 Major broadcaster MBC on Tuesday unveiled photographs of the characters to appear in upcoming TV series "Hero", starring Hallyu star Lee Jun-ki. The photos, taken at MBC Dream Center studios in Ilsan, showed Lee and the cast members posing as the characters they will play in the drama. Lee, as energetic journalist Jin Do-hyuk, is seen wearing comfortable clothes while co-star Kim Min-jung, who plays a cop in the drama, has a gun and handcuffs as accessories. "Hero", about a group of young heroic characters fighting against a corrupt society, is set to air in Korea starting November 11. The 27-year-old actor became a household name in 2005 playing a woman-like clown in the hit film "The King and the Clown" and was recently voted the most popular Korean Wave star in China. Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> |
Showing posts with label Lee Jun Ki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lee Jun Ki. Show all posts
Photos of Lee Jun-ki in "Hero" unveiled
Pretty boy Lee shows off his introspective side
‘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
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
4,000 Lee Jun-ki Tickets Sold Out in 2 Minutes
Actor Lee Jun-ki has seen the first portion of tickets for his fan meeting--scheduled to be held at the Olympic Park in Seoul on April 18--sold out in only two minutes after sales opened, according to his agency Mentor Entertainment on Friday.
“We first put some 4,000 of a total of 8,000 tickets up for sale on his fan cafes and official foreign-language site exclusively for members of his fan clubs and overseas fans, and they were sold out in just two minutes,” the agency said. “The foreign language site even went down at one point due to heavy traffic, with fans from all over Asia accessing it.”
Mentor Entertainment said that it decided to sell the tickets in two rounds to give both local and overseas fans of the actor equal opportunities to buy a ticket and facilitate sales. The second round opened on the online ticket site Interpark on Friday.
The agency added, “We have had lots of calls asking about the fan meeting even from Thailand and Arab nations, as well as China and Japan. So, we are planning to hire some translators for each language for the event.”
Source: KBS Global
Lee Jun Ki for Andree Kim's Fashion Show in Thailand
Another Episode of Star Wars...?
The obligatory Kiss Scene
No, it's prince Jun Ki (it reminds me of Lady Oscar, for those who know the anime).
A kiss with a vampire?
The obligatory Kiss Scene
No, it's prince Jun Ki (it reminds me of Lady Oscar, for those who know the anime).
A kiss with a vampire?
Andre Kim Dazzles Bangkok Fans
Korean top designer Andre Kim, right, smiles as actor Lee Jun-ki, left, appears
as the main model with Thai star May Pitchanart at ``Andre Kim Fashion Art
Fantasia,'' which took place at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Center,
Saturday. / Yonhap
BANGKOK ― Korean top designer Andre Kim's fashion debut in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday proved that he still had the elegant touch he has been pursuing for the past 47 years.
``Andre Kim Fashion Art Fantasia,'' which took place at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Center, was held to commemorate the friendship between the two countries and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Korea-Thailand diplomatic relations.
``It's a great honor to be here. When I first visited Bangkok, the Kingdom of Thailand, it was in 1966, 43 years ago. I dreamed (that) in the future, I would like to present a fashion show and finally it is the day,'' Andre Kim said during a press conference before the event, with the venue packed with some 100 Thai reporters and photographers.
Prominent figures, including Her Royal Highness Princess Som Sawalee and some 1,000 guests were present, with fans of actor Lee Jun-ki, who appeared as the main model, lined up outside the center to get a glimpse of the star.
Kim's Spring/Summer collection was presented under six different themes ― 2010 World Festival for Spring and Summer in Bangkok, Unforgettable Romanticism and Poetic Dream, Everlasting Glory for Kingdom of Thailand, Korea The Tales about Land of Morning Calm, Seven Veils Legend of Orient and My Love of Eternity in Shangri-La.
Singers Oh Jong-hyuk and Evan Yu and local star May Pitchanart appeared as models along with the ``King and the Clown'' (2005) star Lee at the show, which displayed a unique collection of traditional and futuristic elements.
White, gold, bright orange, fuschia, turquoise, purple, neon pink and red colored dresses made their way across the catwalk, with some 170 creations greeting Bangkok fans for the first time.
The show started with models strutting the simple white runway dressed in pure white gowns with Kim's signature gold and silver flowery embroideries. With small white pieces of paper floating like flower petals, the models displayed elegant gowns and even short bubbly skirts with matching tights and gold and silver high-heeled sandals.
The second stage offered flowing, light pink dresses with sparkling embroidery and lace trains. The short yet graceful pink dresses resembled ballet tutus, and the models strut Kim's work with grace and dignity. The male models were charismatic in their simple yet stylish suits, some with colorful embroideries like the dresses, and others with pinstripes and even bow ties. With fans reacting whenever Lee appeared on the runway, the Korean actor was poised and graceful, taking every step carefully and successfully escorting Pitchanart from start to finish.
Another hallmark stage was the Everlasting Glory for Kingdom of Thailand, with models appearing in colorful Thai silk recreated as elegant dresses. The Seven Veils Legend of Orient stage offered Kim's staple piece: a lone model on the runway, wearing seven different colored robes. She took them off one by one, finally revealing a pink gown. The model then turned around and walked back, elegantly collecting the seven robes along the way.
The finale had models strutting with fabulous wedding gowns and the two main models, Lee and Pitchanart, bidding farewell to guests with their last walk as a couple.
Guests applauded enthusiastically when the show was finished, hinting that Kim's show was indeed memorable. Lee's popularity proved that hallyu, or the Korean wave, was still alive in Bangkok.
``The Thai people are very interested in fashion, including clothes, accessories and furniture. Korean actor Lee is also famous for his dramas and popular because he is smart and handsome,'' Sareporn Laovanijya from the Khom Chat Reuk, a Bangkok daily, told The Korea Times.
With fans and fashion lovers taking photos and reaching out to get a glimpse of the famous Korean designer and the handsome actor, Andre Kim Fashion Art Fantasia proved to be yet another success at one of the world's most exotic places.
Kim has made headlines for his unique approach to fashions show, including many world firsts, such as one in front of Egypt's pyramids and at Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. He is the first Korean designer to present his work in Bangkok and is also active in creating cosmetics, bicycles and even electronic goods.
Credits : Han Sang-hee, Korea Times Correspondent (sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr)
Source : The Korea Times
Actor Lee Jun-ki to Hold 8,000 Seat Fan Concert in April
Heartthrob actor Lee Jun-ki (27) will hold a large scale fan concert next month.
His management agency, Mentor Entertainment, said Lee will hold the 8,000 seat fan concert entitled "Episode 2" on April 18 at the Olympic Park fencing arena.
In May 2006, Lee held the first "Episode 1" concert at the Jamsil Student Stadium, drawing some 12,000 fans.
Mentor said, "Like last time, Lee has prepared dancing, songs, performances and events for his fans. It will be an upgrade from Episode 1."
Composer Kim Hyeong-seok is the music director of the concert.
Mentor also said Episode 2 will kick off a world tour that Lee is planning for the year's second half.
Source: KBS Global
Lee Jun Ki with blond streaks for CG Magazine
The hairy issue again, he looks good with lighter hair but black was sooo much better.Hmm at least he's not putting any eye liners; from what I can see here.
Lee Jun Ki & Kim Ha Neul Volunteering for Charity in Indonesia
Heartthrob Lee Jun Ki and Kim Ha Neul are doing charity work for a village in Indonesia. Pictures shows them having fun with the kids there.
Cute
I love how he poses, he surely knows how to work the camera!
Cute
I love how he poses, he surely knows how to work the camera!
Lee Jun Ki On A Mission
Now we now what he's doing at Jakarta, he's being a good person again and does a charity project for a Village in Jakarta!That makes fans like him even more huh.He really seems to be a great person in real life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TV drama actor Lee Jun Ki (27) and his fans took part in a charity, creating warm feelings of the heart.
On 11 February, Lee Jun Ki left with a charitable organisation bound for a Jakarta's poor village, to participate in a week's long charity activities. When his fans found out about his mission, they donated 50million won to help. Before his departure, upon discovering his fans' deeds, he was shocked. Through his management company, he wanted the list of names of the donors, but found out that they were anonymous.
Lee Jun Ki and his fans' involvement in charity projects are well-known. Last year while filming drama "Iljimae", an earthquake ocurred in Sichuan province, China. In order to help the devastated families, each person gave 1000 won.
Especially in 2007, his Singapore fans from the fanclub also made a donation to Singapore Children's Cancer Fund in Lee Jun Ki's name. Also fans from 3 Chinese fanclubs donated to Orbis, gaining attention.
Source of news :http://www.sportsseoul.com/news2/entertain/broad/2009/0212/20090212101040200000000_6585743026.html
Translated from Korean to Chinese by leejunkibar.com
Translated from Chinese to English by Wendy @leejunki-singapore.com
More pictures of him at Incheon ready to leave for Jakarta. This boy is always in the air!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TV drama actor Lee Jun Ki (27) and his fans took part in a charity, creating warm feelings of the heart.
On 11 February, Lee Jun Ki left with a charitable organisation bound for a Jakarta's poor village, to participate in a week's long charity activities. When his fans found out about his mission, they donated 50million won to help. Before his departure, upon discovering his fans' deeds, he was shocked. Through his management company, he wanted the list of names of the donors, but found out that they were anonymous.
Lee Jun Ki and his fans' involvement in charity projects are well-known. Last year while filming drama "Iljimae", an earthquake ocurred in Sichuan province, China. In order to help the devastated families, each person gave 1000 won.
Especially in 2007, his Singapore fans from the fanclub also made a donation to Singapore Children's Cancer Fund in Lee Jun Ki's name. Also fans from 3 Chinese fanclubs donated to Orbis, gaining attention.
Source of news :http://www.sportsseoul.com/news2/entertain/broad/2009/0212/20090212101040200000000_6585743026.html
Translated from Korean to Chinese by leejunkibar.com
Translated from Chinese to English by Wendy @leejunki-singapore.com
More pictures of him at Incheon ready to leave for Jakarta. This boy is always in the air!
Lee Jun Ki at Jakarta Airport
What is Lee Jun Ki Doing at Jakarta?That remains a mystery but our boy is looking good and happy as usual and he's leading the Valentine-Poll. I am surprised how many Junki Fans are out there!
Can you spot Lee Jun Ki?
This is fan pictures of Lee Junki filming the Pepsi CF in Thailand recently. I wouldn't be able to spot him in a single picture honestly.
Lee Jun Ki Back From Thailand
Lee Jun Ki is back from Thailand filming the CF and he's prepared for the paparazzi attacks at incheon airport.
Hoodie to hide -check, Big black sunglasses-check, Louis Vuitton wallet to throw at the paparazzis- check.
He posted new pictures of him on his cyworld, so cute.
Hoodie to hide -check, Big black sunglasses-check, Louis Vuitton wallet to throw at the paparazzis- check.
He posted new pictures of him on his cyworld, so cute.
Lee Jun Ki at Incheon Airport wiht new hair color
Lee Jun Ki is going to Thailand for shooting a Pepsi CF with other stars.
I prefer him with black hair, you?
I prefer him with black hair, you?
Lee Da Hae Promoting Swarovski Austria
Lee Da Hae attended the Swarovski Austria in a gorgeous dress and looking healthy. It is not confirmed, but Lee Da Hae and Lee Jun Ki will probably collaborate for a Andree Kim Fashion Show. This will be their first reunion after My Girl.
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