Here’s more info on the Hollywood debut project for Kang Hye-jung. The Korean article mistakenly refers to the title of the film as “Wedding Planner,” but I believe it’s actually Korean Wedding, to be co-produced by Korea’s CJ Entertainment and American Vertigo Entertainment and Lionsgate.

Korean Wedding centers around an American man falling in love with a Korean woman; he proposes, and they set off for the mother country to gain her parents’ consent. Apparently this is based on the real-life experiences of one of the writers, Iain McConnell, who co-writes with his cousin, Jason Filardi, who wrote Bringing Down the House (which did such a cleverly original and multidimensional job of Odd Couple-ing the Uptight White Man and the Uproariously Loud Black Woman, no? No racial stereotyping there at all). I’d say it sounds based on My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Meet the Parents, but whatever.

I think the movie sounds terrible already (Look at those crazy Koreans! Omg what are they going to make me eat? Think of all the language misfires that will ensue! O, culture clash, were you ever so rife with comedic potential? Hilarrrrrrious), or if not terrible, then at least terribly trite. I’m a little disappointed that such a strong actress as Kang Hye-jung has chosen this kind of standard film as her crossover vehicle — she’s capable of so much more — but maybe I should just be glad she’s not playing another of many vampire or ninja assassins. (Of all the upcoming Hallyu-goes-Hollywood attempts, I think Song Hye-gyo’s John Woo film is looking the most promising right now.)

Well, if anyone can bring to life the little quirky details of a character, it’s Kang Hye-jung. And yeah, I’ll probably see it. Isn’t that what counts?

Via Today Korea (in Korean); and in English: Variety Asia and Hollywood Reporter

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• Kang Hye-jung heads West
• Flowers For My Life / I Came in Search of Flowers

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Twenty-six-year-old movie actress Kang Hye Jung, whom I loved as the quirky Hana in last year’s underrated drama series Flowers For My Life, is prepping to make her (sigh, another one?) Hollywood debut.

According to her management, YG Entertainment, she’ll be filming in Los Angeles later this year, but they remained mum on the details, saying those would be publicized once the contract is complete. What, you couldn’t wait for the ink to dry before running to the media, only to tell them to wait for the ink to dry so you could, uh, run to the media again?

She was reportedly approached by the filmmakers after gaining international recognition in films Oldboy and Welcome to Dongmakgol. The film she’s being cast in will be helmed by a Korean (-American, I believe), and is described as a love story and melodrama.

All right. Shall we do a rundown of Korean stars attempting Hollywood? Well, so far we have:

Lee Byung Heon (a ninja assassin in GI Joe), everybody’s favorite punching bag Rain (a ninja assassin in Ninja Assassin), Jang Dong Gun (an Asian warrior assassin in Laundry Warrior), Jeon Ji Hyun (a vampire warrior — assassin? — in Blood the Last Vampire — are you noticing a theme here?), and Song Hye Gyo (actually a two-parter; first is Fetish, then John Woo’s 1949), among others.

The immediate question that comes to mind for all of these situations is: Can they even speak English? (Even if they are playing chinkified stereotypes for the most part.) Well, we’ll see about that soon enough, but in my opinion, if we’re talking about casting a Korean star in an English-language film, I want to see Jung Ryeo Won in an indie flick or something. She’s got a unique aura about her that’s both Korean and Western, and at the same time neither entirely Korean nor entirely Western. It’s something I connect with — which I think a lot of hyphenates (whatever-slash-Americans) can identify with — and somebody oughtta make use of that.

Via Hankyung

SONG OF THE DAY

Soulzean - “Doo Roo Roo” [ Download ]

RELATED POSTS

• The year in review, part 1: The best of 2007
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“To my precious you
who brightened up my life
I invite you to my funeral”

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Sang Sang Band - “Say Goodbye” [ zShare download ]

FLOWERS FOR MY LIFE, Final Episode Part 2 >>

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“Wad of Gum — I love you”

There’s so much I want to say about this last episode, I didn’t know how to fit it all into a post. So I decided not to worry over what to leave out and just break up the recap into two posts.

I really can’t say enough in praise of Flowers For My Life. It’ll be a long time before I see a drama as good AND as satisfying (so many times you get one without the other). It was both meaningful but entertaining.

What I found particularly notable about this final episode was, for one that deals so directly with death, it wasn’t sad. It wasn’t self-pitying. And it wasn’t depressing. I was pleasantly surprised to be left laughing for most of the episode.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Nell - “안녕히 계세요” (Goodbye) [ zShare download ]

FLOWERS FOR MY LIFE Final Episode, Part 1 (of 2) >>

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I was a little hesitant to watch the last two episodes of Flowers For My Life, because I felt I had to prepare myself adequately for the sadness. Also, I wasn’t sure I was ready to say goodbye to such a wonderful, superlative drama. But I needn’t have worried; I’ve seen the end of the series, and (no Episode 16 spoilers here) I can say it doesn’t sink into tragedy or melodrama. In fact, it takes an upturn.

I cried, of course, but it was a satisfying cry, and not out of sadness but poignance. To me, Episode 15 was as close to perfectly satisfying as you can get, with the exception of Episode 16 which was even better.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Mot (못) - “Heaven Song.” Mot is not a band everyone will like. They’re a little weird, a little eclectic, a little off the beaten path. But Mot might be just the thing for people who like moody, dissonant music. This is one of their less-weird songs. [ zShare download ]

FLOWERS FOR MY LIFE Episode 15 >>

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I hope the delay for this summary doesn’t suggest that this episode wasn’t good. Flowers For My Life is a wonderful drama and it’s going straight to the (almost-)top of my all-time favorites. You know, I’ve seen a lot of dramas in marathon sessions after all the episodes have already aired, and when you watch a batch of episodes at one time, you’re more likely to overlook flaws, or be forgiving of them. You’re not really given much time to think over a storyline before it’s time to watch the next installment.

Some dramas might be good in marathons, but don’t hold up on an individual basis — Witch Amusement comes to mind. Actually, that series might have been a lot better in one sitting with the fast-forward button. But I think the best dramas are the ones that are great week-to-week as well, because it’s a far more difficult thing to sustain interest over months at a time without bleeding viewership — every week is an opportunity to lose an audience if you don’t keep the quality up.

To me, Flowers For My Life is one of the latter kind — not only do I enjoy it week to week, but every episode leaves me feeling like I’ve just witnessed something remarkable. (And I have.) If you haven’t seen Flowers, you’re missing out. And if you have seen Flowers and didn’t like it, well, we can still be friends. Just maybe not the blood-swapping, speed-dial-programmed, oath-swearing variety.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Nell - “Good Night” [ zShare download ]

FLOWERS FOR MY LIFE Episode 14 >>

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