Huh. Another one: Scandal Makers (aka Speed Scandal, 과속스캔들), which has enjoyed tremendous success in the past few months, is being remade by Hollywood.

The film has sold over 8.2 million tickets in Korea and catapulted young star Park Bo-young to household-name status (and earned her a Baeksang Award just a few days ago). It also stars Cha Tae-hyun (My Sassy Girl) and a very young Wang Seok-hyun. It is directed by Kang Hyung-chul.

Attached to direct the U.S. remake is Barry Sonnenfeld, director of films like Men in Black and RV and producer of Get Shorty, Ladykillers, and Pushing Daisies, who had the following to say about the Korean movie: “What a fabulous movie. It is funny, intelligent, and full of heart and values. It is also a movie with universal themes. I am honored to have the opportunity…” According to the CEO of M Line, which handles overseas sales and distribution, remake offers came from multiple studios, such as Universal, Sony, Disney, and Paramount.

The thing is, from everything I’ve heard, Scandal Makers is a great, fun, quality movie. The story seems remake-able. But it’s almost TOO remake-able — the plot doesn’t sound all that unusual for an American film: A 36-year-old bachelor finds his life upturned when he is surprised by the appearance of an unknown 22-year-old daughter… and her 6-year-old son. (The reason for the “speedy” scandals? Cha’s character, now a successful DJ and happy bachelor, was once an idol star in his teens with lots of female fans.) What keeps it afloat is its charm, and we know from past experiences that Hollywood tends to kill THAT elusive quality straightaway (case in point: My Sassy Girl, Il Mare, Tale of Two Sisters).

Via Mk.co.kr

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Post tags: Cha Tae-hyun, Hollywood, Park Bo-young, remakes, stuff that bugs, Wang Seok-hyun

Pop star Hyori is designing her own T-shirt. And I use the word “designing” loosely.

The shirt is to commemorate her upcoming concert(s) on the 19th and 20th (her first since going solo) and will be presented to all the concertgoers as an expression of Hyori’s appreciation. And when I raise a skeptical eyebrow to the labeling of Hyori as a designer, it’s not just because that T-shirt is fugly, but because the shirt is really just a sketch version of her third-album promotional “Hyorish” poster anyway, which she did not design.

I mean, fine, we all know that stars like to flaunt their artsy hobbies, whether it’s through cooking, or
singing (or singing, or singing some more, or rapping), or writing (fiction, essays, or *cough*allegedly* nonfiction), or photography, or songwriting, or other artistic endeavors (sketchbooks, crafts, and paintings). And so on and so forth.

But sometimes these things don’t correlate to actual artistic talent so much as they are lame promotional gimmicks or vanity exercises. Then again, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised; this is Hyori, whose success has never had anything to do with originality.

Via OSEN

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Post tags: Lee Hyori, star extracurricular activities, stuff that bugs

I hadn’t intended on posting about actress Ok So-ri’s current adultery case, because South Korean law is one subject that I freely admit is beyond me. But the news has hit the international newswire, so here we go:

The 39-year-old Ok, who enjoyed most of her popularity in the ’90s (her last film was 1996’s Karuna), admitted to having an affair. That alone was scandalous enough, but in Korea, adultery is still a criminal offense. Korea’s adultery rate is high, but rarely is it actually prosecuted. (Imagine the overcrowding of prisons were that true!) However, a 55-year-old adultery law has enabled Ok’s husband to press charges. Ok has attempted to overturn the law, but the prosecution is now looking to send her to jail. TO JAIL. FOR ADULTERY.

Reuters says:

“South Korean enacted its adultery law more than 50 years ago to protect women who had few rights in the male-dominated society but critics say now it is a draconian measure no longer fit for a country with an advanced civil and family court system. …Last month, the Constitutional Court said adultery damaged the social order and therefore was a criminal offence.”

Now, I’m not condoning cheating, but the problem is that this is an archaic law and is being misapplied here as a revenge tactic more than a protection of rights. It’s also pretty damn hypocritical given that Korea’s got a booming sex trade (with the vast majority of johns being men, married and otherwise) and an extremely high (and ever-increasing) divorce rate.

Way to punish one person for the “crimes” of an entire nation, Korea. This here is some fecking messed-up shiz, people.

Via Arts News, Chosun Ilbo, Reuters

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Post tags: lawsuits, ranty/ravey, stuff that bugs

This episode both exasperated me and provided some satisfaction. Warning: long rant ahead.

SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Ji Hoon – “Goodbye” [ Download ]

 
(...)
Read the rest of My Sweet Seoul: Episode 9 (3,020 words)

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Post tags: Choi Kang-hee, episode recaps, Lee Seon-kyun, My Sweet Seoul, stuff that bugs

Hmm. I didn’t really love the first half of Episode 7, although that wasn’t because it was bad. I think we’re just in that phase where plot setups start to bear results, and some of those can lead to uncomfortable moments. The developments are necessary, of course, and we get some nice acting amidst a more somber tone. And this scene (with Eun-soo and Young-soo in the rain) was a definite highlight.

Also, last week only aired one episode, so tomorrow we’ll be back with Episodes 8 and 9.

SONG OF THE DAY

VEIL – “Special” [ Download ]

 
(...)
Read the rest of My Sweet Seoul: Episode 7 (2,504 words)

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Post tags: Choi Kang-hee, episode recaps, Lee Seon-kyun, My Sweet Seoul, stuff that bugs

Oh, pleeez.

Kim Ah Joong is putting out a book and has announced plans to donate proceeds to a hospital for handicapped children. She’s co-editing with Koryo University’s writing professor Kim Kwang Su, and the book Emotional Communication goes on sale on May 30.

The book is described as dealing with a study on the spectrum of human emotions as classified into several categories such as horror, anger, sadness, love, happiness, etc. It takes a look into several academic fields in its synthesis of the human emotional experience, such as neuroscience, physiology, and psychology.

Professor Kim explains that he’d come up with the concept of the book in early 2007, and was impressed with Kim Ah Joong’s enthusiasm and insight when she attended his lectures on the topic (read: He saw his ticket to publication). He apparently approached her and suggested her participation, and thus the collaboration.

Yeaaaah, I’m sure. A pretty young actress and jeans model, whose claim to fame is a mainstream romantic comedy fluff hit, seemed like the perfect partner for compiling an examination of human emotions using an “academic approach”? A university professor works on a book for more than a year, brings in a student, and now they’re “co-editors”? I wish the workload balance tilted in this direction when I was a college student.

Hey, maybe she has a knack for the subject (also, maybe not) — but no matter how bright a student is, no way does a college intro-lecture-attendee have any sort of business co-authoring a book bearing this description. This is no slam against her — it’s miles away from Horan’s essay collection, Yoon Eun Hye’s craft projects, Jung Ryeo Won’s sketchbook, or Park Jiyoon’s photography. Even pop- and pseudo-science ought to require the bare minimum in the way of academic credentials.

Via Star News

SONG OF THE DAY

Bless – “남자답게, 옴므” (Homme) [ Download ]

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Post tags: books, edumacation, Kim Ah-joong, star extracurricular activities, stuff that bugs

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 [ Download ]

 
(...)
Read the rest of On Air: First impressions (712 words)

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