Actor Go Soo, above, held his first Japanese fanmeeting on Saturday, and apparently the only news agency sent to cover it was Yonhap News, whose pictures uniformly suck. [Yonhap News]

Koyote singer and actress Shinji (Unstoppable High Kick) was hospitalized on November 3 with acute kidney infection. Her manager reported that she had a fever of over 39 degrees Celsius (102.2˚ F) and was also diagnosed with overworking and stress. [Star News]

Rain’s little sister is getting married! It’ll happen sometime next year and Rain is feeling both brotherly and fatherly: “You know how they say fathers feel odd when their daughters get married? That’s how I feel, because she’ll become part of someone else’s family.” [Asia Economy]

Oh, and now that Rain has announced he once dated a “top model,” fans are clamoring to know who she is. He’s not telling, but he did promise to have a son eventually and raise a “second Rain.” Um, I don’t remember asking for that, Rain. [Hankook Ilbo]

Also, rumors of Rain’s death have been greatly exaggerated, and he is not happy. He says that he heard reports that he’d committed suicide when he was in China, and they were “hard to bear.” His first clue? When he started receiving a flood of concerned phone calls asking if he was okay. His reaction after reading reports was to think, “I’m really going to live a long time” to prove them wrong. Or, you know, he could just show up somewhere. [Mk.co.kr]

Korea’s film industry is in a slump, so Kim Rae-won has taken a pay cut for his current film, Insadong Scandal. The star commands top dollar after the recent success of Gourmet, but reduced his salary to ease the burden on the film production. [Sports Chosun]

Wang Bit-na (she of Merry vs. Daegu Battle and the fab tartan gown at the recent “Love Your W” fundraiser) is taking to the jazz stage. On November 20-21, she’ll take part in the jazz concert “Yoon Hee-jung and Friends” and sing two songs herself. [Yonhap News]

Things look to be getting uglier in the custody battle for Choi Jin-shil’s kids. Following Choi’s suicide last month, her brother Choi Jin-young (also an actor, of Okay to Love) has taken care of her two children, but her ex-husband Jo Sung-min, who’s been a deadbeat dad for the past four years and has been known to previously have beaten his wife, has suddenly decided he wants to raise his kids, and Choi’s brother and mother are not having it. Mom says, “He left his wife and kids because he didn’t want them and thinks he has a claim to them — how does that make sense? He’s done nothing as a father. I cannot recognize his parental right.” Jo counters, “It isn’t that I gave up my rights, but that I relinquished them to Choi Jin-shil. I’m the only parent they have now, so the rights automatically come to me.” Yeah, automatic parenting! One step up from deadbeat parenting! [Segye, Sports Seoul]

Bada is set to take the role originated by Kim Ah-joong in 200 Pound Beauty in the musical adaptation. Critics are readying to compare her to Kim, saying, “She’d better bring it!” and Bada is responding, “Oh, it’s already been broughten!” Okay, maybe the actual words were more like, “I’m confident I can do it.” She also feels kinship to her character because in her SES days, her groupmates Eugene and Shoo wore sizes 44 and 55 (U.S. sizes zero through 4-ish) and she was the sole 66. Sure, 66 and obesity are totally the same thing. [Hankook Ilbo]

Ready to greet the newest adorabuhl 5-year-old child star? Say hello to Park Sarang, who’s playing Ji Jin-hee’s (Spotlight) daughter in the film Parallel Life, which also stars Ha Jung-woo (HIT) and Lee Jong-hyuk (Rivals). [Newsis]

 

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Tags: 200 Pound Beauty, Bada, Choi Jin-shil, fanmeetings, Go Soo, Jo Sung-min, Kim Rae-won, musicals, news bites, overworking, Rain, Shinji

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Remember the vampire sitcom Hello Franceska? The quirky three-season series that was made by Soulmate director Noh Do-chul starring Jung Ryeo-won, Lee Kyeon, and, later, Hyun Young?

Well, now it’s been adapted for the musical stage, starring Choi Jung-won as Franceska (the musical actress, not the Kingdom of Wind star), which was played by Shim Hye-jin in the TV series, and boy-bander Chae Dong-ha of SG Wannabe in the role of Kyeon (originated by Lee Kyeon).

More than just a random sitcom, Hello Franceska was notable for its fresh style and, of course, its standout soundtrack (to become a trait of Noh’s work). In the TV show, the vampire “family” has lived for centuries, originally from Romania but having scattered all over the world in the face of increased threats to their existence. The musical version doesn’t follow the exact plot of the television series, but plays along the same themes, with the vampires displaying their offbeat charm as they arrive in Korea and get used to modern-day Korean society through strangers’ eyes.

The musical is playing currently and runs through October 26. Now, finally a musical I wish I could see!

SONG OF THE DAY

Hello Franceska OST - “Study in A Minor” by The Legendary Johan Angergard Group. By the way, this Casker song was also used in the series. [ Download ]

Via Clubcity.kr

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• Hello Franceska / 안녕 프란체스카

Tags: Hello Franceska, musicals

Filed under: Theater/Musicals by javabeans - 5 Comments →

Singer and actor Lee Ji-hoon (You’re My Destiny, Hello Miss) is wrapping up his role of the Prince of Denmark in the musical production of Hamlet and had a few thoughts on the experience playing one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters.

And while I’d like to make some thoughtful commentary on his taking the role and the existential soliloquy it’s most known for, I’m too distracted by how awful Lee Ji-hoon looks in these photos. I like the guy, really I do — he has an approachable warmth to his acting — but he looks like some cheesy cosplaying Luke Skywalker/The Bachelor hybrid. It was almost enough to make me file it as an “Oh Snap” and make some inappropriate commentary about the handling of his sword and maybe some references to thrusting technique.

(At the risk of alienating y’all further, I cannot be the only person who hears the words “Hamlet” and “musical” spoken together and immediately flashes to the old Gilligan’s Island episode where they set the soliloquy to Carmen, right? I KNOW you know what I’m talking about. Update! Here we go. The Offenbach has to be my personal favorite.)

Back to Lee Ji-hoon. The role of Hamlet is actually being shared among four actors; Lee Ji-hoon alternates with Park Gun-hyung, Im Tae-hyung, and Yoon Hyun-ryul. Currently, he’s spending his free time practicing his sword skills, particularly for his fight with Laertes, since timing is the most important aspect in the fight choreography.

Lee explains that he’d always wanted to do a musical, having begun his singing career more than ten years ago and now enjoying a television acting career: “I want to show people yet another side to me that hasn’t been shown before. I want to try new things and be recognized for them.” With the curtain about to come down on the production, Lee hopes he’ll be able to correct all his previous flaws in his last performance.

Hamlet is currently running and closes on September 21.

Via Newsis

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Tags: Lee Ji-hoon, musicals

Filed under: Theater/Musicals by javabeans - 13 Comments →

The cast of musical Cats — which has always creeped me out — performed and gave interviews with press on September 17, featuring two particular kpop names: Ok Joo-hyun, who got her start as the only real singer of girl band FinKL, and this boy-band singer, here.

Can you recognize him?

Tags: musicals

Filed under: Drama Recaps by javabeans - 11 Comments →

Super Junior members Heechul and Kangin are taking the lead roles in the camp musical classic Xanadu (“We are in Xanaduuu~!”) in their musical-theater debuts. They put on a performance at the press rehearsal (i.e., dress rehearsal open to press) on September 8 with the rest of their castmates.

However, audiences won’t be seeing both Suju-ers onstage at the same time, because they’ve been cast in the same lead role playing artist “Sonny” who falls for the beautiful roller-skating “Kira” (they’ll alternate performances). They’ve been rehearsing their singing, dancing, and roller-skating (natch!) skills for the past two months.

Xanadu marks the first musical production put on by SM Art Company (expanding its brand?), and was first produced as a musical film starring Olivia Newton-John in the ’80s. (Now known as a prime exercise in faux-futuristic camp, the film was initially a bomb before it became a cult classic.)

For the curious, check out a number from the original 1980 film starring Olivia Newton-John:

The musical opens on September 9 at the Doosan Art Center.

More XANADU pics >>

Tags: musicals, Super Junior

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