Kang Il-soo (강일수)

Dramas Bring Hero, Gamblers and Orchestra

2008/09/09 | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

Summer is coming to an end and broadcasters are getting ready for a chilly season full of colorful dramas depicting historical heroes, musicians and gamblers.

Starting today is KBS's "Land of Wind", and MBC's "Beethoven Virus", while next week will see the start of SBS's "Tazza".

The three programs have already made headlines several times because of their star-studded casts, interesting plots and distinctive settings.

"Land of Wind" stars Song Il-gook, the 36-year-old actor who rose to stardom as Jumong in "Jumong-Prince of Legend (2006)". Interestingly enough, Song will play Jumong's grandson Mu-hyool, who later becomes King Daemushin of the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668) in the upcoming drama.

At the press conference of the drama last Thursday, KBS revealed a clip showing the team shooting in China. The backdrop of the war scene resembled Petra, Jordan in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". With sharp cliffs towering the area, th...| More

Song Il-gook Wraps Shoot in China

Source | 2008/08/01 | Permalink |

The team of KBS 2TV's drama, "Land of Wind", finally wrapped up its shoot with Song Il-gook in China and returned to Korea on July 30th.

According to its production company, Chorokbaem Media, the "Land of Wind" team left for Shanghai on June 16th and spent 45 days filming around China. Many of the scenes were shot in Wuxi, about one to two hours from Shanghai by car, Lanzhou and Zingtai, which is two hours from Beijing by plane.

"We had difficulty filming due to the monsoon", said Chorokbaem. "And toward the end, we were rushed and pressed for time".

After one day off, the filming crew will continue the "Land of Wind" shoot as they travel through the countryside of Korea.

Set for a temporary September release, "Land of Wind" is a 36-part drama based on the popular graphic novel series by Kim Jin-I. "Jumong", "All In", and "Heo Jun" writer Choi Wan-gyoo wrote the teleplay and Kang Il-soo of "Emperor of the Sea" fame is directing. ...| More

Agents ride crest of Korean wave

Source | 2005/11/27 | Permalink |

November 28, 2005 ㅡ Just how big is the Korean Wave? As Asian fans swoon over Korean stars, the brand image of Korea has risen so much that exports have gotten a 27.5 trillion won ($26.4 billion) boost, according to government estimates. Meanwhile a recent survey by the Korea International Trade Association found that 76 percent of its members thought hanryu (Korean wave) celebrities had enhanced their companies' sales or image last year.
These in-demand celebrities ―and their agents ―are also reaping the benefits.
But as the big money rolls in, big arguments and lawsuits have been erupting among major players in the entertainment world. The only thing anybody agrees on is that the talent agencies run the show.
Agencies tend to demand an unreasonably large shares of earnings ―both from unknown new actors, and then from the producers who hire established stars. The incredible power of agencies as gatekeepers to stardom and virtual owners of the stars has l...| More

The Korean Martial Arts Genre Chooses Love

Source | 2005/05/26 | Permalink |

On May 25, the KBS drama "Emperor of the Sea" (Korean title: "Haeshin") came to its epic conclusion with the death of Jang Bo-go. The show, which recorded ratings over 30 percent throughout its run, became the subject of myriad conversations and speculations with such visual offerings as the solid acting of its cast (which includes Choi Soo-jong, Chae Si-ra, Song Il-gook, and Soo-ae), elaborate costumes, and sophisticated action.

The broadcasting industry attributes more than an individual "hit" status to this successful show. They see it as marking the beginning of a transition in the paradigm for period dramas.

Cultural critic Kim Heon-sik (32) said, "The possibilities for a distinctly Korean martial arts genre, which was first glimpsed in the show 'Damo', were strongly affirmed in 'Emperor of the Sea', which placed powerful masculinity and physicality at the fore".

"Emperor of the Sea", Martial Heroism Both Strange and Familiar?-

Although "Emperor of the Sea" takes histo...| More

Foreign Correspondents to Visit KBS's Drama Production Center

Source | 2005/04/12 | Permalink |

Members of the Seoul Foreign Correspondents Club will visit KBS's Drama Production Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on the afternoon of Apr. 12. The foreign correspondents' visit to the KBS's drama production center has been arranged to allow them to cover a Korean television drama whose genre has attracted the attention of many foreigners as the source of "hallyu" (Korean wave).

The visitors consist of a total of 23 journalists from 18 foreign media companies such as Reuters, Newsweek, and CNN.

They will have lunch with the production staff and actors and actresses of the KBS's drama "Emperor of the Sea", as well as interview them and collect data on the drama.

They will also take a tour of the drama production center in Suwon, accompanied by production staff members, including director Kang Il-soo, and actors and actresses such as Choi Soo-jong, Soo-ae, Kim Heung-soo, and Bae Soo-bin....| More