What would happen if the descendants of Joseon-era Robin Hood-like hero Hong Gil Dong were alive today and secretly carrying on his legacy of punishing evildoers and helping the poor?

That’s the premise behind the new movie Hong Gil Dong’s Descendants [홍길동의 후예], and it stars Lee Beom-soo (On Air) as that descendant, We Got Married’s Lee Shi-young as his love interest, and comedian Kim Su-ro (Our School ET) as his nemesis.

If you’ve seen the recent drama version of Hong Gil Dong, you know the basic premise of the story (even if the Hong sisters’ writing is prone to the overly exaggerated comic gag). What Hong Gil Dong’s Descendants does is reinvent the basic tale of a chivalrous bandit and place him in modern times, crossing the old folk legend with a dash of Clark Kent-ian Superman.

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Post tags: Hong Gil Dong, Kim Su-ro, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Shi-young

Given that the star-studded omnibus movie Ogamdo [오감도] is touted as a story of “love beyond eros” told five different ways (there are five directors helming five different vignettes), it’s no surprise that its promotional material continues to be provocative. (For instance, the first poster got people talking with the nude woman it featured.)

In fact, the film has received an adults-only rating due to its “frank sexual depictions” and “provocative content.” Some of the narrative threads include a newlywed couple’s upset love, a first encounter for a young couple, a “peculiar relationship” between a famous movie actress and a new actress, a woman who lives with her dead husband’s girlfriend, and so forth.

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Post tags: Cha Soo-yeon, Hwang Jung-min, Jang Hyuk, Kim Hyo-jin, Kim Kang-woo, Kim Min-sun, Kim Su-ro, Uhm Jung-hwa

Lee Seon-kyun (34) married his 33-year-old bride Jeon Hye-jin on May 23; the event was closed to the media but the couple has released official photos of the ceremony.

The day was emceed by Lee’s good friends, actor Oh Man-seok and Hong Sung-bo, and featured a serenade by the groom himself, as well as songs by actor Kim Chang-wan (Coffee Prince) and indie artists Zitten and Tearliner. I am officially jealous not only of the bride’s good fortune but their awesome musical lineup.

The song Lee sang was the one he’d also sung for Coffee Prince co-star Chae Jung-ahn (who was in attendance), titled “Ocean Voyage” (listen below).

SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Seon-kyun – “바다여행” (Ocean Travel) [ Download ]

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Post tags: Chae Jung-ahn, Jeon Hye-jin, Kim Chang-wan, Kim Ji-woo, Kim Su-ro, Lee Seon-kyun, Oh Man-seok, weddings, Yoo Sun, Yoon Eun-hye

The upcoming omnibus film Ogamdo [오감도] has a provocative new poster out, and the first question — given its star-studded cast — is which of its leading ladies is featured in the nude photo. The answer: none. The production explained that the poster — which conveys the movie’s primary motif of “eros” — used a body model, not one of its high-profile actresses (like Kim Min-sun or Uhm Jung-hwa).

The tagline reads: “See, pass by, feel…” and is followed by the subtitle “A story about more than eros.” Each of the film’s various vignettes falls under the love/eros theme, but will be filmed by a different director, of whom there are five signed on to the project:

Heo Jin-ho (Happiness)
Byun Hyuk (Interview)
Yoo Young-shik (Shim’s Family)
Oh Ki-hwan (The Art of Seduction)
Min Kyu-dong (Antique Bakery)

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Post tags: Bae Jong-ok, Cha Soo-yeon, Hwang Jung-min, Jang Hyuk, Jung Eui-chul, Kim Dong-wook, Kim Kang-woo, Kim Min-sun, Kim Su-ro, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-min, Shin Sae-kyung, Song Joong-ki, Uhm Jung-hwa

There’s a new omnibus film coming out, Ogamdo (not sure yet if it’ll get an English title), which is the next project for Happiness director Heo Jin-ho.

While it stars some marquee names (Jang Hyuk, Kim Min-sun), the announcement of its lesser-knowns is also drawing attention, particularly as the younger cast members are gaining popularity in the latest “kkot-minam” (pretty boy) trend.

Case in point: Jung Eui-chul and Lee Shi-young, whose names shot to the top of online searches after appearances on star-making drama Boys Before Flowers. Jung (top left) was the devious model Haje of recent episodes, while Lee (bottom left) played plastic beauty Min-ji.

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Post tags: Bae Jong-ok, Cha Soo-yeon, Jang Hyuk, Jung Eui-chul, Kim Dong-wook, Kim Kang-woo, Kim Min-sun, Kim Su-ro, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-min, Shin Sae-kyung, Song Joong-ki

August 28 saw the VIP preview of the comedy Our School E.T., which opens in wide release on September 11.

The title’s “E.T.” is both a cheeky reference to Spielberg’s extraterrestrial and to the lead character played by funnyman Kim Su-ro, who takes on the role of a not-so-bright physical education teacher. As a result of the growing pressure for students to stress an English-language education, he needs to switch to teaching English (becoming the “E.T.,” or English Teacher). Alas, his limited talents aren’t quite up to the task. But he tries — and what he lacks in brainpower, he makes up in determination.

The cast also features a crop of young actors — Baek Sung-hyun (pictured above, with lead actor Kim Su-ro), Park Bo-young, Lee Min-ho, and Moon Chae-won — as well as veteran comedic actor Lee Han-wee.

There were a slew of familiar faces at the VIP screening, including those of actors Kim Rae-won, Lee Seon-kyun, and Oh Man-seok, as well as recent Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Park Tae-hwan. More beyond the cut.

Here’s the preview, which is in Korean, but worth watching just for the last two lines (preceding them, starting at the 1:57 mark, Lee Han-wee’s character tells Kim Su-ro’s to speak only in English):

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Read the rest of VIPs come to see E.T. (250 words)

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Post tags: Baek Sung-hyun, Kim Rae-won, Kim Su-ro, Lee Chun-hee, Lee Min-ho, Lee Seon-kyun, Moon Chae-won, Oh Man-seok, Park Bo-young, Park Tae-hwan, press conferences