Dramabeans » Jeon Ji-hyun

Movie Review: My Sassy Girl

only1tony — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:25:03 +0000

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Rating: 9/10

What a brilliant surprise! I was so expecting a clichéd romantic comedy but My Sassy Girl is definitely anything but clichéd, for the most part. Quirky, funny, outrageous, unconventional and above all sassy, My Sassy Girl really hits all of the right notes for me. I can definitely see why it is a Korean classic and even why so many other countries have tried, with little luck, to reproduce this hilarious and sentimental movie. YOU MUST WATCH THIS! It will change your perspective on modern-day rom-coms. So let me “build a bridge of chance” for you to explore this really great movie (if you watch the movie you will understand the whole play of phrase I just used here, hehe).

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Post tags: Cha Tae-hyun, featured, Jeon Ji-hyun

Kim Soo-hyun joins Thieves

girlfriday — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:05:59 +0000

Niiice. What a surprising turn for upcoming heist movie Thieves to round out its cast with some young blood. I was already in, but now I’m chomping at the bit for this motley crew to get their thievin’ on. Kim Soo-hyun, fresh off his star-making turn as country-bumpkin-turned-popstar Song Sam-dong on Dream High, has joined the cast of what’s shaping up to be my new favorite movie, if all goes according to plan.

It’s a huge step up for the young but oh-so-talented Kim Soo-hyun, as he joins the ranks with A-listers Lee Jung-jae and Jeon Ji-hyun, who are headlining the “Korean Ocean’s Eleven.” Though his relative role might not be as substantial, I have no doubt he’ll be stealing scenes left and right.

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Post tags: Jeon Ji-hyun, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Jung-jae, Oh Dal-soo

Lee Jung-jae reunites with Jeon Ji-hyun in caper film

javabeans — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:12:10 +0000

When the “Korean Ocean’s Eleven” was first announced a couple months ago, we knew we could expect a big-name cast, from the attachment of A-lister Lee Jung-jae (The Housemaid) and based on the pattern established by the Hollywood franchise. And yup, the project has now brought onboard a whole slew of famous faces, starting with Jeon Ji-hyun (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), who re-teams with Lee after first starring with him in the lovely romantic film Il Mare back in 2000. (I LOVE the subtle, understated Il Mare; it still pains me what Hollywood did to it with The Lake House.)

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Post tags: Jeon Ji-hyun, Kim Hae-sook, Kim Hye-soo, Lee Jung-jae, Oh Dal-soo

First still from Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

javabeans — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:56:41 +0000

The first still has been released of the anticipated film adaptation of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, the historical novel written by Lisa See that has become a favorite of book clubs everywhere.

The movie stars Jeon Ji-hyun (aka Gianna Jun) as Snow Flower and Li Bingbing as Lily (a role previously taken by Zhang Ziyi, who then dropped out of the project), two friends in 19th-century China who share a deep emotional bond and communicate via a secret dialect/language, Nushu.

The movie is directed by Wayne Wang, who directed The Joy Luck Club as well as, um, Maid in Manhattan. It’s set for a July 15 release in The U.S.

I keep meaning to read this book (it’s on the book club’s list!), and have read good things about Lisa See’s novels in general. I’m not sure how the language barrier issue will resolve (apparently the movie’s in English and Chinese, and while Jeon Ji-hyun can scrape by passably with the former, I don’t suppose she’ll have as much luck with the latter), but if the movie does well, maybe Jeon will finally have her crossover success story.

Via Joy News

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Jeon Ji-hyun flies solo, considers next film role

javabeans — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:40:18 +0000

Yet more talk of a Jeon Ji-hyun project is being bandied about — I swear, most times there’s more speculation about her potential projects than there is actual discussion OF her projects. This one (if it goes through) would be Jeon’s first project after parting ways from her longtime management, Sidus HQ, and going solo with her own company.

This one is a movie called Falling In Love, which tells “a dangerous love story” of a married woman. Her rep stated that she is considering this project positively, but hasn’t made a final decision; she is also looking at a couple other possibilities.

Falling In Love will be directed by Lee Jae-yong of Untold Scandal, the Joseon-era spin on Dangerous Liaisons; raunchy teen sex comedy Dasepo Naughty Girls, as if you couldn’t tell from the title (which I actually thought was kinda fun, though meandering); and the mock docu-reality film Actresses.

After making a Hollywood crossover attempt, Blood: The Last Vampire, she shot the film adaptation of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan earlier this year. (Her last Korean film was back in 2008 with Hwang Jung-min, The Man Who Was Superman.)

Via Star News

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Rain and Jeon Ji-hyun caught up in romance rumors

javabeans — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 03:39:51 +0000

The latest romance scandal to hit the internet features two top stars, Rain and Jeon Ji-hyun, and the reports, mixed with speculation, are coming fast and furious. The media is all in a frenzy to confirm the truth, and the news was so surprising that even Jeon’s management, Sidus HQ, had nothing to say other than “We’re checking to see if it’s true. This is the first we’re hearing about it.”

Romance rumors are pretty common and sometimes turn out to be false or spread purposely to drum up buzz, but a “scandal” of this magnitude attracts an unusual level of interest. Furthermore, there are a number of specific details about the relationship that have people wondering if it might actually be true. For instance, one source reported that their relationship has been going for a year, and that the two met through a prominent chaebol and have been dating secretly at Jeon’s home in Samsungdong. The source was a witness to one of their dates, which they were very careful to keep out of the public eye.

Furthermore, the source revealed that they generally met on days when Rain didn’t have scheduled appearances or recordings. They avoided seeing each other on Fridays and Saturdays when Rain would record performances for music programs, and afterward they would meet on Sunday nights. Before Rain left for the MTV Movie Awards that took place just last week, he reportedly visited Jeon at her home, and prior to heading toward her place, he circled the neighborhood several times to check that he wasn’t being observed. Hawk-eyed netizens (of course!) have also pointed out that Rain wears a ring that is very similar to the bracelet Jeon wears from the same jewelry line, and suspect that those are their “couple accessories.”

Meanwhile, Rain’s entertainment company, J Tune, issued a denial, saying that the ring is not a couple ring and that there is no truth to the rumors. They contend that Rain only met Jeon a few times because of the drama they were once considering doing together (he’s still on for the action series Runaway, which she eventually declined).

Usually I ignore romance rumors because they seem so faked or planned, but this one has my interest. I’d vaguely had the thought that Jeon was on the verge of marriage with a different boyfriend, but that was almost two years ago…

Via Mk.co.kr, My Daily, Hankook Ilbo

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 53 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jeon Ji-hyun, Rain, star romances

Jeon Ji-hyun turns down Runaway

javabeans — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:43:57 +0000

Jeon Ji-hyun, Lee Na-young

As soon as Rain confirmed his drama comeback in Runaway (the next project from Chuno‘s writer-director team), speculation arose about who would be cast as his leading lady, and Jeon Ji-hyun‘s name rose to the top of lists as a likely prospect. However, a source with her management company, Sidus HQ, has now stated that Jeon has declined the offer.

Now Lee Na-young‘s name is being discussed as a top possibility, which was confirmed by her management, BOF, who stated on June 3 that although no decision has been made, they are looking favorably at the prospect. If she accepts, this would be Lee’s second time working with writer Chun Sung-il; Chun is the head of Harimao Pictures, which produced her recent film Dad Likes Women, a heartwarming family comedy in which she played a transgender character. (The character fathered a child while a man, but doesn’t know of the child’s existence until he comes knocking on her door, only to find that Dad is now a woman.) It would also be her first television drama role since Ireland in 2004, which she did after making a splash in the huge mania hit Ruler of Your Own World in 2002.

Runaway is planned for a late-September or early-October broadcast, which means that producers are in a hurry to lock down casting and begin filming soon.

Via DongA

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Will Jeon Ji-hyun be Rain’s woman in drama comeback?

javabeans — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:05:06 +0000

Nothing’s confirmed yet, but news is being floated about the possibility of Jeon Ji-hyun (aka Gianna Jun) joining Rain‘s drama comeback project, the KBS drama called Runaway (or Fugitive) written and directed by the Chuno pair, Chun Sung-il and PD Kwak Jung-hwan.

On May 6, a rep from KBS said, “After Rain’s casting was confirmed, we have considered a lot of actresses to play his co-lead. Currently Jeon Ji-hyun is the strongest candidate. Her side is looking into the project favorably, but will have to work with her schedule and that won’t be easy.” Another source from Jeon’s side said, “After hearing the news that director Kwak Jung-hwan, writer Chun Sung-il, and Rain had all joined the project, Jeon Ji-hyun is actively looking into it. As she is currently filming the movie Snow Flower and the Secret Fan in China and the U.S., care is being taken to work with her schedule.”

If Jeon were to sign on, this would be her first drama in 11 years, since 1999′s Happy Together. Runaway is described as a spy melodrama and is aiming for an October premiere. Producers are currently casting, and plan to begin filming in June after Rain wraps up his Asia tour.

Via Joy News

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Jeon Ji-hyun cast in Snow Flower with Zhang Ziyi

javabeans — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:21:31 +0000

It had been speculated that a drama would be Jeon Ji-hyun‘s next project following her attempt to go global in Blood: The Last Vampire, but on December 6, her management company, Sidus HQ, confirmed her next role: the movie adaptation of Lisa See’s bestselling novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. It will be directed by Joy Luck Club‘s Wayne Wang, co-stars (and is produced by) Zhang Ziyi, and is to be produced in English.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is set in 19th-century China and tells the story of two best friends, Lily and Snow Flower. The plot involves a secret language called Nu Shu, which is used only among women, and Zhang will take the lead role of Snow Flower. Although the book doesn’t overtly draw the women’s friendship as lesbian, their relationship has sensual overtones and includes a nude scene. (This scene is the reason that Shu Qi reportedly turned down the role.)

Via Asiae

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Jeon Ji-hyun considers Korean remake of Zettai Kareshi

javabeans — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:36:18 +0000

This is not finalized (so take with a grain of salt), but Jeon Ji-hyun‘s potential drama comeback just may come in the Korean adaptation of Japanese manga Absolute Boyfriend, aka Zettai Kareshi. The kdrama will be directed by PD Kim Min-shik of Queen of Housewives and Before and After: Plastic Surgery.

Jeon Ji-hyun is currently busy surveying projects to finalize her decision, and the Zettai remake is reportedly a strong contender. (It had considered casting U-Know Yunho at one point, who moved on to Heading to the Ground instead.) A source with the production said, “We understand that for a long while, Jeon Ji-hyun has been carefully preparing to take a role in a Korean drama. We are working out the details of her casting, and hope for a positive result.”

In the original fantasy-romance manga, a girl accidentally gets a made-to-order boyfriend android from a website, only to find out that she has to pay an exorbitant amount to keep him — unless she helps the company conduct research to improve future models. She must then hide his non-human status from others, and he starts to develop human emotions.

In the kdrama version, the lead is not a teenager but a 30-year-old woman who is a stylist at a beauty salon without any clients. She is betrayed by her first love who becomes an overnight success as a movie star. Feeling the sting, she orders up her ideal man in robot form, aka her “absolute boyfriend.”

Absolute Boyfriend will be a 16-episode drama to air on MBC either at the end of this year or in early 2010. If she decides on the drama, it will be Jeon Ji-hyun’s first in ten years, since 1999′s Happy Together. After seeing such a lot of the same old kdramas airing one after another, this plot sounds like a refreshing change.

(Of course, the big question — aside from whether Jeon will sign on — is: Who plays the perfect manbot?? My wishlist: Kim Kang-woo or Gong Yoo!)

Via DongA

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2009. | Permalink | 108 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jeon Ji-hyun, manhwa adaptations