Park Si-hoo is the bad guy

Park Si-hoo put on cold charisma unlike his soft usual image.

In the latest photo shoot with "SURE", Park Si-hoo was dressed in chic and casual fashion making him the cold and charismatic man.

Through an interview he said, "I amazed at the fact that I received the Rookie Award and the Excellence Award 4 years ago and another Excellence Award this year. I think these are steps to becoming a better actor".

In the current movie "I Am The Murderer" Park Si-hoo is a psychopath and serial killer who's killed 11 people and is working with Jeong Jae-yeong. He ate only protein foods like sweet potatoes for two weeks and didn't even drink water 3 days before the swimming scene he'd prepared for.

This issue of the magazine can be seen the second issue of "SURE".

Source : news.nate.com/view/20... ( Korean )

Credit to hancinema.net

Ha Ji-won and Lee Seung-gi's first script reading

The MBC drama "The King" had started script reading.

The cast including Ha Ji-won and Lee Seung-gi met at the Ilsam MBC Dream Center and completed their first script reading.

On a phone call with the spokesperson for "The King" on the 27th said, "It was the first time all the cast for the drama "The King" got together in one place and it was fun".

"Producer Lee Jae-gyoo who is known to be gentle and Lee Soon-jae as well as Yoon Yeo-jeong who are known to be strict and well-balanced attended the script reading and was an interesting time. The reading went on for about five hours from 7PM to 11PM".

"The King" is a black comedy about the completing love between North Korean Prince Lee Jae-ha and Special Forces female sergeant Kim Hang-ah, overcoming the prejudice and interference around them during a so-called time of constitutional monarchy.

This movie is an anticipating one with the leading cast of Ha Ji-won who is a fixed box office hit and Lee Seung-gi. "The King" will start shooting on the 31st and start airing on the 14th of March after "The Sun and the Moon".

Source : news.nate.com/view/20... ( Korean )

Credit to hancinema.net

Kwon Sang-woo finishes work on new action film with Jackie Chan

Kwon Sang-woo

Hallyu star kwon Sang-woo has finished work on the movie "12 Chinese Zodiac Heads" with Jackie Chan.

The announcement was made yesterday by the actor's agency, which also reported that Kwon had returned to Korea just before Lunar New Year. "Currently, Kwon is taking a well-deserved break and is looking over some movie proposals from China, the United States and other countries", said a representative from the agency.

Kwon jetted all over the world starting in June 2011 to make the Chinese action movie with martial arts superstar Chan, who directs and stars in the movie.

The movie is an action-adventure film based on the adventures of one man (played by Chan) on a treasure hunt to find missing Chinese artifacts that have been scattered around the world. The film is the third installment in the "Armour of God" series, which started in 1987, and cost an estimated 100 billion won ($89,158,347) to produce.

The movie is to open worldwide on Dec. 12.

Source : koreajoongangdaily.jo... ( English Korean )

'Korean hip-pop goes global'

Popular Korean hip-pop girl group 2NE1 was featured in the second-largest weekly news magazine in the U.S. on Jan. 25, under the title of "Korean Hip-pop: K-hop goes global".

In its latest edition, Newsweek showed confidence in the rise of K-hop as a global trend.

The article introduced the four-piece girl group, as having the original R&B soul mixed with hip-hop, and their songs as being astutely tailored for a global audience in the digital age.

Korean American producer of 2NE1, Teddy Park said in the article, "The K-hop genre will be the true crossover hit, with its ties to hip-hop, soul and electronica".

The magazine also forecast that the signs are promising: after a successful debut in Japan in front of 70,000 fans last October they attracted attention in Europe and America. Moreover, a prominent producer and a rapper in America, Will.i.am has already begun working on tracks for 2NE1.

Many K-pop groups such as Girls' Generation or TVXQ have been successful abroad. However the magazine wrote hip-hop groups such as Big Bang and 2NE1 are "getting in on the act". While Big Bang won a World Wide Act award at the MTV Europe Music Awards last June through Internet exposure, MTV lggy crowned 2NE1 the Best New Band in the world.

Some critics still question whether K-pop will ever make waves in mainstream U.S. radio, but the magazine says, "K-hop will lift Asian music out of its "tacky stereotype" and bring it to the same level as Latin and European music on the global scene".

A former Korean rapper and producer, Jae Chong says he is currently working on a Korean-American K-hop guy band Aziatix. The group's eponymous mini-album was placed at No.4 on the U.S. iTunes Top Soul Albums last May. "I want to introduce the next phase of K-hop", he said.

'한국 힙합, 케이팝 넘어 전세계로 발돋움'

미국의 유력 시사주간지 뉴스위크가 26일 최신호에서 한국의 힙합이 케이팝(K-pop)을 뛰어넘어 전 세계로 뻗어나가고 있다고 전하고 그 대표주자로 그룹 투애니원(2NE1)을 소개했다.

뉴스위크는 지금까지 케이팝은 생기 넘치고 화려한 걸 그룹과 보이밴드를 앞세워 세계무대로 발돋움했지만, 이제는 케이합(K-hop·코리안 힙합) 그룹들이 인기를 끌며 음악계의 주목을 받고 있다고 전했다.

그러면서 투애니원이 지난해 10월 일본에서 가진 라이브 투어에 7만명의 팬들이 운집한 사례를 언급하며, 투애니원이 기존의 그룹들과 달리 R&B와 팝을 겸비해 새롭게 태동하는 케이합을 대표한다고 소개했다.

뉴스위크는 소녀시대나 동방신기와 같은 케이팝 그룹들이 뉴욕과 로스앤젤레스 등지에서 관객들에게 강한 인상을 남기며 성공을 거뒀고, 이제는 케이합이 여기에 자리하게 됐다고 전했다.

이와 관련 힙합그룹 빅뱅과 투애니원이 MTV에서 각각 '유럽뮤직어워드'를 수상하고 '2011 세계 최고 신예 밴드'에 선정된 사례를 들었다.

뉴스위크는 한국 힙합의 역사를 소개하며 21세기 이후 인기몰이를 시작한 힙합 주자들로 드렁큰타이거와 래퍼 윤미래를 언급하기도 했다.

또 투애니원 외에 주목할만한 신예 힙합그룹으로는 지난해 5월 미 아이튠스 차트 5위에 오른 아지아틱스(Aziatix)를 꼽았고, 한국의 유명 음반제작자로 테디(Teddy Park)와 그룹 솔리드 출신의 정재윤(Jae Chong)을 소개했다.

뉴스위크는 케이합이 주류 음악계에서 열풍을 일으킬 수 있을지 의심하는 일부 전문가들이 있지만, 일단 성공하면 아시아 음악은 싸구려(tacky) 같다는 기존의 편견에서 벗어나 세계 음악시장에서 라틴이나 유러피안 음악과 같은 대우를 받게 될 것이라고 전했다.

그러면서 인기 힙합그룹 블랙아이드피스의 리더이자 유명 제작자인 윌아이엠(will.i.am)이 투애니원의 음반 작업에 참여한 것이 하나의 긍정적인 신호라고 평가했다. (연합뉴스)

Source : www.koreatimes.co.kr/... ( English Korean )

Lee Min-ho appears on "Delightful Talk" in China

Hallyu Star Lee Min-ho appeared on the Chinese TV program "Delightful Talk", which is ranked number one out of all Chinese TV programs. We have videos to show what he did to mesmerize fans.

"Delightful Talk" is a talk show on which only the top stars are cast for in China. Funan Wisung TV gave Lee Min-ho shocking treatment by reprogramming his segment on January 14th into a 'special' and giving him a full 90 minutes of airtime.

The results were natural. 2.6% of all viewers tuned in. This is a top ranking considering the 79 channels in the 29 states of China. This program is also the best rating in the last 2 years of Funan Wisung TV.

Lee Min-ho greeted fans with the dialect of the Jiangxia district. He then stepped over obstacles with his long legs and even let them measure the length of his legs.

He presented the MC with pottery that represents Korea and a New Years card that had the pattern of a Hanbok. He also handed out a Luck Strainer to all of the audience members. It was a special program for Lee Min-ho indeed.

The reactions were unbelievable. The audiences' cheers made it almost impossible to record anything and the MC said, "The audience cheered for 10 minutes at Lee Min-ho's words. I think the program will be over with a few more of his words".

When Lee Min-ho said, "I am having a good time filming in China. I hope we can see more of each other soon" the audiences' disappointed exclamations were a good sight to see.

All this was reflected in the shows ratings. Lee Min-ho's act to get closer to Chinese fans created a synergy effect and resulted in a number one ranking among the whole country.

Source : news.nate.com/view/20... ( Korean )

Credit to hancinema.net

Kim Soo-hyeon-I to revisit 'Dream High 2'

Actor Kim Soo-hyeon-I will make a cameo appearance on the teen drama "Dream High Season 2". According to a representative from the program, Kim will re-enact the good-bye scene in which he appeared in the drama's first season last year.

The actor will reprise his role as the musical genius Song Sam-dong, whom he played in the "Dream High" prequel.

"Despite his hectic filming for the drama "The Sun and the Moon", Kim has gladly accepted the offer to star in the upcoming drama", said a representative from KBS drama.

The teen drama about a school for aspiring singers and entertainers will air on Jan. 30. The sequel will deal with the worries, conflicts and ambitions of teenage entertainers and will be played on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Meanwhile, Kim is currently busy starring in the hit MBC drama "The Sun and the Moon", which aired on Jan. 4. The period piece is a fictional story set during the Joseon Dynasty concerning the romance of a king and a female shaman. Last week the drama made headlines for reaching first place in viewer ratings just two weeks into its run.

By Carla Sunwoo [carlasunwoo@joongang.co.kr]

Source : koreajoongangdaily.jo... ( English Korean )

Lee Min-ho and Park Min-yeong break off six-month relationship

Celebrity couple Lee Min-ho and Park Min-yeong have separated after six months of dating.

Yesterday, Lee's agency, King Kong Entertainment, announced to local media that the two have gone their separate ways but will remain good friends.

The pair met on the set of the drama "City Hunter" and became lovers. They admitted they were seeing one another when paparazzi snapped a photo of them on a date in Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul. But the couple kept a low profile and remained tight-lipped about their relationship.

Speculation about the break-up surfaced as early as last month when the couple made separate appearances at the KBS and SBS drama awards.

The cause of the break-up is thought to be the stars' busy schedules.

After filming "City Hunter", Park moved on to the KBS drama "Glory Jane". Meanwhile, Lee has been carefully perusing possible future projects and making visits to China, where he is immensely popular.

Source : koreajoongangdaily.jo... ( English Korean )

Which Idol Star Owns The Most Expensive Home?

Top stars in Korean entertainment work hard, and earn quite large sums for their hard work. Reports on some of the most successful stars living in the most expensive homes have been revealed in the past. Legendary singer Cho Young-nam has been rumored to be at the top of the list with a villa worth $5.2 million. However, what about the younger generation of idol stars?

No surprise on who boasted the highest price tag on his home: Jang Geun-seok. He's currently one of the hottest Korean entertainment names in Korea and in Japan. He reportedly earned $35.5 million in 2011 along, much of that stemming from his hit drama "You're Beautiful". According to Japanese media, Jang earns about $800,000 per commercial and is likely able to earn up to $90,000 a day from just souvenir purchases.

He lives in a villa in Seoul worth about $3.5 million. He had moved in last October, now enjoying such amenities like a family-sized movie theatre and cafe.

As if that wasn't enough, Jang also owns an $8.8 million building that used to belong to comedian Seo Sae-won and his wife Seo Jung-hee.

Next on the list was triple threat, actor, singer, and MC Lee Seung-gi. Lee reportedly lives in the "Brownstone Legend" building located in Seoul, worth $3.1 million. The complex includes perks of a fitness center, golf range, event venue, Audio Video theatre room, and more.

Lee has worked hard for the sum of $4.4 million from endorsements alone in 2010. He has 11 commercial deals under his belt to date, having earned $7.1 millon from just them until now.

Big Bang's TOP (Choi Seung-hyeon) was third, living in a $2.6 million villa, which he bought last year. The charismatic rapper and actor lives in the same neighborhood as actor Jeong Joon-ho and singer Lee Hyo-lee. The villa is famous for being a "honeymoon" home. TOP's unit consists of 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with some of the finest interior overlooking the Han River.

Following on the list was singer and actor Kim Hyun-joong. He lives in a European-style villa worth about $1.7 to $2.6 million, in the very posh neighborhood of Cheongdam-dong. His home even has a garden located just outside, surrounded by a number of parks.

Kim made the big ticket purchase after his success with concerts, album sales, advertisements, etc. in Japan. He earned $3.5 million after the megahit drama "Boys over Flowers" aired on TV. He was then offered a number of commercial deals. He even has an official character U:ZOOSIN, which sold over 50,000 units, raking in a profit of $1.7 million.

Rounding out the list was the members of the popular group JYJ. JYJ will be the first Korean artist to perform in Chile and Peru, with dates scheduled for this March. They all are owners to very expensive homes.

Kim Junsu lives in a detached townhouse located in the Gyeonggi Province region called Winsle Country. It's separate from another unit which is where his parents reside. He lives near veteran singer Lee Sora and his home is worth $1.5 million.

Micky Yoochun on the other hand lives in a very upscale area called Hannam-dong. He's been successful with his acting endeavors, expected to soon make his comeback acting in "The Rooftop Prince" alongside actress Han Ji-min.

Remaining JYJ member Kim Hero Jae-joong also lives in a lavish home. His penthouse is worth $2.6 million located in Samsung-dong. His pad even has a terrace, spanning about 3,200 square feet.

Source : english.kbs.co.kr/Ent... ( English Korean )

Winter Fun in Korea

Winter in Korea is far from boring. The scenery turns into a winter wonderland and activities abound.

Here are three activities (and places) I'm fond of:

1) Ice Skating

There are plenty of ice skating rinks and makeshift ones all across the country. If you live in or near Seoul, ice skating is best and cheapest at Seoul Plaza. If you get too cold and overwhelmed by the crowd, walk down to Gwanghwamun Plaza and check out King Sejong and Admiral Yi Museums.

2) Sledding

You can be pulled around...

pushed gently...

or pushed hard down a slope!

Like ice skating rinks, you can sled in many places. My favorite in Seoul is at Ttukseom Hangang Park. There are plenty of activities for both kids and adults. Also, J-Bug Museum is close by which offers beautiful artwork, unique gift items, hot beverages, and great sunset views.

3) ATV on Ice

Riding an ATV on ice is just awesome! I highly recommend trying it at the Pyeongchang Trout Festival. There you can do ice skating, sledding, ice fishing, biking on ice, and many other fun activities.

Whatever you end up trying, don't forget to:

Bundle up!

Have some hot street food!

And take pictures with loved ones!

For more current information, check out Korea Tourism Organization's pages on Seoul Square Ice Skating Rink, Ttukseom Hangang Park, and Pyeongchang Trout Festival.

What's your favorite winter activity and/or destination?

* This post is written by Johanne Miller, one of the Korea Blog's Worldwide Korea Bloggers.

Source : blog.korea.net/?p=689... ( English Korean )

Nam Gyoo-ri returns to film screens with "Goblin"

Nam Gyoo-ri is set to receive more attention.

Nam Gyoo-ri is the final stages of committing to star in top film "Goblin" (produced by Barunson). "Goblin" will be directed by "Couples" director Jeong Yong-ki and preparations for filming are now underway. In the film, the male and female leads pair up with a goblin and some students to prevent the closing of a rural school that is on the verge of collapse.

Nam Gyoo-ri debuted in the film "Death Bell" and also appeared in "More Than Blue". She also was in the dramas "Life is Beautiful" and "49 Days" and had a cameo in the film "Mr. Idol".

Nam Gyoo-ri will do as much as possible to make the film like the original story by Sin Ho-tan. After her final decision is confirmed she will begin preparations for the film. In "Goblin" she will star opposite Song Il-gook, who is already confirmed.

Source : news.nate.com/view/20... ( English Korean )

Credit to hancinema.net

Kim Ha-neul, bra exposed in Hawaii picture "bare-skinned"

Actress Kim Ha-neul showed more skin than ever before.

On a visit to Hawaii for a photo shoot for the February issue of fashion magazine "Singles", the actress shed her trademark innocence to show a sexier side.

As much as she prefers a simple feminine style, Kim Ha-neul released a fatal charm in this shoot. In each shot she is wearing short pants, revealing her shapely legs. Against the background of a meadow her shirt is open, and a shiny pink bra is exposed, catching one's eye.

5% of the sales of this Kim Ha-neul issue of the magazine will go to a charity for parentless families that is run by the clothing company Daks.

Source : news.nate.com/view/20... ( English Korean )