Joe Odagiri (オダギリジョ)

Actress Lee Na-young [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Most actresses which men rave about, are less liked by women. But a handsome number of female fans became enchanted with Lee Na-young's roles in TV series such as "Ruler of Your Own World" and "Ireland". And words such as 'consistency', 'sturdiness' and 'prudence' -- normally used to describe someone of the male gender -- also befit this 31-year-old actress well.

She was the same on the set of film "Lady Daddy". The Lee Na-young that 10Asia met with sighed as she jokingly complained how the female members of the crew would ask for photographs with her when she dressed up as a man in particular, much more so than when she was herself. But it seemed unlike that her image as an actress will be affected after she dons a mustache and short hair to play her character Ji-hyun.

Below is 10Asia's interview with the actress who seeks after what she wants, even if it may be the long way around.

10: I hear that you choose your roles quite carefully so "Lady Daddy" was an surprising choice in many ways.
Lee Na-young (Lee): I made my mind up very quickly for film "Dream" and sitcom "High Kick Through The Roof" but took more time with "Lady Daddy" because many people around me were concerned about it. Before, I had never thought about 'image' in choosing a role but it seemed I should with this film since the topic may influence my image as an actress in Korea. That's why some people were telling me, "As an actress..". but in the end, I decided to think about my character and genre more than my image.

10: So what was the key factor that led you to take on "Lady Daddy"?
Lee: I liked the combination of comedy with the possibly risky topic we are usually careful to talk about. Sex change in particular is something Koreans are not used to and have little information or knowledge about. So I was extremely attracted to the collaboration of the topic and genre, and another thing was that I wanted to play the role of a man. I was very shocked upon seeing Kate Blanchett's acting in the film "I'm Not There". I had never thought I'd be able to play the role of a guy but also started wondering whether such an opportunity would arise in our country too. That's why, when I got the scenario for this film, I was worried about it. But I also told myself that it was unlikely I'd be given the chance to play this sort of a role again. That's why for me, what was important was 'being a guy' and not dressing up as one, whether it be as the person from his past or as a dad....More

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, will become a playground for cinephiles and student directors during an international collegian film festival, Nov. 26 to 29. But as much as the event aims to foster future talent, educational initiatives will invite cineastes of international renown, including Japanese superstar Joe Odagiri.

The 2009 International College Peace Film Festival (ICPFF) will open under the theme "Dreaming of Becoming a Cineaste?" featuring over 300 films from some 30 countries, ranging from experimental to animation flicks. College students will vie for prizes in a competition, while works by esteemed filmmakers will be shown in an out-of-competition section.

"Cries and Whispers", a graduation piece by a tea...More

Song Hye-kyo and Joe Odagiri are in a photoshoot together.

They have come together for LEVI'S PREMIUM COLLECTION.

Two stars have the modern cynical look and seem to be in some movie set rather than a photoshoot set.

...More

Award-winning director Kim Ki-duk has built up an international reputation with his films that starkly differ from other mainstream movies in Korea and elsewhere. He stands out largely because he never veers off from his obsessive pursuit of provocative styles and thought-provoking themes.

For better or worse, Kim did not pull any punches in making his 15th feature, "Dream" (Bi-Mong), to be released on Oct. 9. The movie is drawing keen media attention by signing on high-profile actors -- Lee Na-young from Korea and Joe Odagiri Japan -- but viewers should be aware of the cinematic puzzles director Kim routinely inserts in his films in order to grasp what is really going on in this mixture of reality and fantasy.

In the film, Odagiri plays Jin, an artist who sees himself causing a car crash in his dream. What he discovers, however, is that his dream is not a mere creation of his brain because all the details he witnessed while sleeping tu...More

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Last November, Japanese heartthrob Joe Odagiri ("Tokyo Tower") caused a traffic jam in Seoul as local fans flocked from one theater to another to catch a glimpse of him. Before the Oct. 9 release of his South Korean film debut, Kim Ki-duk's "Dream", he visits the big screen through the brilliantly manic film, "Adrift in Tokyo".

Odagiri can, in Hollywood parlance, be compared to Johnny Depp with his mass appeal despite (or perhaps because of) his eccentric outfits and unusual roles in independent or experimental genres. "Adrift" is no exception, and the unshaven actor sports wild curls that make him look like an aging Elvis who has just rolled out of b...More