kdrama and kpop

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

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Actor Kwon Sang-woo, center, in a scene in 'The Fate'

In the star-studded gangster film "The Fate," friends become foes and "pretty" actors get rough. Actor-turned-director Kim Hae-gon casts hallyu TV stars Kwon Sang-woo ("Stairway to Heaven") and Song Seung-heon ("Autumn Fairytale") and other familiar faces to play unfamiliar roles.

"The Fate" is a quintessential commercial flick that feeds on star power, provocative action and melodrama. While weak storytelling and exhausting running time wane the fun, the actors' engaging performances fill in the missing links.

In the dark criminal world of Seoul, U-min (Song), Cheol-jung (Kwon), Do-wan (Kim In-kwon) and Yeong-hwan (Ji Sung) are close friends in a gang. One day, with the help of an older member Gang-seop (Ahn Nae-seong), U-min, Cheol-jung and Do-wan attack the gang's casino so they can start new lives. But their plan goes awry when Cheol-jung betrays them, and U-min goes to prison. He becomes the scapegoat to save his friends' lives.

After serving his time, U-min wants to stay out of trouble but is drawn back into the underworld when he sees what has become of his friends: money and power-hungry Cheol-jung continues to betray others as he climbs up the gang ladder; Do-wan is a drug user; Gang-seop is missing; and his girlfriend Eun-yeong (Park Han-byul) has left him to run a bar as the boss' mistress.

As U-min tries to solve the situation, however, unfortunate twists of fate set off one misunderstanding after another. To make matters worse, the mob boss and right-hand man Yoeng-hwan get them involved in a huge drug deal. Once again thrown into a game with high stakes and big cash, the once best friends must fight one another for their lives.

Most of the drama centers around the "star-crossed friends," U-min and Cheol-jung. The unfortunate timing of certain events suggests that the friends are doomed to double, triple, quadruple-cross one another. It's all about lustful people destroying themselves because of dirty money.

Different sides are armed with a small army of mobsters, with a simple argument leading to full-fledged war. But as action sequences, emotional breakdowns and other climactic moments unravel one after another, the viewer must try to make sense of the confusion.

There are snippets showing the good old days when everyone was happy (like a friendly football match where, as a service to fans, the pretty boys appear topless), as well as occasional narrations by the main protagonist U-min. But it's all rather awkwardly weaved and a bit far fetched.

It's larger than life movie, where "beautiful" gangsters sporting sleek suits and an occasional scar win fights with odds of 30:1. Kwon is delightful in his role as a villain. Even though 99 percent of his lines are profanities, it's hard not to warm up to his rather comic character. Song, on the other hand, is a more moody, romantic kind of gangster. While wearing ugly clothes, he still manages to break women's hearts with his soulful eyes.

Kim In-kwon ("My Father") deserves applause as a harrowing drug addict obsessing over his ex-girlfriend. The sole heroine, Park Han-byul, while also showing the hardships of life, adds little to the plotline. She's just another damsel in distress.

The director tries to make a film a la Kwak Gyeong-taek, breaking down handsome actors' chiseled, Greek god image by making them swear and do some high kicks. Following in the footsteps of heartthrobs Jang Dong-kun ('Friend") and Joo Jin-mo ("A Love"), Song and Kwon do prove they can do more than just smile and cause ladies to swoon.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2.../135_21080.html

Where is he going?
They are flying high, but will disappear from screens soon when they enter the army: (Clockwise from left) Cheon Jung Myung, Eric Mun and Gong Yoo. (Right, from extreme left) Actors who should be making a comeback: Song Seung Hun, Won Bin and Jang Hyuk.



Korea film industry fears dearth of talent as top actors go for national service

So runs a sad farewell on a discussion thread on the popular K-pop forum Popseoul.com. Netizens are groaning and moaning over the temporary departure of this hunkalious star of the hugely popular drama Coffee Prince.


To serve his country, it turns out. Come 14 Jan, the 29-year-old actor will enlist for mandatory national service, reported TheKorea Times. That's barely two weeks after Coffee Prince gets telecast outside Korea - first on Channel U on Monday and then in Taiwan tomorrow.

What a pity, many fans say. After all, it has only been sixmonths since Gong Yoo shot to mega fame for playing a dashing cafe owner and won fans all over Asia. He even snagged the Outstanding Actor award for his role during the MBC Awards held on Sunday. Soon he will give all this up. Still, many are supportive of his decision and pledge their continued loyalty to him.

One of them, known as Pinklover, wrote on the Popseoul forum: 'I admire him for not dragging it. 'It's better to go when he's at the peak of his career, cos people will anticipate his comeback more. I'll miss this hottie!' Moe Moe wrote that 'I will be waiting for you, my dear', while LKVM said two years will pass quickly and asked Gong Yoo to 'come back safe and sexy'.

Gong Yoo is not the first to shave his head for his country. As you read this, boyish-faced actor Cheon Jung Myung (of Foxy Lady fame) will be enlisting for national service today. He is the first of a slew of popular Korean leading men who are slated to say 'Goodbye showbiz, hello army' this year.

The list includes Cho In Sung, Lee Dong Gun, Cho Hyun Jae and Kim Rae Won, as well as singer-actor Kang Ta and boy band Shinhwa members Eric Mun, Lee Min Woo and Kim Dong Wan, all of whom dabble in acting.

All Korean men above the age of 20 are required to serve the army for two years. But with so many of them gone, industry sources fear that a drought of leading men would create casting problems.

In 2004, the same scenario surfaced after a massive celebrity draft-dodging expose forced A-listers who reportedly forged documents to postpone national service, like Song Seung Hun, Jang Hyuk and So Ji Sub, to finally report for military training.

TRAINING NEW ACTORS

To cope with the shrinking supply of charismatic hunks, the industry is training new actors and encouraging singers and models to cross over to acting. Shinhwa members embarked on solo acting projects, while the boys from newer groups like TVXQ and Super Junior also made sure to make their mark in a few dramas or films.

Some models, such as Joo Ji Hoon of Princess Hours fame and Seo Do Young from Spring Waltz, walked off the catwalk to instant stardom on TV. Still, some critics feel that few newbies have managed to make a strong impression so far.

China-based news portal Tom.com quoted one insider saying that there have not been any 'especially shiny' new faces yet, so it is more possible that the 2004 batch of celebrity army guys would 'spark a new trend'. Some of them have yet to make a comeback despite being discharged from the army more than a year ago, so it is likely they would do it this year.

Meanwhile, those who are enlisting this year seem to be quite happy to serve their country - quite a contrast to the bitterness that surrounded the 2004 batch who were harshly criticised for draft-dodging.

Jung Myung, for one, recently told Edaily SPN that he hopes to become a scout and looks forward to the tough training ahead. The 28-year-old sports fanatic even compared army enlistment to acting in his new horror movie Hansel & Gretal - his last project to date.

'Even though I don't like horror films, I decided to take on the challenge because it's something I've never tried before. 'I think going to the army will be like my new film - a special experience in my life.'

Kang Ta, who is slated to enlist in the first half of the year, said the army is a 'must' for guys. He even joked that girls will not like guys who have not gone through army.

GIVES UP US CITIZENSHIP

Shinhwa's Eric, 29, probably agrees, since he reportedly gave up his US citizenship to serve the Korean army. He and his Shinhwa pals are expected to enlist after they complete their ongoing world tour.

Actors In Sung, Rae Won and Hyun Jae are also set to enlist by the end of the year, after they complete their new celluloid projects. As for Gong Yoo, China Times reported that he said he would treat his two-year break like a vacation.

Although given his age, he was worried he might not be able to keep up with the younger guys during training. To his fans, he said, 'I am grateful for my fans, and I will do my best to successfully complete my service and return to make better films.'

They're out, but not back

WHEN are they coming back?

That is the question that many fans of popular Korean actors Song Seung Hun, Won Bin and So Ji Sub have been asking. The trio were discharged from army in 2006, but none have officially returned to the screen so far. That's why all eyes are on them this year.

All three have made hints of a comeback. Seung Hun, whose enlistment in 2004 included a public apology for draft-dodging, is reportedly starring in the upcoming action movie Destiny. He plays a guy with split personality, opposite his good friend Kwon Sang Woo.

Ji Sub has a new drama lined up, which co-stars Jung Ryeo Won. Won Bin, who was discharged early after six months in mid-2006 due to a kneecap injury, has yet to announce his new project. But he did emerge last September to be appointed the new goodwill ambassador for Unicef.

Of the 2004 batch who enlisted for army, only actor Jang Hyuk, 32, has managed to successfully make a comeback last year. His new drama Thank You, which is centred on a 8-year-old girl who has Aids, won raves reviews for its heart-rending theme and his matured acting. He plays, of course, the genius of a doctor.

Source: The Electric New Paper
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,152300,00.html