On a recent Saturday evening, hundreds of people milled about the lobby of Chungmu Art Hall before the start of "The Three Musketeers" musical.
It's a common scene ahead of any performance. But something stood out about the makeup of the crowd waiting to see this particular show, a Korean version of the Czech musical that recounts the famous story of d'Artagnan and his friends. Sprinkled about the lobby were small groups of Japanese women, most of whom looked like tourists rather than residents.
Perhaps they just happened to want to catch a Korean performance during their visit to Seoul?
Quite the opposite.
"I've been a fan of Shin Sung-woo since 2005, and I'm here just to see him perform in the musical", said Masako Arakawa, a 39-year-old Japanese woman, referring to the famous Korean singer-actor who played the role of Athos in that night's performance. "Though the musical is entirely in Korean and I don't understand Korean, it doesn't matter, as long a...
MoreMovie actress
Moon Geun-yeong (21)'s comeback drama, SBS "
Painter of the Wind" might star
Park Shin-yang (40) as the male leading role. Their age difference is 19 years.
Moon Geun-yeong has acted with
Kim Joo-hyeok (36) in "
Love Me Not" and
Park Geon-hyeong (31) in "
Innocent Steps". A ten year difference is standard. It is also interesting that she has acted with no one her age except when she starred as
Song Hye-kyo (26)'s younger character.
The same goes for
Ko Ah-ra (18). After graduating from the teen drama "Sharp", she acted with
Yoon Kye-sang (30), who graduated from an idol group. Leaving her roles as the rebellious daughter and the innocent girl, she is acting with older men. She is currently acting in MBC "
Who Are You - Drama"
At first, it was surprising, but now, the age difference between actors and actresses are becoming natural. It is like getting used to scratchy old clothes after wearing them for a long time. It is also like how the stinging smell of ammonia in a clean bathroom becomes dull.
The title of being a top star makes the age difference less important. The headlines that Mr. so-and-so is starring replaces the fact that the actors are married or old. Age difference is becoming normal after passing time.
Dramas and movies are no exception. There are many leading actors and actresses that are more than 13 years apart. It is ironic that age difference is not a factor...
MoreAs the year 2007 ended, the dramas are also changing its path. On 26th, SBS Wed-Thur drama,
"Lobbyist" was finished, followed by KBS 2 "
In-soon is Pretty" on 27th. Previously, KBS1 historical drama, "
Dae Jo Yeong" was crowned with perfection on 23rd. The following is the summary of popularity rating of dramas in 2007 (data provided by TNS Media Korea), beginning with MBC serial drama "
Bad Woman, Good Woman" which began on 1st January 2007.
In the Department of Mon-Tue dramas… Between the dominance of "
Jumong", "
My Man's Woman", "
Coffee Prince", KBS was doomed, "Oh my God, What should we do?"
This year's KBS and SBS Mon-Tue dramas had a period of dark age due to MBC "
Jumong". Strictly speaking, "
Jumong" is the 'Old' drama, which began on 15th May 2006 and its leading actor
Song Il-gook received a Grand Prize in 2006 MBC Drama Awards for his excellent performance. However, its popularity continued this year. When "
Jumong" finally finished on 6th March, it recorded its maximum rating of 51.9%. Of course, this is the highest rating ever recorded this year. Even its average viewing rate was 41%. Ever since 2000, this record is the 3rd highest average rating, after "
Dae Jang Geum" (4l.6%) and "
Lovers in Paris" (41.5%).
After "
Jumong" was finished, SBS "
My Man's Woman" took the lead. Either by the talent of popular script writer,
Kim Su-hyun; or by superb performance by
Kim Hee-ae,
Bae Jong-ok and
Ha Yoo-mi; or by the presence of naïve man
Kim Sang-joong between these dominant women, the drama reached its maximum rating of 38.7% and
Ha Yoo-mi was given a title of 'Nation's sister' for her fine performance. Therefore post-"
Jumong" was taken by "
My Man's Woman".
Then the baton was handed over to MBC "
Coffee Prince". From 2nd July to 27th August,
Yoon Eun-hye,
Gong Yoo,
Chae Jeong-an and
Lee Seon-gyoon was at the center of hot topics. Despite its public attention and strong support from netizens, the rating of the last episode was rather low at 27.7%. From then, MBC "
Yi San" (began on 17th September, starring
Lee Seo-jin,
Han Ji-min and
Lee Soon-jae) had been keeping up the reign after catching up with SBS "
King and I", which made earlier start than "
Yi San". On 25th December, "
Yi San" recorded the rating of 28.9% and "'
King and I" resulted 16%.
Then who would have been the biggest victim here? Of course, it was KBS. It was devastated and was almost buried in the grave. Beginning with
Park Geon-hyeong and
Lee Ha-na's "When Spring Comes" (First episode 5.3%, last episode 15.6%);
Lee Da-hae and
Lee Ji-hoon's "
Hello, Miss" (19th March (14.8%) - 8th May (9.7%));
Cha Tae-hyeon and
Kang Hye-jeong's "
Flowers For My Life" (14th May (7.5%) - 3rd July (5.3%));
Lee Cheon-hee and
Kim Ha-eun's "Seoul's Sad Song" (9th July (7.5%) - 31st July (5.8%)); and
Yang Dong-geun and
Park Min-yeong's "
I Am Sam" (6th August (6.5%) - 2nd October (6.1%)) have all been utterly defeated.
Next in line, "
Evasive Inquiry Agency" (starring
Lee Min-ki,
Ye Ji-won and
Ryoo Seung-soo) resulted even lower rating (3.4% on 27th November) than what it started with (4.0% on 8th Octoer), despite passionate encouragements and supports from netizens. Its follow up,
"Bad Love" (began on 3rd December) haven't made any significant breakthrough in the competition with "
Yi San" and "
King and I", despite
kwon Sang-woo and
Lee Yo-won's dramatic performance. On 25th December, it recorded 9.2% rating and at this point, one could clearly see that all medicines proved useless for KBS Mon-Tue drama department.
In the Department of Wed-Thu dramas… either "
War of Money" or "The Legend"
Before the monstrous drama, "The Legend" made its grand appearance; the stag...
MoreAnother fabulous musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber is coming to town. Adapted into Korean language and produced by local staff, "The Beautiful Game" will be staged Nov. 16 at LG Art Center for a two-month run.
The West End musical co-written by Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton is about loss of innocence, betrayal and tragedy in a group of teenagers growing up amid religious intolerance in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1969.
Focusing on the drama of an Irish youth football team, the musical tells how the players deal with the violence and terrorism that become their worlds.
Inspired by a TV documentary about a group of kids -- some were Catholics, some Protestants -- who played football together in 1969, the musical chronicles the ups and downs of the team players amid t...
More
The two actresses are in the new drama "Land of wind" which its special trailor was released on the 4th. Choi Jeong-won and Oh Yoon-ah are at the press conference for this new production. Who Looks best? Choi Jeong-won or Oh Yooh-ah? ...More
