Watch out, here comes Mayor Kim Sun-ah!

In her last photo shoot (displaying a slimmer figure and newly shorn hair for her role in the drama City Hall), Kim carried off a vibe that was sexy and strong, but not exactly one that screams “public servant.” Well, in these latest photos, she is in character and looking the part of a woman who worked her way up from the bottom.

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The event that took place on December 8 at Seoul’s Villa De Bailey sure was a mouthful to say: 2008 Mucha Jewelry Charity Bazaar and Korean Jewelry Awards.

While “Korean jewelry award” sounds rather strange, the event was designed to allow celebs to donate pieces of their own jewelry for a good cause. Stars walked a red carpet and posed with their jewelry, watched as a jewelry show was put on, then put their items up for auction. Proceeds generated will go toward aiding the elderly.

You know, we (as in, common folks and the netizenery) tend to view celeb charity events through a lens of cynicism, but this seems like a pretty good idea, actually. A star can donate a piece of jewelry s/he no longer cares for and get some positive publicity out of it, while the auction aspect capitalizes on the star affiliation to bolster prices. Money goes to a good cause, and we have a win-win.

Now for the red carpet…

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As part of the Korea Drama Festival, three actors gathered to show off their musical talents at the Drama Concert special boasting “three men, three different shades.”

The three drama leading men were picked from the dramas on the three different stations, with Jang Geun-seok from MBC’s Beethoven Virus, Jang Hyuk from SBS’s Tazza, and Kim Sung-soo from KBS’s Bad Love.

We’ve heard Jang Geun-seok sing before, and while I wouldn’t agree with the media’s description of his “outstanding singing ability,” he can reasonably hold a tune. He’ll be featured on an additional track of the Beethoven Virus, singing a version of the song “들리나요” (Do you hear?), which was originally sung by Tae Yeon of Girls Generation (posted here).

More from the special event >>

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Lame, lame, lame. I’d kind of figured that the newish Seoul Drama Awards would be bland (it’s their third year) based on the voting and nominees, so the results weren’t as disappointing as they would have been if I’d taken the Seoul Drama Festival seriously. As it was, there was a total lack of drama.

First off, the actual awards themselves were kind of… wonky. With dramas from all over the world competing (33 countries, 152 entries), the actual Korean series entered for judging (and which advanced) were hardly Korea’s best work of the past year.

Secondly, and perhaps for the above reason, there was a serious absence of stars — aside from the ones who were either presenting or receiving awards, that is. I wouldn’t call the red carpet and pre-carpet events “beyond pitiful” as one paper did, but when the only way to get actors to come to your event is to bribe them, you know you’ve still got a road ahead to being taken seriously.

I can understand awarding the online popularity award to Nam Sang-mi (adorable) and Lee Junki, above, both of the thriller drama Time and Dog and Wolf. But Golden Bride? Jungle Fish? Erm……

Onward to the red carpet and ceremony >>

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After all the hullaballo, Kwon Sang-woo finally married Sohn Tae-young today (September 28), and I for one am glad, since we won’t be having to hear about it anymore.

The couple gave a press conference prior to the wedding, as the wedding itself was closed to the press. Sohn Tae-young wore a Kenneth Pool gown, which she bought on the couple’s recent trip to England.

Kwon: “I’m finally getting married. I’m so nervous — my nerves don’t begin to compare with any film festival or event I’ve been to. … We’ll live happily together. I vow to love her forever.” Sohn: “It doesn’t feel real yet. Actually, I wasn’t nervous at all while getting ready. But now I’m starting to feel it.”

When asked about kids, Kwon answered that he’d like three, but joked that Sohn “has agreed to two, for her figure’s sake.”

And, since it’s not every day such a huge Hallyu star gets married, we have a pretty impressive guest-star roster that rivals the red carpet at some of the largest industry events.

The parade of high-profile attendees >>

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