Kwon Sang-woo is making his singing debut — in Japan. This month, he’ll release a DVD, Kwon Sang-woo Dream in Japan: Open the Door to the Heart, which was shot in Japan and showcases songs that the actor recorded (in Japanese). It also includes behind-the-scenes clips of recording sessions, scenes of Kwon going around to places he enjoys, and NG clips.
According to an interview Kwon gave with Japan’s Sankei Sports, “Songs are one way of getting a little closer with fans. I felt envious seeing Ryu Shi-won putting out albums, touring the country, and meeting with fans.” (Fellow Hallyu actor Ryu, most recently of the drama Style, has spent quite a bit of time cultivating his singing career in Japan.) A couple of the tracks included in Kwon’s DVD are the ballads “Missing” and “Tears for Love,” which he will perform at his upcoming fanmeets in Osaka and Tokyo on the 24th and 26th. He added, “This fanmeeting will be a new start for me.”
As for his acting career, Kwon has had a few recent drama flops (Bad Love, Cinderella Man), but hopes to turn that around with his upcoming Korean War flick Into the Gunfire.
(I don’t want to harsh on the guy because I feel bad for him at this point — not that the big celebrity needs my sympathy, ha — but I feel like Kwon Sang-woo needs some tough-love type of career advice. He hasn’t had a bona fide hit since 2004′s Stairway to Heaven — though 2005′s Sad Sonata performed modestly — and I feel like he’s clinging to his old image rather than trying to evolve. He’s not without talent, but his reluctance to move beyond the same old stuff means all of his peers are fast moving past him…)
Via Hankook Ilbo
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Oh…didn’t know that KSW can sing… ^^
As for the DVD, I think I’ll be interested to watch the NG clips! ^^
He can sing?
The fact that he suppose to be second lead in Stairway to Heaven made me laugh. He should feel gratitude to Shin Hyun Joon that give his lead to him. I so agreed that he should try new way or style of acting. He can’t be forever acting like high school or chaebol or a heartbroken man.
He is the original choco abs man – I would think that he can still bankroll his career on those abs…
I think tough love career advice might be to take on secondary character roles that are outside of his comfort zone to develop a different perspective, or try method acting to learn new personas….
He should try other types of roles than just the same ones over and over.
I don’t think he’s a baaaaaaaaad actor, but most of his dramas and movies are not really the type I like.
I liked ‘Stairway To Heaven’. It had all types of korean melodramas clichés, but the story surprisinly didn’t dragged and it was entertaining to watch. But I confess I thought Shin Hyun Joon’s character was much more appealing and interesting than Kwon Sang Woo’s character. I thought one of the best things of ‘Stairway To Heaven’ was how they portrayed Shin Hyun Joon’s character relationship with Choi Ji Woo’s character. I didn’t cared much about Kwon Sang Woo’s character and I wouldn’t mind if he ended with the Kim Tae Hee’s character (By they way, Kim Tae Hee’s performance on ‘Stairway To Heaven’ was one of the worst performances by korean actresses that I’ve ever seen).
lol i remember when he came out on yoon dohyun’s loveletter years ago and sang kim bumsoo’s bogoshipda from his drama OST……
it was not pretty.
I heard him sing once before…. and I did not like it.
I agree JB. I really think that he needs to do something to reinvent himself or try something different. He’s become just another face, IMO, and he’s not refreshing and really tiring to watch. I can’t imagine he sings really well, but he could surprise me. I watched Bad Love and was soo disappointed in it. STH was good but that was 2003 or something. Then again, it’s his career – I’m really in no position to comment LOL (as with all of these things) – and he’s quite famous… so maybe he can ride that out as much as he can. But I agree, he does have some talent, so I think he really just needs to redirect. Surprise us with something good KSW!
as much as i love him and think hes hot, yeah he hasnt had much success lately
Well, he’s trying a new image right now with “Into The Gunfire”. Let’s see if those abs can handle action scenes or they’re just eye candy only. Another flop and he’s gone for good.
So, his way of promoting himself in Japan is to lure ignorant fans that he is still single and available? Where the heck is his wedding ring? Aigoo ~
“Let’s see if those abs can handle action scenes or they’re just eye candy only.”
LOL! That’s funny, Acalle.
“all of his peers are fast moving past him…)”
Funny you say that since Kwon sang woo is at the bottom of the totem pole compered to his peers
At this point Kwon sang woo cant even be considered A LIST since he has had virtually NO SUCCES in ANYTHING he’s NOT even trying to improve he’s still stuck in “Stairway to Heaven” mode.
I definitely agree with you JB and the others on KSW. Saw him on Bad Love and Cinderella Man and he does have talent. And those abs, whooo…
Still, he needs to do something with his image and choose roles that are challenging and exciting to his fans as well. I do hope this singing stint and Into the Gunfire will do just that. I would not want to see his talents wasted.
Errr…was never a big KSW fan in the 1st place. He never really had a “challenging” role or if he did, it didn’t catch onto my radar.
@ 6 okdubu: Heh heh, so true. I don’t know if the clip I saw was from YDH’s Love Letter, but KSW ought to focus on mastering his acting skills than singing.
I suppose there’s no “personal” agent working with him. I’ve wondered what it is that many actors want to become singers and they can’t do that gracefully. I mean…Lee Min Ho was great as Gu Jun Pyo….but singer he’s not. It’s like the singers who are trying their hand at acting….the only 2 singers I’ve thought were really good are Chul and Lee Hong Ki….of course, Park Shin Hye has a beautiful singing voice and is a really good actress.
So now I’ll get bashed….but acting is an art form and singing is talent you have or don’t. Sometimes it’s very true…and never the twain shall meet.
@ eilko
Why bash you? You speak truth! Actors and singers should treat each others’ professions with more respect.
And now I have a horrible, morbid urge to go watch Stairway to Heaven…
“And now I have a horrible, morbid urge to go watch Stairway to Heaven…”
White piano . . .on a beach . . . Ave Maria . . . greatest scene ever
FWIW, sometimes I think Kwon Sang Woo and Lee Dae Hae are mirror images of each other.
@ belleza
Oo, I can see that too. Vanity Twins.
Indeed. I’m not sure that I can say that I watch K-drama, or that I can say that I have LIVED, until I see this (in)famous white-piano-on-beach scene. Just the idea makes me want to jump up and down and run about the room screaming… I know I know: Can someone just tell me which episode this miracle of art (and physics) appears in, and I can just cut to the chase?
emmmm … my fav korean drama on the top list is still cruel love…..sorry sorry so different views from the rest…..luv the acting skills and great songs…..as for his singing career..looking forward….all the best sang woo….. =D
ever like % believe him
“until I see this (in)famous white-piano-on-beach scene. ”
Skip to the last 5 minutes of the show, and enjoy the Greatest Lines in the History of K-drama: “Maybe he loved her more, but I did not love her less.”
Oh… Can he SING? Never like him.
This is the funniest thing I have ever read in this site, LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!! Is he serious? I mean his speaking voice is not that great at all, just ordinary. What made him think that his singing voice will be the boost that his dying career needs?
“Maybe he loved her more, but I did not love her less.”
Fantastic!!
“Fantastic!!”
AND Ave Maria too!!
Here ya go. Greatest Scene Evar in K-drama!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_qcMf209g
White Piano on the Beach??? WHITE PIANO ON THE BEACH!!!!
I don’t want to sound like an anti and I am not his anti cuz I only watch a few movies of his. I have to say that this guy is desperate for attention.
He should use his money to open some more restaurants and shops and just retire from acting. I never knew he could sing either and I think it’s gonna be a flop.
Ryu Shi Won can actually sing….The Korean now doesn’t want him anymore and he tries to get money from Japan ?
It’s weird how after his marriage, everything just goes blah for him but it’s life…I will wait and see where this goes.
OMG! OMG! OMG!
I loves it! It’s so full of wtf-awesomeness, from the tides (in one shot, out another) to the ham-fisted fingering technique. I would so jump up and down and run round the room, giggling like a fool. But I’m at work. Having a bit of a slow day, can you tell?
I mean, you know that after a major moving job a piano needs to be re-tuned. It looks as if KSW was playing live. So imagine calling the piano tuner and saying, “Um, ah, we need you to come tune this grand piano we’ve moved on to the beach. Yes, you heard me right, I said beach. Not beech. Beach. And could you please come quickly? The tide is coming in…” And how on earth did they get it to not sink into the sand? The mind boggles. It shall remain one of the great mysteries of life.
I’m not even going to ask whether the plot explains this scene. I assume it is there purely to move us. And, yes, I have to confess, I am somewhat, er, moved.
Thanks, belleza, you made my day!
Dayah
Me too. Cruel Love is top of my list – with My Lovely Samsoon, Que Sera Sera and Sang Doo let’s go to school.
I’ve given up on reading how bad Cruel Love is. For me, the ending was DA best !!
yeah people, and for me Kwon Sang Woo is still the best!!!!!!!!!
Kwon Sang Woo Fighting!!!
“but his reluctance to move beyond the same old stuff means all of his peers are fast moving past him”
JB or anyone can answer this question – who are his peers?
sorry if my question seems ignorant. i am not that familiar with KSW. i’ve seen bits and pieces of his dramas STH and Cruel Love (whenever i channel surf while these dramas were airing in my country), but they never really made me interested enough to follow them religiously one episode after another. i don’t know which is at fault – the story or the acting or the actors involved – i really don’t know, they just never grabbed my attention.
but even if i know little about him, i do agree that an actor has to take on varied roles to grow. if he is really serious in his craft, meaning he doesn’t look on it just as a source of income and for the fame it brings him, then he should go out of his acting comfort zone to challenge his capabilities and hone his talents.
belleza – thank you for sharing that STH ending scene. was that KSW’s hands playing the piano? was he supposed to be a good piano player in the drama? if so, then i am sorry to say this – bad acting by the hand LOL. i don’t think i will ever check out STH.
@17 serendipity….thank you!
And the white piano on the beach? I couldn’t believe it when I saw that scene! What was that all about? I only watched some of Stairway to Heaven and it was mainly the beginning scenes of the young people. They were really good. I was more impressed with Tree of Heaven with Park Shin Hye and Lee Wan….now THAT was great acting….I cried most of the way through that one…but the acting was very well done and I think both of them had swollen eyes most of the time!
I will say one thing through….there are scenes in many of the dramas that I’ve noticed that are being repeated from other dramas.
But…hey….if the acting is good and the story line comes together….I’ll sit and enjoy! Oh yes, and the theme song is so important!
“Funny you say that since Kwon sang woo is at the bottom of the totem pole compered to his peers
At this point Kwon sang woo cant even be considered A LIST since he has had virtually NO SUCCES in ANYTHING he’s NOT even trying to improve he’s still stuck in “Stairway to Heaven” mode.”
Yep can’t disagree with you. when Kwon got married that was the end of his status as we know it. Nevertheless, Japan is a hot market and the women are easily duped and conned so Kwon will always be popular in one aspect or another.
watch ” FATE ” … when will he come to the united states?
Annyong haseyo…
emm…anyone residing at tokyo or osaka n going for this fan meets…anyone out there….
will there be an autograph session….how can i get one……arghhhhhh……any ksw fanclub in english? help……………
ksw fan 4ever~~~~~~ btw hi fraulein & seirrah =D
hey there, dayah!
“ksw fan 4ever”… that’s nice… and we will be, for sure..
i dooooooont care what they say…KWON SANG WOO is a very good actor eversince..and i will support him in his singing career….ok???!
opppppppaaaaaaaaaaa your best read quranbook the best book in the world
opppppppppppppppppppppppppppa na dong cee meda salwa meda read quran book you will happy after that your best
ksw im happy for you yes the quran book ihe best
,, it so nice,, my idol is not only an actor a singer too,,,.
KWON SANG WOO, I LOVED YOU IN THE DRAMA SAD LOVE SONG. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DRAMAS, YET SO SAD. I REALLY SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR SINGING, AND GOOD LUCK IN WHAREVER YOU DO……….
Ma drst kwon sang woo u r one of da best actor i ever seen whole world… U hv special ability which were nt to other….. I proudly tell u no other actor will came up at your world record level shown in stairway to heaven… Ur some of korean movie were nt hit but for me wat ever u act or do totally 100% hit for me. Nw u r release album in japen dats good. If u want den u hav right show ur ability to prove da world…. Dnt care abt wat other people talk n do wat u want to do….. Be strong i live far in india still full support for wat ever you do. I think gal ever act with u r very lucky…. I luv u so much joong soo oppo… FIGHTING