Entries in the 'Song Seung-heon' Category

East of Eden: Viewers up, paychecks down

The actors of MBC’s Monday-Tuesday drama East of Eden, including star Song Seung-heon, are taking a pay cut — as much as 50% from their current pay rates.

The drama boasts a large cast of name actors — Yeon Jung-hoon, Yoo Dong-geun, Lee Mi-sook, Jo Min-ki, Lee Yeon-hee, Lee Da-hae, Han Ji-hye, Park Hae-jin — all of whom are pulling in lead-actor rates. Those add up quickly in what is already a high-budget production (approx 25 billion won).

Perhaps the actors are feeling secure now that Eden has established itself as a ratings success. For those who aren’t already A-list, this drama will likely shoot them up in that range (Yeon Jung-hoon, for instance, playing Dong-wook, or the young ladies; they’re on the rise, but this ought to solidify their places in the next generation of young actresses). One unnamed actor explained, “East of Eden is a project I chose because I had faith in the drama’s quality, writer, and director, more than because of the acting fee.”

A production team member said, “It’s a difficult feat to get this many actors of this caliber acting together, and thanks to the care they’ve poured into the drama, East of Eden has been able to receive this kind of love.”

Also, Song Seung-heon has volunteered to return his pay and receive it after the show ends, saying, “These days, a lot of dramas run into difficulties while filming because of sudden increases in production costs. I can receive my pay later, if that means our production process can continue smoothly.”

I say: It’s a small gesture on the part of the megastar (who no doubt isn’t hurting for cash), but a fabulous thing for his PR.

Via Seyge.com, Hankyung

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The current drama landscape: An overview

It seems we suddenly have a ton of new dramas out, and I was starting to feel a bit lost. So here’s a brief overview of the dramas currently airing, some of which I’m following regularly and some that I haven’t committed to sticking with yet.

For the series I plan to keep watching, I’ll probably follow up with more in-depth posts, but for now I’m taking a general, overall look at the current lineup. (The two dramas pictured above, Kingdom of Wind and The Painter of Wind, are probably the two best series airing currently, but for different reasons.)

SONG OF THE DAY

Sorri - “Because of You” [ Download ]

More on the current drama scene >>


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Kwon Sang-woo weds Sohn Tae-young (finally)

After all the hullaballo, Kwon Sang-woo finally married Sohn Tae-young today (September 28), and I for one am glad, since we won’t be having to hear about it anymore.

The couple gave a press conference prior to the wedding, as the wedding itself was closed to the press. Sohn Tae-young wore a Kenneth Pool gown, which she bought on the couple’s recent trip to England.

Kwon: “I’m finally getting married. I’m so nervous — my nerves don’t begin to compare with any film festival or event I’ve been to. … We’ll live happily together. I vow to love her forever.” Sohn: “It doesn’t feel real yet. Actually, I wasn’t nervous at all while getting ready. But now I’m starting to feel it.”

When asked about kids, Kwon answered that he’d like three, but joked that Sohn “has agreed to two, for her figure’s sake.”

And, since it’s not every day such a huge Hallyu star gets married, we have a pretty impressive guest-star roster that rivals the red carpet at some of the largest industry events.

The parade of high-profile attendees >>


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Presenting the cast of East of Eden

If that ain’t the picture of “triumphant return,” I don’t know what is.

The sizable cast of upcoming epic drama East of Eden held its production press conference on August 21, and trotted out all most of its big names (and it has many, although some were either not in attendance or weren’t photographed — no Lee Mi-sook?). The event was held at the drama’s open set location in South Gyeongsang province (located on the southeastern part of the peninsula, near Busan).

Everyone looks healthy and happy, although pretty-faced Song Seung-heon seems a little, um, smirkier than usual, doesn’t he? (I don’t think it’s his best look.)

The drama premieres August 25 on MBC (it’s a Monday-Tuesday-er).

The cast is, from left to right: Park Hae-shin, Han Ji-hye, Yeon Jung-hoon, Lee Da-hae, drama PD Kim Jin-man, Song Seung-heon, Lee Yeon-hee, and Jo Min-ki. (Too bad they didn’t decide to pose under their poster images, like some sort of performance-art onscreen-versus-reality juxtaposition. Or, you know, just for fun.)

More cast pics beyond the jump >>


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Song Seung Heon jumps East of Eden, south of balcony

Song Seung Heon grapples with a foe, leaps off a building and performs his own stunt wire work while shooting MBC’s upcoming epic drama (spanning multiple decades, from the sixties to the present), East of Eden, which premieres August 25. He films on location in Hong Kong.


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