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May 29, 2009
Actors Donate Lecture Fees to Scholarships for Young Actors
Seven top actors, including Kim Hye-soo and Ahn Sung-ki, have donated the entire amount of fees that they had received for giving lectures to students to scholarships for young actors. The seven actors were invited to teach the 搈aster class |
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June 1, 2009
Stars Seol Kyung-ku and Song Yoon-ah Tie the Knot
Stars Seol Kyung-ku, 41, and Song Yoon-ah, 36, married on May 28. The two held their wedding ceremony at a cathedral in Bangbae-dong, with some 500 people coming to congratulate the couple. There was no emcee or congratulatory song at the ceremony. It was held in a cathedral in a composed and pious atmosphere.
Prior to the ceremony, the two said each of them had invited 250 guests to make the ceremony quiet, and pledged to live happily. Song Yoon-ah is a Catholic while Seol Kyung-ku was baptized shortly before the wedding. The couple has postponed their honeymoon trip because of busy schedules and will begin their life together in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul.
Seol Kyung-ku and Song Yoon-ah met while shooting the 2002 movie 揓ail Breaker, |
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June 1, 2009
'Mother' tops 1 million viewers in 4 days
Ticket sales for the South Korean film "Mother" topped 1 million over the weekend, less than a week after the Cannes-premiered movie was released here, the Korea Film Council said Monday, according to Yonhap News.
The thrilling motherhood film, created by director Bong Joon-ho, drew slightly over 1 million viewers as of Sunday, the movie's fourth day of screening, grabbing nearly 44 percent of weekend box office sales, according to the council's data. One million is considered the yardstick for success in the local box office.
Hollywood action "Terminator Salvation" came second at the box office, drawing 620,000 viewers over the weekend, followed by "Angels and Demons" starring Tom Hanks.
The fourth feature by Bong, the creator of "Host," "Mother" was applauded as a "strong Hitchcockian thriller" and "worth acceptance to official competition selection" at the Cannes International Film Festival which ended last week.
Source: koreaherald.co |
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June 1, 2009
Son Dam-bi quits Hollywood role
Singer Son Dam-bi delayed her debut to Hollywood when she gave up a major role in the U.S. film "Hype Nation."
The production of the dance movie has been delayed since the end of 2008, reportedly due to the effects of the global economic downturn, spilling over into the entertainment industry in the United States.
News reports said the Korean pop diva had decided to withdraw from the movie to concentrate on her domestic activities.
Son, 26, still plans to become an actress and is scheduled to star in "The Dream" a soon-to-be aired SBS-TV drama. She will play the role of an aerobics teacher.
Son is expected to get another opportunity to advance into Hollywood soon.
By appearing at the Pussycat Dolls' concert tour in Korea, the singer has already made herself known to entertainment agencies in United States.
By Hyun Ji-hyang ([email protected])
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/06/01/200906010128.asp
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News Index page 14
May 31, 2009: Choi Min-sik Escapes Onscreen to 'Himalaya'
June 1: Cannes-invited "Mother" tops 1 million viewers in four days
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May 31, 2009
Choi Min-sik Escapes Oncreen to 'Himalaya'
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Choi Min-sik in a scene from |
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June 1, 2009
Cannes-invited "Mother" tops 1 million viewers in four days
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Ticket sales for the South Korean film "Mother" topped 1 million over the weekend, less than a week after the Cannes-premiered movie was released here, the Korea Film Council said Monday.
The thrilling motherhood film, created by director Bong Joon-ho, drew slightly over 1 million viewers as of Sunday, the movie's fourth day of screening, grabbing nearly 44 percent of weekend box office sales, according to the council's data. One million is considered the yardstick for success in the local box office.
Hollywood action "Terminator Salvation" came second at the box office, drawing 620,000 viewers over the weekend, followed by "Angels and Demons" starring Tom Hanks.
The fourth feature by Bong, the creator of "Host," "Mother" was applauded as a "strong Hitchcockian thriller" and "worth acceptance to official competition selection" at the Cannes International Film Festival which ended last week.
Park Chan-wook's "Thirst," which received the Cannes Jury Award, came ninth in the box office, drawing a total of 2.19 million viewers as of this weekend.
Credits: [email protected] via yonhapnews.co.kr
 Weekly Box Office 2009.05.29 ~ 2009.05.31 3-day Gross/Total Gross (won)
MOTHER
1. Mother (South Korea) 5,563,939,500 / 7,026,892,500
2. Terminator Salvation: The Future (U.S.) 4,170,992,048 / 18,253,349,548
3. Angels & Demons (U.S.) 882,869,500 / 10,627,104,000
4. My Girlfriend Is an Agent (South Korea) 725,289,000 / 24,563,340,500
5. Coraline (U.S.) 289,305,500 / 1,020,637,500
6. Castaway on the Moon (South Korea) 272,020,000 / 4,315,344,500
7. The Echo (U.S.) 125,373,000 / 155,221,500
8. Star Trek (U.S.) 128,481,000 / 7,078,807,000
9. Thirst (South Korea) 100,553,500 / 14,630,311,500
10. Boat (South Korea) 39,350,000 / 59,393,500
Source: KOFIC |
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June 1, 2009
Stars of 慣he Slingshot |
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June 1, 2009
Dong-baek, Ji-soo of 'The Accidental Couple' on a 'Real' Date
The two main characters of the KBS TV2 series 揟he Accidental Couple, |
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June 2, 2009
Movie Review
Simplicity, humor overcome humdrum plot in 'Turtle Runs'
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Hilarious and entertaining, with all the right elements squeezed together in a two-hour running time, "The Turtle Runs" may leave more than a few fathers or husbands choking back sobs as the end credits roll.
One catch: a movie featuring a ne'er-do-well family man is far from unique in Korea's traditionally patriarchal society.
At first glance, "The Turtle Runs (Geobuki dalinda)" comes across as a routine cops and robbers drama, especially with Kim Yoon-seok, who played detective in "The Chaser (2008)," starring in the lead role. Look deeper and what emerges is a tale of a pathetic protagonist who is shoved into an agonizing and at times hilarious mess while trying to become a better husband and father.
Pil-seong, played by the award-winning Kim, is a clumsy detective in a provincial South Korean village who is constantly scolded by his older wife and pitied by his two young daughters.
Hoping to make some money out of a bullfighting tournament held in his hometown, Pil-seong "steals" his wife's savings and bets the money on a second-rate bull. His modest dream of buying new underwear for his frugal wife and a camcorder for his daughters almost comes true when his bull wins. But just as he is about to collect the prize, Gi-tae (Chung Kyung-ho), a notorious swindler on the run, snatches the money from right under Pil-seong's nose.
Desperate to get his money back and to "get even" with Gi-tae, who has stung his pride and cost him his job, Pil-seong decides to take matters into his own hands. But like a "turtle racing against a rabbit," the blundering chaser is repeatedly outwitted by the young and attractive fugitive as the case begins to make headlines nationwide.
With all the conventional elements of a chaser movie -- speed, suspense and heart-pounding action -- "Turtle..." succeeds in portraying a realistic narrative that draws laughter and irony in one swing.
Director Lee Yun-woo, who studied in the U.S. and remains relatively unknown in the local film industry, shows great potential in his second feature which manages to sustain pace and humor throughout.
"The story features a fugitive and a detective, but it is really a family movie about a dad trying to protect and be good to his family," Lee told audiences at the film's preview Monday. "This movie is nothing big and flashy, but I hope it will make people laugh."
Plain, simple camera angles give "The Turtle Runs" a true-to-life quality. Bereft of the flashy cinematography common to other modern Korean films, the simplicity blends well with the its premise and actually provides a fresh break from the more superficial approach taken by films in the same genre.
Actor Kim, who swept several best actor awards here last year, again proves himself to be a phenomenal actor. It's difficult to imagine anyone else playing the foul-mouthed and hot-tempered detective seemingly tailor-made for Kim, who says he was drawn to the role "at first sight."
"The only thing that made me hesitate was the fact that Pil-seong was also a detective, a role I had already played in my former movie ('The Chaser')," Kim said during opening night. "But the similarity between the two characters ended there. Pil-seong is unlike any character I have played in the past."
"The Turtle Runs," with a running time of 117 minutes, will hit local theaters June 11. Its distributors have yet to finalize the English title of the movie.
Credits: [email protected] via yonhapnews.co.kr |
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June 1, 2009
'Mother' whips 'Terminator' in Korea
Local thriller beats Hollywood sci-fi for weekend title
By Park Soo-mee
"Mother"
SEOUL -- "Mother," the new thriller from "The Host" helmer Bong Joon-ho, beat "Terminator Salvation" and "Angels & Demons" at the Korean boxoffice over the weekend, attracting 1.4 million viewers since its Thursday opening.
"Mother," which opened on 756 screens after premiering at last month's Festival de Cannes, had been one of the year's most anticipated Korean films along with Park Chan-wook's new vampire flick "Thirst," which attracted 825,000 filmgoers in its first weekend in early May.
Bong's latest feature deals with the story of a mother (played by Kim Hye-ja) who is out to prove the innocence of a mentally challenged son faced with the murder charge of a local schoolgirl. With the murder mystery in a rural setting, audiences for "Mother" are naturally led to make the film's connection to "Memories of Murder," the director's 2003 hit based on a true story of a serial killer from the 1980s.
According to weekend boxoffice figures from the Korean Film Council, "Terminator," which has sold 2.8 million tickets since its May 21 opening, came in second, followed by "Demons."
Source: hollywoodreporter.com |
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June 2, 2009
A creative take on detective character
Irony is a great tool for creating an intriguing drama, and "Running Turtle (Geobugi dalinda)" is, if anything, an ironic film title that may well catch the attention of moviegoers with fond memories of a race between a rabbit and a turtle.
Substitute the turtle with a foul-mouthed Korean detective, and throw in a rabbit in the form of a sleek, cool-looking swindler on the run and one could expect an incredibly predictable plot. The rabbit would waste away time, overconfident of its running talent while the turtle wins the race.
Fortunately for moviegoers, such expectations are not met, not least because director Lee Yun-woo unfolds the predictable subject matter in a refreshing, even innovative, fashion.
One interesting irony is that while the hardworking and humble turtle never stops moving ahead, there is no passage hinting at the possibility that it might have run, even for a couple of seconds, in the original story.
In contrast, in "Running Turtle," Pil-seong (played by award-winning Kim Yoon-seok), is a metaphorical turtle who rarely stops running around. However, it constantly slips and stumbles, a sorry yet amusing byproduct of the character's attempt to stay ahead in the uphill battle.
The abrasive battle starts with a bull fighting tournament in a rural village, where Pil-seong, a mildly corrupt detective, steals 3 million won from his wife and bets the precious money on a second-rated bull, leading to a surprise windfall that turns out to be a curse in disguise.
A series of painful setbacks await Pil-seong as Gi-tae (Chung Kyung-ho) swoops in on the small town and gets entangled with the detective with too much easy money in his not-so-clean hands overnight. The initial showdown between the two characters results in a humiliating defeat for Pil-seong, who loses his money and becomes a laughing stock.
From this point on, a real race is on. Pil-seong is now fully devoted to hunting down the notorious criminal, partly to settle a score with Gi-tae and partly to get his job back.
Kim Yoon-seok, who showcased his talent in "The Chaser" (2008), brings to life a slightly flawed and yet highly believable character on the big screen. What motivates Pil-seong is anybody's guess. Perhaps lost money in consideration of his poor financial situation, or irreparably damaged pride as a law-enforcement officer. What's certain, however, is Pil-seong's unrelenting spirit, a spirit to run in the face of a sharp-edged blade, public condemnation and disillusionment from his loved ones.
Kim's performance, in particular, reveals the pathos that might have been latent in many Korean fathers who work hard, or even run a lot, only to get little acknowledgement from their peers in the workplace or their family members at home.
A melodramatic detail about Pil-seong's wife -- an underwear with some holes -- is equally revealing in an ironic way. Gi-tae might come off as an overwrought villain who seems too handsome and too romantic. But this rough dramatization of the anti-hero is inevitable because the camera is too busy capturing the endless emotions flowing out of Pil-seong's bruised face as the tension gets heightened.
The question is whether plot twists are creative enough to impress mainstream viewers in a story whose conclusion is fairly predictable from the start. In this regard, director Lee manages to steer the film in an optimal track, interspersing humor and surprises throughout the 177-minute running time.
"Running Turtle" will hit local theaters on June 11.
By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr |
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June 2, 2009
Yoon Sang-hyun, Moon So-ri Donate Their Voices
TV actor Yoon Sang-hyun and actress Moon So-ri have donated their voices to a charity show that featured Korea抯 first astronaut Yi So-yeon and was broadcast live on May 30 for 110 minutes. The two acted as narrators on 揅hoi Kyung-joo & Friends, |
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June 2, 2009
Cannes prize winner 'Thirst' to hit U.S. cinemas next month
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- "Thirst," a South Korean film that received this year's Cannes Jury Prize, will be released in the United States next month amid high anticipation there, the movie's local promoter said Tuesday.
The film has been picked up by Hollywood's Focus Features, which plans theatrical releases in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco on July 31, Korean promoter All That Cinema said in a press release.
The American distributor, which co-produced "Thirst" with South Korea's Moho Film in the first such collaboration for a domestic movie, plans to expand releases to a maximum of 80 theaters across the United States depending on audience reaction.
"Thirst," the newest creation by South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, grabbed the third-highest award at the Cannes film festival last week. Jurors at the world's largest film contest praised the movie as a "unique, intent noir film." It was the second time for Park to be honored at Cannes following his Grand Jury Prize win in 2004 with "Oldboy."
Featuring a Catholic priest who begins to question moral and religious boundaries after a strange blood transfusion turns him into a vampire, the film drew strongly mixed reactions at home, drawing some 2.2 million viewers since hitting local screens on April 30.
"Thirst" will also be released in more than 10 countries including France, Greece, Brazil and Japan.
Credits: [email protected] via yonhapnews.co.kr |
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June 2, 2009
SG Wannabe Holds Concerts at Sejong Center
Vocal group SG Wannabe will hold their concerts at the prestigious Sejong Performing Arts Center in Seoul. Commemorating the fifth anniversary of their debut, the concerts are slated for June 25th and 26th. Performing at the Sejong Performing Arts Center is an honor that every pop musician craves. So far only long-respected pop artists like Cho Yong-pil or Insooni were allowed to hold concerts there.
SG Wannabe is excited about the opportunity and says the upcoming concerts are going to be the culmination of their five-year career. The trio promises to present the most inspirational and memorable performance for their fans. SG Wannabe has put on roughly 250 performances so far, proving their musical talents.
This year the three singers have attempted to expand the scope of their music with a new type of song, 揑 Love You, |
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June 3, 2009
Lee Jung-hyun Roars Back to Music Scene
Singing dynamo Lee Jung-hyun has come back with vengeance to the Korean music scene after a long hiatus.
She has been concentrating on her career in China during the long absence from Korea. Although she fretted about being forgotten by the Korean audience, her new album 揂vaholic |
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Behind the Drama
June 3, 2009
Kim Ah-joong Kisses Hwang Jeong-min in 慣he Accidental Couple |
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June 3, 2009
Tae-goon: 'Master' Whee Sung Helped Me Get Back on Feet
New singer Tae-goon (real name Kim Tae-goon, 23) had a hard time when he just debuted, because one netizen posted his debut song, 揅all Me, |
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June 3, 2009
Celebrities Support Compassion Korea
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Korean celebrities, including actress Shin Ae-ra, second from right,
participate in a fashion show, featuring designs by Park Yoon-soo, for the children抯 charity
Compassion Korea, at KT Art Hall, Gwanghwamun, Tuesday. / Yonhap
Celebrities like Shin Ae-ra, Lee Yoon-mi, Hwangbo, Park Si-eun, and Ricky Kim cheerfully walked down the runway wearing colorful oversized tops and shirts specially designed by Park Yoon-soo.
But this was no ordinary fashion show, since Park's designs were inspired by the drawings of children who are sponsored by the charity Compassion Korea. The Korean celebrities took part in the "2009 Friends of Compassion" event for charity at the KT Art Hall, Gwanghwamun, Tuesday.
Shin, who is a public ambassador for Compassion Korea, was at the event with her husband and fellow actor Cha In-pyo. The star couple, who have been deeply involved in the charity since 2003, are sponsor parents to 33 children around the world.
The celebrities who participated in the fashion show were also members of the Compassion Band, a musical group led by Cha. The Compassion Band will give a special performance at 12- 1 p.m. at the KT Art Hall, Saturday. Aside from the fashion show, a photo exhibition and daily performances by various musicians are also being staged through Sunday.
The fourth annual exhibition features photographs taken by fashion photographer Ho Huh. Ho traveled to the Philippines, Haiti and Thailand to take photographs of the lives of children sponsored by Compassion Korea.
Ho's photographs show children living, studying and playing in dilapidated homes, surrounded by squalor and poverty. Yet, the children's faces are filled with smiles, hopes, and dreams of a better future. "I may have captured the reality of children's lives too beautifully. I can't show the terrible reality to the people who have never seen them with only one picture. I can't deliver the terrible stinking smell of poverty," he said, in the exhibition essay.
The photos show the positive impact the sponsors have on children and their families who are living in poverty. Ho was touched by the children's dreams of being a teacher or policeman, or simply to take good care of their family. "Children are dreaming at this moment. Compassion's children hold on to their dreams with the support and encouragement of the sponsors and their family," he said.
The "2009 Friends of Compassion" events are a way to thank the organization's sponsors and donors. The photo exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at KT Art Hall.
Through these events, Compassion Korea organizers hope more people will be encouraged to sponsor children from less fortunate countries.
American evangelist Everett Swanson founded Compassion International in 1952. It was a ministry and charity focused on helping Korean orphans during the war. In 2003, Korea, now a developed country, joined the organization as a sponsor. Compassion Korea currently helps 60,000 children in different countries, including Haiti, Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand and Africa.
To get to KT Art Hall, get off at Gwanghwamun Station Line 5, Exit 2. For information about Compassion Korea, email [email protected] or visit www.compassion.or.kr.
Credits: cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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Author
