Park Yong-ha returns to the big screen after six years away, following up his comeback in the recent drama success On Air with a film role. Prior to that, his last kdrama was 2002’s Loving You, while his last film was 2002’s Love Me Once Again (he had worked on his singing career in Japan in the intervening years).

Now he’s set to star in the film Bond [작전; translation mine -- the eventual English title may differ] opposite Kim Min-jung, which plans to start shooting in September and recently begun test shoots. The title refers to financial parlance, as the crime thriller revolves around a stock scam plot.

Although rumors in Chungmuro say the script is strong, production company Silk Road has kept relatively mum about the plot, casting, and other details. But given the success of Silk Road’s previous film, hit thriller The Chaser, focus has heightened on this project as well.

Park Yong-ha plays a man whose fearless trading on the stock market led him to complete ruin, who spends the next five years studying the stock charts. After becoming a day trader, he is scouted and unwittingly becomes embroiled in crime. Sounds like just the type of dark thriller to follow in The Chaser’s footsteps, but we’ll have to see if it can fill those (rather large) shoes.

Via IS Plus

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Filed under: Chungmuro/Film by javabeans - 9 Comments →

MC Jang Geun-seok

Although I didn’t watch August 23’s broadcast of Mnet’s 20’s Choice awards (a wannabe VMA’s, really), looking over the full winners list, my first reaction is: “What were they smoking?”

Some choices made sense. I get why Jang Geuk-seok, shakin’ his thang above as the event’s MC, was awarded Hot Movie Star (Male) because he’s had a great year coming off the drama Hong Gil Dong and recent movie Baby and I. And Hot Sports Star is a topical choice, going to the recent gold-medalist female weight lifter Jang Mi-ran, while the annoyingly catchy, ubiquitous earworms “One More Time” and “So Hot” (by Jewelry and Wonder Girls, respectively) are no-brainers.

But even the fact that they’ve got a “Hot Schoolgirl” category (winner So-hee), or “Hot Comment” (I think they meant catchprase) are kind of, pardon my French, retarded. And don’t even ask me what “Hot Sweet Music” means.

Furthermore, I get that “American beef” was a hot topic this year, but to highlight it at an awards show as the “winner” of Hot Issuemaker seems a little crass. Or just stupid.

Check out the full list beyond the jump, along with pics of the show in all its tacky glory.

MNET 20′S CHOICE WINNERS AND ATTENDEES >>

Tags: awards, Big Bang, Girls Generation, Jang Geun-seok, Jun Jin, Kim Ji-suk, Kim Min-hee, kpop, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Hyori, Park Min-young, Park Shi-hoo, Park Yong-ha, Ryu Seung-beom, singers, Uhm Jung-hwa, Wonder Girls, Yoo Seung-ho

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Park Yong Ha is putting out a DVD — but not for his recent series (On Air). This one’s all about himself.

His 2008 Official Calendar, which had gone on sale online in Japan at the end of last year, had exceeded expectations and sold so well that it went into reprinting. Laughably, the article frames the supplemental Behind Story DVD (which goes on sale in mid-June) as an expression of “gratitude” by management company YONA Entertainment, “paying back” fans for interest in their star. I’m all for looking at the glass half-full, but that’s a little ridiculous; come on, we all know money talks. They’re capitalizing on a commodity while it’s still hot.

The DVD contains previously unpublished photos from his calendar shoot and behind-the-scenes clips, and will be sold through his Japanese fan club site online.

From the calendar and “Behind Story”:

Via No Cut News

SONG OF THE DAY

Park Yong Ha - “외사랑” (one-sided love) from the On Air OST. [ Download ]

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Best Actress winners Yoon Eun Hye (drama), Kim Min Hee (film)

The 44th Baeksang Arts Awards were held in Seoul on April 24, handing out top honors to the films and television programs of the previous year.

Big winners included films The Chaser and Forever the Moment (aka The Best Moment In Our Lives); Yoon Eun Hye won for her trend-setting turn as Go Eun Chan in last year’s smash drama Coffee Prince, while War of Money took home Best Drama.

SONG OF THE DAY

MC Mong - “옛날 옛적에” (Once upon a time) from his recently released fourth album. [ Download ]

 
Full awards list for the 44th BAEKSANG AWARDS >>

Tags: awards, Coffee Prince, Go Ara, Han Hyo-joo, Hong Gil Dong, Hyun Young, Jang Geun-seok, Jung Il-woo, Jung Ryeo-won, Kang Ji-hwan, Kim Jung-eun, Kim Min-hee, Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Byung-heon, Lee Dong-wook, Lee Jia, Lee Seon-kyun, Lee Yeon-hee, Lee Yoon-jung, Legend, Park Shi-yeon, Park Shin-yang, Park Yong-ha, Sohn Ye-jin, Song Kang-ho, Sung Yuri, War of Money, Yoo Gun, Yoon Eun-hye

Filed under: Chungmuro/Film by javabeans - 72 Comments →

He may portray a curt, no-nonsense television PD in his role on On Air, but it’s geek chic for the fashion magazines — Park Yong Ha takes on round-rimmed glasses and a casual, just-rolled-out-of-bed image for April’s Elle issue.

Tags: fashion, Park Yong-ha, photo shoots

Filed under: Oh snap by javabeans - 16 Comments →

Hm. Perhaps SBS and I are not meant to be on friendly terms.

It’s not that there’s anything about the broadcast station in particular that I don’t like; it’s just that it’s been ages since I’ve seen an SBS drama I really enjoyed. And the dramas I’ve actively disliked recently have all been SBS series.

I did not like On Air. There’s no one specific reason for my reaction, merely a general spirit of distaste.

It’s not that it’s badly made — it’s got an obviously high production budget and a glossy look to it. It’s slick, it’s quick, it’s star-studded, it’s… kind of heartless.

First off, the characters are all detestable: pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside. It’s been a long time since I’ve so thoroughly disliked all the characters in a drama. Usually I can pick out something to connect to, in someone, but nope. Empty shells all.

In her plots, writer Kim Eun Sook has always relied on a confluence of contrivances, which I noticed previously and am again reminded of in On Air. Rather than creating believable ways for people to be connected — and in an incestuous industry like entertainment, that’s not hard — she instead creates an entanglement of coincidences. Bah.

SONG OF THE DAY

On Air OST - “고마운 사람” (Thankful person) by Park Yong Ha [ zShare download ]

 
Read more about ON AIR >>

Tags: episode recaps, Kim Haneul, Lee Beom-soo, On Air, Park Yong-ha, Song Yoon-ah, stuff that bugs

Filed under: Drama Reactions & Reviews by javabeans - 70 Comments →