Yang Yoon-ho (양윤호)

'Iris' to Bring Spy Story to Small Screen

Source | 2009/05/24 | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

"Iris" is gearing up for a new genre of drama ― espionage action. The new series, expected to air in September, has fans anticipating where it will refuel the passion for hallyu.

"Iris" is not only based on the hit movie "Shiri" (1998), but also stars some of Korea's best-known actors.

Lee Byeong-heon, Kim Tae-hee, Jeong Joon-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon and Big Bang member T.O.P. (Choi Seung-hyeon) will appear in the "blockbuster action melodrama", and even the actors said they were worried how the drama makers will pull out all the charms from the colorful actors.

"We approached `Iris' like it was a spy film, so viewers will get to watch movie-like scenes along with the emotional details that have made Korean drama so popular over the years at the same time", Kim Gyoo-tae, the director, said.

"One of the most interesting issues here is the division of South and North Korea. It's something that the world is interested in, but we t...| More

Korean drama 'Iris' to generate W3 Bln in Japan

Source | 2009/02/11 | Permalink |

The Korean drama "Iris" starring top actor Lee Byeong-heon is expected to generate some 200 million yen (3 billion won) in economic benefits in Japan's Akita prefecture, where it will be shot.

Kyodo News says the prefecture officially announced the Korean drama will be shot there for 3 weeks from mid-March. Officials expect the economic effect will include a rise in tourist numbers.

Scenes shot there will mainly focus on Lee, who is playing an intelligence agent fleeing Korea and infiltrating Japan. The production agency Taewon says Akita was picked for its snow covered scenery. As for the exact location in Akita, either Oga or Senboku districts will be the likely choice.

Akita governor Sukeshiro Terata said, "I get a glimpse of Korean dramas when my wife watches them. But 'Iris' starring Lee, highly popular in Japan, will have considerable positive impact to our prefecture".

Akita officials plan to form a corporate support team to help the shooting as well as a reception f...| More

Pakistan & Myanmar Hold Korean Film Fests

Source | 2008/11/06 | Permalink |

The South Korean Embassy and Pakistan National Council of the Arts are holding a Korean Film Festival at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad, November 5 – 6. The event will screen four Korean features spanning eight years.

The festival will open with IM Kwon-taek's 100th feature, "Beyond the Years" (2007), a music-themed reprisal of his '93 classic "Sopyeonje". Rounding out the program are BONG Joon-ho's monster hit "The Host" (2006), and two films from the year 2000, PARK Dae-yeong's comedy "Just Do It!" and YANG Yoon-ho's firefighting blockbuster "Libera Me". KOFIC supported English-subtitled prints for those two films.

Meanwhile, over in Myanmar, the former capital city of Yangon hosts a 4-day Korean film festival, kicking off Nov. 7th. Screening at the Thamada Cinema are five Korean movies including JEON Yoon-soo's "Le Grand Chief" (2007), KIM Dong-hyun's "Hello, Stranger" (2007), LIM Tae-hyeong's "Little Brother" ("Hello Brother", 2005) and two other features to be showc...| More

Actor Kim Works to Enjoy His Calling

Source | 2007/12/25 | Permalink |

By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

"Enjoy One's Calling" is the phrase written on actor Kim Kang-woo's cell phone. "Talented people cannot beat people who know how to enjoy life. I went through hard times when I first started acting. But one day, I realized I was doing something I wanted to do and earning money for it. The point is to take pleasure in what I do ― acting", Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Samcheong-dong in Seoul, Monday.

Kim, 29, debuted through "The Coast Guard" (2002), directed by Kim Ki-duk, when he was a senior at Chung-Ang University. "The only role I could get without any acting experience was a soldier", said Kim.

He was then noticed when he played Mu-cheol in the MBC drama "Breathless - Drama" (2003) and starred in SBS's "Three Leafed Clover" (2005). Kim has been known as "Mr. Right" since then for the honest and diligent characters he played. "It's funny. I didn't know that I had that kind of sincere image in me", he said.
...| More

'Rainbow Eyes' keeps climax a secret

Source | 2007/12/19 | Permalink |

Yang Yoon-ho, director of the mystery thriller "Rainbow Eyes" (Gamyeon), seemed as confident about his filmmaking technique as ever. But he was not so sure about the film's commercial potential.

"When I saw the screenplay for the first time, I was deeply drawn to the great storyline, but at the same time I instantly knew that it's not going to be a box-office hit here", Yang told reporters at a press preview held in downtown Seoul on Monday.

But it may be too early for such pessimism. After all, Kim Kang-woo, a talented award-winning star, has taken the title role for "Rainbow Eyes", to be released here on Dec. 27.

Kim played a central character in "Le Grand Chef", which became the biggest hit in the second half of this year, and he also won the best actor award at the 25th Torino Film Festival, adding much-needed credentials to his fledgling acting career.

"Rainbow Eyes" revolves around a serial killer who defies logic, and police scrutiny. The first victim is a sports cen...| More