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Korean Entertainment News Update (siri 2)
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Korean Entertainment News Update |
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NEWS INDEX (posted on each page)
April 22, 2008: Cine 21 Names CJ抯 KIM Joo-sung Most Influential
April 22: Lee Jiah to Make Guest Appearance on NHK Talk Show
April 22: Rain to debut in Hollywood film 'Speed Racer' in May
April 22: MoMa to screen works of award-winning director Kim Ki-duk
April 22: Stars Shine at Andre Kim's Shanghai Show
April 22: Andre Kim holds fashion show in Shanghai
April 22: [MOVIE REVIEW "My Song Is.. "] Zooming in on the hidden side of youth
April 23: Jang Hyuk Makes Cameo Appearance in Japanese Drama
April 23: [THE HIGH TIDE OF THE KOREAN WAVE(33)] Whetting U.S. appetite for Korean TV dramas
April 22: Yoon's Moonlight of Seoul to open May 1st
April 23: 61st Cannes Film Festival - Unveiled Line-Up
April 23: 'Laundry Warrior' prepares to cleanup in U.S. theaters
April 24: Singer Seven will perform in front of a live audience prior to his official debut in the U.S.
April 17: Seo In Young: 揗y husband~ |
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April 22, 2008
Lee Jiah to Make Guest Appearance on NHK Talk Show
Actress Lee Jiah, who starred in the history drama series "The Story of the First King's Four Gods," will make a guest appearance on a talk show about popular Asian dramas at the Osaka studio of Japan's NHK TV.
Lee's management agency BOF recently said that she will appear as a guest in the May special edition of the talk in front of 500 audience members. The talk show will introduce the historical drama series and the actress will get the chance to answer questions asked by the audience members.
An NHK official said "The Story of the First King's Four Gods," which began airing on NHK from April 5 has been dubbed "Winter Sonata 2" for its high viewer ratings. The official added that Lee's outstanding performance in the drama series is quickly making her a star in Japan as well.
Lee is currently shooting a brand new drama series on MBC TV entitled "Beethoven Virus" with actor Kim Myung-min.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/mconten ... /1520263_11692.html |
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April 22, 2008
Rain to debut in Hollywood film 'Speed Racer' in May
Korean pop singer and Asia-wide music star Rain or Jung Ji Hoon, 26, is spreading his wings to the world -- not in tour but on screen.
Thanks to his songs and charismatic dancing, followed by a modeling and acting career, he was dubbed one of the world's most beautiful people by People Magazine in 2007 and is to debut as a movie actor in a Hollywood blockbuster "Speed Racer" directed by the Wachowski brothers, director of the world-famous "Matrix" trilogy of films.
Ahead of the international release of Speed Racer on May 9, Rain spoke of his new acting career in Hollywood and his future plans in an interview with Yonhap News on Monday (Apr. 21).
Speed Racer is the story of a racing car driver named Speed Racer (played by Emile Hirsch) who is a natural behind the wheel and loyal to his family racing business. After turning down a lucrative offer from Royalton Industries, he finds a dirty secret that Royalton has been manipulating the race to boost profits. The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game.
Rain will act as the owner of a car company, rival driver and friend of Speed named Taejo Togokan, a man who has Korean origins and much charisma. Having received a few offers to play leading roles in American movies before, Rain says he chose to act a supporting role in Speed Racer because he wished to become a Major Leaguer rather than a Minor League player in the American film industry. Rain says he learned a lot and did his best while filming. The Wachowski brothers later recommended he play a leading role in "Ninja Assassin" to be directed by James McTeigue scheduled to begin shooting on May 28.
Rain said he spent most of the time with production staff, even at meal hours and kept acting when other actors took a rest. He said he wrote in the Korean characters (Hangeul) for the staff when eating meals to introduce their beauty. As a result, Rain wore a racing uniform with the Korean characters for "Taejo Togokan" emblazoned on the sleeve.
Despite the language barrier as a non-native English speaker, Rain said he made efforts to speak English as naturally as possible with his English coach. He acted with Hollywood movie stars Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Christina Ricci and Matthew Fox while filming. He also thanked his fans who visited the film shoot in Berlin.
Emphasizing the importance of the Asian market, Rain said the international movie industry should focus on Asian marketing and cast popular stars from Asia.
Rain plans to produce a special album for Asian fans in autumn after finishing filming Ninja Assassin in July this year and an English-language album later.
In February, Rain recently concluded a contract with the William Morris Agency (WMA), a New York-based talent agency that represents entertainers such as Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Russell Crowe.
Rain began his singing career after releasing his first solo album, "Bad Guy," in 2002, a huge success that was followed by other popular albums. He launched his acting career when he starred in the Korean television drama "Full House" in 2004 and the movie "I'm a Cyborg and That's Okay" in 2006.
McTeigue co-directed the hit Hollywood film "V for Vendetta" with the Wachowski brothers.
By Yoon Sojung, Korea.net Staff writer
http://www.korea.net/news/news/n ... archDay=&page=1 |
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April 22, 2008
MoMa to screen works of award-winning director Kim Ki-duk
New Yorkers will be able to taste a series of artistic Korean movies made by director Kim Ki-duk from Wednesday (Apr. 23).
The Department of Film at New York's Museum of Modern Art, or MoMa, will hold a screening of the works of award-winning moviemaker Kim Ki-duk, 48, who has directed artistic yet controversiol films since 1996.
Kim Ki-duk won award at Berlin Film Festival for Samaritan Girl in 2004
During the exhibition at MoMa's Theater 1, co-organized by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Korean Film Council, and supported by the Korean Film Archive in Seoul, movie lovers will be able to take in a total of 14 movies directed by Kim, which will include several features never before seen in the United States, according to MoMa.
Kim is a self-taught maverick filmmaker whose works have impressed international cinema industry with a focus on symbolism and his strong sense of motifs and intensity.
He was a former factory worker, soldier, seminarian and a street artist in France between 1992 and 1995 where he discovered cinema through films like Leo Carax's Les Adamants de Pont Neuf and Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs (both 1991).
The fourteen films include his debut movie "Crocodile" (1996), "Wild Animals" (1997), "Birdcage Inn" (1998), "The Isle" (2000), "Real Fiction" (2000), "Bad Guy" (2001), "Address Unknown" (2001), "The Coast Guard" (2002), "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring" (2003), "Samaritan Girl" (2004), "3-Iron" (2004), "The Bow" (2005), "Time" (2006) and "Breath" (2007).
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
Kim's best known movie in America is the Buddhist-themed, "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring," which received the Most Outstanding Film Award at the second Vladivostok International Film Festival of Asia Pacific Countries and at Russia's 13th Golden Fleece Awards in 2004 and won four awards, including the Young Critics Award, at Locarno International Film Festival in 2003. Filmed at a secluded temple, the movie shows an old monk and his young charge, who discovers the secrets of the world around him.
He was named best director at the 54th Berlin Film Festival in 2004 for his film "Samaritan Girl," a movie about the sexual exploitation of a teenage girl and her detective father's revenge and forgiveness.
Kim's "3-Iron," which carries his poetic narrative of love and solitude, also won the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the 61st Venice International Film Festival in 2004. Based on a story of an eccentric young man who sneaks into homes to clean or repair them, the movie was later named the best film of 2005 by Belgium's Film Critics Association in 2006.
Kim's films cohere into a vivid and compelling body of work characterized by sweeping camera movements and long, richly composed shots. The characters in Kim's movies are uneasy in their social situations, adopt silence as a protection and tend to react in a brutal way. Kim's films are sometimes circumscribed by water, but always situated in a cinematic space a couple of degrees sharper than reality. All films are presented with English subtitles.
MoMa has been playing a leading role in introducing Korean films to theater audiences in the United States. It held an exhibition of Korean films in 1993 and held a series of film exhibitions of leading Korean directors, including internationally famous director Im Kwon-taek, Shin Sangouk (1926-2006) and Yu Hyun-mok.
By Yoon Sojung, Korea.net Staff writer
http://www.korea.net/news/news/n ... archDay=&page=1 |
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April 22, 2008
Stars Shine at Andre Kim's Shanghai Show
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Actors Lee Da-hae, left,
and Jang Geun-suk grace the finale
at Andre Kim抯 fashion show in Shanghai,
China. / Yonhap
Shanghai, China ― Korean stars Lee Da-hae, Kim Jung-hoon and Jang Geun-suk added a touch of star power to top designer Andre Kim's fashion show here Tuesday.
Kim presented his 2009 spring/summer fashion collection during the opening of the Korean textile and apparel trade show "Preview in Shanghai 2008" at Shanghai Mart.
Hallyu, or the Korean wave, seems to be alive and kicking in this exciting Chinese city, as the audience eagerly awaited the appearance of Korean celebrities at Kim's show.
Cameras flashed in the hall as Lee, who appeared in several hit dramas like "My Girl," and Kim, best known for his role in the MBC drama "Princess Hours" (Gung), hit the runway wearing Kim's unique designs.
Jang is one of the hottest young actors in Korea, having appeared in recent dramas like "Hwangjinyi" and "Sharp Blade of Hong Gil-dong." Dozens of Chinese fans waited for him to arrive at the airport.
Kim's fashion art collection was once again well received in Shanghai. His elaborately detailed gowns showed inspiration from the rich culture, art and history of China, as well as Korean culture.
The audience was captivated throughout the show, which had five sections such as "Beijing Festival" and 'Chinese Legend." The spring/summer collection's color palette featured purple, orange, green, blue, yellow, red and pink, as well as metallic shades of gold and silver.
Kim showed his unique vision for modern-day Korean royalty through the "Fantasy of Korean Palace" stage. Lee and Kim ― who played a prince in "Princess Hours" ― looked like a modern-day royal couple in matching Oriental-inspired robes with golden dragon embroidery.
There were some melodramatic moments on stage. Lee and Jang appeared to play star-crossed lovers who were going to offer each other a tearful goodbye, much to the delight of the audience.
South Korean actress Lee Da-hae
wears Andre Kim抯 fuschia-toned evening gown. / Yonhap
The final stage, "My Everlasting Love," featured Kim's exquisitely detailed romantic wedding gowns. For the finale, Lee was breathtaking in an embroidered and jeweled wedding gown, accompanied by Kim, who wore a white suit.
After the show, Kim and his celebrity-models held a press conference attended by dozens of Korean and Chinese media. The fashion show was also meant to celebrate Beijing's hosting the Olympics in August this year. This is Kim's 11th fashion show in China, having staged star-studded shows in Beijing and Shanghai in the past few years.
Preview in Shanghai is an annual event organized by the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI). In a press conference, KOFOTI chairman Ro Hee-chan said the event is aimed at increasing cooperation between Korean and Chinese textile companies.
The three-day event, which ends Thursday, also features fashion shows by brands Pro Specs, EXR Korea, Indibuni, Arte, Morine Comte Marant, Joinus and Tomboy. There are also seminars on spring/summer fashion trends, fashion brand value strategy and strategies on how to advance in the Chinese market.
Ro said since Preview in Shanghai was first held in 2003, Korean brands have made inroads into the Chinese market. This year, there are 120 textile companies and fashion brands participating, slightly fewer than the 130 companies that participated in 2007.
Much of the Korean brands' success in China is attributed to hallyu. Many brands use Korean star power through product placement in Korean dramas, movies and music.
Thanks to Korean stars' popularity among Chinese audiences, Korean brands have also become popular. Incidentally, hallyu is a term that originated in China and used to describe the popularity of Korean stars, dramas, movies and pop music outside Korea.
Credits: cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/04/135_22947.html |
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April 22, 2008
Andre Kim holds fashion show in Shanghai
SHANGHAI - Korea's top designer Andre Kim presented his Spring/Summer 09 fashion collection in Shanghai on Tuesday, showing off the beauty of Korean arts and culture expressed in his signature designs.
Held at the Shanghai Mart located in the center of the city, the fashion show was the opening event of "Preview in Shanghai 2008," an annual fashion and textile exhibition organized by the Korea Federation of Textile Industries and sponsored by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
Aimed at increasing the market share of Korean fashion brands in China, the three-day event exhibits the latest fashion trends in Korea through a series of business consultation conferences, exhibitions and fashion shows. In its sixth year, the annual event has helped Korean companies expand their business in Shanghai, the fashion epicenter of China. The event, which draws a total of 120 apparel and fabric companies from Korea, ends tomorrow.
In the opening fashion show, Kim presented a total of 123 pieces. Under the theme "Beijing Festival," Kim's fashion show started with a stage that celebrated the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The Korean designer presented dresses in white, purple, red and gold accentuated with sparkling spangles lavishly embroidered in each piece. The show was attended by an audience of more than 800 spectators.
Andre Kim (left) stands with Korean Wave stars Kim Jeong-hoon
(second from left), Lee Da-hae and Jang Keun-suk at his fashion show
in Shanghai on Tuesday. [Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald]
The 72-year-old designer appealed to the Chinese audience with his modern interpretation of traditional Chinese dresses presented with lots of volume on the shoulder line and the lavish use of bright, intense colors.
"In a way to celebrate the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games, I tried to encapsulate the festive mood of China and the beauty of an ancient Chinese kingdom, and visualize it through modern interpretation," said the designer during a press conference held after the fashion show.
Kim also amazed the audience by delivering the message of everlasting love and romanticism through his symbolic fashion and the dramatic performances of models. White suits and wedding dresses romantically embellished with Kim's symbolic flower pattern gave the crowning touch to the fashion show.
"The fashion show was fantastic and very romantic. I could see the beauty of Korean traditional culture through his designs. I also loved the quality of fabrics and the choice of colors," said Aria Liu, deputy chief director of Fashion Circle, one of the TV programs on China Beijing TV Station.
Kim, famous for having star celebrities on his show, had three Korean Wave stars Lee Da-hae, Jang Keun-suk and Kim Jeong-hoon, present his creations. Actress Lee became a household name in the hit-drama "Lotus Flower Fairy" (2004) which won massive popularity across Asia. Lee was escorted by actor Jang Geun-seok, 20, who recently appeared in KBS drama "Hong Gil-dong, the Hero." The show also featured singer-turned-actor Kim Jeong-hoon. Debuted as a member of K-pop group U.N., Kim turned to TV acting after he appeared in the drama "Princess Hours" ("Gung" in Korean) with Yoon Eun-hye.
Since 1994, designer Kim has also been holding 10 fashion collections making his name known to people in China. For last 40 years, designer Kim has already put on several shows in foreign countries including the United States, France and Egypt. By Cho Chung-un Korea Herald correspondent.
christory@heraldm.com
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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April 22, 2008
[MOVIE REVIEW] Zooming in on the hidden side of youth
Director Ahn Seul-gi has a discerning eye for Korean youth and their wanderings. As a teacher, Ahn has observed how they struggle to figure out their roles in society where the outlook remains gloomy for many poverty-stricken students.
"My Song Is ..." (Korean title: "Na-ui norae-neun") is a small-budget film that Ahn shot and produced during a school vacation period. Though the movie's overall scale is small, the challenges facing key characters are profoundly intense and realistic.
On a cold day, Hee-cheol (Shin Hyeon-ho) wakes up to find out he is missing a crucial college entrance exam. His indifferent grandmother has apparently turned off his alarm clock. Frustrated at her carelessness, Hee-cheol vents his anger at his grandmother, but she simply shrugs it off as if nothing important has happened.
In fact, the grandmother's gesture is telling in many respects. Hee-cheol lives with his aloof grandmother at a shabby house in an obscure area of Seoul. His father, a foul-mouthed drunkard, sometimes comes home, but he's never of any help in terms of money and emotional support.
With the hope of entering a college completely gone, Hee-cheol works as a delivery boy for a small eatery shop - a situation that he vaguely senses offers few changes or improvement. A change in momentum comes when Hee-cheol encounters two college students that are his age, working on a film production project. Yeon-ju (Min Se-yeon), a manipulative female college student and self-styled film director, recruits Hee-cheol as an actor. But his role does not require spectacular talents. After all, what Yeon-ju wants from Hee-cheol is merely the mundane image of him as an obscure delivery boy on a bike.
What's interesting is Hee-cheol's emotional change - and a slight hint of mental growth. At first, Hee-cheol finds the part-time job as a fun activity. But he finds himself comparing his own life with those of relatively well-to-do students. In the eyes of Hee-cheol, the college students equipped with expensive video cameras are living in a different world: schools, identity, money and homes. In contrast, Hee-cheol is not a student, his identity is murky at best. He's also penniless for the most part, and he hates coming back to his home where there is no comfort at all.
Director Ahn puts a spin on the dreadful reality of Korean youth by shooting the picture in mostly black and white. All the images related to the real-life situations in the movie are black and white, while the full colors are used only for the video images where Hee-cheol plays a central character for the college student project. Symbolism abounds when the two contrasting worlds - the dark reality in black and white, and the fictional world in full colors - are intertwined in a way that accentuates the travails of Hee-cheol and the wandering youth generation he represents.
As in Ahn's previous film project, "My Song Is ..." has been produced at his own costs, and even staff members have pitched in for the movie to hit a couple of screens. IndieSpace and select theaters in Seoul will show director Ahn's second feature film from April 25.
By Yang Sung-jin (nsight@heraldm.com)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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April 23, 2008
Jang Hyuk Makes Cameo Appearance in Japanese Drama
Actor Jang Hyuk has surprised his fans by making a cameo appearance in the brand new Japanese drama series entitled "My Sassy Girlfriend," a remake of a Korean film by the same title.
Jang appeared in the first episode of the drama series, which was aired on Japan's TBS on April 20, with Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Lena Tanaka.
Jang took on the role of Korean Hallyu star "Jang Hyuk" who appears in the dreams of Kusanagi and Tanaka. Taking revenge on Kusanagi for attacking his younger brother, he aims a gun at his enemy inside a warehouse located at a construction site.
Jang's management agency SidusHQ said the actor was able to get the role after he appeared as a guest on the "Tsuyoshi Kusanagi 2" talk show on Fuji TV on February 8. The director of the show reportedly added new scenes for Jang that were not included in the original script.
After shooting the episode, Kusanagi, a member of the popular boy band SMAP, said he had fun working with Jang, whom he described as a down-to-earth and thoughtful gentleman who had a great talent for action scenes.
Jang is quickly becoming a star in Japan through the Korean films "Windstruck" and "Whasango" and the drama series "Thank You," which he starred in.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/mconten ... /1520457_11692.html |
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Originally posted by katt at 23-4-2008 12:13 PM 
April 22, 2008
Rain to debut in Hollywood film 'Speed Racer' in May
http://www.korea.net/cheditor40_asp/cheditor/attach/200842217155383109.jpg
Korean pop singer and Asia-wide music sta ...
wow...rain berlakon bawak keta laju lak ye...lain nampak muke dia rambut panjang. |
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April 23, 2008
[THE HIGH TIDE OF THE KOREAN WAVE(33)] Whetting U.S. appetite for Korean TV dramas
The Korea Herald interview questions
The Korea Herald: What is the current market position of Korean TV dramas on the U.S. market? How are they perceived in comparison with mainstream U.S., Chinese and Japanese programming?
Tom Larsen: Like most other TV programming from international markets, Korean TV dramas are generally considered a specialty entertainment niche here in the United States. Having said that, the popularity of Korean TV dramas in the United States has grown dramatically over the past five years. Korean TV dramas are now widely recognized in the United States as a leading entertainment option within the growing Asian entertainment category.
Several major U.S. cities now have a "second-tier" TV station which often broadcasts various Korean TV drama programs during primetime hours. Some of these smaller-scale TV stations have recently started to include English subtitles when they broadcast Korean TV dramas. However, the majority of avid Korean TV drama "fans" usually watch Korean TV dramas on DVD rather than on TV. (These TV stations are relatively few, and their schedules are too unpredictable.) My company, YA Entertainment, has been releasing Korean TV dramas on DVD with English subtitles since 2003. We now have over 60 individual titles in our DVD catalog.
When compared to Chinese and Japanese TV programming, I believe Korean TV dramas are by far the most popular among mainstream Americans. Even in the Chinese-American community, Chinese-language TV stations will air Korean TV dramas dubbed in Mandarin or Cantonese. Korean TV dramas are perceived as higher quality and more entertaining than Chinese TV programming and definitely more accessible than Japanese TV programming.
KH: Which Korean dramas are popular in the United States (in terms of genres, themes, character or title)?
TL: Our best selling titles over the past five years include "Stairway to Heaven," "Daejanggeum" (Jewel in the Palace), "My Lovely Sam-Soon," "Damo," "Palace," "All About Eve," "The Snow Queen," and "My Girl."
As the list above shows, Americans enjoy all types of Korean TV dramas: love stories, comedies, and historical epics. It's all about the storylines, cast (acting), production values, and soundtracks. If those four core elements are done very well, then it doesn't matter if the TV drama is a comedy or a tragic love story. Americans will like it.
My personal all-time favorites include "Sandglass," "Damo," "Glass Slipper," "All About Eve," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "Jewel in the Palace," and "Love Letter."
Some of the most popular actors include: Bae Yong-jun, Kim Rae-won, Kwon Sang-woo, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Min-joon, and Lee Byung-hun.
The most popular actresses include: Choi Ji-woo, Lee Da-hae, Ha Ji-won, Lee Young-ae, Son Yejin, Bae Doo-na, Kim Ha-neul and Yoon Eun-hye. |
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KH: Who is watching Korean dramas in the United States? Why do they choose to watch Korean dramas and how do they respond?
TL: We have conducted multiple surveys over the past five years, surveying thousands of Korean TV drama "fans" in the United States. Interestingly, only 5 percent of survey respondents described themselves as "Korean." Therefore, roughly 95 percent of the people purchasing our Korean TV drama DVDs are not of Korean descent. The majority are Caucasian, Japanese-American, Chinese-American, and Filipino-American. And we are also finding strong growth in the Vietnamese and Latino/Hispanic communities.
As for gender, our surveys show that over 65 percent of Korean TV drama fans are female. However, based upon the dozens of e-mails I receive everyday from fans, the breakdown seems to be more like 50 percent male, 50 percent female.
Americans choose to watch Korean TV dramas for many different reasons. Korean TV dramas have many strengths (some of which I describe below), and each strength attracts certain subsets of viewers. More often than not, the response is positive. People describe Korean TV dramas as "addicting," "powerful and engrossing," and "highly entertaining."
Over the past few years, more and more people have told me that they are increasingly "turned off" by standard American TV programming. These days it seems to be a common practice among American TV show producers to create boring and superficial story concepts and then try to inject them with over-the-top sex, violence, and crime. (I personally define TV programming that includes an overabundance of unnecessary sex, violence, and crime as "garbage content" ). More and more Americans are getting tired of meaningless "garbage content" on TV. So they are looking for something new, something with real substance and emotion. Something that engages them, and makes them feel something. More and more Americans are turning to alternative TV programming like Korean TV dramas.
KH: What are the strengths of Korean dramas?
TL: Korean TV dramas have many strengths. Here is a quick list that comes to mind:
-- Korean TV drama series have a set beginning and ending. As you know, they usually last for only 16-24 episodes. It's refreshing to know how many total episodes there are before you even start watching a drama series. And the total number of episodes is very manageable, much like an extended movie. This contributes to the "addictive nature" of Korean TV dramas. (Once you reach the middle episodes, you want to stay up late at night to finish it and see how it ends.). In contrast, many U.S. TV dramas drag on and on over many seasons (even generations!).
With no end in sight, it's difficult to make a commitment to become fully engrossed in many U.S. TV dramas.
-- Korean TV dramas explore common human themes: family, friendship, relationships, loyalty, respect, true love, etc. These themes make up the very thread of humanity. The majority of Korean TV dramas seem to emphasize "family values" and "family relationships." Many of the Korean TV dramas that I have seen include a lot of scenes where the main family in the story is eating together around the dinner table and discussing important family issues. There is a "realness" about Korean TV dramas. A friend told me this the other day: "Korean dramas embrace big emotions, the joy and pain and love and ache and hope that we all feel but rarely express. That kind of melodrama is corny, critics sniff, but the heart of Korean programs lies in their guileless ability to show us the truth of what we all feel." Given these reasons, Korean TV dramas are able to transcend cultural barriers and touch people all over the world.
-- People comment to me all the time about the high production values: Beautiful cinematography, unique locations, amazing costumes, sophisticated camera shots/angles, etc. The final product is very stylish and attractive, with arguably some of the highest TV production values in the world.
-- Korean TV dramas are well-written stories with strong dialogue and excellent acting. The producers, directors, writers, and actors are indeed master storytellers. I can tell that the production crew puts a lot of time and thought into developing each twist, turn, and cliffhanger. Many people have described Korean TV dramas to me as "emotional roller coaster rides." The plots are usually character-driven, with all of the main characters being well defined and all the plotlines ultimately resolved. And for the most part, audiences can easily relate to the characters, situations, and conflicts that arise. And the actors bring so much passion and powerful emotion to their performances.
-- Korean TV dramas usually offer a refreshing portrayal of "love" and "affection" on the TV screen, something with which American TV programming has lost touch. On American TV, "love" is often just sex. But in Korean TV dramas, love takes so many different shapes: genuine sensitivity, service, friendship, honesty, support, restraint, etc. It's more "love from the heart" rather than "love from the senses." Korean writers and producers have truly mastered the "art of affection."
-- The music soundtracks in Korean TV dramas are heartfelt and emotional, true reflections of the stories being told. The music seems to capture all the right emotions for the drama itself, and for specific characters and scenes. The music is indeed central to the whole experience, and it can usually stand on its own. Whereas Americans usually do not purchase and collect the soundtracks of top American TV hits like "Desperate Housewives" or "ER" (where music is used in a more casual way), Korean TV drama fans in the United States do collect the music soundtracks (or OSTs) for Korean TV dramas.
-- Korean TV dramas are a wonderful "window" into the beautiful Korean culture. I hear this scenario all the time: Someone stumbles upon a Korean TV drama and they love it (they get "hooked" ). Then they become curious about the Korean culture, and they start reaching out to Korean people in their local communities. They try Korean food, and even learn some Korean words. Some even end up traveling to Korea to tour the sites. Korean TV dramas play an important and indispensable role in introducing Korean culture to many Americans. In short, Korean TV dramas are helping to bridge two cultures. |
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KH: What are the weaknesses of Korean dramas?
TL: Like any good entertainment genre (or art), different people will enjoy and dislike different things. So it's hard to categorically label something as a "weakness." Having said that, here are a few areas about which I sometimes hear complaints: -- Some of the various plot developments can be a bit repetitive and overused (love triangles, tragic diseases, memory loss). Of course, some people find this charming, in its own unique way.
-- Although "chance meetings" are part of conventional drama (in any country), it seems that Korean TV dramas utilize chance meetings a little too often. For example, even though there are 10 million people in Seoul, the two main characters in a given drama just happen to run into each other over and over again.
-- Some Korean TV dramas can be a bit too slow in terms of pace. I hear some people complain about middle episodes dragging on without enough important plot developments. Others complain about too many "flashback replays" that slow down the dramatic momentum. (A flashback replay is when something important happens in the story, and then the main characters keep remembering that same important scene over and over again.)
-- Something else that I would personally consider a weakness (or maybe just a "pet peeve"): A good number of Korean TV dramas include some Western actors in minor supporting roles (a typical occurrence is for a Westerner to play some businessperson doing business with a Korean conglomerate). For the most part, not only are these Westerners terrible actors, but it seems they are forced to read an English script that is written by a Korean writer. The end result is that these Western actors sound silly as they speak English as though it is not their native language. The whole piece comes off as very awkward and unnecessarily distracting.
KH: Are there any language/culture problems concerning English subtitle translations?
TL: Oh yes! This topic alone could be the basis for an entire book. It is very difficult to create high quality English subtitles for Korean TV dramas. It takes four separate steps over several months to create English subtitles just for just one drama series. It's not easy to balance between literal translation versus capturing original intent and meanings. Of course the subtitles need to be accurate, but they also need to be as short and concise as possible so that viewers have enough time to read them before they disappear off the screen.
Here are just two quick examples of issues that my subtitle team deals with on a day to day basis:
A very common situation is when a woman calls an older male friend as "oppa." In the dictionary, "oppa" means "a woman's elder bother." In this case, if we translated "oppa" as "big brother," it would really confuse our American viewers (since the two characters are not blood-related). So instead, we just use the character's name and/or leave it out entirely. For example, instead of "Oppa (Big brother), please come here," we would write: "Kyung-Min, please come here" or simply just "Please come here." Incidentally, the word "oppa" is used so often in the dramas that by default it becomes one of the first Korean words that Americans learn.
Another situation is the use of sayings like "Jugeullae?" or "Jugkosipo?" Of course one easy option for us is to translate this literally as "Do you want to die?" However, although an accurate translation, it would sound quite disturbing in English under many circumstances. The "real feeling" behind the phrase does not carry over very well to English. So in many cases, we would translate "Jugeullae?" or "Jugkosipo?" as "Don't make me mad," or "You better be careful," or "You better watch it."
When I first started to produce Korean TV drama DVDs, many people told me: "Mainstream Americans will not accept watching long, foreign TV series with English subtitles. Americans don't like reading subtitles." However, for the most part, that has not been the case. As recent primetime U.S. TV shows like "Lost" and "Heroes" have demonstrated, mainstream America is slowly but surely waking up to the idea of watching programming with English subtitles.
KH: How did you get involved with the business of introducing Korean dramas to the U.S. market?
TL: I spent some time in Korea in the early 1990s, and I fell in love with the culture. When I returned home to the United States, I wanted to share and introduce the Korean culture to my family, friends, and neighbors (at one point, my "big dream" was to become the Ambassador to South Korea). I decided to take a Korean language course. My Korean language professor used a Korean TV drama to teach us the language (the drama was called "Sunrise"). Monday through Thursday we would study the Korean script for a specific episode learning new vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar, etc. Then, each Friday, my professor would show us the complete 50-60-minute episode that we had just studied that week. My fellow classmates and I were so captivated by the drama. That's when I realized two things: (1) Korean TV drama programming could be popular in the U.S. market; and (2) using Korean TV dramas was the perfect vehicle for me to share the Korean culture in the United States.
After that realization, I needed to decide the proper distribution platform to use. I knew it would be difficult to set up a TV station or cable channel and try to get coverage all across the United States. So I decided to use the relatively new DVD platform. DVD provided many advantages, one of which was being able to reach just about anyone in any part of the country. And of course people could watch DVDs at their own convenience without commercials or inconvenient TV schedules. And most importantly, DVDs provided an easy way for people to share Korean TV dramas with their friends. I hear this all the time: "My friend loaned me his/her DVD copy of 'Stairway to Heaven,' and now I'm hooked too! What other Korean TV dramas do you recommend?"
I remember my first meeting with a Korean TV drama industry executive back in 2002. I presented to him my plan on how I wanted to acquire the distribution rights to some Korean TV drama programs, create English subtitles, and distribute the programs on DVD to "mainstream America." He was speechless for about 30 seconds. Then he sort of laughed and asked me, "Why?" He asked, "Outside of Korean-Americans, who in the United States would be interested in watching Korean TV shows?" He thought I was absolutely crazy. I will never forget that experience. Fortunately I was able to convince him, and now my company has over 60 Korean TV drama titles in its catalog. We distribute our DVDs all over the United States through major retail stores like Borders, Barnes & Noble, Costco, Amazon.com, etc, as well as thousands of independent retail stores. Here is our full catalog: http://www.yaentertainment.com/catalog.html |
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Like I said before, the popularity of Korean TV dramas in the United States has grown so much over the past five years. When I first started with this idea, Korean TV dramas were difficult, if not impossible, to find (especially with English subtitles). Now, after only five years, our Korean TV drama DVDs are on the shelves of major retail chain stores like Borders and Barnes & Noble. In fact, I have pictures of our DVDs sitting side-by-side on the store shelves next to "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost." It's so amazing to think about.
KH: What should Korean production companies and TV networks do to produce better Korean dramas and promote them effectively on the U.S. market?
TL: Over the past 8-12 years, I think the Korean TV production companies have produced some of the best overall TV programs in the world. I'm not sure I can give them any suggestions on how to produce even better TV dramas. However, I can offer one piece of advice: as tempting as it is, I hope producers, directors, and writers do not try to imitate recent Western TV trends. I have a feeling that Korean writers and producers are more and more tempted to incorporate more unnecessary sex, violence, and other "garbage content" into their drama programs. I am sure there are some who want to "push the limits" and be the first producer to try something "daring" in their dramas. But if this were to happen, it would be a huge disappointment for consumers in overseas markets like the United States. The U.S. TV industry already provides the world with enough "garbage content." We don't need any more. I believe adding more "garbage content" to Korean TV dramas would ultimately hinder the spread of the Korean Wave.
To answer the second part of the question...
I think the most effective way to further promote Korean TV dramas in the United States would be to arrange for one of the four major U.S. TV networks and/or one of the top 4-5 cable channels to broadcast a Korean TV drama with English subtitles (it doesn't even need to be in primetime). I know this idea is easier said than done. However, over the past five years my company has seen a lot of success in expanding the home video market. Together with many other pioneers we have expanded the Korean TV drama market considerably. We now have enough solid data, history, evidence, and the right key messages to push for this next important step. If a major U.S. TV outlet were to broadcast a Korean TV drama, it would exponentially increase all the grassroots efforts that have been done over the past five years. The time is right. We can't just wait for a "Winter Sonata moment" to happen here in the United States (like it did in Japan). We need to make it happen. My wonderful team, colleagues, partners, and I are working hard to make it happen. Someday soon a major U.S. TV outlet will broadcast a Korean TV drama series to millions of Americans.
On another note, I know various Korean TV production companies want to create their own "24-hour drama cable channel" in the United States. I think this is a wonderful idea (especially after a major U.S. TV outlet first broadcasts a Korean TV drama). But the problem is that the United States does not have room for 5-6 separate cable channels dedicated to Korean TV dramas. And only one party or source by themselves cannot provide all the wonderful Korean TV drama content. My point is that all the individual parties need to overcome their competitive issues and work together for one common goal. That is the best way to effectively tackle and thrive in a large and complex foreign market like the United States.
Also, to effectively promote Korean TV dramas and the Korean Wave here in the United States, I believe that many major initiatives need to be lead by local Americans. If a Korean person from Seoul comes to the United States and says "Korean TV dramas are wonderful and everyone in the United States should watch them," the effect will not be so great (because of course a Korean person believes in and enjoys Korean TV programming!) But if an American stands up and says that same message, the overall effect would be much greater. More local people would be intrigued, and they would be more likely to investigate why this American person is so passionate about Korean TV dramas. They would be more likely to think, "If this American person really enjoys Korean TV dramas/movies/music, perhaps I would enjoy them too."
KH: What is your view on the outlook of Korean TV dramas in the United States and beyond?
TL: I am naturally very bullish on the outlook of Korean TV dramas in both the United States and beyond. My wonderful team and I have a front-row seat to the daily expansion of the Korean Wave in the United States. Without a doubt, Korean TV dramas are the engine behind the Korean Wave. I am a big believer. And there are many other big believers here in the United States. Korean TV drama writers and producers are brilliant. They just need to hold on to their "magic formula," and continue to innovate without imitating Western TV trends.
KH: Any additional comments regarding Korean dramas in the U.S. market?
TL: I know, of course, that Korean TV dramas are made for Korean audiences. However, I believe that sometime soon, if not already, total Korean TV-drama viewership will be greater outside of Korea. The number of non-Korean viewers will be greater than the number of Korean viewers. This is an amazing point to ponder, and the implications for Korean TV drama producers and writers are enormous. As Korean TV dramas continue to increase in popularity, it would be wonderful for the U.S. fans to be able to interact more with the actors and actresses. (press conferences, academic symposiums, concerts, conventions, etc).
It's an honor for me to help share the Korean culture here in the United States. Learning about and experiencing Korean culture has blessed and enhanced my life. I know many Americans feel the same way as I do. And now for many Americans, watching a Korean TV drama is their "first taste" of Korea.
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ |
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April 22, 2008
YOON's Moonlight of Seoul to open May 1st
In his debut feature The Unforgiven (2006), director YOON Jong-bin showed us a side of men and masculine codes in the Korean military with honesty and sensitivity. Now YOON is back with his sophomore effort, a film which shows another side of men, this time male hosts who serve female clients in discreet salons tucked into the affluent fashion districts of southern Seoul. Opening April 30, The Moonlight of Seoul (titled Beastie Boys in Korean) stars the talented and now famous HA Jeong-woo (The Chaser) along with YOON Kye-sang (Flying Boys).
The story centers around Seung-woo (played by YOON), who, was once quite wealthy but after a turn in fortunes, joins a 慼ost bar |
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April 23, 2008
Cannes Film Festival - Unveiled Line-Up
Unveiling the line-up for the 61st edition of the world抯 biggest film festival, which runs from May 14-25, organizers said there was a feeling that 揳 new cycle was beginning |
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Thanks to kdramafanusa-soompi.com for the highlight
April 23, 2008
慙aundry Warrior |
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April 24, 2008
Singer Seven will perform in front of a live audience prior to his official debut in the U.S.
Seven will sing three songs, which are included in his U.S. debut album, at the preview party to be held at Highlands, a famous nightclub in Hollywood, Los Angeles on May 2.
"Darkchild" Rodney Jerkins, a renowned American music producer will personally introduce Seven on stage. Jerkins has produced one of the songs in Seven's album entitled "Girls."
In March, Seven held a preview party in the iro Ballroom of the Maritime Hotel in New York. At the time, a DJ played the three songs but at the upcoming L.A preview party, Seven will perform the songs live on stage with his backup dancers. Reports say a number of famous musicians from the U.S. pop music industry have been invited to the event.
U.S. mobile communications company Verizon will also take part in the party as Seven's official sponsor. According to the singer's management agency YG Entertainment, Verizon has highly rated Seven's potential to succeed in the U.S. market.
President of YG Entertainment Yang Hyun-suk as well as the YG staff will leave for Los Angeles on May 1 to attend the event.
Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/mcontents/entertainment/1520611_11692.html |
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Seo In Young: “My husband~”
April 17, 2008
Seo In Young posted pictures of herself and Crown J in her mini homepage last April 15, which she titled “My husband~.” The two play as a married couple in the hit MBC show “We’re Married.”
Netizens who have seen the pictures commented that the two are “very cute,” and that they “look good together.”
Source: Chosun + krnloop
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Son Ho-young Invited to Hiroshima
2008-04-18
Singer Son Ho-young will pay an official visit to Hiroshima, a Japanese city which has become a symbol of peace after the tragic atomic bombing.
Some 60 million tourists have come to Hiroshima Prefecture to see Miyajima and the Peace Memorial Park, which are included in UNESCO's World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. Recently, in an effort to rediscover Hiroshima and make the charms of the Japanese city widely known both in Japan and overseas, “The Welcome to Hiroshima Project” was launched.
Son was invited for the first event of the project which involves top Asian stars to brighten up the atmosphere. On April 17, he will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum with some 200 fans and then participate in the Welcome Party at his hotel. On the second day of his trip, he will move to a popular tourist attraction and hold a BBQ party with fans.
Son is expected to have a cozy meeting with fans at the party through a variety of activities, such as shaking hands, taking pictures and recreational games.
c: KBS Global
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Paran facing a plagiarism issue
April 18, 2008
Paran’s 3rd album title track entitled “Don’t Cry” is now being criticized by Netizens and music fans as plagiarized from Backstreet Boys’ song “Inconsolable,” which is off the popular group’s “Unbreakable” album.
According to Netizens and music fans, the “Baby~” part of “Don’t Cry” and “Baby~” part of “Inconsolable” are similar.
However, according to NH Media, Paran’s label, the melody of “Don’t Cry” is different from “Inconsolable” when heard in its entirety. Moreover, the label also said that Sung Woo Suk, who composed ‘Don’t Cry’, has not heard it [Inconsolable] before so saying that it was plagiarized from the Backstreet Boys song is not true.
Source: Mydaily + krnloop |
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Jewelry’s 2nd single: Silence
April 18, 2008
Jewelry is following-up the success of “One More Time” with its new single “Silence.” The female group will be filming the music video for the said song in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do on the 21st with Crown J and Poppin’ Hyun Joon.
“There were a lot of requests for ‘Silence’ to be made as the second single of the album. In the music video, Jewelry will be transformed into sexy cheerleaders,” Star Empire, Jewelry’s label, revealed.
Meanwhile, promotions for “Silence” will start in early May.
Source: Newsis + krnloop
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Crown J: “Seo In Young is close to my ideal type”
April 18, 2008
In an interview with Starnews on the 17th, Crown J revealed that Jewelry’s Seo In Young is close to his ideal type.
He said, “I currently don’t have a girlfriend but out of the 4 women in the show ‘We’re Married’, Seo In Young, who plays my partner, is close to my ideal woman. For me, although I really respect elders, I like a woman who is assertive.”
Crown J also mentioned that in “We’re Married,” he and Seo In Young often fight but they really have many things in common like they like the same music and even have the same perfume and lotion. He reasoned that because of that, they are able to show their natural selves in MBC “We’re Married.”
Source: Daily Seop + krnloop
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Paran Concerts Requested by 9 Asian Nations
2008-04-18
The male group Paran is caught in a quandary between working in Korea and working abroad.
After making their K-pop comeback with their third album and its title track, "Don't Cry," countless requests for overseas concerts have poured in, putting Paran in the awkward spot of rearranging their schedule in Korea.
The group has been asked to perform in Thailand, Japan, China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. At the present time, only concert dates for Japan (May 25th) and Thailand (June 8th) have been set.
Paran's entertainment agency NH Media announced that Paran had been planning on focusing their activities in Korea for their third album, and that this was a complicated situation because they had hoped to hold a concert in Korea to coincide with their comeback.
"We are seriously considering a concert request from Mongolia because the concert will be a national event," an NH media representative explained. "The request from Cambodia came after Paran's incredible success at a showcase in a neighboring country, Laos."
Paran returns to Korea with their third album after a two-year hiatus. Their first television appearance will be on the KBS 2TV program, "Music Bank.
c: KBS Global |
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Post time 23-4-2008 12:07 PM
变色卡
Author
