Korean Entertainment News 2011

katt

News Index Page 25

July 8, 2009: Ahn Sung-ki Named Korea's Favorite Actor Again
July 9: The next ‘Korean wave’ washes ashore
July 9: Korea targets Asia in new tourism efforts
July 9: Four with new SBS-TV show catch flu virus
July 9: Korean Stars Make Beeline for Hollywood
July 8: Metrodome to release Park's 'Thirst'
July 8: CJ talks film downloads with Naver
July 9: Full of wit and humor, monster flick draws laughter rather than chills
July 9: Song Hye-gyo Favorite Star in Hong Kong
July 9: Actress' Husband Kills Himself Over Debt
July 9: 'Chaw' Explores Omnivore’s Nightmare
July 9: Eun Ji-won Backs a New Artist
July 10: Park Ji-heon of V.O.S. Was a Dad
July 9: 11th Youth Film Festival Kicks Off Thursday
July 10: Kim Hye-soo Joins Charity Campaign with Artists
July 10: 'Breathless' Reaps 13th Award in New York  
July 10: Pretty boy Lee Jun Ki shows off his introspective side
July 10: Koo Enjoying High Popularity in Taiwan
July 11: 'Genie' Tops Music Bank
July 12: Psy Discharged From Military
July 12: 'Wonder Girls' Tour on W1.4 Bil. Bus
July 13: Local film industry weathers recession
July 11: Hoping for stardom, an actor does time as an extra

katt

July 8, 2009

Ahn Sung-ki Named Korea's Favorite Actor Again


Ahn Sung-ki smiles in front of his painting
in an art exhibition titled "Pictures and Houses"
at a gallery in Apgujeong, Seoul on April 4, 2008.

Ahn Sung-ki was voted Korea's favorite actor in a survey conducted to mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of Gallup Korea.

Some 9.2 percent of Koreans surveyed named the 57-year-old Ahn as their favorite actor. The veteran thespian also topped a 2004 survey with 13.4 percent of the votes. He was the top choice among both men and women respondents, with 10.8 and 7.5 percent respectively, showing more popularity among men than women.

Second place with 6.3 percent went to Song Kang-ho, who played the leading role in "Thirst." Song jumped from sixth place five years ago. Jang Dong-gun and Sul Kyung-gu came in third and fourth with 5.4 and 5.2 percent. Shin Sung-il earned 3.9 percent of the votes for fifth place, up two notches from five years ago. Jung Woo-sung, Hwang Jung-min, Kim Su-ro and Jung Jun-ho followed. Kim Hye-soo came in 10th with 1.3 percent, making her the only female in the top 10. There were no actresses in the top 10 in 2004.

The survey polled 1,704 people over 12 nationwide for 15 days from May 20. It had a 95 percent confidence level and a 2.4 percentage point margin of error.

Credits: englishnews@english.chosun.com

katt

July 9, 2009

The next ‘Korean wave’ washes ashore

‘I came all the way from Chongqing early this morning just to see them, but I wasn’t able to,’ - Fan of ‘Boys Over Flowers.’


Lee Min-ho and Kim Joon, two lead actors from the Korean TV drama “Boys Over Flowers,” (third and fourth from right) meet Chinese fans in an event held in Guangzhou, China, on July 4 to celebrate the airing of the show in mainland China. By Kang Hye-ran

Last weekend, the cities of Guangzhou, China, and Tokyo, Japan, were abuzz over the appearance of young celebrities from Korea.

Hordes of ardent Chinese fans came out on Saturday to see two stars of a wildly popular Korean TV drama series, which made its debut in mainland China yesterday.

At the same time, Korean pop group Dong Bang Shin Gi (TVXQ) captured the eyes and ears of nearly 50,000 spectators at the Tokyo Dome ? a dream stage for every Japanese musician.

By all accounts, it appears as though the next Korean wave is sweeping over Asia. Korean dramas and music groups are drawing legions of fans in the region, further spreading the country’s culture beyond the Korean Peninsula.


TVXQ performs for the finale of the “TVXQ Fourth Live Tour 2009: The Secret Code” on July 4 in front of about 50,000 spectators at the Tokyo Dome.
Provided by SM Entertainment

The two events last Saturday capture the fever for Korean flavor perfectly.

The Guangzhou Holiday Inn Hotel held an event to celebrate the broadcasting of the Korean drama “Boys Over Flowers” in China. The drama aired yesterday for the first time in the Guangdong region, making its debut on Xingkong TV, the local broadcasting channel of Hong Kong Star TV. Two hundred people were invited to attend the official fan meeting through an online drawing.

“I bought the ticket from a winner for 550 Hong Kong dollars [$70.96, 91,000 won],” Wi Peichi, a 28-year-old office worker from Hong Kong, said at the event.

Earlier in the day, fans wanting to see two stars from the drama ? Lee Min-ho and Kim Joon ? formed a long queue at the airport, anxiously awaiting their arrival. Even after the actors used a separate passageway for safety reasons, about 500 devoted fans stayed.  “I came all the way from Chongqing early this morning just to see them, but I wasn’t able to,” said one tearful woman, adding that she had been waiting for this day for the past several months.

Prior to the airing of the show in China, Star TV recently aired Japanese and Taiwanese versions of the drama ? both made before the Korean version ? in order to raise public interest. The Taiwanese version, made in 2001 under the title “Meteor Garden,” was a huge success in China. Many of the questions asked during a press conference before the fan meeting revolved around those versions.

When asked if he saw the Taiwanese version of the show, Kim replied that he had watched it “long before I was offered the part in Boys Over Flowers, and I had wished that I could join the cast.”

Lee also said he was surprised by the fan reaction to Boys Over Flowers in China, considering the show hadn’t even aired yet. “I couldn’t imagine that there would be such great interest in our drama in China even before the telecast,” he said.

Korean TV dramas more or less advance to mainland China after succeeding in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Boys Over Flowers currently holds the highest audience rating, 28 percent, on the Taiwanese broadcasting network GTV. “While there hasn’t been a [Korean] hit show with an audience rating of around 50 percent after ‘Dae Jang Geum’ and ‘Full House,’ Boys Over Flowers seems to be the next strong contender as it is capturing the attention of young people here,” GTV’s Korean regional director Yen Sochiang said.

At 6 p.m. the same day ? and miles away in Japan ? Korean pop group TVXQ appeared on stage at the famous Tokyo Dome.

It was a crowning achievement for the band, as it took four years for it to grab a solid foothold in the country despite being one of the most popular groups in Korea. Members who appeared on stage did not hesitate to hide their excitement. “It was our dream to stand on this spot ever since we came to Japan,” one band member said, addressing a stadium filled with 50,000 fans waving red glow sticks. “And now, today, we fulfill that dream.”

The group’s performance started out with the song “Secret Game,” a highlight of their fourth album, which was released in Japan in March. Dressed in black suits, the five TVXQ members ? Xiah, U-Know, Hero, Max and Micky ? took the stage to deafening cheers from the crowd. During the entire three-hour set, the audience was standing, singing along.

The group sang a total of 31 songs, including their new single, “Stand By You,” released on July 1, as well as others that have been successful in Japan, such as “Purple Line,” “Mirotic” and “Wasurenaide,” The group, known as Tohoshinki in Japan, also performed at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday. The two concerts marked the finale of the “TVXQ Fourth Live Tour 2009: The Secret Code,” which visited nine cities in Japan.

Along the way, the group reportedly drew 250,000 spectators, including a total of 100,000 at the two Tokyo Dome concerts. TVXQ’s success in Japan shows that the Korean wave ? or hallyu, which started in Japan in the 1990s ? is resurfacing.

But unlike the previous version, which mainly involved exporting Korean content to Japan, TVXQ made its debut as rookie singers in Japan, singing songs in Japanese and appearing on local TV shows to gain popularity step-by-step. By doing this, Japanese fans feel both the “freshness” of Korean artists and the “familiarity” of the group, as the band resembles Japanese artists.

“Tohoshinki not only has the exceptional features, singing ability and dance skills that are expected of Korean artists, but also the language ability to sing and converse in Japanese,” said Yuki Kumasaki, 25, who attended the Tokyo concert. “It makes us feel closer to them than other Korean artists.” As fan Ai Fukawa, 24, put it: “This is one of the hottest groups in Japan now, and it ranks extremely well with Japanese women and teenagers,”

Starting with their Japan debut album “Purple Line,” which was released in January last year, TVXQ became the first foreign artist to top the Oricon Single Chart six consecutive times with their following albums.

By Kang Hye-ran, Lee Young-hee [[email protected]] via INSIDE JoongAng Daily

katt

July 9, 2009

Korea targets Asia in new tourism efforts
Entertainers, bloggers will play a key role

In an effort to lure more visitors from Asia, the Korea Tourism Organization is enlisting the help of popular entertainers, recruiting an army of bloggers and offering a host of prizes to highlight the country’s attractions through two new promotional efforts.

The first project, called “Korea: 100 Sparkles,” aims to add a new dimension to the country’s tourism efforts by focusing on potential visitors in China, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan.

Under the deal, which was announced on Tuesday, the KTO will team up with online giant Yahoo to highlight 100 Korean destinations and attractions using hallyu (Korean wave) entertainers who are recognized in other parts of Asia.

The promotional campaign runs from July 20 through Dec. 10 and consists of three stages. From July to August, travelers from the four aforementioned countries can select the Korean entertainers they’d most like to meet. From August to September, 100 pre-selected personalities will introduce various aspects of Korean culture and tourism. Lastly, from October to December travelers will be able to submit user-created content and video clips promoting Korea. Organizers of the campaign will select eight finalists to carry out “missions” around the country and interview Korean entertainers.

At the same time, the KTO is collaborating with the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea to bring on bloggers to further promote the country. The “Blog Korea! Visit Korea!” campaign runs through Aug. 31. Bloggers that want to participate will focus on presenting information and opinions on Korean culture and tourism. In September, the KTO will give various awards to the top 100 bloggers based on content and number of visits. Thirty of the most active bloggers will be invited to visit Korea. And, in May 2010, three finalists will be awarded with vacation packages worth between $5,000 and $10,000.

For more information, visit http://english.visitkorea.or.kr or www.prkorea.com/metablogen.


By Jason Kim [[email protected]]
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2907157

katt

July 9, 2009

Four with new SBS-TV show catch flu virus



Four people working for SBS-TV’s “Swallow the Sun” have caught the A(H1N1) flu virus. The infections were discovered at Incheon International Airport and on Jeju Island early this month. The crew members were returning from Las Vegas, where they had been filming the drama. The four are currently hospitalized, according to the makers of the new series. While the rest of the production crew and cast are not infected with the flu, they are still being quarantined on Jeju Island because of security measures. Ji Sung, the main actor for the drama, is one of the cast members staying on Jeju. Sung Yu-ri, an actress on the show, is said to be in Seoul. She reportedly has no signs of the virus.

SBS decided to postpone the airing of the first episode of Swallow the Sun until today. It was initially scheduled to air yesterday. Swallow the Sun is about four young people who dream of turning the Jeju city of Seogwipo into the Las Vegas of Asia.

By Lee Hae-Joo Contributing writer via INSIDE JoongAng Daily

katt

July 9, 2009

Korean Stars Make Beeline for Hollywood

Korean stars are moving into Hollywood. Starting with Korean pop star Rain's screen debut in "Speed Racer" last year, a number of Korean stars are finally taking to Hollywood with highly anticipated films.

For the screen version of "G.I. Joe," Paramount Pictures brought together the crack team who worked on "Transformers," "The Mummy," and "The Bourne Ultimatum." In the movie "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," Lee Byung-hun plays Storm Shadow, a ninja master who is adept in using all manners of weapons.

But Storm Shadow is one of the bad guys, the personal bodyguard and assassin for the evil Cobra Commander. Lee Byung-hun has already won recognition around the world for the powerful action scenes in his previous films.

Korean wave star Jeon Ji-hyun has also made it to Hollywood in the action-packed feature "Blood: The Last Vampire." She plays the 400-year-old halfling vampire Saya, who works in a secret government organization to hunt and eliminate rogue vampires that feast freely on human blood.

Jeon has been treated well, starring in her very first Hollywood feature film, and responded to the challenge by doing her best work. She went through three months of hard training to play the sword-wielding martial arts heroine. Even being hit by a crane while practicing some high-wire stunts was not enough to stop her.

With this film, Jeon has put her innocent and girlish image behind her. Although the film has not done well at the Korean box office, she has opened up a path to Hollywood for other Korean actors to follow.


[color="#696969"]From left, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Ji-hyun, and Daniel Henney

An actor who is at a distinct advantage with his multicultural heritage and English-language skills is Daniel Henney, who plays a villain in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Henney's appearance was enough to fill seats in Korean theaters. The fourth in the series, it goes deep into the past, to examine the "origins" of antihero Wolverine. After killing his own father and losing his girlfriend Kayla to his brother's murderous hands, Wolverine is reborn as Weapon X. As the hitman Agent Zero, Henney doggedly pursues him, both to follow orders and to appease his own inferiority complex.

Henney has also been cast for the U.S. TV series "Three Rivers" which will be airing this October. He has outgrown his fame in Korea, and is now ready to become a global celebrity.

With their solid fan base in Asia, Korean stars are quickly becoming the logical choice for Hollywood films that have Asian sales in mind. The trend may be short-lived, but it will serve Korean actors well to use the opportunity to hone their acting skills and find more fans around the world.

Credits: Arirang News via english.chosun.com

katt

July 8, 2009

Metrodome to release Park's 'Thirst'
Deal with Palisades Tartan for U.K. TV, VOD library

By Mimi Turner

LONDON -- U.K. distributor Metrodome is to release Park Chan Wook's Cannes jury prize winner "Thirst" in the U.K., as part of an overall deal with Palisades Tartan that gives Metrodome rights to represent Tartan's TV and VOD library in the U.K.

Joint winner of the 2009 Festival de Cannes Jury Prize, alongside Andrea Arnold's "Fishtank," "Thirst" tells the story of a failed medical experiment that turns a man of faith into a vampire.

The Palisades Tartan catalog also includes such titles as Park Chan Wook's 2004 Cannes jury prize winner "Oldboy," and its art house division includes the complete works of Ingmar Bergman, Paul Verhoeven's "Black Book" and the James Spader/Maggie Gyllenhaal starrer "Secretary."

The deals were negotiated by Metrodome CEO Peter Urie and Kevin Burns, CEO of Palisades Tartan.

Burns said the deal with Metrodome was a "fantastic fit" and would deliver an "enduring and prosperous relationship."

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

katt

July 8, 2009

CJ talks film downloads with Naver
No details yet on pricing, holdover periods

By Park Soo-mee

SEOUL -- Korean audiences will be able to download legally the latest films by CJ Entertainment, the country’s major film company, as early as this year.

CJ Entertainment is in the final phase of negotiating with Naver, the nation’s largest portal site, to provide films via the site. If the two strike a deal, it will be the first move for the Korean major to distribute their films online which would inevitably affect the dynamics of a local ancillary market.

The company said it hasn’t settled on any details, such as the price per download, the holdback period or what to do about DRM protection.

“Our decision will be based on respecting the holdback period of the existing new media market,” said Im Myeong-gyun, an official at CJ, referring to the major distributors in the local ancillary market such as IPTV and DMB services, and their possible negative reaction to the plan if CJ decides to advance the existing holdback period for the portal site. “For now, we’re looking into various options.

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

katt

July 9, 2009

Movie Review
Full of wit and humor, monster flick draws laughter rather than chills

By Shin Hae-in

SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) -- From its drooling jaws to its bulbous eyes, the man-eating boar in "Chaw" is actually kind of cute. So if you're looking to have shivers sent down your spine, it may be best to opt for something other than this latest Korean monster flick.

   The emphasis on the film's narrative sometimes leaves the visual effects looking a little flat, but the well-structured plot can't be faulted. So if you're ready to settle for some distinctly Korean sarcastic humor and black comedy, "Chaw" may be the right choice.  



The community headman of a calm and peaceful fictional mountain town of Sameri, crimeless for years, dreams about developing the village to bring an economic boost to the area. But one day, a terribly mutilated dead body is discovered in the grove of the new development area, and as the news spreads, the entire village descends into panic.

   Upon investigation, the victim is confirmed to be a young girl attacked by a wild boar. The villagers demand that the development project be suspended, but the headman, greedy for money, ignores the pleas and pushes ahead. Soon, "Chaw" attacks again and terrorizes the entire town, provoking political recriminations, a cover-up by the police and arrival of bounty hunters looking to end the animal's rampage.  



Despite its overwhelming appetite spanning all sorts of genres from drama, romance and comedy to horror, murder and mystery, the Korean film industry has been traditionally weak in monster films. With a rare exception of Bong Joon-ho's "Host (2006)," the first film to surpass the 10-million viewer mark at the domestic box office, local monster flicks have often been ridiculed for their coarse computer graphics and tacky storyline.

   The mutant pig in "Chaw" is actually quite realistic -- with an adequate mix of Hollywood-made computer-generated imagery and practical effects -- considering its predecessors who have done much worse. The monster is only a minor player in this case, anyway.

   Director Shin Jeong-won, who debuted with "Sisily 2km (To catch a Virgin Ghost)" in 2004, has been noted for his talent at "telling," rather than "showing" stories. Dubbed "Korea's Tim Burton" among fellow auteurs, Shin again shows the extent of unique effects that can be provoked by a well-written scenario.

   "Korea has never had a film dealing with real life killer creatures like 'Alligator' and 'Anacondas.' I was intrigued by the idea of a familiar animal attacking and killing humans and wanted to create something out of this unexpectedness. But most of all, I wanted something funny and unique," Shin said.  



The film doesn't really seem interested on featuring lives saved or the hunt for the beast: rather it focuses on the irony of men being slaughtered by the giant pig while ravenously eating barbequed pork, and explores the five main characters who want to hunt the monster down for varying reasons.

   There are no real chills or scares -- after all, how scary can a pig be no matter the size? -- but the film draws a good laugh every other minute, as the director combines suspense, sarcasm and comedy. "Chaw" is hardly darker, more bone-chilling or emotionally profound compared to its predecessor "Host." But clearly entertaining, the film appears to have hatched a genre of its own as a "monster black comedy."

   "Chaw," shot in Seoul and San Francisco, has been picked up by Hollywood's Variety Fine Cut and will also be released in the United States this year.

   Starring Eom Tae-woong, Jeong Yu-mi and Yoon Jae-moon, the film will hit the local theaters beginning July 16.

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

katt

July 9. 2009

Song Hye-gyo Favorite Star in Hong Kong



A recent poll shows that actress Song Hye-gyo is the favorite Korean celebrity among Hong Kong people. The poll was conducted by the Hong Kong office of the Korea National Tourism Organization on June 11-14 on 1,145 people who attended the 2009 Hong Kong International Tourism Exhibition.

The results showed that Song Hye-gyo received 40.4 percent of the votes. She was trailed by Lee Young-ae at 40.2 percent. Lee took the number one spot in the same poll last year. Other Korean celebrities who were picked by the respondents included Jeon Ji-hyun (31.2 percent), Bae Yong-jun (16.2 percent), singer Rain (14.4 percent) and Ji Jin-hee (12.9 percent).

With regard to the most popular tourist spots in Korea, 68.2 percent of respondents chose Seoul. More than 42 percent cited Jeju and 24.7 percent picked Gangwon Province. With regard to the most impressive experience in Korea, the respondents cited shopping (62.2 percent), food (52.8 percent), natural landscape including flowers (34.6 percent), skiing (34.3 percent) and amusement parks (28.2 percent).

The head of the Hong Kong office of the Korea National Tourism Organization said the results of the poll serve as yet further proof that Hong Kong tourists like shopping and food, and that a growing number of Hong Kong people visit Korea to see flowers.

Source: KBS Global

katt

July 9, 2009

Actress' Husband Kills Himself Over Debt

By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter


Kim Da-hye

The husband of actress Kim Da-hye was found dead in a motel in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, in what is believed to be a suicide, police said Thursday.

The man, identified as Jang, 34, was also the former manager of comedians Nam Hee-suk and Kim Ji-sun. He used briquettes to inhale toxic gases, police said.

Jang ran an entertainment agency and managed a number of comedians. He married Kim, who starred in the 2006 movie "Silk Shoes," in May 2007.

Jang left a suicide note to his wife, police added. According to close associates, he disappeared in May. He is said to have been suffering from debt problems and overdue payments owed to comedians contracted to his firm. An autopsy is to be carried out.

Credits: meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr

katt

July 9, 2009

Eun Ji-won Backs a New Artist



Eun Ji-won, a rapper and former leader of the 90s idol group Sechs Kies, has gone into producing and nurturing new artists. Eun’s representative announced that Eun had founded GYM Entertainment earlier this year to raise new, promising musicians and his first project is singer Gilmi. Now he has begun a new career as a music producer after spending 12 years as an idol singer.

Eun says that Gilmi is a very talented underground musician, who has put on more than 300 performances over the past 10 years. He will back up Gilmi’s first national appearance on Friday’s Music Bank by singing together “Love Cats,” the title song from Gilmi’s latest album.

Eun debuted in 1997 as the leader of Sechs Kies, the hottest idol group in the 1990s. He went solo after the group disbanded in 2002 and has released such hits as “Drunk in Melody,” “Adios,” and “Dangerous.” He’s also wildly popular as a member of a KBS comedy program, “Two Days and One Night.”

Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/Entertain/KpopNews/view.html?No=10026

katt

July 9, 2009

'Chaw' Explores Omnivore’s Nightmare


A scene from the homicidal hog movie "Chaw"

The homicidal hog movie "Chaw" is one of those films that takes a seed of truth and grows it into Jack’s beanstalk. This tall tale of horror and adventure proves to be a fine addition to the local stock of computer graphics-ridden monster flicks ― offering a believable, rather than realistic, experience that persuades the viewer with more than just flesh-gnawing gore.

Dubbed the Korean Tim Burton for the punk horror flick "To Catch a Virgin Ghost," Shin Jung-won transforms familiar settings into an atmospheric space, where the narrative is propelled by suspense, dramatic counterpoints and solid character development (including some spoofs by a most memorable madwoman).

In recent years, there have been news reports of how deforesting and dwindling food sources drove ravenous wild boars to ravage dead bodies in tombs and attack villages. It took three years to design and realize via CG ― provided by the creative team behind "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace’’ and the visual supervisor of "Jurassic Park’’ ― a mutated, super-sized pig that develops a taste for human flesh.

Some of the digitally rendered images are slightly awkward, and scenes are at times loosely woven together, but rife, non-imposing humor and moments of unexpected tenderness and non-preachy food for thought make up for the artifice.

Severely mangled bodies turn up in Sammaeri, a peaceful town near Mt. Jiri that had been crime-free for 10 years.

For the first few reels, "Chaw’’ unravels like you might expect a carnivorous horror movie would, with plenty of bone-crushing chaw noises that evoke, rather than directly depict, the most nauseatingly vivid images ― a crunch, snap and urgent pull into dark bushes. "Chaw’’ is also the phonetic transliteration of a Korean word for an animal trap used in Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong Provinces.

The local administrators are alarmed that it might turn away the recent influx of urbanites paying high prices to pick fruit and get back in touch with Mother Nature for the weekend.

Il-man (played by screen veteran Jang Hang-sun), a retired hunter who lost his beloved granddaughter to the horrific event, claims that a wild beast is responsible for the act. Su-ryeon (the endearingly quirky actress Jung Yu-mi), a biologist camping in the area in search of mutated wild animals, is also convinced that there is something uncanny and very hungry out there.

The town beckons the arrival of detective Shin (Park Hyeok-gwon, "Antique’’), an unsmiling man with a mild case of kleptomania, and Baek (the devilishly talented Yoon Jae-moon), a celebrity hunter armed with expensive gear, tall Finnish buddies, big bulldogs and a greasy hair-do.

Meanwhile, short-tempered police officer Kim ("Handphone" star Uhm Tae-woong) is reassigned from Seoul to Sammaeri, and he reluctantly moves in with his pregnant wife and Alzeimer’s-inflicted mother. When his mother disappears into the woods, Kim is forced to join Il-man, Su-ryeon, Shin and Baek for the big hunt.

The camera keeps a steady distance from the characters and gritty backdrops, but also switches to reveal the perspective of the carnivorous Chaw, showing how easily the hunter is also the hunted.

The camera also pauses every now and then ― a pig’s head graces a pot at a local eatery while a human head sits upon a forensic lab. Both are remnants of an omnivore’s feast.

Hunger may drive a beast to dig up a dead body or treat itself to an unconscious person. But it is ultimately the savagery of human greed that drives one to indulge in the spoils of an open coffin ― the gold ring on an amputated finger ― or human frailty that motivates drunk drivers to toss a woman’s body into the fields.

In theaters July 16. 120 minutes. 12 and over. Distributed by Lotte Entertainment.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

katt

July 9, 2009

11th Youth Film Festival Kicks Off Thursday



The Seoul International Youth Film Festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Seoul Metropolitan Government and Jongno District Office, celebrates its 11th year from Thursday until Wednesday next week at Seoul Cinema and Cinus Dansung. The opening ceremony will take place at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday.

This year's festival will showcase 124 short and feature films from 33 countries. The opening work is "I Know You Know," directed by Justin Kerrigan with funding from the U.K. and Germany. The festival has two categories of competition -- one for films made by young directors between 13 and 18 years old, and the other for short films with themes of children, teenagers or family by directors 19 and up.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

katt

July 10, 2009

Park Ji-heon of V.O.S. Was a Dad



Park Ji-heon, a member of ballad trio V.O.S., made a surprise announcement that he has a four-year-old son from his long-time girlfriend. The leader of V.O.S. confessed to his marital status, because he no longer wanted keep his family a secret.

Park met his live-in girlfriend, Seo Myeong-seon, first as a pen pal 17 years ago. They were engaged to be married, but had to postpone the wedding because of Park’s musical debut. The couple started to live together after finding out that she was pregnant in October 2005. Then a baby boy was born in June 2006 and they named him Vitchan, which means “to sparkle brilliantly.” Park’s wife is currently pregnant with their second child. They plan to get married after she gives birth in late August.

Park says he couldn’t come right out and say that he already had a son, because he was afraid that the group’s popularity would plunge if the fans of V.O.S. found out that he has a wife and a son. But now he’s decided to disclose his family and vowed to become a proud and good father to his children.

Source: KBS Global

katt

July 10, 2009

Kim Hye-soo Joins Charity Campaign with Artists



Actress Kim Hye-soo has joined a charity campaign called "Style Meets Art" with a group of artists. Co-organized by the cable TV channel On Style and the Korea National Commission for UNESCO, the campaign involves video interviews with famous domestic and overseas artists. Works that will be donated by the artists will be auctioned off at the end of the year and the proceeds will be donated to the Korea National Commission for UNESCO. The commission, in turn, will transfer the donations to a fund aimed at nurturing young artists and helping children from poor countries. Kim's works of art will also be put up for auction.

Launched in May this year, the campaign invites six to seven artists every year. The first artist to be featured was French animation director Jean G. Poulot. On Style airs Jean G. Poulot's animation works daily and will air Kim's interview with artists in October.

Kim says she is happy to publicize the importance and beauty of art through this campaign and that she donates her works not as an artist but as a person who loves art.

Source: KBS Global

katt

July 10, 2009

'Breathless' Reaps 13th Award in New York  

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter


Director-actor Yang Ik-june
in a scene from "Breathless"

Multiple award-winning film "Breathless" picked up yet another honor at the New York Asian Film Festival, Jin Jin Pictures announced Thursday. Director-actor-producer Yang Ik-june won the jury award for Best Debut Feature ― the film’s 13th award from 10 international film events.

"One of the festival’s real finds is the South Korean film 'Breathless,' a closely observed drama written, produced and co-directed by its star, the vividly talented Yang Ik-june," said The New York Times about the New York Asian Film Festival in its June 18 edition.

Breathless, based on a semi-autobiographical script by Yang, is about a victim of domestic violence who grows up to become an aggressive brute. But light shines brightest in darkness, and he rediscovers hope when he meets a high school girl (Kim Kkobbi) who is even more hardball than he is.

The small indie flick reaped much-coveted titles including grand prizes and awards for best actor/actress in major European festivals including the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Rotterdam, Fribourg and Deauville Asian film festivals. It was also spotlighted at the Singapore and Taipei events.

The film, released here in April, attracted an impressive 130,000 moviegoers, according to Jin Jin Pictures. Breathless was sold to France’s Tadart Film, headed by director Bruno Dumont, and also awaits its Japan release early next year through Bitter Ends, which will distribute the movie along with Bong Joon-ho’s critically acclaimed thriller "Mother."

"You need to forget about (the fame and honor) in order to return to a normal life," Yang told The Korea Times in a previous interview. "A movie happens to get made when you're just living life," said the 33-year-old, who is currently attending Paris Cinema, which comes to a close July 14. He will continue touring the festival circuit, including Fantasia in Montreal, the London Korean Film Festival, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and the Tokyo FILMeX, among others.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

katt

July 10, 2009

Pretty boy Lee shows off his introspective side
‘King & Clown’ star talks about his rise to celebrity, and fall back to earth
  

Korean actor Lee Joon-ki talks about his acting career. Although he has starred
in just a handful of films, he is ranked as one of Korea’s biggest box office draws. By Jeong Chi-ho

There are certain things you might expect when meeting a star actor: crazy good looks, fabulous lifestyle and, perhaps, a bit of attitude.

Such was this reporter’s expectation before an exclusive interview with Korean actor Lee Joon-ki on a recent afternoon. Lee, once a young and struggling actor from the port city of Busan, was catapulted to stardom with his impressive portrayal of an androgynous clown in the 2005 hit film “The King and the Clown.”

Today, Lee is ranked as one of Korea’s biggest box office draws. The few films he has made have attracted almost 20 million people, according to the latest figures.

This puts the 27-year-old actor on par with some of Korea’s most successful veterans, like Song Kang-ho, Sol Kyung-gu and Ahn Sung-ki. Yes. The looks were there, although many would agree that Lee’s androgynous features aren’t what you would call typical, bordering somewhere between male and female.

The lifestyle was there, as well, with his entourage serving him one iced Americano after another and attending to his appearance from time to time to make sure that he felt and looked his best.

But it’s pretty difficult to say whether his attitude is typical of his peers. “I’ve had my fall from grace,” Lee said with a serious face and a low voice as he sat dressed for a photo shoot in an impeccable black suit, white shirt and black tie.

“After my performance in The King and the Clown, I found myself at the forefront of this ‘pretty boy’ trend, whether or not that was my intention. Suddenly, people were interested in me, and there was all this praise and criticism all at the same time. Everything was just so overwhelming. I felt like I was floating on air.”

The “pretty boy” look for men has become more popular in recent years and since then Korean pop culture and the industries that support it have never been the same. Men as pretty as (or prettier than) women have become popular icons, and men who take care of their looks are much in demand.

Although the trend is still going strong, it hasn’t guaranteed Lee success. His subsequent films - “Fly, Daddy, Fly” (2006), “May 18” (2007), and “Virgin Snow” (2007) - have either fallen short of expectations at the box office or cast Lee in minor roles, to say the least. He has, however, managed to stay in the spotlight with TV dramas like “My Girl” (2005) and “The Time between Dog and Wolf” (2007).


Fans greet Lee at his Shanghai concerts last month.
Provided by Mentor Entertainment

Looking back, Lee described his early days as a rising celebrity as having been marked by loneliness and failure. "I think I became a bit full of myself with The King and the Clown. Then came the slump and the big fear of ‘what will I do when I stop shining?’” he said calmly. “But I certainly didn’t want to go back, considering all the effort it had taken me to get there. So in a way I had no choice but to gather myself together and push myself to get out of the darkness.”

Many would agree that Lee did have some success in getting out of his slump. His performance in the SBS drama “Iljimae” last year brought him top honors in the 2008 SBS Drama Awards last December.

The epic drama in which Lee plays a heroic thief who steals from corrupt Joseon Dynasty government officials and gives his take to the poor, enjoyed ratings of over 30 percent, and its DVDs sales were twice those of “Jumong,” another award-winning epic drama that was hugely successful here. Iljimae went on to air in Japan, and started its run on Monday on TV Tokyo.

The Japan deal is hardly surprising. Despite his relatively short career, Lee enjoys a fair amount of recognition in China, Japan and other Asian countries. A recent survey ranked Lee fourth as the hallyu (Korean wave) actor with the biggest potential.


Lee says he defines himself as a clown, the role
he played in “The King and the Clown,” the 2005 film
that catapulted him to stardom. [JoongAng Ilbo]

Hallyu refers to the increase in interest in Korean pop culture in other Asian countries. Lee was the representative for the Seoul Hallyu Festival last year.

In response to calls from his Chinese and Japanese fans, Lee held fan appreciation concerts in Shanghai and Hangzhou in China, with attendance up around 10,000. He also plans to present similar concerts in Kobe and Yokohama in Japan. Being a public figure, there aren’t many ways for me to relieve stress. And over the years, I’ve lost some of the people in my life. In that sense, I just want to have fun with my fans. My fans mean a lot to me.”

What was evident in the hour I spent with Lee were his seriousness and intensity, quite unusual for such a young celebrity. He also seems to possess the kind of insatiable ambition and endless tenacity people often attribute to “Gyeongsangdo guys,” guys from the Gyeongsang provinces in the southern part of the peninsula, like Lee.

Growing up, Lee’s family wasn’t rich. Lee says that is what made him who he is today.“I just hated losing,” Lee said, sipping his iced Americano. “I had to constantly fight for things in life. Nothing could be taken for granted. Thinking back, had I grown up in a wealthy family, I think I would’ve taken things more slowly, and approached things in a more relaxed way. Perhaps I would’ve focused more on my studies, too,” Lee giggled, as if he had long ago made peace with his humble background.

Throughout the interview, Lee listened attentively to my questions, digesting them to the fullest, and responded in an extremely firm and thoughtful manner.

The thing he said with perhaps the most conviction came during a conversation about his relationship to his King and Clown character.

“Clowns [in the Joseon era] came from the lower classes, but had such longing for artistic creativity and freedom. Through their performances they could explore such desires, while at the same time bringing people joy,” Lee explained. The King and the Clown ends with Lee’s character Gongil yelling that he will become a clown in his next life. For Lee, the answer would perhaps be the same.

By Kim Hyung-eun [[email protected]] via INSIDE JoongAng Daily

katt

July 10, 2009

Koo Enjoying High Popularity in Taiwan


Koo Hye-sun

Koo Hye-sun, one of South Korea's top actresses, is enjoying a surge in popularity in Taiwan as a hallyu (Korean wave) star thanks to her starring role in the KBS-TV drama "Boys Over Flowers,'' which closed in March.

YG Entertainment, Koo's agency, said Friday that Koo is being wooed in Taiwan to appear in dramas and music videos.

Even before "Boys Over Flowers," Koo won fame in Taiwan as she starred in hit dramas such as "The King and I'' and "Pure in Heart.''

Koo received a warm welcome from Taiwanese fans during her visit last month.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

katt

July 11, 2009

'Genie' Tops Music Bank  


Girls' Generation

"Genie," a new song released by Girls' Generation two weeks ago, topped KBS-TV's Music Bank Friday evening.

The flagship song of the girl group's second mini-album competed with songs from 4minute and Seo Tae-ji.

"Genie" has swept various online music charts since its release June 25. It took just two weeks for Girls' Generation, one of South Korea's pop groups, to return to top both online and offline, after months of absence.

Upon being ranked top, the group's members expressed their thanks to agency staffers, parents and fans on the stage.

Girls' Generation has been shining in the local music market since its debut in 2007 with a string of success: "Into the World," "Girls' Generation," "Kissing You," "Baby Baby," and "Gee." "Gee," in particular, ranked first for nine weeks in a row on KBS-TV's Music Bank earlier this year.

The members of the group are Yoona, Tiffany, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Seohyun, Taeyeon, Jessica and Sunny.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr