RED was a surprisingly entertaining action-comedy (and lucrative box office hit) based on a relatively obscure comic book, and so this summer we’re getting RED 2. The sequel features an original story concocted by the screenwriters on the first movie, Erich and Jon Hoeber, but it continues to follow the (mis)adventures of retired and extremely dangerous ex-secret operatives, played by Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Dame Helen Mirren.
This time, as the newly-reased trailer spells out, the stakes are higher, as the RED agents must protect both themselves and, literally, millions of people who could be killed by a doomsday weapon. However, once the no-nonsense Frank (Willis), the erratic Marvin (Malkovich) and sophisticated Victoria (Mirren) get involved, it spells trouble for the whipper-snapper criminals and terrorists behind the plot.
Joining the fun for a second round is Mary Louise-Parker as Frank’s girlfriend, with the new additions of Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins (Thor: The Dark World) as the mad inventor responsible for creating the aforementioned MacGuffin/deadly bomb,Byung-hun Lee (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as a younger operative, and Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (Side Effects) as Frank’s old flame/accomplice.
RED 2 looks to deliver as much action as expected, while also (noticeably) ramping up the comedy quotient from its predecessor. Indeed, between the newly-released full trailer and the original teaser trailer, the marketing has noticeably leaned towards getting the idea across that the sequel will provide more ridiculous fun and excitement than the first installment.
That emphasis on comedy makes sense, given that Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest) is sitting in the director’s chair – having replaced Robert Schwentke (R.I.P.D.) from the first movie – but it could also mean this installment lacks that fine balance of thrills, laughs and heart found in the first movie. Moreover, there’s a risk that the Hoebers’ attempt to make RED into a franchise may end up feeling too much like grasping at straws (remember, these guys also wrote Battleship).
On the positive side, Parisot’s good-natured parody/love letter to Star Trek in Galaxy Quest suggests he’s up to the challenges presented by the RED sequel; at the least, Hopkins and Zeta-Jones seem to be having a lot of fun, riffing on their famous screen personas as, respectively, the mad genius and gorgeous-but-deadly type in the sequel.
Although he is quickly becoming an international star, Lee Byung Hun still felt a little intimidated at the idea of meeting his costars for the film "RED 2."
The cast is impressive because it includes such big names as Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Anthony Hopkins and veteran actor John Malkovich. Yet Lee was most intimidated by the idea of meeting co-star Bruce Willis. "He's a well-known action star and so people would think he is so tough and rough," said Lee.
But Lee was pleasantly surprised when he actually met Willis.
"In real life, he is so gentle and generous," said Lee. "When I first met him in front of the make-up trailer, he bowed to me in the Asian way. It was quite impressive and that made me relax."
In "Red 2," the sequel to the film "Red," Lee will play a killer. His character, Han, used to be an agent but he was framed by Bruce Willis' character.
"He can't work as an agent any more," said Lee. "So he became a killer."
It won't be a difficult role for Lee to play, as it is similar to the character he played in the drama, "IRIS." In that drama, he was agent Kim Hyun Jun, a National Security Service agent who goes rogue when betrayed by his superiors.
The original film, "Red," was based on Robert Schwentke's comic "RED." In the comic and the first film, a group of retired elite CIA operatives, who are bored with ordinary life, reunite for a mission that shows they have lost none of their savvy. In the sequel the operatives meet up again to track down a missing nuclear device. The mission takes them to Paris, London and Moscow. The operatives use their old school skills to survive.
Lee, who played the villain Storm Shadow in "GI Joe 2," is known in Korea for his role in "IRIS" and his work in the films, "Joint Security Area," "A Bittersweet Life," "The Good, The Bad, The Weird," and "I Saw The Devil."
The first posters for the film were released last week. One shows Anthony Hopkins drinking a cup of tea. The other shows Lee Byung Hun wearing a stylish black suit and loading one of his many guns with the Empire State Building in the background.
The film will also star Catherine Zeta-Jones and Mary-Louise Parker. It opens in July.
"It was a dream cast," said Lee. "So meeting these stars was a really amazing moment for me."
A handful of superstars including the likes of Psy, JYJ and Lee Byung Hun are giving back in big ways. The entertainers are taking their earnings to help others in need and using their platforms to give a voice to communities.
Psy is literally taking his "Gentleman" status to a whole new level. The international star has plans to donate 500 million won (approximately $557,000 USD) to help children suffering with cancer. On top of the whopping donation, the "Gangnam Style" singer is taking part of the $10 miracle program which raises money to build a children's rehabilitation hospital. The project is headed by The Purme Foundation's ambassador Sean of Jinusean.
Gorgeous actress Song Hye Kyo recently worked with an animal protection foundation to care for stray dogs. Song Hye Kyo along with Lee Hyori are known for their love of animals and give as much of their free time to helping animals in need.
Trio group, JYJ, and clothing brand, NII, are teaming up together for a great cause! The group will be holding a fan event called "GIVE" where the proceeds will go to a charity called Good Neighbors. The event will take place at the COEX auditorium hall in Samsung-dong, Seoul, Korea.
G.I. Joe actor Lee Byung Hun recently led a charity event called "Cinema Theque Charity Night" at the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Burberry Store. The event was put together to support and improve Korean independent films and the night was filled with loads of important figures in the film industry.
While the industry is known for its glitz and glamour, it's nice to see huge stars taking the time out to give back!
Even with his character, Storm Shadow, slain in the 2010 smash hit G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the irrepressible Korean star Lee Byung-Hun refuses to stay down. Thanks to the resurrection of the supposedly dead ninja villain in Retaliation, the second installment in the Hasbro toy live action series, the 42-year-old will once again be dazzling cinema goers with more pulsating katana- and hand-to-hand combat scenes. So committed is the already fit and trim tae kwon do exponent to perfecting those fight sequences, he has willingly been enduring a training regime which would make any G.I Joe cringe. The actor shares the secrets to building the ripped physique – and killer moves – of a ninja with Men’s Health.
Are we expecting a very different Storm Shadow in Retaliation?
As we now already know, Storm Shadow emerges from The Rise of Cobra, very much alive. So, to make him more credible, I felt that I had to improve my fitness and my physique – I imagine that this was what this ninja assassin would have done anyway. To become stronger and bigger, I changed my diet and embarked on a strict training programme.
Tell us more about your training.
My weekly training programme included five weights-room sessions, stunt training and a couple of runs. These weren’t my only physical activity. Because I was playing a ninja, I had to learn how to wield different weapons, like the Japanese sai and katana. To maintain my flexibility, there were also stretching sessions aplenty for me. Thankfully, my prior training in tae kwon do proved very helpful.
We heard that you were pumping iron to failure.
Mine was an intensive weights training programme, designed by a personal trainer from Los Angeles, because I had to build more muscle mass. He got me to work the major muscle groups using isolation workouts. And yes, we weren’t too concerned about counting reps – I always had to work to failure. There were four to five types of exercises – just for one muscle group. That wasn’t all. I had to complete four to five sets of each exercise. Because lower-body workouts were especially effective in burning calories and building muscle, I had to train my legs intensively. And even though strength training was the most important component of my regime, I didn’t neglect cardio workouts. I biked, walked and exercised on the elliptical machine quite a bit.
Did you make any changes to your diet?
Yes. I was prepared to make the sacrifices which were necessary to get my body in tip-top condition. For example, I stopped consuming fast food and alcohol. For The Rise of Cobra, I was dieting more and using protein powder to help supplement my meals. For Retaliation, however, I opted for more natural protein. I had a chicken breast and broccoli meal about five times every day. I also drank plenty of water and made sure I got enough rest.
How do you keep fit when you're not training for ninja assassin roles?
I lead a very active lifestyle. When I am not working, I enjoy snowboarding in winter. I golf and swim in the summer months. However, trying to find the time to exercise when I am traveling is quite a challenge. I find myself working out at hotel gyms quite regularly – just so that I can keep up with my training.
What tips do you have for someone trying to build your physique?
Start by trying to eat healthy. And, do exercise regularly – even if it is just walking. Having – and keeping to – a regular exercise routine is crucial. And forget about those extreme diets – they aren’t healthy.
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The share of Korean films in the local movie market fell to its lowest level in almost a year and a half in April, official box-office data showed Thursday.
According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), which tracks official box-office figures, Korean films attracted 4.5 million moviegoers last month, accounting for 39.8 percent of the 11.2 million people who went to the cinema.
The ratio is the lowest since 37.4 percent was recorded in December 2011 and also represents a sharp decline from the 63.2 percent of the previous month.
The plunge is drawing keen attention as the percentage hovered around 60 to 70 percent last year and surged to 82.9 percent in February this year.
The lack of homegrown films drawing public attention and the strength of Hollywood action films appear to be the reason behind the decline.
In the monthly box-office for April, "Iron Man 3," the latest in the superhero trilogy, was at No. 1, racking up 26.368 billion won (US$23.9 million) in ticket sales.
Korean director Kang Woo-suk's new film "Fist of Legend" was in a distant second with 11.678 billion won, closely followed by "Oblivion," a sci-fi film starring Tom Cruise, at 10.66 billion won and "Running Man," a Korean film starring Shin Ha-kyun, with 9.8 billion won.
"G.I.Joe 2: Retaliation," the Hollywood action film directed by Jon M. Chu, came in at fifth with 7.7 billion won.
The total number of moviegoers in April represented a 6.3 percent decline from a year ago, according to the data.
From K-drama stars to K-pop idols, Cupid is sure keeping busy these days striking the hearts of Korean celebrities everywhere. Love is certainly flowing through the Korean airwaves and we here at KPOPSTARZ want to make a tribute to all these blossoming relationships. Let's take a look at some of our favorite Korean lovebirds, shall we?
Couple #1 on our list is G.O.D's resident hottie Yoon Kye Sang and Miss Korea's most beautiful winner-to-date, Lee Honey. The two have only been dating for a month, but news of the couple spread like wildfire. The pair met last year at the Busan Film Festival and announced their relationship back in late February. Though I am a huge fan of Yoon Kye Sang, his handsome looks and million dollar smile, I will allow this relationship to flourish only because Lee Honey is so darn pretty and likeable. Good luck to the gorgeous duo!
Kim Tae Hee and Rain are our #2 couple on the list! The power star twosome surely rattled up fans when photos of the two together emerged out of the blue. Kim Tae Hee's agency confirmed the rumors were true back in January of this year and the starlet opened up about the relationship at a press conference for her SBS drama, "Jang Ok Jung, Lives in Love," back in January, re-confirming the relationship. Despite the fact that Rain is no longer Asia's most eligible bachelor, I will always be a believer of Rainism, and ofcourse, his abs.
The goddess of all my dreams, Lee Hyori and her main man Lee Sang Soon mark the #3 couple on our list. The "U Go Girl" beauty met her squeeze back in 2011 while collaborating on a charity project single called, "Remember," which was produced by the singer-songwriter himself, Lee Sang Soon. The two have since been going strong and it doesn't look like the most beautiful woman in K-pop will be heading for singledom any time soon. Lee Hyori is the Queen of K-pop, and whoever she wants to make her King, I will bow down willingly.
LEE BYUNG HUN & LEE MIN JUNG
I can't decide who's the prettier half of this couple-Lee Byung Hun or Lee Min Jung? Both actors dated back in 2006 but broke up soon after due to conflicting schedules. The two decided to give their love a try once more and publicly announced their relationship in August of 2012. The busy actors are making the relationship work this time around and Lee Byung Hun opened about his other half on SBS's Healing Camp. The G.I. Joe star said this about his significant other:
"There were a lot of incidents that gave me a hard time. I could bear whatever came my way, but when [Lee Min Jung] and her family were also hit with difficulties I didn′t know what to do. They were hard times, and I couldn′t even bring myself to say I was sorry, but she held my hand and told me to cheer up. ′I′ll trust you and follow only you, so cheer up. This is so not like you,′ she said."
"I′m rarely brought to tears, but when she held my hand and told me that, I couldn′t help but cry," he said. "I couldn′t bring myself to look up because the tears kept coming. I think that′s the first time she saw me cry too."
Oh the joys of being in love.
So there's your list of our favorite couples here on KPOPSTARZ. Let us know in the comment section who your favorite couple is and why!
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