Dramabeans » Song Hye-gyo

Song Hye-gyo for High Cut magazine

javabeans — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:36:38 +0000

With a new movie pending release and promotional activities revving up, Song Hye-gyo is back on magazine covers like this one for High Cut (not that she was ever really off those covers, since she’s sort of a regular fixture, movie or no movie).

She looks, as usual, gorgeous, and sports a look that I’d call the worst kind of aspirational — the kind that makes you think you could rock an unconventional look, only to realize that it only works on her and that you look rather more like Little Orphan Annie meets Carrot Top (although arguably those aren’t two separate looks). So, in short: Don’t try this at home, folks. Not without the supervision of a seasoned professional.

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Read the rest of Song Hye-gyo for High Cut magazine (229 words)

A look at Song Hye-gyo’s new movie Today

javabeans — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:27:43 +0000

It’s been four years since Korean audiences have seen Song Hye-gyo on the big screen, which they’ll get to do next month with the release of her new movie Today [오늘], or its English-language title, A Reason To Live. (She did film indie project Fetish in 2008, but that film wasn’t well received and only screened briefly in Korea two years after it wrapped. It’s in that category of sorta-doesn’t-count on her resumé, brought out when desired to make a point, but mostly ignored.)

Anyway. Song has looked at this project as a turning point in her acting; it’s a somber, more serious project than her previous roles. She’s got a few rom-coms under her belt, a sageuk romance, and a few big melo K-dramas; this movie, on the other hand, is more introspective and sensitive. She plays a documentary PD, Da-hye, whose fiancé is killed by a 17-year-old boy. She forgives him, but a year later, finds that her forgiveness gave rise to some unintended results, throwing her into chaos and sadness. The poster above reads, “I’m sorry for forgiving too easily…”

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Read the rest of A look at Song Hye-gyo’s new movie Today (196 words)

Song Hye-gyo’s return to the silver screen delayed

sassychef — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:09:09 +0000

Today, a movie starring famously beautiful Song Hye-gyo (Full House, The World They Live In), has delayed its release to the big screen.

This is Song Hye-gyo’s first movie since her much-publicized split from her love of almost two years, actor Hyun Bin (Secret Garden, The World They Live In). The two actors announced their split merely hours after he started his mandatory army duty on March 7, with both parties stating that it was a mutual decision, that they have the utmost respect for one another, that they’ll remain as friends… blah blah blah… and HOORAY! I mean, considering: Is it fair for one woman to have a claim on Hyun Bin? I’m pretty sure we can agree on the answer to that.

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Read the rest of Song Hye-gyo’s return to the silver screen delayed (229 words)

Hyun Bin enters marines, splits with Song Hye-gyo

girlfriday — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 03:13:08 +0000

Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Hyun Bin (Secret Garden) entered the marines yesterday-today (That’s what I call Korea’s yesterday, which is our today. Don’t get me started on the tomorrow-today, which is ass backwards and not unlike time travel), to begin his two-year mandatory military service. He was sent off with lots of fans and the accompanying media frenzy, and shed tears of gratitude as he said goodbye and entered the base. And then about eight hours later, news broke that he had split with girlfriend Song Hye-gyo (Full House, The World They Live In).

The two stars met on the 2008 drama The World They Live In, and have been dating for roughly two years. Speculation about their breakup has been circling the media for almost a year, since both of them have spent the better part of 2010 completely entrenched in a myriad of projects, many of which were filmed overseas (Hyun Bin’s Late Autumn in Seattle, Song Hye-gyo’s The Grandmasters in China). But they’ve stayed quiet about the relationship for some time, and it was announced that Song Hye-gyo would not be accompanying Hyun Bin to the marine base.

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Read the rest of Hyun Bin enters marines, splits with Song Hye-gyo (260 words)

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Post tags: army duty, Hyun Bin, Song Hye-gyo

Song Hye-go’s Fetish finally gets a release

javabeans — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:45:34 +0000

It’s been a long time coming, but Song Hye-gyo’s U.S.-Korean co-production Make Yourself At Home — the new title for the project known for a while as Fetish — will finally be released for a theatrical run at home in Korea, two years after it was produced. (It first screened at the Pusan International Film Festival in 2008.)

Though initially touted by Korean media as Song’s “Hollywood debut,” Song herself stated that that’s an exaggeration; she was merely drawn to the interesting concept and character, and thought it would be a good experience.

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Read the rest of Song Hye-go’s Fetish finally gets a release (254 words)

Song Hye-gyo wraps The Grandmasters, back to Korean film

girlfriday — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 23:32:11 +0000

Newly transformed action star Song Hye-gyo (Full House, The World They Live In) just wrapped on the set of Wong Kar-wai‘s martial arts film The Grandmasters, and has returned home. She’s headed straight into her next project, as if she’s purposely trying to make me look lazy or something.

I can’t wait to see what The Grandmasters looks like. Wong Kar-wai is my one cinema indulgence: as in, I give everything he makes a fighting chance to steal my heart, because his earlier work just owns my soul. Frankly, his later films (post-In the Mood for Love) are missing that spark for me, mostly because I think he was better when he was looser, less polished, and freer as a cinematic storyteller. His early films always felt like he had this rushed, burning desire to tell a story and show a world that just somehow…got out of reach (making them utterly addictive). Or perhaps his languid-pace-fiery-characters combo has become old hat? Either way, I’m looking forward to his re-foray into martial arts, because I’m a sucker for stylized action, and for Tony Leung Chiu-wai.

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Read the rest of Song Hye-gyo wraps The Grandmasters, back to Korean film (231 words)

Song Hye-gyo eyes new movie project

javabeans — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:17:46 +0000

Song Hye-gyo is looking at new acting projects, and may have settled on her next role: a film with respected director Lee Jung-hyang, who hasn’t directed a film since her well-regarded The Way Home eight years ago.

According to reports, Song is very close to settling on this project, although for now the casting is not finalized. She has agreed to take the role but is working out her schedule with producers. Apparently Song looked favorably at the project from its early stages and was an admirer of director Lee’s delicate touch, and had waited for the screenplay to be finished.

The project doesn’t have a title yet, but the plot deals with a PD at a broadcast station (Song’s character) who loses her fiancé in a hit and run accident. The film follows the conflict and growth she undergoes in the aftermath. Another key role is of a girl in her late teens, whose casting should attract a lot of interest.

If she signs on, this would be her first Korean movie in four years (since 2006′s Hwang Jini), while her last drama was 2008′s The World They Live In. She has, however, taken on a non-Korean film project in the interim, Wong Kar-wai’s The Grand Master, which is still in production. Song is currently in China for filming, but will wrap her shoots shortly.

I like Song Hye-gyo, and I think she’s a better actress than her roles have shown, but I do have reservations about her acting. It sounds like this is a subtle, introspective type of project, and requires an emotional depth that she hasn’t been able to tap into yet. I’ve found that despite a natural screen presence, she has a sort of emotional wall that you hit at a certain point, keeping viewers at a distance. Perhaps director Lee will be able to draw more out of her.

Via Star News

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Song Hye-gyo, an action star?

javabeans — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:22:40 +0000

Song Hye-gyo is currently in China working on her next role in The Grand Master, the martial arts movie directed by renowned Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, and will apparently be displaying some “real action” skills in the film.

The Grand Master stars Tony Leung as Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man, and also features Chang Chen and Zhang Ziyi. Each of the actors has been outfitted with specialized protective gear that has been made especially for this film, to prevent injury while upping the realism of the fight scenes. The guards are made of silicone and fitted to each actor’s body to move with them and, as they are lightweight, remain undetected underneath clothing. As Song Hye-gyo is reportedly using these guards in filming, we can look forward to seeing her in action. (It’ll be an interesting sight, that’s for sure; Song has always been known for her femininity and beauty, so a martial arts action film will be a complete turnaround from her existing image.)

Song has been traveling back and forth between Korea and China since December, and has been diligently practicing her Chinese language and martial arts skills. The Grand Master recently began filming, and is planning for a release in the second half of next year.

Via DongA

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Song Hye-gyo cast in Wong Kar-wai’s new film

javabeans — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:12:08 +0000

It’s just been announced (via Chinese portal site Sina.com) that Song Hye-gyo has been cast in Wong Kar-wai‘s upcoming The Grand Master, which already boasts a very solid lineup including Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Brigitte Lin, and Zhao Benshan. Leung takes on the role of Ip Man, a real-life Wing Chun grandmaster whose students included Bruce Lee.

Reportedly, Wong Kar-wai has been interested for a while in working with Song Hye-gyo, who enjoys a tremendous level of popularity in China. He had said he’d like to work together at the 2004 Pusan International Film Festival, which had led to rumors at that time that she’d be in his next film. Last year, he invited Song to New York for the screening of his movie My Blueberry Nights.

Recently, the Chinese media reported that Song Hye-gyo would be starring in a new movie (Vanguard) starring Donnie Yen and Wentworth Miller, but her management denied it as a false report. However, her casting for The Grand Master is said to be confirmed and she will begin filming next year.

Song had been slated to work with another Hong Kong director when she was cast in John Woo‘s 1949, but that film was canceled.

Via Star News

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Panda ambassador Song Hye-gyo

javabeans — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:27:51 +0000

Sometimes you hear about people like the guy who got hurt after trying to hug a panda bear and you think, “Oh, people are so stupid, they’re called panda BEARS for a reason!” And then you see pictures like this of Song Hye-gyo (The World They Live In, Full House) hugging a panda and it makes you totally want to commit similar acts of stupidity.

The actress has been named first ever goodwill ambassador on behalf of pandas worldwide (and “panda ambassador” has got to be the awesomest job title ever). She visited a panda reserve located in Sichuan, China, on June 4. The panda she is pictured holding is approximately 8 to 9 months old.

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Read the rest of Panda ambassador Song Hye-gyo (126 words)