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Kim Jae-wook [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
10: Well since you're done with the drama, you'll have to start your activities with band 'Walrus.' How did this come about in the beginning?
Kim Jae-wook: We're all friends from college. It started with the three of us but we didn't have a bassist so one person joined recently. I had always wanted to work with him and it turns out he finished serving in the military early this year so I half forced him to join. (laugh)
10: I heard that it's been nine years since Walrus was formed. You weren't able to pursue your activities as a band very actively so what was the driving force behind you remaining together?
Kim: I'm not sure about that either. And I don't know about the other members but I at least have never given up on the fact that I'll do a band. Added to that, I always thought, 'I'm going to do a band. I'm going to do it with these guys.'
10: I don't know if it's understandable for a third party but how is it that you're sure that it's 'these guys' that you want to work with? I'm sure it's not just an issue of being close friends with them.
Kim: Hmm... Well with drummer Tae-hyun, I thought that I should do with him the moment I first saw him when I entered college. And I got to know the guitarist a bit after that. I think everybody feels like this? It doesn't work with one-sided love. I'm sure there are vocalists who are much better than me and drummers much better than Tae-hyun but I just felt that I should work with him.
10: I'm sure you have a simple dream for your band, not as a model or actor.
Kim: Well, if I may tell you without any consideration of what my band might think, (laugh) it's my dream to go on tour like in the movie "Almost Famous." We'd all live together in one bus for months -- the members of our band, the staff and a reporter from a magazine. I think it would be impossible to do in Korea so maybe, if I may be a bit greedy, I think I'd be very happy if I could live like that for a few months in the Asian market.
Kim Jae-wook [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
10: You performed on stage a couple of times last year including at the Grand Mint Festival. How would you evaluate your band's perfomance?
Kim: I don't know. I don't look at what we did afterwards. It's not because I'm confident but because I'm not. When I was in high school or before I started acting, I had so much freedom because people didn't have the image of me as being 'actor Kim Jae-wook' but I couldn't find my tension in the two performances I did after that. The performance had to go with my music, mood and style but my body just wouldn't move well. It's not that I'm scared of damaging my image as an actor. But I'm aware of it. Ultimately, it goes down to me, my identity. Fundamentally, there's also the problem of not having rehearsed enough or not having certainty about my music. I don't know when I'll be performing again but I'm going to try not to be like that again. I'm very sensitive about such trial and error. I need to make sure that it doesn't happen again if I want to feel happy about it. And I need to monitor what I've done. I still block my ears and scream "Ahhhhhh I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!!" when my friends start saying, "Hey, I saw you on YouTube and..." (laugh)
10: But I thought that people who do work that involves showing many other people usually fall under strong narcissism. I think they don't have that certain aura about them without it. It doesn't necessarily have to be narcissism but do you think you sort of have something like that too?
Kim: I do. I think it's really hard to be in this industry without it. I talked about that once with actor Lee Sun-kyun while drinking with him -- whether someone without narcissism can do something by exposing themselves and make something that has no answer to it. And we came to the conclusion that you can't express something and show who you are without being narcissistic. But the word 'narcissism' doesn't give off such a great vibe in Korea. It all goes down to whether you change some form of energy into narcissism and while I think I mostly felt hostility and rebellious when I was younger, I think I've changed a bit now. I've become more broad-minded as well. I think it shows in the lyrics that I write too.
10: I think songwriting probably feels different from modeling or acting in the sense that you express your idea in text and deliver it through singing. In a way I think it's the most difficult job to mask yourself.
Kim: I think I show myself the most through music. Because it's a genre where you can so express everything so purely without any filtering. And that's also why I think it's the most difficult. It's difficult and I try to be careful with it. Maybe that's why it took nine years. (laugh) And it's also difficult because I didn't learn to write somewhere and I don't know how others do it.
10: You started working in your late teens and you're now in your late twenties. I would say that you've relatively taken a path that you've chosen for yourself. What do you think?
Kim: I had fun. And rather than finding satisfaction out of it, I really think 'I would've had a really hard time if I hadn't done it this way.' Back then it was a really small choice that I made but I think not giving up or stepping back changed a lot of things for me. I also think I'm lucky even with the fact I've gotten this far. I guess I'm lucky. I actually haven't changed by much compared to then. I've just become more sly so I act differently from then in how I try not to have people misunderstand me, dislike me and not think I'm weird. If I keep using my energy to express hostility or rebelliousness while living a life that others don't think is natural, I'll only be turning myself into an outsider. But I think I'm growing increasingly scared because I didn't used to feel much stress over this back then. Now, I have things I need to protect and support, and a small mistake I make can lead to causing big problems. So I do have migraines that I didn't have before.
Kim Jae-wook [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
10: Do you still become interested in different fields of work?
Kim: Yes, I've had so many dreams since I was young. A police officer, cook, archeologist and I've also wanted to save penguins in the South Pole. But there's only a limited number of things one can do in their lifetime. And even though I know that, there are still new things that pop into my mind. I recently became an avid fan of the Spanish national football team. And I though, 'Is it too late to start soccer at 27?' I wanted to become a national soccer player of the Spanish team rather than wanting to play soccer. And I'm Korean! (laugh) So I just bought their home and away uniforms. I wear it when I'm at home and when I workout. I actually like baseball the most but I play a lot of soccer these days.
10: What do you think you need to live with the minimum amount of satisfaction?
Kim: I think it's people. The energy that is made during the time I spend while I'm alone is created during the time that I don't spend alone. So I think ultimately, you gain the most from people and you can't do anything without them.
10: Then what is the virtue you consider the most important of people and what would you never look past?
Kim: Hmm... This is difficult. There are many things I feel instinctively everyday when meeting people but I don't think I've ever put them into words. And of course there are a lot of things I wouldn't approve of. But I'll talk about this again when we do an unlimited interview. (laugh)
Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Lee Ji-Hye seven@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3 |
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August 20, 2010
Confucian institute protests over drama's scandalous title
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- Producers of a new KBS flagship drama series, "SungKyunKwan Scandal," hit an unexpected snag Friday as the centuries-old academic institution where the title derives its name protested, saying the drama's title is defamatory against it.
Choi Gun-duk, head of Songkyunkwan, established in 1398 as the highest educational institute for the Joseon Dynasty, demanded the national broadcaster change the drama's title, saying it's nonsense to associate the disgraceful word "scandal" with its Confucian heritage. The drama's English title is spelled differently but comes from the same Korean name.
"Songkyunkwan has been the sole national university of our traditional society where leaders of the nation were trained," Choi told reporters. "How could they attach the word 'scandal' to such a place? This is defamation." Choi expressed displeasure at the broadcaster's "haughty" attitude, saying it failed to respond to his complaint sent about 10 days ago.
"SungKyunKwan Scandal," set to premiere on Aug. 30, is a novel-based period drama portraying love and conflicts between students of noble families and troublemakers during the Joseon era. Its cast has drawn public attention, with Micky Yoochun, a member of idol group Dong Bang Shin Ki, making his drama debut as the lead actor.
"Songkyunkwan students studied much harder than students these days, and their ethical virtues were high," Choi said. "They say there's no legal problem with the title, but it's an ethical issue that's beyond law."
Kwag Ki-won, the drama's chief producer, said the title will stay, considering the fair amount of publicity given to it and the drama's pre-sale to Japan. But the broadcaster will try to get consensus from Choi and other elderly members in the Confucian institute, he added. "The difficult part is that the complaint comes from seniors of our society, so we feel troubled on moral grounds. But producers say a lot has been done for this drama and it's difficult to change the title at this stage," Kwag said.
Songkyunkwan now serves as a public research body for Korean classical studies. Separately, there is a private school in Seoul, Sungkyunkwan University, whose name was also taken from the historic institute but which has no relation to it.
Source: hkim@yna.co.kr yonhapnews.co.kr |
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Post Last Edit by katt at 20-8-2010 15:42
August 20, 2010
Ku Hye-sun reveals picture with T-MAX members
Editor: Lucia Hong
T-MAX member Shin Min-chul, actress Ku Hye-sun and Kim Jun [Official Ku Hye-sun Twitter site]
Multi-talented star Ku Hye-sun has given fans an update on her recent activities, revealing a photograph of herself with members of boy band T-Max.
Earlier today, Ku uploaded a photo on her official Twitter site (http://twitter.com//koohs) where she is seen sporting a shorter hairstyle and donning a shirt written T-MAX with the band's members Kim Jun and Shin Min- chul.
She added a comment saying, "I'm currently at the 'Boys Over Flowers' reunion in Japan. I'm going to play baseball wearing the T-MAX t-shirt that Jun gave me as a present. I think that I' ll have to wear it on my way back to Korea too. "
"Boys Over Flowers," originally a popular Japanese comic series, became a hit series when it first aired in Korea last January. The show drew in a huge audience in the neighboring Asian countries such as Japan, China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
The cast members including Ku, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum and Kim Jun were invited for the "Boys Over Flowers" reunion which was held in Osaka two days ago and in Tokyo on August 21.
Ku, who planned to make a debut as a singer under major talent agency YG Entertainment, began acting in several TV series and made a breakthrough with a role in "Pure in Heart" (KBS, 2006).
The actress became a household name throughout Asia with her role as Geum Jan-di in the mega-hit TV series "Boys Over Flowers." She is also a talented singer and songwriter, artist, novelist and scriptwriter.
She will be returning to the small screen in the upcoming TV series "The Musical," in which she plays a medical student who dreams of becoming a musical actress.
Reporter: Choi June-yong yjchoi01 @ Editor: Lucia Hong luciahong @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia
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August 20, 2010
Gong Yoo to promote "Coffee Prince" in Japan
Reporter: Lucia Hong Editor: Jessica Kim
Korean actor Gong Yoo [NOA Entertainment]
Korean actor Gong Yoo will promote hit Korean TV series "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince" in Japan this weekend, according to his agency NOA Entertainment on Friday.
NOA announced that Gong Yoo was invited by Fuji TV to attend an event titled "Coffee Prince 1.5th Shop IN United States of Odaiba" at Odaiba in Tokyo on August 22, where he will meet with about 2,000 fans to speak about filming the drama and participate in quizzes and games. He will then hold a press conference with local media including Yomiuri Shimbun, Hallyu Pia and Hanako.
The following day, Gong Yoo will make an appearance on Fuji TV's live variety program "Waratte Iitomo!" and appear on several radio talk shows such as Mnet Japan, BS Broadcast and Rainbow FM.
"Coffee Prince" made its premiere in Japan on August 11 as part of Fuji TV's "Hallyu Alpha Summer Festival," airing for the first time after it finished its run in Korea three years ago.
Fuji TV has shown other hit dramas for the drama fest including SBS '"Minamishineyo" and "Shining Inheritance."
Gong Yoo, whose real name is Gong Ji-cheol, made his debut in KBS TV series "School 4" in 2001. He has appeared in more than a dozen dramas and films including "My Tutor Friend," "S Diary" and "She's On Duty."
He first became a household name throughout Asia in the 2005 SBS 'drama "Hello My Teacher" and in "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince" with actress Yoon Eun-hye.
Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia |
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August 20, 2010
Actress Lee Yu-ri to marry next month
Reporter: Kang Geyong-rok Editor: Jessica Kim
Actress Lee Yu-ri [Asia Economic Daily]
Actress Lee Yu-ri will be getting married next month, according to her agency PAN Entertainment on Friday.
An official at PAN said the 28-year-old actress will tie the knot with a missionary studying theology through a private wedding in Seoul on September 6.
The official explained that the two had been friends since 2008 after meeting at bible study and started dating last year. "I have met the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I promise you that I we will love our life loving and understanding each other as well as being loving to others," Lee was quoted as saying.
Lee has appeared in close to a dozen dramas since debuting in 1999 including "Loving You," "Yellow Handkerchief," and "Mom has Grown Horns."
Reporter: Kang Geyong-rok rock @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia |
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August 20, 2010
[PHOTO] "Grand Prix" main cast pose at press conference
Actress Kim Tae-hee poses at a photocall during a press conference for film "Grand Prix" held at a Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on August 19, 2010.
From left, actress Kim Tae-hee and actor Yang Dong-geun pose during a photocall of a press conference for film "Grand Prix" held at a Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on August 19, 2010.
From left, actor Yang Dong-geun and actress Kim Tae-hee attend a press conference for film "Grand Prix" held at a Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on August 19, 2010.
Actress Kim Tae-hee arrives on stage for a press conference for film "Grand Prix" held at a Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on August 19, 2010.
Photographer: Han Youn-jong hyj0709 @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim @ <Ⓒ 10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3 |
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August 20, 2010
Kim Tae-hee says greedy about success after "IRIS"
Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok Editor : Jessica Kim
Actress Kim Tae-hee speaks during a press conference for film "Grand Prix" held at a Megabox theater in Seoul, South Korea on August 19, 2010. [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]
Actress Kim Tae-hee has said she has become greedy about seeing the productions she stars in do well after the success of last year's TV series "IRIS."
"I never dwelled on movie admissions or TV ratings before but I've started to become greedy about them after seeing 'IRIS' become a hit," the 30-year-old actress said to reporters during a press conference for her upcoming film "Grand Prix" on Thursday. "I used to just rest comfortably, my mind at peace, after I'm done filming but this time, I've been feeling very nervous and worried a lot as well," she added.
"IRIS" became a national phenomenon in Korea last year for its intense storyline, global location shoots and a star-studded cast including actors Lee Byung-hun, Kim So-yeon and Jung Joon-ho.
The drama sparked a frenzy among viewers around the country and dominated weekly TV ratings charts during its two-month run.
"Grand Prix," also starring singer and actor Yang Dong-geun, is about two jockeys who befriend each other while competing in the grand prix with a new horse.
The pic is set for a release around the Korean thanksgiving holidays in late September.
Kim, rose to fame after appearing in the hit SBS TV series "Stairway to Heaven" in 2003 alongside Hallyu stars Kwon Sang-woo and Choi Ji-woo and has since appeared in several dramas and movies.
Yang, who debuted as a hip-hop singer, is known for playing unconventional characters with his unique style of acting. He is making his acting comeback after more than two years through "Grand Prix" -- he was discharged from the army a few months ago after fulfilling the country's mandatory two-year military duties.
Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia
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August 20, 2010
Shortlist unveiled for Seoul International Drama Awards
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul International Drama Awards' organizing committee on Friday unveiled a shortlist of candidates for a slew of awards to be bestowed next month at the annual international event.
The awards ceremony, set for Sept. 10 and hosted by The Korean Broadcasters Association, drew 172 entries from 43 countries.
Six dramas were nominated for Best Director: "Homecoming" from Taiwan; "The Summit" from Canada; "Desperate Parents 2" from France; "Park Road" from Denmark; "Father & Son" from Ireland; and "The Pleiades" from China.
Lee Byung-hun, who played a security agent against North Korean infiltrators in the KBS hit drama "IRIS," is one of the seven candidates vying for Best Actor. Other contenders are James Cromwell of "The Last Days of Lehman Brothers" (Britain); Ivailo Hristov of "Ruth" (Bulgaria); Carl-Kristian Rundman of "Easy Living" (Finland); Mark Harmon of "NCIS" Season 7 (U.S.); Julio Chavez of "Be Kind to Me" (Argentina); and Dougray Scott of "Father & Son" (Ireland).
The seven nominees for Best Actress are: Adrienne Pauly of "The Killer Queen" (France); Abbey Hoes of "Maite Was Here" (Netherlands); Machiko Ono of "Goldfish" (Japan); Margot Ros and Maike Meijer of "Tower C" (Netherlands); Erin Karpluk of "Being Erica" Series 2 (Britain); Yuko Tanaka of "The Pleiades" (China); and Susan Roces of "A Christmas Hope" (Philippines).
This year, the organizers created the new Korean Wave Special Prize category that was selected through a vote by local and foreign correspondents here and people in the drama industry. "The Slave Hunters" swept the section with the Grand Prize, Best Actor, which was shared with "IRIS," and Best Director.
Best Actress was shared by Ko Hyeon-jung of "The Great Queen Seondeok" and Han Hyo-joo of "Shining Inheritance."
Source: hkim@yna.co.kr yonhapnews.co.kr |
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August 20, 2010
Confucian institute protests over drama's scandalous title
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- Producers of a new KBS flagship drama series, "SungKyunKwan Scandal," hit an unexpected snag Friday as the centuries-old academic institution where the title derives its name protested, saying the drama's title is defamatory against it.
Choi Gun-duk, head of Songkyunkwan, established in 1398 as the highest educational institute for the Joseon Dynasty, demanded the national broadcaster change the drama's title, saying it's nonsense to associate the disgraceful word "scandal" with its Confucian heritage. The drama's English title is spelled differently but comes from the same Korean name.
"Songkyunkwan has been the sole national university of our traditional society where leaders of the nation were trained," Choi told reporters. "How could they attach the word 'scandal' to such a place? This is defamation." Choi expressed displeasure at the broadcaster's "haughty" attitude, saying it failed to respond to his complaint sent about 10 days ago.
"SungKyunKwan Scandal," set to premiere on Aug. 30, is a novel-based period drama portraying love and conflicts between students of noble families and troublemakers during the Joseon era. Its cast has drawn public attention, with Micky Yoochun, a member of idol group Dong Bang Shin Ki, making his drama debut as the lead actor.
"Songkyunkwan students studied much harder than students these days, and their ethical virtues were high," Choi said. "They say there's no legal problem with the title, but it's an ethical issue that's beyond law."
Kwag Ki-won, the drama's chief producer, said the title will stay, considering the fair amount of publicity given to it and the drama's pre-sale to Japan. But the broadcaster will try to get consensus from Choi and other elderly members in the Confucian institute, he added. "The difficult part is that the complaint comes from seniors of our society, so we feel troubled on moral grounds. But producers say a lot has been done for this drama and it's difficult to change the title at this stage," Kwag said.
Songkyunkwan now serves as a public research body for Korean classical studies. Separately, there is a private school in Seoul, Sungkyunkwan University, whose name was also taken from the historic institute but which has no relation to it.
Source: hkim@yna.co.kr yonhapnews.co.kr
Confucian institute asks KBS to change drama title
By Kang Shin-who
Sungkyunkwan, Korea’s traditional Confucian institution, is protesting to the state-run KBS for the title of its new drama series, “Sungkyunkwan Scandal.”
Choi Gun-duk, head of the centuries-old academic institute, requested the broadcaster to change the name, claiming it is defamatory. Choi sent a letter to the broadcaster 10 days ago to express his dissatisfaction with the title, but KBS failed to reply.
The English title of the drama is spelled slightly differently but comes from the same Korean name. The highest educational institute during the Joseon Dynasty was established in 1398. “It’s nonsense to associate the disgraceful word ‘scandal’ with the Confucian heritage,” Choi was quoted as saying. “Sungkyunkwan is the sole national university from our traditional society where past leaders of the nation were trained.”
“How could they attach the word ’scandal’ to such a noble place? This is defamation,” he added.
The drama, scheduled to begin airing on Aug. 30, is a period drama portraying love and conflict between students of noble families and troublemakers during the Joseon era. Mickey Yoochun, a singer of pop group Dong Bang Shin Ki, is the main actor in the drama, making his television debut.
KBS producers said they have no plans to change the name, saying, “Drama titles should be understood as part of artistic creativity, but it seems to have been taken too seriously and sensitively.”
Source: ksw@koreatimes.co.kr |
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August 20, 2010
Shin Seung-hun to Perform Charity Concerts in Japan
Shin Seung-hun
Singer Shin Seung-hun plans to hold two charity concerts in Japan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut.
He will perform his Global Peace with Music 2010 show at Grand Cube Osaka on Sept. 14 and the Tokyo International Forum on Sept. 16.
Proceeds from the concerts will be donated to help countries ravaged by earthquakes such as Haiti and Chile.
Source: englishnews@chosun.com |
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August 20, 2010
Female Korean Singers A Hit in Japan
Korean female singers are expanding their power in Japan by sweeping all the charts in the area, such as sound source, record, and DVD.
The girl group KARA released its single album called “Mister,” which includes their flashy dancing in Japan, and as of the morning of Friday the 20th, it is still proudly maintaining its No. 1 position on the iTunes music video chart. It has already been there for 10 days.
On the other hand, BoA, a famous female singer, hit number 2 on the Oricon DVD chart. Her DVD includes her concert tour Live Tour 2010 Identity held last February and it ranked second in both fields of the daily DVD music.
BoAs 7th album Identity includes the songs “This is Who I am” and “Easy,” besides 11 other songs.
The hot girl group Girls Generation who will hold a first show case in Japan on the 25th released their album “New Beginning for Girls Generation” there on the 11th. The album placed 3rd on the DVD week chart for music area and 4th on the overall chart.
“Abracadabra” of Brown Eyed Girls, another hot female group from Korea, is now in 2nd place on the iTunes dance singles chart.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr |
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August 20, 2010
Big Bang may release new album in Oct or Nov
Reporter : Lucia Hong Editor : Jessica Kim
Korean pop idols Big Bang (from left to right): Daesung, T.O.P, Taeyang, G-Dragon and Seungri [Official Big Bang website]
Korean idols Big Bang may be making a comeback to the local music scene in October or November, according to their agency YG Entertainment on Friday.
An official from YG told 10Asia over the phone, "There are plans for the boys to release a new album but it is tentative -- it will depend on the progress of the album." The last full-length album that the group released in the country was "REMEMBER," which featured their title track "Red Sunset," a remake of veteran singer Lee Moon-sae’s song, two years ago.
The five-member boy band, discovered and trained by major talenthouse YG Entertainment, is known as one of the biggest names in the Korean pop industry. They have released various hits such as "Dirty Cash," "With U," "Lies" and "Haru Haru."
Each member has branched out into individual projects with T.O.P starring in the war epic "71 Into the Fire" alongside Hallyu star Kwon Sang-woo and Cha Seung-won as well as appearing on the small screen for KBS drama “I Am Sam” and releasing his first solo album in June.
Member Daesung was a regular on the weekend variety program "Family Outing Season 1" with top Korean MC Yoo Jae-suk, while G-Dragon, Taeyang and Seungri focused on their solo music careers releasing albums and songs that have fared well on numerous online and offline music charts.
The group also successfully crossed over to the Japanese pop market in June of last year and went on to winning several awards at the MTV World Stage Video Music Awards Japan in this May.
They took the stage at the Summer Sonic Festival 2010 featuring the biggest names in the music industry, performing their Japanese hits "How Gee," "Number 1," "Tell Me Goodbye," "Koe Wo Kikasete (Let Me Hear Your Voice)," "Gara Gara Go!!" and new tunes “Hands Up” and “Beautiful Hangover” which will be released on August 25.
Big Bang members (from left to right): T.O.P, Seungri, Taeyang, G-Dragon and Daesung [Official Big Bang website]
Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@ Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia |
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August 20, 2010
Girls Generation Gains Popularity in Japan
As the girl group Girls Generation is planning to release their Japanese debut single album entitled “Genie” in Japan on September 8, the number of showcases that they will perform there has been increased to three.
Their Japanese agency, Universal Music, delivered the news on August 19 that the number of audience members who wanted to participate in the Girls Generation’s live concert showcase, which would be held in Ariake Colosseum located in Tokyo on August 25, had greatly increased, so the host added two more showcases. Therefore Girls Generation will hold three showcases in total in Japan.
Ten thousand DVDs, in which the tickets for the live showcase had been included, were sold out as soon as their sales by subscription had begun, so people could no longer purchase the DVDs in the store. The host additionally took ticket bookings from people who wanted to participate in the concert, and the number of people unexpectedly exceeded 18,000, so the host decided to add two more concerts to make three showcases in total.
In the Girls Generation’s first single album in Japan, the Korean and Japanese versions of the hit song “Genie” will be included.
Members of the Girls Generation will visit Japan on August 23 to perform the showcases
Source: KBS Global |
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August 22, 2010
Micky's challenge: from idol to actor
By Han Sang-hee
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Park Yoo-chun, known as TVXQ member Micky,
will take a new challenge as actor
for his first-ever drama “Sungkyunkwan Scandal.”
Transforming from an idol to an actor can be tricky.
Not only does it require superb acting skills to wash away that idol image, but he or she must go through worries, criticism and also harsh self-discipline. Amid the numerous crossovers of young and determined stars, a particularly famous one is aiming to captivate viewers with his never-before-seen acting.
Dressed in "hanbok," or traditional Korean clothes, TVXQ member Micky (real name Park Yoo-chun) looked proud, yet a bit nervous to represent his first–ever drama "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" at a press conference held at the W Hotel, northern Seoul, last week. The doll-faced 24-year-old will appear as Lee Sun-jun in the period drama and work with fellow actors Park Min-young, Song Joong-ki and Yoo Ah-in.
The soap is a "campus romance drama," according to the production company, and will bring Korean history, comedy and romance to the small screen. Korean period dramas have not only been popular here, but also overseas, and they tend to have certain patterns: traditional dress, ancient Korean vernacular, love triangles, and the inner struggle between personal goals and traditional traits.
"Sungkyunkwan Scandal" is no different. The heroine Kim Yoon-hee, played by Park Min-young, has been responsible for her household after her father died and brother became ill in the busy times of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). She decides that the only way for her to not worry about food and money is to disguise herself as a man and try for the state examination and become a court official. She enters Sungkyunkwan, or a Confucian Academy, to study and meets fellow classmates: the strict and handsome Sun-jun, the playboy Koo Yong-ha (played by Song) and the rough and wild Moon Jae-shin (played by Yoo). The journey begins as Kim, a pretty-faced student in disguise, struggles to fulfill her dream to become an official and hopefully discover true love along the way.
The biggest concern is not the familiar storyline or good looking stars dressed in colorful hanbok, but the acting. The four main actors are relatively young ― all are 24 except for the 25-year-old Song ― and have not made lasting impressions in their acting careers as yet. Additionally, period dramas are known to be especially tricky due to the old-fashioned dialect and behavior.
Despite these worries, the drama’s producer Kim Won-suk expressed his confidence in working with the young actors, especially Park Yoo-chun. "Park was already on the team when I decided to helm the drama. But if I had the chance to pick the actors again, I would have picked him. I know many people are looking forward to, and are also worried about his acting, but I can tell you all that he is doing great," Kim said.
Park also had to deal with the interest and pressure put on him, though he did a pretty good job in keeping a straight face and calmly answering questions regarding his lack of acting experience.
"Of course, being my first work and all, I thought about my acting a lot. I think this was a chance where I discovered a new me. The staff were generous enough to pick me for the role," he said smiling. "I have been dancing for a long time, and I had a pretty tough time realizing that the martial arts sequences were not to be shown as choreography. I have been immersed in the drama and although it’s been tough with the weather and the bugs, it’s been fun," Park added.
It was hard not to notice the enormous interest showering the star. Even the press conference was a bit overdone. The event seemed to have lost its true purpose and turned into a promotional circus. It included two fashion shows; one by 2009, 2010 Miss Korea contestants and models and another by the actors themselves. The hanbok display was, indeed colorful and beautiful, but there was nothing different from those seen in previous and even current historical series.
A preview screening is one of the most important channels that uncovers the gist of the drama and also help the press understand the storyline easier and faster. The 8-minute highlight video was not enough to bring out the overall vibe of the work. It took an hour and a half to finally bring out the actors and producer to the table for a Q and A session.
Micky was introduced as "Park Yoo-chun" from start to finish, probably because he really wants to turn over a new leaf. The TVXQ member may have found it interesting to discover the actor within, but it will take a bit more than generosity and soul searching to spearhead a full-length drama, especially when all eyes are on him. Will he be able to shine in the spotlight? Fans will find out on Aug. 30 at 9:55 p.m.
Source: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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August 22, 2010
Local film industry cites need for Hollywood money
U.S. legislator to receive honorary doctorateSouth Korea, U.S. begin war gamesBeckham’s sister on state financial aid
To resuscitate the ailing local film industry, it must get into bed with Hollywood to co-finance and co-produce films, industry insiders said in a forum Friday.
From its struggles with online piracy, sharp contraction in overseas distribution and sales, and “a failure to get on board the emerging trend of multimedia convergence,” doom and gloom were the words to describe the future of the local film industry during the “Korean Films Going Global” forum at the Korea Chamber of Commerce in Seoul, Friday.
“Unless the Korean film industry begins globalizing through co-financing, co-production, and content sharing with Hollywood, it will continue its course of decline,” said Seo Hyeon-dong, team leader of CJ Entertainment’s overseas investment and production division.
CJ is the current market leader among all major film studios having captured 27.3 percent of the market share this year from its closest rivals Showbox, Mediaplex, and Lotte Entertainment.
Of the industry’s dire situation, Seo added that in order for the local film industry to bounce back “we must come up with content that is accessible to the world ― not just among Koreans.” “With the global film industry going digital, restrictions have been brought down and boundaries broken, and the industry has become one market.” Social networking and online content sharing sites such as Facebook and YouTube were mentioned during the conference as important factors in film marketing and promotion in addition to content development.
Seo added, “with the likes of YouTube, Facebook, and the iPhone ― where people all over can receive and share content ― the ability to seize the opportunity that such outlets can provide has become crucial in the development of ideas as well as for the industry’s survival.”
On the continuing spread of online piracy, illegal distribution, and a reduction in overseas sales of Korean films this year, Seo said “Adding to the industry’s current crisis are paralyzing factors such as online piracy, illegal content distribution, and a contraction in overseas sales of our films.”
Zhang Zhen and Hong Joo-ah in “Breath”
According to latest industry reports, there’s been a two-fold increase in illegal film distribution since 2006 when there were an estimated 36,000 piracy cases reported. In 2008 alone, the cost of damage from over 67,000 cases was estimated at 710 billion won. More alarming has been the sharp decline in export sales of local films as foreign distributors have been giving Korean films the cold shoulder.
Jung Woo-sung in “The Good, the Bad, and the Weird”
Compared to the $76 million worth of film distribution rights sold to overseas markets in 2005, only a fraction of that amount was seen in 2008 with just over $20 million.
This year, it hasn’t gotten any better.
Based on reports from the Cannes International Film Festival earlier in May, only a handful of Korean films were sold to overseas distributors at the film market during the event. Of them, Kim Ji-woon’s western, “The Good, The Bad, the Weird,” was sold to distributors in France and the U.K., while Kim Ki-duk’s “Breath” was sold to the U.S. and the U.K.
Lee Byung-hun in “I Saw the Devil”
They were the only two films foreign distributors purchased.
Adding to the industry’s concerns have been recent reports that annual theater attendance from movie-goers have been down since the previous year despite revenues reaching a record high on the back of the success of 3-D fare like “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland.”
Local cinemas saw a 14.6 percent spike in their total box office take over the same period last year while the number of admissions at multiplexes was down 3.9 percent, according to a recent report by the Korean Film Council.
Seo went on to declare that China’s film industry ― a country whose industry remains outside of the top 15 countries ― would overtake Korea by 2020. Korea is ranked by market analysts within CJ Entertainment at 11th in the world, behind U.S. at first, Japan at second and the U.K. at third.
Won Bin in “The Man from Nowhere”
“The Chinese film industry is benefiting from a synergy effect due largely to the mass exodus of the Hong Kong film industry’s talent pool to mainland China,” Seo said. “As it looks now, the Chinese film industry will crack the top 10 before Korea does, by the year 2020.”
To prevent the continuing decline of the Korean film industry Seo added, “our industry must come up with ‘global films’ ― films that can be applicable to a world audience. In order for this to be possible, we must link up with Hollywood studios to co-produce and co-finance films.”
Roy Lee, co-founder and producer at Vertigo Entertainment said during his keynote address that the feeling is mutual for Hollywood film studios as they too are seeking co-financing opportunities. He said major studios in Hollywood are also keen on the prospects of co-financing with studios from other countries to lessen their financial burden.
Lee added that this decision to reduce output has seen a steep contraction in film productions by American studios because of the dramatic increase in marketing costs and “the collapse of the DVD market.” “In the past, the studios financed their films with the belief that they could count on a certain amount of revenue generated by the DVD release,” Lee said.
“At one point, the revenues generated by a film on DVD would match or even exceed the amount of revenue generated by the theatrical release. Now that the studios cannot rely on the revenue stream of the DVD release, it has caused the studios to reduce the amount of money they would typically use to fund the film production.” Lee is credited for ushering in the Asian remake boom that started with the American version of the Japanese horror film, “The Ring” in 2002.
Lee Joo-ick, CEO of Boram Entertainment also spoke of the non-existent home entertainment market in Korea contributing to the decline of the film industry. He stated Korea had a “less than spectacular DVD and home entertainment market to begin with,” and added “in Japan, DVD sales have not dwindled as there is strong demand in content for the home entertainment industry. Japanese investors can recoup costs through ancillary revenue generated by DVD sales.”
“This is in contrast to the Korean film industry where its studios have to rely on revenue made solely from its theatrical run and this in turn causes studios to be cautious of taking risks with new and innovative content.”
By Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com) koreaherald.com |
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August 23, 2010
Asian pop stars to add sparkle to G-20 summit
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Leading Asian pop stars will gather here in October to lend the city a festive mood ahead of the G-20 summit that will be held for the first time in Asia later this year, organizers said Monday.
The Asia Song Festival, an annual pop music event hosted by Korea, was set for Oct. 23 this year in celebration of the November meeting of leaders from the world's 20 biggest economies in Seoul, they said. All proceeds from the festival will be donated to UNICEF for children in flood-struck Pakistan.
"I've been trying to do this kind of peace concert for many years," Jackie Chan, a Hong Kong actor and producer named as the honorary chair of the festival's organizing committee, said in a press conference. "Every day I watch the news and read newspapers. I ask myself, 'What's wrong?' Natural disasters we cannot stop, but people-created disasters we can stop," he said. "It's not only about a concert, it's also about a message -- love each other."
South Korean pop diva Boa, also active in Japan and the United States and set to make her Hollywood acting debut next year, will perform at the festival. The tentative lineup also features Jane Zhang, dubbed China's Mariah Carey for her high octave range, Taiwanese singer and entertainer Joe Cheng and Malaysian singer-songwriter and Asia-wide sensation Michael Wong.
A total of 15 teams from seven countries will participate in the event to be held at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul, the organizers said. Lee Min-ho, a South Korean actor known for his lead role in the hit drama series "F4," will also promote the event as its publicity ambassador. The Asia Song Festival, launched in 2004, is jointly organized this year by the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, the Metropolitan Government of Seoul and the Korean Committee for UNICEF.
Source: hkim@yna.co.kr yonhapnews.co.kr |
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August 23, 2010
"The Man From Nowhere" hangs onto No. 1 spot
No. 1 movie in the country "The Man From Nowhere"
Korean action pic "The Man From Nowhere" held onto to its title as the No. 1 movie in the country for the third straight week between August 20 to 22.
According to the Korean Box Office System (KOBIS) on Monday, "Man" attracted 640,755 moviegoers over the weekend, bringing its total gross to almost 26.8 billion won since opening in local theaters on August 4.
"Man," starring Korean actor Won Bin and child actress Kim Sae-ron, is about Tae-shik (Won Bin) who isolated himself from the world and leads a lonely life until he the girl next door named So-mi (Kim) . When he finds out that So-mi and her mother are kidnapped, Tae-shik goes on a hunt to find his new friend.
Meanwhile, M. Night Shyamalan's latest fantasy flick "The Last Airbender" entered the local box office charts in second place with 621,701 viewers, while Korean thriller "I Saw the Devil," starring Hallyu star Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik, dropped one spot to No. 3 with 283,439 admissions.
Hollywood film "Inception" also slipped one slot from the previous weekend selling 262,013 tickets and Sylvester Stallone's action movie "The Expendables" entered the charts in fifth place with 189,239 admits.
Other movies in the top 10 included "Toy Story 3," "Ghost House," "Salt," "Magic Chunja" and "Step Up 3-D."
Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong @ Editor: Jessica Kim jesskim Ⓒ 10Asia |
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August 23, 2010
Kim Tae Hee: ‘Since the hit IRIS, I Feel Greedy about Success’
"I did not care much about the number of viewers and the viewer ratings before, but as the drama ‘IRIS’ gained huge success, I began to feel greedy about being successful.” -Kim Tae Hee
At the production presentation of the movie “Grand Prix” (to be released on September 16) held at Megabox in Dongdaemun on August 19, the female protagonist Kim Tae Hee revealed both the pressure about the movie’s success and her desire to be successful. Kim Tae Hee said, “Usually I become very comfortable after I finish filming, but this time, I sometimes became nervous and worried, and it meant that I might be feeling pressure about this movie.”
In “Grand Prix,” the main protagonist is a female jockey, Joo Hee (Kim Tae Hee), who has lost her confidence due to an accident that happened during a horse race. She gave up everything and went to Jeju Island, and there she met Woo Seok (Yang Dong Geun), who had lived with similar emotional scars. She became encouraged by his help and challenged herself again by participating in the biggest horse racing championship.
Director Yang Yoon Ho, who produced the movie “Holiday,””Fighter in the Wind,” and “Libera Me” and the drama “IRIS,” directed the movie.
Kim Tae Hee said that she took part in this kind of movie, in which the female protagonist leads the whole story, for the first time, and after beginning filming, he had felt more pressure than she expected. Kim added that she did not analyze the character thoroughly; instead, she met with female jockeys and listened to their stories about how they live. She said, “As they have a job living together with animals, they seemed to have an innocent and pure spirit. I tried my best to express their spirit as much as possible.”
She revealed that she had been afraid of riding horses before beginning to film, but with luck, she had not fallen from a horse. She said, “While I filmed the movie with a horse for four to five months, I could realize the attractiveness of the horse. I want to keep riding horses in the future.”
About the question asking when the most sparkling moment was for her, she answered, “I have never thought that I shine brightly. But, if I look back upon the past, I can realize that it was such a valuable and happy time. From now on, I want to seize the every moment of my happy and valuable life and want to feel the moment 100 percent.”
Actor Lee Joon Ki had initially been cast for the character Woo Seok, but as he had to join the army, Yang Dong Geun took the role instead. The director Yang Yoon Ho explained that as the actor had been changed, the scenes where the man and woman meet had to be almost entirely changed.
For actor Yang Dong Geun, who had been discharged from the army in March, the movie “Grand Prix” is the first work in which he appears after making a comeback. When he was in the army, he moved his unit from the military band to the Defense Media Agency for Public Information Service, and hosted a radio program entitled “Comfort Train.” He said, “While I was in the army, I really wanted to act. I can say that it was a huge desire for acting. It was very funny because I had complained by saying ‘I do not want to work. Do I have to quit this job as an actor?’ before I joined the army.”
Source: KBS Global |
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August 23, 2010
8-month pregnant Ko So-young still looking stylish
Ko So-young, in her eighth month of pregnancy, caught the eyes of many fans as she shot a TV commercial alongside her husband Jang Dong-gun.
According to cable channel Y-STAR’s “Star News,” this celebrity couple was chosen to represent a new line of luxurious home appliances released by “L” company. The two shot the ad at a set in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do.
Ko arrived at the set, wearing black hot pants and sunglasses, not usual attire for someone eight months pregnant, and proved herself, once again, to be a fashion icon.
Rumors have it that Ko stayed after she finished shooting to encourage Jang, who came to the set later.
Jang was seen wearing a black hat, black sunglasses, and a big white bag, which matched Ko’s outfit.
Scenes from the couple’s TV ad aired on Y-STAR’s “Star News” at 11 a.m. on Monday.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr |
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