressing in an alley north of Shokuan-dori. Okubo is becoming increasingly loud and dazzling. A difference between Okubo and Tokyo Disneyland, however, is the fact that real people have long lived in Okubo and continue to do so.
Friendships have been forged between Japanese and Korean children living in the area, but there is also some clashing of cultures, including such lifestyle differences as the way trash is set out by residents for pick-up. Thirty-seven percent, or 8,424 (as of Jan. 1, 2010), of Okubo district residents are foreign nationals. Many of the Korean population in the area are relative newcomers who arrived in Japan in the '80s or later. A local branch of a committee comprised of such newcomer Koreans meets once a month to clean up the area. "The rule is: when in Rome, do as the Romans do," says leader of the organization Pak Chae-se.
A Japanese man in his 70s says, "There are a growing number of elderly people here, and if a massive earthquake were to hit, it may be a young Korean who comes to rescue you." Back in front of Shin-Okubo Station, around lunch time and in the afternoon, 38-year-old Kim Chong-son distributes copies of a self-made map of Korean eateries in the area to passersby. In April, Kim distributed his first issue -- 12,000 free maps supported by ad revenue -- with the expectation of an Okubo boom. He made 20,000 copies of the second issue in May, which featured a total of some 150 establishments, including restaurants and gift shops.
I see women walking the streets here as they snack on hotteok, a pancake-like snack sold by street vendors. It is a sight reminiscent of girls eating crepes on the streets of Tokyo's Harajuku district. Later in the afternoon, 13 people are in line in front of a Korean barbecue restaurant. Pork belly barbecue is very popular here right now.
However, I run into a Korean man in his 50s who is not satisfied with the recent trend. "(Getting to know a culture) through photos of Korean stars and eating Korean food is superficial," he says. "Okubo should become a place where people can appreciate traditional Korean culture, too."
Challenges still lie ahead, but it will continue to grow, and people will continue to gather here, hoping to touch another culture.
By Tetsu Miyata, Evening Edition Staff Writer mdn.mainichi.jp |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 31, 2010
Optimum picks up 'Devil' for UK
Kim Jee-woon thriller also picked up for France, Turkey
By Park Soo-mee
SEOUL ? ?I Saw the Devil,? the director Kim Jee-woon?s highly-anticipated thriller currently in production, was picked up by U.K. distributor Optimum Releasing during the Cannes Market, according to a Seoul-based sales company Finecut.
The U.K. film company has previously handled Korean films including ?The Host? and ?Chaw.?
?Kim Jee-woon?s beautifully crafted footage crept into our subconscious like a dark force,? said Berenice Fugard, the head of acquisitions at Optimum Releasing. ?We're sure he will deliver one of the most exquisite, disquieting films for a long time.?
Aside from the U.K. deal, the film was also picked up by ARP for French-speaking territories, Catchplay for Taiwan and Bir Film for Turkey, which distributed ?A Tale of Two Sisters,? Kim?s earlier film.
?I Saw the Devil? is a hard-boiled thriller about a top secret agent whose fianc饠was murdered by a serial killer. The twisted revenge story between two men will be played by a veteran ensemble of Lee Byung-hun (?A Bittersweet Life?) and Choi Min-sik (?OldBoy?).
The film is scheduled to be released in the summer.
Source: hollywoodreporter.com
June 1, 2010
Korean film "I Saw The Devil" pre-sold to four countries
Reporter.Lynn Kim Editor.Jessica Kim
Korean actor Lee Byung-hun in a scene from the film "I Saw The Devil" [Showbox]
Korean thriller film "I Saw The Devil," which was pre-sold to France during Cannes film market last month, has been picked up by three more countries -- namely England, Taiwan and Turkey.
According to a press release by Finecut, which handles overseas sales for the pic, U.K.-based film distribution company Optimum Releasing bought the overseas rights for the Korean thriller which is still in production with noted filmmaker Kim Ji-woon directing top actors Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik.
"Director Kim Jee-woon's unique and beautiful style has a powerful force that touches a deep spot in one's subconscious," explained Berenice Fugard, President of Optimum, on why he bought the film. He went onto say that he is "convinced director Kim Ji-woon will make one of the most intense, breathtaking films that will be remembered for a long time."
Optimum had previously bought and distributed several Korean films, including "The Host" and "Chaw," in the U.K.
Taiwanese distributor Catchplay and Turkey's Bir Film also picked up the film from Finecut. "Devil" is about a secret agent (played by Lee) plotting revenge against a serial killer (Choi) who killed his fiancee.
The film is scheduled for release in Korea this summer.
Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2, 2010
Lee Byung-hun apologizes for concert delay
By Chung Ah-young
Staff reporter
Hallyu star Lee Byung-hun
Hallyu star Lee Byung-hun had to apologize to his Japanese fans for delays and confusion over his concerts due to a seating problem Tuesday in Tokyo.
The two concerts titled "Dramatic Live Stage IRIS," featuring the songs from the television drama IRIS, which were held at the Saitama Super Arena, were both delayed for one hour because of a rearrangement of the seats. An additional stage was abruptly set up in the zone reserved for standing room only tickets, leaving some 2,800 fans to seek other seats for both the day and night concerts.
The organizer noticed the problem only one hour before the event and prepared alternative seats on the fourth and fifth floors but the fans continued to strongly protest and 15 cops were called to the venue. The organizer explained that there was a miscommunication between the ticket issuer and the concert operator.
"I am sorry for delaying the concert for a seating problem. Please understand and I will perform more than I prepared," Lee told his fans at the concerts.
The Korean drama series "IRIS" is broadcast through TBS in Japan every Wednesday night after it scored huge popularity in Korea for its dynamic action scenes shot at global location and its star-studded casting such as Kim Tae-hee, Jung Joon-ho, Kim So-yeon and even T.O.P. from boy band Big Bang.
Credits: chungay@koreatimes.co.kr
June 3, 2010
"IRIS" soundtrack concert attracts fans in Japan
Reporter.Lynn Kim Editor.Jessica Kim
The cast of TV series "IRIS" attend its celebratory concert in Japan [Taewon Entertainment]
Korean blockbuster TV series "IRIS" recently confirmed its popularity in Japan at sold-out concerts featuring the main cast and singers who participated on the drama's soundtrack.
According to a press release by the show's producer Taewon Entertainment on Tuesday, major Japanese broadcaster TBS had organized a series of concerts titled "Dramatic Live Stage" as part of promoting the show's current prime-time airing in the country.
The concerts, held twice each at Osaka's Osaka-Jo Hall on May 26 and Tokyo's Saitama Super Arena on June 1, reportedly attracted a total of some 60,000 fans that ranged from teenagers to people in their 60s. The wide range of fans' age set the "IRIS" event from other Hallyu events, which are usually attended by middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s.
The event featured appearances by the show's cast including Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-hee, Jung Joon-ho, Kim So-yeon, Kim Seung-woo and T.O.P from idol group Big Bang and performances by top Korean singers such as Shin Seung-hoon, Baik Ji-young and Kim Tae-woo who had sung on the soundtrack.
The actors even performed certain action scenes and shoot-outs during the concert, re-enacting parts of the action-filled show for the fans.
"IRIS" became a national phenomenon in Korea last year for its intense storyline, global location shoots and a star-studded cast. The drama sparked a frenzy among viewers around the country and dominated weekly TV ratings charts during its two-month run.
"IRIS" airs in Japan every Wednesday evening at 9 p.m.
"IRIS" original soundtrack concert held in Japan [Taewon Entertainment]
Reporter: Lynn Kim lynn2878@ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 8, 2010
Finecut presells I Saw the Devil to three more territories
The eagerly anticipated new thriller from Korea's master stylist Kim Jee-woon, I Saw the Devil is ratcheting up the number of pre-sales deals for sales rep Finecut, with England, Taiwan and Turkey picking up rights. The horror-thriller stars top actor Lee Byung-hun (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) and marks the mainstream comeback of famed thespian Choi Min-sik (Old Boy).
U.K. based film distribution company Optimum Releasing picked-up rights to the thriller which is close to wrapping production and due out locally in late-summer. Optimum had previously bought rights to several Korean films including The Host and Chaw for U.K. release. Taiwanese distributor Catchplay and Turkey's Bir Film also purchased release rights to the film. In addition, Finecut previously struck a major sales deal with ARP for France during the Cannes festival market. ARP had bought rights to Kim's 2008 feature The Good, The Bad, The Weird. Kim?s filmography includes A Bittersweet Life (2005), A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) and The Foul King (2000).
I Saw the Devil is the tale of an extreme psychopath (played by Choi) who kills for pleasure. When the daughter of a retired police chief becomes victim of his next horrific pleasure-kill, her fiancee a secret agent (played by Lee), tracks him down and designs a vengeance as gruesome as is in his power to deliver.
Source: Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 10, 2010
Reuters Interview with Lee Byung Hun at the IRIS Concert Event
Lee Byung-heon, one of Asia's top superstars, pulled in massive crowds across Japan earlier last week as he toured to promote his latest performance one of South Korean's most expensive television series ever.
Speaking to Reuters in between two events, Lee talked about his recent breakthrough in Hollywood movies such as "I Come with the Rain" and "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and his role in the latest South Korean drama due to make waves in Japan.
"No matter how fluent English he or she speaks, to perform in Hollywood their acting would be only mimicking those of western actors unless they fully understand the culture there. So, I admit that to advance to Hollywood is a remarkable thing for an actor, but if you're not fully aware of western culture, you should stick to what you know from your own cultural background," Lee said when asked if strong language skills were enough to help Asian stars break in to Hollywood and other markets.
The "Korean Wave" -- a boom in South Korean pop culture -- swept Japan and much of Asia from as early 2000. But even though South Korean dramas, especially those of the romance genre, have become a staple of Japanese cable and daytime TV, a prime-time slot on network television has been virgin territory until now with Lee's latest espionage spectacular called IRIS.
The series is notable for being one of a very few foreign dramas to ever appear on Japanese network TV during the 7-10 p.m. "Golden Time" slot, which is typically heavy on quiz shows featuring local stars. IRIS revolves around two operatives, played by Lee and Jung Joon-ho, and their sultry colleague, Kim Tae-hee, in the ultra-secret spy organization NSS, caught up in North/South political intrigue from Hungary to Japan in a shadowy world of assassins and arms dealers.
While the drama focuses on the political issues of the North/South divide, tensions between the two Koreas in the real world have also racked up since the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan. "When I see dramas or movies that feature the South-North Korean cooperation, I feel very happy and wish that we can be that friendly and that close someday, because we are all brothers. I believe the same hopes are shared by everyone; South and North alike. But in the current situation, in which you don't know what's going to happen in the next moment, I feel very sad and regretful," Lee said.
The series, which has started airing on Japanese broadcaster TBS, was a blockbuster during its original 20-episode run on South Korean public broadcaster KBS last autumn with average viewer ratings of over 30 percent and while Lee has enjoyed popularity in both Japan and South Korea, he explained that a certain amount is down to luck.
"Certain amounts of good luck always exist behind any stories of success though the "amount" is different in all cases. One of the key things that leads to success for an artist like me is what I choose to perform or in other words choosing your own work," Lee told Reuters.
Source: [email protected] ⓒ donga.com & REUTERS media.daum.net |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 11, 2010
Drama 'IRIS' To Create New Hallyu Boom in Japan
The action blockbuster drama “IRIS” has been spotlighted as it has broken new ground for Hallyu in Japan.
The drama has been recorded as the first Korean drama scheduled to be aired in prime time on Japanese terrestrial TV, and the flight route between Akita and Seoul--which was about to be eliminated--has been reinstated, as the place where the drama was filmed gained popularity as well. Also, many Japanese local governments competitively wanted to support the second season of the drama “IRIS” as soon as it became known that a second season would be produced. In addition, the OST concert of the drama was a great success. In this way, the drama has created great influence a little bit at a time.
Airing in prime time on Japanese terrestrial TV and gaining eight percent of viewers’ ratings
The drama “IRIS” has been broadcast at 9 pm every Wednesday on TBS terrestrial TV beginning from April 21. It was the first time in 15 years that a foreign drama has been scheduled to air in prime time after the American drama “X Files” was aired at 8 pm on Asahi TV. As a Korean drama, it was the first splendid achievement.
The production company, Tae Won Entertainment, announced in a statement on June 10, “It is like broadcasting a Japanese drama at 9 pm on terrestrial TV in Korea. Even people in Japan regard this as the most unconventional event, and it is true that people look at with envy.”
The viewer ratings of the first episode recorded 10.1% and since then it has maintained approximately 8 percent of viewer ratings. It ranked in fourth place following the drama “Rincho” on Asahi TV, “The Best House 123” on Fuji TV, and “News Watch 9” (11.3%) on NHK. Some people in Japan think that “IRIS” falls short of expectations, but the production company explained that TBS has evaluated that the drama is putting up a good fight against Japanese programs. The drama “Prosecutor Akakabu in Kyoto,” which had been aired at the same time before “IRIS” began to be broadcast, achieved only 6.1 percent of viewer ratings on average, so TBS is satisfied with the viewer ratings of “IRIS.”
According to a spokesperson of the production company, production director Yoshino, who has taken charge of “IRIS,” said, “Production staff members of TBS are satisfied with the viewer ratings of ‘IRIS’ up to this point. In the case of American dramas, such as ‘CSI’ and ‘24,’ they were aired at night time in Japan and they only achieved less than 4 percent viewer ratings.” He continued, “Even under the condition that the drama ‘IRIS’ is dubbed and cannot fully deliver the feelings of the original drama, it has maintained 8 percent viewer ratings thanks to its various spectacles, fast-moving plot, and new interpretation of the spy action genre. The ratings prove that those factors attracted Japanese viewers.”
Breaking new viewer rating records every day at satellite channel
TBS had actually begun airing “IRIS” on its satellite channel, CS Channel, before it began airing it on a terrestrial channel. According to a spokesperson of the production company, the drama “IRIS” is breaking records every day on CS channel’s viewer ratings for the drama as it achieved 4.5 percent viewer ratings in all parts of the country and 6.8 percent in the Kansai region. The person also explained that the average viewer ratings for dramas that were broadcast on CS Channel was less than two percent.
TBS’s production director Yoshino said, “Male office workers and young viewers, who cannot watch ‘IRIS’ on the terrestrial channel at 9:00 pm, are watching the drama on a satellite channel instead. As it successfully attracted male viewers and young viewers, it is expected that ‘IRIS’ might be able to initiate the second Hallyu boom in Japan.”
Reviving the flight route between Akita and Seoul
The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported an article on April 21 that "IRIS" contributed to reviving the flight route between Akita and Seoul.
The flight route between Akita and Seoul had begun operating from 2001 as the only international flight at Akita airport. But, the boarding rate of the flight was less than 50 percent and it was on the verge of elimination. But, thanks to the popularity of "IRIS," the number of passengers using the flight between Akita and Seoul has increased rapidly and has recorded the highest boarding rate since last November.
This January, the number of people who used the flight route between Akita and Seoul was 6,075 people and it actually doubled in number compared to the same period last year. Among 6,075 passengers, Korean tourists accounted for 4,819 people. As passengers were increased, The Korean Air even organized a special airliner with 300 seats to shuttle passengers.
“IRIS” was filmed in 22 regions of Akita, regions with heavy snowfalls during winter, to take beautiful scenery of snow. The Asahi Shimbun released an analysis by saying, “The situation in which many Korean tourists are visiting Akita is the same situation during which many female Japanese tourists visited Chuncheon in Kangwondo, where Bae Yong Joon’s 'Winter Sonata' had been filmed.”
Japanese local governments’ increased interest in supporting Korean drama production
Thanks to the above-mentioned influences of “IRIS,” Japanese local governments are rushing to show their interest in supporting Korean drama production. When the drama “IRIS Season 2 - Athena: Goddess of War” decided the filming location, six Japanese prefectures including Tottori Prefecture applied for the selection and competed for it, and the Tottori Prefecture was finally chosen as the filming location. Japanese local governments who are trying to attract tourists to their regions are considering participating in production of Korean dramas in many ways.
A representative of production company Bloom, Yoon Min Soo presented his opinion by saying, “After the drama ‘IRIS’ was filmed in Japanese tourist attraction, many Japanese production companies are highly interested in Korean dramas filming in Japan. They seem to actively review the methods to invite Korean dramas. As Korean dramas have gained huge popularity all over the Asian countries, they think that if they can successfully attract Korea dramas to film in their regions, they might be able to attract many tourists not only from Korea, but also from other Asian countries”
Source: KBS Global |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 13, 2010
Few TV surfers ride 'Korean wave' series 'IRIS'
Drama series is a flop despite starring Lee Byung Hun, so TBS resorts to offering cash prizes to attract viewers
By PHILIP BRASOR
Two weeks ago, cast members of the South Korean TV drama series "IRIS" appeared in concerts at Osaka Castle Hall and Saitama Super Arena. Some 60,000 fans of the star Lee Byung Hun bought tickets, but 1,400 at one of the Saitama events found themselves shut out after the organizers decided that the stage wasn't big enough.
The organizers set up a second stage on the day of the concert, but due to a lack of communication between them and the promoters they didn't realize until just before the doors opened that the area where they erected it had been set aside for standing-room ticket holders.
Apparently, there were a lot of very angry housewives — Lee's Japanese fan base — because media reports mentioned that a dozen policemen had to be called in. The fans were eventually given seats in the upper tiers of the cavernous arena, and Lee came out to apologize personally for the hourlong delay, promising to "perform more than I had prepared to."
Shin Seung Hoon, Baik Ji Young, Kim Tae Woo and the K-pop vocal group Bigbang were on hand to sing songs associated with the show, but most of the "concert" was taken up with interviews. Lee and his costars also re-enacted some scenes from the series.
The concerts were presented by TBS, which is airing "IRIS" in Japan. It's the first South Korean drama series broadcast by a Japanese commercial TV network during prime time on a terrestrial station, but, unlike Lee at the Super Arena, it has performed much less than it was expected to. TBS paid ¥400 million for the rights to the series, and on April 21, the day it premiered, Lee and his female costar, Kim Tae Hee, appeared on almost every news and variety show on the network.
The result was a middling 10.1 percent viewer share that night, and it's gotten worse. Ratings for the second episode was 8.8 percent, and for the next five it hovered in the 7 percent range, which means "IRIS" is currently the lowest rated show in its Wednesday night time slot. TBS hoped the concerts would reignite interest, but the people who bought tickets were already sold on the series, and while the rest of the media covered the concerts, such PR effectiveness apparently reached its saturation point a while ago.
It's easy to see why TBS thought it would be a hit. "IRIS" was a ratings monster when it was broadcast in South Korea last fall, scoring spot shares as high as 50 percent. Lee, who plays an elite South Korean spy, is one of the country's most bankable movie stars and has a huge following in Japan. The production values rival Hollywood's, with lots of explosions, car chases and shootouts, and since the plot involves tensions between the two Korean states, it is topical as well.
But what really sold TBS was the Japan angle. Some of the episodes take place near Laka Tazawa in Akita Prefecture, which means the series automatically received free prepublicity since almost every media outlet reported on the March 2009 location shooting, attracting hundreds of Japanese fans in the process. And ever since the series ended in South Korea last November, more than 15,000 Korean tourists have descended on the resort area.
The show's producers originally contacted the Akita prefectural tourist office in October 2008 saying they were thinking of filming some winter scenes there and wanted the prefecture to pay all their expenses. The office immediately said "no," since it had no money, so the producers called tourist offices in Aomori and Hokkaido but received similar reactions.
Akita had second thoughts. In 2001, Korea Airlines launched direct flights between Incheon and Akita airports, and tourism officials were afraid the carrier might discontinue the route, so they started talking to local businesses about "IRIS." In the end, a luxury hotel agreed to put the crew and cast up for free. The producers took the offer and rewrote the script to take advantage of the location. For Akita, the gamble paid off. (Ironically, the hotel itself hasn't benefited since it's priced out of the range of most South Korean tour groups.)
This story was dutifully explained in magazines and newspapers when "IRIS" starting airing two months ago, so why isn't it a hit? It seems obvious that TBS counted too much on ancillary PR and did not think carefully enough about the series itself. An unidentified writer whose specialty is South Korean television told the weekly magazine Shukan Shincho that TBS made the mistake of hiring popular young actor Tatsuya Fujiwara to provide Lee's voice in the dubbed version. Japanese fans are used to voice actor Kazuya Takahashi, who has always done Lee in TV dramas and movies. Fujiwara has a "husky voice that's sometimes difficult to understand," the writer says. A different unidentified showbiz journalist pointed out to the magazine that each episode in the original South Korean TV version was 70 minutes long, but TBS has pared them down to 45 minutes in order to fit the hourlong time slot and allow room for commercials. As a result, many Japanese viewers will find the plot development "uneven," according to the journalist.
Another explanation for the show's poor ratings is that "Korean Wave" fans, and Lee maniacs in particular, have probably already seen the series, since it was broadcast with subtitles on TBS's CS (Communications Satellite) channel in March. And the original South Korean episodes are relatively easy to purchase or download.
In order for TBS to garner ratings that mean anything during prime time, they have to attract people who aren't normally Korean drama freaks, and in that regard "IRIS" may not be that effective. The action-espionage component is better than anything Japanese dramas might deliver in the same vein, but compared to "24," a well-known American action series that "Iris" resembles, it's bloated and sometimes difficult to follow. And as the writer interviewed by Shukan Shincho says, spy dramas with political overtones "don't appeal to Japanese TV viewers."
But TBS is still trying. With more than half the series to go, the broadcaster has started a contest. Each episode opens with a QR code that viewers can read with their cell phones in order to acquire points that qualify them for a chance to win cash prizes worth up to ¥5 million. When all other plans fail, just pay people to watch it.
Source: japantimes.co.jp |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katt ... dah 100 pages la ...
nak kena bukak umah baru kot .. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katt ... dah 100 pages la ...
nak kena bukak umah baru kot ..
kayla Post at 17-6-2010 21:24 
Ha'ahh.. dah 100 pages. Tapi rasa sayang nak 'tinggal' rumah ni walaupun selalunya sunyi sepi. Tengoklah macamana nanti. Kalau start baru pun elok juga, kan.. boleh update profile, filmo etc.. all in one go.
Wah.. tak sangka kayla datang visit.. rumah ni dah berhabuk sikit.. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply 2494# katt
tulah pasal ...masuk je smlm terus bersin |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 21, 2010
Lee Byung-hun lawsuit withdrawn
Reporter : Lim Hye-seon Editor : Jessica Kim
Actor Lee Byung-hun [Asia Economic Daily]
Top Korean actor Lee Byung-hun's legal woes surrounding a former girlfriend have been settled, his agency said on Monday.
According to BH Entertainment, the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office concluded that a civil suit, filed against Lee last December by a Canadian-American woman identified only by her last name Kwon, has been withdrawn.
The court made its decision based on its judgement that Kwon no longer intends to take legal action -- Kwon has not returned to Korea since leaving for Canada after suing the actor on December 8.
Her absence from the country has led to her missing two dates for pleading, on April 22 and May 20, and she has not requested for a new date of pleading thereafter. The court considers a case withdrawn if a request is not made within a month of a no-show.
Hence Lee has been freed from the six-month long legal turmoil -- according to law, all records relating to a case are scrapped when a civil suit is withdrawn.
A legal dispute between the two had fired up when Kwon lodged a complaint saying she was allured into having a sexual relationship with the actor on his false promises of marriage, asking to be paid 100 million won in physical and psychological damages.
Lee took counter legal action, suing the woman for libel and asking the police to investigate multiple threats that he had received regarding his relationship with Kwon.
Kwon had also reported to authorities that the actor had taken part in illegal baccarat gambling overseas but the court cleared the actor of the charges, saying there is no evidence Lee had been involved in habitual gambling overseas.
The court also indicted former baseball player turned TV personality Kang Byung-kyu for his alleged involvement in an assault case on the set of "IRIS" -- then starring Lee -- which he visited in mid-December over talk that Chung Tae-won, chief of Taewon Entertainment and producer of the hit show, had spread false rumor that he was behind the feud between Lee and Kwon.
Kang has been standing trial ever since while also countersuing Lee who had charged him with defamation. This case too has been in a deadlock however, due to Kwon's absence from the country.
Lee, 39, has long been considered one of the most successful actors in Korea, appearing in numerous Korean dramas and films, including TV series "All In" and director Park Chan-wook's 2000 film "Joint Security Area".
He also debuted in Hollywood last year with a supporting role in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" alongside Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller and starred in action thriller "I Come with the Rain" with Josh Hartnett and Takuya Kimura which also showed in theaters in 2009.
Reporter : Lim Hye-seon lhsro@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 21, 2010
'I Saw the Devil' Character Posters Revealed
Resized to 96% (was 540 x 387) - Click image to enlarge
Resized to 100% (was 520 x 746) - Click image to enlarge
Source: news.nate.com 1 l 2 l 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 22, 2010
Lee Byung-hun's ex-girlfriend resumes lawsuit last minute
Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok Editor : Jessica Kim
Lee Byung-hun [Asia Economic Daily]
Hallyu star Lee Byung-hun's former girlfriend has requested for a new date of pleading to be set last minute, resuming a half-year long legal battle against the actor which was thought to have been withdrawn.
"In the afternoon, we received a mail from her containing an application for a third trial regarding the compensation suit she filed against Lee," Judge Jung Hyun-myung at the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said late on Monday, adding a new date of hearing would be set the following day.
The court had decided earlier in the day to conclude that a civil suit that Lee's ex-girlfriend, a Canadian-American woman identified only by her last name Kwon, had been withdrawn with her not returning to Korea since leaving for Canada after suing the actor on December 8.
She had asked to be paid 100 million won in physical and psychological damages, claiming she was allured into having a sexual relationship with the actor on his false promises of marriage.
She missed two dates of pleading however, on April 22 and May 20, and had not requested for a new date thereafter, leading the court to close the case since she did not express any intention of taking further legal action. The court considers a case withdrawn if a request is not made within a month of a no-show.
Kwon's lawsuit against Lee will automatically be withdrawn if she does not turn up for the third date of pleading.
Lee, 39, has long been considered one of the most successful actors in Korea, appearing in numerous Korean dramas and films, including TV series "All In" and director Park Chan-wook's 2000 film "Joint Security Area".
He also debuted in Hollywood last year with a supporting role in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" alongside Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller and starred in action thriller "I Come with the Rain" with Josh Hartnett and Takuya Kimura which also showed in theaters in 2009.
Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 22, 2010
TaecYeon: "Byeongheon-nim, I love you"
The young singer-actor from Cinderella's Sister posted the photo on his twitter on June 21.
옥택연의 이병헌따라잡기!ㅋㅋ 아직 아이리스의 흔적이 여기저기보인답니당! 이병헌님 사랑해요 twitpic
Source: taeccool l news.nate.coml allkpop.com
Taecyeon mimicks Lee Byung Hun
by jeshicaa on June 22, 2010
2PM member, Taecyeon revealed a picture of himself mimicking Lee Byung Hun of KBS 2TV IRIS on his twitter.
On Taecyeon’s twitter, he posted up the picture and tweeted, “Ok Taecyeon mimicking Lee Byung Hun. There are still traces of IRIS here and there. Lee Byung Hun sir, I love you”
Taecyeon has revealed in the past that Lee Byung Hun was his idol, so this proves that his love for him is still strong and steady! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 22, 2010
Never mind, Lee Byung-heon’s lawsuit revived
June 22nd, 2010 // by javabeans
Just after the court decided that the civil suit filed against actor Lee Byung-heon was withdrawn due to the plaintiff’s lack of action, they received paperwork in the mail from Lee’s accuser, Ms. Kwon, requesting another trial.
Kwon had returned to Canada last December and has not been back to Korea since, missing two hearings, one on April 22 and another on May 20, leading the the court to close the case on June 21. However, they then found that Kwon’s paperwork had come in that day (the last permissible day), reopening the suit in which she requested compensation of 100 million won for psychological damages incurred by Lee’s false promises and sexual misconduct.
Before this latest development, a source with Lee’s management, BH Entertainment, had stated, “We honor the decision of the court. [Lee] has suffered emotionally, but it seems this burden will be relieved.”
The next trial is scheduled for July 14. If Kwon does not appear, the suit will automatically be withdrawn and the case will be closed.
Via My Daily l dramabeans |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Author
Post time 17-6-2010 09:24 PM
