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May 25, 2009
Park solidifies fame by winning jury prize
Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook solidified his international reputation again by grabbing the jury prize at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival on Sunday for vampire thriller "Thirst."
"Thirst" competed for top honors at this year's Cannes with 19 other acclaimed directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Xavier Giannoli and Ang Lee.
The honor came after Park's latest film generated mixed reviews in Cannes. Some critics hailed "Thirst" as a towering achievement that topped the director's previous violence-laden thriller "Oldboy," while other remained unimpressed by the mixture of explosive violence and explicit sex.
Despite the conflicting opinions, Park went on to become the first Korean filmmaker who received the two awards in Cannes. Park previously won the festival's second-place honor with "Oldboy" in 2004. "I think I still have a long way to go to be a true artist because I still don't know about the pain of creation. I only know about the joy of creation," Park told the audiences at the awards ceremony. "I'd like to share this honor with actor Song Gang-ho, a great friend and colleague."
Song Kang-ho, a Korean superstar, played the priest-turned-vampire in the film, a character forced to fight off his inner demons after the mysterious transformation due to a blood transfusion. In what Park described as a "scandalous vampire melodrama," Song's priest figure lusts not only blood but also his childhood friend's wife, leading to an ethical quagmire in which blood-soaked desires clash with a quest for salvation.
The latest award for Park's blood-and-gore tale marks the fourth time that a Korean film has received one of the main awards at the Cannes film festival. Veteran filmmaker Korean director Lim Kwon-taek won the director's award in 2002 for "Chihwaseon" and leading actress Jeon Do-yeon took the best actress prize in 2007 for "Secret Sunshine."
Park made a feature film debut in 1992. In 2000, Park began to build up his fame as a promising stylist with "Joint Security Area," which starred Song Kang-ho. Park's career took off both at home and abroad thanks to the success of his vengeance trilogy -- "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance."
Park has made eight feature films so far, five of which made it to international film festivals, due in large part to his trademark penchant for brutal subject matter. Ahead of the awards announcement in Cannes, expectations mounted here that Park might win an honor again because he expressed strong confidence about "Thirst," saying that he spent almost ten years preparing for the vampire thriller.
Park also pulled off a co-production deal with major Hollywood studio Universal Pictures for "Thirst," reflecting his heightened stature in the international market. In Cannes, the film was sold to more than 10 countries including France, Greece and Brazil.
"Thirst," released in Korea on April 30, sold more than 2.1 million tickets on the strength of the publicity generated by Park's entry to Cannes' prestigious competition section.
Bong Joon-ho, another celebrated Korean filmmaker, also joined the Cannes festival with "Mother," a groundbreaking tale about a Korean mother's fight to save her son implicated in a murder case.
Starring veteran actress Kim Hye-ja as a mother convinced of her son's innocence, the movie won a standing ovation after premiering as one of the films running for the Un Certain Regard prize for fresh upcoming talent.
Among other Korean filmmakers in Cannes, Lee Chang-dong stood out as a member of this year's Palme jury. The former culture minister and writer-director gained international reputation with refined dramas such as "Peppermint Candy" and "Oasis."
By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr |
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 Weekly Box Office 2009.05.22 ~ 2009.05.24 3-day Gross/Total Gross (won)
1. Terminator Salvation: The Future (U.S.) 7,864,940,000 / 9,562,582,500
2. Angels & Demons (U.S.) 1,892,626,500 / 8,610,973,000
3. My Girlfriend Is an Agent (South Korea) 1,508,393,500 / 22,927,407,500
4. Castaway on the Moon (South Korea) 844,296,500 / 3,569,451,000
5. Star Trek (U.S.) 546,926,000 / 6,676,543,500
6. Coraline (U.S.) 493,385,000 / 514,408,000
7. Thirst (South Korea) 290,422,000 / 14,277,380,500
8. INSADONG Scandal (South Korea) 111,721,000 / 7,437,725,500
9. Like You Know It All (South Korea) 39,914,000 / 163,830,000
10. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (U.S.) 25,924,500 / 8,348,698,500
Source: KOFIC |
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May 26, 2009
Insooni Still Going Strong to Become Legend
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Singer Insooni believes in the basic rules of survival. "The only way to survive
is to work and train hard. There is nothing else to it," she said during an interview.
/ Korea Times File
Korean pop culture has been around for a long time, but there are only a few names who can truly claim to be the ultimate divas of the local music industry.
One of them is Insooni, 52, who recently released her 17th album this month under the title "Insooni." Her title track is a musical-like number called "Fantasia.'' "I named it `Insooni' because I thought I didn't need any adjectives to explain myself anymore. My fans don't like me because I am like this or that, but because I am myself,'' she told The Korea Times last week.
She was speaking briefly before the rehearsal of a music program, and even though there was time before the rehearsal, Insooni was contrite in her desire to conduct the interview afterward. "Sorry, but it would be better if we could do the interview after my rehearsal. I need to save all my strength and voice," she said in a whisper.
[img][/img]http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/img/art/0905/090526_p14_insooni2.jpg[/img]
Born to an African-American father, whom she barely remembers, and a Korean mother, she started singing in nightclubs in 1978. Through thick and thin, her career has spanned more than three decades. It would be easy to expect that a singer of her experience and caliber would approach a rehearsal with a lighter heart. But for Insooni, there has been no compromising her pursuit of perfection. "I have never been lazy nor have I not spent my day to the fullest. I look back and I see myself working hard and doing my best every single minute," she said.
With her new song "Fantasia," she transforms into a powerful yet sexy warrior, appearing with dark costumes complete with shiny knew-high boots and even an ancient Greek war helmet. "I wanted to portray a female warrior. It represents passion and the will to win. It also portrays the image of a leader," she said.
Insooni lost some weight to try out more provocative and sexy outfits and dance moves, not just for change but because she wanted to look glamorous like any other female singer gracing the stage. For her, performing on stage is a competition where the lazy fall and the hard working rise, and this rule has never changed since her first appearance on stage in 1978.
"I'm more nervous about standing on stage than the younger singers because I know the stage better than they do: How hard it is to get to the top, to keep it that way and also how hard I can hit rock bottom when I make a crucial mistake. Mistakes for beginners may look cute, but for me it's a disappointment," the singer said.
Insooni will greet fans as a musical actor this year when she transforms into the sexy character Velma Kelly in the musical "Chicago." Rehearsing from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. can be burdensome, but it's just a new way of discovering other art forms, she said. "I was told not to make any additional movements during the choreography. When I'm singing on stage I can move around freely, but for musicals there is a certain choreography I have to follow, and so it's very important to learn how to make the right moves at the perfect moment, along with all the singing and acting."
Singing famous pop songs by Donna Summer, Diana Ross and Tina Turner helped Insooni broaden her range as a singer ― one of the many things she said aspiring singers should remember. "Young singers don't know much about the past, but it's important to understand the basics. We have to appreciate history but we tend to forget the past too quickly. It's like standing on sand, not knowing when the popularity will fade. We are all too focused on the latest trends and when one trend passes, everything just disappears, from the singers to the bands to the songwriters," she said.
The powerful artist, who studies fashion shows for her costume concepts ― her recent interest being the works of famed designer Christian Lacroix ― and takes notes after watching performances and musicals around the world, said that she wanted to be remembered as a legend. "Being remembered as a legend is not easy, but it is a title given to those approved and appreciated by everyone," she said.
She added that local reporters tend to be hasty when giving nicknames to singers, such as the "King of Ballads," "The Queen of Dance" and even calling a young singer "sexy." "It's the whole package, not just the revealing outfits and images. It's more about how the singer captivates the audience, how long the singer stays on top and how well he or she takes responsibility as a singer," she added.
When asked what she thought of her nickname ``Korea's Madonna,'' Insooni shook her head and said, "No, I'm Korea's Insooni, and always will be."
Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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May 26, 2009
Park Chan-wook claims jury prize at Cannes
Park Chan-wook
Cannes has once again smiled on Park Chan-wook, even if he wasn抰 at the top of the award list this time around.
The internationally-acclaimed Korean director snatched the Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes film festival Sunday with 揟hirst (Bakjwi). |
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May 27, 2009
Lee Seung-chul Branches Out with New Album
Lee Seung-chul
Singer Lee Seung-chul, the king of concerts in Korea with an average ticket reservation rate of 85 percent, has released a new album titled "Mutopia." The rich arrangements and smooth singing remain unchanged, but Lee expands into different genres of music, in addition to his familiar ballads, such as modern rock, reggae and jazz.
"A singer who has sung for more than 20 years should be able to get over of himself a little," he says. "I can't change my voice. I can't change my body either. So I'll have to try to change the styles of music I pursue, so that fans won't get tired of me and my music. I think better music comes out when I give myself up a bit."
Lee has become a new man after he remarried. "My years of Sturm und Drang came to an end when I met my second wife. I had a lot of trouble in my life, but good luck always came at an important point, and that is how I came this far. I think it's about time that I passed on the good fate to others. Of course, in order to do that, I will have to keep being successful in what I do," he says.
Lee has launched a nationwide tour celebrating the release of his 10th solo album, starting with Seoul on Friday and Saturday last week.
Credits: englishnews@chosun.com |
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May 27, 2009
Celebrities express sorrow for Roh's death
Korean pop stars joined the ranks of millions of mourners for the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, who died after jumping off a cliff overlooking his house on May 23.
Some celebrities journeyed to Roh's hometown in Bongha, South Gyeongsang Province, to offer their condolences to Roh's family, while others expressed their grief on their homepages.
Rocker Yoon Do-hyun and his YB Band members, singers Gang San-ae and Yang Dong-geun visited Bongha village and paid tribute to Roh on May 25. One YB Band member Park Tae-hee demonstrated his sadness and respect for Roh on his official website.
Singer Yoo Hee-youl paid respect to Roh when he visited a makeshift altar in front of Deoksu Palace early in the morning on May 24. News reports said Yoo lined up with others for an hour and made a call of condolence.
He reportedly put a pack of cigarettes with flowers in front of Roh's portrait. He took this action in consideration of Roh's search for a cigarette before leaping to his death from a cliff.
Actors Moon Sung-geun and Myung Gae-nam, ardent supporters for Roh, are still staying in Bongha village to help the Roh family.
On the day of Roh's death, Girls Generation leader Tae-yeon said, "It is a truly sad day" as part of the closing remarks on her radio show.
Park Bo-young from the movie "Speed Scandal" (2008) expressed sympathy on her personal website.
World-famous popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo wrote his words of grief for Roh on his official website.
"Singing the national anthem during Roh's inauguration six years ago led me to be a worldwide popera tenor today. I will honor and remember the time when he came up to the stage and firmly held hands with me."
Other entertainers who posted their sorrowful reactions to Roh's death on their websites included actor Lee Jun-gi, actress Kim Min-sun and singer Maydani.
By Hyun Ji-hyang ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr, image from news.yahoo.kr
[ Last edited by katt at 28-5-2009 11:18 ] |
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May 26, 2009
Bobby Kim Shines in Concerts
Talented singer Bobby Kim has emerged as 搕he dark horse of concerts. |
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May 27, 2009
Celebrities Mourn the Late Former President Roh
Celebrities are joining the rest of the nation in mourning the late Former President Roh Moo-hyun. Rock band YB, actors Moon Seong-geun and Myung Kye-nam, and singer Jeon In-kwon have gone down to Roh抯 hometown of Bongha in southern Korea to pay their last respects to the deceased leader.
Meanwhile, younger celebrities are using their online homepages as venues to pay tribute to the former president. Actor Lee Jun-ki wrote words of condolences on his mini homepage and comedian Kim Je-dong wrote that he admired the late president and wanted to drive a tractor with him. Popera singer Im Hyung-joo mourned Roh抯 death by saying that he still remembers how the president held his hands and smiled at him after he sang the Korean national anthem at Roh抯 inauguration ceremony.
Some celebrities added their own political opinions to the tributes. Rapper 60row described Roh as a young and innovative president and criticized the arrogance of the current government. MC the Max lead vocalist Isu also wrote that all of us should bear some responsibility for Roh抯 death.
Meanwhile, TV and radio stations have decided to suspend the broadcasting of comedy and variety programs until the public funeral service on May 29th.
Source: KBS World |
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May 28, 2009
I Come With The Rain Premieres
Image from cinematoday.jp
Local heartthrob Kimura Takuya (36) joined Hollywood counterpart Josh Hartnett (30) and Korean star Lee Byung Hun (38) last night for the world premiere of "I Come With the Rain" in Tokyo. The actors were in Roppongi at the Tokyo Midtown complex for the event, also enjoyed by an invited audience of about 1,000. The movie is directed by Vietnamese-born French director Tran Anh Hung, who is currently working on the eagerly awaited movie version of Murakami Haruki's cult novel "Noruwei no Mori" (Norwegian Wood). It is scheduled to open in theaters on June 6. SMAP's Kimura talked about the tensions of filming in one of the more unsavory areas of the Philippines under the watchful eye of the local military. The movie was also filmed on location in Los Angeles and Hong Kong.
Source: japan-zone.com |
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Thanks to kdramafanusa-soompi.com for the highlight
[Source=KBS]
Park Chan-wook of 揟hirst |
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May 28, 2009
There are no losers at film festivals, says Park Chan-wook
Top Korean actor Song Kang-ho, who starred in "Thirst" directed by Park Chan-wook, defended the film's reputation, claiming that it was not booed at the Cannes film festival's awards ceremony.
"Our film was not booed at the awards ceremony, and I believe it's the other film that received some negative reaction," Song told reporters at a news conference in Seoul yesterday.
Song, who teamed up with filmmaker Park for the third time, referred to a British film "Fish Tank," which shared the Jury Prize at the Cannes film fest with "Thirst."
^ image from edaily.co.kr, thanks to kdramafanusa
Song's defense came as some foreign media questioned the validity of Park's "Thirst" winning the third-place award at the prestigious film festival which wrapped up its schedule on Sunday.
The New York Times earlier reported that this year's jury prize winners were "surprising" and both films were "booed by the press watching the show via live broadcast."
Director Park said he was not aware of such negative reaction from the press at the ceremony, while stressing that film festivals are not for make-or-break competition but for enjoying interesting films together.
"The reason film festivals run competition sections is to attract public attention, but I hope that unlike sports, winning an award at film festivals should be viewed differently," Park said.
Park said he did not feel serious competition in Cannes. Instead, most filmmakers seemed to enjoy having their work screened for critics and moviegoers. "There are no losers at film festivals," he said, calling for the local press not to overreact about Korean films' performance at film festivals.
Park said he was not surprised to hear of foreign media booing his film. "It's possible that they might have booed my film, given that there were many disputes about the film in Korea as well," he said.
"Thirst" marks the second time the Korean filmmaker has been honored at the Cannes film festival. He previously won the grand jury prize in 2004 for "Oldboy."
The movie follows a Catholic priest whose morals are called into question when he transforms into a vampire lusting after human blood as well as a friend's wife. Due to explicit sex and Park's trademark violence, the film touched off heated discussions about the director's real intentions, with some raising the possibility that he included such explosive factors in order to make it to Cannes.
Park strongly denied such claims. "Some accused me of making 'Thirst' that way to go to Cannes and Song Kang-ho's nudity is also to get greater attention from the Cannes jury members, but this is just a wild guess," Park said.
Park competed for top honors at Cannes this year with other world-renowned counterparts including Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Xavier Giannoli, Jane Champion and Ang Lee.
Park revealed that his next project will be producing a film directed by Bong Joon-ho, in partnership with a Hollywood studio. Bong's latest film "Mother," screened in the Un Certain Regard section in Cannes, received a flurry of positive reviews from foreign critics.
Released in Korea in April, "Thirst" has sold more than 2.1 million tickets.
By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr |
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May 28, 2009
Panelists Discuss Ways to Open New Era for Hallyu
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Participants listen during a forum on hallyu,
or Korean wave, which was organized by the Korea Foundation
for International Culture Exchange in collaboration with the
Federation of Korean Industries at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul, Tuesday.
The forum was attended by entertainment industry professionals,
business leaders, government officials and college students./ Courtesy of Asia Treasure Network
Younghoon David Kim, chairman of energy, environment and culture-based business Daesung Group, had a nice surprise in China two years ago when he was on a business trip.
An executive from China Film Group Corporation, the largest and most influential state-run film enterprise in China, expressed deep enthusiasm about forging a partnership with Kim's business which invested part of its capital in producing cultural products. "I was told that Korean soap operas were very popular there. Due to the guidelines set by the government, Chinese people were allowed to watch made-in-Korea dramas only after 10 p.m. Despite the inconvenience, families gathered together in front of television late at night to watch Korean dramas," said the businessman.
Before the business trip, Kim confessed he thought the Chinese madness to hallyu was waning. "To link the enthusiasm to business opportunities, I think we need to stop using the term hallyu that embraces some defensive meaning on made-in-Korea cultural products in China," he said.
Chinese media coined the term of hallyu ― meaning that foreign cultures are alarmingly assimilated into the local culture ― back in 1999 to refer to its people's quick fascination with Korean cultural products such as dramas, actors, actresses and singers.
To help the Korean wave become a global cultural icon, Kim said it was necessary for industry experts to look beyond narrow-minded national identity and seek partnerships at a global level. Kim presented the ideas at a hallyu forum prepared by the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE) in collaboration with the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) at a hotel in Seoul Tuesday.
Entertainment industry professionals, business leaders, think tank experts and government officials participated in the event in an effort to find room for a possible public/private partnership.
Prof. Park Jung-sook of the Institute of International Education at Kyung Hee University, a broadcast journalist-turned-culture expert, led the round table discussion as a moderator. In a speech to the forum, Shin Hyun-taek, chairman of KOFICE, lauded made-in-Korea products for their contribution to building a positive image of Korea overseas.
Ko Jeong-min, chief researcher at Samsung Economic Research Institute, said the tourism industry benefited most from the Korean wave as Asian fans had first-hand experience in Korea by visiting the venues that had appeared on the hit dramas they watched.
Hwang In-hak, deputy secretary general of the industrial research division at the KFI, expressed concern about the waning effect of hallyu on the economy. He advised the entertainment industry to generate creative stories with solid storylines to meet the rising expectations of viewers overseas.
During the forum, industry experts expressed worries over the challenges facing them. "Seven out of ten dramas that we have produced fail to get the revenue that we aimed for," Park Chang-sik, vice president at KimJongHak Production, said of the grim reality facing production companies. He continued, "There is a role that the public sector can play to help the entertainment industry, and providing businesses with low-interest loans will help us focus on creative activities.''
Antonio Park, chief executive officer of Mnet Media Group, observed that producing cultural products with "coolness and creativity" is a core but demanding task facing the industry.
Ted Tae-geon Seo, general director of industry division at Korea Creative Content Agency, was positive about the prospects of the game industry. He forecast that the industry will continue to grow by approximately 10 percent per year in the near future, adding poor resources regarding the global game market poses a business challenge.
Lee Chan-buom, director general of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, said culture and tourism are priorities that the committee will focus on as part of its branding strategy.
Credits: hkang@koreatimes.co.kr |
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May 28, 2009
'If You Were Me 4,' Omnibus Treat
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
A scene from 揑f You Were Me 4, |
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May 28, 2009
'I Got Heartfelt Ovation in Cannes'
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Director Park Chan-wook poses with the Jury Prize he received Sunday at the 62nd Cannes
International Film Festival for his work "Thirst,拻 during a press conference in Seoul, Sunday. / Yonhap
Director Park Chan-wook, who won the Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival for "Thirst" Sunday, said he had secretly anticipated a win, he told reporters in Seoul Thursday.
"The audience抯 response was so heated. I wouldn抰 be able to win if the jury didn抰 like it, but it was the first time I ever received such a heartfelt ovation, so I began to hope for the chance,拻 he said. This is his second Jury Prize ― which he shared with Andrea Arnold's "Fish Tank |
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May 29, 2009
Pass the spaghetti for a rambunctious remake
Park Do-won (Jung Woo-sung) never misses, even
while riding in 揟he Good, the Bad and the Weird. |
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News Index page 12
May 29, 2009: 慗ail Breakers |
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May 29, 2009
慗ail Breakers |
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Author
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