Awards, awards, awards! Friday, November 25, was the night of the 2011 Blue Dragon Film Awards, and — no surprise — the winners list was dominated by one of the biggest films of the year, sageuk-action-thriller Bow: The Ultimate Weapon. The film is a David and Goliath story of one man (Park Hae-il) taking down the enemy with his exceptional prowess with the bow and won awards for most of its leading stars.

A few other films also nabbed multiple awards, with best picture going to the thriller Bad Deal. (which also won for director and screenplay).

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Post tags: awards, Byun Jung-soo, Go Soo, Gong Yoo, Han Chae-young, Jo Sung-ha, Jung Ryeo-won, Kim Haneul, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Je-hoon, Lee Jung-jin, Lee Min-ho, Lee Min-jung, Lee Shi-young, Moon Chae-won, Nam Gyuri, Park Bo-young, Park Hae-il, Ryu Hyun-kyung, Ryu Seung-ryong, Su Ae, Yoo Sun, Yoon Kye-sang

October 17 was the night of the 48th Grand Bell Awards (or, per its Korean name, Daejong Awards), and it was a big event for a few films in particular. And while the Joseon-era David-versus-Goliath action sageuk Bow: The Ultimate Weapon didn’t sweep the categories, it did take home a nice chunk of them.

But Best Picture (and a few others) went to the Korean War film The Front Line (which is probably a good thing, since it’s this year’s entry to the Academy Awards — not that I expect it’ll win or even make final cut. Korean films rarely — never? — do).

A couple of other notable winners: bright, touching comedy Sunny, and the moody, pensive Bleak Night. All are on my Must Watch ASAP list.

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Post tags: awards, Bae Jong-ok, Cha Tae-hyun, Choi Kang-hee, Daniel Choi, Go Chang-seok, Jang Seo-hee, Jang Young-nam, Jo Hee-bong, Jo Sung-ha, Jung Soo-young, Kang So-ra, Kim Haneul, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Sumi, Lee Je-hoon, Lee Min-jung, Moon Chae-won, Park Hae-il, Park Hyo-joo, Seo Young-hee, Shin Hyun-bin, Shin Hyun-joon, Song Sae-byuk, Won Bin, Yoon Kye-sang

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

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

More awards!

The Blue Dragon Film Awards took place on November 26, and the many of the same films that have been winning lately were rewarded once again: Some of the big winners were for films such as crime drama Moss, dark thriller I Saw the Devil, romantic comedy Cyrano Dating Agency, stark action movie Ajusshi, and the much-lauded Poetry.

Kang Dong-won and Song Kang-ho’s Secret Reunion prevailed to win best picture over nominees Ajusshi, The Housemaid, Moss, and Jeon Woo Chi.

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Post tags: awards, Choi Kang-hee, Daniel Choi, Han Hye-jin, Jin Gu, Jo Yeo-jung, Jo Yoon-hee, Jung Jae-young, Jung Soo-young, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Sung-soo, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Min-jung, Nam Gyuri, Park Bo-young, Park Hee-soon, Park Jin-hee, Park Min-young, Sohn Ye-jin, Song Joong-ki, Won Bin, Yoo Joon-sang, Yoo Sun, Yoon Shi-yoon

WTF? I…can’t even begin to describe this photo shoot.

I’m going to go with: Zombie Twins Fresh Out of the Grave.

Right?

Perhaps the zombies had on nice dresses before becoming zombie-fied, but now they’re a hot mess. As most zombies are. As if being a vampire wasn’t enough. She’s got a flare for the melodramatic, this one.

Actress Kim Hye-soo, star of the new MBC drama Home Sweet Home, inexplicably goes for a roll in the mud wearing haute couture, proving that sometimes…fashion is just whack.

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Post tags: Kim Hye-soo, photo shoots

It was a slowish beginning, ratings-wise, for MBC’s new “Korean Desperate Housewives” series Home Sweet Home, which I’d previously called by its literal translation, My Happy Home. Wednesday’s premiere improved upon its predecessor, Playful Kiss (which averaged 3.5% for its 16-episode run), but not by much, drawing a 6.4%.

On the other hand, initial evaluations of the first hour were positive for the strong acting skills of its cast, and it looks like it has carved out a niche with 30-something women viewers, among whom the rating share was 19%. Not bad, considering ajummas also love Go Hyun-jung, who headlines competitor drama Daemul. (On the same day, Daemul held its lead with a 25.5%, a few points lower than its high, while KBS’s Runaway Plan B inched up a few points to 12.8%.)

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Post tags: Hwang Shin-hye, Kim Hye-soo

My Happy Home, aka the “Korean Desperate Housewives,” is MBC’s new Wednesday-Thursday show that premieres this week in the former Playful Kiss timeslot.

The show stars Kim Hye-soo (Style) and Hwang Shin-hye (The Queen Returns) as leads and rivals. Kim’s character is kind and intelligent, although deep down she harbors the stirrings of “an instinct for hatred.” Hwang, on the other hand, sports an elegant outer appearance that covers an inferiority complex as the resident femme fatale harboring deep pain. Buckle up and get ready for the catfighting seems to be the message of the drama’s promotions.

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Post tags: Hwang Shin-hye, Kim Hye-soo

When Playful Kiss wraps up next week, a new 16-episode drama will take over: My Happy Home [즐거운 나의집], starring Style’s Kim Hye-soo, which is being described as a “Korean Desperate Housewives.” That means a murder mystery will play a pivotal role in the story, which features a cast of ajumma housewives.

Hwang Shin-hye (The Queen Returns) plays Kim Hye-soo’s rival, while Lee Sang-yoon (Life Is Beautiful, pictured below) and musical actor Shin Sung-woo (above) provide some male eye candy.

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Post tags: Hwang Shin-hye, Kim Hye-soo, Lee Sang-yoon

Kim Hye-soo is finalizing the details of her next project, which is opposite another veteran actress, Hwang Shin-hye, in a new MBC drama called My Happy Home. While Kim is working out the particulars of the casting, Hwang has already been confirmed.

I wonder if this means that Kim (and Hwang) will be doing more dramas now, which can only be a good thing. Both actresses have done drama series in the past year after half a decade away from television; Kim in SBS’s fashion-magazine drama Style, and Hwang in The Princess Has Returned (also called The Queen Returns).

Kim and Hwang will be rivals in My Happy Home, which will be a Wednesday-Thursday series. Their characters come from very different backgrounds and start out as classmates in high school, and the drama follows their conflicts and successes over the years as they become adults. Kim’s character had a peaceful family life and therefore possesses a bright personality, while Hwang grew up in difficult circumstances.

The plot sounds pretty basic, but I wouldn’t count it out based on that. Writing the series is Yoo Hyun-mi, who wrote revenge thriller Green Rose and legal-thriller series Scale of Providence.

My Happy Home will begin filming in September and is being planned for 16 episodes. It is scheduled to follow Playful Kiss (which is three weeks from its premiere) and hits airwaves in November.

Via My Daily

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Post tags: Hwang Shin-hye, Kim Hye-soo