Here’s an article that takes a look at the growing trend of non-Korean actors being featured on television, which caught my eye because it talks about one of the leads in the new weekend comic drama Tamra the Island, which I’m enjoying.

“Foreigners on television are no longer unfamiliar”

On the 8th, viewers watching MBC’s new weekend drama Tamra the Island [탐나는도다] may have cocked their heads. That was because of the appearance of the lead French actor with the golden hair and blue eyes in the role of William. Hwang Chan-bin, birth name Pierre Deporte, is a Frenchman who attended high school in Korea. He couldn’t forget his home country and after graduating from university he returned to Korea and first met the public on the program Global Talk Show [aka Misuda, 미녀들의 수다], and now has even appeared in a television drama.

[Read more →]

Filed under: Drama Casting & News, Pop Culture & Society by javabeans - 58 Comments →

The new Miss Korea has been crowned, and she is Kim Ju-ri, a 21-year-old studying at the Bolshoi Ballet school in Russia.

The Miss Korea Pageant took place on the evening of July 8 at Seoul’s Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, and was hosted by former Miss Korea finalist and now actress-mother-wife Sohn Tae-young. Kim Ju-ri takes over from last year’s winner, Na Ri (whom you may recall suffered criticism for not being “pretty enough” for the win). Preceding her was Lee Ji-sun, who won in 2007, and before her was Honey Lee in 2006.

[Read more →]

Filed under: Pop Culture & Society by javabeans - 60 Comments →

In last week’s Open Thread, a back-and-forth developed between two commenters that caught my eye, because it dealt with a point that had been at the back of my mind for a while. Ever since I first saw the smash 2006 romantic comedy 200 Pound Beauty [미녀는 괴로워], in fact.

The comments dealt with 200 Pound Beauty’s plastic-surgery themes, and echoed some of my own reservations with the movie. Don’t get me wrong; I totally enjoyed watching it — it was light, funny, nicely acted — but something just didn’t sit right with me at the end. And the conversation that emerged last week captured that debate very well, I thought.

So, I asked both Sere and Samsooki if they would be okay with furthering the discussion in a sort of point-counterpoint conversation (similar to how Dahee and I discussed a particular drama character previously). They’ve both graciously agreed to go with it, and here’s the result.

Hope you enjoy!

SONG OF THE DAY

200 Pound Beauty OST – “Beautiful Girl” by Kim Ah-joong. [ Download ]

[Read more →]

Filed under: Chungmuro/Film, Pop Culture & Society by javabeans - 127 Comments →

I’ve gotten a lot of emails and comments asking about the Jang Ja-yeon news (or, as she will sadly be remembered, the Boys Before Flowers actress who committed suicide a week ago).

I had made the conscious decision not to write about this issue. It isn’t that I am unaware of the continuing developments; I’d have to be blind not to have noticed, because this is THE news item of the year and Korea’s going batshit insane over it.

I thought my last post on the subject indicated that I was not comfortable focusing on this case. I didn’t think I could treat the news with the respect it deserves — yeah, you can roll your eyes if I sound self-righteous to you, but the truth is, I couldn’t see how I could post up all the salacious details and not feel like a hypocrite. Her death has stirred an unfortunate frenzy of sensationalism and I hate reading about it, much less participating.

But since so many have asked, I’ll clarify my stance and post just this last time.

This isn’t a collection of news so much as it is a personal explanation (some might call it rant), so you have been forewarned.

[Read more →]

Filed under: Celebrity News, Pop Culture & Society by javabeans - 108 Comments →

Adoptee Soo-hoon (Sonny) with actor Lee Wan

Mea culpa.

I admit I’ve looked upon celebrity involvement in charity promotion and public campaigns with a skeptical eye, as I did in the original post featuring Lee Wan, above, who participated (along with Kim Rae-won and Lee Junki) in a campaign to raise awareness for the adoption of disabled children.

Well, I got an email this morning informing me that Soo-hoon, aka Sonny, pictured above with Lee Wan, was recently adopted into a loving family last month. The 13-year-old Sonny has Down Syndrome and grew up under the care of Holt International, and is now a happy resident in Iowa. Jake Krob, Sonny’s proud adoptive father, wrote up his adoption experience for an Iowa paper, which gives a moving account of the way Sonny came to be a member of the family. (If you don’t tear up, you can’t have a heart!)

When we’re talking stars who promote charitable organizations, you’ll inevitably get a segment of people scoffing that it’s all for self-promotion and image-conscious career calculation — like netizens backlashing against “donation angel” Moon Geun-young, or criticizing Choi Kang-hee’s bone marrow donation as a PR stunt. But you know what? If a raised profile — no matter the motive — in any way helps to complete a happy family as in Sonny’s case, well, the rest of the bad stuff just falls away.

So, yes: snark reflex has been duly checked and noted.

Also: Anyone have a shortcut to Lee Wan’s management or PR team? I was able to pass along the general contact info for his management company (Logos Film), but if anyone’s got a better way to get in touch, please let me (and Jake) know!

Via Mt. Vernon Lisbon Sun

RELATED POSTS

• Speaking up for adoption
• Stars raise awareness (about selves)
• No celebrity good deed goes unpunished
• What’s with all the babies?

Filed under: Pop Culture & Society by javabeans - 29 Comments →