The Snow Queen (Drama - 2006)

Actor Im Joo-hwan Holds First Fan Meeting in Japan

Source | 2009/03/18 | Permalink |

Actor Im Joo-hwan, who played the handsome warrior Hanbaek in the recent hit film "A Frozen Flower", has held his first fan meeting in Japan.

The meeting, entitled "On White Day", was held at Omotesando in Tokyo on Saturday and Sunday, and some 300 fans came to see him. Im has gained popularity in the island country through the TV dramas "The Snow Queen" and "Single Dad in Love" and the film "M" by Lee Myeong-se.

"I want you to have a good time today", he said. "Think of me as a friend of yours rather than an actor from Korea".

He talked about his childhood, showing photos and how he got a part in "Boys Over Flowers", a high-profile drama being aired on KBS2. He also talked about his latest film "A Frozen Flower" scheduled to be released there, including anecdotes while shooting it.

When the fans told him that they now want to see him play evil roles since he usually played good roles, he said that he will try to show various sides of himself by taking various roles.

The...| More

New drama takes on an old theme

Source | 2008/10/27 | Permalink |

Whenever a series with a similar theme to a previous hit comes out, it is almost certain to get severely criticized.

KBS' "Worlds Within", a new drama that bears striking similarities to SBS' "On Air", will face judgment tonight when it airs its first episode.

Like "On Air", this star-studded series tracks the drama production process. But unlike its predecessor - which revolved around a manager, an actress, a scriptwriter and a producer - "Worlds Within" focuses on the relationship between two program directors, played by celebrities Song Hye-kyo and Hyeon Bin.

Through Song and Hyun's characters, viewers will get an inside look into the world of television, with a bit of romance on the side.

But will it be compelling enough to nab the same high ratings as "On Air"?

KBS has done everything in its power to make sure "Worlds Within" does not flop.

Not only did they bring Song and Hyeon on board, they enlisted the director of KBS' "Full House", Pyo Min-soo, and the scree...| More

[ChanMi's drama news] Best drama couple, Hyeon Bin and Song Hye-kyo

Source | 2008/08/15 | Permalink |

Actor Hyeon Bin and actress Song Hye-kyo were chosen to be the best couple in the drama later this year.

Survey was going on since the last 5th to 12th and the couple in the drama "Worlds Within" ranking the first, 69.2%....| More

Blockbuster 'Friend' to Be Reproduced as TV Series

Source | 2008/07/04 | Permalink |

By Hwang Jin-hwan (Intern)

Will a TV drama version of the blockbuster "Friend" be as thrilling as the original movie?

Avid fans certainly hope so. The mega-hit, which garnered a record-high 8.2 million ticket sales in 2001, will be remade as a 16-episode TV series titled "Friend: the Untold Story", said to be aired in the first half of 2009.

"I have decided to direct the drama with untold episodes added to the original movie. The scenario is in the process of being written", said Kwak Kyung-taek, who catapulted into stardom as the film director and scenario writer.

"All the episodes will be shot in Busan, just like the original film", Kwak said, refusing to reveal which TV broadcaster will show it.

Kim Min-joon, 32, who starred in Kwak's 2007 film "a Love", will replace Yoo Oh-seong as the gangster Jun-sok, and Hyeon Bin, 26, will replace Jang Dong-gun as Jun-sok's friend Dong-su. Oh and Hyun Bin will play the two leading characters among the four friends in the movie, ...| More

[THE HIGH TIDE OF THE KOREAN WAVE(33)] Whetting U.S. appetite for Korean TV dramas

Source | 2008/04/24 | Permalink |

In the last few years, Korean films, TV dramas and pop music have become immensely popular abroad, a phenomenon known as the Korean Wave. This is the 33rd in a series of essays by a select group of scholars and journalists looking at the spread of Korean pop culture in Southeast Asian countries and beyond. - Ed.

Following is an email interview with Tom Larsen, president of YA Entertainment, the largest distributor of Korean TV drama DVDs in the United States. - Ed.

The Korea Herald: What is the current market position of Korean TV dramas in the U.S. market? How are they perceived in comparison with mainstream U.S., Chinese and Japanese programming?

Tom Larsen: Like most other TV programming from international markets, Korean TV dramas are generally considered a specialty entertainment niche here in the United States. Having said that, the popularity of Korean TV dramas in the United States has grown dramatically over the past five years. Korean TV dramas are now widely recogni...| More