Han Ji-hye’s next role takes her back to Joseon Korea, and for her role as a famous gisaeng, has begun taking a variety of classes. As gisaeng entertainers were often skilled in the arts of dance and music, her education includes classes in the gayageum (a stringed lute, the same instrument Honey Lee is known for playing) and singing in verse.

Han Ji-hye has mostly been known for acting in dramas (East of Eden, Likable or Not), but this project is the latest movie from director Lee Jun-ik (You’re Far Away, King and the Clown), called Like the Moon Escaping from Clouds [그르믈 버서난 달처럼, also written 구름을 벗어난 달처럼]. It’s an action-fighting period film based on a Park Heung-ryong manhwa of the same name and boasts quite an impressive cast list: In addition to the previously announced Hwang Jung-min it has added City Hall’s Cha Seung-won and Accidental Couple’s young Baek Sung-hyun. (Looks like Uhm Tae-woong and Ryu Seung-beom are out.)

[Read more →]

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Ryu Seung-beom, Kim Joo-hyuk

Hm, interesting. They’re making another version of the famous folktale Story of Chun-hyang, called Story of Bang-ja [방자전]. The folktale tells of two young lovers in Joseon times, gisaeng’s daughter Chun-hyang and nobleman’s son Mong-ryong, and the trials and tribulations they overcome on their way to Happily Ever After. It’s already been made into several films and formed the basis for 2005’s trendy drama Delightful Girl Chun-hyang.

Then, there was the spoof-like Story of Hyang-dan starring Seo Ji-hye and Choi Siwon, which tweaked the story and played with the twist of Mong-ryong falling in love with Chun-hyang’s servant girl, Hyang-dan, instead. Purists may eschew this two-episode goof as a silly throwaway, but I loved the tongue-in-cheek humor of this near-parody version and the chemistry of the adorable leads.

As you can guess from the title, in this film version, Bang-ja is the protagonist and Mong-ryong his less-charismatic sidekick — and by “sidekick” I mean story-wise, not literally, since Bang-ja is still servant to his noble young master Mong-ryong. Playing Bang-ja will be Terroir’s Kim Joo-hyuk, while Ryu Seung-beom takes on the role of Mong-ryong. As the article points out, this is quite an interesting bit of casting, given both actors’ images.

Directing will be Kim Dae-woo, who wrote the screenplay for Untold Scandal and directed Forbidden Quest; already Tale of Bang-ja is garnering attention for its “bright, clever screenplay.”

Via Segye

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• No Forgiveness for Han Hye-jin and Sol Kyung-gu
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• The Story of Hyang-dan: Episode 2
• The Story of Hyang-dan: Episode 1

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Jumong and Terroir actress Han Hye-jin has a new project lined up, and it’s a film called No Forgiveness [용서는 없다], which co-stars Sol Kyung-gu of such films as Public Enemy Returns and Voice of a Murder. He’s also the recently announced fiancé to On Air actress Song Yoon-ah.

No Forgiveness is described as a crime thriller involving a violent murderer. Sol Kyung-gu’s character investigates dead bodies as an employee of the National Scientific, Criminal & Investigation Laboratory and embarks on a hunt to catch the killer. Han Hye-jin plays a junior police officer who joins up with Sol in digging up the truth. Also cast is Ryu Seung-beom (Radio Days), who discovers the first clue and faces off against Sol in a fierce two-way psychological battle.

The film will begin filming at the end of May, at about the same time Sol marries Song Yoon-ah (on the 28th), meaning the couple will hold off on their honeymoon while the groom films.

Not sure how I feel about the description — there’s nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t sound particularly striking, and I’m thinking it can go either way. I’ve never been a huge Han Hye-jin fan, but these two men squaring off against each other in a murder thriller just might be worth catching.

Via OSEN

RELATED POSTS

• Song Yoon-ah to marry Sol Kyung-gu
• Raise a glass to Terroir
• Terroir to follow Tazza

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Uhm Tae-woong, Hwang Jung-min, Ryu Seung-beom

The actors: Uhm Tae-woong (Cell Phone, Devil), Hwang Jung-min (Happiness, Black House) and Ryu Seung-beom (Bloody Tie, Crying Fist).

The director: Lee Joon-ik (The King and the Clown, Shadows in the Palace).

The movie: Like a Moon Escapes From Clouds [구름을 벗어난 달처럼; a working title].

(Is this gonna be intense or what?)

For this latest project, Hwang Jung-min and Ryu Seung-beom, who have been friends since both were unknowns, are teaming up again three years after sharing the screen in Bloody Tie. Uhm Tae-woong rejoins Lee after having worked together on the Vietnam War-era You’re Far Away, aka Sunny (for which lead actress Su Ae won a bunch of awards last year).

The film is actually based on a manhwa of the same name by Park Heung-yong, and takes place following the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592. Bringing on three such strong actors to work with director Lee makes this a highly anticipated project for the coming year — I don’t know about the plot, but the casting sure raises some expectations — and the film is scheduled to begin filming at the end of March.

Via DongA

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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 >>

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