Kim Young-cheol (김영철)

Actor Kim Young-cheol to Narrate Documentary on the National Seal

Source | 2008/03/06 | Permalink |

Actor Kim Young-cheol, who currently stars in 'The Great King Sejong', an epic history drama on KBS 1TV, will narrate a special documentary on the national seal.

Kim will narrate the 'The National Seal - The 600-year Vision' which will air on KBS 1TV on March 6 at 10:00 p.m. The program will show viewers how the new national seal was produced and the secret behind the production of the national seal that has been passed down from centuries ago.

Kim Jeong-jung, who produced the program, said he chose the actor as his image, personality and voice went well with a documentary that deals with the national seal, the symbol of a nation's sovereignty. He added that the actor enthusiastically agreed to the proposal, saying it was his first time narrating a documentary.

Kim Young-cheol, who has appeared in other history dramas in the past, currently appears on 'The Great King Sejong' as the third king of the Joseon Dynasty, Taejong, who is portrayed as a sensitive yet strong leader....| More

Epic Dramas Continues to Boom This Year

Source | 2008/01/01 | Permalink |

By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

KBS starts the New Year with two new epic dramas, "Hong Gil Dong", a Korean Robin Hood story and "The Great King Sejong", another drama portraying the king of Joseon.

Both dramas are set back in the time of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). "Hong Gil Dong" is a comical remake of novel of the same name written by Heo Gyun under King Gwanghaegun's reign (1575-1641).

The rather young director Lee Jung-sub, 36, defines the soap opera as being a "totally new epic drama". He prepared for this drama for about a year with writers Hong Jeong-eun and Hong Mi-ran, also known as the "Hong Sisters" of "Sassy Girl, Chun-hyang" (2005) and "Fantastic Couple" (2006).

Scenes from the preview were rather shocking. The protagonist, Hong Gil-dong (played by actor Kang Ji-hwan) has curly hair and wears sunglasses while Heo I-nok (Seong Yoo-ri), the heroine, looks like Chun-li, the tomboy character from the popular game "Street Fighter".

Lee Chang-hui (Jang Geun-s...| More

[MOVIE REVIEW] 'My Father', a heart-wrenching drama

Source | 2007/09/06 | Permalink |

Finding a long-lost father is an emotional experience. If the father lives in a country across the Pacific Ocean and the reunion takes place in a highly odd place after a two-decade interval, the emotional intensity is bound to be overwhelming.

"My Father", a story based on a real Korean adoptee in the United States who came to Korea to find his birth parents, has all the trappings of a powerful emotion-driven drama. And director Hwang Dong-hyeok seems to understand the obvious danger of too much melodramatic portrayal about a story that is already dramatic enough.

The film starts from a peaceful scene in a picturesque American suburb where James Parker (Daniel Henney) opens up a mail box and finds a letter leading to his quest for his birth parents in Korea. His American parents cared a lot about Parker, and he knows he's well loved and his life in the United States couldn't be better, but he still cannot give up his hope of tracing his past.

As a member of the U.S. army stat...| More

"Father" Paints Many Faces of Family Love

Source | 2007/09/06 | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

They say here that familial love flows downstream like a river, from parent to child. The depths of parental love for one's own child are universally deemed unconditional and immeasurable. While one cannot quantify love, love traveling upstream from child to parent is often a product of affection and respect combined. "My Father", directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Hwang Dong-hyeok and starring Daniel Henney and Kim Young-cheol, explores the multifaceted meaning of family, love, forgiveness and acceptance.

Inspired by a true story, the "faction" film (a combination of fact and fiction) traces the incredible journey of an adoptee searching for his birth family. Adopted by a loving American family at the age of five, the 27-year-old James Parker joins the United States army and is stationed in Korea where he searches for his birth family. With the help of his KATUSA (Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army) roommate and buddy, Joseph, Jame...| More

Father on Death Row

Source | 2007/09/04 | Permalink |

When asked what a family is, you may likely come up with an answer that doesn't differ much from others. But the movie "My Father", to be released this coming Thursday, will give you a chance to think about whether your answer is really the correct one. The film revolving around a young adult's life appeals to our emotion but doesn't go overboard.

James Parker (acted by Daniel Henney), a Korean adoptee raised by devoted American adoptive parents, enlists in the army and comes to Korea looking for his birth parents. Though he meets with his biological father Hwang Nam-cheol (acted by Kim Young-cheol) for the first time in his 22 years, he is told that his father has been sentenced to death for brutally murdering two persons. In excruciating agony, he finally comes to terms with his father. But unfortunately, another tragedy awaits him.

"My Father" is based on the life of Eron Bates whose heartbroken story was introduced through a documentary aired on KBS in 2003. There may not be ...| More