It’s the second-half of the Hong Kong 24 hour Race and the Running Men have got mere hours to track down who’s got the real medal, where’s their final destination and who’s got their back? I smell a fresh pot of betrayal brewing…

EPISODE 73. Broadcast on December 18, 2011.

With 12 hours left on the clock, everyone heads to bed, exhausted after a full day. In the night, a staff member roams the hall and places the tag on the door which carries the real medal.

It’s late but Kwang-soo peeks outside to check where the tag is hung. Confirming that it’s outside Jong-kook’s door, he tiptoes back to his room, when Yong-hwa appears to check for the tag himself.

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Read the rest of Running Man: Episode 73 (2,073 words)

© gummimochi for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 25 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Haha, Ji Suk-jin, Jung Yong-hwa, Kang Gary, Kim Jong-kook, Lee Kwang-soo, Lee Min-jung, Running Man, Song Ji-hyo, Yoo Jae-suk

Welcome to Hong Kong Running Man! You’ve got 24 hours to unlock the secrets of the Nine Dragons and the entire city is your stage. This episode is going to get your heart pumping and you’ll feel the adrenaline rush every second. The clock’s against you so it’s time to get a’crackin’!

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Read the rest of Running Man: Episode 72 (1,688 words)

© gummimochi for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 35 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Haha, Ji Suk-jin, Jung Yong-hwa, Kang Gary, Kim Jong-kook, Lee Kwang-soo, Lee Min-jung, Running Man, Song Ji-hyo, Yoo Jae-suk

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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Read the rest of 2011 Blue Dragon Film Awards (1,639 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 65 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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

Looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer to see Wonderful Radio, the romantic comedy starring Lee Min-jung (Midas) and Lee Jung-jin (Runaway). Man, we’ve been on pins and needles to see it since the project was first announced. Boo. It was originally scheduled to be released by the end of the year, but the premiere’s now been pushed to January. Here’s a look at a slew of stills from the production to sate our appetites till then.

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Read the rest of Wonderful Radio pushes back premiere (252 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Lee Jung-jin, Lee Min-jung

Well, they don’t call her goddess for nothing. Lee Min-jung (Midas, Cyrano Dating Agency) recently shot a spread for Singles magazine, where she looks gorgeous, as usual.

Even without knowing this was shot in the LA environs, right away you can tell it probably took place someplace in the American Southwesterly parts; there’s a distinct Americana vibe. Rustic, arid, sunny. I particularly dig the second look, mixing leather with a pattern and a flowing silhouette. (She wears Lucca Couture, apparently.)

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Read the rest of Lee Min-jung in California for Singles magazine (126 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 54 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Lee Min-jung, photo shoots

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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Read the rest of 48th Grand Bell Awards (1,343 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 102 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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

Some say it’s a done deal; others say they’re still deciding. Either way, new SBS drama The History of the Salaryman has got some big names attached from the get-go. Salaryman is the new drama from the Giant team: PD Yoo In-shik and writers Jang Young-chul and Jung Kyung-soon. It looks likely that Lee Beom-soo will play the titular salaryman (he’s been attached to the project for some time), while Lee Min-jung has recently sprung up as a possible leading lady. That production staff, along with Giant‘s leading man Lee Beom-soo? You’re basically looking at a Giant II: The Reckoning. It’s no wonder they’re calling this the “dream team” drama.

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Read the rest of Lee Beom-soo and Lee Min-jung for Salaryman? (281 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 38 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Lee Beom-soo, Lee Min-jung

Here’s our first look at Lee Jung-jin (Runaway Plan B) and Lee Min-jung (Midas) on the set of their upcoming romantic comedy film Wonderful Radio. I don’t know what’s going on with Lee Jung-jin’s hair there, but perhaps it’s a character quirk? If they’re trying to go for unkempt hair as a character statement, they should take a note from Lee Seon-kyun. Go big or go home.

Wonderful Radio stars Lee Min-jung as a former idol singer from girl group Purple, who becomes a radio DJ. Lee Jung-jin plays a PD brought in to revive her flagging show, and the two butt heads over the new segment that he introduces. Love the setup. Love the pairing.

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Read the rest of Lee Jung-jin and Lee Min-jung in Wonderful Radio (198 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 39 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Lee Jung-jin, Lee Kwang-soo, Lee Min-jung

I like this pairing, A LOT: Lee Min-jung (Midas) and Lee Jung-jin (Runaway Plan B) have been cast as the leads in a new movie, which’ll feature them in a workplace romance when he’s brought in to save her flagging radio show.

Lee Min-jung plays Jin-ah, the DJ of a radio show with low listener ratings, who enjoyed a former existence as the leader of a popular idol group; they were one of the original girl groups known as being “nation’s fairy girls,” so think S.E.S. Lee Jung-jin plays Jae-ik, the prickly but talented and charming PD who comes in and creates a new segment on her radio show. In the process of presenting “vivid and dramatic” stories of their listeners’ daily lives, they encounter a “miraculous moment” that changes their own lives.

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Read the rest of Lee Min-jung and Lee Jung-jin team up in rom-com (141 words)

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Post tags: Lee Jung-jin, Lee Min-jung

It’s too bad that Hyun Bin was missing from the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards, since he and his drama picked up a bunch of awards. (Alas, there’s that whole mandatory military thing.)

Not only did he grab a Daesang in the TV portion (film Daesang went to Lee Byung-heon for his thriller I Saw the Devil), both his projects won awards as well: Tang Wei for film Late Autumn, who’s pictured above with Ha Ji-won, his co-star in Secret Garden, which won top honors for the drama category. Looks like he’s on a roll, even in absentia. Do the Marines allow celebratory Baeksang parties for their celeb enlistees? Surely he earned a drink or two, at least.

The awards were held on the evening of May 26 in Seoul, and hosted by actors Ryu Shi-won (Style) and Kim Ah-joong (Sign).

WINNERS LIST

FILM SECTION

Daesang: Lee Byung-heon (I Saw the Devil)
Best Picture: Ajusshi (The Man From Nowhere)
Director: Lee Chang-dong (Poetry)
Top Excellence, Actor: Ha Jung-woo (The Yellow Sea)
Top Excellence, Actress: Tang Wei (Late Autumn)
New Actor: Choi Seung-hyun (TOP) (Into the Fire)
New Actress: Shin Hyun-bin (He’s On Duty)
New Director: Kim Young-taek (Hello Ghost)
Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo (He’s On Duty)
Popularity Award, Actor: Choi Seung-hyun (TOP) (Into the Fire)
Popularity Award, Actress: Park Shin-hye (Cyrano Dating Agency)

TV SECTION (...)
Read the rest of 47th Baeksang Arts Awards (1,697 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 195 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: awards, Cha Tae-hyun, Go Hyun-jung, Ha Ji-won, Ha Jung-woo, Han Hyo-joo, Hong Su-ah, Hwang Jung-eum, Hyun Bin, Ji Chang-wook, Jo Ahn, Jo Hyun-jae, Jo Yeo-jung, Jung Bo-seok, Jung Il-woo, Jung Yong-hwa, JYP, Kim Ah-joong, Kim Nam-joo, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Byung-heon, Lee Min-jung, Lee Shi-young, Lee Su-geun, Micky Yoochun, Min Hyo-rin, Moon Geun-young, Nam Gyuri, Park Ha-sun, Park Min-young, Park Shin-hye, Ryu Shi-won, Seo Young-hee, Shin Hyun-bin, Song Joong-ki, Suzy, Taecyeon, TOP, Yoo Inna, Yoon Shi-yoon