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April 17, 2013
Song Il-guk may star in new movie
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Song Il-guk may return to the big screen after an eight-year hiatus in “Come Back to Busan Port.”
He is considering the leading role in his first film since “Red Eye” and “The Art of Seduction” in 2005, according to local media reports.
In the film, he would play twin brothers who were separated in Busan when they were young. They later meet again after falling in love with the same woman but have led very different lives. One is a policeman and the other is a gang member.
An official at the actor’s agency was quoted as saying that Song will make a decision on the role as early as this weekend.
Simon Yam, a Hong Kong actor who was introduced to local theatergoers in “Thieves,” is said to be considering a role in the upcoming movie as well.
The production team has yet to cast the main actress and child actor. It plans to start filming in the first half of this year.
Song originally rose to fame outside of Korea by starring in “Jumong,” a popular 2007 drama. |
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April 17, 2013
Hwang Jung-min is a jack of all trades
By Jung Hyun-mok, Jang Sung-ran Korea JoongAng Daily
Hwang Jung-min plays a middle-aged father who takes part
n a boxing reality show to earn money for his troubled daughter in “Fist of Legend.” By Kim Kyung-bin
Actor Hwang Jung-min might not be a typical heartthrob. Rather than a glittering look, he has a friendly, familiar face - but he certainly knows how to use his next-door neighborly appearance to his advantage. Combined with his stunning acting abilities, Hwang is able to play a wide range of realistic characters convincingly.
There seems to be no limit to the kinds of roles the 43-year-old can take on. In 2005, he starred in the movie “A Bittersweet Life” as a ruthless boss of a gang and “You’re My Sunshine” as a naive country man who dedicates his life to his ill-fated lover.
Since debuting in 1994, he has also drawn crowds to the box office for R-rated hits like “New World,” released in February, and “Fist of Legend,” released April 10.
The film tells the story of three men who were once hailed as legends during their teenage years. Now middle aged, the three decide to appear on a reality television show and compete in a mixed martial arts tournament for 200 million won ($183,823).
Hwang plays one of the three fighters who runs a noodle shop to support his daughter. The single father, Lim Deok-kyu, once dreamt of being a boxing champion and summons up the courage to join the brutal fight.
Q. Your action scenes are quite realistic. Did you do them yourself?
A. Yes, I couldn’t rely on stunt doubles to express detailed emotions in the fighting scenes. For me, attacking was much harder than defending, and the director stressed adding drama to the action. Before entering the ring, I even felt as if I had became a gladiator when the host called out my character’s name.
The movie also explores the worn-out character of three middle-aged men.
My priority was to effectively tell the story of Deok-kyu, who has no choice but to take part in martial arts. While the three have their own stories, they are all worn out from their struggles. I think Deok-kyu and I share many common qualities compared to other characters I have played in the past.
Deok-kyu looks more like a real-life character you can find next door compared to Jung-chung from the movie “New World.”
I always like characters that you can easily find in real life. So I prefer Young-su of “Happiness” (2007) over Suk-joong of “You’re My Sunshine” (2005).
Hwang said that working on his abs was harder than playing the fighter. [JoongAng Ilbo]
Unlike Deok-kyu, you have been able to live your dream.
I have devoted myself to acting for 10 years. Every time I got compliments, I used to push myself harder to get more praise. Still, I always arrive on set one hour in advance. But ever since I turned 40, I thought I needed to loosen up a little and focus on enjoying my work. The approach has helped me work with a relaxed mindset.
How were your teenage years in school?
I went to Gaywon High School of Arts. I was crazy about acting. I read Shakespeare and history books about art. I thought art was superior to academic study. Looking back, it was a little shameful.
You know, I was also once beaten by a bully who learned boxing just like my character Deok-kyu. I wonder how he is doing these days. That curiosity attracted me to the script.
Are there any dreams you have not yet achieved?
Now that I am a father, I want to appear in a movie that I can watch with my son - by which I mean a movie for all audiences.
You will play another gangster in your next project “When a Man Loves.”
Yes, the gangster falls in love for the first time. Melodrama is my favorite genre. I have played a couple of gangsters, but I think I can portray different characteristics even if I have the same job. I don’t have any problem with playing a more nuanced version of the same role.
You directed and appeared in the musical “Assassins” earlier this year. Do you have any plans to direct films?
Directing for theaters is way more difficult because it requires more attention to detail. I enjoy appearing in movies, ironically, because it demands delicate portrayals.
And I also like starring in musicals. I can be more flexible onstage. I want to direct more musicals as it helps me improve my acting skills for movies. But I don’t have any plans to direct movies; I think the job is beyond my capabilities. |
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April 17, 2013
Does Psy Have a New Global Hit on His Hands?
The ChosunIlbo
Psy's new song "Gentleman" has already amassed more than 100 million views on YouTube in a mere four days, much faster than the global sleeper hit "Gangnam Style." But the interest may be largely due to the halo effect of the older song, which racked up 1.5 billion clicks.
Still, the global press has been quick to latch on to the phenomenon.
Psy's slapstick comedy is an evident draw. During a concert in Seoul on Saturday, the rapper said many people abroad think he is a comedian.
Some complain that the new song and video are a shameless attempt to cash in on the success of "Gangnam Style." The BBC quoted music industry consultant Debs Wild as saying on the "Today" program, "It's really dangerous to do more of the same. The new track is formulaic."
It also reported that Boff Whalley of the erstwhile one-hit wonder band Chumbawamba commented, "Great artists try and do different things."
The video features bouncy dance moves that Psy adapted from girl band Brown Eyed Girls' album "Abracadabra" a couple of years ago. But due to the global sensation caused by the horse-riding dance from "Gangnam Style," the "crotch-thrust dance" is also being carefully dissected in the media, and already tributes are appearing on YouTube.
The sex quotient has been upped in the new video, so it may not be suitable for the vital child demographic, and some have raised accusations of sexism. The clip appears to tell the story of a badly-behaved man who finally finds happiness with an equally ill-mannered girl, but there are armies of pretty, skimpily dressed women in the video.
"Psy has become a star whose popularity transcends the boundaries of generation and geographical territory. But the new song takes the vulgarity too far," a music critic said. "It will make it difficult for the song to become another global smash hit." |
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April 18, 2013
June wedding for Baek Ji-young and Chung Seok-won
By Suh Hye-rim Korea JoongAng Daily
Baek Ji-young (WS Entertainment)
Chung Seok-won (Film Front)
Singer Baek Ji-young and actor Chung Seok-won announced Thursday their wedding set for June.
“They have been dating about two years since early 2011. They are getting married in June,” an official from Chung’s agency Forestar Entertainment said. The official added, “The two families have met recently and decided to have the wedding in June.”
According to the agency, Chung and Baek have been discussing wedding plans since the beginning of the year. They chose June due to Chung’s busy schedule with movies and drama appearances.
Meanwhile, Forestar added that the couple wanted to announce the wedding when they had a more detailed plan but decided to release the news in response to widespread media speculations concerning their wedding. |
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April 18, 2013
Sista members give back at home and abroad
Korea JoongAng Daily
Two members of four-piece girl group Sista have released photos of themselves in Africa during their one-week visit last month. Hyorin and Soyu visited a small town in Liberia where residents make a living by cutting and polishing pebbles. The two helped carry up to 40-kilogram (88.1-pound) stones and then broke them into small pieces. They have also volunteered at a rehabilitation center for the disabled in northwestern Seoul with students and faculty members of Sungshin Women’s University.
Soyu of girl group Sista walks with a local child in Liberia as she helps with breaking large stones into small pebbles.
Hyorin of girl group Sista poses with a local child in Liberia during her one-week visit there to volunteer.
Soyu and Hyorin of girl group Sista pack toilet paper at a rehabilitation center for the disabled in northwestern Seoul.
[NEWSIS] |
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April 18, 2013
Pantech introduces Galaxy S4 challenger
By Cho Mu-hyun The Korea Times
Actor Lee Byung-hun displays Pantech’s new Vega Iron smartphones at the company’s headquarters in Sangam, northern Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Pantech
Pantech, the nation’s smallest phone-maker, unveiled a new flagship smartphone to challenge counterparts from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, Thursday.
The new smartphone, named the Vega Iron, has metallic rims that are seamlessly interconnected and sports a 5-inch display. It supports long-term evolution (LTE) connectivity, like most of its counterparts in the market.
“We couldn’t have made the Vega Iron without Pantech’s accumulated technology and challenging sprit,” said CEO Lee Jun-woo at the company headquarters in Sangam, northern Seoul. “If we look at recent smartphones, every manufacturer is trying to make the best product but it isn’t easy to have a differentiated value.”
“The Vega Iron started from that avid desire to make a smartphone that only Pantech could make. We tried everything, from one-cell LCD development to having zero bezels along the way. The Vega Iron is a result of that, and we believe it is our best phone ever that can face up to any smartphone,” he added.
The company said the decision to put a metal “Endless Rim” was to create a unique design and increase the sturdiness of the handset. The bezel is only 2.4 millimeters thick.
The launch date will be set to coincide with that of Samsung’s Galaxy S4, expected to go on sale later this month or early May. “Our product is very different from our competitors and we expect great sales,” said Kim Joo-sung, senior executive vice president at Pantech, also at the conference. He said the company expects to sell more than 1.8 million of the phones.
Kim also said the company is targeting a 20 percent share for LTE smartphones, and 18 percent for total handsets. There were 21 million LTE subscribers in Korea as of March. “The Vega Iron will contribute heavily to our rise in market share,” said Kim.
The move to adopt metal was also a highlighted differentiation point from Samsung, which only uses plastic for handsets that have received mix response from consumers.
Specification wise, the Vega Iron packs all the recent high-end parts: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 with a processing power of 1.7 gigabytes, an in-cell display, 2G RAM, 32 gigabyte of internal memory and a 2,150 mAH battery.
Pantech said thanks to optimization, the phone’s battery life, one of the key things consumers want upgraded for smartphones, is effectively the same as a 3,000 mAH battery and recharges fully within 87 minutes.
The phone also has eye recognition that allows page scrolling, stopping videos and retaining brightness, similar to what is available on the Galaxy S4.
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April 18, 2013
Yeon Jung-hoon preps for exhibit
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Yeon Jung-hoon will debut as a professional photographer with an exhibition next month.
The show will run from May 2 to 15 at Illum in Chungmuro, central Seoul.
“The photos by Yeon express growing pains as [one] heals from the memories of the past and becomes mature,” the gallery said.
Yoon prepared for the exhibition in his spare time while playing a businessman in the MBC drama “Come Out Gold.”
“I’ve tried to work on it despite my busy schedule, and it made me think a lot,” Yeon said. “I have also tried to relax from time to time, and I feel as if I have matured by taking the photos.”
Yeon’s agency said the star’s academic background helped him become a photographer.
“He studied design in collage and graduate school, so he appreciates artistic value,” an official said.
Many fans are wondering whether Yeon’s wife Han Ga-in will appear in the exhibit as photos of her recently appeared online. |
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April 18, 2013
Ha Ji-won models in midair for Northcape
Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Ha Ji-won filmed a commercial for outdoor label Northcape yesterday. She hung suspended by ropes against a cliff face for the shoot.
[NEWSIS] |
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April 18, 2013
City Council outraged by 'Gentleman'
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Psy’s new music video for “Gentleman” is the subject of public debate as it shows the rapper behaving rudely.
A member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council said Wednesday that it is not appropriate for Psy and his backup dancers to perform at Seoul Metropolitan Library as it is a public place.
“After watching the music video, a foreigner could come and record himself dancing at the library,” Jung Se-hwan said. “We have shown [the public] that it is OK to run around [the library].”
He cited trouble that began at the Spanish Steps in Rome after Audrey Hepburn ate ice cream there in the classic film “Roman Holiday.” Despite warning notices, people still eat sweets there to this day.
In a separate move, KBS decided not to air the music video as Psy kicks a traffic cone set up to block cars from parking in an alleyway. Officials there said they would not tolerate such destruction of public facilities.
“Gentleman” was ranked 12th on the Billboard Hot 11 as of yesterday. |
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April 18, 2013
Baek Ji-young to wed Jung Suk-won
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer Baek Ji-young and actor Jung Suk-won will wed in June.
The stars’ agencies said in a press release that parents of the couple had met to confirm wedding plans recently and agreed to have the ceremony in June.
The exact date and venue has not yet been confirmed.
“We wanted to announce the wedding after more details were set, but we decided to share the news as some breakup rumors have been spreading recently,” the agencies said. “The two have been very careful about the wedding, but they are also honest about their plans. We hope everyone can congratulate them.”
Baek and Jung are said to have been seriously considering marriage since early this year.
Because Baek will debut in Japan soon and Jung will start filming “N.L.L-Battle,” they settled on a June ceremony.
Baek and Jung have been dating since early 2011 after they met through mutual acquaintances. Baek, 37, is nine years older than Jung. |
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April 18, 2013
Triumph of 'Jiseul' continues
After ticket sales pass 100,000 mark, indie film about 1948 Jeju Massacre gets wider release
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
After sweeping international film awards and hitting the 100,000-viewer mark last week, director O Muel’s independent film about the 1948 Jeju Massacre continues to attract audiences, earning additional screenings this week.
The film will be opening in 14 more theaters nationwide on Thursday to meet demand, according to the movie’s producer Japary Films.
“Jiseul” was initially released on March 21 in 56 theaters. The number of theaters screening the movie increased to 66 on April 11, and by last Friday more than 100,000 viewers had seen the film ― an unexpected record for a low-budget indie film.
A scene from O Muel’s “Jiseul.” (Japari Films)
An artistic, black-and-white work by Jeju-based director O Muel, “Jiseul” tells the story of a group of some 120 villagers who hid from soldiers in a cave during the massacre. The real-life incident resulted in the death of some 30,000 islanders as the government sought to quell an uprising led by a small group of communist insurgents.
The film premiered at last year’s Busan International Film Festival and won a total of four awards there ― including the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema Award and the Citizen Critics’ Award.
In January, it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival, becoming the first Korean movie to win the prestigious award. The film also won the top prize at this year’s Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema in Vesoul, France.
Since its local release in March, the film has been met rave reviews from audiences and critics, as well as cineastes.
“We should not credit this film just because it deals with the 1948 Jeju Massacre,” said filmmaker Park Chan-wook. “On top of paying attention to the historical event, this movie is a great artistic achievement. It’s very original and stunning.”
“This film offers a spiritual experience, rather than a cinematic one,” said film critic Jang Byung-won.
Director O is one of very few filmmakers who creates works about Jeju Island. All of his pieces, including “Jiseul,” were shot on his native Jeju, in the island’s dialect, featuring the lives of the locals. He studied visual art at Cheju National University and worked in Jeju’s performing arts scene before turning to filmmaking.
“Jiseul” is thought to be O’s grimmest work, noted for its exquisite, almost poetic cinematography. “Jiseul” means potatoes in the Jeju dialect. In the movie, it is the only food the villagers have and share while hiding together in the cave. |
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April 19, 2013
S. Korean film figure to win achievement award in Italian fest
YonhapNews
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- Kim Dong-ho, honorary director of Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), has been chosen to win a lifetime achievement award at an Italian film festival.
Kim will be awarded the Golden Mulberry for Lifetime Achievement Award on the opening night of the 15th Udine Far East Film Festival (FEFF) on Friday for his contribution to the birth and development of BIFF, the festival organizers said in a news release issued Thursday.
FEFF, scheduled for April 19-27 this year, is one of the largest film festivals credited with introducing Asian films in Europe.
After 30 years in public officialdom, the 75-year-old worked as the BIFF director until 2010 and developed the event into Asia's largest film festival.
In 2012, he made a movie directorial debut with the short film titled "Jury" for a local short film festival.
The 15th edition of the FEFF will open with South Korean director Ryu Seung-wan's latest action flick "The Berlin File," according to the organizers.
Other Korean films invited to the festival include the short film "Jury," "The Thieves," "A Werewolf Boy," "All About My Wife," "National Security" and "New World." |
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April 19, 2013
Grueling office life being satirized
By Baek Byung-yeul The Korea Times
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A poster for kbs drama “The Queen of Office” Courtesy of KBS
It is strange that the country never really had its version of ''The Office,’’ the British-inspired American sitcom that was a hilarious satire on the modern workplace. After all, weren’t Koreans the most depressed and overworked corporate citizens on the planet?
But it now appears that the anonymous workers behind the cubicles have finally acquired a voice through pop culture.
The new KBS television drama, ''The Queen of Office,’’ based on the Japanese comic book ''Haken no Hinkaku’’ and revolving around the story of a non-regular employee working her way up in the supermarket kingdom, is the most successful show of the year so far. The broadcaster is reporting viewer ratings of around 15 percent, a better audience record than any other drama in the same timeslot.
Meanwhile, the Internet cartoon ''Misaeng,’’ also about precarious workers but this time set in a cut-throat trading company, has become immensely popular to the point where a film or television adaptation seems inevitable.
In Queen, the protagonist Miss Kim, played by movie bombshell Kim Hye-soo, is portrayed as a non-regular employee with superb abilities, work ethic and a no nonsense attitude.
Kim gets to office at 9 a.m., and leaves at 6 p.m., unwilling to spend a microsecond more. She holds more than 120 skill certifications in all sorts of fields, executes work with perfection, and speaks a bunch of languages including Russian.
Kim’s confidence about her ability, and also the frustration from her contract situation, allows her to be protective about her private life and blatantly reject after-work drinking sessions and other oppressive traditions of the macho corporate culture.
She provides a sense of catharsis to the average television viewer, who knows they will probably never manage to be like her in real life.
''Although I am not a non-regular worker, I have seen numerous cases that they are treated as puppets in my company, too. The drama seems to portray this culture with authenticity,” said Park Jong-ho, 31-year-old office worker and drama fan.
''I was fed up with other television dramas that used office life just as a setup for a cliched ending where the man kisses the woman and we’re done. But Queen breaks this tradition and I can’t wait to see it every Monday evening.’’
While Yoon Tae-ho is firmly established as one of the country’s leading cartoonists, none of his work has been as popular as Misaeng, which is published on Daum (www.daum.net) on Tuesdays and Fridays. So far, the cartoon has garnered more than 8 million readers and its paperback version is selling well in bookstores too.
The protagonist is Jang Geu-rae, a man who tries to adjust to life as an office worker after failing as a professional baduk player. Yoon convincingly connects the cut-throat trading industry culture with the game of baduk, known as ''go’’ in Japan, and his painstaking research of the realities at trading companies allow him to provide a vivid description of life as a corporate underling.
Koreans, who on average work 300 hours more a year than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average, are celebrating cultural content representing their corporate culture. |
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April 19, 2013
Kim Tae-woo admits having surgery
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Kim Tae-woo confessed during the MBC talk show “Knee Drop Guru” on Thursday that he had surgery done underneath his tongue to make his pronunciation clearer. He also revealed all the disadvantages he faced to become an actor.
“I wanted to pronounce the ‘s’ sound better, so I had surgery to cut flesh under my tongue,” said Kim.
He said he considered having surgery on his nose.
“My voice gets extremely nasal when I don’t feel good because my nose has curves inside,” he said.
“But there was no guarantee that the situation gets better after any surgery, so I gave up on getting one.”
He said many people tried to stop him when he said he wanted to become an actor. Even his family told him that he didn’t have the looks to become an actor.
The fact that he knows what he lacks has made him become a talented actor, Kim said. He recently played the role of gang leader Jo Mu-cheol in the SBS drama “That Winter, The Wind Blows,” and won a lot of praise for his acting. |
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April 19, 2013
Teen Top special edition out April 29
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Boy band Teen Top will release a special edition of its first regular album on April 29 after releasing the music source four days in advance.
The group said it had put together a special album, “No.1 Repackage Special Edition,” to thank its fans for the love they showed for the first album, titled “No.1,” which was released in February.
In the special edition, the group included 12 songs which were listed in the regular album, plus two more new songs, “Walk By” and “My Stomach Hurts,” and two DVDs with recordings of the group’s previous hits.
“Walk By,” produced by Brave Brothers, features a mild vocal sound mixed with rap. Because the new song is a bonus track to thank its fans, the group included all the dance moves that fans loved to match the song.
“Walk By” will be performed in the group’s solo concert at Korea University for two days from May 11.
To make the concert more like a party scene, backup dancers will hold a poster saying “Teen Top” to make fans feel like they are onstage with the group members, according to the group’s agency. |
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April 19, 2013
Lee Young-ae promoting heritage
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Lee Young-ae, the star of the periodic drama “Dae Jang Geum,” will take a lead in promoting Korea’s cultural heritage after being chosen as an honorary ambassador for a Korea National Trust campaign named “My Love Cultural Heritage.”
“After I worked in periodic dramas, I have come to realize the beauty of Korea’s cultural heritage and how precious it is, once again,” Lee said in a release. “Also, after I became a mother, I felt the need to keep the heritage handed from our ancestors safe, so that the next generation can appreciate it to the fullest.”
This campaign invites the public to help preserve cultural artifacts. Anyone can take photos of a place that contains elements of Korean heritage and then post them online to request extra care for them. Photo takers should be shown in the photos and write down why the place is worth preserving on their online posts. The campaign will start June 1 and last until August 15.
“As this campaign is executed with public participation, I wanted to cooperate with them to maintain Korea’s beauty,” Lee said. |
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April 19, 2013
Baek Ji-young, Jung Suk-won to Wed in June
The ChosunIlbo
Baek Ji-young (left) and Jung Suk-won
Singer Baek Ji-young and actor Jung Suk-won abruptly announced their wedding plans on Thursday. The news came out amid recent rumors that they would soon part ways.
Baek's management agency WS Entertainment said 37-year-old Baek and her boyfriend Jung, who is 9 years younger, met with family members and decided to wed sometime in mid June.
"The exact date and wedding hall haven't been fixed yet," said an agency staffer. "They set a tentative date for their wedding in June in consideration of their schedules."
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