Lee Yeong-ah (이영아)

"Golden Bride" Wins a Tokyo Drama Award

Source | 2008/10/24 | Permalink |

"Golden Bride", a story about a Vietnamese girl marrying into a Korean family, has won the Special Drama Award at the International Drama Festival in Tokyo (IDFT) on October 22. The first episode of the series was also screened at the festival. This is the second honor for "Golden Bride" at international drama festivals, following the top prize at the Seoul Drama Festival on October 14.

The IDFT is an award putting emphasis on marketability and commercial potential of TV drama series for the purpose of overseas distribution. This year's IDFT has invited acclaimed TV series from four countries – Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and China.

"Golden Bride" was aired in 2007 on SBS and starred Lee Yeong-ah in the leading role of Nyuen Jinju and Song Chang-ee as her husband. The drama had won high marks from both the critics and the public for its sensitive portrayal of a foreign bride's plight in Korea and the value of human bonding and understanding. ...| More

Super Junior & Lee Yeong-ah Public Advertisement Models

Source | 2008/07/31 | Permalink |

Pop idols Super Junior and actress Lee Yeong-ah will be the new faces for the "Donate Blood" public advertisements next month.

"Blood donations have decreased, so we are launching the 'Donate Blood' advertisements to urge the younger generations", said a representative from the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO) yesterday. "Super Junior and Lee Yeong-ah are the current spokesmodels for the 'Donate Blood' campaign at the Republic of Korea National Red Cross, and they readily agreed to shoot our ad free of charge".

This public advertisement shows a person giving blood with a slightly apprehensive facial expression, and the message of the ad is that one second of apprehension can save another person's life.

This advertisement will be aired on all TV stations, including cable, from August to mid-September....| More

Main actors' fighting spirit, Will "Iljimae" soar?

Source | 2008/06/05 | Permalink |

The backbone actors of SBS "Iljimae" are becoming a hot issue. They are Lee Moon-sik, Kim Chang-wan, and Ahn Kil-kang.

Lee Moon-sik, who plays the role of Swe-dol, showed his 'passion' by volunteering to taking out his teeth to differentiate from his character in "Damo". The producers, who were moved, inserted the story of his teeth coming out in the drama.

In the drama, Swe-dol will face the danger of getting his wrist cut off from Byeon-shik (Lee Won-jong) because he assaulted Shi-wan. But eventually, it will change to him getting his teeth pulled. They will show him without his front teeth.

Following his role in "King and I", Ahn Kil-kang drew attention when he shaved his head for his role of a fake Buddhist monk. In "Iljimae", he has the important role of Bong-soon's (Lee Yeong-ah) adoptive father and martial arts teacher to Iljimae.

Kim Chang-wan is growing a beard to fulfill the role of king. He is working carefully to exhibit a realistic charisma as the villain who c...| More

Drama 'Iljimae' has tough act to follow

Source | 2008/05/20 | Permalink |

New historical drama "Iljimae", airing tonight on SBS, will be hard pressed to live up to its predecessor, "On Air".

"On Air", featuring Kim Ha-neul and Park Yong-ha, topped viewer ratings charts last Thursday, when its final episode was broadcast. A strong script and four top notch actors carried this miniseries to success.

The new drama also must compete with MBC's "Spotlight". With big stars Son Ye-jin and Ji Jin-hee playing reporters and talented screenwriter Lee Ki-won at the helm, "Spotlight" may nab viewer ratings for the Wednesday and Thursday night slot, leaving "Iljimae" out in the cold.

But the verdict isn't out yet.

Based on an ancient Korean hero of the same name, the historical drama "Iljimae" revolves around the good deeds of a Korean Robin Hood. However unlike Hong Gil-dong, a Korean hero who also stole from the rich and gave to the poor, Iljimae is primarily motivated by revenge.

Hallyu star Lee Joon-ki will be taking on the complex role of this hero. An...| More

Cinema Bridges Korea, Vietnam

Source | 2008/05/19 | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

In celebration of the 16th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Vietnam, the Second Korean Film Festival took place May 8-10 in Hanoi, drawing hordes of local fans. The pop culture exchange is expected to thrive even more with a possible joint project to build a huge studio in Vietnam as well as the establishment of a major Korean multiplex movie theater's first Vietnamese branch.

The three-day film festival featured five popular Korean movies: "Forever the Moment", based on the dramatic women's handball game at the 2004 Athens Olympics; "Marathon", a tearjerker about a disabled man championing marathons; "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007' starring hallyu star Song Hye-kyo as a ravishing Joseon (1392-1910)-era entertainer and artist; "Over the Rainbow", a melodrama starring top actors Lee Jeong-jae and Jang Jin-yeong; and "Cube".

Some 40,000 tickets for the screenings were sold before the inauguration, according to Seoul Daily Newspape...| More