Next up is a movie from a few years ago that always gives me the warm fuzzies: Sweet Lie, a romantic comedy that released in the winter of 2008, which also goes by the title Lost and Found (Sweet Lie being the literal translation of the Korean title, 달콤한 거짓말).

The film wasn’t a box office success, and I can understand why — it’s a little too familiar and comfy an entry into the crowded rom-com field to be a standout performer. But it has an easy-going charm that makes it a fun selection to come back to every once in a while, and it never fails to put a smile on my face. Its appeal is in large part due to the utterly winning Park Jin-hee, who is the best thing about the film, though I did also enjoy the down-to-earth slacker turn by leading man Jo Han-seon.

Director Jung Jung-hwa went on to direct last year’s cable sensation Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, which can account for the reappearance of second lead (in both projects) Lee Ki-woo. Director Jung also co-wrote the screenplay and you can see his mark in Ramyun Shop (produced with PD Pyo Min-soo), which similarly explores the romantic-ideal-versus-reality dichotomy and utilizes the same style of undercutting earnest moments with comedy, although Sweet Lie is nowhere near as manhwa-esque as Ramyun Shop. I consider that a good thing, for both projects.

SONG OF THE DAY

Brown Eyed Girls – “좋은날” (Good Day) from the Sweet Lie OST. [ Download ]

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Post tags: featured, Jo Han-seon, Lee Ki-woo, Park Jin-hee

The new posters for the jTBC cable drama Fermentation Family aren’t the most exciting bunch around, but they do convey a tastefulness (ha, pun!) in their presentation of the drama’s family- and kimchi-centric premise.

Fermentation Family stars Song Il-kook (A Man Called God) and Park Jin-hee (Giant) as the main couple who falls into a bickering relationship, as you can see in the stills below. He’s the restaurant owner and she’s the part-time employee, and together they argue and nitpick the tiniest details as they develop their “upbeat, cute romance.”

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Post tags: Park Jin-hee, Song Il-kook

A new drama, a new photo shoot for Park Jin-hee, who’s in the November issue of In Style magazine, looking like her usual gorgeous self in a look that’s kinda fall-like, kinda careerwoman-themed.

Park is probably my favorite “careerwoman” actress these days, since she can pull off professional and vulnerable at the same time, be confident and sassy, and do it all in an awesome pair of heels. Yes, I know she’s not her character from The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry, but the credit goes to her for making that character so winning.

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Read the rest of Park Jin-hee’s autumn In Style shoot (144 words)

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Post tags: Park Jin-hee, photo shoots

Fermentation Family (aka Balhyo Gajok), starring Song Il-kook and Park Jin-hee, may have an awkward-sounding title (at least in English), but the stills from the upcoming cable drama are quite easy on the eyes.

Pictured together here are series stars Song Il-kook (A Man Called God) and Park Jin-hee (Giant) from the drama’s open set day, and already the chemistry is crackling between them. Take the above shot: They look like they’re either about to bite each other’s heads off or start making out, or maybe both.

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Post tags: cable programs, Park Jin-hee, Song Il-kook

The 16th Busan International Film Festival opened on October 6, and the red carpet to the opening screening — So Ji-sub and Han Hyo-joo’s tragic romance Only You — was awash with stars.

(For those of you used to seeing the festival called PIFF, it recently changed its spelling. The festival is in its 16th year and began back when the city was spelled Pusan. The spelling of the southern city officially changed to Busan in 2000, but the festival kept its former spelling, which naturally led to some confusion. Yeah, the Korean romanization system changes hasn’t been the most easy to follow.)

It’s been a while since we’ve had a big, star-packed red carpet, but this reminds me that we’re heading into awards season, and will soon be seeing lots of events like this. Which means, lots and lots of red carpets to ooh over, or, as the case may be, snark.

There were some questionable outfits (always fun), but overall I really like what I saw, even if there was an overwhelming trend toward leg slits Up To There and a good amount of side-boob. But the colors! Yay for colors!

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Post tags: Byun Jung-soo, Cha Seung-won, Daniel Choi, Eom Ji-won, film festivals, Go Soo, Gu Hye-sun, Han Hyo-joo, Hong Su-ah, Hwang Woo-seul-hye, Jang Dong-gun, Ji Sung, Jung Seok-won, Kang Hye-jung, Kang So-ra, Kang Ye-won, Kim Dong-wan, Kim Haneul, Kim Min-joon, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Sun-ah, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Je-hoon, Min Hyo-rim, Nam Sang-mi, Park Jin-hee, Park Ye-jin, So Ji-sub, Sung Yuri, Wang Ji-hye, Yeh Ji-won, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Inna, Yoon Jin-seo

Yay, Park Jin-hee is coming back to dramaland! The star of Giant and The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry has signed on to headline a new cable drama opposite Song Il-kook (Crime Squad). Song has been considering the role and other names have been bandied about for the lead actress, but both are now confirmed to star.

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Post tags: Park Jin-hee, Song Il-kook

Park Jin-hee (Giant, The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry) and singer-actress Park Ji-yoon (Lie To Me) have been cast as the leads in a movie titled Grape Candy, whose tone is described as “mysterious and delicate.” There’s something about the description and the premise that reminds me of the dark indie film Bleak Night, and while it doesn’t sound nearly as grim, I’m intrigued.

The background for the story takes place in high school, when one girl in a trio of friends dies. Years later, the other two women run into each other as adults, and the movie depicts “the growing pains experienced by its leading ladies as they experience pain, mystery, and truth.”

Park Jin-hee and Park Ji-yoon will play those two women, neither of whom can live entirely freely in the present because of the trauma of their past. A third role will be played by Kim Jung-nan (President, Creating Destiny, You’re My Destiny).

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Post tags: Kim Jung-nan, Park Ji-yoon, Park Jin-hee

There are lots of awards handed out, for sure, but at least SBS has some strong shows this year, with great performances all around in the competition. Go Hyun-jung stacks up another Daesang for her turn as the first Korean female president in Daemul, which if I’m to go based on all the parodies, involved lots of shouting in the rain. There’s a performance by Noh Min-woo, a THREE-way tie for Best Couple, and of course, some red carpet hits and misses.

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Read the rest of 2010 SBS Drama Awards (1,983 words)

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Post tags: awards, Choi Jin-hyuk, Go Hyun-jung, Ha Ji-won, Ham Eun-jung, Han Chae-ah, Han Hye-jin, Hong Ji-min, Hwang Jung-eum, Hyun Bin, Joo Sang-wook, Jung Bo-seok, Jung Seok-won, Kang Sung, Kim Jung-eun, Kim So-yeon, Kim Soo-hyun, Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Hee-jin, Lee Jong-seok, Lee Seung-gi, Lee Soo-kyung, Min Hyo-rin, Moon Chae-won, Park Jin-hee, Philip Lee, Shin Mina, Shin Sung-rok, Yoo Min

More awards!

The Blue Dragon Film Awards took place on November 26, and the many of the same films that have been winning lately were rewarded once again: Some of the big winners were for films such as crime drama Moss, dark thriller I Saw the Devil, romantic comedy Cyrano Dating Agency, stark action movie Ajusshi, and the much-lauded Poetry.

Kang Dong-won and Song Kang-ho’s Secret Reunion prevailed to win best picture over nominees Ajusshi, The Housemaid, Moss, and Jeon Woo Chi.

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Post tags: awards, Choi Kang-hee, Daniel Choi, Han Hye-jin, Jin Gu, Jo Yeo-jung, Jo Yoon-hee, Jung Jae-young, Jung Soo-young, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Sung-soo, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Min-jung, Nam Gyuri, Park Bo-young, Park Hee-soon, Park Jin-hee, Park Min-young, Sohn Ye-jin, Song Joong-ki, Won Bin, Yoo Joon-sang, Yoo Sun, Yoon Shi-yoon

There’s an interesting phenomenon these days where actresses are being cast in the role of Mom younger and younger. Not only that, but sometimes the age gap between Mom and Child is quite ridiculous, if you think about it. Jung Hye-young is no stranger to playing a mom, as she knocked it out of the park playing Iljimae’s heartbroken mother in Return of Iljimae, barely 14 years older than Jung Il-woo. In Playful Kiss, she’s now set to play opposite Kim Hyun-joong in a similar capacity, who is only 13 years her junior.

What’s crazier is the age gap on the set of SBS’s Giant, where Kim Suh-hyung (34) plays mother to Park Jin-hee (32). Now THAT’s a little nuts.

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Post tags: Bae Jong-ok, Giant, Hong In-young, Ji Sung, Jung Hye-young, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Suro (drama), Park Jin-hee, Playful Kiss