Kim Ji-suk — Dramabeans

Mnet 20’s Choice Awards makes weird choices

Posted on August 23rd, 2008

MC Jang Geun-seok

Although I didn’t watch August 23’s broadcast of Mnet’s 20’s Choice awards (a wannabe VMA’s, really), looking over the full winners list, my first reaction is: “What were they smoking?”

Some choices made sense. I get why Jang Geuk-seok, shakin’ his thang above as the event’s MC, was awarded Hot Movie Star (Male) because he’s had a great year coming off the drama Hong Gil Dong and recent movie Baby and I. And Hot Sports Star is a topical choice, going to the recent gold-medalist female weight lifter Jang Mi-ran, while the annoyingly catchy, ubiquitous earworms “One More Time” and “So Hot” (by Jewelry and Wonder Girls, respectively) are no-brainers.

But even the fact that they’ve got a “Hot Schoolgirl” category (winner So-hee), or “Hot Comment” (I think they meant catchprase) are kind of, pardon my French, retarded. And don’t even ask me what “Hot Sweet Music” means.

Furthermore, I get that “American beef” was a hot topic this year, but to highlight it at an awards show as the “winner” of Hot Issuemaker seems a little crass. Or just stupid.

Check out the full list beyond the jump, along with pics of the show in all its tacky glory.

MNET 20′S CHOICE WINNERS AND ATTENDEES >>

Tags: awards, Big Bang, Girls Generation, Jang Geun-seok, Jun Jin, Kim Ji-suk, Kim Min-hee, kpop, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Hyori, Park Min-young, Park Shi-hoo, Park Yong-ha, Ryu Seung-beom, singers, Uhm Jung-hwa, Wonder Girls, Yoo Seung-ho

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Let the (interview) game begin

Posted on July 21st, 2008

SBS’s new show Interview Game opened up its studio on the 21st for a press conference. The show is hosted by a panel of four actors — Go Jun-hee, Kim Ji-suk, Geum Bo-ra, and Yeom Kyung-hwan — and covers a range of topics in its interviews, often with a serious tone, from family, career plans, love, and others.

A case in point is the show recorded that day (and airing on the 22nd), featuring as its guest the older brother of deceased rapper Turtleman, aka Im Sung-hoon, who passed away in April of a heart attack. The brother, Im Joon-hwan, met with various people who’d known Turtleman through his life, such as a high school classmate who reminisced about how Turtleman had dreamt of pursuing music and wrote songs since high school. He also found out for the first time about a disappointed love his brother had experienced, a woman who’d been identified in one of his songs through her initials “KSK.” His groupmate Ji-yi explained that the woman had died while he was in military service; to escape being assaulted by some men, she’d been running away when she was struck in a traffic accident. Ji-yi recalled, “He cried whenever he talked about it.”

Apparently Turtleman had been going through a rough time, stressed and burdened with business matters. His brother, hearing this for the first time over the course of the show, was struck speechless for a while to hear what a hard time his brother had been facing. (Gah, this show sounds depressing. A review by Yonhap News has described Interview Game as setting off to a quiet start, and decried a lack of rapport between the interviewers and interviewees.)

Meanwhile, host Kim Ji-suk explained his anticipation of the shows to come, explaining that unlike most other reality and variety programming, Interview Game is completely unscripted; all of its laughter and touching moments are “100% real.” Asked who he’d personally like to interview most, he answered, “I’d really like to try interviewing the president of my management company. I’d like to hear what he plans for my future.”

Go Jun-hee told reporters that the show has received lots of interest in people who’d like to participate. Personally, she’d like to interview her parents: “I’d like to ask who my father’s best friends are, the places my mother frequents.” (Because I’m sure these questions are only worth asking on television? You have this great new platform, are asked about hypothetical interviews you’d love to do, and you pick your boss? Or your parents? Come on, I know you guys are actors, but how about some answers that aren’t quite so narcissistic?)