News bites: January 21, 2009

19 January 21, 2009April 6, 2017

by javabeans

Jung Il-woo, Jeon Ji-hyun

Today marks the debut of MBC’s Return of Iljimae, starring Jung Il-woo. The series premiered to mixed reactions, with some viewers calling it “refreshing” while others complained about excessive narration. I’m looking forward to it anyway. [My Daily]

Jeon Ji-hyun (My Sassy Girl) is caught up as the victim of an attempt to illegally forge a cell phone to tap into her calls. Representatives from her own management, Sidus HQ, have been identified as the culprits. Authorities are investigating and arrest warrants are being issued. Gives the fiction of A Star’s Lover a ripped-from-the-headlines feel, doesn’t it? [Asia Economy]

Kim Hee-sun (Smile Again) is a proud new mama: On the 21st, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter. [Star News]

Actress Jeon Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine), also pregnant, was seen on the 21st at the same hospital as Kim, but only for a checkup. She’s due in early February. [Now News]

Boys Before Flowers actor Kim Hyun-joong was in a minor car accident on his way to filming on the 21st. A car tried to cut in and the vehicles collided, but it was only a small bump and nobody was injured. [Seoul News]

The Lee Min-ho fervor continues: The 21-year-old has been selected to promote LG Telecom, and will appear in an ad with Boys Before Flowers co-stars Gu Hye-sun and Kim Bum. He’s also deliberating over modeling contracts for clothing brands, cars, beer, etc. [Sports Khan]

Lee Min-ho is still a little surprised at his own fame, though; he’s been busy working and first felt the impact of his sudden popularity when he was filming an outdoor scene last week and the arrival of a mob of 3,000 fans forced shooting to shut down and move elsewhere. [Sports Khan, Asia Economy]

He’s not the only one, though: Kim Bum and Kim So-eun were shooting a scene at the girls’ restaurant job last week, and because so many neighborhood bystanders stopped to watch, police had to step in and manage traffic. [Sports Khan]

Gu Hye-sun is also benefiting from Boys Before Flowers‘ popularity; like her co-star, she’s also fielding multiple CF offers, both domestically and from Japan. The offers range from mobile phones to cosmetics and food products. [Joy News]

And look who else is jumping on the BBF bandwagon: Singer-actor Lee Ji-hoon (You’re My Destiny) recently launched an online shopping mall called “Paris Homme.” Thanks to the drama, the line’s prep-school look has experienced a sharp increase in sales: up 50% from the previous month. [Mk.co.kr]

Singer and “romantic guy” Alex released a solo album last summer, and on January 20, he held his first solo concert in Tokyo. Aside from his work with groovetronic Clazziquai, Alex gained Japanese fans in 2005 when participating with hip-hop group M-Flo on their 2005 remix album “Dope Space Nine.” He was also featured on M-Flo’s 2007 “Cosmicolor” and with artists like Amuro Namie, Koda Kumi, and Bonnie Pink. [Yonhap News]

SONG OF THE DAY

Alex – “Daydreaming” [ Download ]

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1

January 21, 2009 at 10:57 AM

HAHAH!! can you say HYD mania!!! I'm excited to see Return of Iljimae!! Will you be recapping it?

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2 Javabeans

January 21, 2009 at 11:09 AM

^ If it's good! I hope it's good. But I'm keeping my expectations on an even keel in case it isn't.

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3 sweetanna

January 21, 2009 at 11:40 AM

Komawoyo!

Alex's "Daydreaming" is really puurrrttty. I hadn't heard it till now.

It'll be really great if you can recap Return of Iljimae especially considering that a subbing group has yet to adopt it.

But only if it's good, of course ;)

Here's hoping!

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4

January 21, 2009 at 1:33 PM

re: iljimae ,return of

yes way too much narration and the narrator has a very annoying voice. what a turn off.

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5 stargazer377

January 21, 2009 at 3:10 PM

wait, so jeon ji hyun's own management company was trying to tap her cell phone calls?!

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6 LDJ

January 21, 2009 at 4:09 PM

Poor Hyun Joong, it sounds liek he is the only one who isn't being helped by BOF. Oh well maybe then he'll come back to WGm and make it great again, and he can bring Andy and Solbi with him too.

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7 Enkhee

January 21, 2009 at 4:38 PM

We missed your News Bites! Welcome back, News Bites!

ps this one feels more like BBF Bites. i love it.

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8 yelibean

January 21, 2009 at 4:59 PM

@LDJ - i was thinking the same thing...but how in the world is hyun joong supposed to get attention when they make his character so dull and he hardly gets any dialogue...it's as if the director/writer thought his good looks were going to be good enough to make him appealing. He's getting more screen time now but i hope they dont make his character unlikable because of the love triangle ..

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9 iluvkidnappers

January 21, 2009 at 5:10 PM

oh i love Alex 8DDDD and I guess i need to start watching BOF =]

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10 cosmopolite

January 21, 2009 at 5:33 PM

It's BOF mania isn't it? lol.

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11 Ranting....

January 21, 2009 at 6:10 PM

It's cool that the cast from BOF is getting a lot of attention. Is Hyunjoongie being the one man being left out of the all the goods that others are getting from participating in this drama? *cry _cry*

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12 popcorn

January 21, 2009 at 7:18 PM

Aww...it makes me feel bad Hyun-Joong is not benefitting from BOF even though I can see that he tried hard for his role. I can't really blame him though, isn't he just following the script? I don't know, I hope BOF turns out beffer for him...somehow?

Iljame.... :D I should give it a shot...well if it's subbed. :p

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13 Marzy

January 21, 2009 at 8:59 PM

Iljimae.. havent seen.. i want to.. lol. i hope its gonna get subbed. hmm im curious about the narration thing.. its quite common in dramas now i noticed?

HYD fever indeed.. i think id be one of those by standers watching Kim Bum and Kim So Eun.. and i cant wait for Lee Min Ho's Cfs... sigh.. go preppy wear. kekek

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14 belleza

January 22, 2009 at 12:45 AM

Don't know where to put this, but oh what the hey . . .

Lee Min Ho singing karaoke!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEl-1s7phs4&fmt=18

(girlie was the rumored girlfriend, but they're just friends. And this was back in high school. And, yes, LMH smokes too. He IS Korean, after all. ;) )