Singles (Movie - 2003)

3 Stars to Share Lead in 'Legally Blonde' Musical

Source | 2009/10/30 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The starring role of Elle Woods in the musical "Legally Blonde" will be shared among three stars -- 2006 Miss Korea Lee Honey, Jessica of girl group Girls' Generation, and actress Kim Ji-woo. The Korean version of the musical opens on Nov. 14.

What do they bring to the part? This is Lee's second musical after "Polaroid", and she is probably the closest to the character of Elle Woods in that she was the winner of a beauty pageant and is a graduate of the nation's top university, Seoul National University, with a degree in Korean traditional music.

"It's a musical with modern music and dance full of elements that will appeal to female audiences", she says. "Just like Elle is fighting against the stereotypes of blonde beauties, I want to break the stereotypes of Miss Koreas".

Jessica is making her musical theater debut with "Legally Blonde". "It's physically tough as I'm quite busy with other things going on in addition to this musical. But it was one of my dreams to be part of a...| More

Busan Film Fest 2009 Kicks Off In Style

Source | 2009/10/09 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Busan - The 14th edition of the Pusan (Busan) International Film Fstival (PIFF) kicked off Thursday with glitz and glam. Some 150 star cineastes and VIP guests walked the red carpet, sizzling up the cool autumn evening at the seaside resort.

The Busan Yatching Center Outdoor Theater exploded with excitement, as more than the usual number of fans who could not secure seats swarmed the venue outside. Competition was fierce among domestic and foreign press during the photo-op.

Hollywood heartthrob Josh Hartnett and South Korean superstar Lee Byeong-heon stole the limelight as the two "I Come With the Rain" co-stars walked down the red carpet together. Also in the spotlight was actress Kim Yoon-jin, who appeared glamorous in a chic black dress. The "Lost" star attended the PIFF opening ceremony for the first time as the new face of makeup brand L'Oreal, an official partner of the event.

Meanwhile, Jang Jin, who directed the event's opening film "...| More

Korean Films Premiering at 14th Pusan Fest

Source | 2009/09/18 | 0 comments | Permalink |

A number of high-profile Korean features will have their World Premiere at the 14th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) including opening film "Good Morning President" by writer-director JANG Jin. It stars top Korean actor JANG Dong-gun, who is expected to greet the opening night crowd when the fest kick offs October 8 for a 9-day run.

Making it's Gala World Premiere is "The Fair Love" by director SHIN Yeon-shick, a drama starring veteran lead AHN SEONG-ki about an unstoppable romance between an old bachelor in his 50s and a college girl in her 20s. Also in the Gala program is "In My End Is My Beginning" by MIN Gyoo-dong, the director of "All for Love" ("My Lovely Week", 2005) and "Antique" (2008). The new film stars UHM Jung-hwa and KIM Hyo-jin and is an extension of MIN's contribution to the omnibus feature "Five Senses of Eros", released earlier this year.

Another highlight is the return of award-winning director SONG Il-gon ("The Magicians", "A Feather"), who will pr...| More

Love Story Beyond Death for Late Actress

Source | 2009/09/03 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The late actress Jang Jin-yeong was confirmed to have wed a month ago, registering the marriage four days prior to her death, her management agency Yedang Entertainment said Wednesday.

The 35-year-old, who died of stomach cancer Tuesday, and her husband, identified only by his surname Kim, wed in Las Vegas in July, said Kim An-cheol, the public relations manager at Yedang, in a briefing Wednesday at Asan Medical Center, southern Seoul. Kim submitted their marriage registration to the Seongbok-gu Office on Aug. 28, he said.

The manager said that "the couple leaned on each other even through the taxing battle against cancer, and never let go of each other's hands until the very end".

He also transmitted word from Kim: "I was her (Jang) and she was me. My heart breaks that I had to let her go alone on this painful journey, and I cannot contain my sadness. I wish to, at the very least, cherish her forever in my heart. I hope to realize our love i...| More

Actress Jang Jin-yeong's Death Saddens Industry

Source | 2009/09/03 | 0 comments | Permalink |

One of Korea's top actresses, a favorite with critics and audiences alike, JANG Jin-yeong passed away Sep 1, at the young age of 35. Diagnosed last September with stomach cancer after a routine check-up, the actress was said to be recovering when her condition took a turn for the worse last month.

JANG's acting career took off in tandem with the boom in the Korean film industry. She debuted in "Ghost in Love" (1998), but drew attention for her strong performance opposite SONG Kang-ho in hit 2000 film "The Foul King" by KIM Ji-woon. Her role in 2001 horror "Sorum" won her numerous best actress awards in Korea, and one abroad at Portugal's Fantasporto International Fantasy Film Festival.

Her role in the 2003 hit "Singles" earned her the best actress prize at the nation's Blue Dragon Awards and won her a broad fan following. She continued to win prizes for her leading roles in "Blue Swallow" (2005) and "Between Love and Hate" ("The Unbearable Lightness of Dating" - 2006). Her ...| More