Dramabeans

Jung Woo-sung begins work on wuxia film

2009-11-07T17:00:10Z

Jung Woo-sung, who played “The Good” part of The Good, The Bad, The Weird, is joining his Hallyu colleagues like Lee Byung-heon and Jang Dong-gun in attempting a leap to the global stage: his next project, Rain of Swords, is directed by John Woo (Mission Impossible 2) and co-stars Michelle Yeoh (Crouching TIger, Hidden Dragon).

Filming began this past week in Shanghai on the wuxia (martial arts in ancient China) project, described as “Face/Off meets Mr. & Mrs. Smith set in the Ming Dynasty.” According to the Korea Times, the film “follows a love affair between a retiring assassin (Yeoh) and a messenger (Jung) whose father was killed by the assassin’s former associates. The assassin is initially oblivious of her lover’s history and the fact that he is well-trained in martial arts. Meanwhile a character played by Wang Xue-qi sets out to steal a powerful artifact in her possession.”

Jung Woo-sung has been studying Chinese for the movie, which plans to release in later 2010.

Via Now News, Korea Times

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Pig-Rabbit for sale (calling You’re Beautiful fans)

2009-11-06T21:39:03Z

If you were charmed by the “Pig-Rabbit” stuffed animal that was featured prominently in this week’s episodes of You’re Beautiful, you’re not the only one: the production company has been flooded with inquiries about it. One source explains, “The phone won’t stop ringing with questions regarding the Pig-Rabbit. With the fans requesting merchandise of the A.N.JELL cut-outs [pogs] and the Pig-Rabbit, we have looked into it and plan to begin production soon.”

In case you’re behind on the drama, “Pig-Rabbit” arose out of a nickname that Jang Geun-seok’s character had for Park Shin-hye; the plush version was created when he cannibalized two stuffed animals in Episode 9 to produce a bunny with a pig snout. (As you can see, it sure made her happy.)

The stuffed animal was also featured in Episode 10 as he continued talking (and venting) to the doll. The cartoonized A.N.JELL figures (pogs and stickers), which were used as a plot point, also got fans talking.

Meanwhile, the drama finally broke 10% ratings with the last episode; its 10.0% (via TNS ratings; AGB’s give 10.8%) held up against IRIS’s 30.9%.

Via BNT News

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Yoon So-yi jumps into filming for Hero

2009-11-06T22:15:59Z

After only being selected this week to replace the lead actress of Hero, actress Yoon So-yi jumped into filming for the drama the very next day (the 5th), shooting her first action scene on the 6th.

In the scene shown in the stills below, Yoon’s character (Joo Jae-in) jumps in to save the nephews of Lee Junki’s reporter character when they are nearly kidnapped by private loan sharks — they’d borrowed money but their sister had failed to make the repayment. Yoon shows off a variety of action moves and kicks; bystanders who stopped to watch the filming gave her a round of applause.

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Read the rest of Yoon So-yi jumps into filming for Hero (189 words)

TOP and Kwon Sang-woo take over “71″

2009-11-06T19:14:29Z

The movie 71 had first caught my interest for starring young actors Kim Bum and Yoo Seung-ho as student soldiers in wartime, but problems arose when the movie encountered budget issues and the like. The stars dropped out and the production halted for an extended period. Now, the project has changed production companies and been revived with a new title and new stars: TOP and Kwon Sang-woo will be meeting onscreen as the two leads of Into the Gunfire [포화 속으로].

The old title referred to a real incident during the Korean war when North Korean soldiers had invaded and 71 South Korean students had banded together to defend their home (in Pohang, Gyeongsang-do). Kim Bum’s former character had risen to lead the students in the pivotal battle.

With this new casting, Kwon Sang-woo plays a man who enlists in the military after being suspected in a murder and volunteers for the student forces; TOP plays another, more junior student soldier. Actors Cha Seung-won (City Hall) and Kim Seung-woo (IRIS) are in contention for other roles: Cha as a North Korean officer and Kim as a lieutenant leading the 71 young soldiers. Directing is Lee Jae-hwan of A Moment to Remember and writing is Lee Man-hee of A Turtle Runs.

(I’ve made the joke before, but this time I’m honestly perplexed: Does Kwon Sang-woo really not know what his image and/or generation is? I’m not saying that a man can’t take leading roles with younger actors, because Kwon can totally still do the sexy leading man thing. But the role in question is of a student and had previously been filled by Kim Bum — thirteen years younger is a big leap, even if the character has been tweaked. I’m puzzled.)

The film will begin shooting at the end of November or early December, and plans for a mid-2010 release.

Via Now News, Hankook Ilbo

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Where Kim Bum leads, Yoo Seung-ho follows

Open Thread #108

2009-11-06T14:43:49Z

SONG OF THE DAY

Stars of Track and Field – “The Aviator” [ Download ]

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You’re Beautiful: Episode 10

2009-11-06T04:59:52Z

(It’s Lee Hong-ki’s uncertain “Uhhhh…..” face that makes this shot for me.)

As for the episode, I kinda hate myself for doing this, but:

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

SONG OF THE DAY

Lyn – “Love U, I Love U” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of You’re Beautiful: Episode 10 (41 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2009. | Permalink | 335 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: episode recaps, Jang Geun-seok, Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Hong-ki, Park Shin-hye, You're Beautiful

Help out Boys Over Flowers on Netflix

2009-11-05T22:11:25Z

I received an email from someone at YA Entertainment, which, as you may know, is the company that licenses Korean dramas for sale with English subtitles. I’m passing it along for all of you with accounts at Netflix to help get more Korean dramas available at the online rental service:

Hi,

I need your help. In an effort to continue to reach out to the mainstream with our K-dramas on DVD with English subtitles we have signed on with Netflix. According to their reports there are not enough people adding our titles into their queues and we are at risk of not being able to share this very important and popular genre with the millions of people that Netflix has access too.

If you didn’t already know, K-dramas are enjoyed throughout the world by millions of people already either dubbed or subtitled in several other languages. For some reason it has yet to catch on in the US and Canada outside of mostly other Asians and other ethnic groups.

We will be releasing the wildly popular K-drama Boys Over Flowers this November 17 and Netflix currently has it available on their site but I just got an email this morning saying they will hold the order until they see the numbers prove that there is a demand for this title and our other titles.

Clearly there is a demand for it but, unfortunately, the majority of people who currently watch our DVD’s are collectors and tend to purchase rather than rent. Although we have reached the tip of the mainstream by having our DVD’s available at Barnes and Noble, Costco, Borders, FYE’s and several independent retailers, we are still stunted due to the fact that even they don’t believe that there is a demand yet, so we are given very limited shelf access and a very small number of stores carry our products. Over 90% of our end consumers are not Korean, which means that we KNOW that this is entertainment for ALL and that if given a chance then most people will enjoy the dramas.

Please help me and the K-drama industry a chance to share what we have to offer by asking all your friends and family who have Netflix accounts to add one of our titles into their queues and give it a chance.

The following titles are available at Netflix to rent and there are still so many more to add but we will not be able to unless they start seeing that it’s in demand!

You can start by adding Boys Over Flowers V. 1.

http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Boys_Over_Flowers_Vol._1/70127182?lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=2014803991_1_0&strackid=1426dfc813c6962_1_srl

Please send this out to everyone you know!

Thank you very much for your time!

-Alyx

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Read the rest of Help out Boys Over Flowers on Netflix (1,284 words)