Pretty Korean Girls

Hwang-Im's 'Happiness' Invited to Toronto Film Festival

2007-08-16T05:07:00.000-07:00

The Korean film "Happiness" starring Hwang Jeong-min and Im Soo-jeong has officially been invited to the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival.

The Toronto festival, called the 'Cannes' of North America, is the largest regional film market and one of the four major global film festivals after the Cannes, Berlin and Venice.

An official of the movie said, "An invitation to the festival's Contemporary World Cinema category came simply through a preview of the film's edited version, as full editing and mixing has yet to be done. It's double the pleasure to have been invited along with the Cannes winning Korean film 'Secret Sunshine'."

The Contemporary World Cinema category, regarded a key section at Toronto, invites award winning films and new productions by up-and-coming directors.

'Happiness,' directed by Heo Jin-ho, depicts the ultimately cruel love story of a couple who first meet at a nursing home.

(source: KBS)

'Angel' Chae Raising Profile in China

2007-08-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

Singer Chae Eun-jeong, known as 'Angel', is rising as a Hallyu star in China.

Less than a month after she debuted at the RNX Hallyu Concert held last month in China to mark 15th year of bilateral ties, her blog has opened on China's largest portal Sina.com.

The number of visitors topped 80,000 on Wednesday. Members of the blog have given Chae the nickname "sexy princess."

Also posted on the blog is her first solo album title song 'POP,' a music video, her profile, photos and some 500 online comments.

An official of her management agency said, ¡°Chinese fans have instantly took note of her charm. We will lend our best support so Chae can reach Hallyu stardom following singers like Lee Jeong-hyeon and Jang Nara."

(source: KBS)

Nancy Lang to Hold Exhibit in Paris

2007-08-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

Pop Artist Nancy Lang will hold an exhibition in France at the invitation of a Paris gallery.
The month-long exhibit will open Sept. 8.

In an interview with Sports Hankook, Lang said "I'm happy, as I feel that my work has been recognized by the home country of art. After the exhibit, the gallery wished to submit my works to the FIAC fair in October.

FIAC is the largest art market in France that will showcase over five days works by some 600 contemporary artists from 200 galleries worldwide, including New York, Venice and London.
Lang will present her created art work 'Taboo Yogini.' She says "If the exhibit proves successful, hopefully it will boost my US debut and gain wider recognition for me as a contemporary artist."

(source: KBS)

Pop artist Nancy Lang

2007-08-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

Since her performance of 'Lost Dream' in her underwear at the 2003 Venice Biennale, Nancy Lang was introduced to Korea, and she quickly appeared in magazines, on TV and on the Internet. Her showbiz philosophy that she would make money with art shouting "Cutie! Sexy! Kitty!" and "I Love Dollars" has raised controversy among art circles as well as the public.

Unconventional performance
Lang played the violin in the middle of a street wearing Victoria Secret lingerie and red high heels with kabuki style makeup. Her childhood dream was to become a violinist. And she realized the dream through art. Once, at the San Marco Piazza in Venice, she was held by the police for four hours, after which she became popular. Her performances thereafter continued to stand out. The New York born ethnic Korean is a US citizen. She only attended an international high school in Manila but her mannerisms and accent bear the hallmarks of a third generation Korean-American. Her Korean name is Park Hye-ryeong. But eyeing the world as her stage, she strategically changed her last name through help from a lawyer. "Lang" was the final choice among several names as it visually looked nice in typographic terms. Born into a well-to-do family, Lang however went through difficult times when her father died during her college years and her mother fell sick. At times, she couldn't pay her tuition. But through the trials, she developed a clear sense of life and living.

The evolving Taboo Yogini
Multi-talented Lang's unconventional character and provocative performances have grabbed the attention of the art, fashion and entertainment circles alike. In her trademark series 'Taboo Yogini,' characters such as a woman with a huge courtesan wig or a figure with a body of a robot and a head of a girl, rooster or dog appear. And invariably held in their hand is a powerful gun or a Louis Vuitton bag. In the backdrop is a car, a Chanel lipstick and other luxury brand logos. "Yogini" means an angel or a devil in the dictionary. Taboo Yogini, representing both good and bad, is a ceaselessly resurrecting spiritual being due to its persistent power and life energy. It is the symbol of Lang herself, her dreams, her wounds and her fight. The self-proclaimed 'walking pop art' doesn't hide her love for brand name and elite goods. Last year at the Seoul Arts Center, the bikini clad Lang asked audience members to put oil on her body before going on to sing 'Purple Scent' to the tune of a karaoke machine. She pulled off another eccentric performance "Nancy Lang's autograph session" during which she autographed her posterior as the inaugural artist of the Gwangju Biennale. The Taboo Yogini series is expected to evolve even more. In pursuit of breaking apart and assembling robots, Lang has only yet gathered the parts, and during the process she can let go of past regrets. Her work these days in fact show glimpses of her severing chains with the past and moving toward a fantastic future, portrayed by a wounded yogini and a guardian angel robot. If yogini was Peter Pan to Lang, the robot would be her Tinker Bell. It may be that she is inviting someone she can rely on in the future into her world filled with luxury goods.

Dreaming of Korea's Takashi Murakami
Her work and lifestyle and her brutally candid and daring speech and actions invite criticism at times. But she doesn't care. She confidently argues that, like a racehorse, she only runs toward a clear goal. She has firmly established herself as an artist reaching out to the public. Few others see art as showbiz as much as she does. But approaching show business with new ideas and works is a whole different realm. Her role model is Takashi Murakami, who successfully turned his character creations into art based on the animation, comics and games culture. Most of her works sell well and her name once topped the top online search word list. She knows what she wants, "I will become a world renowned artist who can influence the general public, and based on that foundation, I want to gain wealth and fame." We wonder what she will show us next, as she brings along issues and controversies wherever she goes with her art.

(source: KBS)

Singer Seo Shows Off Archery Skills in China

2007-08-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

Sexy singer Seo In-young has maintained Korea's pride in archery.

With group member Park Jeong-a and break dancer Poppin Hyunjoon, Seo on July 30 attended an opening ceremony of a Chinese satellite variety program promoting the success of next year's Beijing Olympics.

During the show, Seo teamed up with Hyunjoon and took part in an archery match, finishing in first place among seven teams.

The program's producer said the energetic performance of the three has impressed many Chinese viewers.

Seo's management says "We hope that the Beijing Olympics will facilitate Korean stars' advance into China. Chinese media is showing interest and Seo is receiving many calls to be on Chinese broadcast shows. She will soon release a Chinese album to launch full fledged activities in China."

Mina's New Album Receives 150,000 Preorders in China

2007-08-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

The popularity of sexy singer Mina is soaring in China.

Her fourth album (in Chinese) to be released by a major Chinese record agency later this month has already received 150,000 advance orders. The Chinese record firm and her management is stunned, as the number would be high even for top notch Chinese singers.

Mina already sold 250,000 albums for her hit song 'Pick up the phone.' At the news of the staggering number of preorders, she reported excitedly exclaimed, "What if it sells a million copies?"

Mina will promote her fourth album in Korea while also touring China, Thailand and the Philippines.

source: KBS

Bada to Appear in Musicals

2007-08-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Singer Bada will appear in two musicals in October: the one-person musical "Tell Me on a Sunday" and the French musical "Notre-Dame de Paris." The latter drew two million viewers in France and some 10 million viewers in 11 countries since its debut in 1998. In 2005, it was staged in Korea by the original French cast.

The musical in which Bada will play the lead is based on a novel by Victor Hugo. The cast will comprise Korean actors.

Bada will receive singing and acting training from the original French cast in France over two weeks in September.

source: KBS

Actress Kim Hee-seon Holds Promo Tour in Japan

2007-08-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Actress Kim Hee-seon has begun a promotion tour in Japan with support from her close celebrity friends.

Lee Byeong-heon, Ryu Si-won, Kwon Sang-woo and Jackie Chan sent video messages to her official news conference at a Tokyo hotel on July 22 that gathered 150 teams of reporters. In the messages, the actors spoke of how they felt about Kim while working together with her.

After the news conference, the Korean beauty met with 1,300 fans, sang the theme song of her drama 'Sad Love Story,' and played the piano. She also gave out gifts and took pictures with fans.
The fan meeting in Japan was arranged at the invitation of Fuji TV, which aired 'Sad Love Story.'

(source: KBS)

Actress Jeon Do-yeon One of 50 Most Influential Women

2007-08-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon has officially become an influential world star. Jeon recently made the list of '50 Most Influential Women' released by America's Variety magazine.

Quoting Korean critics, Variety described Jeon as a "chameleon" actress who is capable of completely engaging herself in a given role. The magazine said Jeon received the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as a mother who loses her only son in Lee Chang-dong's film "Secret Sunshine." The magazine went on to comment that it was the first time for a Korean to win an award for best acting in an international film festival and that it was the result of a unanimous decision.

In May, Variety chose Jeon as one of the 60 most prominent people to lead the future of the Cannes Festival.

(source: KBS)

Full House Season 2 in the Making

2007-08-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

Season 2 of the hit KBS drama series 'Full House' is in the making.

Park Chang-sik at Kim Jong-hak Production says "Jo Jeong-hwa has been working on the script for a year and the script is ready for the 3rd episode so far. Overseas shooting is also under review."

Casting will begin this year and the drama will be filmed and aired next year. The director has yet to be decided.

Park says "The first series in 2004 was beloved at home, in China and Southeast Asia so that many Asian broadcasters offered to produce their own series. A well made season 2 could hit it big at home and abroad. It's unclear whether Rain and Song Hye-kyo will be recast."

Full House, which ended airing in September 2004, was based on a popular same-titled Korean comic by Won Soo-yeon about a trendy young couple's love story. Rain and Song were touted as the most lovely drama couple.

(source: KBS)

Wonder Girls Enter MTV Thailand's Top-5

2007-07-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

The song "Irony" from the female group Wonder Girls, which debuted in Thailand in June, took the fifth spot on MTV Thailand's international chart.

The chart announces the most popular songs based on the frequency of their broadcasts and the number of viewer requests to play them over the past one week. By taking the fifth spot, the Wonder Girls have beaten even world famous stars such as Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5.

The group was also selected by MTV as the Artist of the Month in July, and it has gained enormous popularity all over Asia.

Since its debut earlier this year, the Wonder Girls have been performing vigorously in various countries. In April, the group held a showcase in China. In early June, the band released its first single album in Thailand at the urgent request of its Thai fans.

The band entered MTV Thailand's top-five with its album just a month after its release, without having visited the country in person so far.

The Wonder Girls will perform in Korea, China and Thailand after releasing its first full-length album during the second half of the year.

Film Starring Kang Su-yeon to Compete at Venice Film Festival

2007-07-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

A movie starring world star Kang Su-yeon, her first big-screen work in 20 years, will be screened at the Venice Film Festival.

Kang gained global acclaim in 1987 by winning the Best Leading Actress award at the festival for her role in Lim Kwon-taek's movie "The Surrogate Woman."

Her new film is a story about a nine-year-old girl from a mining village in Gangwon Province and her views on her family and the world. Kang plays the girl's mother in the movie.

Directed by Jun Su-il, the movie will compete in the "Horizon" category of the Venice festival.

Lim Kwon-taek's movie "Beyond the Years" will also participate in the festival in the non-competition category.

Wonder Girls Enter MTV Thailand's Top-5

2007-07-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

The song "Irony" from the female group Wonder Girls, which debuted in Thailand in June, took the fifth spot on MTV Thailand's international chart.

The group was also selected by MTV as the Artist of the Month in July, and it has gained enormous popularity all over Asia.

The band entered MTV Thailand's top-five with its album just a month after its release, without having visited the country in person so far.

The Wonder Girls will perform in Korea, China and Thailand after releasing its first full-length album during the second half of the year.

Film Starring Kang Su-yeon to Compete at Venice Film Festival

2007-07-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

A movie starring world star Kang Su-yeon, her first big-screen work in 20 years, will be screened at the Venice Film Festival.

Kang gained global acclaim in 1987 by winning the Best Leading Actress award at the festival for her role in Lim Kwon-taek's movie "The Surrogate Woman."

Her new film is a story about a nine-year-old girl from a mining village in Gangwon Province and her views on her family and the world. Kang plays the girl's mother in the movie.

Directed by Jun Su-il, the movie will compete in the "Horizon" category of the Venice festival.

Lim Kwon-taek's movie "Beyond the Years" will also participate in the festival in the non-competition category.

(source: KBS)

Song Hye-kyo Bag Line Boosts Her Pan-Asian Status

2007-07-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

Actress Song Hye-kyo reconfirmed her status as a top Asian star on July 18 at a product launch event for the handbag brand "Song Hye Kyo for Celine."

Song, who arrived in Hong Kong July 17, gave interviews to a number of media outlets from all over the world.

The actress was pursued by the paparazzi all the way from the airport, and some 200 journalists attended the event, double the originally expected number.

The director of Celine's Hong Kong branch said he was satisfied with the new bag line because it turned out more beautifully than he had expected. He also added he was honored to have a business partnership with Song, who is a pan-Asian star.

A person from Celine said the company was flooded with orders for the Song Hye Kyo for Celine bags even though they have yet to go on sale.

Korean Stars To Visit Japan in August

2007-07-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Well-known Korean stars with large fan bases in Japan will travel to Tokyo in August. The Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports reported that a number of famous Korean stars are scheduled to appear at the two-day "FACE in Japan Premium Event" at the Tokyo Dome on August 14th and 15th. The event is part of a cultural exchange program between Korea and Japan and a sequel to the Hallyu Expo held in Jeju Island last year.

Actress Yoon Son-ha will host the show for two days. Actress Ha Ji-won, actors Lee Dong-gun, Jo Han-seon, Shin Hyun-jun, the popular idol group TVXQ, and other up-and-coming singers and performers will make appearances.

Honey Lee Likely to Become 1st Hallyu Miss Korea

2007-07-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

Honey Lee, who finished fourth at the 2007 Miss Universe beauty pageant, has recently drawn attention from Singapore's The Electric New Paper.

It was the first time the daily introduced a beauty contestant, not a celebrity. It wrote that Lee, who holds a third degree black belt in taekwondo, "once played 'bodyguard' to actress Kim Tae-hee" when she was in college, because she is 10 centimeters taller than Kim and has excellent taekwondo skills. The daily wrote, "The two beauties have been good friends since joining the same ski club while studying at Korea's prestigious Seoul National University in 2004."

Lee currently hosts a weekly entertainment show along with emcee Seo Kyung-seok, but she denies that she has made an official debut in showbiz. The Singaporean daily quoted Lee's agency as saying that Lee "wants to represent traditional Korean beauty and culture to the world. And this is the first step toward fulfilling her goal."

The Electronic New Paper showed great interest in Lee, adding that she received a traditional red Mexican doll from the First Lady of Mexico at the Miss Universe competition back in May.

Kim Yun-jin Shares Beauty Tips in Fashion Magazine

2007-07-23T23:28:00.000-07:00

The influential fashion magazine InStyle, which is published worldwide, featured beauty tips from actress Kim Yun-jin in its August edition.

In her interview, Kim, who is introduced as a self-confident actress, shares her tips on skin care, hairstyling and makeup.

Gaining enormous popularity worldwide for her role in the U.S. ABC TV series "Lost," Kim has been interviewed by several prestigious magazines so far including an exclusive interview with People.

Her photos have appeared in many popular magazines, such as Vogue and Maxim, including a photo that appeared on the cover of an entertainment magazine.

She was also selected as one of the 100 sexiest beauties in the world by world-renowned magazines.

Kim's book, "The World is Your Drama," which depicts her advancement into Hollywood, has become a bestseller recently.

source: KBS

Son Ye Jin, returns to the screen in two years as a femme fatal pickpocket

2007-07-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Top star Son Ye-jin will turn into an 'international' pickpocket.

In the upcoming movie 'Open City' directed by Lee Sang-gi, Son Ye-jin will act as the boss of a pickpocket organization displaying her femme fatal charm.

Scheduled to open in December, she is appearing on screen two years after the movie 'The Art of Seduction' which opened in 2005.

The movie has especially gathered attention as she will be partnering with actor Kim Myeong-Min of the MBC drama series 'White Tower'.

'Open City' which depicts the conflict between an international pickpocket organization and an investigation team will feature Son Ye-jin who rids of her innocent image in a seductive and strong character.

Her character Baek Jang Mi grows her organization with her charm femme fatal charm, making any man want to give up everything to be with her.

But falling in love with Kim Myeong-Min, a member of the investigating team, she cannot hide her identity as a female and her painful past.

Younha, Actor Lee Named Anti-Corruption PR Envoys

2007-07-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

Singer Younha and actor Lee Jin-wook have been named as publicity envoys for the anti-corruption Clean Wave Campaign.

The two will attend the appointment ceremony Monday and perform their duties for one year.

The anti-corruption committee cited Younha's clean and pure image and her exemplary behavior since her debut and Lee's upstanding image established through his drama roles.

The ceremony will be attended by a hundred teachers from across the country. The singer and actor's activities will include participation in the Campus Clean Wave, a similar campaign for teenagers, and International Anti-Corruption Day events.

Min HR Sizzles Under Asian Spotlight

2007-07-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Singer Min Hyo-rin is receiving interview requests from a slew of Asian media outlets and broadcasters including China's largest portal SINA.COM, the popular Hallyu magazine COOL MUSIC and Japan's KN.

Even inside officials are amazed by the calls as Min has conducted no overseas activity whatsoever.

A foreign media official says that Min is a new face but her mystical and at the same time lovely persona is appealing to Hallyu fans in China and Japan. He said Min's interviews will be released some time next month via various outlets.

Her management agency says a possible advance to China or Japan isn't planned and she will focus her work in Korea, expressing deep gratitude for Asian fans' interest in the Korean singer. It also added that should the opportunity and right conditions arise, Min will consider going overseas.

"Ice Bar" Wins Top Prize at Fukuoka Asian Film Festival

2007-07-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

The family film "Ice Bar" won the best picture award at the 21st Fukuoka Asian Film Festival that was held in Fukuoka, Japan from Jun 29 through July 8.

The film's production company MK Pictures said that its director, Yeo In-kwang, personally attended the award ceremony last Sunday to receive the top honor.

"Ice Bar" was chosen for the top prize because of its beautiful portrayal of a local city in the 1960s and 70s, and for the natural and realistic acting of its leading actress and child actor who played the roles of mother and son.

"Ice Bar" is the fifth Korean film to win the best picture award at this film festival. The other four award-winning films were "An Affair" in 1999, "Nowhere to Hide" in 2000, "Bad Guy" in 2002, and "YMCA Baseball Team" in 2003.

Park Jung-sook Gives Lecture on Korean Wave

2007-07-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

TV personality Park Jung-sook, who is currently studying at the University of Columbia in the USA, will give a lecture at Waseda University in Japan on July 11.

Park's lecture will deal with international relations with a focus on the popularity of Korean culture overseas. The seminar will be attended by experts from Japan and other countries as well as former President Kim Young-sam.

Park says she will speak about the creation of an integrated cultural zone in Asia through Korean culture.

On June 30, Park made a presentation in Japan at a women's forum on ways to prepare for the issue of aging in society. Back in February, she presented at a forum on the popularity of Korean culture in Asia at Harvard University.

Yoon Mi-rae Makes Successful Comeback

2007-07-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Singer Yoon Mi-rae, also known as T, has recently made a successful comeback in Japan after a five-year hiatus, suggesting a new direction for the Korean wave.

Yoon displayed her formidable hip-hop skills on July 10 at the Drama original Sound Korea 2007 in Tokyo, evoking applause from some 2000 people in the audience.

Yoon sang "After Pain Subsides," the theme song of the SBS TV drama "Prague Lovers," which is airing in Japan. Her unique style of voice that is quite rare in Japan captivated the hearts of Japanese listeners.

Yoon was the only performer at the concert to receive a curtain call, in which she sang "Scent of Life," a song from her first album.

The singer's agency says Yoon will, at the minimum, hold some small-scale concerts soon in Japan to target the Japanese music market.

Jang's Charity Mentioned in Chinese Gov't Briefing

2007-07-18T19:59:00.001-07:00

Authorities in Jinan city in China's Santung province announced at an administrative briefing earlier this week that the charity foundation set up by Korean singer Jang Nara has begun operation.

The Jinan government says "the foundation named after the popular Korean singer has begun operation" calling it the first of its kind in the city.

It said the first 200,000 yuan were donated by a Beijing cultural corporation and that so far 500,000 yuan have been collected from Chinese dailies, Korea's Chung-ang University and Jang's concert proceeds. The money will all go to help poor leukemic children in Jinan.

The city also says that the city vice mayor, on behalf of the municipal charity association, has officially appointed Jang as Jinan's charity ambassador.

Jang has long been doing good work for needy people in China. Her June 25 concert in Jinan was held to raise money for the foundation.

Lee Eun's Online Mall to Enter China

2007-07-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

The recently launched online shopping mall of Lee Eun, a former member of the girl band Chakra, is seeking to advance to China as the first shopping mall opened by a Korean celebrity.

Sales are brisk at the shopping mall "Euni," which has posted a three-fold sales increase in recent days. Singer-turned-actress Lee recently visited China for inspections to launch her business.

She said, "Never did I imagine advancing abroad, but I decided to expand my business upon the advice of a relative living in China. I want to further promote the Hallyu boom as a businesswoman and later return as a performer."

Kim Hye Su

2007-07-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

Gan Mi-yeon Returns with "Kiss"

2007-07-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Having made her solo debut with the hit title song "Old Woman," Gan Mi-yeon, formerly of the female group Baby Vox, has returned to the stage with a song entitled "Kiss."

"Kiss" is a bouncy and rhythmical disco-style song. It also features an impromptu part in the middle, where Gan and comedian Noh Hong-chul banter with one another, making the song more enjoyable for listeners.

Gan plans to show off a more lovable girlish side by dressing up in short pants and gold suspenders for the follow-up song.

Gan will make her first TV appearance for the song "Kiss" on Saturday.

Model Han Hye-jin Attracts Attention from Global Fashion World

2007-07-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

Model Han Hye-jin made her name known to the world fashion industry at the New York Collection held from Feb. 1 until 9 by being cast to appear in fashion shows for the world’s top designer brands such as Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Vera Wang.

She was also promised a chance to participate in the Calvin Klein Collection by the brand’s senior designer Francisco Costa, who lauded her charm as a model.

Han will appear on the music and entertainment cable channel Mnet in season 3 of “I Am A Model,” in which she, along with fellow models Kim Da-ul and Park Yoon-jeong, will show the auditions and fashion shows involving the New York Collection as well as their daily life from waking up to going to bed.

The program’s producer, Lee Seon-young, said, “Season 3 of ‘I Am A Model’ is aimed at showing the real lives of fashion models.” New models selected through the show's season 3 will have opportunities not only to work for new casual brand “Dressed To Kill” but also to participate in the Paris Collection, Lee added.

Korean Actress Cast for Japanese Musical

2007-07-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

Singer-turned-actress Shoo, a former member of the female trio S.E.S., has been cast for a supporting role in the Japanese musical “High School Musical” produced by Fuji TV. According to her agency, Sedona Media, she attended a press conference held at a hotel in Tokyo on Monday to announce its production.

Based on the Disney’s TV animation with the same title, the musical deals with high school students who work at an audition for a musical.

Shoo is cast to play Deira, a friend of the female leading character Gabriel, to be played by Nami Damaki. Koyama Keiichiro, a member of the Japanese idol group NewS, will play the male leading role. It will be staged in Tokyo and Osaka from June 12.

“I will put everything I have into the musical to show a great performance,” Shoo said.

Shoo has been working as a musical actress in Japan since S.E.S was disbanded. She received a good review when she performed the leading character Shelley in the 2005 musical "Batboy" in Japan.

New Singing Star Ayo Comes to Korea

2007-07-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

Emerging new pop star Ayo will come to Korea to promote her debut album “Joyful.” She gained popularity here in Korea when her hit song “Down on My Knees” was included in the original soundtrack of a Korean TV drama recently.

She will arrive in Korea on April 8th and attend a promotional event on the 11th at the KT Art Hall in downtown Seoul. She plans to sing some seven songs during the event, including “Down on My Knees,” “Help is coming,” and “Only You.” Korean singers and a noted songwriter are scheduled to appear on the event as well.

Ayo will also make appearances on a variety of radio and TV programs during her stay in Korea.

Kim Hye Su

2007-07-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Kim Hye Su (김혜수), born September 5, 1970, is a Korean actress and model. The last movies I saw her in was “A Good Day to Have an Affair (2007)” and “Tazza: The High Rollers (2006)”. You can visit her cyworld and leave a message for her to see. I’ve seen her being compared to Monica Bellucci from the famous Matrix Reloaded. A Korean Monica Bellucci? I can definitely see the body but that’s about it….

Korean Girls are Dirty, Dirty Girls

2007-07-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

File this one under, “I gotsta get me over to Korea, and fast!”, as we take a peek at the Asian mind with this glossy advertisement for, er, something that involves really hot Korean women in bra and panties running around a muddy field tackling each other while playing soccer. My guess is that this is some kind of adult men’s photobook (they’re very popular over there) trying to capitalize on the soccer craze going in Korea with the FIFA World Cup in full swing. Of course with Korea bounced from the tourney, this is probably as close to Soccer Heavenly Bliss as Korean men will ever get.

Kim Yun-jin to Give Interview to People Magazine

2007-07-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

Actress Kim Yun-jin, who has recently drawn the spotlight for announcing a comeback to the Korean big screen through the movie “Seven Days,” will give an exclusive interview to People magazine on March 30.

Kim’s agency said the magazine requested an interview after the actress’s popularity soared when a section introducing Kim’s preparations for the Golden Globe event was posted early this year on the magazine’s Web site, recording more than 300,000 hits a day.

The agency added that previously, any U.S. media reports about the actress and her appearances in various talk shows typically made big news, but now Kim has gained full recognition for her hard work and passion to the extent that even a prestigious U.S. magazine has requested an exclusive interview with her.

Jun Ji-hyun to Debut in Hollywood

2007-07-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Actress Jun Ji-hyun is gearing up to debut overseas. Jun, who has gained popularity not only in Korea but also in Hong Kong, China and Japan for her sometimes sassy, sometimes naive roles in movies, will make her Hollywood debut in the movie “Blood: The Last Vampire.”

“Blood: The Last Vampire” is based on the same-titled popular animation novel by famous Japanese writer Oshii Mamoru. Jun plays the role of the vampire hunter Saya, who is half-human, half-vampire but who disguises herself as a human being in order to destroy vampires. The actress is expected to display impressive action stunts in the movie.

Playing opposite Jun will be actress Allison Miller, who has gained popularity for her role in the TV show “Desperate Housewives.” In the movie, Miller’s character teaches Saya what it’s like to be a human.

Interest in movies starring Jun has been on the rise in Hollywood. Jun has drawn notice in Hollywood through the movie “The Lake House,” starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The movie is a remake of the Korean movie “Il Mare,” which stars Jun. Jun’s hit movie “My Sassy Girl” is also currently being remade in the United States, with actress Elisha Cuthbert playing the lead.

The filming of “Blood: The Last Vampire” will begin March 15. The movie has drawn significant attention for its impressive scale as it involves famous film production firms and filmmakers. After shooting several scenes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the filming location will switch to China before the movie opens in 2008.

The movie is expected to make Jun another hallyu star in Hollywood, like Kim Yun-jin. Jun will go by the name "Gianna Jun" in the United States.

Korean Actress Song Hye-gyo to Present Hong Kong Film Award

2007-07-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

Korean actress Song Hye-gyo will attend the Hong Kong Film Awards to present the Best Asian Film award.

The secretariat of the Hong Kong Film Award said that Song’s rising fame around the world makes her the most appropriate presenter for the Best Asian Film award. It added that since Song is extremely popular in Hong Kong, her presence at the award ceremony will be much appreciated by Hong Kong fans.

During the Chinese promotional tour of her TV drama “Full House” last February, Song’s beauty was rated by the press and fans to rival that of celebrated Chinese actresses such as Zhang Ziyi and Cheung Pak Chi.

200 Pounds Beauty' Charms Overseas Film Fans

2007-07-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

Korean made movie ``200 Pounds Beauty’’ is taking audiences by storm abroad _ smashing box office records across Singapore and Hong Kong and signaling actress Kim A-jung’s rise as a hot new hallyu star.

Three weeks after its opening last month in Singapore, ``Beauty’’ had already grossed a whopping $550,000 in that country alone according to a release by local distributors InnoForm Media and Shaw Organization.

The film opened on April 19 and now exceeds figures of previous Korean record-holder ``Wishing Stairs’’ (2003) and last year’s hit ``The Host,’’ which drew $550,000. The film’s producer KM Pictures refused to release exact numbers.

``We bought the film at the AFM (American Film Market) last year and were surprised when our distribution partner Shaw suggested that we take it as wide as 18 prints,’’ InnoForm general manager Lim Teck was quoted as telling ``Variety.’’

``We enjoyed a clear run without much competition in the two weeks before `Spider-Man 3,’ and it has proved a really smart piece of counterprogramming,’’ said Lim.

``Like all Korean films, it has very good production values, but this is a romantic comedy that has good songs and a theme of beauty and dieting that works well with female audiences,’’ he said.

The romantic comedy features Kim A-jung as a gifted yet obese singer who, after going under the knife, transforms into a slim beauty. Only then can she pursue her musical career and the love of her life.

The allure of ``Beauty’’ does not stop in Singapore. After opening on May 17 across 21 screens in Hong Kong, the sassy film came in second at the box office __ tailing just behind ``Spider-Man 3.’’

``Beauty’’ scored $190,000 in under four days. With the recent release of ``Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,’’ the film maintains a strong ranking in third place.

``Kim A-jung is the reason to watch this film,’’ wrote a movie critic in ``BC Magazine,’’ a Hong Kong and Singapore-based magazine. ``Not only does she look great, but does all of the singing on her own and displays a nice instinct for comedy.’’

The local Chinese media have also noted Kim as eclipsing the fame of Jun Ji-hyun, the heroine of ``My Sassy Girl’’ (2001). The romantic comedy enjoyed enormous popularity in Hong Kong when released several years ago.

``Beauty’’ was a huge hit in Korea when released last December. Attracting 6.62 million viewers, the movie ranks eighth in the all-time Korean box office and first in the admissions record of comedy films.

The upcoming 2007 Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival officially announced ``Beauty’’ as the most nominated film. It is set to compete in 12 of the festival’s 19 categories, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress.

This exceeds the 11 nominations for ``The Host’’ at last year’s festival.

Meanwhile, Kim is in Vietnam to promote Korean film and will participate in the 2007 Dynamic Korea Film Festival, to take place May 31-June 3 in Hanoi. ``Beauty’’ will be screened along with five other works including Park Chan-wook’s award-winning ``Old Boy.’’

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)

Traces of Korea at Cannes Film Festival

2007-07-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

The Taegeukgi will be flying high over the Croisette as the 60th Festival de Cannes, the creme de la creme of international film festivals, opens today. Over 20 films are competing for the much-coveted Palme d'Or, and two out of the four competing Asian titles are Korean -- ``Secret Sunshine'' by Lee Chang-dong and ``Breath'' by Kim Ki-duk. ``My Dear Rosetta'' by Yang Hea-hoon is also one of the short films in competition.

But more traces of Korea can be found in the out-of-competition pool as well. Most notable is the screening of ``Bound by Chastity Rules'' (1962) by Shin-Sang-ok in the Cannes Classics section.

The digitally restored movie tells the story of sexually repressed widows whose lives are dictated by deeply ingrained Confucian values. ``Bound'' swept awards at Korea's first Daejong Film Festival, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Shin Yeong-gyun), for its keen observation of human desire.

The picture is also distinguished for its portrayal of love that transcends strictly set social status barriers of the time. The film got its first international exposure when it was presented at the 13th Berlin International Film Festival. But ``Bound'' eventually became dormant, and unavailable in Korea.

In 2005, the Korean Film Archive (KOFA) recovered and collected the 16-millimeter film from Taiwan's film archive. After being digitally restored, ``Bound'' was brought back to life when it was screened last year at the Busan International Film Festival.

For Cannes, ``Bound'' underwent an intensive restoration process. Dust, scratches and hiss and clicks were carefully eliminated, while sharpness and color were fine-tuned, according to KOFA.

The Korean classic will be shown at the festival alongside Sir Lawrence Olivier's ``Hamlet'' (1948) and Terence Fisher's ``Dracula'' (1958). The Classics section was created in 2004, and last year, Oliver Stone's ``Platoon'' (1986) was restored and screened.

Shin (1926-2006) is an important pioneer and pillar of Korean cinema, and has directed more than 60 films, including the classic ``My Mother and the Lodger'' (1961).

The director continued to make headlines when he and his wife, actress Choi Eun-hee, were abducted by Kim Jong-il in 1978 for the purpose of producing critically acclaimed films. Shin eventually escaped back to the South and died last year at the age of 80.

Another Korean film to shine at the festival is Hong Sung-hoon's ``A Reunion.'' The movie will be part of ``Cinefondation,'' a section of the festival that aims to inspire and support the next generation of international filmmakers.

``Munyurangabo'' (Liberation Day) by up-and-coming Korean-American Lee Isaac Chung, will be screened in the ``Un Certain Regard'' section. Chung's debut piece is set in mid-1990s Rwanda and captures the violent civil conflict of the time.

Un Certain Regard features noteworthy films and is considered the most prominent among the out-of-competition sections. Some eight Korean films have been included in the lineup hitherto, including ``The Bow'' by Kim Ki-duk last year.

This year at Cannes, a total of about 50 feature films make up the Official Selection, chosen out of some 1,600 candidates from 95 countries. The festival will continue until May 27. For more information, visit the official Web site (www.festival-cannes.fr).

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)

Secret Sunshine' Steals Limelight in Cannes

2007-07-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon is reaping critical acclaim from foreign critics, for her role in ``Secret Sunshine" (Miryang) which was screened at the prestigious 60th Cannes Film Festival.

Since it was screened last week, ``Secret Sunshine" has emerged as one of the leading contenders for the top prize, the Palme d'Or. Winners will be announced when the event ends on Sunday evening in France.

A New York Times article heaped praises on the film directed by Lee Chang-dong, a former culture minister.

Jeon was singled out for her depiction of a young widow who moves to her late husband's hometown. The article said Jeon gave one of the strongest female performances in the festival, hinting she may even win the best female performance award. ``Jeon's portrayal of a meek soul in torment is a tour de force," the New York Times said.

Film industry journal Variety described Jeon's performance as ``finely detailed." ``Jeon's convinced playing, a trademark of the chameleon actress, keeps 'Sunshine' watchable but can't inject real tension and drama on its own. On screen almost the whole time, Jeon carries the picture virtually single-handedly," it said.

If Jeon wins, she will be the first Korean actress to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival. Jeon is already a popular and multi-awarded actress in Korea, but is little known overseas.

There have been a handful of Korean actresses who have won awards in international film festivals. Kang Soo-yeon won the best actress award for the film "Sibaji" at the 1987 Venice International Film Festival.

Moon So-ri also won the best new actress award for her role in "Oasis" at the 2002 Venice International Film Festival. Moon received good reviews for her role as a woman with cerebral palsy in the film, which was also directed by Lee Chang-dong.

Jeon has won several domestic acting awards for her roles in films such as ``Harmonium in My Memory" and ``My Mother The Mermaid." She also appeared in the hit SBS drama ``Lovers in Prague" in 2005.

In 2006, Jeon received the best leading actress award at the 43rd Taejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival for her role as a HIV/AIDS-stricken waitress in and ``You are My Sunshine!" directed by Park Jin-pyo.

The local film industry is expecting that should either Jeon or the film win, it will provide a great boost to local cinema, which has been sliding recently.

Aside from ``Secret Sunshine," another Korean film ``Breath" by director Kim Ki-duk is also vying for the Palme d'Or. There are over 20 films competing for the top prize at Cannes.

In 2004, the film ``Old Boy," directed by Park Chan-wook, won the Grand Prix, the second place honor at the Cannes. It was the first Korean film to win one of the top prizes at the prestigious festival.

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)

South Korean Filmmakers Looking to Expand Global Reach

2007-07-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

'They are the Brad and Angelina of Asia,' E! Entertainment Asia Pacific managing director Christine Fellowes says.

South Korean Actress Park,Eun-Hye

Not long ago, the idea of inviting South Korean celebrities to a high-profile Hong Kong event might have been met with derision. These days, though, Park and Shin - not to mention other popular South Korean television actors including Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Tai-hei and heartthrob Bae Yong-jun - possess enough cross-border appeal to bring out paparazzi from Hong Kong to Hanoi.

But star power hasn`t quite been able to work the same magic for South Korea`s film industry, which has struggled to increase its presence on the world cinema stage.

From an artistic standpoint, South Korean cinema has been enjoying a renaissance for nearly five years - but for some reason, even the best locally produced fare has garnered limited attention abroad.

In fact, only 202 South Korean films were released in foreign territories last year.

'Although (South) Korean feature films have done well in Korea, they haven`t traveled as well as the locally produced TV series,' says Richard Samuels, senior vp and managing director of 20th Century Fox Television Distribution Asia.

Local industry officials are well aware of that discrepancy and are doing their best to make South Korean features more attractive to an international audience - namely by shooting at locations around the globe, hiring international talent and entering into partnerships with North American and European companies, including the major U.S. studios and their subsidiaries.

While developing stronger ties to Hollywood remains something of a thorny issue, a Korean Film Council spokesman says that market expansion, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, 'represents the most important aspect of creating a positive-feedback structure for the Korean film industry.'

Producer In-Ah Lee has noticed a difference in the way South Korean production companies evaluate projects.

'Because of the limited commercial success Korean-language films have abroad, a lot of Korean companies are looking for international projects,' says Lee, whose Los Angeles-based company Lee Lee Films is moving forward with Grace Lee`s low-budget horror-comedy 'American Zombie' with funding from South Korean firm iHQ. 'It gives producers like me a whole new perspective on raising funds for projects.'

One of the biggest players in the South Korean market, LJ Film made headlines recently with its decision to partner with Focus Features for its most ambitious project to date: the $25 million production 'The Julia Project,' based on the life of American Julia Mullock and her marriage to the last crown prince of Korea`s Lee dynasty.

'Julia,' in pre-production, will be shot primarily in English, underscoring LJ`s desire to produce titles with strong worldwide appeal.

From Seoul to Hollywood for Lost actress

2007-07-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

Yunjin Kim is uncomfortable with the chair she has been given. She requests a lower one. Possibly this is because she is wearing very short shorts. It's more likely she doesn't want to look down on anyone.

She could if she wanted. Kim is a big star, not just through her international break-out role on Lost but in Korea where she is known for breaking box office records. She is sometimes referred to as "the Korean Julia Roberts".

"I'm actually the very first Korean actress to cross over to Hollywood, so that's special," she says, with pride rather than arrogance. "I'm on a show where I'm actually speaking Korean. It's really odd." It's also odd to see her immaculately made up, just as it's odd to know she has posed for men's magazines and become, like Lost co-star Evangeline Lilly, something of a sex symbol. It's only in the third season Kim has had an opportunity to flaunt her sexuality. Flashbacks painted her character Sun as demure, defeated and desperate at the hands of men. Her father was overbearing, her husband Jin jealous and domineering. Sun was always a bit of a victim.

South Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon initially turned down Cannes award-winning role

2007-07-09T22:38:00.000-07:00

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon said Wednesday she initially turned down the role that earned her the best actress award at this year's Cannes Film Festival because she couldn't understand the character's motivation.

Jeon, 34, won the prize for playing a widow struggling to cope with her husband's death in "Secret Sunshine."

"I turned down the offer at first because I could not understand from just reading the script the feelings and circumstances that (lead character) Shin-ae experiences," she said.

But then director Lee Chang-dong helped her understand, and "when I read the script again after that, I could feel Shin-ae's pain that I couldn't before," Jeon told a news conference carried live on national TV.

"I wanted to experience it and know what would be the end of the pain," she said.

Secret Sunshine is the name of a town in southeastern South Korea where the character Shin-ae's husband was born. She moves to the town following her husband's death, but loses her son there, too.

South Korea has heralded Jeon as a new national hero. Her award garnered front-page news coverage and drew congratulations from President Roh Moo-hyun.

Exhibition of Fireworks

2007-07-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

Shin Na Ra's life is shattered when her boyfriend comes home from a three-month business trip in San Francisco. Noticing he is detached, she keeps bugging him until he admits that he cheated on her during his business trip. Being heartbroken, girl goes out to drink and in a drunken stupor she leaves her ring in a glass of Soju. She comes back to find out a man named Na In Jae has actually swallowed her ring, and starts trying to get the man to return the ring. The man refuses, but later reconsiders after finding out his football team needs a cheerleader. He promises to give the ring back to Shin Na Ra in exchange for her to be his team's cheerleader. Although they started off on rocky terms, Shin Na Ra and Na In Jae start growing more and more attached as time passes, but Na Ra still can't forget her boyfriend of seven years, and Na In Jae has a crush on a girl he's known for a long time.

The story really isn't that interesting, and the presentation turned out to be sloppy as well. It's a shame because I'm really a fan of Han Chae Young's but her acting didn't turn out so well in this series. The main problem is that her character just lacks depth, and throughout the series she seems to always be a third-wheel in the love relationships rather than the main character.

Personally, I don't enjoy plots with main characters that sway in and out of love so easily. For most of the series, the main male lead isn't actually in love with the main female lead, and for the first third of the series, the female lead isn't in love with the male lead. The antagonists, who are in love with each other for a while, suddenly shift around to other partners left and right. The series seems to be just a humongous love mess that seems will never get sorted out, and the same inane events seem to happen over and over again. The seventeen-episode series, which is average by Korean drama standards, seemed way too long and overdrawn, and episodes 11-14 seemed very filler and somewhat unnecessary. I'm guessing that Fireworks would be a much better series had it been cut down a little bit (13 episodes would probably suffice).

This drama really stressed crying, but surprisingly I wasn't very moved at all. The main character, Shin Na Ra's crying scenes were too over-the-top and unnatural, which I found surprising since the actress is quite experienced. It seems like there is some sort of crying scene every once in a while, and since this drama had so many of them, it made me take them for granted instead of making me feel sad.

Unlike most series where sub-characters don't really play a big role, the sub-characters in this story could actually be mistaken for the main characters. If you didn't know who was "supposed" to be together at the end, you might not be able to guess the ending, and this was also frustrating. Some may think that this kind of a plot would bring more drama, but it just made me feel as if the story was just taking me on a joy-ride with no end in sight, and it made me "lose hope" a little bit of a nice ending. The ending is nice and happy, but there wasn't enough in the episodes beforehand to really build up the ending, and thus I didn't really feel impacted by the ending.

Truth be told, the series isn't horrible, but it just can't compare to many of the better dramas out there. Everything in this drama just seemed very ordinary, and it didn't really have a profound impact on me. Personally, I lost interest around episode twelve or so, but I finished the series for the sake of this review. I would guess that only truly hardcore fans of Han Chae Young would be interested in taking a look at this series.

South Korean Actress Bites 'Vampire' Remake

2007-07-08T06:12:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Landreth South Korean starlet Jun Ji-hyun will star in "Blood Vampire," the live-action English-language remake of the hit Japanese animated film, a representative for Seoul-based talent representative iHQ said Monday at the American Film Market."

Vampire," by Hong Kong director Ronnie Yu ("Jet Li's Fearless"), is a $30 million production from Hong Kong rainmaker Bill Kong and France's Pathe Entertainment and is in preproduction.

The project is important to the efforts by iHQ, an integrated entertainment company, to bring its South Korean talent overseas, the spokesperson said.

"This is the first big-budget Hollywood film for a Korean actress speaking English in the lead role," said the spokesperson, asking not to be named.

Jun is known in Asia for roles in the Korean blockbuster "Il Mare," (remade by Warner Bros. as "The Lake House," starring Sandra Bullock) and in director Kwak Jae-yong's "My Sassy Girl" and "Windstruck."

The live-action film is based on the Oshii Mamoru anime hit about Saya (Jun), a vampire employed by the U.S. government to hunt demons in post-World War II Japan.

"Vampire" is set to start shooting in March in China and Argentina and is scheduled for release in 2008, the iHQ source said.

Production I.G., the Japanese producers of the anime original, 2000's "Blood: The Last Vampire," will receive residuals from the live-action film, the source said.

The anime original was praised for its blend of 2-D and 3-D elements. It was made with Sony's Aniplex and distributed in North America by Manga Entertainment, later spinning off a video game, a manga and plans for a TV series.

Mark Russell in Seoul contributed to this report.

Kim Yun-jin to Appear on Letterman

2007-07-08T06:07:00.000-07:00

The Korean actress Kim Yun-jin, who thanks to the ABC hit series "Lost" now has considerable star appeal in the U.S., will appear on the long-running "Late Show with David Letterman," an honor last accorded a Korean when the teenage golfer Michelle Wie made an appearance last year. Being a guest on the show will give Kim a sense of having finally arrived.

According to a source close to the actress, Kim joked it would be nice if she was invited on the Letterman show when she started acting in the States. Two and a half years later, that dream has come true. This is not an invitation during the publicity season for ¡°Lost¡±, says the source, but is instead due to Kim Yun-jin¡¯s own star power.

The live appearance in front of a studio audience is scheduled for July 11 and will provide a good opportunity for the actress to introduce the world of Korean films as well as open up opportunities for herself. Kim will catch a plane headed to New York on July 9. Kim finished shooting for the second season of "Lost" in May and will start work on the third season in August.

(englishnews@chosun.com )

Korean Actress in Vietnam for Film Promotion

2007-07-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.kbs.co.kr/

Korean actress Nam Sang-mi will be in Vietnam on July 7th to promote her 2005 film "Never to Lose." She will be attending the Vietnamese premieres of the film and meeting her fans with her co-star Jang Hang-seon at the nation's two largest theaters.

In "Never to Lose," Nam plays a traffic cop who joins the violent crimes team. Nam is said to be very excited about her first overseas appearance.

Prior to her visit to Vietnam, Nam spent a month in Thailand for a drama shoot. At the time, she was deeply touched by the heartwarming welcome shown by the hotel and awed by the popularity of Korean dramas in Thailand.

Mina to Release New Album in Korea and China

2007-07-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.kbs.co.kr/

Singer Mina will release her new album entitled "Minastasia" on July 9 concurrently in Korea and China.

The album features two jacket photo versions to target the different fan bases of each respective country. The jacket photo produced for China shows a sexy image of Mina in accordance with her Chinese fans' wishes, while the one for Korea shows the singer in a powerful hip-hop atmosphere.

For the Chinese cover, Mina's agency said an additional photo shoot took place in Seoul following the original photo shoot that was held in downtown Los Angeles.

Mina, who won the Best Overseas Dance Singer award in China last year, has completed the recording of her new album's title song "Look" with Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and Thai lyrics to target the entire Asian market. She has also recorded the song, "Want to Get Drunk," in Korean and Chinese.

Mina plans to perform in Korea and China for the time being, with later plans to expand her activities to Thailand and the Philippines.

Younha Displays Her Versatility in Japan

2007-07-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

Singer Younha will host a special show organized by MCountdown and Mnet Japan in Tokyo August 5.
Aside from emceeing the event with the boy band Superjunior, Younha will also serve as the Japanese interpreter for Japanese viewers and perform as a singer.
The organizers of the event chose Younha for her Japanese proficiency and talent at emceeing shows.
Younha debuted as an emcee in April on MBC TV's "Show Music Hub," receiving rave reviews for smoothly hosting the show. She also keeps a diary in Japanese on her Japanese Web site and even received an offer in Japan last year to host a daily radio show as a DJ.
Younha is currently appearing in TV shows with her song "Terms of Love" and recently has released a re-package album containing a remix of that song as well the Korean version of the song "My Lover," which was originally released in Japan.

Korean Actress Chae Rim Ranked Top 10 Popular Chinese Stars

2007-07-08T05:53:00.001-07:00

Korean actress Chae Rim is so successful in China that she's ranked as top 10 popular Chinese stars in a recent online poll by one of the biggest Chinese portal Sina.com, not as a foreign actress! Chae, who won her overnight fame by the hit Korean drama 'All About Eve', has been working in China for over 2 years. She's now planning to return to her own country. "After all, I'm Korean" Chae said.

Korean Actress Chae Rim Ranked Top 10 Popular Chinese Stars

2007-07-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

President hails S. Korean actress for top Cannes

2007-07-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

SEOUL—President Roh Moo-Hyun Monday congratulated South Korean actress Jeon Do-Yeon on winning the Cannes film festival’s best actress award, adding it showed the potential of the country’s cinema. “South Korean film has once again received tremendous applause from the world. I want to pay Jeon Do-Yeon compliments for her enthusiasm and efforts displayed in ‘Secret Sunshine’,” said the message from Roh, who also congratulated director Lee Chang-Dong and other staff.“‘Secret Sunshine’ has shown the potential of South Korean films. The South Korean people, blessed with creative and artistic talents, will be able to achieve a lot more in the future if the entire nation works together,” the president said. Jeon, 34, was Sunday acclaimed for her performance as a grieving wife and mother in the South Korean melodrama. It was the first picture in four years by Lee, a former South Korean culture minister.“I can’t believe I’m here,” said Jeon, wearing a silver lame evening gown, at the ceremony in the French resort. “There are many fabulous actresses here at the festival and I would like to represent them all here tonight. It is a great honour for me to have this prize.” She appears in nearly every scene of Lee’s two-and-a-half-hour film, portraying Shin-Ae, a piano teacher who moves with her son to the hometown of her late husband.She dotes on her young son as a link to his father and the two have a palpably close relationship. When the small boy is abducted and killed, Shin-Ae turns to evangelical Christianity as a means of dealing with her grief. Filled with religious fervour, she decides to visit her son’s murderer in prison to tell him she has forgiven him. But she is horrified when the killer tells her with a serene smile that he has repented and God has offered him absolution. “Who is God to forgive him before I have?” she asks her Christian friends in a rage.Jeon shot to stardom at home with her debut 1997 romance “The Contact”. The following year she starred as a schoolgirl in “Harmonium in My Memory” and picked up South Korea’s prestigious Blue Dragon and Grand Bell prizes for best actress. Jeon scored a box office hit in 2003 with a remake of “Dangerous Liaisons” and won rave reviews in 2005 for her portrayal of a prostitute who contracts AIDS in “You’re My Sunshine.”

Jeon Do-Yeon Wins Best Actress Award at Cannes

2007-07-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

by Seo Dong-shin
May 28, 2007

``I can't believe I'm here. I heard there are so many actresses here who poured out their soul in great films, I'm not sure if I am qualified to be here,'' Jeon, clad in a shiny golden dress, said in an accepting speech at the awards ceremony in Cannes.

``But I thank the Cannes film fest for giving me this honor. What would have been impossible with myself alone became possible thanks to director Lee and Song Gang-ho,'' she said, referring to her co-star in the film.

Cannes was the first exposure to an international film festival for the veteran actress, who has won many domestic film awards.

``I am so honored to have my first experience at Cannes,'' she said in a press conference. ``I tried to calm myself down, telling myself that nothing would happen to me. I wanted to hide when somebody spoke of expectations. Now I'm glad and grateful that they turned into messages of support and celebrations.''

The year is turning out to be a lucky one for Jeon. She's a newly wed, having married a businessman nine years her senior in March in an intimate ceremony.

``They honored me with many prizes in Korea, but winning the best actress in Cannes will remain a great achievement in my life,'' she said. Asked what the marriage means to her, she said smiling, ``One of my life's biggest presents.''

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)
(original text)

Jeon Do-Yeon Shines on Nation with Cannes Award

2007-07-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

by Seo Dong-shin
May 28, 2007

On Sunday, Jeon Do-yeon became the first South Korean actress to garner the Best Actress Award at the 60th Cannes International Film Festival for her role in the Korean film ``Secret Sunshine,'' directed by Lee Chang-dong.

It was the second time for an Asian actress to win the award at the Festival. Chinese actress Maggie Cheung received the award in 2004 with ``Clean,'' French director Olivier Assayas' film about a woman rebuilding her life. Cheung served on this year's jury.

The prize also became another welcome recognition given to a Korean actress on the international level, 20 years after Kang Soo-yeon won the best actress award for her role in ``Sibaji,'' or ``The Surrogate Womb,'' at the Venice International Film Festival in 1987. Actress Mun So-ri won the Marcello Mastroianni Award as best newcomer in 2002 at Venice with her role in ``Oasis,'' another film directed by Lee.

Jeon was predicted to be a strong candidate since ``Secret Sunshine'' screened at the Riviera festival in France last week. The New York Times called her portrayal of the character Shin-ae a ``tour de force,'' while Variety.com praised her ``finely detailed performance.''

At home, Jeon has been continuously heaped with critics' praises as well as long-standing popularity. The 34-year-old looms large in the Korean cinema, known for her devotion to her character in each film.

Having started out as a model in a cosmetics commercial in 1990, Jeon starred in several popular TV drama series during the early 1990s, including ``General Hospital.'' It was the role of the heroine in the 1997 movie ``Contact'' that shot her to silver screen stardom.

After reaping newcomer awards with the film, she set out to explore diverse genres of films, ranging from the melodrama film ``A Promise'' in 1998, action drama ``No Blood No Tears'' in 2002 to historical drama ``Untold Scandal'' in 2003 and another melodrama ``You are My Sunshine!'' in 2005.

By the late 1990s, she was virtually dividing the local film industry and fan base into two with Shim Eun-ha, who was also a prominent actress at that time with films like ``Christmas in August'' and ``Art Museum by the Zoo.'' Shim retired after her marriage in October 2005. But Jeon continued to pursue her career, marrying a businessman in March this year.

The news of Jeon's win at Cannes put the entire nation as well as industry people into a celebratory mood.

President Roh Moo Hyun on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Jeon and the entire staff of ``Secret Sunshine'' for "showing once again the Korean movie's strength and potential." Roh also praised Jeon's passion and hard work resulting in the outstanding performance.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Kim Jong-min also called the staff in Cannes to deliver his congratulations. Recalling watching the ``Contact'' premier at the ministry 10 years ago, Kim said he knew Jeon would achieve a feat some day for her outstanding performance. The minister also thanked director Lee for ``doing great work at a difficult time for Korean cinema.''

The celebratory mood also caught on with people in the city of Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, where some 90 percent of ``Secret Sunshine'' was filmed. ``Miryang'' literally means ``Secret Sunshine.''

``It's a great pleasure and honor for our city,'' Um Yong-su, mayor of the city, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News. ``I'm grateful for the production staff for letting the name of our small city become known across the world.''

The city plans to preserve the film location spots and use them to boost tourism, he said.

``Residents all welcome the news and are delighted,'' Lee Bong-dae, village headman of Gagok-dong, the primary backdrop for the movie, was also quoted as saying. ``We hope foreigners as well as people from other regions will feel curious about this place and come visit.''

Film industry also expressed hopes of a windfall.

According to Cinema Service, which released ``Secret Sunshine'' locally on May 23, about 400,000 have watched the film up until May 27.

``While it's not satisfactory, it has fared well against the craze involving the `Pirates of the Caribbean 3,''' an official from the company said.

Lee, Jeon and actor Song Gang-ho, who also starred in the film, will hold a press conference on May 30 upon returning to Seoul. They will also embark on a nationwide promotion of the film.

The prospects look bright, considering the rate of online ticket reservations soared immediately after the news of Jeon's award spread. As of Monday morning, ``Secret Sunshine'' ranked on top of the list along with the ``Pirates,'' taking 32.4 percent of the ticket reservation share.

Officials at CJ Entertainment, which is in charge of distributing the film overseas, also appeared upbeat. Negotiations are underway with companies in Japan, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Italy and Germany, according to the company.

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)
(original text)

Jeon Says Her Cannes Win is Near Miracle

2007-07-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

by Bae Keun-min
June 06, 2007

``It was like a miracle, I think.’’ So said actress Jeon Do-yeon in reference to her winning the Best Actress Award for her leading role in Lee Chang-dong’s ``Secret Sunshine’’ at the 60th edition of the Cannes Film Festival at a press conference at CGV Apgujeong in Seoul, Wednesday.

``I’ve almost been in a state of shock ever since I was named the winner of the prize,’’ Jeon said. ``Words cannot express what I feel but let me just say `I am delighted and honored.’ I still cannot believe it.’’

Although the local and international press predicted the likelihood of her winning after official screenings, Jeon tried not to think about it and kept telling herself that nothing was going to happen, she said. Jeon was praised for her realistic portrayal of a grief-stricken woman who loses her son and husband.

`` People there seemed to be surprised that an actress who came to an international festival for the first time won the award,’’ Jeon said. ``If it weren’t for Song Kang-ho and director Lee Chang-dong, it would have been impossible for me to complete the character, Sin-ae.’’

Lee said it is impossible to define Jeon as a certain type of actress. ``In the film, she successfully expressed emotions that I, the audience or maybe even herself would not expect. She has a wide spectrum in expressing emotions and performing roles,’’ Lee said at the conference, adding he expected either the grand prize or the Best Actress Award.

Song Kang-ho who played the part of Jong-chan, the leading male role in the movie, said he was in awe of her when they performed together. ``She was almost ‘scary’ when I saw her perform,’’ Song said in the conference.

Despite the praises, Jeon first hesitated to take the role. She said that she had already decided to play in the film even before she had read the script mainly because it was Lee’s film. But after reading the script, she seriously wondered whether she would be capable of it.

Her efforts paid off with the prize, which has brought her into the international spotlight and some press reports are referring to her as a world star.’

However, Jeon is cautious about her new moniker.

``I think it is too early think about being cast in a foreign film. I believe there are a lot of things that I have to do in Korea first,’’ Jeon said. ``(English) language is an issue too. But I would love to explore options when a good chance and scenario arises.’’

Jeon is the second Asian actress to win the prize. Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung took the title for her role in the film ``Clean’’ by French director Olivier Assayas at the 57th Cannes Film Festival in 2004. Cheung was invited as a juror this year.

``I have seen a lot of movies of hers and loved her so much. I was really happy to meet her in person after the closing ceremony. The meeting remains on my mind,’’ 34-year-old Jeon said. ``We agreed to hang out in Seoul when she visits.’’

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)
(original text)

K-Pop : Sexy Stars Versus Sweet Girls

2007-07-07T06:46:00.000-07:00

by Cathy Rose A. Garcia
June 20, 2007

Lee sent temperatures rising in 2003 when she made her debut as a sexy singer. Many female singers have since tried to follow in her footsteps, pushing the limits of sexiness with barely-there outfits and hot dance moves.

Lee is still a top fashion icon and sought-after product endorser, but she seems to be looking for a new direction for her career. She appears in several ads as well as sizzling spreads showing off her gleaming skin and curves in fashion magazines like W and Cosmopolitan.

Earlier this year, there was a backlash against her sexy image. Her recent mini-drama ``If In Love ... Like Them'' failed to draw in audiences. Lee has also not been paying much attention to her music career, only releasing a digital single album last March.

While Lee struggles, several female K-pop singers are making their move. Some are going for the hardcore sexy image, while others are keeping it sweet.

Leading the pack of sexy singers are Seo In-young and Chae Yeon. Seo, a former member of girl group Jewelry, who has generated controversy with her barely-there costumes and hot dance moves. At the Dream Concert last weekend, she even gave a pole-dancing performance.

Chae Yeon also doesn't balk at being branded as a ``sexy singer." She has recently been performing her latest dance single ``My Love," while wearing low-slung mini-skirts and cropped tops.

While these divas have been trying to outdo each other with sexiness, there is another group of singers who are downplaying their sex appeal. Ivy, Lexy, Hyun Young and Banana Girl are still making waves in the music scene with their unique personalities.

Ivy may have made her debut with a sexy image last year, and helped popularize hot pants that showed off her beautiful legs. This year, Ivy is focusing more on showing her strong voice and keeping her clothes on.

It may have helped her career more, since she was chosen as the opening act for international pop superstar Christina Aguilera's concert in Seoul this weekend. She is also preparing for her solo concert ``Ivy & Present First Concert" on June 30 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium.

Lexy is going the opposite route of sexy with a tough tomboyish image. The hip-hop star released her third album ``Rush" last April.

Hyun Young is making the transition from actress to perky pop star. She looked like a Barbie doll with blonde hair and pink clothes, for her almost-comical music video ``Love Revolution." Her remake of Japanese group Morning Musume's song is climbing the charts.

Banana Girl's cute, fresh look and catchy song ``Chocolate" is also making a splash in the music charts.

(courtesy of KoreaTimes)
(original text)

Korean Movie Actress Found Dead

2007-07-07T06:36:00.000-07:00

South Korean actress Lee Eun-ju, star of one of the country's highest grossing films, has been found dead after an apparent suicide in Seoul.

The 25-year-old, known for her role in hit film Taegukgi, or National Flag, was found hanged in her dressing room.

Her family said she had been suffering a bout of mental illness after performing nude scenes in Korean thriller The Scarlet Letter.

Lee's managers denied the film had anything to do with her death.

Box office record

Police found a suicide note with the words "Mom, I am sorry and I love you" written in blood.

Lee's most successful film, Taegukgi tells the story of two brothers forced to fight in the Korean war. It set an opening day box office record in Korea.

The actress made her screen breakthrough with 2000 film Oh! Soo-jung and starred as jazz singer Ga-hee in The Scarlet Letter which closed the prestigious Pusan International Film Festival last year.

She graduated from Danguk University several days before her death.

(original text)

Top Actress's Suicide Shocks Nation

2007-07-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Lee Eun-ju, who shot to fame with her roles in the TV drama "Firebird" and the film "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War," hanged herself in her apartment on Tuesday. She was 25. Lee's brother alerted police after discovering her lifeless body at her home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in the early afternoon.

Marks on the body indicated that Lee had also tried to slit her wrists. A letter written in blood and found at the scene read, "Mother, I'm sorry. I love you." In a separate suicide note, the actress wrote, "I wanted to do too much. Even though I live, I'm not really alive. I don't want anyone to be disappointed. It's nice having money... I wanted to make money."

Lee's family said the actress had been experiencing insomnia and showing signs of depression over racy nude scenes she did for the film "The Scarlet Letter," which debuted last October. They believe this was the reason she killed herself.

Lee broke onto the scene in 1996 as an advertising model for school uniforms. Beginning with a 1997 role in the KBS drama "Start," she appeared in a string of TV dramas and movies.

Through films like Hong Sang-soo's "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors," "Bungee Jumping on Their Own," "Unborn But Forgotten" and "Au Revoir, UFO," Lee had secured a place on Chungmu-ro's A-list. Last year, she appeared in the TV drama "Firebird," winning great acclaim for her portrayal of a strong yet feminine character.

The news sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and her fan community. Internet sites devoted to Lee were being bombarded with condolences, and some fan sites temporarily crashed due to the sudden onslaught of traffic.

At a fan site on Naver.com, hundreds of posts expressed disbelief or hope that the story was false. Internet user "nsy9251" said, "You were really beautiful on screen... I want to see that smile once again." Rumor also ran riot, with comments reading, "There was no reason for her to kill herself," "Perhaps this was foul play," or "She was worried about the 'entertainment x-file.'"

(englishnews@chosun.com )

GOSSIP: Kim Sun-ah Returns to Silver Screen in 'Girl Scout'

2007-07-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.arirang.co.kr/

Kim Sun-ah, who earned the nickname, 'Blue Chip Actress,' after the success of the drama 'My Lovely Samsoon,' is set to make her big screen comeback in 'Girl Scout.'

Numerous fans have been anxiously awaiting her return, as she has not made many significant public appearances for almost two years, with the exception of a few commercials and award ceremonies.

Upon finishing 'My Lovely Samsoon,'she had agreed to star in the film 'Thursday’s Child.' However, she had recently nullified the agreement due to an indefinite postponement of filming caused by production problems and a change of directors.

Meanwhile, her upcoming film, tentatively titled, 'Girl Scout,' is a crime drama with a comic touch. In the film, Kim Sun-ah plays a member of 'Bong Chon Girl Scout' which is formed to hunt down the head of a credit union who disappears with its members’ money.

Much attention has been drawn to the movie, as Kim Sun-ah is expected to portray her trademark role as a funny, high spirited woman in 'Girl Scout.' We look forward to seeing another of Kim Sun-ah’s stunning performances in the near future.

Song Hye-gyo to Appear on Cover of Vogue Korea

2007-07-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

Source: http;//www.kbs.co.kr/

Actress Song Hye-gyo will become the first Korean actress to appear on the cover of the fashion magazine Vogue Korea, to take place in the June edition.

So far, the magazine has published only the photos of world-renowned celebrities and models on its cover.

Song, whose new movie "Hwangjini" will open June 6, is shown in an alluring pose in the cover photo, wearing a traditional Korean wig with one of her shoulders revealed.

During the photo shoot, Song impressed the French production crew every time she appeared in a new traditional Korean costume. The photo shoot's stylist and former fashion editor of Vogue France lauded the traditional Korean costume for its beautiful colors and the modernity of its layered design.

The June issue of Vogue Korea, including an 18-page photo spread of Song, will be published May 20 under the title "Hwangjini in Paris."

(original text)

Kim Ki-duk Wows Cannes Film Festival With 'Breath'

2007-07-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

The Korean director Kim Ki-duk screened his movie "Breath" on Saturday in competition at the 60th Cannes Film Festival. The official screening and press conference were held at the Lumiere Theatre in the French resort town.

Kim, wearing dark sunglasses at a press conference, joked, "The sunglasses I'm wearing now are the ones I wore when I appeared as a prison official in the film. You may be still watching the movie right at this moment." Breath, which opened in Korea on April 26, depicts a woman who starts a relationship with a condemned criminal after discovering her husband's infidelity. Korean actor Zia and Taiwanese actor Chang Chen play the leads. "I wanted to highlight the difficulty of social and human relations -- so much so that you find it hard to breathe," Kim said. "At the same time, I wanted to show the difficulty of getting the message of my films across in the Korean society." Many of Kim's previous films have been criticized and shunned by general audiences and even by some film critics here due to their strong and graphic visual description.

An Italian reporter asked Kim if there is a unique style to Korean films that is responsible for their success at the world's film festivals. "I think international movie people are thrilled by the truth that Korean movie show, rather than their style. Many talented Korean directors will give you fresh insights with their films,” Kim said. Asked if he plans to make movies abroad, Kim answered, "I believe the major issues of human existence are universal and borderless. Though I've got a number of screenplays from European and U.S. filmmakers, I haven't decided yet." Kim said he is interested in joint projects with U.S. actors and European investment like Wong Kar Wai or Hou Hsiao Hsien did. Asked why the director has continued making low-budget films he said "Big-budget movies to me are like clothes that don' fit."

On his way to the official screening venue, Kim walked the red carpet with his two stars and Kang In-hyung. After the screening, the audience at the Lumiere Theatre gave him an unprecedented 10-minute standing ovation.

(original text)

Korean Actress in Vietnam for Film Promotion

2007-07-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

Korean actress Nam Sang-mi will be in Vietnam on July 7th to promote her 2005 film "Never to Lose". She will be attending the Vietnamese premieres of the film and meeting her fans with her co-star Jang Hang-seon at the nation's two largest theaters.

In "Never to Lose", Nam plays a traffic cop who joins the violent crimes team. Nam is said to be very excited about her first overseas appearance.

Prior to her visit to Vietnam, Nam spent a month in Thailand for a drama shoot. At the time, she was deeply touched by the heartwarming welcome shown by the hotel and awed by the popularity of Korean dramas in Thailand.

read more...

Actress wins fame through humility

2007-07-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

Park Jin-hee, co-star of the hit television show "War of Money", which airs on SBS Wednesday and Thursday nights, said she is tired but not stressed out.

"Why should I feel stressed when the show is doing so well?" she asked.

The show revolves around a man who has huge debts and ends up enslaved to money. It has been enjoying an audience rating of 35 percent. The last show airs tonight. Park plays the role of a bank employee who later becomes the main character's love interest.

Park said recently she has been learning how to arrange flowers once a week on her day off. "The job of an actor is to bring out emotions", Park said. "And for that reason I felt like I was drying out emotionally".

Park said she started to attend the flower arranging class three weeks ago and it has helped rebuild her emotions. Even if she wasn't stressed out she could have become jealous, as she had to compete with acclaimed actor Park Shin-yang. In the beginning, Park Shin-yang's outstanding performance was praised by many critics and even with the show about to end his acting is considered the main factor for its high ratings.

Park Jin-hee is unconcerned. "The show is doing well because of Park Shin-yang's performances", she said. "The important thing is that the show is doing well. I am happy to play a supporting role in a hit, that's better than being the star of a flop".

Ms. Park said the frequency of her character's appearance is not her main concern.

"More important is the role my character has", Park said. "While every character in the show seems to be possessed and manipulated by money, my character is the only one with a conscience, so people like her".

Park isn't as flamboyant as many celebrities. She is more like the girl next door. She first appeared in a KBS show called "Start". The actress won much wider fame when she appeared in a horror flick, but major stardom eluded her.

Her name came into the public spotlight because of the amazing acting skills she displayed in a television show last year.

The show was about two women, one in her 20s and the other in her 40s, who accidentally switch souls.

"I believe I'm growing bit by bit", she said. "I thought I was doing my best in every show I was in, but now I see things I wasn't able to when I was a 20-year-old actress".

Although she is a public figure, Park says she never has any desire to be a flashy celebrity. Rather, she considers herself down-to-earth. She hardly has any celebrity friends, she never buys expensive name-brand clothes or accessories and she lives off an allowance, with every other penny she earns going to her parents.

"I have never been at the top, not really", Park said. "And maybe that's why I have never been sensitive to trends or Addicted to popularity".

She says although celebrities should be aware of their public image, she doesn't care about being famous.

"During breaks in filming I could go to a nearby shopping mall without having to hide myself behind hats and sunglasses", she said.

Park is considering retirement in five years.

"I want to retire but I feel afraid when I think of a life without acting", Park said. To subdue her fear Park said she is attending Yonsei University's graduate school of social welfare. "I want to work in a nursery for orphans after I retire", she added.

The actress said she has recently heard a lot of advice about what roles she should choose next, now that her talent has finally won wider recognition.

"The good thing about being recognized is that you have a wider selection of scenarios to choose from", she said.
Park has recently worked on several feature films and says she has never been busier.
She has just finished a movie that examines the divisions between North and South Korea. It will be released next month. Additionally, she has a role in a mystery film that takes place in a Korean palace. This is expected to be on screens in October.

"Sure I have had more failures than success", Park said. "But every time I hear such criticisms I want to say, 'Is that the last time I will act?' I have a lot more to show people and my view on life is that one should be true to the present".

Park confessed that she would like to play intense and devastating roles. She also wants to play a nasty villain, one whom the audience will struggle to understand.

By Kang Hye-ran JoongAng Ilbo
(excerpt from HanCinema)

Park Chan-ho Will Have Final Test

2007-07-07T05:58:00.000-07:00

By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter

South Korean pitcher Park Chan-ho will start against the Omaha Royals Saturday (Sunday Korean time), which will be an important test for his return to the U.S. Major Leagues.

The 34-year-old is slated to pitch in his fifth and unscheduled outing with the Round Rock Express in Triple-A.

Though there are rumors that he will get called-up to the big leagues, the Daily Texan reported.

The newspaper said Round Rock media relations confirmed that Park is scheduled to start on Saturday against the Omaha Royals. After his start on Saturday, he will again be evaluated. Avery Holton, media relations director for the Express, said there's still a chance things could change between now and then.

Park's fate with the Astros will be determined after Saturday's game but speculation that he will be called up before then cannot be ruled out, either.

South Korea's first export to the big leagues is 1-2 with a 4.09 ERA with the Express.

In his recent three outings, he pitched 19 innings and allowed five runs, posting a 2.37 ERA.

As Houston will have a final game Sunday before the All-Star break, if Park is not called up by then, he will have to wait until June 13 when regular season play resumes.

ksw@koreatimes.co.kr

(original text)

Kim Yun-jin Unveils Hollywood Life

2007-07-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

Actress Kim Yun-jin in front of a crashed Boeing 747, at the production site of ABC hit series ``Lost'' in Hawaii. ``I starred in Korea's first blockbuster film, 'Shiri' -- but I was completely overwhelmed by the making of a pilot clip for an American TV series!''

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The first Korean to successfully break ground in the United States as a star of hit TV series ``Lost,'' actress Kim Yun-jin offers an intimate glimpse of her passionate ``love affair'' with Hollywood through her diary-like book.

``Kim Yun-jin's Hollywood Story'' takes readers on an intriguing, amusing and above all, truly inspiring adventure as she ``treat(s) Hollywood like you would treat your boyfriend,'' as advised by her management agent.

The book is thoroughly enjoyable as the 33-year-old pours out her fears and frustrations, and courage and determination in an honest voice, spiced with occasional humor.

The story unfolds from the climactic moment at the 2002 Daejong (Grand Bell) Awards, the Korean equivalent of the American Academy Awards. Crowned Best Actress for her performance in ``Ardor'' (2002), Kim is at the height of her career.

Turning down a string of lucrative offers, the heroine in 1999's ``Shiri,'' Korea's first blockbuster film, decided to do the unthinkable.

``It's like diving headfirst toward the ground,'' her own manager said when she announced her plans to leave the country to pursue acting in Hollywood. But what appears to be a sudden move stems back to a long-standing determination. One night, Kim comes across a long-forgotten item.

``Three years, the top, money. 2:39 a.m., November 3, 1999'' read the message inside the small pendant. And indeed, exactly three years later, Kim had realized all three wishes.

It was now time to live out her childhood dream while growing up in the United States -- to succeed as an actress there. ``Hollywood top, marriage, happiness,'' she updates the note inside the pendant.

``Hollywood Story'' reveals the excruciating work behind the glamour and glitz of the entertainment business, even for a well-established actress like Kim (or perhaps because she is one).

From preparing her show reel to nerve-wrecking auditions, Kim ventures off on a tough yet exhilarating journey. Although reading lines for Steven Bochco (creator of hits such as ``NYPD Blues'') may seem far away, anyone who has ever prepared for a job interview will be able to relate.

There are the initial pains of having to step down from being the leading lady to a novice. Even after being cast as Sun in ``Lost,'' a role that J. J. Abrams specially created for her, she had to overcome frustrations of being out of the spotlight.

``Remember: there are no small parts, only small actors,'' she repeats Konstantin Stanislavsky's immortal words.

Yet, there are other concerns. With large almond-shaped eyes, Kim feels that her looks do not conform to what seems to be the ``Western standard'' of Asian beauty, notably slanted eyes and strongly defined cheekbones. But this does not let her down.

Just when all begins to go well, however, the actress is struck with a viral infection that paralyzes one side of her face. The book testifies Kim's amazing sense of determination as she overcomes the disease.

It is also heartwarming to see Kim as an individual possessing great integrity. The Korean-American chooses to retain her Korean name even though adopting an English one would spare the trouble of ``Yun-jin'' being butchered.

``Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman and Oprah Winfrey became stars despite their difficult names,'' she quotes her high school teacher as telling her. ``Fine acting will have people seeking you, after practicing your name hundreds of times. So concentrate on acting.''

A passionate and diligent student, Kim spent four hours everyday on the road to study at the High School of Performing Arts in New York.

Having lived near the studio of ``The Late Show with David Letterman,'' the Boston University graduate fantasized about appearing as a guest and signing autographs for fans.

In December 2006, the star finally did -- and did not forget to take the time to sign autographs for those who waited with ``Shiri'' posters and DVDs.

One of the most valuable insights the book has to offer is her firsthand account of how the American production business compares to that of Korea. Also impressive are Kim's conscious efforts to positively represent the Korean community and to correctly present Korean culture.

As much as ``Hollywood Story'' intrigues readers with encounters with iconic filmmakers and stars, it shines upon Kim -- how she constantly makes an effort toward self-improvement, and how she spreads inspiration like a virus.

Toward the end, Kim is exhilarated to be able to work with her ``longtime idol'' Margaret Cho, one of the first Asian faces to appear on U.S. national television. But Kim herself is now such an idol to many.

``I'm going to win the award for Best Actress at the Academy Awards!'' she exclaims, and so her challenging journey continues.

``Hollywood Story'' includes colorful pictures that invite readers into the actress' world -- from photos that capture her ordinary side, like hanging out around Hollywood Boulevard in jeans and a T-shirt, to exciting peeks into the production set of ``Lost'' and glamorous red carpet portraits and magazine covers.

Visit www.yunjinkim.com (in English and Korean) to learn more about Kim.

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

(original text)

Korean Actress Exposed

2007-07-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

It wasn't her body that was exposed, but her race, or, shall we say, her 'real' race. Korean actress and producer Lee Yu Jin is down and out in South Korea. Why? The word is out: she's half American. She's a mixed race. Her white father was an American GI. She's 5'9", and was always suspect because of her height.

"People ask why didn't I come out earlier and why this is such a big deal, " the 27-year-old said. "It wouldn't be anywhere else, but Korea is still a closed society where people like to talk about the purity of the race."

Lee Yu Jin isn't alone in her plight, either. There's the popular singer "Sonya," television host Jennifer Yung Wisner, and basketball coach Kim Dong Dwang. Bi-racial persons are considered a downer, in a place like South Korea (to say nothing of Nort Korea).

Janet Mintzer, president of Pearl S. Buck International, says, "My impression is that there is more discrimination against Amerasians in South Korea than anywhere else in Asia and that it has not improved significantly." PSBI, a Pennsylvania-based foundation, is credited with coining the term "Amerasian," and works with the biracial children in not only South Korea, but also the Philippines and Vietnam, among other Asian countries in which the U.S. military has had a presence.

So it seems that American "democracy" is actually a code word for intermarriage, multiculturalism, and the dissolution of any distinctions. Never mind the GIs and the predicaments they've caused, Mintzer's group certainly represents the Communist use of the term, "democracy," which Communism is very astute and aggressive to use. (Remember it was the great Students for a Democratic Society, SDS, which spawned the infamous anti-America terrorist group, the Weathermen, in the late '60's.)

In other words, if South Korea claims to be a democracy, it should promote inter-racial marriage, multiculturalism, and "equality" of all things human. There must be no distinctions, save for the wealthy tyrants who run the Communist regime. For Communism, "democracy" is the open door to dictatorship.

But never mind about that a minute. Lee Yu Jin has an important role in the recent Korean horror film, "Bunshinsaba" (Ouiji Board), directed by Byeong-ki Ahn (March, 2005). In a scathing review, Yu Jin comes out as "the saving grace" in the otherwise run-of-the-mill grade "c" Asian horror film. "Her big expressive eyes and soulful looks" are not something we normally expect from the Oriental face, right? So her bi-racial 'condition' is what makes her a hit?

So let's ask the question: is love of race, love of culture, love of country, all to be considered immoral now? Has the Communist ideology taken over the whole world? Is any thought of race to be hopelessly consigned to the Nazis? Is Communism then anti-everything that a human being is? Is there to be no escape from the accusation of being a Nazi?

I say, love of race, ethnicity, culture, minus the maniacal, satanic vision of Adolf Hitler, is the only saving grace of the world. Without it, in some multiculturalist, globalist world without boundaries, the world will simply become an emasculated, mass wimp, under the control of a few mega-wealthy tyrants.

There is a reason for differences. This is to keep the human race separated into smaller groups.

Love of race is the only 'saving grace' left in the world, and the Communist, multinationalists, and globalists are desperate to rub out all natural differences. They are anti-race, anti-language, anti-culture, and anti-God, Who in fact created these differences, according to the old Hebrew version of the world (Gen. 11). The Leftists anti-Semitic Jews of the world can say, "We've come a long way, baby!" but it's a long way in the wrong direction, seems to me. Man always wants to separate that which God has brought together, as in marriage/divorce, and to bring together that which God has separated, as in language, culture, and race.

Mixed raced people can't help what they are. Their's is no fault. But there is no need to repeat the same, or to advocate more, or to idolize such a condition by perpetuating it. When you realize you're on a wrong path, even if you didn't put yourself on it, the only dignified thing to do is to get back on the right path.

The need in the world today is love of one's own people, without hatred for another's. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is both prescriptive and proscriptive. You can't love your neighbor unless you love yourself.

(Original Text)

Jeon Do-yeon Wins Best Actress at Cannes

2007-07-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, which ended on Sunday, for her role in Lee Chang-song’s “Secret Sunshine.” Jeon is the first Korean and second Asian actress to win the award for best actress at the prestigious international film festival. Maggie Cheung, who was on the jury this year, won in 2004 with “Clean.” Director Lee served as a culture minister from 2003 to 2004.

When her name was announced, the Korean actress hurried on stage and greeted her audience in French. She said, “I can’t believe it. There are fabulous actresses and movies here. I don’t know if I deserve this award to represent them.” She credited Lee and Song Kang-ho, who stars opposite her, saying the director “helped me make an impossible thing possible. Song Kang-ho’s acting supplemented my role and made it look perfect. I’d like to thank him.” At this point, Song stood up and waved toward Jeon on the stage, inviting a round of warm applause. The 34-year-old actress wrapped up her comment by saying, “I will remember tonight forever. Thank you.”

Since Kang Soo-yeon won best actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1987 for her role in “Surrogate Womb”, it has taken a Korean actress 20 years to achieve a Grand Slam of the world’s three prestigious film festivals - Cannes, Venice and Berlin. Moon-So-ri won Best New Performer at Venice for her role in the film “Oasis”, which is produced by Lee Chang-dong.

Many outstanding actresses competed at this year’s Cannes, including Romanian Anamaria Marinca in “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” and Russia’s Galina Vishnevskaya with “Alexandra.” “It’s a monumental achievement for an Asian actress to win the Best Actress award at Cannes,” said Pusan International Film Festival director Kim Dong-ho after attending the award ceremony. “Maggie Cheung won the award with a movie directed by a French director, and she speaks English in the movie. But Jeon has won the award with a Korean movie in which she speaks her mother tongue.”

Jeon’s achievement suggests the global film industry is paying attention not only to Korean movies but finally to Korean actors. Since 2000, Korean directors Im Kwon-taek (with “Chihwaseon” in 2002), Lee Chang-dong (with “Oasis” in 2002), Park Chan-wook (with “Old Boy” in 2004) and Kim Ki-duk (with “Samaria” and “3-Iron” in 2004) have won best director and the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes, Venice and Berlin film festivals, but no Korean actors won the best actor award before Jeon.

The grand prix Palme d'Or went to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”, a movie about abortion under the Ceausescu regime.

(englishnews@chosun.com )

Lee Hyori

2007-07-02T02:33:00.000-07:00

이효리, Romanized as Lee Hyolee and officially E Hyo-lee, born on May 10, 1979, is a popular South Korean singer and actress. She started off as part of the successful K-pop girl group Fin.K.L, but has since become a solo artist. Her first album was very successful, winning many "Daesangs" (a Korean award equivalent to "Artist of the Year") for that album. She has since become the highest-paid female singer in South Korea.

Biography

Beginning in Fin K.L.

Lee started her career as part of the Korean pop girl group Fin.K.L. Lee Hyori, who would become the group leader as she was the oldest member, was discovered while taking sticker pictures with her friends and was actually the last to join the group, just before their launch in January 1998. Fin. K.L. debuted officially on May 22, 1998 with their first single "Blue Rain." It was received quite well, but it was not until their second release from their first album: To My Boyfriend, that Fin. K.L. truly proved their popularity. "To My Boyfriend" became the first of their numerous number one hits. Fin K.L. became one of the most popular and successful Korean groups of all-time and rivaled with fellow popular girl group S.E.S..

Establishing a solo entertainment career

Following Fin K.L.'s fourth album Forever, Lee branched out into television, becoming an MC for Time Machine and Happy Together; she is still a part of Happy Together: Friends to this day. Her solo album was released at the end of 2003, and was titled Stylish. The singer nearly swept the 2003 Daesangs, the most prestigious South Korean music award, winning more than seven of them, including three of the four main ones. Stylish sold over 153,590 copies in South Korea alone, according to the Music Industry Association of Korea. Her popularity in her various activities eventually was dubbed as the "Hyori Syndrome" in South Korea, and the Korean Media nicknamed 2003 "The Year of Hyori" as she was rarely out of the news all year.

Lee Hyori has also appeared as the lead female actress in the SBS drama Three Leaf Clover co-starring opposite Ryu Jin, Kim Jung Hwa, Kim Kang Woo and Lee Hoon. However, the ratings were continually low, and it ended after 16 episodes. On August 8, 2005 she co-hosted the annual Korean Music Festival for the second year running.

In February 2006, Lee released her follow up album, Dark Angel. The first single, "Get Ya", featured heavy choreography and sexually suggestive attire, which has become Lee's trademark. However, there was controversy over the single as the songwriters of Britney Spears' single "Do Somethin'" accused the "Get Ya" songwriters of plagiarism (Lee did not contribute to the song). After media attention increased, Lee and her record company quickly stopped all promotion for the single, taking a short break to prepare for "Shall We Dance", her followup single. Due to the negative attention, both the single and album were not successful, and promotions were stopped. "Straight Up" was released as a final single, but it was not promoted by Lee.

Move to M-Net

In November 2006, it was revealed that Lee has signed a 3 year contract with M-Net Entertainment for ₩2.2 billion, becoming the highest paid female singer in South Korea.

Early in 2007, Lee Hyori showed up an hour late to a press conference, leading to backlash in the media.^{[citation needed]} The media also criticized her sexual image, stating that she was "facing an image crisis" and urging her to downplay her sexuality. Meanwhile, Lee prepared a new "mini-drama" during February 2007, despite her previous drama flopping. She starred alongside Lee Dong Gun in If In Love... Like Them which, although originally announced as being only one episode long, ran for four episodes on MNet. An edited two-episode version of the drama also ran on SBS. During filming for the drama, part of a roof Lee was standing on collapsed. Only her foot fell through and she was able to be saved, as it was reported the fall would have been fatal if co-star Lee Dong Gun had not been able to save her.

In February 2007, Lee announced her new digital single which would essentially be the soundtrack to If In Love... Like Them. She had her comeback on SBS Inkigayo on February 25, 2007, performing all three main tracks from the single. The lead song was "Toc Toc Toc", which was a sexy R&B number like her previous efforts. However, the single also gave Lee an opportunity to sing ballads and to slowly move her image away from the "sexy superstar" that she is known to be. The single, although initially given a digital-only release, was given a limited retail release of only 30,000 copies, and was appropriately titled If In Love Like Them. Released on March 6, 2007, it included 3 the tracks found in the digital single, along with a reworked version of "Toc Toc Toc". It was the best-selling album for that month, selling 27,845 copies.

Although her single succeeded, her drama was heavily penalized for violating advertising guidelines, as If In Love had several scenes advertising the products of its sponsors, in addition to using Lee's songs as a soundtrack. The Korean Broadcasting Committee has ruled that the drama can never be aired in South Korea again, and that the network must apologize to its viewers.

According to The Chosun Ilbo, Lee has also been promoting her work in Japan. Japanese network Fuji TV decided to air If In Love... Like Them and has even invited the singera/actress to visit Japan to promote the drama, where she will be treated to the same VIP treatment offered to other international stars. However, the drama was broadcast on satellite station CS Fuji, a smaller network that Fuji TV owned. The Japanese considered the leading part of this drama to be Lee Dong-gun.

Endorsements

Although Lee has done many endorsements for various companies (including Dole), her most prominent commercials were made for Samsung Anycall. In late 2004, Lee signed an advertising contract with Samsung, for which she would make three musical commercials and songs for their Anycall cell phones. The first commercial and song, "Anymotion", were released in early 2005, featuring Eric Mun from K-pop group Shinhwa. In early 2006, the followup commercial "Anyclub" was released in two parts; this also featured Eric Mun in addition to Korean actor Kwon Sang Woo. The songs from the commercials served as singles for Lee in between her albums. The final commercial was released in December 2006, titled "Anystar". The commercial differed from the first two in that it featured mostly dialogue. The commercial starred Korean actor and singer Lee Jun Ki and also YG Family trainee Park Bom.

Lee Hyori finished her contract with Biotherm early February 2007. Lee is no longer a Biotherm representative. She was recently chosen as first ever Asian-wide model for Calvin Klein Jeans, modeling for the "Pure Calvin" Collection.

Singles

Hyori has released a total of six singles from her debut and second album. These six singles never received a commercial release in Korea, only promotional.

10 Minutes
Hey Girl
Remember Me
Get Ya
Shall We Dance
Straight Up

Commercial / Digital Singles

Hyori has released a total of four commercial singles (three being digital purchases only). She released her very first commercial CD single in March 2007.

Anymotion (featuring Eric & Kwon Sang Woo)
Anyclub (featuring Teddy)
Anystar (featuring Lee Jun Ki)
Toc Toc Toc
Scolded
Don't Love Her

The chronological order of Hyori's singles go as,
10 Minutes, Hey Girl, Remember Me, Anymotion, Anyclub, Get Ya, Shall We Dance, Straight Up, Anystar, Toc Toc Toc, Scolded, and Don't Love Her

Dramas

2005: SBS Three Leaf Clover
2007: SBS If In Love...Like Them

Kim Hyo Jin

2007-07-02T02:31:00.000-07:00

born February 10, 1984, is a Korean actress. She made her debut in 1999.

In 2004 she co-starred in the romantic comedy movie Everybody Has Secrets, in which she became well-known in her involvement of that movie by starring as the youngest of the three sisters.

Filmography

2004: Everybody Has Secrets
2003: The Legend of Evil Lake

Drama

2005: Hong Kong Express
2005: Ice Girl
2004: Magic (비밀)
2002: Wuri's Family (MBC)
2000-2001: Secret (MBC)
2000: RNA

Statistics

Height: 168cm
Weight: 46kg
Blood Type: AB

Kim Hee Sun

2007-07-02T02:26:00.000-07:00

김희선, b. February 25, 1977, is a South Korean actress from Seoul who has been acting in Korean TV dramas and films for over a decade.

Kim debuted on TV as a year 11 student and later majored in Drama at Chung-Ang University. Since then she has acted in many TV dramas, becoming well known in South Korea.

In recent years, Kim has also gradually built up a career in film, beginning in 1997 with Repechage opposite Jang Dong-gun. Director Lee Kwang-hoon subsequently put her in his next film, Ghost in Love in 1999. Kim's most high-profile role to date has been in the big-budget martial arts fantasy Bichunmoo, shot in China and released in the summer of 2000. She played the daughter of a Mongolian general in love with her childhood sweetheart. Although criticised for her acting in the film, it gave her more local and international exposure than any of her other films. The film cemented her position as one of Korea's leading actress not only in her home country, but also in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and throughout South-east Asia.

In late 2001, Kim took on a completely different kind of role, cutting her hair short and starring as an animator in Wanee and Junah. Although her acting in this film drew a favorable response from critics, the film itself was a flop at the box office. Kim is currently living in Seoul and is still popular as a model and presenter. She is renowned within the industry for her longevity as an actress. In 2003 she co-starred with Shin Ha-kyun in the film A Man Who Went to Mars by Kim Jung-kwon, the director of Ditto. She is popularly known as the "first beauty of South Korea". In 2005, she starred alongside Jackie Chan as a Korean Princess in The Myth.

Through acting and promotional work (such as for Samsung), Kim now has an income of some USD 7 million. It is rumoured that her next move will be to try to break into the Japanese market.

Filmography

2006 Smile Again (SBS)
2005 The Myth
2005 Sad Love Story (MBC)
2003 Yojo Lady (SBS)
2003 A Man Who Went to Mars
2001 Wanee & Junah
2000 Bichunmoo
1999 Calla
1999 Ghost in Love
1999 Goodbye my love (MBC)
1999 Sun Flower (MBC)
1999 Tomato (SBS)
1998 Wedding Dress (KBS)
1998 To the end of the world (MBC)
1998 Mister Q (SBS)
1997 Repechage
1997 Propose The Color White (KBS)
1996 Faraway Country Sauna Guys (KBS)
1995 The Son of the Wind (KBS)
1994 The tale of Chun Hyang
1994 SBS Agatha Christie (SBS)

Awards

2001 Blue Dragon Most Popular Actress
2001 Jun. Honorary Ambassador, Community Chest of Korea
2000 Dec. Chung Yong Film Awards "Popularity Award"
2000 Dec. SBS Performance Awards "Popularity Award"
2000 Mar. Paek Sang Art awards "TV Popularity Award"
1999 Mar. Honorary Ambassador of Goodwill to France
1998 Dec. SBS Performance Awards "Grand Prize" Receive
1998 Dec. MBC Performance Awards "Popularity Award"
1997 Dec. KBS Performance Awards "Popularity Award"
1996 Mar. Paek Sang Art Awards "New TV Actress Award"
1996 Dec. KBS Performance Awards "Excellent Acting Award"
1995 Dec. Performance Awards "Budding Actress Award"

Trivia

Her height is 5' 5 3/4".
She speaks casual Mandarin as she learned it while filming Shen Hua (The Myth).
She once dated Eric Mun of Shinhwa.

Lee Young Ae

2007-07-02T02:21:00.000-07:00

born January 31, 1971 in Seoul, is a famous South Korean actress who has a great fan base in numerous countries, particularly in the East and Southeast Asian countries which have been hit by the Korean Wave. She earned a title as 'Oxygen Lady' when she made her debut as TV model. Recently years, she captured the hearts of many fans as a sweetheart of Asia due to her cherubic beauty. (see 2005 NHK Documentary in exterior link below)

Her popularity among East Asian countries has grown in an exponential manner due to her poignant performance in the popular Korean drama Dae Jang Geum. The drama was such a success that several countries had re-runs of the drama shortly after the last episode had ended. In Hong Kong, the last episode had almost half of the Hong Kong population staying at home just to watch it. In China, hundreds of million viewers watched the drama even it was shown at late nights.

Since then, Lee Young-Ae has been invited to visit Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Japan. The fan crowds were phenomenal; in the first time in 12 years, NHK had to use NHK Hall to host the show. Her recent trip was the 2007 Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in China as an Image Ambassador. Many fans came from around the world and spent hours waiting for her under the temperature of -20 degrees Celsius. She flew in an Asiana airplane with four of her Dae Jang Geum portraits painted on the side of the plane.

Beside her acting career, she is also involved in many charity events. In 1997 she went to Ethiopia as a NGO Goodwill Ambassador and experienced the poverty and illness of African children. She went to Thar Desert in 1999 doing a TV show of the lowest caste people in India (see 1999 KBS2 Journey to Thar Desert in exterior link below). Later in 2001, she published these experiences in her autobiography “A Most Special Love” and donated all the income from the sale of the book to charity.

She was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2004 by UNICEF and held several charity functions from that time on. She made many donations to schools and hospitals, which include an elementary school in China such that the school was renamed Lee Young-Ae Elementary School and the Chosun First Middle School in Harbin.

From her 2006 autobiography “Young-Ae’s Vow” , she talked about how she became an actress. She recalled what made her go into show business was working with Andy Lau in a 1991 chocolate advertisement. In 1995, she made a decision to go to graduate school to learn theory of acting. Since then, she has not changed to challenge various kinds of acting roles, like that in Dae Jang Geum and later a very different role in Sympathy For Lady Vengeance. One thing she never wants to lose it, she said, is to act from her heart.

She was awarded Best Actress awards in the Blue Dragon Film Festival (青龍電影節) in 2005 and Baeksang Art Awards (百想藝術大賞) in 2006 for the film Sympathy For Lady Vengeance.

Lee Young-ae has become very popular in CF’s (commercial films) of advertisements since her first debut. Her beauty in CF’s is loved by many fans around the world and a compiled CF’s shot before 2006 can be seen by clicking here. In 2007, she was voted the most trustable product spokesperson in Korea.

Her major contract in 2006 and 2007 is with LG Group, a large South Korean conglomerate. She became the spokesmodel (Pan-Asia) for all LG Electronics' products. In January of 2007, she received a gratitude frame from LG Electronics for her successful promotion of their products.

Drama

2003: Dae Jang Geum (Jewel in the Palace 대장금 大長今宮廷女官チャングムの誓い)(MBC)
2001: Fireworks (불꽃 (Bulkkot) 火花)(SBS)
2000: Romance (로맨스 羅曼史)) (MBC)
1999: Invitation (초대 (Chodae) 只愛陌生人)
1999: Pado (파도 波濤)
1998: Advocate (애드버킷 法庭風雲)
1997: The Reason I Live (내가 사는 이유 (Naega saneun iyu) 我生存的理由)
1996: Papa (파파 爸爸) (KBS)
1995: Chanpumdanja (찬품단자 饌品單子)
1995: Asphalt Man (아스팔트 사나이 (Aseubalteu sanai) 車神傳說)
1995: Seogung (서궁 西宮)
1994: Dash (질주 (Jilju) 奔馳)
1993: How about your husband (댁의 남편은 어떠십니까 (Daegui nampyeoneun eotteoshimnikka) 妳家的老公如何)

Filmography

2005: Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (친절한 금자씨 (Chinjeolhan Geumja-ssi) 親切的金子)
2001: One Fine Spring Day (봄날은 간다 (Bomnareun kanda) 春逝)
2001: Last Present (선물 (Seonmul) 禮物)
2000: Joint Security Area (공동경비구역JSA (Kongdong Kyeongbi Kuyeok JSA) 共同警備區JSA) Picture
1996: Insh Allah (인샬라 情陷撒哈拉)

Profile

Date of Birth: January 31, 1971 (1971-01-31) (age 36)
Height: 165 cm/5'4"
Weight: 48 kg
Blood Type: AB
Hobbies: Singing, Swimming, Horse riding, Playing the piano
Academic Status: Master - Chung-Ang University (중앙대학교 中央大學校)
Bachelor - Hanyang University(한양대학 漢陽大學校).
Languages: Korean, English, German.
Religion: Undeclared by Ms. Lee Young Ae.

Jang Nara

2007-06-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

born 18 March 1981, is a Korean singer and actress. As a child, Jang spent most of her childhood in her birthplace, Seoul, but appeared with her father in a play, Les Misérables, in her primary school days, thus sparking her interest to become an actress.

Jang also went on to become an advertisement model for some CF advertisements in her high school days before entering into the Department of Theater, the Faculty of the Art in Chungang University around March 2000. Jang also moved into singing by releasing her first album with the title song, "Burying My Face In Tears", and selling 300,000 copies in the process. According to fans, the song was applauded as harmonized native melody line and her native vocal. Her pop ballad style song, Confession and the April Story, was ranked at the top in various music charts. Thus, this resulted in Jang holding a 'Live' music TV programme in the MBC music camp.

Jang also has a successful acting career, in which she appears in a TV Sitcom, "New Nonstop", with famous Korean young stars such as Park Kyung-lim and Yang Dong Gun. Together with Jang Hyuk, she also played the leading role in a record-breaking TV drama, "Successful Story of a Bright Girl", which recorded very high audience rating.

In recent years, she has starred in a drama in China, called "Bratty Princess". Being the lead actress, she has attracted much affection from Chinese speaking fans and has become quite popular in chinese speaking countries in Asia. She has also released a few Chinese language cds. Her first Chinese album was a huge success in china, featuring her previously released Korean songs translated into Chinese. The Chinese versions of "Sweet Dream", "It's Probably Love" and "I'm After All A Woman" (frequently cited as "I'm a Woman Too") have become very popular on radio throughout Asia. She has performed many concerts in China, often singing both korean and chinese songs. Recently she released another Chinese album called "Kung Fu". The video for the song featured her in red 'cheongsam' (Chinese women traditional dress), fighting villains, and dancing with a cute panda.

Jang also does some charity work, such as sending free powdered milk to the hungry North Korean children. She also works with the FHI Charity organization.

Filmography

2003: Oh! Happy Day!

Drama

2005: KBS: Wedding
2005: CCTV: My Bratty Princess(刁蠻公主) / The Mischievous Princess
2004: MBC: Love Is All Around (Sa-rang-eul Hal-geo-ya, a.k.a. I'm Gonna Fall In Love)
2003: Hello Bal Ba Ri
2002: MBC: My Love Patzzi (내 사랑 팥쥐)
2002: SBS: Successful Story of a Bright Girl (명랑소녀 성공기)
2001: MBC: New Non Stop (Sitcom)

Discography

Albums

She

Volume 5, Released February 23, 2007

사랑 부르기 (Calling out love)
마음을 잃다 (Losing one's mind)
You & I
손톱 (Fingernails)
가면무도회 ft. HaHa (A Masquerade)
사랑을 향합니다 (Towards love)
Everything for you
Tonight
이젠 말해볼까 (Shall we talk about it now?)
당신의 모든 것을 사랑합니다 (I love everything about you)
사랑 부르기 (Acoustic Ver.) (Calling out love)

Lady Like

Release Date: December 29, 2006

안 행복해 (I’m not happy)
그렇담 Good-bye (Then good-bye)

Gong Fu

(in Chinese) Released December 21, 2005

对不起不爱你 (Sorry, I don't love you)
功夫
爱上你全部 (Loving all of you)
我要你崇拜
梦飞翔
Everyday
险恋人
天边
出乎预料
烦着呢

(in Chinese) Release Date: February 1, 2005

风儿啊！请你停下来 (Wind, please stop)
全世界下雨 (The whole world is raining)
娜拉In China
飞不起来 (Unable to fly)
Sweet Dream
恋爱宣言
我也是女人 (I am also a woman)
甜蜜蜜 (Sweet)
可能是爱情 (It's probably love)
Ends

My Story

(4th album) Released in December 2004

Intro
달팽이 (Snail)
겨울일기 (Winter diary)
I Love School
Always
이젠 괜찮아요 (Now no problem at all)
혹시라도 (Perhaps)
모시는 글 (Mosin Gul)
연인 (Duet with 신혜성) (Lover, Duet with Shin Hye Sung (Shinhwa))
사랑하기 좋은 날 (Good Day to Love)
겨울일기(Bossa Nova.ver) (Winter diary)
나 (I)
Make it right
飛不起來(페이부치라이) (중국드라마'은색연화'주제가) (Cannot fly -- Chinese soap opera ' Silver time passage ' Theme song)

The Third Story

Released: December 2003

We
별이 빛나는 밤에
기도 (Last Pray)
10년이 지난 후 나는
그게 정말이니?
나도 여자랍니다
키키
My Boy
약속
늘 그래왔듯이
Say Good-Bye
눈물로 남을텐데
그게 정말이니(Band ver.)
별이 빛나는 밤에(Ver.2)

Nara Jang and Friends

Released April, 2003

오 해피데이(영화‘오 해피데이’삽입곡)
피노키오
그날이후(영화 ‘오 해피데이’ 삽입곡)
friend (Solo Version)
and
lately
Will be mine
luv n u
today
friend (Duet Version)
부디
그래요
아무것도 아닌 이야기
다시

Sweet Dream

Released: 2/10/2002

Sweet Dream
아마도사랑이겠죠
혼자서도 잘해요
Pinekiss
철부지
Ending
I'll be there for you
뙈지아가
물망초
사막한가운데서
Snowman
다시 받아주겠니?
바람아 멈추어다오
아마도 사랑이겠죠 (Radio edit)
Snowman(방송버전)

The First Story

Released: 21/6/2001

고백 (Confession)
눈물에 얼굴을 묻는다 (Burying My Face In Tears)
연 (Yun)
Make it Right
물고기자리 (Pisces)
4월이야기 (April Story)
눈물에 얼굴을 묻는다 (Burying My Face In Tears, String Version)
Gloomy Sunday
Blue
약속 (Promise)
My Pain
지독한 사랑 (Vicious Love)

Awards

2003 Singer of the Year (Korea) CCTV-MTV Music Honors
2002 KBS Music Awards
2002 MBC Singer Award

Statistics

Height: 163 cm (5'3")
Weight: 45 kg (100 lb)
Blood Type: A

Han Ji-min

2007-06-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

born on November 5, 1982, is a South Korean actress and model. She debuted in 1999, doing various commercial films (CF) and music videos before gaining wider attention in 2003, appearing in hit Korean television dramas such as "All In" and "Dae Jang Geum" (US: Jewel in the Palace, The Great Jang Geum). She also starred in "Resurrection" with a breakthrough performance that earned her the KBS Best New Actress award. She is currently a spokeswoman for Stila Cosmetics.

Personal Background

Birthdate: November 5, 1982
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Height: 161 cm (5' 3")
Weight: 43 kg (95 lb)
Blood type: B
Nationality: South Korean
Profession: Actress, Model
Education: Seoul Women's University (Social sciences department)Junior High School Attached to the College of Education at Chung-Ang University Suh Moon Girl's Middle School
Religion: Christianity
Family: Grandmother, father, mother and older sister

Drama

2007 KBS2 경성스캔들 "Seoul Scandal"
2006 SBS 무적의 낙하산 요원 "Invincible Parachute Agent" (aka. Korea Secret Agency)
2006 KBS2 위대한 유산 "Great Inheritance"
2006 MBC 늑대 "Wolf" (Production halted due to injuries)
2005 KBS 부활 Bu-hwal "Resurrection" (aka. Revenge, Life Again, Rebirth)
2005 KBS2 드라마시티 "Drama City" - 9 Jan. 2005 메모리 "Memory"
2004 KBS2 드라마시티 "Drama City" - 8 Aug. 2004 데자뷰 "Deja Vu"
2003 MBC 대장금 “Dae Jang Geum” (aka. The Great Jang Geum, Jewel in the Palace)
2003 SBS 올인 “All-In”
2003 MBC 좋은 사람 Jo Eun Saram “A Good Man”

Filmography

2005 청연 Cheong-yeon "Blue Swallow"
2007 해부학교실 "Anatomy Classroom"

Awards

2005 KBS 연기대상 신인연기상(여자) Best New Actress (Resurrection)
2005 KBS 연기대상 베스트 커플상 Best Couple (with Uhm Tae Woong in Resurrection)
2004 KBS 연기대상 단막 특집극상 Special Drama/One-Act Drama Award (Drama City episode, "데자뷰")

Han Hyo Joo

2007-06-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Born on February 22, 1987, is a South Korean actress and model. She made her debut in the Nonstop 5, a famous sitcom in Korea.

She joined the ranks as a prominent Pan-Asian star due to the rising popularity of Spring Waltz (the fourth and final installment of Yoon Suk-ho's season drama series - following Autumn Fairy Tale, Winter Sonata and Summer Scent) in other Asian countries, including Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Japan.

Recently she has been in the limelight for her accomplishments in the movies, TV drama series as well as commercials. These were recognized by the foreign press and fans from many Asian countries. In response to her numerous adoring fans, she has made a few major steps to demonstrate her talents as an aspiring actress, despite her rather short acting career.

The film called Ad-Lib night (a subtle drama by Lee Yoon-ki, follows a young single woman who rediscovers herself through an eerie overnight encounter with strangers) in which she has the starring role premiered in November, 2006. The film has been made to highlight her potential as a gifted actress, not necessarily for commercial success. To top her already busy schedule, she just has been chosen for the title role in a daily soap opera , called 'Like Land and Sky (하늘만큼 땅만큼)', on KBS in January 2007.

Statistics

Family: Parents and younger brother
Talent agency: Fantom Ent
School: Dong Gook University (Dramatics and Films department)

Filmography

2007: 하늘만큼 땅만큼 (Like Land and Sky)
2007: 아주 특별한 손님 ( Ad-Lib night )
2006: 봄의 왈츠 (Spring Waltz)
2006: 투사부일체 ( Tu Sa Bu Il Che (My boss, My teacher) )
2005: 논스톱 5 ( NonStop 5 )

Commercials

Music Videos

On TV

MC & Awards

2007 20th Singapore International Film Festival - Best Actress (Ad-Lib night)
2006 26th Korean Screen Critics Award - Best Female Newcomer (Ad-Lib night)
2005~2006 Popular Songs' MC
2003 First Prize for Binggrae Smile Awards

What they say about her

"Han Hyo Joo is a potential star with a bright head on her shoulders".
"Not only she is a hard-worker, but she appears to be born with the ability to quickly adapt to different situations, which is an ability every actor and actress must possess".

- Director Yoon Suk-ho

"Han Hyo Joo delivers great performance in this movie. Her performance was enough to satisfy me.
The eulogy was received from many staffs and the result also with a satisfactory movie came out."

- Director Lee Yoon-ki

Han Ga In

2007-06-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

Han Ga In (born February 2, 1982) is a South Korean model/actress. She made her debut in the series Sunshine Hunting.

She starred in Super Rookie with Eric Mun of Shinhwa (MBC 2005) after marrying fellow actor Yun Jung Hoon[1] on April 26, 2005. In March to May 2007, she played the lead actress in romantic comedy drama, Witch Amusement with Jae Hee, Kim Jeong Hoon, and Dennis Oh.

Profile

Height: 169 cm
Weight: 46 kg
Blood Type: AB
Education: Kyunghee University (Hotel & Tourism major)

TV Series

2000: Sunshine Hunting
2003: Yellow Handkerchief
2004: Terms of Endearment
2005: Super Rookie (aka New Employee)
2006: Dr. Kkang
2007: Witch Yoo Hee

Movies

2004: Spirit of Jeet Kune Do: Once Upon a Time in High School

Awards

2005 MBC: Excellence Awards
2004 KBS: Best Couple
2003 KBS: Best New Actress

Han Eun-jung

2007-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

born July 10,1980, is a Korean actress.

Drama

The Person I Love (SBS, 2007)
Seoul 1945 (KBS, 2006)
Wonderful Life (MBC, 2005)
Full House (KBS, 2004)
Scent of a Man (MBC, 2003)
Successful Story of a Bright Girl (SBS, 2002)
Age of Innocence (SBS, 2002)

Filmography

Two Guys (2004)
Don't Tell Papa (2003)

Han Chae Young

2007-06-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

born Kim Ji Young (김지영), 13 September 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is sometimes called "the Barbie Doll of Korea."

Critics have praised her work in the television drama, Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang, which is a present-day version of the historical story, Chunhyang. Critics doubted the series would succeed, but it has proved a favourite among young adults. There, Han plays a fun-loving, free-spirited young woman. Han Chae Young married Choi Dong Joon on June 11,2007.

Dramas

KBS: Autumn Fairy Tale (2000)
Affection (2002)
Beijing My Love (2004)
KBS: Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang (2005)
SBS: Only You (2005)
SBS: My Girl (2005)
MBC: Exhibition of Fireworks (2006)

Filmography

Rec (2000)
Bet on My Disco (2002)
Wild Card (2003)

Choi Yeo Jin

2007-06-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

Statistics

Date of birth: July 27, 1983
Education: George Brown University (hotel management graduate)
Horoscope: Leo
Height: 172cm
Weight: 50kg

Drama

Choi Kang-hee

2007-06-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

born May 5, 1977, is a South Korean actress. Choi made her film debut in the 1998 horror Whispering Corridors, and in 2006 she starred in the low budget My Scary Girl, a surprise hit for which she earned a "Best Actress" nomination at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. She has also appeared in many TV drama series, including Sweet Buns and Rules of Love which were directed by her boyfriend Lee Jae-dong

Filmography

TV drama

MBC Best Theater: Faux Romeo and Faux Juliet (MBC)
Icing (MBC, 1996)
Paper Crane (KBS, 1998)
Sunflower (MBC, 1998)
Love Story aka Want You (SBS, 1999)
Madness aka Maniac (KBS, 1999)
School (KBS, 1999)
Feels Good (MBC, 2000)
March (SBS, 2000)
This is Love (KBS, 2001)
The Glory Era of the Maeng's (MBC, 2002)
Land of Wine (SBS, 2003)
Sweet Buns (MBC, 2004)
Beating Heart (MBC, 2005)
Rules of Love (MBC, 2005)
Thank You (MBC, 2007)

Film

Whispering Corridors (1998)
Happy Funeral Director (2000)
Wanee & Junah (2001)
Yellow Flower (2002)
My Scary Girl (2006)

Choi Jeong-yoon

2007-06-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

born 9 May 1977, is a South Korean actress.

Filmography

Film

Father (1997)
Nightmare (2000)
Pisces (2000)
Phone (2002)
The Circle (2003)
Bunshinsaba (2004)
Radio Star (2006)
Voice of a Murderer (2007)

TV drama

Mr. Duke (MBC, 2000)
Rooftop Room Cat (MBC, 2003)

Park Chae-rim

2007-06-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

born March 28, 1979, is a South Korean actress. She was noted for her role in the MBC drama All About Eve. Park made her debut in the drama Kaist. She is widely known and addressed as "Chae Rim" to many of her fans as well as fan propaganda magazines. Park married singer Lee Seung-hwan (14 years her senior) on May 24th, 2003. On March 31st, 2006, Lee's agency "Cloud Fish" released news of the couple's divorce. The reason stated was because of the couple personality differences, which caused the couple to separate since early December 2005.

Drama

2007: The Mischievous Princess 2
2007: Dal-Ja's Spring
2006: Secret Legend Of Kang Xi Dynasty
2005: Princess Sheng Ping
2005: Lost City In Snow Heaven[cameo]
2004: Warriors of The Yang Clan
2004: Oh! Pil Seung, Bong Soon Young
2004: Love of the Aegean Sea (also Romance at the Aegean Sea)
2004: The Way of Life
2003: Over the Green Fields
2002: We are Dating Now
2001: Four Sisters
2000: All About Eve
2000: Cheers for Women
2000: Air Force
1999: Kaist
1999: I'm Still Loving You
1999: Lost One's Way/The Song Of Hope
1998: Shy Lover
1998: Jump(sitcom)
1998: As We Live Our Lives
1998: My Mother's Daughters
1997: Ban Buhl Ee
1996: A Daughter's Choice
1995: Pair
1994: Journey
1994: Warm River

Awards

2000: SBS Popular Actress Award
1999: MBC Popular Actress Award
1998: MBC New Actress Award

Statistics

Height: 168cm
Weight: 48kg
Body: 32-24-32
Religion: Buddhism
Blood Type: A

Chae Jung-an

2007-06-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

born September 9, 1977, Busan, South Korea as Jang Jung-an, is a Korean actress and singer. She made her debut in acting in 1995.

In 2001 she acted as the lead role in the musical drama Mina. Many of her songs were played in the drama.

She married Kim Sang Chul (김상철) on December 16, 2005.

Statistics
Height: 172cm
Weight: 48kg

Filmography

1998: Amazing Men
2003: Run 2 U
2004: Grandma's Adventure

Drama

1998: Paper Crane (KBS)
2001: Mina (KBS)
2001: Snowflakes (KBS)
2003: Run (나는 달린다)
2003: Over The Green Fields (KBS)
2004: Emperor of the Sea(KBS)

Discography

Albums

Cruel (Gwihan Sarang)
Letter (Pyeonji)

0:52 Intro
3:54 Shadow
3:39 편지
3:33 Tess
0:42 Middletro
3:23 Stay
3:08 진달래
3:20 Temptation
3:49 바보 같은 미소
3:56 그러길 바랬어
4:06 My Love
3:25 White
0:57 Outro

Goddess....Her Fate

I Say
Magic
No
Precious Love
Parting For You
Tonight
I Don't Know
Warning
Prism
Why?!
But Beautiful
Love That Looks Stupid
Only You

Bae Seul Ki

2007-06-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

born on September 27, 1986, is a K-pop singer. Her family consists of her parents and two younger siblings (brother and sister). Bae Seul Ki's religious affilitation is Catholic. She first appeared as a member of The Red, but has since become a solo singer.

History

Debut

Bae Seul Ki is a South Korean pop singer. Educated at Sanmyong University in the areas of drama and cinematography, Bae first debuted in the fall of 2005 as part of the project group The 빨강 (The Red) with actresses Oh Seung-Eun and Ju So-Young, which allowed her to gain stage experience and fame before her solo debut. Appearing on many variety shows, she became an Internet sensation when she showed her 복고 (bokko meaning "old school") dance on SBS's Love Letter.

Solo Singer

After the group split in early 2006 (as it was a "project group", used for introducing new singers), the record company felt that Bae Seul Ki could handle being a solo singer. They quickly prepared a digital single, with a full album following in the fall of 2006. The first single from the album, "강한 여자" (Ganghan Yujah, meaning "Strong Woman"), had Carlos from the Korean rap group Uptown and featured Bae with many b-boys in a heavily choreographed breakdancing routine. However, this single was quickly abandoned after a few weeks in favor of "말괄량이" (Malgwalyangee, meaning "Tomboy" or "Sassy Girl"), a song with a cute, light feel. It was more in line with popular taste, as similar songs like "Cutie Honey" by Ahyoomee (from Sugar) and "Love Me Love Me" from Lee Ji Hye (formerly of S#arp) were doing well. This song managed to perform well on the Korean music charts, and the music video also became number one for three weeks[citation needed]. In addition to promoting her single, she has also assisted Eru's performances of his second album comeback single, "까만 안경" (Ggaman Angkyung, "Black Glasses").

With the success of "Tomboy", her record company quickly released her 2nd digital single in December of 2006. Her title single "One by One" featured her in a snowy backdrop to suit the Christmas mood. The lyrics of this song was also composed by her. She has since started to promote this single on the various music programs. She also did a duet with Glass Box on a charity album called "Mind Bridge".

Host/Actress

After ending the promotion of her album, Bae Seul Ki has moved on to hosting. In April 2007, she began hosting a music programme on KM TV called POP, which introduces popular foreign music to Korean fans. In April, she also hosted MBC's Music Show with Brian Joo from Fly to the Sky , acting as a guest MC in place of Kim Hyun Joong from SS501.

Bae Seul Ki has announced that she is acting in a new drama which is a China-Korea collaboration. It will start filming in May 2007 in China and plans to be broadcasted in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea in October. When she arrived on Shanghai in middle May, more than 300 fans arrived at the airport to welcome her, and at the same time showering her with many gifts.

In May 2007, Bae Seul Ki made a guest appearance in Banana Girls Music Video "Chocolate" alongside other stars like Kan Mi Youn.

Discography

- Full studio albums

Album # : First
Album Information: Bae Seul Ki The 1st Volume, Released: September 22, 2006,
Language: Korean
Track Listing

One by One
Strong Woman 강한 여자 (feat. Carlos from Uptown)
소금인형
野丫头말괄량이 (feat. Carlos from Uptown)
地面的花瓣 꽃잎이 지면 (나레이션)
Sexy Boy
Love Stuck
A Good Day
It's Groove (feat. Crown J)
Strong Woman (Remix Version)

Digital Singles

Digital Single # : First

Album Information: One For Love, Released: 2006, Language: Korean

Track Listing

난 사랑에 빠졌죠
내 눈물 모아

Digital Single # : Second

Album Information: Happy Christmas, Released: 2006 , Language: Korean

Track Listing:

One by One
Happy Christmas (Kor Ver.)
Happy Christmas (Eng Ver.)

TV appearances

2005: Rainbow Romance (MBC)
2005 to 2006: Banjun Dramas (SBS)
- Unforgettable Love (with DBSK/TVXQ)
- Full House (One Episode)
- Suicide Rescue Team
- A Very Special Story
- The Third Guy
- Taxi 1986
2006: Break (Mini drama)

Bae Doona

2007-06-30T04:41:00.000-07:00

born on 1979, is a South Korean model, actress and photographer. She is best known outside Korea for her role as the protagonist's political activist girlfriend, Cha Yeong-mi, in Park Chan-wook's film Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and as Park Nam-ju in The Host (2006).

Biography
Bae was born in Seoul, South Korea on October 11, 1979. Growing up, she would follow her mother, Kim Hwa-young, a famous stage actress in Korea, around the theater and rehearsal halls, learning the lines of dialogue as she went along. This did not initially lead Bae towards acting, saying: "People might say that since my mother is a theater actor, I became an actress. But to me, those experiences probably had the opposite effect. On the contrary, because I saw many great actors working with my mother, I thought this was a job only people with extraordinary talent could do."

Bae attended Hanyang University until graduation in 1998. After leaving school, Bae was scouted by a model talent agency while walking in Seoul. This led to modeling clothing for COOLDOG's catalog, amongst others. In 1999 she made the switch to acting, debuting in the KBS TV drama School. Later the same year she appeared as Eun-suh in The Ring Virus, a Korean remake of the Japanese film Ring. Also in 1999, Bae won her first award, KBS's "Most Popular Actress" award.

In 2000, director Bong Joon-ho cast her as Hyeon-nam in the film Barking Dogs Never Bite, a critical success, for her willingness to do the part without makeup, something other South Korean Actresses were unwilling to do. She followed this with two more critical successes, 2001's Take Care of My Cat, directed by Jeong Jae-eun, and 2002's Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, directed by Park Chan-wook.

2003 was less kind to Bae, as she saw both Tube and Spring Bears Love flop at the box office. After completing principal photography on Spring Bears Love, Bae decided to take time off from film, saying: "I never lived even once without having anything to do. The moment a film was presented to the press, I was almost always already shooting the next one ... I thought by myself: now my first cycle is really over. While I rest a little, I wanted to make a fresh new start."

In her time off, Bae took up photography, much of which can be seen between her official blog and her photo book. Bae finally stepped onto a theater stage in 2004, for a production of Sunday Seoul (not to be confused to the South Korean movie of the same title). The play was co-written by Park Chan-wook, whom she had previously worked with.
In 2005 Bae appeared in the Japanese film Linda Linda Linda, and in 2006 she worked with Bong Joon-ho again on The Host, currently the biggest grossing film in South Korean box office history.

Filmography
Film

The Ring Virus (1999)
Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
Plum Blossom aka Youth (2000)
Take Care of My Cat (2001)
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
Saving My Hubby (2002)
Tube (2003)
Spring Bears Love (2003)
Linda Linda Linda (2005)
The Host (2006)

TV drama

School (KBS, 1999)
Love Story (SBS, 1999)
RNA (KBS, 2000)
Turn Your Angry Face (KBS, 2000)
Mothers and Sisters (MBC, 2000)
Country Princess (MBC, 2003)
Rosemary (KBS, 2003)
Beating Heart (MBC, 2005)
Someday (OCN, 2006)

Theater

Sunday Seoul (2005)

Awards

1999 KBS Acting: Most Popular Actress
2000 Blue Dragon: Best New Actress
2001 Busan-Youngpaeung: Best Actress
2001 Chunsa: This years Best Actress
2002 Baeksang: Best Actress
2002 Busan-Youngpaeung: Best Actress

Books

Doona's London Play (2006) - Bae's Photography