Well thank goodness for movies that get released post army enlistment. With Lee Je-hoon away at army and hearts crushed everywhere, there’s nothing like catching him on the big screen to help make the time go by faster. He was smart and shot two films right before enlisting, though don’t we wish it were ten? Here’s a look at the first — a creepy murder mystery called Ethics of Wrath.

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Read the rest of Trailer and stills for Lee Je-hoon’s thriller Ethics of Wrath (272 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2013. | Permalink | 25 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jo Jin-woong, Lee Je-hoon, Moon Sori

MBC hosted its awards ceremony for the 2008 Acting Awards on December 30. Let me first reiterate that I think these end-of-year broadcast-station awards are mostly meaningless. That said, this year’s Daesangs were TOTAL WEAKSAUCE, MBC. Top honor (the “Daesang” grand prize) went to…

Oh, you mean it was split this year? Between Beethoven Virus‘s much-lauded epitome of awesomeness, Kim Myung-min, and East of Eden‘s overblown and overrated Song Seung-heon?? I mean, I could understand going for the sentimental vote and awarding deceased Choi Jin-shil (she got a lifetime achievement instead), but Song Seung-heon winning acting awards is in itself a joke.

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Read the rest of 2008 MBC Acting Awards (1,572 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2008. | Permalink | 146 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: awards, Bae Yong-joon, Beethoven Virus, Choi Jin-shil, Dennis Oh, East of Eden, Han Ji-hye, Han Ji-min, Jang Geun-seok, Ji Sung, Jung Il-woo, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Min-jung, Kim Myung-min, Lee Dong-gun, Lee Hana, Lee Jia, Lee Jun-ki, Lee Jung-jin, Lee Mi-sook, Lee Yeon-hee, Moon Sori, New Heart, Seo Shin-ae, Shin Sung-rok, Song Seung-heon, The Last Scandal of My Life, Yoon Eun-hye, Yoon Jin-seo

The 24th was press preview day for the cast of upcoming movie Sa-kwa [사과, which could mean apple or apology], and while this doesn’t necessarily look like my cup of tea, I do like the actors involved: Moon Sori (Legend), Lee Seon-kyun (White Tower), and Kim Tae-woo (Woman on the Beach).

The preview (below) also looks cute — in the film, directed by Kang Yi-kwan (A Smile), Moon Sori’s character is dumped by Lee Seon-kyun after seven years. She then marries Kim Tae-woo’s character, who’d long had feelings for her, but is confronted with doubt and worry when her first love returns.

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Read the rest of The cast of “Sa-kwa” does the press whirl (136 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2008. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Kim Tae-woo, Lee Seon-kyun, Moon Sori

I’d like to sit down for coffee and girlchat with actress Moon Sori. Or knock back a pint of beer, since she seems cool like that.

Perhaps there’s a belief that you haven’t really made it as a celebrity till you have anti-fans. Hey, in Hollywoodland, you know you’ve made it when you’ve been satirized by either The Simpsons or Saturday Night Live. Which may explain why an actress so widely recognized for her talents looks at her newfound troops of anti-fans as a positive sign.

Moon Sori: “I’m glad to have gained anti-fans”

Moon Sori has gained anti-fans for the first time since her role in the drama Legend, and she explained her peculiar opinion by saying, “Rather, I’m happy that I was able to draw strong interest.”

Moon, who’s doing promotion for the new film The Best Moment in Our Lives (costarring Kim Jung Eun), said in an interview:

“All this time, I’ve had too few anti’s. I think that means the level of interest in me as an actor has been low. If anti’s are seen as being representative of interest in you, I think of them with thanks. After all, Kim Tae Hee, who’s far prettier than I am, also has anti’s, so what does that say?”

Moon, who’s appeared in numerous films to much critical acclaim, has been criticized for her role as Kiha in Legend — her first drama series — by people who feel she wasn’t suited to the role. (I tend to agree, although she was fantastic and intense as the ancient fire priestess Kajin.)

Her role may have gained her newfound anti’s, but it also increased her fanbase overall:

“Through my role in this drama, I gained middle-aged female [ajumoni] fans as well. In the past, people who didn’t watch many films had no idea who I was. Now I’ve gained more fans, and new anti’s have stirred things up. I think of criticism as something to be thankful for.”

Via My Daily

SONG OF THE DAY

Heritage – “Starlight” [ zShare download ]

 
RELATED POSTS:

• No celebrity deed goes unpunished
• It cuts both ways
• Miscast
• Legend / 태왕사신기
  

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2008. | Permalink | 20 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: anti-fans, interviews, Legend, Moon Sori

 
I haven’t seen many of the dramas mentioned (they’re mostly historical dramas, which I’ve noted is not something I regularly watch). Some of the following reasons are downright silly, but it also seems there’s a grain of truth in some of the grumblings. What do you think?

Criticism for Drama Miscasting; How Far Will It Go?

It’s time for a star news briefing. Watching the current dramas, it occasionally seems like this role and that actor don’t quite match. It’s surely discouraging to hear this kind of casting for the actors who are working so hard. However, it’s uneasy as well for the viewers watching along. Today, I’ll examine the criticism of this kind of drama miscasting. No Cut News’ reporter Oh Min Jung is on the case.

Who are these actors most recently criticized for being miscast?

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Read the rest of Miscast (1,305 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2007. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bae Yong-joon, Gu Hye-sun, Jumong, Kim Mi-ryeo, Kim Myung-min, King and I, Lee Seo-jin, Legend, Moon Sori, Yi San

Just FYI, I’m not necessarily committing to full episode summaries for Legend. I’m not enough into the series to make that kind of commitment, and the recaps are starting to feel a lot like work. So for now, I’m just commenting on the episodes.

Episode 3 was far more interesting because the palace intrigues become more sinister and Crazy Lady Yeon is one awesome actor. I call her crazy in all facetiousness — she’s more power-crazed, not really insane — but she acts with a very intense, barely controlled underlying rage, and it’s really cool.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Soo Young – “Twenty Nine.” From her latest album, her eighth. [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Legend: Episode 3 (1,631 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2007. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bae Yong-joon, Lee Jia, Legend, Moon Sori

My opinion on Legend after its first week of broadcasts (a preview special and three episodes) is one of tentative liking. No matter how people may rave about other historical dramas, my eyes tend to glaze over at some point in disinterest. Which is ironic since I love history. And period movies. But somehow just not the sageuk genre.

In any case, for whatever reason, Legend doesn’t provoke that reaction in me. Part of that goes to Legend‘s straddling of multiple genres; part of that goes to its beautiful sets, scenery, and effects; and part of that goes to the strong all-around acting. (Although everyone seems to be holding their own in the acting department, may I say that the ladies are really kicking some ass.)

For me, the greatest appeal is in the political intrigue. More than the fantasy elements, or the special effects, or the big-name star(s), I’m most into the sly political maneuverings, the court espionage, the power plays. I’m a big history buff — I love reading up on royal successions, monarchy turmoil, regime change turmoil and Henry VIII and Elizabethan power grabs and all that good stuff. Legend hints at those issues and I dig.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Wheesung – “어쩌다 보니 비밀.” It must be because of the recent wave of sageuks that I’ve been drawn (more than usual) to traditional instrumentation. [ zShare download ]

 
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Read the rest of Impressions on Legend, Episode 2 (2,018 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2007. | Permalink | 25 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bae Yong-joon, Lee Jia, Legend, Moon Sori

So this week saw the start of the LEGEND (태왕사신기) extravaganza, kicking off with four consecutive days of broadcasting — an introductory special, followed by the first three episodes. Boasting perhaps the grandest scale of any drama to date, extensive special effects, two veteran writers of what are widely regarded to be the two best kdramas of all time (Sandglass and Eyes of Dawn), and a cast headlined by well-known and well-regarded names, the series — which started shooting over a year ago, in March 2006 — is already pulling in huge ratings and is likely to keep it up. According to the special, the drama has been three years in the making, going into planning in 2004 and even going so far as to erect an entire sprawling set on Jeju Island.

I wouldn’t call Legend (whose Korean title literally translates to “The Great King’s Four Deities”) a sageuk — it’s more of a fantasy epic. I’ve heard the Lord of the Rings tossed around as a common comparison, with a few mentions of Final Fantasy. Those are pretty apt, although I’d throw another name into the mix: fantasy epic anime Record of Lodoss Wars for its themes of grand-scale warfare mixed with mythical and magical forces.

But, at the core, there’s also a basis in history, and that’s what makes Legend both interesting and daunting (from the perspective of one who has never formally been taught ancient Korean history and lore). (Note: don’t take this post as any kind of an authority, because most if it is cobbled together with recent research, and may contain errors.)

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Sorea – “바람에 실어 (Blow By Wind)” Another group fusing traditional instruments into their music.
[ Download ]

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Read the rest of Legend / 태왕사신기 (2,035 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2007. | Permalink | 40 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bae Yong-joon, first episodes, Lee Jia, Legend, Moon Sori