kdrama and kpop

It has become belatedly known that star actor Bae Yong-jun has been hospitalized with septicemia.

Bae's agency, BOF, said that the actor collapsed on September 17 because of sudden hypotension and has been hospitalized in southern Seoul. The results of examinations showed that he had the initial stages of septicemia, which was caused by his weakened immune system as a result of fatigue and stress.

"Bae Yong-jun dedicated great effort to writing his book recently. He has lost significant weight over the past year. He has been put on an IV and has no other symptoms," added the agency.

Bae has been busy writing a photo essay book about Korea. He has lost more than 10 kg. An event marking the publishing of his book is slated for September 22 at the National Museum of Korea. On September 29 and 30 he is to attend a promotional event for the animation version of "Winter Sonata" in Tokyo, Japan.

Bae's agency said the actor had been exhausted as he had repeatedly stayed up until late at night to finish his book, and had become very sensitive because of many upcoming important events in Korea and Japan, but he would hopefully be discharged from the hospital before the event marking the publishing of his book.

Source: KBS Global

image courtesy of KeyEast


Actor Bae Yong-jun (37) has been flying below the radar since the hit 2007 MBC TV drama series "The Legend" (Taewangsashingi). He is expected to appear in the tentatively-named drama "Dream High," which he will produce with music mogal Park Jin-young. Keyeast says Bae will produce and plan the drama but is also mulling a screen appearance.

Dream High is the first collaboration between JYP Entertainment, whose largest shareholder is Park, and Keyeast, whose number one shareholder is Bae. It will be a coming-of-age school drama set in an entertainment and arts school. Set to air during next year's first half, the story will feature a great deal of singing, dancing and acting and will also portray the inner workings of the entertainment industry.

JYP and Keyeast announced the project last month. Park will be in charge of the music production, lyrics, adaptation, vocal and dance training for the cast while Bae will be involved in the overall production and screenplay.

Bae earlier considered his next acting role to be the drama "One Drop" but, due to its delay, he could decide to appear in "Dream High" instead.

Keyeast says Bae is particularly passionate about the high profile Park-Bae collaboration and if there's fitting role, he is willing to make an appearance.

The playwright will be chosen and serious preparations will kick off this month.

Keyeast says school teen dramas such as Disney's "High School Musical" have been massive hits but that Dream High will be different from such existing dramas.


Source : KBS Global

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon and star producer Park Jin-young are teaming up to produce the television drama ``Dream High.''

Bae's company Key East and Park's company JYP Entertainment announced Tuesday that they reached an agreement to co-produce a drama about the lives of students attending a school for performing arts.

JYP Entertainment and Key East will invest in the joint corporation to be formed this month. Both companies will be directly involved in the drama production. Park will be personally in charge of music production and choreography. Bae will supervise the screenplay and production.

The drama, which is expected to air in 2010, appears to be similar to the worldwide hit Disney movie ``High School Musical.'' ``Dream High'' will feature students singing, dancing and acting as they try to achieve their dream to become entertainers. There are plans to hold open auditions to find young talented actors, singers and performers for the drama.

``We have the advantage of having an actor (Bae) and a music executive (Park). Combing the two companies' experience and expertise in the Japanese and U.S. markets and their established networks, we hope to create a world-class production that will appeal to people around the world,'' a Key East representative said.

High expectations are already building up around the drama production, particularly due to the star power of Bae and Park. Bae is perhaps the most famous Korean actor in Japan, where he is affectionately called ``Yonsama.'' Park is an influential Kpop figure who is credited with creating hit songs and stars like Rain and Wonder Girls.


Credits : cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Source : The Korea Times

Actor Bae Yong-joon, also called Yon-sama, and Park Jin-Young, dubbed a star-maker, will reportedly cooperate on a world project, according to Sports Hankook on Thursday. The newspaper said that the two Korean entertainment stars had agreed on a secret plan to found a joint-corporation targeting overseas markets, including the U.S. and Japan. Bae and Park will each invest at least W50 million (US$1=W1,340).


Bae Yong-joon (left) and Park Jin-Young

Bae and Park plan to nurture entertainers with global potential based on their expertise. Bae Yong-joon, figurehead of the so-called "Korean Wave," has established a firm bridgehead for the Japanese entertainment market through BOFi, a Japanese affiliate to the KOSDAQ-listed KeyEast, in which he is the largest shareholder. Meanwhile, Park Jin-Young secured a foothold in the U.S. market by launching JYP USA, the American division of JYP Entertainment, in New York in 2007.

Bae and Park are said to have each produced at least W50 billion worth of added value last year through creation of content. The industry's expects their venture will generate at least W100 billion worth of additional added value, the daily reported.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0901020008.html

Actor Bae Yong-joon's management agency Keyeast says it has allowed the portable multimedia devices Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Light the right to use the actor's face and voice for their Korean language education software. Under the latest agreement, Nintendo will release a brand new software program that allows users to listen, read and write Korean with Bae Yong-joon in January. The educational program will be divided into three levels so that users can enjoy a wide range of games according to their level of Korean. "DS Yonsama," the prospective name for the new program will be introduced to the market through an internet shopping mall run by BOF nternational, the Japanese branch of Keyeast. The software will be sold for 5,000 yen and will receive pre-orders. Keyeast says the demand for Nintendo's Hangeul education software is expected to be high. Some 22 million units of the Nintendo DS have been sold in Japan and it is considered a must-have item among women in their 30s. Bae is currently planning to release a travel book and photo book about the "beauty of Korea." Source: KBS Global, image from empas.com http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/new...1825_11858.html

Renowned British daily the Times reported that Bae Yong-joon’s upcoming drama “The Drops of God” will create a wine boom all over Asia. “The Drops of God” is a remake of a Japanese comic book of the same name, which deals with wine and sommeliers.

The Times introduced that Shizuku Kanzaki, the main character of “The Drops of God,” has led the popularity of wine in Japan over the online markets. The daily also added, “In South Korea, translations of his adventures are believed to have triggered a wine boom, making it a serious competitor for beer and local rice-based spirits.” The article also said that the wines introduced in the comic books have enjoyed a 70 to 80% increase in sales and Bae’s drama will further escalate the interest in wine.

“The Drops of God” is Bae’s first project since “The Legend (a.k.a. Four Gods)” in 2007. He will play the leading character as well as take part in the planning and production of the drama. Currently resting after sustaining injury during the filming of “The Legend,” Bae will start shooting early next year and the drama is slated for airing in late 2009.


Source : KBS World

http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/entertainme...ail.htm?No=8190

Drops of God," a new drama series expected to feature Bae Yong-joon as the leading man, will be produced by the actor's management agency, Keyeast Inc. The company recently said it has decided to produce the drama, slated for broadcast in the second half of 2009. It will be the first drama production for the company.

Drops of God is a phenomenally popular Japanese comic series written by Tadashi Agi and illustrated by Shu Okimoto that gave birth to a worldwide wine boom. Keyeast Inc, which recently bought the copyright for the Korean drama version of Drops of God, said it is looking for writers, directors and cast for the show, which is scheduled to air in the second half of next year. It added that there is a high chance that Bae will take on the leading role of Itse Tomine.

The company said Bae, who is still recovering from an injury he suffered while shooting "Taewangsashingi," visits the office whenever he can to discuss the direction of the drama, and studies wine in his free time.

Source: KBS Global

poster for 'Taewangsasingi’

"Taewangsasingi (The Four Guardian Gods of the King)" featuring Korean wave Bae Yong-joon as King Kwanggaeto the Great of the Koguryo Kingdom, was a hit in Korea last year with ratings up to 37.5 percent. The work of Kim Jong-hak and Song Ji-na, producer and script writer of a perennial hit "Sandglass," "Taewangsasingi" was expected to draw as much popularity in Japan as it did in Korea, but on a terrestrial channel NHK at 11 p.m. on Saturday, its rating remains at around 7 percent. The last episode is to be aired on Sep. 27. Given such enormous popularity of Bae in Japan, where he is known as Yonsama, and more than 20 percent ratings for "Winter Sonata," which made him a superstar there, the figure shows the predicament Korean soap operas are in at the moment.

Japanese viewers say that "Taewangsasingi" is too confusing. Unlike in Korea, historical soaps are not popular and find it hard to get ratings of more than 10 percent. Despite flashy computer graphic works and colorful personalities, the story was unfamiliar to Japanese as it dealt with ancient Korean history dating more than 1,000 years. The plot, with its frequent flashbacks, constantly mixes past and present, myth and history: there is plenty to confuse Japanese viewers.

Ryuko Abe, a Japanese freelance writer, said, "Unlike 'Winter Sonata,' which was easy to get immersed in even if you started watching in the middle, 'Taewangsasingi' is difficult to follow even if you watched it from the first episode.”

Daisuke Nomura of HoriPro, a Japanese entertainment company, said it is strange to see Bae as a hero riding horses and fighting against enemies without his trademark glasses. "Many Japanese housewives are still expecting an innocent, loving image from Bae,? Nomura said. But "Taewangsasingi" has not undermined Bae’s fan base in Japan. A promotional event for "Taewangsasingi" in the Kyosera Dome in Osaka in June drew over 35,000 fans.

But the soap opera needs to reach beyond Bae's fans to succeed. "Winter Sonata" reached over 20 percent ratings because it was able to capture not only housewives between 30s and 50s, but also men and teenagers. The Internet also hurt the ratings for "Taewangsasingi." Masayuki Furusa said, "Thanks to improved Internet connection, many Japanese are watching the drama on the web when the Koreans are watching it on TV." He adds there are many viewers who are complaining about the fact that Bae's voice is dubbed by a Japanese voice actor. Some say early sales of a DVD set of "Taewangsasingi" also did not help the ratings.

In most cases, Korean soap operas are first aired on satellite and then on terrestrial channels, but "Taewangsasingi" took the opposite route because it had a firm faith in Bae’s power to draw viewers. Kim Eui-joon, CEO of Seafaring Safe Dreamers, the distributor of "Taewangsasingi," said NHK’s satellite channel will start airing the show from October, and many related contents will be showcased via other Japanese channels. Kim Yung-duk, a researcher at the Korea Broadcasting Institute, said "Too many fantastic elements might have distracted middle-aged male audiences. But it is still promising that it managed to pull off 7 percent ratings late at night."

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200809/200809050015.html

Actor Bae Yong-joon

Korean superstar Bae Yong-joon will expand his Korean cuisine business with Korean kimchi in Japan.

Named "Gosireh Cabbage Kimchi" and priced at 600 yen, around 6,000 won, for 300 grams, the kimchi will be in stores early next month.

The 35-year-old collaborated with Korea's National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF), also known as Nonghyup here, to get production underway. He already opened a Korean traditional restaurant 'Gosireh' in Tokyo in 2006.

The kimchi will be made with Korean ingredients, all grown and prepared by the NACF. The Gosireh Cabbage Kimchi will be on shelves at supermarkets and famous department stores, including Isetan Department Store, where consumers will have the chance to sample the dish at a special event on Aug. 29-31.

"We reduced the sour flavor, and tried to deepen the taste. I believe Japanese consumers will be happy to eat it," Bae was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.

As one of the most popular Korean actors in Japan, Bae has been an energetic promoter of Korean cuisine to his Japanese fans. Besides his restaurant, the actor introduced a special lunch package through 7-eleven convenience store in June. The special lunch meal carries 16 Korean side dishes he personally picked. The famed actor has appeared in various dramas and films, including "Winter Sonata (2002)," "Taewangsasingi (2007)" and "April Snow (2005)."

Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/speci.../178_29508.html

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

I LOVE KIMCHI ^^ I could eat it everyday with rice.

How much substance does the family (fan club) of Bae Yong-joon, the main character of the Korean Wave, have?

Everything about Bae Yong-joon will be revealed on MBC Everyone "Magazine One" on the 25th.

First, there are many overseas fans who come on a plane just to see Bae Yong-joon's face once. It is rumored that there are even fans in Egypt. Looking at present conditions, the fans who he calls family are in about 30 nations.

1. Japan, 2. Taiwan, 3. Hong Kong, 4. Malaysia, 5. Singapore, 6. Thailand, 7. Vietnam, 8. Uzbekistan, 9. Philippines, 10. Cambodia, 11. Egypt, 12. Ghana, 13. Myanmar, 14. Brazil, 15. Tanzania, 16.Tunisia, 17. Turkey, 18. Nepal, 19. Mexico, 20. Costa Rica, 21. Panama, 22. El Salvador, 23. Paraguay, 24. Venezuela, 25. Ecuador, 26. Dominican Republic, 27. Guatemala, 28. Peru. There are some of the nations where Bae Yong-joon's fans are.

Bae Yong-joon showed his youthful charm through his work in early stages. Through the program, it will show his current elegant appearance and his early years. It showed his debut work, KBS drama "Love Greeting" and clips from "Ppilku", a movie in which he was a minor role. It also showed his firm muscles and his chiseled body and how he changed his body.

And the filming secrets revealed by Director Jeon San of KBS drama "A Sunny Place of the Young". In a scene where he falls into the water while on a yacht with Lee Jong-won, he revealed his masculinity. From the revealing scenes in 1995 drama "A Sunny Place of the Young" to photo albums. It showed how his body had changed throughout the years.

Other actors say that he is a never-changing perfectionist. But there are some who think of him as a neighborhood brother. He invites people at the salon to his home and doesn't let them move, making them an Italian meal with his own hands.

Original Korean article at news.empas.com
English translation courtesy hancinema.net

Bentos in Japan, restaurants in Seoul and his own management agency. Korean hunk Bae Yong Joon isn't content to remain as an actor

By Chang May Choon

A TAGLINE on Korean actor Bae Yong Joon's official website reads: (He) never stops. He always comes to us in new ways.

How true.

The bespectacled Winter Sonata star with his signature smile has a way of wooing his fans with fresh and innovative ideas.

His latest manifestation is in bentos (lunchboxes) to be launched at Japan's 7-Eleven convenience store chains this week. No, his face is not on them. But Yong Joon personally picked the 16 Korean dishes in the set meal nicknamed Yonsama bentos, reported Yonhap News Agency.

Yonsama is what his Japanese fans call him affectionately. The bentos are produced by Gosireh, a Korean fine dining restaurant that Yong Joon started in Tokyo in 2006. Priced at 2,500 yen ($32) each and available from Friday to Sunday, they are aimed largely at the Korean actor's middle-aged female fans in Japan.

Yong Joon has become a shrewd entrepreneur with three entertainment companies and three hugely successful eateries. The Chosun Ilbo called him a 'businessman extraordinaire' whose success lies in his perfectionistic nature, his gift of making friends easily and his ability to spot 'lucrative deals'.

Last year, Yong Joon was reportedly the top-earning celebrity in Korea, pocketing a stunning 43.2 billion won ($56m). That's almost twice as much as the 25billion won earned by K-popster Rain, who was in second place. But only a quarter of Yong Joon's income came from his showbiz activities, including product endorsements.

According to TVN cable station's Enews programme, 74 per cent of his earnings came from being a major shareholder of the public-listed KeyEast Inc, which deals mainly in entertainment. In 2006, Yong Joon reportedly invested 9billion won to buy a 40 per cent stake in the company, and his entry immediately sent its share prices soaring.

He had started his own management agency BOF in 2004. He reportedly owns 85 per cent shares in BOF, which manages the careers of artistes like So Ji Sub, Lee Na Young and newbie Lee Ji Ah. More recently, BOF started an office named BOF International in Japan, with Yong Joon holding a 33 per cent stake. Both are now subsidiary companies under KeyEast Inc.

In short, the bespectacled hunk has become 'something of an entertainment magnate' in Korea, said The Chosun Ilbo. The paper added that he plays a 'key' role in KeyEast's management and has plans to promote co-operation within Asia and 'sustain the Korean pop culture boom abroad'.

And he is attracting fans in droves to the three food outlets that he has started under the company Smart Kitchen - a restaurant named Gorilla In The Kitchen and a cafe named Tea Loft, both in Seoul, as well as Gosireh in Tokyo. Just don't expect to see images of him plastered all over the walls.

Yong Joon's presence is in the food instead - he reportedly hand-picked the Western menu at Gorilla In The Kitchen to appeal to the health conscious eater who, like him, wishes to maintain a trim figure. With Gosireh, he has the bigger ambition of popularising Korean cuisine outside of his country.

The restaurant, which reportedly cost a stunning 600 million yen ($7.7m) to set up two years ago, serves royal cuisine that has become so popular that it earns about five billion won ($6.5m) a year. Apparently, Yong Joon tastes and comments on every new menu offered at Gosireh, and he insists on using natural ingredients and organic vegetables.

The restaurant now plans to start a second outlet in Nagoya in July, reported Korean news portal My Daily. A BOF spokesman said that Yong Joon's aim in expanding his business in Japan is not to make money, but rather, to 'continue pushing the Korean Wave forward in Japan through Korean food'.

What's amazing about Yong Joon's approach is that he manages to sustain high media exposure without compromising his low profile. Anything that bears his name seems to get an express ticket into the news. Even without him coming out to do any publicity, his latest drama The Legend was constantly in the news throughout its two years of filming, partly because it broke the record as the most expensive Korean TV production ever.

The mythical story of a Korean king (played by Yong Joon) and four gods cost a staggering 43 billion won to produce. Also hailed as Korea's answer to Lord Of The Rings for its extensive CGI, it is now showing on Channel U at 7.30pm every Saturday and Sunday.

Merchandise from the drama, including a pictorial book, a special DVD, and a bottle of perfume which Yong Joon's character gives to his lover, has been met with a fervent response. Obviously, his hardcore fans of mostly middle-aged woman have never forsaken him.

When he appeared in Japan on 31 May after a three-year absence to promote The Legend, more than 3,000 fans swarmed Kansai airport to welcome him.

MERCHANDISING MANIA

But, even if fans don't get to see him up close, they can still visit any of the five Park BOF outlets that showcase his works and sell his merchandise - from mugs to towels to calendars. They can be found in Seoul and Jeju in Korea, and Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka in Japan.

Singaporean fan Tiffany Oh has tried the food at both Gorilla In The Kitchen and Tea Loft, and also visited Park BOF in Seoul and Jeju. 'It's quite smart of (Yong Joon) to diversify into other areas,' she said.

'Much as I like him, he's not going to remain the leading actor forever. (Going into business) will mean he'd have a stable income if he should retire from acting.' Ms Oh, 41, added that she finds the food at Gorilla In The Kitchen good enough to warrant a second visit.

She paid about $60 for a dinner set when she visited last December. 'I'd go there again for two reasons. First, because it's opened by Bae Yong Joon, and second, because the food is good and reasonably priced.

'It's healthy, in that there's no fat and no fried stuff, but is still quite delicious.'

Source: The Electric New Paper

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,167011,00.html

Actor Bae Yong-joon has delivered a special message to 64,000 spectators at "+1 Football Match," a charity soccer game held in Yokohama Japan on June 7.

Ahead of the game, Bae said through a pre-recorded video message that he was honored to be a part of such a meaningful event and thanked each and every one of the spectators for taking part in and supporting the special event.

The charity soccer game, led by Japanese and international All Star soccer players, was organized by Hidetoshi Nakata, a former soccer hero-turned environmentalist. All proceeds collected from ticket sales will be used to provide mosquito nets for children in Southeast Asia and Africa.

The event was also attended by a number of Korean celebrities including Bae Yong-jun, Hong Myung-bo and Lee Ho. The soccer match was televised live across Japan.

Source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1528308_11858.html

May 15, 2008
Hallryu star Bae Yong-joon is taking a break in America.

He has been surrounded by various rumors, including a marriage rumor. He filmed a commercial in New York Manhattan and is still vacationing in America.

A representative of his management company said, "Bae Yong-joon, who has been the subject of many rumors, could not stand the paparazzi that kept following him and is staying in America. We realized that there really are rumors".

The representative said that he has been under a lot of mental stress from the press and paparazzi. After renewing his mind until the end of this month, he is to attend the Japanese promotion of "The Legend" with Moon So-ri, Lee Ji-ah, and other actors. It will start airing June 1 on NHK.

Original Korean article at news.naver.com
English translation by www.hancinema.net

A promotional event to publicize 'Taewangsasingi,' a Korean drama series starring actor Bae Yong-joon, will be broadcast live via satellite in a number of movie theaters across Japan.

Bae's management agency BOF said the '2008 Taewangsasingi Premium Event,' which will be held at the Kyosera Dome in Osaka on June 1, will be screened in 13 movie theaters via live satellite telecast and that the event will be watched by an estimated 40,000 Japanese viewers.

BOF said the satellite telecast was organized for fans who could not procure tickets to attend the promotional event. Tickets were sold out 18 minutes after ticket sales began on May 25. According to reports, the 80-dollar tickets were also sold on online auction sites for large sums of money.

Tickets sales for the movie theater telecast began on May 23 at http://www.cnplayguide.com.

The much-anticipated event will be attended by Bae, producer Kim Jong-hak, Lee Ji-ah, Mun So-ri, Park Seong-woong, Lee Phillip and Oh Kwang-rok.

The drama series was aired in Korea in September last year and recorded an average viewer rating of 30%. The series was introduced to Japan in December last year on the BS High Vision channel, the satellite broadcast of NHK.

Source: KBS Global
Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1525940_11858.html

Actor Bae Yong-joon was selected as the most influential figure in the Korean entertainment industry by film magazine Premier. Bae took first place in the list of 100 most powerful figures in Korean entertainment compiled by TV producers, filmmakers, musicians, and agents.

Bae has been chosen for his role in launching the Korean Wave, or hallyu, with his performance in "Winter Sonata" and "Legend of Four Gods". Also recognized was his entrepreneurship in a variety of hallyu-related businesses.

Coming in second place on the list was TV director Kim Jong-hak, who worked with Bae in "The Legend" and heads the Kim Jong-hak Production to make an average of ten TV dramas a year. Several management agency heads were in the top tier of the list, suggesting where the real power lies in the entertainment industry. Others on the list include singer/producer Park Jin-young at seventh place and world star Rain on 20th spot. Immediately following Rain is popular show host Yoo Jae-seok, reflecting his immense power in variety shows. Other influential celebrities...

Source:http://world.kbs.co.kr/english