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March 4, 2013
Park Si-hoo Questioned Over Rape Charge
The ChosunIlbo
Police plan to summon actor Park Si-hoo for further questioning on charges that he raped a 22-year-old aspiring actress. "We did not set a specific time to summon him and the next round of questioning may take place privately as he wishes," a police spokesman said.
Park finally appeared for questioning on Friday accompanied by his attorney and was grilled for about nine hours. He had repeatedly failed to obey a summons in the previous two weeks.
Park's defense team also submitted to police records of text messages sent by his accuser via messaging service Kakao Talk.
A female friend of the aspiring actress apparently sent her a text message advising her to either "get a lot of money" from the actor or "bring him down."
Park's accuser allegedly responded, "I'm going to show them how well I can act by looking like the victim."
But police said they intend to use the Kakao Talk records merely as reference, and other messages actually support the accuser's claims. "Park has yet to present evidence showing that the sex was consensual," a police spokesman said.
Police have come under fire for shoddy investigation since it was revealed that they did not bother to check the text messages in the two weeks since the probe began. Only one week's worth of messages are saved on the Kakao Talk main server, and Park's lawyer, rather than the police, had sought a warrant to obtain the records. |
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March 4, 2013
Share of Korean films rises to seven-year high
YonhapNews
SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- As two Korean films, "Miracle in Cell No. 7" and "The Berlin File" swept the local box office, homegrown films grabbed their biggest bite of the growing movie market in seven years.
According to the Korean Film Council, the total number of ticket sales, combining both Korean and foreign films, reached well over 21 million in February, up 67.03 percent from a year ago.
The growth in the number of movie-goers was led mainly by the popularity of Korean films, which accounted for 82.9 percent of overall ticket sales last month.
That was the highest share since 85.3 percent was recorded in October 2006.
The Korean film industry had been on a downward spiral since that month before it showed signs of recovery by accounting for 73.2 percent and 75.9 percent of the overall ticket sales in September 2011 and in February last year, respectively. The percentage has hovered around 60 to 70 percent since the second half of last year.
Two Korean films in particular did very well.
The comedy "Miracle in Cell No. 7" and the spy-thriller "The Berlin File" each sold over 10 million and 7 million tickets, placing them as two of the biggest box-office hits in Korean film history.
The noir-action "New World" is expected to be the next runner in the boom of Korean films, drawing over 2 million viewers in just 10 days of opening and placing it at No. 1 at the box office.
Industry watchers cautiously predict if this trend continues, the ticket sales for Korean films may top 200 million this year following 2012 when the tally topped 100 million. |
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March 4, 2013
Ko Eun-a refuels Kim Jang-hoon rumor
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Ko Eun-a has rehashed the rumor surrounding herself and singer Kim Jang-hoon by making public a gift from the singer.
On March 3, Ko uploaded a picture of herself on Twitter with the caption “Present from Jang-hoo, a pink camera. Thank You!”
Ko also promised Kim that she’d take a lot of pictures with her new gadget.
In November, the two worked together on Kim’s music video, and when pictures of the two enjoying a drink surfaced online, many assumed they were dating.
Kim also made the relationship out to be more than it was by announcing,
“Who knew a day like this would come, between me and Ko Eun-a. I’m seeing her again next week.”
He then uploaded a picture of the two sharing a drink together and added, “but don’t worry, it’s not like that.”
Then later he added, “So I make it public but no one believes it. I texted her asking, ‘Do I really look that old that it’s impossible to think we are dating,’ and she says ‘Should I tweet that we are dating?’”
After the misleading posts, both parties denied they were dating. |
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February 5, 2013
'Architecture 101' Stars Get Presidential Honor
The ChosunIlbo
Uhm Tae-woong (left) and Han Ga-in
The stars of "Architecture 101" received presidential commendations on Monday during a Taxpayers' Day event at COEX in Seoul.
Uhm Tae-woong, the male lead of the film, has paid his taxes faithfully for the last three years, while Han Ga-in, his female counterpart, was recognized for her work as promotional ambassador for UNICEF Korea.
The two have also been named promotional ambassadors for the National Tax Service. |
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March 5, 2013
'The Berlin File' Becomes Korea's Top Action Movie
The ChosunIlbo
Spy film "The Berlin File," directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, has so far attracted more than seven million viewers since its release on Jan. 30, a first for a domestic movie in the genre.
It moved beyond "The Man from Nowhere" (2010) and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008), which lured 6.28 million and 6.68 million cinemagoers, respectively.
"The figure shows that the film was loved by all age groups and both genders despite earlier concerns about the complicated plot and narrative," said a spokesman at CJ Entertainment, the distributor of "The Berlin File."
The film starring Jeon Ji-hyun, Han Suk-kyoo, Ha Jung-woo and Ryoo Seung-bum involves intelligence agents embroiled in an international conspiracy. |
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March 5, 2013
Korean actor Ahn Jae-wook returns home after getting surgery in U.S.
YonhapNews
SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's TV star Ahn Jae-wook returned home early this week after getting an emergency surgery for a stroke while in the United States, his management agency said Tuesday.
"Ahn was able to be discharged from the hospital as he made a very good recovery, and was able to return home on Sunday, earlier than expected, with the hospital's permission to travel by air," Jable Entertainment said in a statement.
The 41-year-old actor and singer received a five-hour surgery for a subarachnoid hemorrhage berry aneurysm at a hospital in Las Vegas on Feb. 4 after experiencing serious headaches the previous day, according to the company. He was visiting the home of the agency chief at that time.
He is in good condition, but he plans to rest for a while to fully recover, the agency said.
Ahn is one of the most popular South Korean celebrities in other Asian countries, especially in China, where the MBC TV series "Star in My Heart" -- which he starred in -- was a big hit.
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March 5, 2013
'Gift from Room 7' gets mixed reviews
By Park Sui, Intern reporter The Korea Herald
“Gift from Room 7,” a heartwarming comedy which drew more than 11 million viewers in South Korea, is getting a mixed reception.
The film, depicting a mentally challenged father who is wrongfully imprisoned in Room 7 for murder, has been lauded for its impressive performances by the main actors and its touching storyline.
But for all the praise, some viewers had negative views about the plot. They said that several scenes did not logically follow from the previous ones, distracting viewers.
“The lead actor Ryoo Seung-ryong and Gal So-won’s performances were almost perfect, but some scenes seemed as if they were strategically designed to bring tears out. I don’t feel good about it,” mentioned one viewer on his Twitter account.
“Gift from Room 7” sold 11.7 million tickets in 41 days, outperforming last year’s hit “Gwanghae: The Man who Became the King,” which broke the 11 million mark in 48 days. Attracting more than 10 million viewers is often seen as the threshold to cross to be considered a smash hit movie in Korea. |
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March 5, 2013
Park Si-hoo Sues Rape Accuser
The ChosunIlbo
Actor Park Si-hoo on Monday filed a suit against an aspiring actress who accuses him of raping her. On Feb. 15, the 22-year-old woman reported she lost consciousness after drinking alcohol with Park and realized she had been raped when she woke up.
"Park held back from filing a suit against the woman out of consideration for her," his lawyer claimed Monday. "But it seems unnecessary now."
He said the actor will present himself for further questioning "whenever necessary.” He added the defense team will "keep gathering evidence to clear his name."
Park repeatedly failed to turn up for questioning and finally appeared on Friday.
Park has also filed a defamation complaint against an acquaintance of the alleged victim who supported the rape claim in an interview with a weekly magazine. |
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March 5, 2013
IU to star in leading role in upcoming drama
By Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer and actress IU is set to appear on the upcoming weekend drama “The Best Lee Soon Shin,” which will be aired starting March 9 after the hit drama "My Daughter Seoyoung” wraps up.
The highly anticipated drama revolves around a girl who is neither fortunate nor pretty but plucky. She struggles with her mother to find happiness after her father passed away.
The drama is her second drama after “Dream High” but is the first drama as a leading role. She confessed her concerns about the pressure but showed her confidence at a press event that took place on March 4 at Plaza Hotel in central Seoul.
IU will co-star with Cho Jung-seok, You In-na, Son tae-young and others. |
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March 5, 2013
Chinese fans show birthday love for Jang Nara
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Much-loved Hallyu star Jang Nara had a surprise birthday party with her Chinese fans last week, prior to her birthday on March 18.
Her fans visited her in Zhejiang, in the east coast province of China, while she was filming a Chinese drama “Red Palanquin,” which was scheduled to go on air early next year. The fans came mostly from Hangzhou and Guangzhou, major cities near the province.
According to her fans’ blog Narajjang.com, fans visited wearing the same light blue T-shirt with Jang’s caricature and bearing gifts and sweets to celebrate her birthday.
It was indeed not the first surprise birthday party she was treated to during the show’s shooting.
She had other fan clubs from other Chinese cities including Chongqing, Xian, Jungjiu and Anhui, visit the set last month.
In the new drama, Jang will play a lead character named Riti born with six fingers in a family that hosts wedding ceremonies in the early 20th century.
“Red Palanquin” is the first Chinese drama Jang is doing in two years since “Pao Ma Chang” in 2011.
In between the Chinese shows, Jang starred in KBS drama “School 2013,” which ended in January.
 Last edited by katt on 5-3-2013 11:26 PM
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March 5, 2013
Choi Ji-woo turns down lead drama role
By Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Hallyu actress Choi Ji-woo denied rumors about her appearance on the upcoming MBC drama “Gold, Appear.”
“It is true she was offered the lead role in the drama, but we decided not to take it,” her agency said on March 5.
Previously, media reports circulated that Choi was the most likely figure to appear in the new drama even though she had not signed a contract.
It is said that Lee Kim Productions, the maker of the drama, will announce the lead roles sooner or later. “Gold, Appear” is a family-comedy that explores the meaning of marriage and family. It will be aired in
April after “Rascal Sons”.
Currently, the queen of the Korean Wave is carefully choosing her next drama. |
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March 5, 2013
'Miracle in Cell No. 7' nears 12 million
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
More than 11.75 million moviegoers showed up to see “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” making it the fifth-most-popular Korean movie ever. The melancholy flick features Ryu Seung-ryong as a father with a mental disability wrongly incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.
As of Monday, just a month after the release date, the number of viewers topped the 11.75 million mark, according to data compiled by the Korea Film Council.
It surpassed the number set by “The Brotherhood of War,” relegating it to the No. 6 spot. That film depicted the 1950-53 Korean War and was released locally in 2004, drawing a huge crowd with its A-list cast that included Jang Dong-gun and Won Bin.
If “Miracle in Cell No. 7” continues to do well, the movie will break the record held by No. 4 “The King and the Clown,” which attracted 12.3 million people to theaters.
Given its performance so far, there are high expectations that the film will surpass the 12 million mark in the coming weeks. |
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March 5, 2013
Han Chae-young says she's pregnant
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Han Chae-young, star of KBS drama “Advertising Genius Lee Tae-baek” whose nickname is Barbie due to her looks, is 11 weeks pregnant, according to her agency BH Entertainment yesterday.
Han recently visited a hospital to have a check-up and got the news.
“Han and her family are very happy,” the agency said. “She will focus on taking care of her health and taking on the responsibility of being a mother while she continues to star in [entertainment programs].”
Han has been married for six years to a businessman named Choi Dong-jun. It has been said that she delayed plans to get pregnant so that she could continue to work.
“She’s been busy with shooting the ongoing drama, but Han and the baby are both in a great condition,” the agency added.
Han currently stars as a Go Ari, an account executive of an advertising agency who abandoned her old lover in order to focus on her career and own success after graduating from university in New York. |
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March 6, 2013
YG CEO Donates W1 Billion to Kids
The ChosunIlbo
Yang Hyun-suk, the CEO of YG Entertainment, pledged to donate W1 billion in stock dividends to benefit sick children who cannot afford medical treatment.
YG posted high earnings last year and so shareholders including Yang have received large amounts of cash.
The management agency of singers Psy, Big Bang and 2NE1 was listed in the stock market in November 2011.
"I have long thought about making donations. I'm paying back the love from fans who support YG's music," Yang said. |
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March 6, 2013
Yoo Seung-ho Eschews Special Treatment in Army
The ChosunIlbo
Actor Yoo Seung-ho began his mandatory military service on Tuesday at boot camp in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. Family members and the head of his agency saw him off without much fanfare.
Yoo did not want to make a "big deal" with a send-off that could bother the other conscripts, his agency said.
"Yoo has no plans to apply for the special division for entertainers," the agency added.
"He wants to serve as a regular soldier, on the front line if possible." |
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March 6, 2013
Plot Thickens in Park Si-hoo Rape Scandal
The ChosunIlbo
A lawyer for a young woman who says she was raped by actor Park Si-hoo revealed new evidence on Tuesday to counter Park's claims that sex was consensual.
Park's defense team submitted to police records of text messages sent by his accuser in which a friend of the 22-year-old aspiring actress encourages her to "get a lot of money" from the actor or "bring him down."
In another message, Park's accuser allegedly responded, "I'm going to show them how well I can act by looking like the victim." Park also filed defamation suits against the accuser and her friend.
In a fresh twist, Park now also accuses the head of his former management agency of attempted blackmail.
The alleged victim in turn decided to disclose text messages she had exchanged the day after the alleged rape with a friend of Park's who introduced her to the actor.
Her lawyer said, "Park's defense team distorted the truth by revealing things that were merely detrimental to her, in order to bolster his claims. We cannot tolerate him filing charges against her."
The text messages she revealed contain information that counters Park's claims. The actor said the woman was not intoxicated and agreed to have sex with him. But in a text message dated 3:51 p.m. on Feb. 15, the day after the alleged rape, she told Park's friend, "I still can't sober up."
That means she was still under the influence 12 hours after drinking with Park. In a message she sent a few minutes later, the woman says she was "surprised" when she woke up in bed next to Park and that it was "completely unexpected."
Meanwhile, the head of Park's former agency denied collaborating with the woman to bring the actor down. He vowed to take legal steps to prove his innocence.
Park had accused the CEO of trying to take revenge on him for leaving the agency that made him a star.
Police are considering a lie detector test. |
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March 6, 2013
Actor fires back at assault charges with countersuit
Park Si-hoo accuses alleged victim, former manager of joint blackmail
By Kang Jin-kyu Korea JoongAng Daily
Accusations between popular actor Park Si-hoo and a 22-year-old alleged rape victim reached another level this week.
The 35-year-old actor filed counter charges against not only the alleged victim but also her friend and Park’s former manager, surnamed Hwang.
With no end in sight to the public embarrassment for Park, the troubled actor, who recently starred in hit drama “Alice in Cheongdam-dong,” accused the alleged victim, an aspiring actor surnamed Lee, and the two others with colluding to blackmail him for settlement money.
“We have collected enough evidence to prove that Hwang talked to the other two to discuss matters over the legal battle against Park,” a person involved with Park’s legal team told the JoongAng Ilbo.
To back up the charge against the three, Park’s legal team submitted records of text messages exchanged between the two friends.
In the messages, the two reportedly discussed how to look more like a victim to the police and demanding a settlement of 1 billion won ($921,000). The police are now analyzing the messages.
The alleged victim countered Park’s claim, through her legal team, yesterday that she never contacted Park before or after she reported the case to the authorities, adding that Park’s defense team has contacted her several times in what is seen as attempts to get Lee to drop the case.
In response to the charges brought against Lee, her legal team released to the media yesterday screen shots of smartphone text messages exchanged between Lee and Park’s friend, who is also accused of having sexually assaulted her. In the text messages, Lee said she was heavily drunk the night she was allegedly assaulted, running counter to Park’s legal team’s claims that Lee was not intoxicated and agreed to physical contact with Park.
There is speculation that after Park quit his talent agency, the management of that agency could have set up the smear campaign.
Hwang, the former manager, also released a statement yesterday in response to the charges against him.
“We only tried to help Park out even though our contract with Park ended as we hoped to maintain a beneficial relationship,” said Eyagi Entertainment, which is headed by Hwang, in a statement released yesterday.
Lee’s friend has also been accused by Park for colluding with her and the former manager to blackmail the actor. Lee’s friend is the same person who claimed that not only the Hallyu star but also his friend sexually assaulted Lee, during an interview with the local weekly Ilyo Seoul last month. Park’s defense team denied the charge.
The reputation-shattering scandal for the Hallyu star began when Lee, whose full identity has been withheld by the authorities, filed rape allegations against Park on Feb. 19.
The alleged victim has insisted Park raped her while she was passed out. The actor claims they had consensual sex. |
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March 6, 2013
Ku Hye-sun will showcase art talent in Hong Kong
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Ku Hye-sun, best-known for her role in “Boys Over Flowers,” has been invited to join “Hong Kong Contemporary,” an international modern art festival, according to YG Entertainment.
The second edition of the event is scheduled to run from May 24 to 27.
Ku first showed her talent at an exhibition called “Tango” in 2009 that featured pen illustrations.
Her second show “Afterimage” took place at Seoul Arts Center last year.
Actor Ha Jeong-woo was invited to Hong Kong to participate as a painter last year, and she will fulfill the same role again, the agency added.
“She will show up to 15 pieces of art, including a recently painted self-portrait,” it explained. |
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