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.

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Read the rest of Western actors becoming more visible on Korean TV (673 words)

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Post tags: Hwang Chan-bin, Misuda, Tamra the Island, variety shows

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.

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Read the rest of A new Miss Korea is crowned (267 words)

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Post tags: Miss Korea

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 ]

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Read the rest of Point-counterpoint: Pursuing beauty in 200 Pound Beauty (4,021 words)

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Post tags: 200 Pound Beauty, guest bloggers, Kim Ah-joong, movie reviews

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.

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Read the rest of Regarding Jang Ja-yeon (1,115 words)

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Post tags: deaths, Jang Ja-yeon, ranty/ravey

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?

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Post tags: good deeds, Lee Wan

Jo has taken a public battering after he expressed his desires for a place in his children’s lives when their mother and primary caregiver committed suicide in October. He read a statement explaining that he had been accused of making a shameless grab for Choi’s money, which was never his intent. However, he recognizes that as a result of all the fighting between his side and Choi’s family’s side, many people were hurt.

Jo’s withdrawal from the matter now, he feels, is the best way to set things on the right path for Choi’s family and his children.

He’ll still be their father in name, but only in name: Jo has agreed to legally transfer the children’s guardianship to their grandmother, in accordance with the Choi family’s wishes. He’ll also withdraw any claims to power of attorney or the handling of Choi’s property.

Well. Behold the power of public opinion.

Via Star News

RELATED POSTS

• Jo Sung-min tells his side of the story
• Jo Sung-min faces opposition from a citizens’ campaign
• More on Choi Jin-shil’s suicide
• Choi Jin-shil found dead, indicators point to suiicde

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Post tags: Choi Jin-shil, Jo Sung-min, lawsuits

I hadn’t intended on posting about actress Ok So-ri’s current adultery case, because South Korean law is one subject that I freely admit is beyond me. But the news has hit the international newswire, so here we go:

The 39-year-old Ok, who enjoyed most of her popularity in the ’90s (her last film was 1996’s Karuna), admitted to having an affair. That alone was scandalous enough, but in Korea, adultery is still a criminal offense. Korea’s adultery rate is high, but rarely is it actually prosecuted. (Imagine the overcrowding of prisons were that true!) However, a 55-year-old adultery law has enabled Ok’s husband to press charges. Ok has attempted to overturn the law, but the prosecution is now looking to send her to jail. TO JAIL. FOR ADULTERY.

Reuters says:

“South Korean enacted its adultery law more than 50 years ago to protect women who had few rights in the male-dominated society but critics say now it is a draconian measure no longer fit for a country with an advanced civil and family court system. …Last month, the Constitutional Court said adultery damaged the social order and therefore was a criminal offence.”

Now, I’m not condoning cheating, but the problem is that this is an archaic law and is being misapplied here as a revenge tactic more than a protection of rights. It’s also pretty damn hypocritical given that Korea’s got a booming sex trade (with the vast majority of johns being men, married and otherwise) and an extremely high (and ever-increasing) divorce rate.

Way to punish one person for the “crimes” of an entire nation, Korea. This here is some fecking messed-up shiz, people.

Via Arts News, Chosun Ilbo, Reuters

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Post tags: lawsuits, ranty/ravey, stuff that bugs