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July 12, 2009
Psy Discharged From Military
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Singer Psy
Singer and rapper Psy has finally returned from his military service.
The 31-year-old singer was re-drafted into the military as active duty after it was found that he neglected his duties during his previous service from 2003-2005. He began his second tern in August 2007. "It's like a dream and I am so happy," he said at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul.
After being congratulated by fellow celebrity soldiers including singers Tony An and Kim Jae-deok, and actor Kim Jae-won, Psy added that he ``realized that time always passes, and I learned a lot.''
He also joked that despite having participated in two separate military services, he had not lost much weight.
Referring to his second service, Psy said that he had learned a lot indeed. "For the past two years, I think I went through a lot as a person. I had all kinds of emotions, but they came down to one: gratitude. I thank my seniors, juniors, my fans who have been waiting all these years, my wife, my two little girls and also the world,'' he said.
The singer has twin daughters who were born two months before he was sent to his second duty. "Whenever I came to visit during vacation, they didn't recognize me. I think the first thing for me to do is to help them learn that I'm their dad,'' said Psy.
Famous for his comical and sometimes controversial lyrics, the singer will soon return to the stage. "I will be appearing as a guest at Kim Jang-hoon's concert in Busan next week. Kim took care of me and supported me during my service. I don't know how I will do it specifically, but I want to meet fans for the first time through my music,'' he said.
Many fellow singers are currently serving the country, including singers An, Kang Ta, and Sung Si-kyung, and Psy didn't forget to give them a word of support before leaving. "Normally, many celebrities start their military services at an older age. There is a part that they have to endure, as they are older (than fellow soldiers). But I believe they will do well. The time will come if you wait,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the singer will soon receive the Army Chief of Staff Award from the Republic of Korea Army for his dedication during his service.
Along with Sung, Psy was recognized for his participation in various military events, including music performances, and for lifting his fellow soldiers' spirits.
Credits: [email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/ ... 9/07/178_48347.html |
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Post Last Edit by katt at 13-7-2009 18:09
July 12, 2009
'Wonder Girls' Tour on W1.4 Bil. Bus
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"It's better than my own home," wrote a fan under the username "Lucy" on SeoulBeats.com, a pop culture news Web site. Another fan, "Stasha," exclaimed, "Wow, it looks like a hotel!"
The topic at hand is the Wonder Girls new luxury tour bus, provided to them by Canadian carmaker Prevost. Valued at 1.4 billion won, the bus is indeed like a hotel with amenities such as a full bedroom, shower room, kitchen and big screen TV.
The XLII model vehicle will provide the South Korean pop group with a stylish mode of transportation on their tour with The Jonas Brothers this summer.
A spokesman from JYP Entertainment, producer Park Jin-yeong's talent agency, said, "I think the Wonder Girls were given such a high quality bus so that they could match The Jonas Brothers' fame."
The South Korean group will perform with the American boy band in 13 of the 45 cities of their world tour. They will open for The Jonas Brothers from Oregon to Canada and are currently in Dallas, Texas, rehearsing for the tour's first official performance.
Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/ ... ml]koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 13, 2009
Local film industry weathers recession
It seems the film industry has emerged as one of the few recession-proof industries while the economy struggles to regain its footing. The stats are out, showing that Korean films recorded their best ever performance, with a 4.7 percent increase in revenue from ticket sales compared to a year earlier.
An estimated 72 million Koreans went to the movies in the first six months of this year raking in about 477 billion won ($370 million) in revenue. Although attendance fell short of 2006's record-setting figure of 77.4 million, profits during the first half of this year saw a conservative increase from 473 billion won that year.
This was due to theater chains heavily implementing discounts through deals with credit card companies and holding special promotions which shaved the prices off tickets. According to a recent report released by the Korean Film Council, the market share for Korean films saw a 7.5 point jump from last year's 37.2 percent.
Light, broad-minded fare like the Cha Tae-hyun comedy "Speed Scandal" and "Secret Couple" scored big with audiences, while films dealing with topical subject matters, such as the homosexuality in "A Frozen Flower," also met with success. But the talk of the town this year has not been about "Oldboy" director Park Chan-wook's vampire yarn "Thirst" nor Bong Joon-ho's critically heralded thriller "Mother."
It was the unprecedented success of "Old Partner," a low-budget documentary about an old man and his dying ox, that the film industry was talking about. Its emergence shook the domestic film industry, causing them to take notice of the highly lucrative potential of the long-neglected "indie" market.
The film was produced with a paltry budget of 100 million won but raked in more than 19 billion won, becoming the most profitable Korean film in history. The film opened in just 20 theaters and through word of mouth, the film attracted a total figure of more than 2.9 million.
However, some industry insiders feel the film's sensational box office run won't do much in changing production trends within the filmmaking community. "Old Partner was an exceptional case and I don't think the film's success will push production companies to rush out there to finance low-budget independent films, but it definitely raised some eye-brows and put the spotlight on a side of the film industry that a lot of folks have disregarded," said KOFIC's Han Seung-hee.
The two highly publicized and hyped domestic films by the auteur duos of Park Chang-wook and Bong Joon-ho also took home modest box office loot with "Thirst" attracting a little more than 2 million and "Mother" bringing in just fewer than 3 million. Although the two films didn't make the splash they set out for, overseas distribution looks to become another source of revenue stream where avant-garde cinema has a bigger draw than in the domestic market.
Currently, the black comedy "Running Turtle" starring Kim Yoon-seok is looking more like it might have sturdy enough legs to become another sleeper hit. The film opened June 11 and has thus far collected 2 million in ticket sales. With these domestic films posting good numbers, have Korean films taken back their command of the industry from the Hollywood? Hardly.
Since the government reduced the screen quota regulation in 2006, Hollywood films have maintained their foothold in the Korean film market.
Although market share of American films decreased from 54.4 percent last year to 45.1 percent this year, there is still another half of the year left and Hollywood has more to unleash onto domestic movie screens. This is only the beginning, as the current market share for North American films is the result of two Hollywood blockbusters, "Terminator: Salvation" and "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen." The fourth Terminator film recorded a mammoth 57.2 percent box-office share, while the Transformers sequel posted a staggering 78.9 percent.
"Revenge of the Fallen" attracted 3.45 million in just seven days after its opening on June 24. It currently stands to become the year's biggest box office draw, just as the first film was in 2007.
The Michael Mann-helmed John Dillinger crime saga "Public Enemies," starring Johnny Depp as the notorious American crime-wave era robber and Christian Bale as the FBI agent hot on his heels, will open in August. That same month will bring another set of Hasbro toys -- and the cartoon series -- to life in the Stephen Sommers-directed G.I. Joe.
The big-budget actioner will see Hallyu-star Lee Byung-hun make his Hollywood debut as a ninja assassin. Speaking of which, Korean continental superstar Rain will make his official debut in North America headlining the Wachowski Brothers' "Ninja Assassin," directed by James McTiegue.
Finally, Quentin Tarantino's long-anticipated World War II film "Inglourious Basterds," starring a near unrecognizable Brad Pit will open later this year.
Korean films going up against these heavyweights can only hope domestic movie-goers show them some love too. To be fair, the domestic line-up isn't looking too shabby either. A slew of promising films are ready to roll out this summer and beyond.
"The Five Sense of Eros," an omnibus film with an all-star cast directed by five of Korea's most promising directors, along with the comedy "National Team" starring Ha Jeong-woo about a rag-tag group of would-be ski-jumpers are the most notable as of now.
But the big budget disaster film "Haeundae," starring an ensemble cast including Seol Gyung-gu, Ha Ji-won, Park Joong-hoon and Eom Jeong-wha is the one to watch. Budgeted at a 1.6 billion won, it is the priciest domestically financed Korean film of all time.
For more serious fare, a film based on the true accounts of the No Gun Ri massacre during the Korean War is set to open later this year. Korean films outlining the country's tumultuous past have often translated into box office bounty in recent years.
With so many films from both sides grappling for the wallets of Korean movie-goers, it will surely be interesting to see who comes out the winner by the end of the year.
But for movie-goers, this year will truly be a good year at the movies.
By Song Woong-ki ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr |
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July 11, 2009
Hoping for stardom, an actor does time as an extra
Kang Chul waits with 1,500 other extras at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.
The park is being used as the backdrop for the movie “Get Him to the Greek,”
which will be in theaters next year. By Chung Koo-hyun
Kang Chul, a 39-year-old Korean-American, is an actor who has been spreading his wings on the streets of Hollywood. Some may only think of him as an extra, but he is proud to call himself a performer.
He is not only short, but he also has a beer belly; he is 168 centimeters tall (5-foot-6) and weighs 82 kilograms (180.8 pounds). He’s even missing two teeth and is almost in his 40’s. Obviously, his looks alone do not shout “actor.”
“Every time I look in the mirror, I think to myself, ‘Boy, am I ugly,’” Kang says. “But a director said, ‘Look around, no one else has such distinctive features,’ which really boosted my courage.”
Kang, who also goes by the nickname Freddie, first set foot on a Hollywood set in 2006, when he was 37. He couldn’t ignore his childhood ambition of becoming an actor, and after moving to the States in 1991, he worked at over 20 different jobs including as a pizza deliveryman, newspaper deliveryman, supermarket salesman, pool boy, paint salesman, book salesman, and even as a taxi driver to support himself and his family.
In the midst of his job frenzy, while he was working at a Japanese fusion restaurant, he got the opportunity of a lifetime: One of the restaurant’s regulars, who also happened to be a screenwriter, suggested that Kang sign up with a casting agency for extras, which he did in a heartbeat.
A year later, in March 2007, Kang had appeared in over 15 scenes in Fox’s popular medical drama, “House.”
“No one can understand the feeling I had back then,” Kang reminisces. “I started to jump up and down with excitement. Even though I wasn’t an important character in the story, my face was still the main focus in those scenes.”
He became quite well known on the Hollywood circuit, which led to a hectic schedule. But his popularity is apparent in the productions he has participated in. “In the last four years, I have appeared in 15 movies, 40 or so TV dramas and several major ads,” Kang comments. “It’s a lot considering my short career.”
Some may recall him from the pivotal scene in the blockbuster “Eagle Eye,” where he appeared as a member of Congress. He has also made appearances as an examinee on “CSI: Miami,” and a prisoner on “CSI: New York.” Ads for Coca-Cola and Verizon have flashed his face across the screen.
“It’s very difficult. You’re lucky if you make $150 after a whole day’s work,” he said when asked what a life for a Hollywood extra is like. “I waited over 18 hours just to film one take, which didn’t even get aired.”
Even extras have their share of competition. Saying just one line makes a huge difference. Those that do are given titles like “Bystander 1” or “Friend 1” or “Guy in a red T-shirt” and get paid four times more than the extras without lines.
By Chung Koo-hyun [[email protected]] via INSIDE JoongAng Daily |
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Post Last Edit by katt at 16-7-2009 16:30
News Index Page 26
July 13, 2009: Singer Rain to Help Hansik Globalization
July 13: Entertainment Firm Owner Caught for Gambling Site
July 13: 'G.I. Joe' Cast to Visit Seoul July 28
July 14: Han Hyo-joo Cast in KBS Drama
July 14: Actor Lee Jun-ki in Japanese Spotlight
July 14: Jecheon festival looks to blend music, film and summer heat
July 14: Battle of Girl Groups Under Way
July 14: Wonder Girls Perform for US First Lady, Daughters
July 14: Son Dam-bi, After School Form Project Group
July 15: Promoting the Jecheon Film & Music Fest
July 15: S. Korean movie 'Mother' invited to Canadian film fest
July 13: Lee Jun-ki and Song Hye-gyo Chosen as Foreigners' Favorites
July 15: Japanese visitors on the rise again
July 15: Rain Named PR Ambassador for Korean Food
July 15: BoA Takes Part in Akon’s Japan Album
July 13: Lee Tae-im Cast for 'The Iron Empress'
July 14: 2AM Member Finds Love in a Dating Show
July 15: Gavy NJ Leader Leaves the Team
July 16: Batter up!
July 16: Rain to Return With Asian Tour
July 16: Han Hyo Joo Dating With Actor-Businessman
July 16: Puchon Fantasy Film Fest Kicks Off Thursday
July 16: ‘Faith’ ups the fear factor
July 16: It’s official: Jang Jin Young off the market |
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July 13, 2009
Singer Rain to Help Hansik Globalization
Singer Rain will join Korea's efforts to help the world enjoy its indigenous food, other wise known as "hansik."
The international acclaimed singer, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, was appointed Monday as a point man for the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in leading the hansik globalization initiative.
"Hansik is seriously making its debut on the world stage but, with Rain's help, it will in no time become food everybody can enjoy, like the world enjoying Rain's music," Minister Chang Tae-pyong said, while presenting the singer with a plaque and certificate at his office in the Gacheon Government Complex.
The minister said that Rain would participate in hansik banquets for foreign dignitaries and help them to learn and enjoy Korean food.
Rain will serve as "Hansik Ambassador" for the next year, starring in promotional videos and taking part in related events. His hit number, "I do," was played as background music during the ceremony and for a video clip entitled, "Rain Soaked in the Beauty of Hansik."
A ministry official said that inviting Rain to assist in the globalization of hansik shows that Korea is very serious about turning the food industry into its future growth engine.
Under Minister Chang's leadership, Korea is pushing hard with a variety of related efforts from the standardization of hansik dishes to the provision of incentives for big hotels to open up hansik restaurants. In the ministry's annual food expo in October, a competition is scheduled for new and aspiring chefs.
Credits: foolsdie@koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 13, 2009
Entertainment Firm Owner Caught for Gambling Site
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Police apprehended an entertainment firm owner Monday for having allegedly run an illegal online gambling site. The man was also accused of having hired some hackers to target a rival Web site with a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.
According to the Guro Police Station, the 33-year-old man, identified as Lim, ran an entertainment firm during the day, but by night operated an illegal online gambling site through more than 40,000 Internet cafes nationwide since 2005.
He allegedly reaped more than 800 billion won ($65 million) in illegal gains, equivalent to 500 million won in sales per day. In order to avoid crackdowns, the main server and the customer service center were located in China, and had multilevel structures to prevent easy access.
Lim and his fellows also created more than ten bank accounts under borrowed names, used them for less than 15 days and then discarded them for other ones. "They have also used multiple IP addresses set up in both Korea and China to confuse the investigation teams and thus managed to carry on such illegal activities for about four years," a police officer said.
Lim reportedly hired ethnic Koreans in China as hackers to carry out DDoS attacks on a rival gambling site's operations three times ㅡ in January, March and May, police said.
Lim's firm holds contracts with a top celebrity and several actors, actresses and singers.
The police requested the prosecution to file for arrest warrants for Lim and one of his workers, while booking 16 programmers and other staff without detention. "He was a perfect Jekyll and Hyde for a long time. No one really noticed his dual personality," a police officer said.
Credits: bjs@koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 13, 2009
'G.I. Joe' Cast to Visit Seoul July 28
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Sienna Miller in "G.I. Joe:
The Rise of Cobra"
The director and main cast of "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," including British screen beauty Sienna Miller and hallyu star Lee Byung-hun, will visit Korea later this month to promote the Hollywood action flick, domestic distributor CJ Entertainment announced Monday.
Stephen Sommers, best known as the director of "The Mummy," Miller and lead actor Channing Tatum will arrive in Seoul July 28 ahead of the film's release here Aug. 6.
Lee, the heartthrob of hit TV soap "All In," will join the co-stars of his Hollywood debut piece in a press conference the following morning at Shilla Hotel.
The action- and computer graphics-packed film is based on the G.I. Joe Real American Hero toy franchise, and brings together the producer of "Transformer" and the special effects team of "The Bourne Ultimatum." The globetrotting mission has scenes across Paris, the Egyptian desert and the Artic seas.
Set in the near future, it is about an elite American military force that must deal with the rise of the terrorist organization Cobra. According to USA Today, the director is quoted as saying that the film is for people who know nothing about the original franchise.
Lee stars as Storm Shadow, a Japanese assassin, among other evil Cobra members such as the Baroness, played by Miller. Tatum, who became popular as a break dancer in "Step Up," assumes the role of the good guy, the lead G.I. Joe soldier Duke.
Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 14, 2009
Han Hyo-joo Cast in KBS Drama
Han Hyo-joo
Han Hyo-joo, who shot to fame for her title role in "Shining Inheritance," a weekend SBS drama, has been cast in a new KBS drama.
Han recently decided to star in the drama, tentatively named "Pursuing Servants," according to news reports.
The drama is about hunters keeping track of servants and set in the middle of the Joseon Kingdom. Harimao Pictures, the producer of the hit movie "Secret Couple," is to produce the drama that will be broadcast on KBS 2TV in October.
Han will appear as the daughter of servants who is loved by two men. Her starring role in the drama is drawing keen attention as she has emerged as a Cinderella of the Korean small screen because of her brilliant performance in "Shining Inheritance" with singer and actor Lee Seung-gi.
Han, 22, affliated with Fantom Entertainment Group, made her debut in the sitcom "Nonstop 5."
Source: koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 14, 2009
Actor Lee Jun-ki in Japanese Spotlight
By Ines Min
Contributing Writer
Actor Lee Jun-ki
Actor-turned-singer Lee Jun-ki is making a return to center stage in Japan with concerts in Kobe and Yokohama on July 18 and 19. The event will commemorate the re-opening of his fan club, Splendor.
Lee previously recorded and released music in 2006, but his new single in April was his first time back on the music scene. Another EP is due later this year and the undying love of his fans has thrust him back into the public eye.
The 27-year-old gained widespread fame for his role as an androgynous court jester in the film "The King and the Clown." Although he has appeared in numerous films, TV dramas and commercials since his surge in popularity, Lee's subsequent endeavors failed to garner as much acclaim in Korea as his original role.
Lee continues to have large fan bases in other Asian countries, contributing to a wave of cultural exchange called "hallyu," the term used to describe the welcome of Korean pop culture in Japan, China and others countries. He was the representative for last year's Seoul Hallyu Festival.
In an interview with HanCinema, an online database for Korean movies and dramas, the actor discussed his motivation to satisfy the fans. "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," he said. "In that sense, I just want to have fun with my fans. My fans mean a lot to me.''
Lee has recently held fan appreciation concerts in Shanghai and Hangzhou in China, where there were 10,000 in attendance. Tickets for the Japanese concerts ― where fans will get the only opportunity to buy a special edition DVD of his upcoming EP, J Style ― have already sold out.
The SBS drama "Iljimae" (a mysterious, black-swathed thief who robs from corrupt government officials and gives to the poor) will be broadcast for its third run on Japanese television starting August 25 on Korean entertainment satellite channel Mnet. Beginning Aug. 1, the channel will also air "Time of Dog and Wolf," a thriller movie, and "Episode 2: The Mask," which recorded an international fan's meeting with Lee in Seoul last April.
Credits: [email protected] via koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 14, 2009
Jecheon festival looks to blend music, film and summer heat
Official Website jimff.org
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The fifth annual Jecheon International Music and Film Festival will kick off its six-day schedule next month in the central Korean province with works presented by various countries, organizers said Tuesday.
Opening on Aug. 13 with "The Soloist" by Joe Wright, which tells the real-life story of a homeless Julliard trained musician, the event will select the winner of its 10 million won (about US$ 7,700) grand prize from 10 music-related films in the international competition section.
"Anvil's Heavy-metal Story" and "Dancing Zoo" are among the candidates this year, with the winner to be screened as the closing film.
The festival, to be held at the multiplex theater TTC Cinema, Jecheon Media Center and Cheongpung Lake Stage, is Asia's first music-oriented film event where moviegoers and music devotees can share in an opportunity to enjoy both.
This year's Cine Symphony section, a selection of recent films whose central theme is music, will feature 11 works. Sixteen music documentaries will be screened in the Music in Sight section.
The Korean Music Film Now section revisits four features and five documentaries portraying local indie bands. The Theme and Variations section will offer five music films featuring classical music composers and orchestras including "Kurt Mazur: A Life in Music" and "El Sistema."
Korean music director Chung Sung-jo will receive the Jecheon Film Music Award, established to honor the accomplishments of local film music masters who have had significant influence on the film and music culture of Korea. Three films including "Young-ja's Golden Age" will be screened as Chung's representative works.
Credits: [email protected] via yonhapnews.co.kr |
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July 14, 2009
Battle of Girl Groups Under Way
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Reigning girl group “Girls’ Generation” is ahead of the game, for now.
The local pop scene is sizzling with an array of girl groups, both old and new, and the competition is expected to heat up with each band presenting distinctive sounds, fashion and personalities.
Reigning Groups
Girls' Generation and the Wonder Girls have been the top girl groups for the past two years, but now their thrones are starting to look a bit shaky as new groups loaded with new tricks have appeared.
The nine-member Girls' Generation, of SM Entertainment, released their new album ``Genie'' in June, donning a marine and military style for their new look. They have been topping charts on Internet music Web sites and music programs aired on television.
Despite the success, the group's image has been smeared by several incidents: First there was the rumor regarding an album cover that depicted a Japanese fighter jet; then the discord between band members; seen from clips taken by fans during rehearsals; and finally a plagiarism dispute, an allegation which later turned out to be false.
The Wonder Girls, of JYP Entertainment, on the other hand, are busy in the United States as the opening act of the Jonas Brothers' U.S. tour. The group was originally scheduled for 13 concerts, but after the girls surprised both fans and organizers with their witty handling of a technical delay, they were offered to open the entire 45 concerts.
Photos and clips of the five girls performing on stage dressed in their colorful retro outfits and matching wigs have captivated fans both here and abroad, giving a boost of pride and confidence to JYP head Park Jin-young.
Up and Coming
Meanwhile, other groups have started to attract fans, featuring different styles and sounds.
Among the most popular is the four-member 2NE1, created by the makers of Big Bang, YG Entertainment.
Comprised of Dara, CL, Bom and Minzy, the group's debut under the moniker "21" was not an easy one, as netizens found a singer going by the same name. The agency quickly changed the group's name to "2NE1." Despite the incident, the group has been soaring in popularity, dubbed "the girl version of Big Bang."
The group's first mini-album hit No.1 on online music charts, gathering pre-orders of 50,000 copies even before its release. Their documentary, "2NE1TV," featuring Big Bang members and YG Yang Hyun-suk himself, is aired every Wednesday on the cable channel Mnet.
Unlike Girls' Generation and the Wonder Girls, 2NE1 is known as an edgier group, with provocative outfits, lyrics and moves. While most groups focus on pretty, sexy looks and dancing in formation, YG's band jumps all around the stage, showing off their individual styles through clothes, accessories and dance moves.
And More
While 2NE1 is busy climbing the competitive ladder of girl groups, others have joined in, including 4 Minute, After School and T-ara.
Having debuted last month, the five-member 4 Minute is gaining popularity with their recent track "Hot Issue." Claiming that they will captivate fans in just four minutes, the group is the youngest among the other bands, with all members born in the '90s. Bearing a former member of the Wonder Girls ? Hyun-ah ? gave them a head start in attracting the attention of music fans, and the group is slowly catching up to the pack with catchy songs and their "candy funky" style. The group was also appointed as the goodwill ambassador for the Seoul Character and Licensing Fair.
After School, who recently made headlines for plans to collaborate with singer Sohn Dam-bi, is another aspiring girl group heading to the top of the charts. The six-member group is based on the concept of a school, with plans to "graduate" and "admit" members throughout the group's career. Early this year, Sohn briefly joined the group, while 21-year-old Uee was accepted as a new member. Like many other groups, After School stresses the importance of individual members having projects outside of the band, such as Uee's appearance in the drama "The Great Queen Seondeok."
T-ara hasn't even made their debut yet, but the six-member collective has garnered interest among fans and various companies. The group's agency, Core Contents Media, announced that seven companies have been in contact about commercials, but a decision has been taken to wait until the band's debut to make any deals. Meanwhile, two members of the group, Bo-ram and Ji-yeon, will appear in the upcoming horror television series "Hon" on MBC.
Forming the lineup of T-ara was difficult, as the band saw several members leave, but the group will finally make their debut on television program Radio Star July 29.
So why the recent surge in the number of girl bands? Many fans today tend to focus on a single member, which makes it easier for them to like the whole group, while others prefer to choose their favorites. But, either way, it is a win-win situation for the bands. "Even having only one popular member can bring a synergy effect to the whole group. Agencies are looking to bring more variety and allow fans to choose their favorite members," a former manager of a girl group told The Korea Times.
Another entertainment insider added that now many members tend to broaden their horizons by jumping into acting, modeling and even hosting television shows. "Then they come back and work as a group. It's hard to succeed in everything, but that's the risk many members and agencies are taking," he said.
Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 14, 2009
Wonder Girls Perform for US First Lady, Daughters
By Ines Min
Contributing Writer
.jpg)
The Wonder Girls can now add the ladies of the White House family to their list of fans who have seen them live.
Producer Park Jin-young announced the attendance via his Twitter feed, which he uses to keep fans updated of the band's progress in North America.
"It has been confirmed that first lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters came to see the performance of Wonder Girls tonight," Park wrote. "The Wonder Girls gave them their best show," he added.
The Wonder Girls were originally scheduled to perform 13 concerts with the Jonas Brothers, but the American band requested them to stay longer and continue opening for them. The world tour is expected to reach 1.5 million fans in North America, with the Wonder Girls performing their hit song, "Nobody," in English.
The Jonas Brothers played for fans Malia and Sasha Obama previously at the White House in a surprise performance during a scavenger hunt. Monday's sold-out concert was also in Washington, D.C., at the Verizon Center.
The Wonder Girls touched base with their domestic fans Saturday in an interview on the Korean entertainment program, "The Music Center Show." They are touring with The Jonas Brothers until Aug. 31 and will perform 45 shows together.
Credits: [email protected] via koreatimes.co.kr |
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July 14, 2009
Son Dam-bi, After School Form Project Group
Son Dam-bi, 26, and the six-member girl band After School have formed a project group. Their agency says that although Son and After School have different performing styles, their joint performances will be "beyond imagination."
Son Dam-bi, who has been shooting the TV drama "Dream" since wrapping up her album activities, has shown strong commitment to the project despite her busy schedule. The After School members have also suspended preparations for their next album in order to concentrate on the project.
The project group will debut on July 16 on music sites and the official Web site of its agency.
Source: KBS Global |
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July 15, 2009
Promoting the Jecheon Film & Music Fest
Actress Han Chae-young and actor Jin Goo were appointed as goodwill ambassadors for the fifth Jecheon International Music & Film Festival at a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday.
Under the theme "Music, Movie, and Harmony with Nature," the festival features over 90 films from 35 countries and some 30 music performances from Aug. 13 to 18.
Han Chae-young (left) and Jin Goo pose with their appointment plaques as goodwill ambassadors for the fifth Jecheon International Music & Film Festival in Seoul on Tuesday.
Credits: englishnews@chosun.com |
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July 15, 2009
 Official Website torontointernationalfilmfestival
S. Korean movie 'Mother' invited to Canadian film fest
SEOUL, July 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's "Mother" has been invited to the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), local film officials said Wednesday, the most recent international screening of his fourth feature.
"Mother," screened at the non-competition section of this year's Cannes and seen by some 4 million viewers locally, has been invited to TIFF's Special Presentation section along with Steven Soderbergh's "The Informant!" and Jane Champion's "Bright Star," the film's local distributor said.
"Mother," praised as a unique noir thriller by critics from in and out of the country, explores the mystery of a mother's primal love for her son while digging into the secrecy surrounding a murder.
This year's TIFF, marking its 34th anniversary as one of the world's largest film fetes, will run from Sept. 10 through 19.
The festival is expected to attract more than 300,000 public and industry audiences.
Credits: [email protected] via yonhapnews.co.kr |
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July 13, 2009
Lee Jun-ki and Song Hye-gyo Chosen as Foreigners' Favorites
Actor Lee Jun-ki and actress Song Hye-gyo have been chosen as foreigners’ favorite Korean stars. Roughly 3,000 viewers from 60 countries, including the United States, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore, took part in a survey conducted by the entertainment program “Showbiz Extra” of Arirang TV to vote for their favorite Korean stars and Lee and Song finished first in the movie star category.
Lee outranked Rain and Gong Yu by a considerable margin, solidifying his status as a new hallyu star. Song took 49.5% of the vote, easily taking first place over other actresses. In the musician category, Girls’ Generation narrowly edged out BoA by less than 1% of the votes to rank as foreigners’ favorite female musician. As for the male singer category, Super Junior won 41.9% of support, defeating Asian star TVXQ, who earned 33.6% of the votes. SHINee was selected the most popular new artist, followed by 2PM and FT Island. Actor Kim Beom of “The East of Eden” and “Boys over Flowers” surprised everyone by winning the title of foreigners’ favorite new actor over another heartthrob, fellow actor Lee Min-ho of “Boys over Flower.”
Source: KBS Global |
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July 15, 2009
Japanese visitors on the rise again
While Korea enjoyed a boost in tourism thanks to a surge of Japanese travelers earlier this year, the number has visibly dwindled since the worldwide outbreak of the H1N1 virus worldwide in May. But there are signs of a rebound, with the amount of reservations for traveling in Korea on the rise, the Korea Tourism Organization said this week.
Based on the survey by JTB, Japan's largest travel agency, the number of Japanese traveling overseas will decline by 5.8 percent during the summer vacation season of July and August. However, Korea is expected to see a 7 percent surge in Japanese visitors compared to last year, the KTO said. "The number of Japanese tourists to Korea is forecast to increase gradually again during the July and August summer vacation season as well as the holidays in September," the KTO said in a press release.
During the first four months this year, the number of Japanese tourists here had surged by a whopping 59 percent from a year earlier due to the downgraded won against the yen. But the number quickly declined from the end of April as the H1N1 virus began to spread. Some 40,000 group tourists canceled their scheduled visit during that time.
The KTO said it continued to promote Korean products from the end of June through various media outlets such as by publishing a print advertisements featuring popular Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon on Asahi Shimbun.
JTB predicted that a total of 304,000 Japanese will visit Korea between July and August. Some 2.1 million Japanese will be taking overseas trips during the same time period, which is a near-6 percent drop, it said.
The Justice Ministry is also starting a special service for group travelers coming here. From today, it will be operating exclusive immigration counters for group travelers at Incheon International Airport, Gimhae Airport and Busan Port.
For Chinese travelers, it said it will simplify the required visa application forms from the current seven types to two types.
By Lee Joo-hee ([email protected]) via koreaherald.co.kr |
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July 15, 2009
Rain Named PR Ambassador for Korean Food
Singer Rain (real name Chung Ji-hoon) was named PR ambassador for Korean food on July 13 at a ceremony that was held at the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province.
Singer Rain has been named PR ambassador for Korean food. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appointed Rain on July 13 at the Gwacheon Government Complex. Over the next year, Rain will appear in video materials publicizing Korean cuisine and attend major events related to Korean food.
Rain said, "To me, Korean food is like a mother and my primary instinct. While holding overseas concert tours and filming movies, I always wished that Korean food was more competitive so that more people could enjoy it. I'm thankful for this opportunity to publicize it." The singer added, "Chinese and Japanese cuisines are very popular abroad compared to Korean cuisine. I want to publicize the health benefits of Korean food so that people all over the world can enjoy kimchi and tteokbokki."
Rain says his favorite Korean dish is tteokbokki, which he said made a perfect snack that he used to enjoy while at school.
The minister for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries expressed his appreciation to Rain for taking on his new role and said he hopes that, with Rain's help, Korean cuisine will become as big a star as Rain in the global arena. He also pledged active support to Rain's overseas fan meetings by treating his fans to Korean delicacies.
The appointment plates that were given to Rain that day were produced in the form of a roll and ceramic pot to publicize traditional Korean culture.
A ministry official said the ministry chose Rain as PR ambassador in a bid to nurture Korean cuisine into a global industry and globalize its taste so that people all over the world can enjoy it.
Source: KBS Global |
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Author
Post time 14-7-2009 10:44 AM
tp tu la x igt tarikh...
