| New faces to widen the scope of Hallyu dramas (Source) |
2010/03/17 |
How many outside Korea are aware that Lee Charm, the first naturalized Korean citizen from Germany used to be a TV celebrity, who at one time appeared in Korean TV dramas? Last year he was named the president of the Korean Tourism Organization, becoming the first naturalized citizen to be named to a high government post.
Hallyu drama is fast catering to changing trends. As the number of expats in Korea exceeded one million years ago, new faces are making a splash in Hallyu dramas these days. These new faces are either Koreans from overseas, half-Koreans or expats eager to take their chance to be a star in Asia.
One of the earliest signs of the big potential for actors from overseas was in the drama "My Name is Kim Sam-soon" (2005). At the time Daniel Henney, a U.S. model whose mother is ethnically Korean starred as a supportive friend of a girl he loves. Henney, with his good looks and the charming role he played, became an instant talk in Korea, together with the show.
Henne... |More
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| [TV Program] Princess Hours to be Reintroduced as Musical (Source) |
2010/03/11 |
"Princess Hours", the 2006 hit drama series, has returned after four years to continue its legend as a musical.
Set in an alternate reality in which Korea has constitutional monarchy, "Princess Hours" revolves around a marriage of convenience between an average high-school girl, Shin Chae-kyeong (Yoon Eun-hye), and the handsome but picky Crown Prince Yi Shin (Joo Ji-hoon). The show was praised for enhancing the aesthetic value of Korean dramas with its realistic portrayal of a modern royal family and led to the boom of well-made dramas.
The musical production of "Princess Hours", which was originally based on a Korean comic, has been considered since the drama review stage. The drama's main producers, representative Song Byung-jun and writer In Eun-a, have once again joined hands for the musical version.
The drama "Princess Hours", known particularly for its impressive artwork, will be reinterpreted as a musical using a digital system to enhance its glamour and fun. It is expe... |More
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| More expats show up on TV, in music (Source) |
2010/03/08 |
As Korea shifts from a homogenous to a multicultural society, Korean TV programs and music groups have begun to feature more non-Korean performers.
Nichkhun, a member of the up-and-coming idol boy band 2PM, has a Thai father and a Chinese mother. Despite his limited proficiency of Korean, the 22-year-old has a huge fan base here. A Chinese singer, Han Geng, known here as Hankyung, a member of Super Junior, is a favorite for many Korean girls.
On the television front, most recently American Michael Blunck played the role of Kyle in the MBC TV drama "Assorted Gems", which came to an end last month. Blunck, who was a professional wakeboarder in the U.S. before coming to Korea, had never acted before the drama, but he took the role because of his fluent Korean. In Jewel Bibimbap he played a character who came to Korea to become a Buddhist monk.
"When planning the drama, we were thinking about having a foreigner because we run into so many foreigners these days in Korean society", ... |More
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| Actor Lim Joo-hwan to open official Japanese website (Source) |
2010/02/26 |
Actor Lim Joo-hwan's official Japanese website [Yedang Entertainment]
Korean actor Lim Joo-hwan's official Japanese website will open on March 1, according to his agency Yedang Entertainment on Friday.
"We opened the website (http://www.juhwan.jp) because Japanese fans had been requesting for up-to-date information on his activities", said an official from Yedang Entertainment.
Lim's fan base is Japan has been increasing since the airing of MBC drama "Tamra, The Island" in the country which was followed by a fan meeting late last year.##
"I would like to thank my fans in Japan th... |More
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| 'Birdie Buddy' Aiming to Captivate TV Viewers |
2010/02/17 |
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
The small screen has had its fair share of sports dramas, so the question must be asked: Are local viewers ready for another one? The makers of "Boys Over Flowers" are recreating the famous comic book series "Birdie Buddy" as a golf drama this year, and despite the reliable production team, it's still too early to predict success.
Another Sports Drama?
Sports dramas here have not yet tasted true success: "Strike Love" (a show about baseball) failed to captivate viewers with its weak storyline, while "Triple" (figure skating) ended up being a run-of-the-mill melodrama. "Dream' - Drama' (martial arts) and "No Limit" (football) also lost their spark due to their lack of realism and shaky storylines.
But the crew and actors of the 20-episode "Birdie Buddie", as well as cartoonist Lee Hyeon-se, firmly believe this time will be different.
"It's true that sports dramas have failed to win the hearts of viewers. This is another challenge for all of u... |More
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