Although the “kimchi Western” The Good, the Bad, the Weird already had its international screening at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year (to general praise), its official Korean release doesn’t come until later this month. The cast was on hand at the press conference for the film on July 7 in Seoul: Jung Woo-sung (the good), Lee Byung-heon (the bad), and Song Kang-ho (the weird).

The film is helmed by acclaimed director Kim Jee-woon, who showed his talent for creating riveting drama and beautiful, atmospheric cinematography in prior films A Tale of Two Sisters and A Bittersweet Life, and is set in 1930s Manchuria.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird opens in Korean theaters on July 17; take a look at the preview below:

SONG OF THE DAY

Trans Fixion - “불의 전차” (Chariots of fire) [ Download ]

RELATED POSTS

• The next cog in the stereotype machine
• Lee Byung-heon, not a Hollywood ninja
• Lee Byung-heon on a concert tour

Tags: action movies, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Byung-heon, Song Kang-ho, The Good the Bad the Weird

Filed under: Chungmuro/Film by javabeans - 11 Comments →

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 →

Renowned director Park Chan Wook (Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, I’m A Cyborg, But It’s Okay) has cast his leading lady in his new film Bak-jui/Bat, and calls uljjang-turned-actor Kim Ok Bin (Over the Rainbow, Dasepo Naughty Girls) an “actor of infinite potential.”

He described her as having a “complicated and complex” appearance: “She can seem like a mischievous boy, and also feminine, smiling cheerfully one moment and turning despondent immediately, at the same time a classical yet contemporary actress.”

Also cast in this drama about adultery and blind infatuation is well-respected actor Song Kang Ho, who plays the friend of Kim Ok Bin’s husband; the two engage in a “fatal love.”

The plot sounds straightforward (and dare I say, trite?) enough, but in the hands of Park Chan Wook, it’s sure to result in something quite interesting. It will film through the end of March after casting is completed.

Via Star News

SONG OF THE DAY

Belle Epoque - “December” from the artist that brought you “May” from the Coffee Prince OST, perhaps better recognized as “that chestnut scene song.” [ zShare download ]

RELATED POSTS:

• Expect the unexpected from Park Chan Wook
• Where have all the uljjangs gone?

Tags: directors, Kim Ok-bin, Park Chan-wook, Song Kang-ho

Filed under: Chungmuro/Film by javabeans - 14 Comments →

Jang Dong Gun

This isn’t too different from the Hollywood system of things, if you substitute “talk show circuit” for the Korean variety programming mentioned below. You know, if an actor or personality appears on Letterman, Conan, or any of the other late-night (or early-morning) programs, chances are they’re hawking something, whether it’s a new movie, new book, new fragrance, new vanity athletic shoe line, new healthy-cooking meat griller, whatever. And similarly, in Hollywood, the bigger the star, the rarer the appearances (and the bigger the deal when they do appear). So to the following, I say, (1) makes sense, and (2) DUH.

Active stars who don’t appear on variety shows…?

“I’m not close with Jang Dong Gun. Please talk with his management.” “Please ask Mr. Jang Dong Gun and get him to appear.” Those are the words of [host] Kang Ho Dong on MBC’s popular program Goldfish. Kang Ho Dong never fails to ask for Jang Dong Gun to appear whenever the opportunity arises or a star connected to him comes on the show. In truth, he’s said that PD Lim Jung Ah is negotiating to get Jang Dong Gun to appear.

SONG OF THE DAY

Rocket Diary - “What You Want” [ zShare download ]

Who else avoids variety shows? >>

Tags: Jang Dong-gun, Jeon Ji-hyun, Lee Byung-heon, Seol Kyung-gu, Song Kang-ho, variety shows

Filed under: Celebrity News by javabeans - 20 Comments →

Star or Serious Actor? Go So Young and Song Kang Ho

 
Just as a sidebar, this article is horribly written but interesting in content if not execution. I tried to preserve the wording (which often smacks of juvenile rhetoric) but I did gloss over some redundant word repetition, and such as, for readability’s sake.

Also, on a more relevant note, the word “actor” used throughout the article doesn’t just refer to the general profession — it’s used in the context of serious acting, acting as an art form. Kind of like what we’d call a “character actor” in Western cinema terms.

Stars dreaming of being actors vs. Actors dreaming of being stars

Kim Tae Hee, Jeon Ji Hyun, Go So Young… They’re the top stars enjoying the most popularity these days. They have nothing to envy in terms of looks or wealth. They’re Korea’s top stars, but it’s not quite easy to call them actors. And that’s because of their fatal weakness: acting ability. And they aren’t the only ones, either. Most of the young top stars these days succeed based on their looks, but have been unable so far to receive recognition for their acting. …

SONG OF THE DAY

Lucid Fall - “날개” (Wings) [ zShare download ]

Actors and stars, what’s the difference? >>

Tags: Han Chae-young, Jang Dong-gun, Lee Junki, Oh Man-seok, Seol Kyung-gu, Song Kang-ho, theater

Filed under: Chungmuro/Film by javabeans - 17 Comments →