Sandglass (Drama - 1995) - 모래시계 (Mo-lae-si-gye)

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

2008/04/24 | Source | 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

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i think that if the Philippines and other asian countries could broadcast korean dramas with their own dubbed versions, then it should be possible to do that in English and not just go with subtitles. I think that this would be even more powerful and att srain 2008-05-29 16:45:32 jU yOO rIN 2008-05-21 01:50:31 i love korean dramas:)) I am in LOVE with Korean Dramas!!!!!!! fighting 2008-04-25 20:47:50

Actress Ko to Return as President in New Drama

2008/03/17 | Permalink |

By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

Actress Ko Hyeon-jeong will return playing the role of a female president in a new drama to be aired on SBS in July.

Ko will take the leading role of Seo Hye-lim in "Daemul" ("Queen-maker"), a drama based on the comic book of the same name by Park In-gwon.

The drama revolves around a female prosecutor who fights against social injustice and tenders her resignation after arresting a mogul who masterminds organized crime in political circles. Then, after working as a lawyer who advocates human rights, she earns a reputation as caring for people, she then runs for, and is elected, president.

An official of the drama production company said that the drama will focus on the making of a female president. "The script writer says `daemul' means the `great person' in the drama", he said.

The drama will also co-star Kwon Sang-woo, who will take the role of Ko's counterpart. .

The soap opera consisting of 20-24 episodes is expected to cost 10 bi...| More

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"Open City": Freshness Turns Stale

2008/01/10 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Loaded with action and marked by sexual tension, "Open City" is yet another urban crime story set in the gritty streets of Seoul. But what sets it apart is that the cat and mouse game involves a network of professional ― and really scary ― pickpockets.

Lee Sang-gi makes a big directorial debut with a high-profile cast and a novel subject matter. He zooms into the world of "corporate" pick pocketing, but the story soon turns sour with some poorly crafted "Basic Instinct" elements and cliched family tragedies that are inherent to Korean dramas.

Son Ye-jin ("A Moment to Remember", 2004) trades in her innocent image for a dangerous persona, going all out with the hint of sex appeal she showed as a perky playgirl in "The Art of Seduction" (2005). She's ravishing, but like her character's cheesy name Baek Jang-mi (homonym for "white rose" in Korean), the new role seems to be an awkward fit.

Jang-mi is the boss of an organized gang of pi...| More

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NY Release of "Woman on the Beach"

2007/12/11 | Source | Permalink |

Director HONG Sang-Soo is highly regarded in Europe where his films have screened at Cannes to great acclaim and had subsequent theatrical releases in France. In the U.S. he is still widely unknown, although retrospectives of his work in Toronto and San Francisco have spread word of his particular genius. Finally, in January 2008, New York City filmgoers will get a chance to see his most recent feature "Woman on the Beach" (2006).

Film Forum, New York's leading art-house and independent movie theatre will hold the U.S. premiere run of the film Jan 9 – 22. Woman is HONG's seventh feature and has travelled to many festivals including Seattle, New York, Vancouver and Toronto. It received a glowing review in the New York Times from veteran critic A.O. Scott, who called HONG's "most coherent and emotionally accessible film yet", describing the director as belonging to "a fast-growing category of international filmmakers: master at the height of their powers".

The film stars KO ...| More

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TV Drama 'Taewangsasingi' Goes to Japan

2007/12/04 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The last episode of the TV series "Taewangsasingi" (The Four Guardian Gods of the King) airs tonight.

The drama's legacy, however, is expected to live on, especially now that it is showing on the small and big screens in Japan. The "blockbuster" TV drama is garnering a cult following with the likes of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" empire, with novels, books, CDs and DVDs among other products pouring onto the Korean and Japanese market.

Conquering Screens

Weaving together age-old myths and remnants of ancient Korean history with sophisticated computer graphics, "Taewangsasingi" has led the renaissance of period dramas on TV.
It has transcended the boundaries of conventional Korean TV soaps and signaled the rise of a new genre "TV picture", which combines the advantages of TV dramas and movies, according to director Park Jong-won of "Eight Days", a mystery thriller set during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) that is currently airing on cable movi...| More

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