kdrama and kpop

Hot sibling of actress Kim Ta Hae is back in the new drama 'Swallow The Sun' and he's never been looking better than before! The last drama that I watched starring Lee Wan was 'Heaven's Tree' which was quite a while ago.










He lost all his baby fat ^^.

A recent poll shows that actress Song Hye-gyo is the favorite Korean celebrity among Hong Kong people. The poll was conducted by the Hong Kong office of the Korea National Tourism Organization on June 11-14 on 1,145 people who attended the 2009 Hong Kong International Tourism Exhibition. The results showed that Song Hye-gyo received 40.4 percent of the votes. She was trailed by Lee Young-ae at 40.2 percent. Lee took the number one spot in the same poll last year. Other Korean celebrities who were picked by the respondents included Jeon Ji-hyun (31.2 percent), Bae Yong-jun (16.2 percent), singer Rain (14.4 percent) and Ji Jin-hee (12.9 percent). With regard to the most popular tourist spots in Korea, 68.2 percent of respondents chose Seoul. More than 42 percent cited Jeju and 24.7 percent picked Gangwon Province. With regard to the most impressive experience in Korea, the respondents cited shopping (62.2 percent), food (52.8 percent), natural landscape including flowers (34.6 percent), skiing (34.3 percent) and amusement parks (28.2 percent). The head of the Hong Kong office of the Korea National Tourism Organization said the results of the poll serve as yet further proof that Hong Kong tourists like shopping and food, and that a growing number of Hong Kong people visit Korea to see flowers. Source: KBS Global

Four people working for SBS-TV’s “Swallow the Sun” have caught the A(H1N1) flu virus. The infections were discovered at Incheon International Airport and on Jeju Island early this month. The crew members were returning from Las Vegas, where they had been filming the drama. The four are currently hospitalized, according to the makers of the new series. While the rest of the production crew and cast are not infected with the flu, they are still being quarantined on Jeju Island because of security measures. Ji Sung, the main actor for the drama, is one of the cast members staying on Jeju. Sung Yu-ri, an actress on the show, is said to be in Seoul. She reportedly has no signs of the virus.

SBS decided to postpone the airing of the first episode of Swallow the Sun until today. It was initially scheduled to air yesterday. Swallow the Sun is about four young people who dream of turning the Jeju city of Seogwipo into the Las Vegas of Asia.

By Lee Hae-Joo Contributing writer via INSIDE JoongAng Daily

With a slew of bankable summer blockbusters charging through the box office this season, it is about time a television series of epic proportions spiced things up on the small screen.

SBS' new Wednesday and Thursday night installment, "Swallow the Sun," promises to do just that.

The latest collaboration between "All In" duo director Yoo Chul-yong and scriptwriter Choi Wan-gyu, "Swallow the Sun" repeats blockbuster-making history, spinning a gargantuan tale of ambitious young adults with big plans and big dreams for Jeju Island.

The scenic island, Las Vegas and South Africa serve as the vast playground on which a star-studded cast that includes "New Heart" star Ji Sung, former girl group Fin.K.L hottie Sung Yu-ri and "Stairway to Heaven" actor Lee Wan play out this mega adventure.

A finely chiseled Ji Sung, who also starred in the hit series "All In" (SBS, 2003), sloughs off his "New Heart" charm for the rugged and rebellious skin of Kim Jung-woo.

Taking on the role of the illegitimate son of a gangster and a female diver, Ji Sung mastered scuba diving, boxing and taekwondo prior to extensive filming that took him from Korea to South Africa and Las Vegas. "I remember riding the truck all day off the beaten path, firing a gun, for the chase scene that unfolded in Africa," Ji Sung recounted unforgettable moments in a press release from SBS.

"For the underwater scene, which was the first one I filmed, I was in the water for eight hours," he recalled. "At one point my eyes got puffy. I swam with one hand and grabbed the gills of a sea bream with the other, struggling for life." "I think I will remember both scenes for a long time."

Behind the scenes, the tough and travel-heavy schedule took its toll on the drama's production crew. According to a press release from SBS, four crew members were diagnosed with the human swine flu virus after flying in from the United States in early July.

Prioritizing national health concerns over the drama, the press conference slated for Tuesday was cancelled and filming was temporarily halted. "All four are confirmed cases of the A (H1N1) virus," said an SBS representative over the phone.

When asked how they were faring, the representative stated that though they showed symptoms of high fever, they were not immobile and that one crew member was fully recovered. In regards to the health of the cast, the representative answered: "They are fine."

According to the press release, after wrapping up filming in Las Vegas the production crew returned to Korea on July 2. One crew member tested positive for swine flu and was placed in the Incheon National Quarantine Station. The following day the production crew joined the film crew in Jeju Island. After receiving tests at the Jeju Island public health center, three more crew members were diagnosed with the H1N1 virus on Monday.

According to the SBS representative, the crew member that was placed in the Incheon National Quarantine Station has made a complete recovery. "Filming may resume, at the soonest, on Thursday," stated the SBS representative.

The first episode was pushed back a day and was replaced by a special that aired yesterday. According to the press release, because plenty of scenes were filmed in South Africa and America, there are no setbacks to the broadcast of the drama for the time being.

Based on the original book authored by the production company's president Kang Chul-hwa of Newport Pictures, "Swallow the Sun" will air its first episode tonight on SBS at 9:55 p.m.

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

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New drama with Ji Sung, Lee Wan & Sung Yuri? Only hot people! I'm not so updated with dramas these days and I'm sorry for neglecting KDramaQueen. But I'll try to update more often ^_^.

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter


The new drama “Swallow the Sun” offers first-ever scenes from South Africa.
With Ji Sung, front left, starring as the tough Jung-woo aiming for revenge,
the program will air starting Thursday at 9:55 p.m. on SBS. / Courtesy of SBS

A passionate tale of lovers follows in the heels of "The City Hall," the Cinderella story of public officials with a happily ever after, tonight on SBS.

The new drama "Swallow the Sun" is about young and headstrong protagonists risking their lives for success and love, and also to make Jeju Island one of the most popular cities in the world along their journey.

"Sun" made a buzz months before the actual airing due to its cast, which includes Ji Sung ("New Heart," 2007), and former member of the now disbanded girl group Fin.K.L., Sung Yu-ri, and also the makers of the program, producer Yoo Chul-yong and writer Choi Wan-kyu.

"We chose actors with potential and spirit. They are not only great in acting, but also considerate to everyone working on the set. We have traveled around to bring the best and viewers will get to see the spectacular scenery of Jeju, Las Vegas and even South Africa. We are ready to receive both compliments and critique," Yoo was quoted as saying by SBS.

Indeed, SBS and the drama crew have been stressing the series being filmed in various locations, including Africa, where no other Korean drama has been filmed until now.

The two drama makers proved their star power with the hit drama "All In" in 2003, starring heartthrob Lee Byung-hun ("The Good, The Bad, The Weird," 2008), and Song Hye-kyo ("Full House," 2004), and their collaboration is one reason many are waiting for the first airing.

"Sun" revolves around three main characters: Jung-woo, Su-hyun and Tae-hyuk. Jung-woo, played by Ji Sung, lives his life as a poor orphan until he saves the rich and powerful Jang Min-ho's life. His life takes a turn when he swears to serve Jang and his son Tae-hyuk as a servant, but when Tae-hyuk, played by Lee Wan, starts to demand more than Jung-woo can handle, he starts to wonder if he can continue. Things get complicated when Jung-woo is suddenly sent to prison instead of Tae-hyuk, and his journey for revenge and love begins from the cold ground of his cell.

"I remember the scene where I had to ride a truck and shoot with my gun the whole day. There was also an underwater shoot where I had to stay in the water for more than eight hours, and my eyes started to swell up," Ji Sung was quoted as saying to SBS. The 32-year-old actor trained hard to look the part of the strong and tough Jung-woo, and he said it was all for the best.

"The directors and staff tell me that the harder I train, the easier the viewers will understand my character, and I agree," he said. Another must-see feature is the renowned Canadian circus troupe "Cirque du Soleil," which will offer scenes from behind the set and during the show, the first time in the troupe's history. Actress Sung Yu-ri was the first actor to ever lay foot on the troupe's stage as part of a drama.



"Sun" is actually based a novel written by Kang Chul-hwa, a novelist and also the head of drama production company New Port Pictures. "The book was inspired by a love story I heard during my visit to Jeju Island. I traveled to the island about 120 times, and then Africa, and also casinos to finish the book," Kang said in a separate press statement. Kang added that the title also changed many times to match the story.

"The sun represents many things depending on the characters: For Jung-woo it's success and family, while for Su-hyun it's to become a famous show director. Finally for Tae-hyuk, it's his love toward Su-hyun. We added the verb 'swallow' to bring the determination of the characters trying to fulfill their dreams," said Kang.

Yoo also mentioned that the strong title was one of the reasons why he chose to recreate the book into a drama." It was a page-turner and I just had to remake it into a television series. I hope the viewers appreciate my decision throughout the airings," he said.

Meanwhile, the press conference for the drama had been scheduled Tuesday, but was canceled due to suspicions of H1N1 flu among the crewmembers. "The production team arrived in Incheon last Thursday from Las Vegas. There was a staff member who felt sick and tests confirmed that he had swine flu. Thus, we decided to cancel the press conference and further shoots for the time being as we cited the importance of the health of our staff," the promotion team of SBS said through a press release.

The drama will air on schedule, July 8 at 9:55 p.m. on SBS.

Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

By Patrick Frater



Official Website fantasiafest.com

HONG KONG -- Japanese and Korean films take the biggest bow this week at Fantasia in Montreal, reputed to be the biggest fantasy festival in North America.

The event, which has been extended by two days to include its bulging lineup, opens Thursday with Miike Takashi's "Yatterman" and includes 50 Asian movies in its 115 title presentation, running from July 9 to 29.

Asian highlights include the North American premiere of Park Chan-wook's "Thirst," South Korea's Rotterdam prize-winner "Breathless" by Yang Ik-june, Ning Hao's "Crazy Racer" and a 13-title special section documenting the history of Japan's erotic film genre or "pinku eiga" aka "Pink Movies."

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

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This is so cool that there's an article about it, as the Festival is happening at my Uni = D. I should go.

‘King & Clown’ star talks about his rise to celebrity, and fall back to earth


Korean actor Lee Joon-ki talks about his acting career. Although he has starred
in just a handful of films, he is ranked as one of Korea’s biggest box office draws. By Jeong Chi-ho

There are certain things you might expect when meeting a star actor: crazy good looks, fabulous lifestyle and, perhaps, a bit of attitude.

Such was this reporter’s expectation before an exclusive interview with Korean actor Lee Joon-ki on a recent afternoon. Lee, once a young and struggling actor from the port city of Busan, was catapulted to stardom with his impressive portrayal of an androgynous clown in the 2005 hit film “The King and the Clown.”

Today, Lee is ranked as one of Korea’s biggest box office draws. The few films he has made have attracted almost 20 million people, according to the latest figures.

This puts the 27-year-old actor on par with some of Korea’s most successful veterans, like Song Kang-ho, Sol Kyung-gu and Ahn Sung-ki. Yes. The looks were there, although many would agree that Lee’s androgynous features aren’t what you would call typical, bordering somewhere between male and female.

The lifestyle was there, as well, with his entourage serving him one iced Americano after another and attending to his appearance from time to time to make sure that he felt and looked his best.

But it’s pretty difficult to say whether his attitude is typical of his peers. “I’ve had my fall from grace,” Lee said with a serious face and a low voice as he sat dressed for a photo shoot in an impeccable black suit, white shirt and black tie.

“After my performance in The King and the Clown, I found myself at the forefront of this ‘pretty boy’ trend, whether or not that was my intention. Suddenly, people were interested in me, and there was all this praise and criticism all at the same time. Everything was just so overwhelming. I felt like I was floating on air.”

The “pretty boy” look for men has become more popular in recent years and since then Korean pop culture and the industries that support it have never been the same. Men as pretty as (or prettier than) women have become popular icons, and men who take care of their looks are much in demand.

Although the trend is still going strong, it hasn’t guaranteed Lee success. His subsequent films - “Fly, Daddy, Fly” (2006), “May 18” (2007), and “Virgin Snow” (2007) - have either fallen short of expectations at the box office or cast Lee in minor roles, to say the least. He has, however, managed to stay in the spotlight with TV dramas like “My Girl” (2005) and “The Time between Dog and Wolf” (2007).


Fans greet Lee at his Shanghai concerts last month.
Provided by Mentor Entertainment

Looking back, Lee described his early days as a rising celebrity as having been marked by loneliness and failure. "I think I became a bit full of myself with The King and the Clown. Then came the slump and the big fear of ‘what will I do when I stop shining?’” he said calmly. “But I certainly didn’t want to go back, considering all the effort it had taken me to get there. So in a way I had no choice but to gather myself together and push myself to get out of the darkness.”

Many would agree that Lee did have some success in getting out of his slump. His performance in the SBS drama “Iljimae” last year brought him top honors in the 2008 SBS Drama Awards last December.

The epic drama in which Lee plays a heroic thief who steals from corrupt Joseon Dynasty government officials and gives his take to the poor, enjoyed ratings of over 30 percent, and its DVDs sales were twice those of “Jumong,” another award-winning epic drama that was hugely successful here. Iljimae went on to air in Japan, and started its run on Monday on TV Tokyo.

The Japan deal is hardly surprising. Despite his relatively short career, Lee enjoys a fair amount of recognition in China, Japan and other Asian countries. A recent survey ranked Lee fourth as the hallyu (Korean wave) actor with the biggest potential.


Lee says he defines himself as a clown, the role
he played in “The King and the Clown,” the 2005 film
that catapulted him to stardom. [JoongAng Ilbo]

Hallyu refers to the increase in interest in Korean pop culture in other Asian countries. Lee was the representative for the Seoul Hallyu Festival last year.

In response to calls from his Chinese and Japanese fans, Lee held fan appreciation concerts in Shanghai and Hangzhou in China, with attendance up around 10,000. He also plans to present similar concerts in Kobe and Yokohama in Japan. Being a public figure, there aren’t many ways for me to relieve stress. And over the years, I’ve lost some of the people in my life. In that sense, I just want to have fun with my fans. My fans mean a lot to me.”

What was evident in the hour I spent with Lee were his seriousness and intensity, quite unusual for such a young celebrity. He also seems to possess the kind of insatiable ambition and endless tenacity people often attribute to “Gyeongsangdo guys,” guys from the Gyeongsang provinces in the southern part of the peninsula, like Lee.

Growing up, Lee’s family wasn’t rich. Lee says that is what made him who he is today.“I just hated losing,” Lee said, sipping his iced Americano. “I had to constantly fight for things in life. Nothing could be taken for granted. Thinking back, had I grown up in a wealthy family, I think I would’ve taken things more slowly, and approached things in a more relaxed way. Perhaps I would’ve focused more on my studies, too,” Lee giggled, as if he had long ago made peace with his humble background.

Throughout the interview, Lee listened attentively to my questions, digesting them to the fullest, and responded in an extremely firm and thoughtful manner.

The thing he said with perhaps the most conviction came during a conversation about his relationship to his King and Clown character.

“Clowns [in the Joseon era] came from the lower classes, but had such longing for artistic creativity and freedom. Through their performances they could explore such desires, while at the same time bringing people joy,” Lee explained. The King and the Clown ends with Lee’s character Gongil yelling that he will become a clown in his next life. For Lee, the answer would perhaps be the same.

By Kim Hyung-eun [hkim@joongang.co.kr] via INSIDE JoongAng Daily

Wonbin looking sharp in black and white at the Gambia photo exhibition. Wonbin volunteered to work as an UNICEF ambassador in Gambia and this is where the photos were shot.

Taking a full step toward marketing Korea's most sought-after superstars among overseas fans, Lotte World opened yesterday "Star Avenue," a memorabilia hall that displays all things related to celebrities -- just not the stars themselves.

"We believed that we needed something to appeal to the rising number of tourists to Gangnam (southern Seoul) region," said Choi Hong-hoon, public relations team chief for Lotte World.

The opening ceremony was attended by several of the featured stars and hundreds of their adoring fans.

The Avenue, located on the first underground floor near the South Gate of Lotte World, is divided into five different spaces. The "Star Showcase" corner exhibits costumes and accessories donated by the stars, along with a star magazine video featuring the latest celebrity news.

More celebrity PHOTOS at kr.yahoo.com





Nine stars are featured including Rain, Tong Vfang Xien Qi, Big Bang, Park Yong-ha, Song Seung-heon, Choi Ji-woo, Ji Sung and Kang Ji-hwan, along with Japanese celebrity Ikko.

"Star Center", located at the center of the avenue accommodates a huge, 360 degree, high definition screen which features clips of the celebrities.

"Music Star" hall allows visitors to choose and listen to their favorite songs which they can burn in CD format to take as souvenirs. Fans can also send letters using a touch screen program.

"Drama Star" features recreated film sets of popular drama series such as Daejanggeum and East of Eden, where fans can pose next to life-size models of their favorite stars.

Hours of operation for the Avenue are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The entry fee is 10,000 won although anyone with a Lotte World Adventure "one-for-all" ticket will be able to enter free of charge.

Lotte World in Jamsil-dong of Songpa-gu, which is also home to a hotel, duty-free shop, department store and a musical theater, will celebrate its 20th anniversary on July 12.

When it first opened it was the world's largest indoor theme park. Since then, Lotte World has become a signature amusement destination not only for children, but for adults as well who had eagerly welcomed the opening of the adventure park.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Lotte World has organized a number of diverse and exciting events, including a "Lotty's Adventure Parade" featuring 200 brightly-lit, airborne actors and dancers. On the day of the actual anniversary there will be a special event where 20 couples (who are 20-years-old) will cut a 20-meter-high birthday cake. There will also be a musical, samulnori (Korean farmer's dance), as well as a lucky draw for overseas trips.

Lotte World and its adjacent Magic Island were the first Korean theme park in 1995 to open at night and, since then, have introduced many daring new rides such as the Gyro Drop (1998), Gyro Swing (2001) and the Atlantis ride (2003). Lotte World went through a major renovation in 2007. As a further expansion of the business, Lotte World plans to open a water park in Jangyu, South Gyeongsang Province in 2011 and will also participate in a comprehensive entertainment complex development in Shenyang, China.

By Lee Joo-hee (angiely@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr