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Jul 25, 2006
Tickets for Film "Fly Daddy" Sold Out before Opening
Tickets for the upcoming movie "Fly Daddy" have been sold out even before the movie's opening as moviegoers rushed to buy tickets. The viewers are anxious not to miss the opportunity to see its lead actors, Lee Mun-shik and Lee Jun-ki, who are scheduled to welcome viewers personally on the day of the film抯 opening.
The two actors will meet with viewers on August 3, the movie's opening date, at the Daehan Theater (430 seats) and the Seoul Theater (900 seats). With two weeks to go before the movie's premiere, fans flocked to book tickets, showing an unprecedented response in domestic box-office history. Tickets that went on sale via the Internet on July 21 were sold out immediately, and box-office sales that began the following day closed in just two hours.
Ardent fans stood in lines from 3 a.m. at the Daehan Theater so as not to miss the two lead actors of "Fly Daddy" introducing the movie in person. Those who missed tickets for the timeslot when the two stars are scheduled to appear onstage were frustrated to learn that all tickets had already been sold out. The announcement of additional stage appearances by the two Lees will likely elicit an equally explosive response from viewers.
"Fly Daddy" is a story about an embattled 39-year-old head of a family who receives special training from a skilled 19-year-old brawler and is reborn as a hero.
Slated to open on August 3, the movie is expected to evoke much laughter from viewers.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1407524_11858.html |
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July 25, 2006
'Lump of Sugar' Goes Down Well
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Poster of the new movie "Lump Sugar,"
which stars Lim Soo-jung
Coming domestic movie "Lump Sugar" (Kaksoltang) is the first film to feature a dynamic horse race, and its main actress says during the shooting she learned that humans and animals can develop deep friendship, an event that took place in the film's story.
"Of course, it was so hard to act with a horse in the film," Lim Soo-jung said Monday during a news conference followed by the preview screening of "Lump Sugar" at Yongsan CGV multiplex theaters in Seoul.
"But as we shot more and more together, the sensitive and inattentive horse started to look into my eyes just like my mother when I hugged her or cried. I think I and the horse shared each other抯 feelings."
Directed by Lee Hwan-kyung, the film revolves around Si-eun (played by Lim) who dreams of becoming a jockey.
She loves a horse named Changgun, but it dies when it gives birth. As she lives with a single father, she feels sympathy for the foal and she takes a good care of her, naming her Chundung, which means thunder in Korean.
But as her father doesn't want his daughter to become a jockey and sells Chundung without telling her.
Two years pass and Si-eun becomes a jockey, but she experiences discrimination because she is a woman. One day, she encounters Chundung on a street where she pulls a wagon to promote a dance club.
The role was challenging for the actress who has played cute characters in hits such as the television drama "Mianhada Saranghanda" (I'm Sorry, I Love You) (2005), an omnibus film about various couples "Sad Movie" (2005) and the horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters" (2003).
For months she had to take an intensive training course in horse riding, and sometimes encountered dangerous moments including accidents in which she was on the verge of being kicked or bitten by her partner.
As Chundung is not a "professional" horse actor trained for movies but a race horse chosen from some 1,000 horses for a more realistic portrayal of the horse races in the film, the acting was more difficult than she expected.
But Lim said that she learned more about how to express her inner feelings tactfully thanks to the film.
"Even if you're ready, you can't shoot if the horse is not ready. It's very tricky. But the experiences from the film gave me a chance to develop my acting skills especially in the control and expression of my inner feelings at the right moment," Lim said.
After "Kaksoltang," Lim will star in director Park Chan-wook's new film "Ssaibogusiman Kwanchana" along with singer Rain. In the romantic drama, whose title is roughly translated "Although I am a Cyborg, it's OK," she plays a peculiar and wacky girl who thinks she is a combat cyborg.
"Lump Sugar" opens at local theaters on Aug. 10.
e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr
07-25-2006 17:19
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/ ... 072517190511700.htm |
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Kim Jang-hoon抯 Concerts Top Sales Charts for 3 Consecutive Weeks
2006-07-25
Singer Kim Jang-hoon抯 揝mall Theater |
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Local Movies Thrive on Nationalism
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Korean movies thrive on nationalism as five of the 10 recent box-office local movies deal with nationalistic themes.
Heavy on anti-Japanese sentiment or rather on anti-foreign forces sentiment, "Hanbando (Korean Penisula)'' is the latest among the nationalism-tinged films that have become box office hits.
Among the 10 most viewed films of all time, five deal with nationalistic issues: "Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood War'' (2004), "Welcome to Dongmakgol'' (2005), "Silmido'' (2004), "Swiri'' (1999) and "Joint Security Area (JSA)'' (2000).
Despite concerns over the film's controversial theme, "Hanbando'' ranked top at the box office this week, dethroning hitherto Hollywood blockbusters such as "Superman Returns" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' from local movie theaters.
According to KnJ Entertainment, the film's production company, "Hanbando'' drew over 1.5 million moviegoers for five days since its release on July 13. It is currently shown at 500 screens, one-third of the 1,500 screens across the country. There are few competitors at the box office.
But the film's controversial theme has drawn mixed reviews from audiences. A flotilla of Japanese and Korean naval forces stand face to face on a calm East Sea. It's not over the Dokdo islets, but over Japan's claim to reconnected inter-Korean railway. Japan claims ownership to the railway, which is symbolic of Korea's turbulent modern history梑uilt at the turn of the century by the then-colonial Japan, severed during the Korean War and then reconnected post-Cold War.
Those who enjoyed the film praised it highly saying that the current and past situation of Korea is mirrored well in the film.
"I liked the film, despite some flaws in the development of the story in the later half of the film. It gave me a moment to think about my country and history,'' Kim Ji-hong, 28, office worker, said.
English instructor Suh Bo-yon, 32, said, "I think the film stimulates the sentiments that Korean audiences share, commercially and in an interesting way. And as a commercial film, nationalistic themes didn't really irritate me a lot.''
But those who criticize the film, including Kim Hye-jung, 25, an officer worker based in Seoul, say that it is out of tune with reality and intentionally strikes nationalistic nerves for its commercial success. "It doesn't really make sense,'' Kim said. "It has a too narrow perspective on the complicated diplomatic situation, and it abuses the Koreans' negative sentiment against Japan for its commercial success.''
The film's director Kang Woo-suk doesn't cringe because of such negative criticism. He also does not hide his purpose and openly says that his film aims to criticize Japan.
"This is not a film that merely criticizes Japan without reason,'' Kang told reporters earlier this month after the pre-screening of his film at Seoul Theater, downtown Seoul. "Considering its thoughtless behavior, I really wanted to attack Japan through my film.''
Such movies with nationalistic themes, however, didn't translate into automatic success at the box office. There are such commercial flops as "Phantom, the Submarine'' (1999), "General of Heaven'' (2005), "Fighter in the Wind'' (2004) and "Rikidozan'' (2004) and others.
These films show different degrees of nationalism or emphasis on patriotism, but generally, nationalism is explored either by presenting North Korea in a sympathetic light as a struggling sibling or by depicting other powers such as Japan, China and the United States as an imperialist enemy that threatens the nation's independence. Sometimes it simply works as a part of marketing strategy to harness national pride.
The success of "Swiri'' initiated the trend toward films presenting the North as a wayward brother, a shift that coincided with the introduction of the "Sunshine Policy'' toward the Communist country by former President Kim Dae-jung. Nationalism combined with historical tragedies such as invasions by Western powers as well as Japan have since offered local filmmakers a range of possibilities.
But experts voice concerns over the radical nationalism in movies, saying that many rely on sentimental patriotism without careful insight.
"Nationalism in movies tends to make it hard to take a balanced approach to historical events and the current situation,'' said Kim Heoun-sic, a pop culture critic, who writes columns for Internet news sites.
Kim also said Koreans' lack of national pride leads to the production of films with nationalistic themes as a form of vicarious satisfaction.
"In such films as 'Fighter in the Wind' and 'Rikidozan,' a heroic Korean character physically defeats Japanese fighters while attracting Japanese women, such scenarios show how desperate Koreans are to prove they are superior to Japanese,'' Kim said. A recent poll on national pride backs his argument.
In the survey of the levels of patriotism in 34 countries, South Koreans ranked 31st. The survey issued by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago showed that Americans topped with Japanese standing at 18th.
People assessed how proud they were of their countries in 10 categories, including political influence, social security, economic success, science and technology, sports, arts and literature, military and history.
Other experts say that popularity of films with nationalistic themes goes to show that the films merely mirror what people want.
"Movies are based on the reality and reflect what audiences wants to see,'' said Gina Yo, a film critic and professor at Dongguk University. "The films with nationalistic themes results from the collective sense of inferiority or anger of their suppressed past, and they are in some ways an outlet to let the anger go.''
e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr
07-19-2006 17:02
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/ ... 071917021211720.htm |
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Jul 26, 2006
"Time" to Be Released Domestically
Director Kim Ki-duck's latest film "Time" will be released on Aug. 24. The distributor, Sponge, said Tuesday that they are planning to show the film in 10 to 15 theaters nationwide, although the number of theaters may change.
"Time" has drawn so much attention from around the world that its copyright has already been sold to some 30 nations. It was chosen as the opening film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czech and nominated in the competition category at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada and Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia in Spain.
Sung Hyun-ah and Ha Jeong-woo play lovers who chose to undergo cosmetic surgery to continue to win each other抯 heart against the passage of time.
Korean fans could have missed Kim's new film because Kim, who was disappointed in the shabby structure of the Korean artistic film market, did not show interest in releasing it here.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1407642_11858.html |
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2006-07-24
Singer BoA Ranks Ninth on Japanese Top 10 Favorite Musician List
Singer BoA was named one of Japanese music fans' top 10 favorite artists for the second straight year.
She came in ninth place on the list, down three notches from the previous year.
But she succeeded in finding her spot on the list for two years in a row, further solidifying her status as a star singer in Japan.
Other female solo singers making it on the list include Yanai Aiko, Utada Hikaru and Koda Kumi.
The rankings were determined based on a survey of 20,000 people in their teens to 40s conducted by Japan's weekly entertainment magazine "Oricon Style."
Yanai Aiko took first place for two straight years with overwhelming support from female fans, followed by the bands Spitz and Mr. Children.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1407364_11858.html |
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Jul 26, 2006
Eric Moon Raps for SMAP's New Album
Eric Moon, a member of the male band Shinwha, has participated in the recording of a new album from the popular Japanese group SMAP.
Moon wrote and performed a rap for the solo song "Tokyo" (correct term: Tokio) from the group's album entitled "Pop Up! SMAP," which is due for release on July 26. Moon recorded the song, a remake of an old Japanese hit song, on July 11 in a Gangnam studio in Seoul.
Shinwha and SMAP have been friends for a long time. Another Shinwha member, Lee Min-woo, wrote the song "Heaven" for SMAP抯 16th album, which was released in July last year, while Shin Hye-sung performed a duo with a SMAP member. Moon has become the first member of Shinhwa to participate in a SMAP recording alone.
"I'm happy to be part of SMAP's new album because I really like it. I hope their new album and the new album from Shinwha entitled "Inspiration," which will be released in Japan August 16, will be popular among listeners, |
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2006-07-25
Choi Soo Jong, "When else would I feel the joy of founding a country if not in a historical drama"
"Historical drama specialist actor? Looking back, the type of acting I don't want to do is in historical dramas."
Choi Soo Jong is the main character of the KBS 1TV historical drama 'Dae Jo Yeong' (written by Jang Yeong Cheol, produced and directed by Kim Jong Seon and Yoon Seong Shik). Along with Song Il Gook of MBC's 'Jumong' and Yoo Dong Geun of 'Yeon Gae So Moon' airing on SBS, he will be taking part in the 'Goguryeoh Historical Drama Boom,' but at the same time he speaks of the difficulties of acting in a historical drama.
At a press conference held on the 24th, Choi Soo Jong spoke about the burden of being labeled an actor specialized in historical dramas.
He said that it was coincidental many of the historical dramas he starred in such as 'Tae Jo Wang Geon,' 'Taeyangin Lee Je Mah,' 'Hae Shin (Emperor of the Sea)' gathered much love from viewers but there aren't actually many in numbers. "In actuality, historical dramas are a genre that I don't want to do ever again each time I finish one," revealing the hardships in acting.
However, Choi Soo Jong once again chose a historical drama. He mentioned the reason being, "In a modern drama, no matter how wonderful the role is in which the character plays along with love, there is a limit to expressing manliness, but characters in a historical drama found countries and fight in grand scale battles. When else would a man be able to do such things."
In regards to being compared to the popular 'Jumong' of MBC and 'Yeon Gae So Moon' of SBS, he responded by saying it is no burden at all showing confidence. "Rather than being tied to the viewer rating, I am focusing on accurately delivering the history of Balhae through the drama to those who do not know it well."
The 100 episode epic historical drama 'Dae Jo Yeong' draws the story of Dae Jo Yeong, the founder of Balhae that was the center of Asia for 230 years after the fall of Goguryeoh, and will start on September 16th.
[Copyright © 2006 Goodday News/Goodday E&I Inc. All rights reserved.]
Source: http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/l ... &pg=1&no=47 |
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Kong Hyun-joo Recognized in Chinese Portal
2006-07-27
Model and actress Kong Hyun-joo has been recognized as the 揔orean queen of
commercial advertisement models |
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2006-07-26
Ahn Jae-uk Meets with Slugger Lee Seung-yup
A celebrity baseball team, one of whose members is actor Ahn Jae-uk, has been invited to play at a celebrity charity baseball match organized by the World Children抯 Baseball Fair on July 26 in Tokyo, Japan.
The Japanese baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants, has asked Ahn to throw the first ball and "homerun king" Lee Seung-yup to catch it.
The match between the Yomiuri Giants and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp will begin after a speedgun test, presenting Japanese baseball fans with a rare opportunity to see hallyu star Ahn Jae-uk play in the same stadium with slugger Lee Seung-yup.
Ahn promised his Japanese fans at his March concert in Japan that his team, named "Just For Fun," would play in an away game.
Ahn will also play in a practice game at a nearby stadium, and in friendly games against the Taiwanese celebrity baseball team on July 27 in Osaka and against BB Trinity on July 28 in Tokyo.
Founded in 2000, "Just For Fun" lists on its roster the celebrities Kim Hyun-chul, Lee Sung-jin, Cho Dong-hyuk, Chung Tae-woo and Hong Kyung-min. Lee Sung-jin will not participate in the game because he is serving in the military.
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1407681_11858.html |
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2006-07-26
Director Bong Joon-Ho's 'The Host' will be played on record-setting number of screens
Along with current summer blockbuster movie 'Han Ban Do (Korean peninsula)', another anticipated movie, 'The Host' (directed by Bong Joon Ho) is scheduled to be played on a record-setting number of screens.
'The Host' will be played on 620 screens nationwide starting on the 27th of this month. The reputation of 'The Host,' spread by word of mouth among potential audiences, resulted in record-setting advance ticket sales. 'The Host' is expected to lead this summer's box office along with current hit 'Han Ban Do.'
Until now, last December's "Typhoon" led the Korean movie screen record of 540 screens. Per Chungeoram Production Company, the screening requests of "The Host" poured in from 700 theaters nationwide after the premiere and 620 theaters were finally selected.
"The Host" is a story about an ordinary family's desperate fight against a monster. It is scheduled to hit theaters on the 27th of this month.
[Copyright © 2006 Goodday News/Goodday E&I Inc. All rights reserved.]
Source: http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/lwboard.php...;pg=1&no=48 |
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July 27, 2006
Crazy Over K-Pop
Foreign Fans Travel to Seoul Just to See Favorite Pop Stars
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Korean boy band TVXQ
When Mai Lor, a Hmong-American student, and her friends from different countries were planning their trip to Seoul last February, they were not worried about the freezing cold weather or the fact that there are limited tourist attractions during winter.
They were traveling to Seoul not to see the historical palaces or go shopping in Dongdaemun. For Lor and her friends, the main reason for their trip was to watch their favorite Korean boy band TVXQ's first major concert in Seoul.
In recent months, die-hard Korean pop (K-pop) fans from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and other Asian countries have traveled to Seoul specifically to attend concerts by top K-pop stars such as TVXQ, Shinhwa and Se7en.
Lor, a 20-year old student, met her friends from the U.S., Singapore, Australia and the Philippines, through a TVXQ fan Web site. They were all fans of K-pop, especially TVXQ, even if their knowledge of Korean language was limited.
When they heard of the TVXQ concert in Seoul, it was hard for any of them to pass up the chance to see their favorite K-pop stars in concert. Lor said it was initially difficult for the group to obtain tickets since the Web sites selling concert tickets were in Korean.
"We were very stressed out while waiting to hear from the company as well as having to wait for others to buy the tickets for us. We had no power to buy them ourselves, even though we had the means to pay for them,'' she said.
The group eventually got some help from Korean friends to obtain tickets directly from SM Entertainment, and from an online auction site where the tickets were double the original price. Lor and her friends ended up watching three out of the four concert dates of TVXQ.
Even if traveling to Seoul is relatively expensive, they willingly spent between one million to three million won ($1,000 to $3,000) for their entire trip, including hotel, tickets and shopping for K-pop CDs, posters and other souvenirs.
Korea's pop heartthrob Se7en performs
during his solo concert last June in Seoul.
/Korea Times Photo
Difficulties for Foreign Fans
A frequent complaint of foreign K-pop fans is the lack of concert information in English. They also complain the entertainment agencies are focusing mostly on the lucrative Japanese market, while failing to cater to the demand of the K-pop fans in other countries.
Helen Vuu, a 33-year old manager from Australia, lamented the fact that entertainment companies seem to ignore foreign fans.
"I think it's extremely difficult for foreign fans to obtain tickets for Korean concerts, not only due to language difficulties but more importantly, Korean entertainment companies |
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2006/07/27 17:53 KST
S. Korean movie market ranks 9th in world: study
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is the world's ninth-largest movie market in terms of sales of theater tickets and home videos, a study by a public movie institute suggested Thursday.
According to data from the Korean Film Council, the country also ranks third after the United States and India in terms of the theater occupancy rate enjoyed by homegrown movies.
Korea's movie market surpassed US$1.3 billion won in 2004, up from $994 million in 1999, the council said. The U.S. market was the largest by far with $34.3 billion, followed by Japan with $9.6 billion and Britain with $7.1 billion, it noted.
In terms of the occupancy rate of domestic movies at their respective nationwide theaters, Korea came third with 59 percent, followed by France with 39 percent and Japan with 37 percent. Traditional movie powerhouses -- the U.S. and India -- boasted rates of 94 percent and 93 percent, respectively. Korea ranked fifth in terms of local theaters' sales income from homegrown movies.
Korea made 82 movies in 2004, compared to India with 946, the U.S. with 611 and Japan with 310.
The survey collected data from state-run movie institutes from other countries and movie magazines, and summed up theater ticket sales and video and DVD sales in each country to estimate its movie market.
The world's movie market grew to $83.4 billion from $49.4 billion in 1999, it said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
Source: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/ ... 060727175344E0.html |
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July 27, 2006
King and Clown Star Works Hard for Little Pay
It's a fine example of the kind of windfalls shrewd business can bring. For his appearance in "Fly Daddy" (Dir. Choi Jong-tae, Prod. Dyne Film-Guardtec, Inc.), it was been learned that actor Lee Jun-ki reportedly received a sum that barely even totaled W100 million(US$1=W952) . As the hottest star in the first half of 2006, Lee has picked up a full legion of high school fans, and is now Chungmuro's hottest blue chip. The actor's popularity reached such a point that there was even a rumor going around that some production companies had simply presented Lee with a blank check. With piles of scripts pouring in, there are plenty of industry firms that will fork over top dollar. However, the appearance deal was inked was early last December: right before Lee's explosive rise to the top with the "King And The Clown."
Dyne Films largest shareholder Kim Hyung-joon of Guardtec said, "There were great concerns at the time of Lee Jun-ki's casting, as he was a relatively unknown actor then," adding, "But over various meetings, his odd charms that seem to incite the paternal love in all is what pulled us along to take the big risk." After seeing a preview of the "King And The Clown," Kim predicted the explosion of popularity the actor would soon see, and put his seal on the contract the same day. Lee's casting was a fine example of selling the rice before the harvest, but it turned out to be a winning bet.
The actor, who has always attached great importance to loyalty, moved the producers with the way that he threw himself into every scene, despite the lower-than-market paycheck he received for the work. And riding the wave of the actor's newfound mega stardom "Fly Daddy," originally a Japanese film, has already been exported to Japan before the opening of the film here, and ahead of the film's August 3 domestic release fans getting hyped up. About 200 fans and members of the foreign and domestic press crowded into the preview at Seoul Cinema in the Jongno district, along with waves of fans who just turned out to catch a glimpse of the actor's face.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
Source: http://english.chosun.com/w21dat ... 7/200607270009.html |
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'Host' Rewrites Sci-Fi Film History
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Actor Song Gang-ho runs in this scene of director Bong Joon-ho's new film, "The Host."
Local sci-fi films have been disappointing. They either clumsily render a futuristic world or create strange creatures that have the audience bursting into sudden laughter. Or simply, they are poor epigones of Hollywood blockbusters with flimsy stories. But that was all before director Bong Joon-ho's new film, "The Host."
The film is technically evolved, in terms of visual effects, and has an interesting story, which Bong blends with his unique satirical humor to tackle social issues. It is now ready to write a new chapter in the domestic sci-fi film history.
The film revolves around Park Hee-bong (played by Byun Hee-bong), a man in his late 60s. Park runs a small snack bar on the banks of the Seoul's Han River and lives with his two sons, one daughter and one granddaughter.
The Parks seem to lead a quite ordinary and peaceful life, or maybe a tad bit poorer than the average Seoulite.
Hee-bong's elder son Gang-du (by Song Gang-ho) is an immature and incompetent man in his 40s, whose wife left home long ago. Nam-il (by Park Hye-il) is the youngest son, an unemployed grumbler, and daughter Nam-joo (by Bae Du-na) is an archery medallist and member of the national team.
One day, an unidentified mutant suddenly appears from the depths of the Han River and spreads panic and death, and Gang-du's daughter Hyun-seo is carried off by the monster and disappears.
All the family members are in a great agony as they have lost someone dearest to them. But as they find out she is still alive, they resolve to save her.
The film's production budget is 1.5 billion won, and one third of it was spent for the creation of the monster, aided by the staff from the "Harry Potter'' and "The Lord of Rings'' series.
The result is quite satisfying as audiences can see the computer-generated images are successfully blended with real pictures without many flaws.
But the real beauty of the monster is that it doesn't overshadow the story and the film maintains focus on the people who fight against it.
Although there is no heroic character with supernatural powers or great ambition to save the world, the film has its own message _ seemingly weak individuals are the ones who protect what is worthy to them, not through the government's aid.
More interestingly, as the story unfolds, it also tackles current-day controversial issues.
In the film's prologue, a high-ranking U.S. officer oversees the illegal dumping of toxic chemicals into the Han River, and it is not only a hint to how the mutant is born but also a criticism of the real accident in 2000.
In the film, American scientists claim the mutant is spreading a deadly virus, which turns out not to be true in the end, and it can also be seen as criticism on the U.S.'s false accusation that Iraq possessed biological weapons, a claim that the U.S. used in part to justify its invasion of Iraq.
e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr
07-27-2006 17:27
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/ ... 072717272910970.htm |
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Lee Joon-ki Picks 'Fly' to Repeat Success
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Actor Lee Joon-ki, left, in his new film, "Fly, Daddy, Fly"
Actor Lee Joon-ki became the nation's heartthrob when he played an effeminate court jester in the country's most viewed film of all time, "King and the Clown.'' But Lee said when he prepared for a new movie it was difficult and challenging to emerge from the shadow of the powerful image he projected in the hit film.
"I thought if I created a macho character for the new film, audiences may find it really strange because of my role in 'King and the Clown,''' Lee said Wednesday during a news conference that was followed by the screening of his new film "Fly, Daddy, Fly'' at Seoul Theater in Chongno, downtown Seoul. "I was worried I might create the worst character of my career.''
But he said he is not stressed anymore as he is now very confident about his role in the new film.
As his new character is physically stronger than the one in "King and the Clown,'' he intentionally put on weight and took boxing lessons for three months.
"Putting on and losing weight is not such a difficult job for actors, but when I had to learn rock wall climbing, it was kind of scary as I have acrophobia,'' Lee said half-jokingly. "I have seen what's behind the horror.''
The film is based on the Japanese popular novel with the same title. The novel's film version was first made in Japan last year, but it was not commercially successful.
But the Korean version has drew high expectation since Lee was cast for the film early this year.
The film revolves around office worker Chang Ka-pil (played by Lee Moon-sik), who leads an ordinary life with his adorable wife and 17-year-old daughter.
But a crisis knocks on Chang's door when his daughter is severely beaten by a high school student boxer from a noble family. He finds out that there is nothing he can do for his daughter.
To prove that he is not a coward and will do anything for his family, he decides to take revenge. And he asks Ko Sung-suk (by Lee Joon-ki), a high school student with talent for fighting, to train him for the seemingly impossible task.
"Fly, Daddy, Fly'' opens on Aug. 3.
e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr
07-27-2006 17:29
Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...17285510970.htm |
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July 28, 2006
Singer Bada in Bid to Boost Birthrate
Eight years after her debut, the pop singer Bada is preparing to market her first solo concert, "Showman aLive," with a novel twist. The concert will be held at Samseong-dong's COEX convention center in Seoul on July 29, and the singer and her management plan to do their bit for the nation's paltry birthrate by encouraging people to have children under the slogan "the happiness of manwon." Concertgoers who have more than two children will be given a "manwon" or W10,000 note (US$1=W954), according to Network Live, the organizer of the concert.
Source: http://english.chosun.com/w21dat ... 7/200607280013.html |
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2006-07-28
'The Host' gathers 450,000 on first day, breaking 'TaeGukGi: Brotherhood of War' opening record
Sounds very likely for a movie that had gathered so much attention even before the opening.
'The Host' (Directed by Bong Joon Ho,Chungeorahm production) starring Song Gang Ho and Park Hae Il set the record for opening day ticket sales.
'The Host' which opened on 620 screens on the 27th, gathered 449,500 on the first day. In Seoul, 129,783 guests attended theatres to watch 'The Host.' The total broke the previous record set by 'TaeGukGi: Brotherhood of War' at 324,000.
Also, at the midnight screening, 150,000 gathered to watch 'The Host' on 447 screens totaling 600,986 viewers by the end of the first day.
'The Host' also broke the record in regards to the number of opening screens previously set by 'Typhoon' at 540.
A production company personnel commented on the 28th, "At this rate, there is a chance that we can hit the 1 million mark on the 28th which is the second day of opening. Combining the weekend viewers, the number will most likely be higher than 2 million," expressing much satisfaction.
[Copyright © 2006 Goodday News/Goodday E&I Inc. All rights reserved.]
Source: http://www.broasia.com/lwboard/l ... &pg=1&no=50 |
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Horse Film
JULY 27, 2006 03:01
by Ji-Young Chae (yourcat@donga.com)
"When I first saw you, you were a little girl wearing a violet in your hair..."
As this lyric of "Violet" sung by Cho Dong-jin goes, a horse saw a girl and the girl saw the horse. The horse was the other self of the girl. They grew up together. "Lump Sugar," which will be released on August 10, is the first Korean movie to show the friendship between a human and a horse. The movie is a Korean-style horse movie, which is typically Hollywood material.
Si-eun (Im Su-jeong) who was born at a ranch in Jeju Island, had a special friendship with a horse named Janggun (or "General" in English). Janggun died when she gave birth to Cheondung (or "Thunder" in English), who grows up with Si-eun like real brother and sister. Lump Sugar is the horse's favorite snack and a special medium of love between them. Since Cheondung is sold abroad, they are separated. Two years later, Si-eun, who hopes to become a jockey, meets Cheondung again.
Anyone can predict how the story will unfold afterwards.
Like a movie line, "What makes the horse move is not the whip but the jockey's heart," this movie is about a beautiful story with the good girl who always says right words. This is a movie made honestly without playing tricks, but at the same time, it has a self-evident and hackneyed plot. There are villains who bully the heroine, but she adamantly fights against all challenges, dismissing the rule of the game that says, "To dismount competitors is the way to survive."
The story shows a clear good-and-evil contrast and follows clear-cut distress and troubles, which leaves the moviegoers little to think about. Even though its simplicity does not draw favor from every audience, it will force them into weeping eventually. For example, when Si-eun and Cheondung reunite, the coincidence comes as ridiculous to the audience who will end up shedding tears at the scene when they look desperately for each other. Yet, it fails to touch the deepest part of the heart.
The beautiful scenery of Jeju Island is the gift of the film. The screen is full of green and soil colors. When Si-eun leans against the horse, falling asleep with the sea as background, or when she avoids rain under the horse, the scene is quite a picture. Breakneck speed at the horse track against the backdrop of a still landscape also stands out, which makes the efforts made by the movie team who made special trailer and shot just one meter away from a sprinting horse worthwhile. This gave focus to the film, which feels slow overall.
Im Su-jeong acted smoothly a courageous and bright Si-eun. Critics say it is a "one-top" movie, depending solely on an actress, but in fact the movie is "two-top," since the horse is a hero of the movie as well. Cheondung is expert at facial acting, proving his talent as a winner that beat 1,000 competitors. In fact, five similar-looking horses divided the scenes involving Cheondung in the movie. Of course, the horse has slim and shiny long legs, which draws exclamations from people who see them, but the overwhelming part is his always watery eyes.
The last scene of the movie, which shows a close-up of the horse's wet eyes shining like a star reflected by bright lights of the racing track, makes the audience react. Those eyes will never lie. As Si-eun reproaches her competitor who broke the rules, saying, "You are worse than an animal horse," this movie seems to teach us that animals are better than humans too often. Rated for ages 12 and up.
Source: http://english.donga.com/srv/ser ... ;biid=2006072715108 |
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Author
Post time 25-7-2006 05:25 PM
