Although any stars profess to an interest in photography (Yoon Kye-sang, Park Ji-yoon, So Ji-sub et al.), Bae Doo-na appears on the more serious end of the spectrum. The 29-year-old actress and amateur photographer is releasing her third volume of photoessays in early November. Titled Doo-na’s Seoul Fun [서울놀이], the book follows her two previous books, Doo-na’s London Fun and Doo-na’s Tokyo Fun.

This latest volume takes a look at Bae’s own favorite spots around the city, including her preferred walking trails, sunrise from a bridge at the Han River, the forest in Buamdong, and Changgyeonggung Palace. She also shows various scenes from her daily life, such as the restaurants and cafes she enjoys and views from a bicycle tour. (Apparently her other interests include cooking and flower arrangement.)

In keeping with her hobby, Bae Doo-na has also been selected as promo representative for the upcoming Daegu Photo Biennale, which takes place from October 31 through November 16.

Via Newsis

RELATED POSTS

• BFFs Hyo-jin and Doo-na
• Looking at the world through star-colored lenses
• tvN’s World Special “LOVE”
• Being a Good Neighbor more important than being a perfect one

Filed under: Celebrity News by javabeans - 4 Comments →

Oh no! It’s a return of the Front-Butt Pants of Doom!

Bae Doo-na is its latest victim; I’d thought we’d seen that last of those horrific things, because surely only the sartorially challenged Jae Hee would wear such a monstrosity, and hopefully just the once. We don’t expect it of an actress who’s known for her edgy fashion sense along with best-bud fashionista Gong Hyo-jin.

Please, designers: The crotch is not something to be screwed around with. Well, not that way.

Filed under: Oh snap by javabeans - 25 Comments →

Gong + Bae = Best friends 4-eva!

Bae Doo-na and Gong Hyo-jin, both known for their eclectic and fashion-forward style senses as well as their film and drama roles over the years, are also good pals and have been for the past decade. Now they’re showing their friendship in — what else? — a magazine photo spread.

The shoot for Nylon Korea magazine based itself on the concept “friendly neighbors,” which isn’t such a stretch given that the two actresses live in the same neighborhood and are neighbors in real life. As friends, they hang out, eat, shop, and listen to music together. They’ve also already displayed candid and self-shot pics of themselves together on their respective mini-homepages (see below).

Both debuted as models back in 1998, and it’s interesting to see how their careers have developed on somewhat parallel upward tracts. Among other roles, Bae Doo-na acted in 1999’s The Ring Virus, Take Care of My Cat (2001), Park Chan-wook’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, 2003 drama Country Princess, and hit it big(ger) with 2006’s The Host. Her latest project was the SBS drama How to Meet a Perfect Neighbor last summer.

Gong Hyo-jin started off in 1999’s Memento Mori, went on to 2001’s Volcano High and Emergency Measure 19 in 2002. She made a name for heself in the 2002 MBC drama Ruler of Your Own World, then went on to act with Rain in Sangdoo, Let’s Go To School (2003), with Gong Yoo in Hello My Teacher (2005), and with Jang Hyuk in last year’s lauded Thank You; her most recent project is comedy flick Crush and Blush co-starring Lee Jong-hyuk, which releases October 16.

The photo spread will be printed in Nylon’s October issue.

More photos and sel-cas of Bae and Gong >>

Filed under: Celebrity News by javabeans - 17 Comments →

Note: What they’re talking about in this article is a step up from the ubiquitous “sel-ca” photos, or “self-taken” photographs, that we see online everywhere. A lot of the photos in question do feature the celebs themselves, but this is referring more to the trend of stars becoming amateur photographers, publishing books and putting their work out for display.

“What’s the reason for the celebrity photographer trend?”

Actors aren’t merely models who always stand in front of the camera. Sometimes they stand behind the camera and see the world through the eyes of photographers. Some publish photo collections like Park Ji-yoon (Secret Garden), Bae Doo-na (Doo-na’s Tokyo Fun), Lee Byung-jin. Others operate photo studios themselves, like Jo Min-ki (Seoul Cheongdamdong St. Zio) and Bbaek Ga (Seoul Shinsadong BY100).

A number of others are photography fans boasting a bit of skill, such as Bae Yong-joon, Boa, So Ji-sub, Song Il-kook, Uhm Tae-woong, and Jung Jong-chul. Let’s take a look at the reason for the trend of celebrities getting behind the camera lens.

(You mean, other than vanity?)

SONG OF THE DAY

Misty Blue – “너의 별 이름은 시리우스B” (Your star’s name is Sirius B) [ Download ]

More star photographs >>

Filed under: Celebrity News by javabeans - 13 Comments →

Actors Shin Hyun-joon and Bae Doo-na were sent earlier this summer to do some charity work abroad via cable channel tvN’s world special “LOVE” (their phrasing) documentary program. I’d mentioned this before Bae Doo-na set off for Nepal, but now that she’s gone there and back, we can see for ourselves what the trip entailed.

Shin’s trip was taken back in July to a small village in Malaysia, where he stayed a week, accompanied by photographer Yang Hyun-mo. Bae, on the other hand, made her trip in August to Lele, a village in Nepal, in conjunction with the Good Neighbors International program. She was also there a week with a photographer to document the events as she aided the family of a 7-year-old girl who worked manual labor to earn money for her family.

Shin Hyun-joon’s segment aired on September 6, while Bae Doo-na’s will be featured on the 20th.

More pics beyond the cut >>

Filed under: Celebrity News by javabeans - 5 Comments →