Korean Entertainment News 2011

katt

June 18, 2009

Rocker Kim Jong-seo Invited to a UN Event



Rocker Kim Jong-seo became Korea抯 first celebrity to be invited to attend an official United Nations event.

Kim抯 agency reported that the singer will take part in a special performance for the UN Public Service Awards slated for June 23rd at the UN Headquarters in New York. The agency also said that Kim is the first Korean entertainer to be invited to an official UN function, which implies that the world organization has recognized Kim抯 exceptional musical talent. Kim, one of Korea抯 premier rockers, is reportedly looking forward to performing in front of foreign affairs officials from all over the world and UN staff members to show how far Korea抯 pop culture has grown.

In the meantime, Kim plans to release a mini album in July.

Source: KBS Global

katt

June 18, 2009

'Bandhobi

katt

June 19, 2009

4minute Not Worried about Competition with 2NE1



Five members of the new female group 4minute say that they抮e not worried about competing against another recently-debuted girl band 2NE1.

After performing the group抯 debut song, 揌ot Issue,

katt

June 19, 2009

Jo Ahn: 'I Did My Best to Get Rid of My Pretty Face'



In a news conference on June 15 after the premiere of the movie 揕ifting King Kong,

katt

June 19, 2009

South Korean rock singer invited to perform at U.N. ceremony

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- Veteran South Korean rock singer Kim Jong-seo will be performing at the U.N. Public Service Awards ceremony next week, his agent in Seoul said Friday.

   The award ceremony sponsored by the U.N. Public Administration Network (UNPAN) is annually held to honor the four best-performing government institutions worldwide.  



Kim will be singing "Father (Abeoji)," a rock ballad on father-son love, along with other top musicians from around the world. He is the first Korean to be invited to sing at an official U.N. event.

   U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will also attend the Tuesday ceremony, which marks the seventh anniversary of Public Service Day.

   Kim, 44, was a member of now-disbanded South Korean rock group "Sinawi." He debuted in 1987 and is due to release a new album next month.

   Credits: [email protected]
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/ ... 0619005400315F.HTML

katt

June 20, 2009

Girls' Generation Shows Teaser Video


Girls

katt

June 20, 2009

Shin Min-a Transforms into Blockbuster Icons


Shin Min-a

Celebrating the Mise-en-sc鑞e Short Film Festival, the hair product brand of cosmetics company Amore Pacific of the same name shot a catalogue with actress Shin Min-a. The catalogue features various hairstyles recommended by Mise-en-sc鑞e in the manner of characters from five movies.

Shin can be seen as Gwyneth Paltrow's character Estella from "Great Expectations," Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity from "The Matrix" series, Kirsten Dunst's Claudia from "Interview with the Vampire," Nicole Kidman's Satine from "Moulin Rouge," and Marilyn Monroe's Girl from "The Seven Year Itch." Despite initial concerns that her innocent and fragile image would make it difficult for her to pull off these bombshells, Shin impressed the crew by playing each role perfectly, according to Amore Pacific.



The Mise-en-sc鑞e Short Film Festival has grown to become one of the most prestigious short film festivals in Korea. It features 57 films in five genres in the official selection, and a total of 120 films, including the non-competition selection. It runs for seven days from June 24 at CGV Yongsan.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

katt

June 21, 2009

Jun's 'Blood' fails to draw crowds



Despite Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun's efforts to prove her acting ability, her latest film is proving a box-office flop.

"Blood: The Last Vampire," Jun's Hollywood debut film, which was released at local theaters on June 11, has drawn around 70,000 viewers through June 20, Korea Film Council said yesterday.

The figures are far behind its competitors, such as Korean flick "Running Turtle (Geobugi dalinda)," which has drawn more than 550,000 since opening on the same day. With hotly anticipated movies such as "Haeundae" and "Transformers 2: The Revenge of the Fallen" on their way, the prospects for "Blood" look grim.

It is quite a tough situation for Jun, who has not had a real box-office hit since "My Sassy Girl (2001)" and faces criticism that her main job is modeling for TV commercials.

Critics cited Jun's failure to deliver the complicated emotions of her character, Saya, as one of the major reasons for the film's failure.

The loose plot which largely differed from the original Japanese animation that the film is based on and the poor computer graphics are also cited as reasons for the film's lack of appeal.

Credits: [email protected] via koreaherald.co.kr

katt

June 21, 2009

Megabox Raises Movie Ticket Price by 1,000 Won

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter


A notice explains the change in ticket prices beginning Friday at Megabox
Theater-COEX, Samsung-dong, southern Seoul, Sunday. / Korea Times Photo by Koh Young-gwon

Megabox Theater, one of the largest cinema chains in the country, will raise the ticket price by 1,000 won to 8,000 won from the current 7,000 won on weekdays for adult moviegoers from Friday. This is the first time in eight years that the admissions fee is being altered.

Theaters in Seoul, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province and Daegu areas will be subject to the new price. It is a 14.3-percent hike in weekday ticket prices for adults, with the weekend ticket price going up from the present 8,000 won to 9,000 won.

Meanwhile, admission for middle and high school students will be raised by 500 won to 7,000 won, while children (age four to elementary school) will now pay 6,000 won. The new fee will apply for children on both weekdays and weekends. "The raise was necessary due to the high cost of maintaining theaters and the surging price of commodities, as well as long-term investments for installing new film projectors and other hardware," a Megabox staff was quoted as telling Yonhap News.

"Moviegoers can still benefit from some 100 types of discount deals that Megabox offers in partnership with various telecommunication and credit card brands. We will try our very best to ensure the most comfortable cinema experience for our clients," said the staff.

Following the news, other major theaters such as CGV and Lotte Cinema are said to be considering raising ticket prices. There are no regulations in terms of charging movie ticket prices, but theater groups can be subject to investigation for systematic and collective raises.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

katt

June 21, 2009

'Haeundae' no typical disaster flick







How many disaster movies does Korea have? None, up until now, and that is the key point "Haeundae" producers wanted to stress -- rightly so.

"We are now in the final stage of post-production, taking care of minor details including water effects," said Yoon Je-kyoon at a news conference held in Seoul. "We sought help from American specialists because we couldn't find any expert in water effects."

"Haeundae," set in the famous beach in the port city of Busan, is billed as the country's first major disaster film. The central protagonist, aside from actors, is a mega tsunami that hits the summer resort area.



Hans Uhlig, chief executive officer at U.S.-based Polygon Entertainment, demonstrated how he coordinates the special effects with director Yoon through online video conference tools.

"I was approached a year ago and after reading the script, I was intrigued. Compared with other Hollywood scripts, it's really well written, and the drama part was very good, so that's why I joined the team," Uhlig told Korean reporters through a translator.

A single footage in "Haeundae" required about 20 different computer graphics processes, a demanding task that director Yoon said will pay off when local audiences watch the disaster film

"What you've just seen is about a three-second shot, but we had to spend about three months to complete it," Yoon said.

Yoon also emphasized that the film differs from Hollywood disaster flicks, in which a heroic character saves the world -- or a beach. "We don't have a hero who prevents the disaster. Instead, we have several ordinary characters who are just like you," he said.

Haeundae beach draws more than 1 million visitors every year, and the story gets off to an upbeat start with Man-sik (Sul Kyung-gu), a sushi restaurant owner, preparing to propose to his long-time girlfriend Yeon-hee (Ha Ji-won). A warning sign comes from divorced geologist Kim Hwi (Park Jung-hoon), who notices suspicious underground activities in the East Sea.

Asked whether he played a heroic role, Sul Kyung-gu said the opposite is true. "When the tsunami comes, I'm simply swept by it, and it's Ha Ji-won who tries to save me," Sul said.

Park Jung-hoon said his role was similarly non-eventful. "When we watch American blockbusters, those who send warnings eventually save the world or help people escape from a great disaster, but I end up sending a warning, and that's all. But I like the absence of an artificial hero, and the presence of strong human emotions," he said.

Ha Ji-won, one of the most sought-after actresses in Korea, said she had difficulty imagining specific scenes on the shooting site. "There was no clue at first because we had to imagine the attack and acted as if we were faced with the great danger, but when the camera rolled, I felt I was really in the disaster zone," Ha said.

Uhm Jung-hwa, who plays a former wife of a geologist, downplayed the injuries she suffered while shooting for the film. "I just had my bones in my leg and chest fractured, and nothing more," she said, referring to the injuries she sustained.

The film, a joint production between Doosaboo Film and CJ Entertainment, is set to hit local theaters in July.

By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr l image from mydaily.co.kr

katt

June 22, 2009

Foreign K-Pop Stars Grateful to Korea for Opportunity



Foreign members of idol K-pop bands recently gathered at Yonhap News for an interview. They were Nichkhun (21), who has dual American and Thai citizenships, A’ST1’s Tomo (22) from Japan, Haiming (22) from China, and Alexander (21) of U-Kiss from Hong Kong.

Nichkhun of 2PM revealed his early experiences of Korea, saying, "I was scolded severely when I stuck my chopsticks into a bowl of rice. Later I learned that in Korea this is done only at ancestral worship ceremonies. I have grown to like samgyepsal and doenjang stew. I’m a real Korean now.”

Haiming of A’ST1 said, "I was scared to come to Korea because I heard that etiquette was very strict here. We don’t have a polite form of talking in China. It’s very difficult.”

They all came to Korea between 2005 and 2007 and they all speak Korean fluently. They’re well-versed in Korean slang, and they know how to write their names in Korean as well as the names of President Lee Myung-bak and late President Roh Moo-hyun. Moreover, they know how to swear in Korean.

Nichkhun was cast by JYP Entertainment in 2006 when he drew the agency’s attention at a Korean culture festival in Los Angeles. He said, "I auditioned at a coffee shop by singing and dancing. Back then I had no idea who Park Jin-young was.” Tomo, who visited Korea in 2005 as a tourist, ended up as a singer after he caught the eye of Lee Hyo-ri’s stylist. Despite strong opposition from his father, who is a martial arts champion in Japan, he dropped out of college and began training as a singer that same year at DSPent.

Harbin-born Haiming developed an interest in Korea after he saw singer Rain in the KBS TV2 drama “Full House.” He enrolled in the Department of Cinema of Chungang University in 2006. He was cast by Lee Hyo-ri’s manager when he was taking dancing classes at a dance school in Seoul because he wanted to be like Rain. Recently he drew the spotlight by appearing in the popular TV drama “Boys Over Flowers.”

Alexander, who has a Hong Kong father and a Korean mother, was studying in college in San Francisco when he came to Korea in 2007 to visit his relatives. He drew the attention of his current boss at a hotel fitness club.

All these foreigners say their singing careers in Korea will serve as a springboard for their debuts in other countries. But achieving their dreams in a foreign land was a big challenge to them. The biggest obstacle was learning Korean. Tomo said, "I attended a Korean-language school to learn how to talk politely in Korean but it was of no help. I learned by watching the TV drama 'Super Rookie' because I like actress Han Ga-in. I also learned a lot by communicating with my teammates.”

Nichkhun added that when his Korean was still very poor, he happened to appear on an SBS TV talk show but he couldn’t say a word because the other guests were very eloquent. He also said, laughing, that he once talked to Park Jin-young in an impolite form. Alexander said he is so concerned about talking politely that he uses polite words even when talking to younger people.

On the question of what their initial impression of Korea was like, Haiming said he thought that Seoul was a city of only rich people when he watched “Full House,” but that he saw many poor people here after he came to Korea. Tomo said it was easy for him to get acclimated to Korean culture because he had never been interested in Korea before. He said he learned about historic conflicts between Korea and Japan only after he came to Korea and that sometimes he watches soccer and baseball matches between Korea and Japan alone in saunas.

Because all these singers are men, they also showed interest in the issue of military service in Korea. Haiming said, "In China, those who serve in the military receive many benefits, but because the population is so big, there are many volunteers. Sometimes there are not enough vacancies. I was left alone after all my college friends in Korea began their military service. At first I couldn’t understand why Korean men had to serve in the military." Nichkhun, on the other hand, said Thai men also have to fulfill their military duty, though they are picked by a lottery.

Next, the guests discussed inter-Korean relations and North Korea’s nuclear tests. Haiming said, "My mother was worried after she saw the news about Korea. She told me to seek help at the embassy if anything happens. Things apparently look more troublesome on the outside than inside Korea.” Nichkhun said, "When there was political unrest in Thailand, Thai people didn’t worry that much. But foreigners thought of Thailand as a dangerous area. The same is happening in Korea.”

On the question on what they find hard to understand in Korea and what they like here, Nichkhun said he can’t understand why a small face is regarded as attractive in Korea. He said, “Before I came to Korea, nobody told me that my face was small.” Haiming, for his part, said people in Korea tell him all the time that his face is too big.

As for what they admire in Koreans, the guests chose Koreans’ patriotism. They said when they saw Koreans gather in front of City Hall during the World Cup and during the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s funeral, they realized that Korea would never collapse. They said, "We’re grateful to Korea for giving us this chance and we don’t regret having come here."

Each of these young men has a dream. Nichkhun said he is interested in acting and someday wants to debut in Hollywood. Haiming said he wants to stage a performance for his mother in China, while Alexander said he wants to return to Hong Kong as a famous person.

Once the interview was over, the four patted one another on the back and agreed to gather together someday. “We could make our own show. It’d be fun," they joked in Korean.

Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/Entertain/EntertainmentNews/view.html?No=7049

katt

June 23, 2009

Ivy Watches Cho Won-seon's Concert with Her Boyfriend



Singer Ivy, 27 (real name Park Eun-hye), drew the spotlight at a recent concert of Cho Won-seon, which she went to see with her boyfriend, songwriter Kim Tae-sung. A concert official said the two were invited to the concert by the performance team and looked like a very affectionate couple. They even politely turned down an offer to wait in the waiting room and entered the concert venue along with other audience members.

Ivy suspended her singing career after her former boyfriend threatened in November 2007 to disclose an intimate video of her. In January this year she disclosed her relationship with Kim Tae-sung.

Cho Won-seon's concert marked the release of her first solo album. It was held June 19-20 at the Performance Art Center in Daehakno. Guest-performers included Yoon Sang, Yoo Hee-yeol and Kim Dong-ryul. Actor Lee Seon-kyun and his wife Jun Hye-jin, who are close friends with Yoon Sang, also attended the concert.

Cho Won-seon plans to continue her activities with the song "Nobody, Nothing" from her first album, which she performs in a duet with Yoon Sang.

Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/Entertain/EntertainmentNews/view.html?No=7050

katt

June 22, 2009

Actress Under Fire for Backing Marijuana

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter


Actress Kim Bu-seon

Actress Kim Bu-seon's calls on national TV for marijuana use to be legalized are causing a public uproar.

In a pre-recorded interview on MBC's live morning show on Friday, the 46-year-old, who has advocated the legalization of the drug, said, "Marijuana is not a narcotic; it is technically an Oriental herbal medicine which Koreans have used for 5,000 years."

Kim, who has been arrested for marijuana use several times, launched a campaign for the drug's legalization in 2004 after being sentenced to a suspended jail term. She then filed a petition with the Constitutional Court for a review of the constitutionality of the country's marijuana-related laws.

In MBC interview, she took the opportunity to protest the recent arrest of actor Oh Gwang-rok on charges of marijuana use, saying his actions caused no harm and that the drug did not affect his ability to act. "Have you ever heard of any news that I committed a crime after smoking marijuana? I have never done anything harmful, as politicians or thieves have," she said.

The actress also claimed that marijuana use can be beneficial to people with certain medical conditions. "If smoking it doesn't do harm to others, those who do need it, such as those suffering from depression or cancer patients, should be allowed to use it. Marijuana increases appetite and improves sleep," she continued.

"Korea has the highest ratio of death by suicide among OECD members. The nation needs to take marijuana as a depression remedy and make depression patients come back to society."

She also claimed that investigations into entertainers who smoke cannabis were politically motivated. "Whenever the government has troubles, it uses drug-taking entertainers to divert people's attention. It is the best way to make entertainers and artists obey the government," Kim said.

After the interview, the show's host Shin Dong-ho said that he has a different opinion, but added that he would defend her right to speak out on her beliefs if she gets in trouble because of the remarks.

TV viewers and Internet users have attacked Kim and MBC over the comments. A blogger identified as findsoul said, "If marijuana is an Oriental medicine, is methamphetamine a Western medicine? It is not right to justify narcotics even though it is a minority opinion."

Another called sinwoos2002 said, "MBC, a public TV station, broadcast that marijuana could be helpful for society. It is obviously quite a low-quality show."

A number of people have demanded that MBC issue an apology for airing the controversial interview.

Credits: [email protected]

katt

June 23, 2009

Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival Starts Wednesday

The Mise-en-scene Short Film Festival, which has discovered and launched career of several new film directors and actors, marks its eighth season from Wednesday until next Tuesday at CGV Yongsan in Seoul.

It features 57 films in five genres in the official selection, and a total of 120 films including the non-competition selection. Festival alumni include Na Hong-jin of "The Chaser," Yang Ik-june of "Breathless," and Lee Kyoung-mi of "Crush and Blush." Many film directors show affection to the festival, with director Bong Joon-ho acting as the committee chair, and director Kim Dae-seung as the head of jury.

The homepage of the festival can be found at www.msff.or.kr.

CRedits: [email protected]
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/06/23/2009062300844.html

katt

June 22, 2009

FT Island to Start Asian Tour in July



Idol band FT Island will launch the Asian tour concert, starting this Thursday. For about a month the five-member group will tour Singapore, Japan, Thailand, China, and Taiwan to showcase their songs and hidden talents. This is their first concert tour, only targeting Asian nations. Until now FT Island has focused mainly on the group’s domestic career. The members will appear on various local! TV and radio programs while on tour.

Fully geared up to start the month-long tour, FT Island thanked their overseas fans for supporting them even after replacing one of the members earlier this year. Since then the group has released mini albums titled “Bad Woman” and “Missing U,” and now they’re busy recording for their third album.

Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/Entertain/KpopNews/view.html?No=9936

katt

News Index Page 20

June 22, 2009: Film thrusts migrant workers into limelight
June 23: Legal wars and blood brothers hit TV
June 23: S. Korea's 'Yonsama' to meet 100,000 fans in Japan
June 23: Bae to meet with 100,000 Japanese fans
June 23: Friends, Lawyers to Hit Small Screen
June 23: Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival Starts Wednesday
June 24: Short film festival kicks off in Seoul
June 23: Korean agents reined in with contracts
June 24: Bae Yong-joon in Mystery Visit to Presidential Office
June 23: Actor Ju Gets Suspended Jail Term for Drug Use
June 24: Korean Wave star Bae Yong-joon to hold fan meetings in Tokyo
June 24: S. Korean indie film 'Old Partner' receives award in U.S.
June 24: Production Press Conference Held for “The Partner”
June 23: Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo to Be in Japan
June 24: Big Bang members to play selves in musical
June 24: Japanese Police Arrest Late Actress Jang's Ex-Manager
June 25: Jang Ja-yeon's Manager Arrested in Tokyo
June 24: Movie Review - Slow and colorless, 'Dying' deserves credit for experimental approach
June 23: Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo to Be in Japan
June 24: Big Bang members to play selves in musical
June 24: Japanese Police Arrest Late Actress Jang's Ex-Manager
June 25: Jang Ja-yeon's Manager Arrested in Tokyo
June 24: Movie Review - Slow and colorless, 'Dying' deserves credit for experimental approach
June 24: Rising Stars honored at NYAFF / Gong Hyo Jin, So Ji Sub
June 25: Korean Documentary Film 'Old Partner' Receives Award Overseas
June 25: Police to resume probe into scandal over actress' suicide
June 24: Drunken Tiger Comes Back with 8th Album
June 25: Police to resume probe into scandal over actress' suicide
June 25: Lee So-eun Goes to U.S. Law School

katt

June 22, 2009

Film thrusts migrant workers into limelight



Karim (Mahbub Alam Pollob), an intellectual in Bangladesh, had a big dream when he flew to Korea as a migrant worker. But his life in the land of promise turned out to be full of pains and betrayals.

Min-seo (Baek Jin-hee), a 17-year-old high school girl, is embarrassingly precocious. She does not believe in a fair society, nor does she give up on her hope altogether. She screams at her mother, steals a lost wallet, engages in an illicit part-time job, but retains her teenage spirit.

Karim and Min-seo do not share their core problems, but both are similarly sidelined in Korean society. Director Shin Dong-il, dubbed the "Korean Woody Allen" at the Berlin International Film Festival, brings the two characters together in a way that is at once entertaining and disheartening.

Shin's subject matters are ambitiously sensitive: immigrant workers, racism, poverty, duplicity of Korean adults, not-so-fair education system that gives advantages to the wealthy. Fortunately, he presents the thorny issues in a lighthearted way, often mixing situation humor with a mockery of the current Lee Myung-bak administration.

A case in point: Min-seo wants to make some money to attend English conversation school during summer break, where she can learn from "native speakers." Her choice is to work in an illegal massage parlor with a falsified ID, and one of her clients, well, is her own teacher. What's hilarious is her tongue-in-cheek comment to her teacher: "You must've been hungry."

Yes, she knows a lot more than you might imagine about the duplicity and falsehood of Korean society, but she's a good girl, so don't worry about her, worry about some other crazy Koreans, including those who employ migrant workers like Karim and then declare bankruptcy in order not to pay a dime to the poor foreign workers. Karim wants to get his money back, knocking on all the doors he can find in the neighborhood where his former boss is supposed to live, but what he gets is a derisive look.

The only person who treats Karim like a normal human being is Min-seo, who has her own reservations about the people of different colors, as demonstrated in her refusal to sit near Karim in a bus. But her prejudice quickly dissolves and then transforms into something tender. This explains why the movie is titled "Bandohbi," which roughly translates into "female friend" in Bengali.

But make no mistake. Even though this film is billed as the first feature to star a migrant worker, its narrative is not solid enough to pull off a full-fledged critique of social and cultural prejudices surrounding migrant workers.

At a press conference following the press preview, Shin said his latest film is just the beginning of a genre that focuses on migrant workers in Korea, and he hopes more films will delve into the issue. "It is very regrettable that the rating agency has rated my film as 19 and older, even though the film is concerned about a teenager's perspective about the world," Shin said, adding that the rating agency's decision severely undercuts his intention behind the independent film project.

Mahbub Alam Pollob, who appeared briefly in Shin's previous feature "My Friend & His Wife" (2006), said his first role in a feature film was a pure delight. "There were some personal problems I had to deal with, but it was my pleasure to work for this film because it is the first attempt to focus on immigrant workers in Korea," he said.

Baek Jin-hee, who has left a strong impression with her impeccable depiction of a quirky yet likable girl, said she found it a "meaningful experience" to team up with a foreign actor. "The only difference with other Korean actors is that Mahbub Alam Pollob has a different skin color," she said.

"Bandhobi," distributed by Indiestory, will hit select theaters on June 25.

By Yang Sung-jin ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr

katt

June 23, 2009

Legal wars and blood brothers hit TV


Starting this week, a liberal dose of noir and court action adds diversity to a drama line-up dominated by royal feuds and romantic comedies.

On Saturday, the drama remake of the classic dude flick, "Friend" (2001), rehashes the tragic and violent tale of four blood brothers on MBC; while the legal series "Partner" kicks off with a high stakes murder trial on KBS 2 TV tonight.

Filling in the weekend slot with a testosterone-driven series may be a tactical error on MBC's part. The series' predecessor "Strike Love," a sports drama, performed poorly, while SBS' Saturday and Sunday night series "Brilliant Legacy," a romantic comedy-melodrama, has been bringing in stellar ratings, a sign that viewers are buying into lovey-dovey chick flick-style narratives.

KBS' new Wednesday and Thursday night legal series, "Partner," however, shows promise. Taking a potentially overworked formula and spicing it up with a dash of romance, crime and comedy, "Partner" avoids being pigeonholed into either a lighthearted "Ally McBeal"- or a more serious "The Practice"-prototype.

Veteran actress Kim Hyun-joo, who recently played Goo Joon-pyo's big sis in the hit series "Boys Over Flowers" will be taking on the role of earnest and passionate lawyer-and-widowed mother Kang Eun-ho. "My Girl" pretty boy Lee Dong-wook will be teaming up with Kim as her partner.

Together they tackle a diverse array of cases. Lee's lawyer, a clever Casanova-type, brings his objective analytical skills to the table, while Kang Eun-ho's rapport with their clients and determination to serve justice adds a human element to each case.

As with every hit comic-romantic duo -- think Harry and Sally -- the two lawyers clash, bicker and fight their way to love. Former Miss Korea Lee Ha-nui and "My Wife is a Superwoman" star Choi Cheol-ho add complexity to the narrative, with Lee Ha-nui as the law firm's resident hottie and Choi as a rival law firm's shining star.

"It is not styled like an American drama," said actor Lee Dong-wook at a press conference on Friday. "There is a main episode bolstered by sub-cases." "My character has a lot of comic elements," he added, before emphasizing the sheer scale of the series. "There are four program directors and three scriptwriters."

Co-star Choi, who drew laughs as a straight-laced husband in "My Wife is a Superwoman," promised to bring some gravity to the series, stating: "This time my character is not comical, it is a serious character."

MBC's new weekend series, "Friends, Our Story," seems to be all about gravity. Based on the hit movie that charted the friendships of four boys on their journey from boyhood to manhood during the 70s, 80s and 90s in Busan, the remake may have a different cast, but it still has the same director-scriptwriter.

Partnering up with another director and two scriptwriters, "Friend" director-screenwriter Kwak Kyung-taek returned to the classic tale of male bonding, adding "more meat," in his words, to the original plot.

A new character and some more in-depth exploration of certain characters' lives promises to give the series that extra layer that prevents it from becoming a repeat of the film version.

"My Lovely Samsoon" actor Hyun Bin will be taking on the tragic role of Dong-su, originally played by Hallyu star Jang Dong-gun, while "Tazza" actor Kim Min-jun will be best bud Joon-seok, a role that was skillfully executed by actor Yu Oh-seong in the film version. "Yes, I will be compared to Jang Dong-gun," Hyun Bin said, accepting his fate at a press conference on Wednesday.

"There were parts that I wanted to do differently from Jang," he added, stating that he watched the movie, in part, to find moments that could be acted differently. He added that he also wanted to put more emphasis on the love line, which he felt the original did not delve into as deeply.

Yet, the issue of differentiating the drama version from the original is not the biggest hurdle "Friends, Our Story" faces. The violent and male-driven nature of the series itself may alienate viewers in need of a romantic pick-me-up. On the flipside, it may be able to corner a niche market, or in the words of a hopeful Hyun Bin, become "a first 'Friend' for young people who have not seen the movie."

"Friends, Our Story" starts this Saturday at 10:50 p.m. on MBC.

"Partner" starts tonight on KBS 2 TV at 10 p.m.

By Jean Oh ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr

katt

June 23, 2009

S. Korea's 'Yonsama' to meet 100,000 fans in Japan

SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- Korean Wave star Bae Yong-joon, better known by the sobriquet "Yonsama" in Japan, will meet some 100,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome in September, his agent in Seoul said Tuesday.

   Bae will meet them on Sept. 29 to promote the anime version of his widely-popular TV drama "Winter Sonata" and another meeting the following day on his essay on the beauty of Korea, his agent BOF said in a press release.

   The two fan meetings, to be held at Tokyo's largest stadium, will be broadcast live at multiplex cinemas across Japan.



   "Winter Sonata" heroine Choi Ji-woo, widely known as Jiwoohime in Japan, will join Bae for the promotion of the animation.

   Bae's essay, the first book to be authored by the popular actor, features his ideas and views on Korean aesthetics. The title of the book has yet to be finalized. Bae last fan meeting in Japan was in June last year when he promoted his TV series appearance in "The Story of the First King's Four Gods."

   Bae gained an explosive popularity in the neighboring country after playing the hero in "Winter Sonata" in 2002, and remains especially popular among middle-aged Japanese women.

   Credits: [email protected] via yonhapnews.co.kr

katt

June 23, 2009

Friends, Lawyers to Hit Small Screen

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter


[color=grayThe poster of "Friends, Our Story.'' Hyun Bin, left, and Kim Min-jun
will star in the movie-turned-drama this weekend at 10:50 p.m. / Courtesy of MBC

Which will it be _ teenage love and friendship, or the real, yet humorous lives of ruthless lawyers? Television fans will now have the chance to explore the two different worlds with the new dramas "Friends, Our Story" on MBC and "The Partner" on KBS2.

With heartthrobs Hyun Bin and Kim Min-jun as the attractive, yet troubled protagonists, "Friends, Our Story" is the drama version of the mega-hit film "Friend" (2001). The sequel will offer the same dramatic plots revolving around teenage friends and move on to their love lives and other untold stories that were absent in the movie. In the film, top Korean actor Jang Dong-gun played the part of Hyun Bin, and Yoo Oh-seong appeared as Kim.

The movie-turned-drama was made possible after Kwak Kyung-taek, the director of the film and now the drama, decided to bring the popular plot back, this time to television screens. "While I was thinking of how to make a drama out of a movie I worked on nine years ago, it dawned on me that I simply needed to re-use the basic structure and just add in new episodes. I started to compete with myself as time went by and so I decided not to try too hard, but to enjoy every minute," Kwak said at a press conference last week in southern Seoul.



Reprising a successful big screen act onto the small one is burdensome, a pressure that those playing the main characters Hyun Bin and Kim admitted feeling. "I knew it would be inevitable to be compared with (Jang). I first thought it would be a bad idea to follow the original actor's style, but I later realized that it would be better to find my own style while still keeping his good points in mind," Hyun Bin said, adding that he watched the movie 20 to 30 times.

Another unique feature of "Friends" is that viewers see a final product that has been made from start to finish before broadcasting. Unlike in the past, there will be no last minute changes made, leaving actors forced to deal with storyline adjustments right before shooting, which could affect the quality of their performances. According to Kwak, this was an effort to try to offer the best work possible.

The film "Friend'' garnered a record-high 8.2 million tickets sales in 2001, not only touching young moviegoers, but also older generations who loved and understood the settings of scenic Busan and its ports.

The strong Busan dialect, old-fashioned school uniforms, music and trends captivated fans. Kwak, a Busan native himself, promised that all of the popular features would be brought back to life on TV.

"Friends, Our Story" will air at 10:50 p.m. June 27 on MBC.

Meanwhile, KBS is offering the edgy, thrilling lives of lawyers in "The Partner." There have been legal dramas such as "Advocate" (1998, MBC), "Law Firm" (2001, SBS) and "The Lawyers" (2005, MBC). But KBS promised yet another one _ with more reality and humanism.

"We wanted to present law as something warm and human, not just cold and difficult. We just got here after shooting the whole night, and I feel a bit sorry for our actors,'' said producer Hwang Ui-gyeong at a press conference in southern Seoul last week.

The drama revolves around two law firms, Leekim and Haeyoon, and the competitive lives of the lawyers fighting for justice and, interestingly enough, one another.

Kim Hyun-joo, 31, ("Pretty Insun," 2007) plays the widow-turned-lawyer who gets tangled up in a relationship with the talented and ruthless attorney Lee Tae-jo, played by Lee Dong-wook ("Heartbreak Library," 2008). "I'm worried that my 'ajumma' act will feel a bit awkward because I have never been one!" Kim said laughing, adding that she was drawn to the 30-something role as soon as she read the script.

Former Miss Korea Lee Honey will also appear as one of the lawyers, the first time for the 27-year-old to star in a drama. "I have been preparing and rehearsing for a long time, now I'm finally ready for acting," Lee said excitedly.

In order to bring realism to television viewers, KBS built a life-size set of a Seoul High Court room, and also filmed the court scenes with a relay mobile _ the first time for a television drama to do so _ in a bid to add intensity.

"The Partner'' will greet fans tonight at 10 p.m. on KBS.

Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr