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April 30, 2013
Korean variety shows repeat success abroad
'I Am a Singer,' 'We Got Married' gaining popularity
By Chung Ah-young The Korea Times
Singer Yim Jae-bum performs in the competition “I Am a Singer” in this file
photo.
“We Got Married”
“Running Man”
“Dad, Where Are You Going?”
Just a few years ago, cast members, including Yoo Jae-suk, of Korean top-rated variety show “Infinite Challenge” were not noticed by the Japanese audience when they shot the program in the heart of Tokyo. They shouted and sometimes behaved oddly to draw the attention of the Japanese citizens but to no particular avail.
However, if they appeared there now, their reactions might be different from what they were because more foreign audiences are watching Korean entertainment shows these days.
The Korean variety shows are recently emerging as cultural content amid the far-flung hallyu phenomenon as K-pop stars are frequently appearing in the shows.
The recent phenomenon is a focus on localization of the Korean programs to cater to their own viewers’ tastes.
The licenses of MBC’s singing competition show “I Am a Singer” and its reality show “We Got Married” were purchased by China’s Hunan Satellite TV in 2011.
The first episode of the Chinese version of “I Am a Singer,” which began airing on Jan. 18 this year, topped the viewer rating with 2.38 percent.
Weibo, China’s mini-blogging service, was flooded with more than 100 million messages related to “I Am a Singer” over three months with 200 million hits of the related videos on Tencent, China’s largest Internet service portal.
Kim Young-hee, producer of the Korean program, and other Korean staff partially took part in the making process of the Chinese rendition.
The global edition of “We Got Married” is grabbing the attention from the Chinese audience with more than 15 million hits on iQiyi, an online video website, on April 14, the first day of the release. The hit number ranked ninth in the China’s total entertainment shows and topped among the foreign licensed programs on the website.
To cope with the growing number of the Chinese audience, “We Got Married” paired Korean and Chinese celebrities. Later, MBC produced the global spin-off which casts multiracial couples by pairing Lee Hong-ki from FT. Island and Fujii Mina, a Japanese actress, and Ok Taecyeon from 2PM and Gui Gui, a Taiwanese actress in their virtual marriages from different countries such as Japan, China, Taiwan and Australia. The show has been distributed in more than 40 countries through Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia.
China’s imports of the licenses of the Korean shows are not a new phenomenon, however. Back in 2003, CCTV purchased the rights of KBS’s “Golden Bell Challenge” and MBC’s “Love House” in 2004.
But the recent popularity of the Korean shows reflects the Chinese audience’s interest in the audition programs. “I Am a Singer” is part of the audition boom sweeping China with “The Voice of China,” which is based on the Netherlands’ show “The Voice of Holland.”
Mnet’s “Superstar K” will be produced through a Chinese adaptation “Superstar China” along with its production company CJ E&M. The Chinese version will consist of 14 episodes which will begin airing on June 30.
Hunan Satellite TV recently bought the rights of MBC’s “Dad, Where Are We Going?” a reality show taking celebrity fathers and their children to a trip.
MBC said that interaction between a father and a child during the trip plays a significant role in selling the rights to China as most Chinese families have one child.
Also, the rights of “Running Man” have been sold to nine countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia. The format of the program is widely enjoyed by the worldwide audience including children.
The popularity of the show was triggered by the clips posted on YouTube subtitled with foreign languages. When the show was shot in Vietnam, the set was crowded with fans.
Also, Britain’s Channel 4 will cover MBC’s “Infinite Challenge” as part of a four-episode documentary program “The Greatest Shows on Earth.” The British TV network has selected four countries for each episode.
Particularly, various Korean entertainment programs were introduced in MIPTV, the world’s largest broadcasting content market, which was held in Cannes, France through April 7-10.
Producers of KBS’s “Immortal Masterpieces,” “I Am a Singer,” “Running Man,” TvN’s “Super Diva” gave presentations in front of international broadcasting experts and entertainment content providers.
The world’s prestigious format developers such as Endemol and Freemantle are showing great interest in Korean programs.
“Most buyers in the event said that Korean formats have fresh ideas and competitive edges in the world market if overcoming the cultural differences in some parts,” Lee Jun-keun, an official of the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), who attended the event, said.
“It took some 10 years for Korean dramas to take this internationally acclaimed position. Still the proportion of the Korean entertainment formats in the global market remains very low but it will gradually grow with sustainable supports and efforts,” he said.
The KOCCA has supported the development and production of the broadcasting format since 2009. This year the agency has earmarked some 1.28 billion won in the industry for helping it to make inroads into foreign markets. |
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April 30, 2013
Movie portrays struggles of modern family
Song Hae-sung's 'Boomerang Family' evokes his family ideals
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
“Boomerang Family” is, as its title suggests, a story of a modern Korean family and its struggling members “returning” to their caring mother. “Failan” (2001) and “Maundy Thursday” (2006) director Song Hae-sung has adapted author Cheon Myeong-gwan’s novel to create a work that’s an entertaining mixture of comedy and engaging, heart-felt family drama.
The film opens with a rather grim, violent scene, in which In-mo (played by Park Hae-il), a penniless filmmaker, is beating up a man who seems to have slept with his wife. The violence takes place at a freezing riverside in winter; white snow and the cracking atmosphere fill the screen.
Then the film visits In-mo’s mother at her simple but cozy apartment. The loving old woman (played by Yoon Yeo-jeong) is making chicken broth in her kitchen. When the food is ready, she gives In-mo a call, asking him to visit and eat with her. When his phone buzzes, In-mo is about to kill himself in his dingy studio, plagued by his failed marriage and career. He has no money in his back account.
A scene from “Boomerang Family” (Invent Stone Corp)
Deeply touched by her phone call and the bowl of chicken broth, In-mo decides to move into her apartment ― at the age of 40. Then the viewers are introduced to In-mo’s rather unusual siblings, who all have problems of their own.
His older brother, Han-mo (played by Yoon Je-moon), is an unemployed 44-year-old ex-con, who has been living with his mother for a while. His younger sister, Mi-yeon (Gong Hyo-jin), is a two-time divorcee with a bratty, rebellious teenage daughter (played by “High Kick!” star Jin Ji-hee).
All of the siblings reunite at their mother’s apartment, as Mi-yeon also moves in with her daughter after her second, nasty divorce.
Their mother, however, never criticizes her children, nor does she even mention their obvious ― and serious ― problems. It seems the only thing she expects from them is to eat well. She genuinely finds joy in feeding them and watching them eat. The camera repeatedly follows her hands when she cooks, as she cuts tofu into cubes for a huge pot of soybean stew, and as she barbecues pork chops. The movie in fact dedicates a significant portion to eating-in-group scenes, to the extent that actor Yoon Je-moon “gained a lot of weight” while shooting the film.
The film does evoke rather traditional family ideals, where the parents are ever giving and sacrificing, offering their unconditional love to their financially and emotionally dependent children.
“Today’s Korean society isn’t an easy one to deal with for anyone, I think,” director Song said during a press conference on Monday. He said he was drawn to the penniless filmmaker character in the original novel as he also experienced failures in his life.
“And it is comforting to have a place to go back to when things go wrong in your life and you have nothing left in your hands. And most of the time, that place is your family, and your mother. She welcomes you even when you are struggling, and listens to your problems and encourages you. I wanted to talk about that with this film.”
“Boomerang Family,” however, isn’t a drama that only praises a mother’s unconditional love. While caring and comforting, the siblings’ mother is an enigmatic figure. She hardly gets upset, and seems almost indifferent at times; she wastes no energy on things she cannot control.
The movie gradually unveils the secrets of her past, which mostly involve her ex-lover, and these secrets eventually challenge the traditional, Korean notion of biological family relationships. The mother eventually lives her own life, fulfilling her own wants and needs, while still being the comforting figure to the children.
Actress Yoon Yeo-jeong, who played the cruel chaebol heiress in Im Sang-soo’s “The Taste of Money,” makes an interesting turn as a caring mother with a rather complicated past. Other actors ― Yoon Je-moon, Gong Hyo-jin, and Park Hae-il ― also bring entertaining performances, creating a number of tragic and hilarious moments.
The mother has no practical ability or power to solve her children’s problems. But her company and food certainly inspire them to step out of misery. Director Song seems to believe in the power of food to restore and nurture. “Boomerang Family” is a film about surviving the downs of life, and how those whom we call “family” can help in that ― just by their very existence.
A CJ Entertainment release, “Boomerang Family” opens in theaters on May 9. |
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April 30, 2013
Actress Gong Hyo-jin to star in horror TV drama
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
Actress Gong Hyo-jin is making her TV comeback in SBS’ upcoming horror drama, according to her agency Management Soop.
In the show, titled “Master’s Sun,” Gong is to star as a secretary who begins to see ghosts after getting into a mysterious accident. So Ji-sub is has been cast to play her counterpart, a self-absorbed, money-driven businessman.
Actress Gong Hyo-jin (Management Soop)
It has been two years since Gong last acted on TV, in MBC’s 2011 rom-com “The Greatest Love.” She enjoyed much popularity for her role as an aspiring chef in MBC’s 2010 workplace romantic comedy “Pasta.”
“I am personally very scared of the horror genre,” said Gong through her agency. “But I was really attracted to the characters and the story of the upcoming show.”
Writers Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran, who co-wrote the scripts for “The Greatest Love” and “My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox,” are writing the script for the upcoming “Master’s Sun.” It is Gong’s second time starring in the Hong sisters’ work.
Jin Hyuk, who previously directed SBS dramas including “Prosecutor Princess” and “City Hunter” is directing the upcoming drama series.
“Master’s Sun” is scheduled to be broadcast in August. |
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May 1, 2013
Secret tops local charts with new EP
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Secret topped several local music charts after the release of its new EP “Letter from Secret” on Tuesday, according to TS Entertainment yesterday.
Title song “YooHoo” placed first and the other three songs - “Only U,” “B.O.Y (Because of You)” and “Daddy Long Legs” - were also ranked high on the Soribada chart yesterday.
On the day of release, the group also held a showcase in Yeouido, western Seoul, and shared ambitions to bring out their cuteness to attract fans.
The group has been away from the entertainment scene for the past five months since its most recent release “Talk That” in December.
This time, it worked with the same composer Kang Ji-won and songwriter Kim Ki-beom as it has in the past. The duo has worked on Secret’s other hit songs like “Magic,” “Madonna” and “Shy Boy.”
Secret is scheduled to have comeback performances on popular music television shows “M! Countdown,” “Music Bank,” “Show! Music Core” and “Popular Song” this weekend on major networks. Last edited by katt on 2-5-2013 04:18 PM
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May 1, 2013
Loving father moves Eugene to tears
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Former member of ’90s girl group S.E.S Eugene was in tears during filming of a show she hosts, according to local media reports yesterday.
In “Get it Beauty,” she was watching a video message from one of the audience members to his daughter who is getting married soon. The segment was part of the special-edition program “Bucket List One Wants to Do with Mom Before Getting Married.”
The father shared his emotions and made many of the other audience members cry as well.
“I also miss my mom, who is too far away [in Guam],” Eugene said after bursting into tears. “[People] should share what they feel with their parents before they get married.”
To commemorate family month, the production team of the show invited mothers and soon-to-be-married daughters to the studio. A total of 40 mothers and daughters tried out different make-up kits for matching looks and took photos together.
She also gave tips on how to keep the skin young and some spa information. |
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May 2, 2013
Seo Kyung-duk, Song Il-kook to post makgeolli ad in WSJ
The Korea Herald
Seo Kyung-duk, a PR expert in promoting Korean culture, said he would post a new ad for makgeolli in the Wall Street Journal later this month.
The professor of Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul commented on Twitter on Thursday that “the actor Song Il-kook, who has become a world star thanks to the worldwide success of his drama ‘Jumong,’ will participate in this project.”
The ad will be financed by crowdfunding, a method that enlists financial support from ordinary citizens interested in the project. Anyone can join the project by donating at the fundraising website, “Ucanfunding.”
Seo has advertised the traditional Korean dish bibimbap overseas since early this year, teaming up with members of the popular TV show “Infinite Challenge.” The actress Lee Young-ae was also featured in the bibimbap ads in the New York Times in February, reflecting her popularity in connection with her role in the historical TV series, “Jewel in the Palace.”
From news reports
([email protected]) |
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May 2, 2013
Share of Korean films hits over one-year low
YonhapNews
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The share of Korean films in the local movie market fell to its lowest level in almost a year and a half in April, official box-office data showed Thursday.
According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), which tracks official box-office figures, Korean films attracted 4.5 million moviegoers last month, accounting for 39.8 percent of the 11.2 million people who went to the cinema.
The ratio is the lowest since 37.4 percent was recorded in December 2011 and also represents a sharp decline from the 63.2 percent of the previous month.
The plunge is drawing keen attention as the percentage hovered around 60 to 70 percent last year and surged to 82.9 percent in February this year.
The lack of homegrown films drawing public attention and the strength of Hollywood action films appear to be the reason behind the decline.
In the monthly box-office for April, "Iron Man 3," the latest in the superhero trilogy, was at No. 1, racking up 26.368 billion won (US$23.9 million) in ticket sales.
Korean director Kang Woo-suk's new film "Fist of Legend" was in a distant second with 11.678 billion won, closely followed by "Oblivion," a sci-fi film starring Tom Cruise, at 10.66 billion won and "Running Man," a Korean film starring Shin Ha-kyun, with 9.8 billion won.
"G.I.Joe 2: Retaliation," the Hollywood action film directed by Jon M. Chu, came in at fifth with 7.7 billion won.
The total number of moviegoers in April represented a 6.3 percent decline from a year ago, according to the data. |
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May 2, 2013
Actor, ballerina deny romance rumor
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Kim Joo-won and Shin Sung-rok
Actor Shin Sung-rok, 31, and ballerina Kim Joo-won, 35, are rumored to have been in a romantic relationship for more than 10 months, according to media reports.
The two celebrities denied the rumor and said they are just good friends.
“They are close friends who meet often, but there is nothing more to it,” said an official at Shin’s agency, HB Entertainment, according to reports.
The two became close as Shin was working with Kim’s colleagues at her agency in the musical, “The Count of Monte Cristo.” As they have more chances to meet in groups, they started to grow feelings for each other while talking about music and performances.
Shin, who debuted in 2003 on the SBS drama “Shoot for the Stars,” went to see Kim’s ballet performance in April. Shin is serving his mandatory military service as a civil servant.
A former prima ballerina for the Korea National Ballet, Kim left the group last year after working with it for the past 15 years. She is a judge on the ongoing MBC dance program, “Dancing with the Stars 3.” |
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May 3, 2013
Yoo In-na: I had to train for 11 years
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Yoo In-na said that she trained for 11 years to become an actress before her 2009 debut.
During the KBS talk show “Happy Together 3” on Thursday, she said she started her training at age 17 at YG Entertainment.
“When you are a trainee, you have to be auditioned within the agency,” recalled Yoo. “Trainees fall into chaos as some friends lose their position as a trainee [at the agency] after those auditions.”
She said she was the last one standing after countless auditions.
“It was so hard to say goodbye to other trainee friends who I had a life with together and I get frustrated,” she said. “But opportunities come at miraculous times and that’s how I could continue the life as a trainee.”
Meanwhile, comedian Choi Hyo-jong apologized to Yoo for having said that he is not a fan of hers.
He said he is indeed a fan, adding that his previous comment had earned him too many anti-fans. |
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May 3, 2013
'Little Psy' falls victim to racist attack
By Choi He-suk The Korea Herald
The police are set to launch an investigation into alleged racist online attacks aimed at Hwang Min-woo, a 7-year-old singer who shot to fame after appearing in the music video for Psy’s "Gangnam Style."
Since appearing in the video, Hwang has gained fame as “Little Psy” and has appeared in numerous events and television shows and commercials.
Buoyed by the popularity of Gangnam Style, Hwang has also launched his own career and released his first single in March.
According to reports, the police were alerted by an official at Hwang’s management company to an organized online attack against Hwang.
Hwang Min-woo
According to the police, more than 10 internet users who appear to be members of the website Ilgan Best (Ilbe.com) cooperated in paralyzing the homepage of Hwang’s management company on April 23.
Ilgan Best is a website focused on humor and social issues whose users are mostly conservative.
In addition, there are reported to be hundreds of derogatory comments ranging from those attacking him for his heritage and his hometown.
Hwang is reported to have been shocked by the comments and has become increasingly withdrawn since March.
His mother is originally from Vietnam, and until recently he lived in Gwangju, which is often attacked by internet users with strong rightwing tendencies due to the city’s connection with progressive parties and to misperceptions about historical events.
Although the number of multicultural families has been on the rise since the late 1990s, such families and marriage immigrants are often subjected to prejudice.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of marriage immigrants stood at about 145,000 at the end of 2011. Of the total, about 25.8 percent were women from Vietnam. |
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May 3, 2013
Actor Song Il-gook to Appear in Makgeolli Ad in WSJ
The ChosunIlbo
Song Il-gook (right) and Seo Kyoung-duk
Actor Song Il-gook and Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University who specializes in promoting Korean culture, will run an advertisement for makgeolli, or Korean traditional wine, in the Wall Street Journal at the end of this month.
"[Actress] Lee Young-ae featured in an ad for bibimbab [a traditional Korean dish made of rice and vegetables] in the New York Times, and it has been very well received. As such, I decided to arrange a similar ad with another Korean Wave star," Seo said as he unveiled a poster for the latest promotion.
Song is well known not only in Asia but also in the Middle East and Europe thanks to the popularity of his TV drama "Jumong." "I decided to participate in the project as I thought it would be a good chance to promote Korean food around the world," he said.
The ad was voluntarily funded by netizens. Last year, Song swam to the Dokdo islets with singer Kim Jang-hoon to raise awareness of Korea's sovereignty over the islets over Japan's dubious colonial claim. He has arranged several similar events. |
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May 3, 2013
Broadcaster Sticks to Ban of Psy Video
The ChosunIlbo
KBS has decided to stick to its ban on showing the music video for Psy's latest hit "Gentleman." All seven members of censorship committee at KBS supported the ban, the terrestrial broadcaster said Thursday.
Last month, the brodcaster decided not to show the video, saying a scene in which Psy is seen kicking over a traffic cone is "abuse of public property."
Responding to public derision and revelations that only three of its seven members were present at the committee meeting that made the original decision, the state-funded broadcaster then decided to convene another meeting. |
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May 6, 2013
Tiffany to Throw Ceremonial Pitch at Dodgers Stadium
The Chosun ilbo
Tiffany (left) and Ryu Hyun-jin
Tiffany of Girls' Generation will throw the ceremonial pitch for a Major League Baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodgers Stadium on Monday.
Her management agency SM Entertainment said that the Dodgers made the request of the girl band. Left-handed pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, who is known to be a fan of the group, is not scheduled to start in the match, but he will serve as the catcher when Tiffany takes to the mound.
Previously, actors Harrison Ford, Sharon Stone and Matthew McConaughey, as well as singer Victoria Beckham, have all thrown similar pitches at the stadium. |
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May 6, 2013
Jang Yoon-jung Suffers as Disintegrating Family Loses Her Fortune
The ChosunIlbo
Jang Yoon-jung
Singer Jang Yoon-jung is reportedly experiencing financial difficulties due to her family's failure to manage her assets.
Further complicating her personal life, her father filed a divorce suit against his wife early this year and a ruling is expected around next week, Jang's management agency said.
Since her debut, Jang has had her mother manage her income. But her mother and brother invested her money in a start-up that ended up losing hundreds of millions of won, the company added. Jang was shocked to discover what had become of her earnings late last year.
One of the most sought-after singers for festivals and events in Korea, Jang is said to now have little left except for a house. |
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May 6, 2913
'Iron Man 3' sweeps S. Korean box office for 2nd week
YonhapNews
SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Hollywood blockbuster "Iron Man 3" has swept the local box office for the second week in a row, according to official box-office data.
According to the data released Sunday by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) that tracks local box-office sales, the movie was ranked first in the weekly box-office ranking, attracting an audience of 5.87 million in the first 11 days of opening.
The pace of increase in audience numbers is far faster than "The Host" (2006), which is the most-viewed Korean film of all time. "The Host" by director Bong Joon-ho drew 5.71 million viewers during the same period.
The latest in the superhero trilogy by American director Shane Black focuses on human limits and frustrations suffered by Tony Stark/Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr.) trapped in the worst crisis of his life.
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May 6, 2013
Source: Korea JoongAng Daily
Choi Ji-woo leaves for Japan from Gimpo International Airport yesterday to meet with fans there.[NEWSIS]
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May 6, 2013
Samsung screens Galaxy S4 promo films
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Kim Nam-gil, far left, Yang Ik-joon, second from the left, Ku Hye-sun, third from the left, and Jung Woo-sung, far right, pose with the Samsung Electronics Galaxy S4 at a screening of four promotional videos at Cheongdam Cinecity, southern Seoul, yesterday.[NEWSIS]
Samsung Electronics held a film showing titled “Stories of Me and S4” in a bid to promote its new smartphone yesterday at Cheongdam Cinecity, southern Seoul. Actors and an actress directed four different short films that carry the promotion slogan of the new smartphone, “Life Companion.”
Jung Woo-sung poses at an event organized by Samsung Electronics at Cheongdam Cinecity, southern Seoul, to screen four films that local actors and an actress directed to promote the company’s new Galaxy S4. yesterday.[NEWSIS]
Ku Hye-sun smiles at a screening of the film she directed to promote the new Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy S4, yesterday at Cheongdam Cinecity, southern Seoul. [NEWSIS] |
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