Korean Entertainment News 2011

katt

News Index page 9

May 17, 2009: Koreans get good start at Cannes
May 17: Latest blockbusters attract millions of viewers
May 17: Will MBC land a triple or will KBS reach the altar?
May 18: Daytime TV Embraces Lurid Subject Matter
May 15: Actress Han Ji-hye Debuts as Singer
May 18: Blockbuster Drama Unveils Video Promo / IRIS
May 18: Won Bin's 'Second Life' With 'Mother'
May 18: Kwon Sang-woo offers fans another taste of him
May 18: MOTHER movie review
May 18: Kim Yun-jin Spurs Trench Coat Mania
May 19: BoA Poses in West Hollywood
May 19: Two S. Korean films win at U.S. film fest
May 19: High school horror into fifth feature / Memento Mori5
May 19: Old Films Return With Foreign Dubbing
May 19: Kim Yeon Woo Sees Singing as Learning to Feel, Control  
May 19: New Epic Drama to Bring Rivalry, Love to TV
May 19: Jackie Chan to Volunteer in Tongyeong for 3 Days
May 20: Girls

katt

May 17, 2009

Koreans get good start at Cannes



Emotional Korean tale "Mother," about a woman's relentless fight to save her backwards boy won a standing ovation for director of "The Host" Bong Joon-ho at Cannes on Saturday.

Starring veteran actress Kim Hye-ja as a mother convinced of her son's innocence in a murder case, the movie brought the audience to its feet after premiering as one of the films running for the Un Certain Regard prize for fresh upcoming talent.

"A mother can be a noble figure or a savage beast," the director said during the post-screening news conference. Bong Joon-ho is one of Korea's filmmakers to watch as he scored a pair of critical and box office hits with "Memories of Murder" and "The Host," in recent years.

In the audience were fellow Koreans at Cannes, director Park Chan-wook, whose movie "Thirst" is competing for the coveted Palme d'Or, and writer-director and former minister of Culture Lee Chang-dong, who is a member of this year's Palme jury. Lee gained wide international acclaim for the searing social chastisement drama "Peppermint Candy" and his poignant love story "Oasis."

Meanwhile, the new Park Chan-wook film "Thirst" has been sold to three foreign buyers at the Cannes film festival and is expected to draw more overseas attention during the event, the movie's distributor CJ Entertainment said Friday.

The vampire opus was sold to buyers from Brazil, Spain and Turkey as of the second day of the Cannes International Film Festival. "Thirst," which has drawn nearly 2 million viewers at home, was sold to 10 countries including France and Greece before its domestic release earlier this month.

The film will be competing for the top prize at the prestigious film festival along with 19 other nominees. This is the second time Park has aimed for the top honor at the French contest, after his 2004 win with "Oldboy."

Critical reception to Park's latest film has been a mixed bag, with some critics saying the film had not met the high expectations created from his previous, superior efforts, while others commented on the maturity and restraint the South Korean filmmaker showed by refusing to go for the typically macabre.

The festival is not just for studio fare, perennial representative of the Korean independent film movement, Hong Sang-soo and his latest slice-of-life tale, "Like You Know it All" will be featured at the Director's Fortnight section.

The winner of the top prize, the Palm d'Or, will be announced on May 24.

From news reports via koreaherald.co.kr / image from news.yahoo.kr

katt

May 17, 2009

Latest blockbusters attract millions of viewers



SEOUL, May 17 (Yonhap) -- Two of the latest South Korean blockbusters have attracted millions of viewers within a month, the country's film governing agency said Sunday.

According to the Korean Film Council, "My Girlfriend Isn't an Agent," released April 22, drew 2.95 million viewers as of Saturday, while "Thirst," launched April 30, attracted 1.95 million fans.

On Saturday, some 170,000 people saw "My Girlfriend," depicting a female intelligence officer who disguises herself as a tour agent, while 50,000 moviegoers chose "Thirst," a blood-soaked vampire film.

"My Girlfriend" has become the biggest smash-hit movie this year, leaving behind the independent film "Old Partner," which attracted 2.94 million viewers.

Credits: brk@yna.co.kr via yonhapnews.co.kr

katt

May 17, 2009

Will MBC land a triple or will KBS reach the altar?



Blood-curdling mysteries and beaches laden with muscled and tanned lifeguards, these are the images that come to mind when you say summer television. But starting next week, viewers will be plunged into the sweeping adventures of a female monarch-to-be before being romanced by the worlds of figure skating and advertising. By mid-June, audiences will be tickled pink by a doctor's courtship of a bachelor who can't land a wife.

In other words, drama's spring trends pretty much seem to hold true for this summer too. Romantic comedies or heroine-centric period pieces are still in style.

Among the trio of dramas slated to hit TV screens in late May and June, KBS' "The Man Who Can't Get Hitched" holds the most promise.

Headed by actress diva extraordinaire Uhm Jung-hwa, this spin-off of a Japanese television series centers around a picky and obstinate bachelor, played by "Jewel in the Palace" star Ji Jin-hee, and the doctor who falls head over heels for him, portrayed by none other than Uhm herself.

"There are a lot of similarities between how I look and how Moon Jung (Uhm's character) looks on a regular basis," said the 37-year old actress during a photo shoot for the drama. "So, I am trying to naturally incorporate the real Uhm Jung-hwa into my character."

Uhm, noted for her sexy and sassy roles in flicks like "Singles" (2003), recently played a femme fatale in "Insadong Scandal." This time around she will be trying gentle and refined on for size.

On June 10, "Triple," the long-awaited collaboration between MBC "Coffee Prince" director Lee Yoon-jung and scriptwriter Lee Jung-ah, will air its first episode. The upcoming drama will navigate the arenas of advertising and figure skating.

How do the two worlds overlap?

Figure skater Ha-ru, played by actress Min Hyo-rin, is the stepsister of advertising agency account executive Shin Hwal. Ha-ru ends up bunking with Shin and his two high school friends-turned-ad agency coworkers.

Depending on how the scenario plays out, "Triple" could become an unwieldy series that attempts to give viewers an insider's look into the art of advertising and of landing a triple axel, or it could be smart and focus on the relationships between Ha-ru, her stepbrother, his two buddies and Ha-ru's coach, who, surprise, surprise, also happens to be Shin Hwal's wife.

The question that seems to be on everyone's lips is: Will "Triple" be as successful as "Coffee Prince?"

The only thing that "Coffee Prince" and "Triple" seem to have in common, besides sharing the same director and scriptwriter, is that they are fronted by a male cast. Yet, if "Coffee Prince" attracted viewers with a trio of hot young baristas and their equally hot boss, "Triple" seems to be less focused on employing eye candy tactics and more interested in bringing in an eclectic range of actors, from veteran Lee Jung-jae to former boy band "g.o.d." member Yoon Kye-sang.

How the series plans on mending the apparent age gap between 36-year old Jung and 30-year old Yoon, when they are supposed to be high school pals, remains a mystery. Rounding out the male trio is "Coffee Prince" star Lee Seon-gyun.

"Le Grand Chef" actress Lee Ha-na will be sharing a romantic storyline with both Lee Jung-jae and Yoon Kye-sang as Ha-ru's figure skating coach.

Starting next Monday, MBC will be documenting Queen Seon-deok's rise to the throne. "Doctor Bong" star Lee Yo-won will be taking on the role of the first female ruler of the Silla Dynasty. Flanked by "Hourglass" actress Ko Hyun-jeong and "Again My Love" actress Park Ye-jin, actress Lee will portray the early days of Queen Seon-deok's life, when she was a princess.

While Lee plays the lead, actress Ko threatens to steal the spotlight as femme fatale Mi Shil, the woman who holds the royal family in the palm of her hand. Ko's interpretation of her character promises to bring a full-bodied complexity to the role.

"I think that Mi Shil was probably a very lonely person," said actress Ko. "Faced with the challenges of survival and the need to stay on top in this game of power, Mi Shil would have had to invest a grueling amount of effort. Based on this, she may come across strong, but on the flipside, under those circumstances, I take into consideration the possibility that she was a fragile woman, always on edge and fearful."

MBC's "Queen Seon-deok" is slated to air its first episode on May 25, and will be playing on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:55 p.m.

KBS' Monday and Tuesday night series "The Man Who Can't Get Hitched" is slated to hit the small screen on June 15 on KBS 2 TV at 9:55 p.m.

MBC's Wednesday and Thursday night series "Triple" is set to start on June 10 at 9:55 p.m.

By Jean Oh (oh_jean@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr

katt

May 18, 2009

Daytime TV Embraces Lurid Subject Matter



Adultery is becoming a common theme in TV dramas that air in the morning, when many pre-school children are watching. Research by the Chosun Ilbo shows that since 2004, nine out of 11 morning dramas on MBC and 10 out of 15 on SBS had adultery as the main theme. Strong language and domestic violence are often essential ingredients.

Documentaries also deal increasingly with lurid subjects. Kang Seung-koo, a media professor at the Korea National Open University, said, "In recession, broadcasters are going to extremes to attract advertising."

Networks feel they are following the spirit of the times. "Terrestrial channels have to compete with over 100 cable channels," an executive with a major terrestrial network explains. "Even if the topic is 'improper,' if the viewer rating comes out high, it can be interpreted as another kind of cultural code."

The influence on young minds can be substantial, claims Sung Young-shin, a psychology professor at Korea University. "You have a lot of repressed anger in your adolescent years, and TV dramas on immoral subjects could spur the latent indignation of these young people." According to the National Police Agency, the number of adolescent victims of sexual violence is on the rise, from 1,811 in 2006 and 2,136 in 2007 to 2,717 in 2008. Shin Gi-sook, the director of Sunflower Children's Center for children victims of sexual violence, said "It's alarming that due to the influence of TV, an increasing number of children think of sexual violence as mere play."

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

katt

May 15, 2009

Actress Han Ji-hye Debuts as Singer



Actress Han Ji-hye of the 揈ast of Eden

katt

May 18, 2009

Blockbuster Drama Unveils Video Promo



The upcoming blockbuster drama 揑RIS

katt

May 18, 2009

Won Bin's 'Second Life' With 'Mother'

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter


Actor Won Bin, right, poses with veteran actress Kim Hye-ja, after an interview
at Cannes International Film Festival. The two star in a thriller about maternal love,
揗other,

katt

May 18, 2009

Kwon Sang-woo offers fans another taste of him

Waning 'Hallyu' star Kwon Sang-woo entered the coffee game on Saturday when he held a grand opening event for his new coffee shop "Tea-us" in Myeong-dong in central Seoul.

Standing behind the counter in front of photographers and entertainment journalists, Kwon whipped up brews for fans and media folks with the un-ironic "Konglish"-filled slogan "Taste Coffee, Tea, and Him" proudly emblazoned behind the walls of his new joint.



"I didn't want to just lend my name to this shop, so my friends and I have been planning the opening of this coffee house since 2, 3 years ago," the 33-year-old actor said. "I'm more nervous now than I was during my debut years and I hope this coffee shop becomes a place where both my Korean and Japanese fans can come to enjoy each other's company in a comfortable, cozy environment."

The name "Tea-us" is a homonym of "Mr. Tears," the nickname fans around Asia gave him after his role in the 2003 SBS television series, "Stairway to Heaven."



The stock tear-jerker won over the hearts of countless Japanese housewives, who had been looking for the next "Yonsama" to pine for. So it was appropriate that the actor chose Myeong-dong, Seoul's unofficial "Japan Town," to open his new business venture to capitalize on the massive tourist traffic.

Kwon has been the subject of controversy in recent months by having a son out of wedlock with actress Son Tae-young. Pre-marriage pregnancy is still a taboo concept in Korea and their private life has come under scrutiny by the supposedly conservative Korean media.

Piling on more controversy to his career were his comments he made of his desire to emigrate to another country as he "has had enough with life in Korea," in response to the malicious media gossip about his private life.

By Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr, image from MyDaily copied from news.yahoo.kr

katt

Weekly Box Office 2009.05.15 ~ 2009.05.17 3-day Gross/Total Gross (won)

1. Angels & Demons (U.S.) 4,071,929,500 / 4,682,871,000

2. MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN AGENT (South Korea) 2,468,020,500 / 20,037,116,000

3. Castaway on the Moon (South Korea) 1,634,095,500 / 1,901,541,000

4. Star Trek (U.S.) 1,586,180,000 / 5,451,048,000

5. Thirst (South Korea) 851,408,000 / 13,396,750,000

6. INSADONG Scandal (South Korea) 535,605,000 / 7,045,150,500

7. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (U.S.) 297,273,000 / 8,199,816,000

8. Ong Bak 2 (Thailand) 111,172,000 / 131,579,500

9. Monsters vs. Aliens (U.S.) 105,390,000 / 4,458,179,000

10. Cyborg She (South Korea) 69,089,000 / 88,884,000

Source: KOFIC

katt

May 18, 2009

Film review
Mother

By Maggie Lee



Bottom Line: A tremendous human portrait and taut murder suspense

CANNES -- Maternal instinct exerts fearsome force in "Mother," when a woman finds that no one but herself can clear her son of murder. Bong Joon-ho's top opus zooms in on one character with smothering intensity to examine the primal quality of motherhood. At the same time, it is a superb murder mystery, with twists coming thick and fast yet always at the right moments.

"Mother" confirms Bong's prodigious talent in bending any genre to serve his own idiosyncratic vision. Though premiering in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section, it would not feel out of place In Competition. Made with less commercial considerations than the monster movie "The Host," his boxoffice smash in Korea, this more personal work may alienate some popular audiences, but critical accolades will give it a boost. Overseas marketing aiming beyond the art house may emphasize the script's cleverly plotted detective yarn, which is paced like a Hitchcock suspense thriller.

Hye-ja (Kim Hye-ja) runs a herbal apothecary, and performs unlicensed acupuncture to make ends meet. She is constantly on the look out for her son Do-joon (Won Bin), who easily gets in trouble because of his mentally challenged condition. When high school girl Ah-jung is found dead and dangling halfway from a rooftop, incriminating evidence points to Do-joon as the killer.

Neither the district police whom Hye-ja routinely grovels to, nor the lawyer whom Hye-ja must pay through the nose for, show any sympathy or patience to Do-joon's case. Frustrated, Hye-ja decides to find the killer herself. Her biggest suspect is Do-joon's hoodlum buddy Jin-tae. However, she soon learns that there is no one she can trust in her close-knit village.

Although the small town setting and sex crime plot suggests Bong is revisiting his own "Memories of Murder" territory, "Mother" is less concerned with capturing the mindset of a milieu or community, or to criticize ineffective social systems than "Memories." Bong is more fascinated with the glory and misery of Hye-ja -- initially as an embodiment of the indomitable human spirit as she refuses to surrender to circumstances, then gradually as an elemental force of nature, as inhuman and destructive as the monster in "The Host" (which, incidentally, dwells in dark waters like a Grendel figure).

This is expressed with a stylized film language that he forges with more confidence than ever before. Looming close-ups of Hye-ja stretched across the screen both mesmerize and unnerve. Other times, wide shots of endless fields or misty mountains frame her as a speck in the landscape -- implying both her insignificance, and her affiliation with nature.

TV actress Kim Hye-ja, long-accustomed to playing overbearing Korean mothers, commands the screen, though she sometimes goes overboard with too many mannerisms in a larger-than-life performance. Won Bin exudes guileless charm as the dim-witted son, and is almost unrecognizable from his usual heartthrob image.

The film's use of sound, from the ominous rustling of leaves to the menacing sounds of Hye-ja's herb chopper, is more effective than any music score. The appearance of not more than two persons in most frames, and the stark palette of primary colors of doleful smoky blue and petulant rusty red create a sustained mood of claustrophobia and discomfort.

Festival de Cannes -- Un Certain Regard

Sales: CJ Entertainment
Production companies: Barunson, CJ Entertainment
Cast: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin
Director-screenwriter: Bong Joon-ho
Screenwriter: Park Eun-kyo
Producers: Seo Woo-sik, Park Tae-joon
Director of photography: Hong Kyung-pyo
Production designer: Ryu Seong-hie
Music: Lee Byeong-woo
Costume designer: Choi Se-yeon
No rating, 129 minutes

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

katt

May 18, 2009

Kim Yun-jin Spurs Trench Coat Mania  


Kim Yun-jin

Actress Kim Yun-jin has become a worldwide fashion icon with a trench coat she is wearing in ABC's "Lost."

Kim was among 16 fashion icons named by U.S. magazine Entertainment Weekly along with Selma Hayek, Christina Applegate and Britney Spears.

The weekly said the Tory Burch trench coat priced at US$237 that Kim wears in "Lost" while searching for her missing husband is a highly coveted item among Internet users.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

katt

May 19, 2009

BoA Poses in West Hollywood  



BoA Poses in West Hollywood: South Korean singer BoA poses for a portrait in West Hollywood, Calif., Monday. BoA released her first U.S. album on March 17 amid high expectations that she will reenact her success story in Japan in the United States. The album contains 11 songs including " I Did It For Love" and dance tracks " Energetic," " Eat You Up" and " Look Who's Talking."/ AP-Yonhap

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

katt

May 19, 2009

Two S. Korean films win at U.S. film fest

SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean films by emerging directors grabbed honors at the recent Syracuse International Film Festival, a directors' organization in Seoul said Tuesday.

"Exhausted" by Kim Gok carried off some top awards, including those for best actress, best directing and best feature fiction, with a special judges' citation for best cinematography, organizers of the Seoul Independent Film Festival said in a press release. The film, which also won the top prize at the Seoul fete last year, was praised as a "perfect choice" by Katalin Vajda, one of the nine judges at the Syracuse festival.

"Stop" by Park Jae-oh, which was placed third at the Cinefoundation section of the Cannes Film Festival last year, was hailed as the best animation along with five films from the United States and the Czech Republic.

The sixth Syracuse film fest, organized by the New York-based Syracuse University, invited some 50 filmmakers from nearly 20 countries and closed May 3.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via english.yonhapnews.co.kr

katt

May 19, 2009

High school horror into fifth feature

K-horror, or Korean horror, is a relatively small genre, but its impact cannot be ignored, especially when the long-running "Yeogo Goedam (Memento Mori)" series hits theaters.

Set in an all-girls high school, the horror series sometimes turn out to be a lackluster fare at the box office but it never fails to produce a new female star for Korean cinema.



During its 10-year run, the Memento Mori franchise has introduced many up-and-coming actresses, including Kim Ok-vin, who made her name known through her role in the previous installment "Voice" and is now at the Cannes film festival for Park Chan-wook's vampire flick "Thirst."

It's no wonder, then, that the competition for a position in the series' fifth feature was extremely fierce. To be specific, the five young actresses had to beat more than 5,000 competitors to land a role for "Memento Mori 5."

"The Memento Mori series is the most prestigious gateway for Korean female actors, and that's why I worked hard to pass the audition," said Chang Kyung-a, one of those who made it onboard the franchise, at a news conference in Seoul on Monday.

Chang said she did not expect to play a ghost and got a little disheartened when other cast members joined the project as pretty high school girls. "But once I got used to the ghost character, I wanted to play up the role, make it scarier than ever," she said.

The film revolves around five high school friends who make a pact to commit suicide, but their plan is turned upside down the night before the planned event when one of the girls jumps the gun and kills herself.

Director Lee Jong-yong said he was concerned about the subject matter of the film. Suicide, especially by high school girls, is a very sensitive topic at a time when the number of students taking their own lives is steadily rising. "I was worried about the possibility that people might misunderstand the film's subject matter, falsely assuming that I'm trying to take advantage of the social issue or sensationalize suicides," said Lee, who makes her film debut with "Memento Mori 5."

But the film does not portray suicide in a romantic manner; suicide is rather an unfortunate choice made by one of the characters, all of whom suffer from personal problems. "I just wanted to illustrate how misguided high school girls make a pact to commit suicide together for whatever reasons," he said.

While Chang Kyung-a fleshes out a ghost as the center of a hair-raising horror story, other actors are charged with characters who struggle with personal problems. Son Eun-seo, who plays So-i, said her character is a typical high school girl who wants to deal with her relationship issues. "She's lonely partly because her relationships with her classmates are not so smooth," Son said.

Oh Yeon-seo's Yu-jin is relatively in a better position. She is born to a wealthy family, she excels in school and cares about her best friends. The only problem is her disposition, which goes through a dramatic change due to a certain unexpected development.

Song Min-jeong plays Eun-yong, a girl who smiles a lot as if the world couldn't be better but hides a dark family history behind her cute appearance.

Yu Shin-ae's character Jeong-won is similarly lively and energetic, but her elder sister's death puts a gloomy spin on her emotional landscape, leading to a storm of sadness and anger.

The K-horror series started in 1998 with the screening of "Whispering Corridors," followed by "Memento Mori" (1999), "Wishing Stairs" (2003) and "Voice" (2005). The series has cultivated a following here thanks to its trademark dark school scenes which serve as social commentary about the conformity-oriented Korean education system.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr / image from daum.net

katt

May 18, 2009

Old Films Return With Foreign Dubbing

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter


A scene from Yoo Hyeon-mok抯 "Bun-Rye抯 Story" (1971)

The Korean Film Archive (KOFA) has recovered and restored from overseas five old Korean films, and will offer screenings at its theater in northern Seoul through the end of the month. Interestingly, these popular works from the 1960s and

katt

May 19, 2009

Kim Sees Singing as Learning to Feel, Control  

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter


Singer Kim Yeon-woo will hold a concert at the Chungmu Art Hall this week
for fans. / Courtesy of Big Foot Entertainment

Many may not recognize the name Kim Yeon-woo, 37, but his soft yet powerful ballads like ``Still Beautiful?" and project group Toy may ring a bell. "I have been doing ballads for the past 14 years. Old habits die hard, and I guess it was hard for me to move out of the box,'' Kim said during an interview with The Korea Times at Yeouido last week.

Kim is one of the best known vocalists here, giving vocal lessons to top singers like Lee Young-hyun from Big Mama, Lee Suk-hun from SG Wannabe, Lim Jeong-hee or J.Lim and also teaching aspiring singers at his alma mater.

Building a career as a singer is never easy, and for Kim, his professional career took unexpected turns at an early age. As a student in the School of Music at the Korea National University of Arts, he got a glimpse of the music industry as he worked as a chorus member for singers like Lim Chang-jung and Kim Hyun-chul.

Then came the big opportunity. As soon as Kim won a prize from the You Jae-ha Singing Competition, he got a call from singer and songwriter You Hee-yeol. "Right after graduation, I worked as a guest singer from You's second album. It sold more than 10,000 copies and that was the start of Toy's popularity,'' he said.

The project group Toy and You became famous for delicate ballads and heartwarming lyrics, but for Kim, it wasn't all good. "It took some time for fans to realize that it was me singing the songs. Even until 2000, many people didn't know who I was,'' he said.

Staying behind the scenes for several years was enough for Kim, and he finally broke away from the shadows and went solo, releasing his own albums and gaining popularity for his powerful voice and stage presence."There was a time when I felt a bit depressed, but I still feel lucky to have met You. I'm grateful and we still keep in touch, although he is a bit more busy than I am,'' Kim said laughing.

When asked about his life as a professor, Kim smiled and said there were always "talented students who just hate to practice.''

Kim's voice started to speed up as he talked about his perspective toward "good singing," which was based on not only training hard but also knowing to feel and control.

"Singing all comes down to emotions and feelings. Even if you are a great singer, if the listener cannot feel anything, you have failed. It's also important to know how to control your voice and not ruin your vocal chords. Look at famous singers. They don't struggle to make the high note. You need to learn control," he advised.

When asked about what he thought of the current music industry, Kim thought for a moment, and said he recognized change. "We are focusing too much on 'idols,' and it now seems we only have two genres: Idol music and trot, or traditional pop. The society has changed, people have changed and feelings have changed. We just live in such a fast paced world that even I can't bear listening to my old songs because they are too slow," said Kim.

What would be the singer's dreams?

" Personally, I would like to set up an academy where aspiring musicians can learn and train. Who knows, we might come up with the next Boyz II Men. As a singer, I am grateful that there are fans who are waiting for my music and for them, I will try my best to continue singing, probably until I die," he said.

Kim has prepared a special performance at Chungmu Art hall as part of "Stars on Stage" concert May 21-24. For more information, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr or call (02) 2203-6601.

Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

katt

May 19, 2009

New Epic Drama to Bring Rivalry, Love to TV

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter


Charismatic characters from the Silla Kingdom will come to life through new MBC drama
揟he Great Queen Seondeok.

katt

May 19, 2009

Jackie Chan to Volunteer in Tongyeong for 3 Days

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter


Action star Jackie Chan

Chinese action star Jackie Chan will be spending three days volunteering in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, the Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday.

According to his production company The Jackie Chan Group Korea, Chan will be spending time with 100 children from single-parent homes and state orphanages from Tongyeong, Haenam, Gangneung and other areas in Korea from Thursday to Saturday.

SBS Broadcasting invited the 55-year-old to hold "Jackie Chan's Hope Project," a one-night, two-day charity event for underprivileged children.

Korean celebrities such as boy band Super Junior, actresses Jang Na-ra and Jeon Hye-bin and actor Jeong Doo-hong, will also take time out of their busy schedules to participate in the event.

On Thursday, Chan and the Korean celebrities will participate in various activities with the children such as a charity soccer game, talent show, performances and a barbecue party. On Friday, Chan and the participating children will be taking part in a clean-up activity in Tongyeong to promote environmental awareness.

Chan has shown a special affiliation with Korea, having worked as a stuntman here in the 1970s. In 2005, he received honorary citizenship of Tongyeong for his many contributions to the city. He donated products such as computers and clothes worth 100 million won, as well as 20 million in scholarships for underprivileged children,

Chan has been involved in charity work throughout his career. He said in recent media interviews that he would like to give back his wealth to society. His assets are estimated at around 400 billion won.

Credits: cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

katt

May 20, 2009

Girls