Thursday, August 21, 2008

Lee Eon dies in accident

Model-turned-actor Lee Eon (also spelled Lee Un, most famously of Coffee Prince) has died in a motorcycle accident.

The 27-year-old, born Park Sang-min, was on his way home following the wrap party for KBS’s Strongest Chil Woo early on the morning of August 21. He was riding a motorcycle and ran into the guardrail of the overpass, and is said to have died almost immediately.

The news has shocked everyone; online, netizens are abuzz in disbelief. Just the night before, he had been onscreen in Chil Woo’s finale episode, and the sudden news is, to say the least, startling.

Lee Eon got his start modeling, but shot to mainstream levels of fame when he took on the role of simple-hearted but lovable Min Yub in last year’s Coffee Prince. He followed that with a stint as a cable-TV MC, then returned to dramas with Who Are You? and, most recently, Strongest Chil Woo.

RIP.
Source : http://www.dramabeans.com

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Hur Jin-ho and Yoo Ji-tae Appointed Judges for 2008 JIMFF

Film director Hur Jin-ho and actor Yoo Ji-tae have been appointed as judges for the 4th annual Jecheon International Music and Film Festival, which will be held from August 14-19.

Hur and Yoo will take part in selecting the winning piece for the "World Music Film Today" category.

This year's film festival will be held at Cheongpung Lake and the theater district in downtown Jecheon. A total of 82 films and music from 30 countries around the world will be introduced this year.

Source : http://english.kbs.co.kr/mcontents/entertainment/1540486_11692.html (by http://www.koreanmovie.com)

Movie Is A Movie

So Ji-sub and Kang Ji-hwan pose on press day (August 12) for upcoming movie A Movie Is A Movie (directed by Jang Hoon for Kim Ki-duk Films).

This is Kang Ji-hwan’s big-screen debut — the two actors are the same age, but Kang explains, “When I debuted, So Ji-sub was already a big star, so I felt a strong sense of rivalry with him. With the two characters being antagonists in the film itself, and considering that on location we would be co-lead actors more than friends, it would be a lie to say I didn’t feel any rivalry.”

He explains that this is because he’d felt a burden when first finding out he’d be acting opposite So Ji-sub. “I was playing the role of the star actor, but when we first met, I could feel that he was more star-like. But as we filmed, every time a scene ended I’d look on the monitor and get the sense of how dignified he was. I’ve worked in various projects with many senior actors and teachers, but this is the first time I’ve felt that dignified feeling from a colleague.”

So Ji-sub likewise praised his co-star, saying, “When we first met, I felt a little awkward, but Kang Ji-hwan treated me well, even occasionally bringing me drinks of ginseng and honey that he’d mixed himself. He’s a very detailed and subtle person.” Kang returned, laughingly, that it was a habit that arose after working with lots of female co-stars and looking after them: “In an action film, we need to take good care of our bodies, and your co-star’s condition has to be the best for you to act well.”

In the movie, Kang’s character is a spoiled, famous actor who hits his co-star for real while filming (presumably by accident), sending him to the hospital. In the waiting room, he meets a gangster (So), kicking off the story between the two. So’s character is brought onto the film as an actor with the requirement that he fight for real in the action scenes.

The movie opens September 11.

Source : http://www.dramabeans.com/tag/so-ji-sub/

Monday, August 11, 2008

Bae Yong-joon Receives Shoulder Surgery

Actor Bae Yong-joon is recuperating in a hospital after a recent shoulder surgery.

According to Bae's management agency BOF, Bae received surgery for a pulled shoulder ligament in a hospital south of the Han River.

BOF said the surgery took around two hours and that the outcome is positive. The agency said Bae will remain in the hospital for about a week more.

Bae pulled his shoulder ligament and injured his knee while shooting MBC's popular history drama series "Taewangsasingi" last year.

BOF said thanks to a two-month rest in the United States and regular treatment, Bae's knee has almost healed.

source : english.kbs.co.kr (by : asianbite.com)

Friday, August 8, 2008

Jerry Yan Finally Showed Up At Premier Hot Shot

Jerry Yan not only stole the spotlight away from Show Luo at the "Hot Shot" premiere event, but also harassed him in private. In a scene where the two have a ball combat, the basketball in Jerry Yan has no eyes, and directly hit Show's "private area," hurting him so badly that he couldn't speak. There was also one part where the cameras had missed, where Jerry was happily playing a game of tackling privates.

CTV and GTV's "Hot Shot" held a first autograph session at Taipei's Dazhi. This time Jerry was really missing, Show then very obviously became the main event. Some fans also present him with a birthday cake, to celebrate his birthday early. But Show never failed to forget to tell the media to also focus on Chun. When there were people that said Chun was just a "cameo" coming along with the promotions, Show hurried to come out and clarify, "He [referring to Chun] isn't just a cameo, he always appear in the most important events."

Show and Chun have become super close, and even called him "baby." Show said, Chun and himself have both played Liang Shan Bo, so they're really destined. GTV has a habit of betting on TV ratings. Yesterday, before they reached the autographing venue, even the actors themselves laid down bets, but when Show was asked how much he had bet, he stepped aside and didn't answer, but his baby came out and answered for them, "The number is the same as our airing time." Turns out it was 9.3, as for Chun himself, he laughed and said it has something to do with the Olympics and father's day, the answer: 8.8. Their competitior 'Fated To Love You' has already broke 12.

While Show was autographing, to his left was a mirror, so he could see himself whenever he wanted to. As for questions regarding Jerry Yan, he carefully answered, to prevent the media from making up stuff again. At the premiere event, he had tripped and fell, the media had written that when Jerry suddenly showed up, Show had felt upset, and had a stern face. Yesterday, he clarified again that it had nothing to do with Jerry showing up, he just felt it was really embarrassing to have fallen over at such a big event.

source: East Day (from http://www.bebo.com/basketball-fire)

Carina Lau & Tony Leung Married In Buddhist Ceremony

BEIJING, July 22 -- Long-time celebrity couple Carina Lau (Liu Jialing) and Tony Leung (Liang Chaowei) were finally married in the Hilmalayan kingdon of Bhutan Monday morning, HK reporters said.

It took Tony, 46, and Carina 42, nearly two decades to get to the altar.

They were married in a Buddhist ceremony taking place in the luxury Uma Paro Hotel, media reported, adding that about 20 lamas were seen leaving the hotel after the wedding.

Their spokesperson reported that the ceremony had taken place in two parts – the first being a traditional Buddhist ceremony that is officially recognized as a marriage in Bhutan. For the second part, Carina showed off her 12-carat Cartier wedding ring, worth over 10 million Hong Kong dollars, as she cut her five-tiered wedding cake with Tony.

Ming Pao Daily News said about 80 guests, including singer Faye Wong (Wang Fei), former actress Brigitte Lin (Lin Qingxia) and singer Kenny Bee (Zhong Zhentao), attended the ceremony.

Celebrities such as Chang Chen (Zhang Zhen), Cecilia Yip (Ye Tong) and Stanley Kwan (Guan Jinpeng) were also present.

Although the couple did everything to maintain privacy for their special day, they were still very understanding of the waiting press and issued official release photographs to share their happy day with the media and all their fans throughout the world.

The wedding in figures:

* 100 guests
* 80 Bhutanese police
* 20 bodyguards
* 20 lamas
* 1 crown prince

Cost: 2 million euros (30 million HK dollars) of which € 1000 (13 000 HK $) cake.

Source : www.news.xinhuanet.com & www.chinese-tools.com

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Fahrenheit to promote Taiwan tourism

Popularity kings Fahrenheit, is officially kicking out F4, the Taiwan Tourism Board spokesperson is changing people to see how it works! Last year Taiwan Tourism Board funded $80 million NT to invite F4 to be their tourism spokespersons, attracting the Japan/Korea markets, the results were positive, this year's end of June, F4's contract is expiring, the new spokespersons Fahrenheit is pretty much expected take over to be attracting the younger groups!

Fahrenheit under comics management expressed, at the moment Aziotv has submitted a proposal, but spokesperson promotion or dramas, they're not confirmed; to understanding, Azio has gained a vote, but Azio says, at the moment they're not at the stage of a contract procedure yet, therefore its not appropriate to comment on any questions regarding this, but in the future if this case is going through, they will use all their efforts to complete it.

source : Liberty Times (by asianfanatics.net)

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Summer Vacation with Rain

Rain will be paying more attention to his local (meaning Korean) and Asian fans now that he has completed filming his first lead role in a Hollywood movie.

First on his itinerary will be a fan meeting at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park in Seoul on the 27 July 2008. The fan meeting will start at 3pm and around 3,000 fans are expected to be present. Besides Korean fans, those from Japan, China and other Southeast Asian countries will be there. Hmmm...will YOU be there?

The event is called "Summer Vacation with Rain" and will be hosted by Rain's friend and host, Kim Jae-dong.

Rain is also currently busy recording songs for a new Korean album in a studio in Gangnam, Seoul. Rain will produce his own album this time around. But before the fan meet, we've got word from our reader ~A that Bi will be in San Diego for a comic convention there on July 24th.

Source: The Korea Times

Lee Hyori's 3rd Album Leaked

Lee Hyo Ri who will soon be releasing her 3rd solo studio album after a hiatus for the past two years, revealed a 30 secs MV preview clip and her album promotional poster which attracted the attention of fans and the public.

The album jacket for her third studio album “It’s HYORISH” was filmed in Hawaii with popular art elements from Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and other famous artists for a unique flavor. Everything was supposed to be revealed only tomorrow but the album has been leaked one day (today) before.

Lee Hyo Ri exited the music industry after concluding the promotions for her second album “Dark Angel” in 2006. She will make her comeback in July 2008.

Source : coolsmurf.wordpress.com

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Lee Junki Selected as the Face of Hallyu

Coming off a great past year with two back-to-back hit dramas (Iljimae and Time of Dog and Wolf), Lee Junki has been selected as the face of Hallyu — at least for the upcoming 2008 Seoul Hallyu Festival as its spokesperson and PR rep.

A rep for the festival explained, “Through projects like The King and the Clown and My Girl, Lee Junki has amassed popularity not only in Korea but in China and throughout Asia as well. With his current popularity, we plan to promote the Seoul Hallyu Festival as an up-and-coming international event.”

he Festival will take place over three days starting October 23, and will host a Hallyu star fanmeeting and photo session, as well as a fundraising concert to raise money for recent disasters in Asia. Other celebs scheduled to attend include DBSK, SG Wannabe, Super Junior, Lee Min-woo, and more.

Source: Dramabeans

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Jang Nara, Her New 'Dream of Asia'

March 18, Korean Wave star Jang Nara had a press conference on the release of her new album “Dream of Asia” and opened to the public her album jacket picture that shows her sexy back. Jang Nara obviously took a step to show people that she is already over the cute image and is emphasizing that she is already a woman.

For the new album, Jang Nara recorded songs in 4 languages, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and English. She also wrote all the lyrics to 11 Korean songs included in the album.

March 18 also happens to be Jang Nara’s birthday so she was asked what gift she would like to get.

“I would like to receive a massage and not a boyfriend. It’s because my feet and hands are tired,” she wittingly answered.

“Dream of Asia” will be released in Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia on the 25th.

Source: Sports Chosun (from http://krnloop.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/jang-nara-brings-the-sexy-back/)

Jimmy Lin Visiting Schools In Quake Disaster Area

Jimmy Lin visiting schools in quake disaster area. Reporters came to the temporary tent city for quake victims in Sichuan. The tent city school opens today. One 4th grade teacher told us that there are 200 studnets and all the teachers are volunteers. Jimmy Lin and 5 other stars came to the 1st and 2nd grade classroom. The students were very excited to see him and surrounded him asking for autographs. Some stood on the tables and tried very hard to press their books and pencils to jimmy’s face.

On 5/25/08 Jimmy Lin and 5 other stars flew into Chengdu, Sichuan to participate in the “5.12 Youth Charity – Star Volunteers action”.

Jimmy told the children in the disaster area: “I hope that you won’t give up. Don’t be discouraged. There are more work to be done in the future. Our homes need rebuilding and we will be by your side.”
The star volunteers got psychiatric training from professionals after they got to Chengdu. They will travel to several schools in the disaster area between 5/25 and 5/27 to comfort the students. They will also record their experiences in their blogs to spread the message of care and love.


Source :http://asianfanatics.net/forum/Jimmy-Lin-visiting-schools-in-quake-disaster-area-talk544628.html

Jackie Chan, JYP Team Up to Help Quake Victims

International martial-arts and action-comic star Jackie Chan will join with Korean singer/producer Park Jin-young and film director Kang Je-gyu to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Sichuan, China.

JYP Entertainment said yesterday that Chan has solicited the help of his two Korean friends - Park and Kang - to launch a charity project featuring K-pop stars. JYP, the country`s leading pop artist management company led by Park, said that Park has responded by writing an inspirational song which will be recorded with top-notch K-pop stars.

"I`m always proud of being Asian," said Park, the first Asian songwriter to sell a song to an American superstar (including Will Smith and Nick Carter). "I hope the project will provide the victims with help."

Kang, one of the country`s hottest filmmakers best known for his mega blockbuster "Taegukgi (2004)," will produce the song`s music video. "The earthquake in China is the tragedy of entire Asia. I believe we all should do what we can to help the victims," the 46-year-old director said in the press release.

JYP said that Chan will be visiting Seoul starting today to observe the recording of the Asian version of "USA for Africa" and filming of the music video. The lineup of singers who will be participating in the project has yet to be released, though JYP said Park has been contacting a wide variety of top-notch Korean entertainers and other celebrities, including singer and actor Rain.

According to JYP, Chan is also considering giving a charity concert in China`s earthquake-ravaged Sichuan Province, along with the project`s participants, the plans of which are expected to be finalized in a few days.

Source: Naver
(http://www.asianbite.com/default.asp?Display=1466)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Lee Dong Gun’s Younger Brother Murdered

Lee Dong-gun’s younger brother (21) was murdered by two Chinese teenagers (18) at Sydney’s World Square about 1am today in Sydney, Australia yesterday.

Two eighteen year old teenagers stabbed Lee Dong-gun’s younger brother and his friend, identified as Song because they thought that Lee and Song were looking down at them. Lee died almost instantly and Song is currently in critical conditions.

The argument is believed to have begun at a Hungry Jack’s restaurant on the corner of Liverpool and George streets.

The defendants were caught an hour after the crime and Lee Dong-gun and his family quickly flew to Sydney to identify the body.

What a tough year for Lee Dong-gun. First, the highly publicized break-up, the expulsion and now the unfortunate death of his baby brother…

Our condolences to the Lee family. RIP Lee (name unidentified).

Source: www.popseoul.com

Stars Circle Back To Theater Spotlight

Last year, a number of successful male actors returned to the stage after spending years on both the small and big screens. The list of actors who returned to the theater includes Choi Min-sik, a veteran actor who garnered international acclaim through the smash hit movie "Old Boy" (2003), Jo Jae-hyeon who played egocentric Abe (father) in "Kyung-sook, Kyung-sook's Father" and Jo Min-ki who performed in the Korean rendition of the Russian play "The Seagull".

The celebrities on the stage instantly grabbed the media's attention and, of course, drew larger audiences. This year, the stars' return to theaters is likely to continue with seasoned actresses set to test their talents on the stage.

Ha Hee-ra, a veteran actress also known as the wife of top-rated actor Choi Soo-jong, comes back to live theater with a Korean rendition of the Broadway musical "The Goodbye Girl". The show hits the stage at the Baekam Arts Hall in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, on March 28 through June 15.

"The Goodbye Girl" is a musical based on Neil Simon's 1977 film of the same title that tells the story of Paula, a single mother who always finds loser boyfriends. Ha is to take the role of Paula, a former dancer in her mid-30s living with her 12-year-old daughter Lucy. Comedian-turned-musical actor, Chung Sung-hwa, will play Elliot, a struggling actor who happens to share the two-bedroom apartment with Paula.

Multi-talented entertainer Choi Hwa-jeong returns to the Daehangno stage after a 14-year hiatus with a Korean rendition of the West End's play "Educating Rita".

In the drama, the actress also known as a radio DJ and cable TV show host will take the title role of Susan White, a 20-something married woman working as a hairdresser. The drama will hit the stage at Theater Wonder Face in Daehangno on March 14 for a two-month run.

"Educating Rita" was the last drama she performed, at the Daehangno theater 14 years ago, leaving her enthusiastic fans behind.

"I feel pressure because I have to play a 26-year-old Rita", said the 46-year-old actress.

"But I guess I have to forget about my appearance and concentrate on acting. I have a deeper understanding on the character now", said Choi who will play the role opposite Yoon Joo-sang, the same co-star she performed with previously in the two-actor show.

In 1993, she received the DongA Drama best actress award for her performance.

"Educating Rita" is an award-winning stage comedy by British playwright Willy Russell. Set entirely in the office of a university lecturer, the drama tells the story of a woman eager to learn what the world of knowledge and education has to offer, rather than follow her husband's desire to have a baby.

Choo Sang-mi, a versatile actress who tied the knot last year with Lee Suk-joon, one of the rising musical stars in Korea, chose the Korean adaptation of "Blackbird" for her first stage performance in the upcoming spring season. "Blackbird" is a powerful production written by British writer David Harrower, which hit the West End stage three years ago.

Based on a true story, the drama tells the tale of Una and Ray, who meet again 15 years after their relationship ended. Choo will play Una, who had an affair with Ray, a 40-year-old friend of the family, when she was just 12. The drama hits the stage at the Dongsoong Arts Center in Daehangno on March 21 through May 21.

Actress Yang Hee-kyeong, sister of one of Korea's beloved folk singers, Yang Hee-eun, transforms herself into a cabaret singer in the Daehangno drama "Minja's Golden Age". The show hits the stage at Yesul Madang March 6 through April 27.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Malaysian Singer Nicholas Teo to Hold First Concert in Malaysia

Taiwan-based Malaysian singer Nicholas Teo will hold his first concert on home ground in March. The concert will be held at Stadium Putra, and while the venue’s 10,000-seating capacity is considerably challenging to fill, more so for a first-timer, Teo says he has confidence in his fans.

“We waited for a very long time for it (the venue). Our first consideration for this concert was the venue.” At a press conference on Wednesday to announce concert details, the organizers said more than RM900,000 had already been invested in the preparations for the event.
“I’ve been training daily and even recorded a theme song for this concert. My guest will be a female artiste and I’ll be singing a duet with her,” Teo, 26, said.

Warner Music Malaysia managing director Cheah Su Kong presented Teo with an earpiece specially made for use during his concert.

Winning the 2002 Astro Talent Quest with a heart-felt rendition of Huang Hun helped launch the Sarawakian’s singing career. Teo has since released three albums 1st Choice, Only Nicholas, and Prince. His biggest hit in 2007, Wang Zi (Prince) sold more than 100,000 downloads on caller ringback tone alone.

Apart from making music, Teo has also made forays into acting. He was the leading man in Taiwanese drama Smiling Pasta and Malaysia’s first award-winning Cantonese movie 3rd Generation. He also provided the voice for the Chinese version of Ratatouille.

One of the few Malaysian artistes who have successfully broken into overseas markets, Teo is well-known in China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.

Nicholas [From Now On] Live in Malaysia will be held at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil Indoor Stadium on March 29 at 8pm.

Source : Asianbite.com

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Song Hye Kyo Promotes Shampoo Brand

South Korean actress Song Hye Kyo attended a promotional event for a shampoo brand in Beijing on Wednesday and shared her personal experience on hairdressing with Chinese fans.

The star has published a book introducing effective methods of body building and hairdressing. The singer also expressed her wish to cooperate with Chinese directors and actors. Hong Kong directors Liu Weiqiang and Wong Kar Wai were the two movie makers that she admires the most and she said "It would be great if I can co-star with actor Tony Leung when chances come up."

Song also presented ginseng tea she brought from South Korean to her fans at the event, the report said.

Song Hye-gyo (born November 22, 1981; registered on February 26, 1982) is a South Korean model and actress. While getting her arts degree at Sejong University (did not finish degree), Song made her debut by winning the Grand Prize in model search in SunKyung Smart and starring in a Sunday morning drama called Happy Morning (KBS, 1996). She starred in number of hit dramas including All In, Autumn Fairy Tale, and Full House. Due to her popularity she can be seen frequently on advertisements when she is not acting. She is currently signed to the Sidus HQ label.

Source: Asianpopcorn.com/wikipedia.com

Tickets for Super Juniors Seoul Concert sold out in 18 Minutes!!

Tickets to Super Junior’s “The 1st ASIA Tour-‘Super Show’” Seoul concerts were sold-out in 18 minutes! However, it was not a smooth ride for fans when they purchased the tickets because there was a moment when the server was down.

Last January 20, at 5 pm, the ticket sale opened at Auction Ticket and at that time, more than 120,000 people were connected simultaneously in the site, which the server was not able to handle. After the server was restored, all of the 13,000 seats were sold-out in 18 minutes.

“We’re glad to hear the news that the tickets were sold-out. We’re going to repay the fans’ support by preparing hard for the concert and presenting the best performances,” the group said.

The tour will start in the Seoul Olympic Fencing Stadium on February 23 and 24 and will continue to other cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur, totaling to 9. The concert tour will have a total of 10 performances.

Super Junior (Korean: 슈퍼주니어), also known as simply SJ or SuJu (Korean: 슈쥬), is a thirteen-member South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2005, masterminded by Lee Soo Man. The group initially debuted with twelve members on November 6, 2005 with the single, "TWINS (Knock Out)". The original twelve members, from oldest to youngest, are Leeteuk (the leader), Heechul, Han Geng, Yesung, Kang-In, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, and Kibum. The Chinese member, Han Geng, was chosen among the 3,000 applicants through auditions held in China by SM Entertainment in 2001.

Many of the members had already pursued an entertainment career before Super Junior's debut through acting, DJ-ing, and modeling. On May 23, 2006 SM Entertainment announced the addition of a new member, Kyuhyun, making them the thirteen-member group they are today.


Source : asianpopcorn/krnloop.wordpress.com/wikipedia.com

Friday, January 25, 2008

The Warlords, Hit The 2007 Chinese Box Office

Imagine three legendary Asia artist meets in one screen. “The Warlords” is the answer, film which starring Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Li and Andy Lau. Good news, “The Warlords,” has beaten Ang Lee’s much bankable “Lust, Caution” to secure the No.1 spot at the 2007 Chinese-language box-office!!!

As of Sunday, “The Warlords” has raked in 260 million yuan (US$35.74 million), ten million more than “Lust, Caution,” the second strongest box-office winner.

“The Warlords” is being or has been screened in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Singapore and Malaysia. It reaped 200 million yuan on the mainland alone, making Peter Chan the second Chinese director, following Zhang Yimou, to have crossed the 200-million-yuan boundary.

Released nationwide on Dec. 13, 2007, “The Warlords” reaped 192million yuan (about 26 million U.S. dollars) by Jan. 1. Its overseas box office was 245 million yuan (about 33.6 million U.S. dollars), said the newspaper.

One week later in the release schedule, “The Warlords”’s evenly matched rival —”The Assembly”, directed by director Feng Xiaogang, got 180 million yuan (about 25 million U.S. dollars) at the end of last year.

“The Warlords”, directed by Hong Kong director Peter Chan, based on a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) story, follows the struggle of three blood brothers and their love entanglements with a woman during a time of war and political upheaval.

The 180-meter red carpet was rolled out to receive dozens of entertainment stars, and the cast led the audience in banging thousands of drums at what an investor in director Peter Chan's war epic "The Warlords" claimed was the grandest premiere ever held in China.

This premiere was studded with more than just stars. Drums were featured prominently throughout the premiere: Guests were invited to sign their names on a huge drum at the end of red carpet. When the ceremony began, lead actors Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Li, and Andy Lau emerged to bang three drums onstage. Small drums were distributed throughout the audience so guests could keep time with the performance.

The drumbeat was the signal to start battle in ancient China, around which the plot is centered. But these drums also evidenced the producer's desire to win the year-end box office battle. Director Peter Chan told media earlier this year that he hopes box office income will exceed 30 million yuan, or 4 million US dollars.


(all source)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Jolin Childhood Years

Preety, amazing voice, sexy body, what else? Jolin have everything!! Want to know about her childhood? Check this out ...

Though Jolin was introverted and shy as a child, her mother realized early on that Jolin was of scholarly material, so her mother brought her to attend Japanese-style mathematics lessons, which she completed more rapidly than anyone expected she would. During her primary school years, her excellent scores meant that she failed to rank in the top three of her class only once, a class in which she placed tenth. Eventually, her scholastic abilities enabled her to enroll at Jingmei Girls High School and later, Fu Jen Catholic University.

Jolin devoted her youth to studying the English language, self-studying English in her primary school years. She eventually majored in English Literature at Fu Jen Catholic University, a Taiwanese university that is popular for its English culture, is regarded for its Department of English Language and Literature, and includes in its ranks of alumni a number of Taiwanese entertainers. Jolin expressed interest in recording an album of songs entirely in English, though lamenting such an album would be unprofitable because of her pronunciation problems. She took a sabbatic around 2003 to have breast enhancement and plastic surgeries done to her face, though she has vigorously denied the report, despite the fact that some of her Fu Jen classmates witnessed her wearing bandage around the jaw to cover the surgery stitches. Her plastic surgeries were extensively covered in Next Magazine. [1]
It was in her childhood years that Jolin developed an interest in singing and experimented with different vocal techniques after listening to the songs of popular female divas such as Teresa Teng, Britney Spears and Faye Wong.

Source : wikipedia.org

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Won Bin Endorse Men's Wear

Guess who's be back ...

Won Bin who has been resting after being discharged from the military has marked is return as a model. Won Bin's agency announced on the 23rd, "Won Bin will start his activities as the model of ZIOZIA, a men's character formal wear brand." ZIOZIA is the brand Won Bin modeled for back from 2001 to 2005 until he entered military service.

Other than being appointed ambassador for UNICEF last year, Won Bin has not been involved in any activities. Starting towards the end of the month, Won Bin can be seen at ZIOZIA outlets.

Source: Asianbite.com

Ken Zhu Contemplated Suicide Due to Pressure

The day before F4 was interviewed in a program by Dongfeng "Entertainment in Asia". During the interview, Ken Zhu disclosed that seven years ago when F4 was at it's peak in popularity, due to the immense pressure he suffered a behaviour disorder. He would often cry and shout out loud in the middle of the night and had comtemplated committing suicide in numerous occassions.

Jerry Yan disclosed that at that time he was very angry with Ken who pretended that nothing waswrong although he had this problem. The rest of the group wanted to show concern but could donothing.Ken also expressed that he long to get married. He also disclosed that at that time he expressedhis feelings for former news anchor Patty Hou but the party concern left for Japan(Patty & Jay Chou's love relationship was exposed in Japan during that period)Vic Chou on his own accord mentioned about Barbie (Da S). Zaizai expressed that a lot of thingscannot be predicted or in control. Now he's happy that he's got an additional confidante.To conclude, he asked what category of guys Patty Hou likes.

Liberty Times
(source: asianfanatics.net)

Moon Geun-young Returns to TV Screen

Actress Moon Geun-young, 21, will return to the television screen with the epic drama ``The Painter of Wind.''

Returning to TV screens after five years, she will play the lead role of Sin Yun-bok, a painter who disguises herself as a man. Sin Yun-bok is a painter who lived during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and was known for realistic and delicate depictions of daily life.

The painter was known as a male, but a fictional historical novel ``The Painter of Wind,'' written by Lee Jung-myeong and published in 2007, raised the question of whether Sin might be a woman dressed as a man.

``When I first read the novel, I just thought it was a story about the genius painters Kim Hong-do and Sin Yun-bok. However, I realized that there might be more secrets hidden in the drawings and I couldn't put the book down,'' Moon said in a press release.

The drama will explore the life of this genius artist and mysteries hidden in the paintings. Other characters, such as the teacher and rival of Sin, Kim Hong-do, have not been cast yet. With plans to start shooting in March, ``The Painter of Wind'' will be aired in the second half of the year on SBS.

Affectionately called as ``the nation's little sister,'' Moon started modeling at the age of 12 and appeared in the docudrama ``On the Way'' (1999) the following year. Her major breakthrough as a star was the horror film ``A Tale of Two Sisters'' (2003) directed by Kim Jee-woon. Later, she starred in such hit films as ``My Little Bride'' in 2004 and ``Dancing Princess'' in 2005.

However, because she started as a child actor, her transition to an adult actor was not very successful. Her last appearance in the movie ``Love Me Not'' (2006) received mixed reviews.

She is currently a student majoring in Korean Language and Literature at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.

Weekly Music Chart 2008 - January week 3

Weekly Music Chart 2008 - January week 3

1. (+1) Big Bang - 마지막인사 (Last Greeting) *** 3 WEEKS NO. 1 ***
Genre: Hip-hop / Dance

Music + Lyrics: G-Dragon
Album: Big Bang 2nd mini-album "Hot Issue" Track 6 Purchase this album
Recapturing the top spot once again after two weeks at No. 2, this song was also No. 1 on MNet's M!Countdown this week and was Inky Gayo's Mutizen award winner last week. That's why its score is almost 100 points higher than last week. Overall, it's the third week that this song is staying at No. 1, with the first two weeks at the top happening last December.

2. (-1) F.T Island - 너올때까지 (Until You Come)
Genre: Rock Ballad

Music + Lyrics: Ryu Jae Hyun
Album: F.T. Island Special album "Refreshment" Track 1 Purchase this album
This is the representative song for F.T. Island's special album, "The Refreshment." A moving melody goes well with Hong-ki's charming voice and the lyrics are about waiting for an ex-lover until she returns. The music video features a school setting and stars Hong-ki and Won Bin as brothers. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

3. (--) SG Wannabe - 첫눈 (First Snow)
Genre: R&B Ballad

Music: Cho Young Soo / Lyrics: Ahn Young Min
Album: SG Wannabe - Story in New York 2008 Track 1 Purchase this album
This is the representative song for SG Wannabe's special album, "Story in New York." The soothing ballad melds music-box sounds from the intro and a softened vocal style in general. It's about missing an ex-lover on the day of the first snow and telling her "let's not break up the next time we meet. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

4. (+1) Toy - 뜨거운안녕 (A Passionate Goodbye)
Genre: Pop Ballad

Music: Yoo Hee Yeol, Kim Tae Hoon / Lyrics: Yoo Hee Yeol
Album: Toy Vol. 6 Track 5 Purchase this album
This is the main song on Toy's 6th album, "Thank You." It contains a retro sound popular in the 80s and a pop feel as well. The lyrics are about a broken-hearted man. Toy guest vocalist Lee Ji-hyung not only sang, but starred in the music video, too. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

5. (+1) Min Kyung Hoon - 슬픈 바보 (Sad Fool)
Genre: Pop Ballad

Music: Park Bong Sung / Lyrics: Go Suk Young
Album: Min Kyung Hoon Vol. 1 Track 2 Purchase this album
This is the representative track for Min Kyung-hoon's 1st album, "Impressive." It's a solo album released by Min Kyung-hoon, the former vocalist for the rock band, Buzz. His distinctly appealing voice is showcased in this ballad, which also features a 48-piece classical orchestra and a classic feel. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

6. (+12) See Ya - 슬픈 발걸음 (Sad Footstep - Shoe II)
Genre: Pop Ballad

Music: Park Keun Tae / Lyrics: Kang Eun Kyung
Album: See Ya Vol. 2.5 Track 1 - Purchase this album
This is the representative track for See Ya's 2.5th album, "California Dream." Made by hitmaker Park Keun Tae, the sad ballad is a continuation of "Shoes" from See Ya's 1st album. The music video, which has created a stir for See Ya member Nam Gyu Ri's surprising transformation, stars Ha Suk Jin, Cho Shin Sung and fellow See Ya members Lee Bo Ram and Kim Yeon Ji. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

7. (-3) SNSD - 소녀시대 (Girls Generations)
Genre: Pop / Dance

Music: Song Tae Joon / Lyrics: Lee Seung Chul
Album: SNSD Vol. 1 Track 1 Purchase this album
This is the title track of Girls' Generation's 1st album. A remake of a Lee Seung-chul hit, the song was arranged and made anew with Girls' Generation's uniquely bright vibe, which contrasts significantly with the original's masculine style. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

8. (+1) Park Ji Heon - 보고싶은 날엔 (During the days I want to see you)
Genre: R&B Ballad

Music + Lyrics: Han Sang Won
Album: Park Ji Hun First Single Album Track 2 Purchase this album
This is the representative song for V.O.S.' Park Ji-hun's single album, "Button." The medium-tempo track showcases Park Ji-hun's exquisite and delicate voice singing about the pain and longing that follows a separation. V.O.S.' Choi Hyun-joon and Kim Kyung-rok participated in the chorus. The music video was made with footage from the movie "Open City," starring Kim Myung-min and Son Yeh-jin. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

9. (-2) M to M - 새까맣게 (Completely Black)
Genre: R&B Ballad

Music: Kim Do Hoon / Lyrics: Choi Kap Won
Album: M to M Vol. 3 Track 1 Purchase this album
Perhaps the most underrated out of the Big 4 collaboration (with SG Wannabe, Kim Jong Kook, and Vibe), M to M released a digital single "Evil Man" last Fall as a warm-up to this new album. They are working primarily with the same teams of songwriters as SG Wannabe. "Completely Black" is written by hitmaker Kim Do Hoon. This week, M to M finally made their long-anticipated appearance on TV music shows for the first time since they debuted 3 years ago.

10. (--) Wonder Girls - 이 바보 (This Fool)
Genre: Pop / Dance

Music + Lyrics: Park Jin Young
Album: Wonder Girls Vol. 1 Track 2 Purchase this album
The follow up hit from Wonder Girls' 1st album. The first single "Tell Me" spent six weeks at the top spot. Wonder Girls were just named best new artistes of 2007 on our Soompi Gayo Award. They are still very young, but no longer rookies this year.

11. (+3) Clazziquai - Robotica
Genre: Electronica

Music + Lyrics: Kim Sung Hoon
Album: Clazziquai Vol 3.5 Track 3 Purchase this album
"Robotica" is from Clazziquai's 3.5 album. It employs a modulation effect that creates a new vibe by altering sound waves. It also boasts Clazziquai's unique brand of sound, presenting an effective and futuristic model of electronica music. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

12. (-1) The Name - 그녀를 찾아주세요 (Please Find Her)
Genre: R&B Ballad

Music + Lyrics: Yoon Min Soo
Album: The Name Vol. 3 Track 1 Purchase this album
This is the representative song for The Name's 3rd album, "This is The Name." Vibe's Yoon Min-su wrote the music for the piece, which showcases a grand and full string melody. The track, which poignantly expresses the pain of missing an ex you can no longer meet, goes well with The Name's richly emotional vocals. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops in Seoul)

13. (-5) Park Jin Young - 니가사는그집 (The House You Lived In)
Genre: R&B / Dance

Music + Lyrics: Park Jin Young
Album: Park Jin Young Seventh album Track 2 Purchase this album
This is the main song on Park Jin-young's 7th album, "Back to Stage." It's about a man running into an ex he fervently loved, following her and getting a glimpse of her everyday life. Park Jin-young and Kim Hye-soo engage in some charmingly sexy dancing in the music video. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)

14. (+12) Han Kyung Il - 좋겠다 (That's Great)
Genre: Pop Ballad

Music + Lyrics: Kang Ji Won
Album: Han Kyung Il Vol. 5 Track 2 Purchase this album
This is the latest hit from underrated ballad singer Han Kyung Il, who recently released his 5th album "Nature". Han Kyung Il has not had a top-10 hit since "The Other Half of My Life" from his 2nd album. This song is composed and written by Kang Ji Won, who wrote Lee Seung Chul's hit song "I Love You" last year. The MV of this song was filmed in Paris, starring actress Park Shi Eun.



15. (+8) Ha Ha - 너눈 내 운면 (You Are My Destiny)
Genre: Pop

Music: Cho Young Soo / Lyrics: Ahn Young Min
Album: Ha Ha digital single "You Are My Destiny"
The first ever top-20 hit by popular comedian Ha Ha. This Caribbean-beat song is written by Korea's top songwriting team of Cho Young Soo and Ahn Young Min. In the MV, Ha Ha portrays a prince who falls in love with his real-life girlfriend, Ahn Hye Kyung.

16. (+1) Zi-A - 인형 (Doll)
Genre: Pop Ballad

Music: Cho Young Soo / Lyrics: Kim Hye Sun
Album: Music Story Album Track 3 Purchase this album
This is the representative track for Zia's compilation album, "The Violin - Music Story Album." With a medium tempo, this modern rock ballad is about asking a lover to return despite knowing they'll break up if they give their relationship another try. Jung Kyung-ho and Lee Min-jung's touching love story is portrayed in the music video. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops In Seoul)



17. (-4) Eun Ji Won (feat. Mr. Tyfoon) - Adidos
Genre: Hip-hop

Music: Keeproots / Lyrics: Mr. Tyfoon
Album: Eun Ji Won single album Track 2 Purchase this album
Featured in Eun Ji-won's single album, "Love, Death, Thought," this song, by musician Keeproots, fuses Latin and hip-hop styles for an innovative type of melody. The lyrics, about a man who has been betrayed by love, go well with a fun beat. Mr. Tyfoon, who is featured in the song, wrote the lyrics. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops in Seoul)

18. (+1) Lisa - 그려봅니다 (I'm drawing)
Genre: R&B Ballad

Music: Choi Joon Young / Lyrics: Shim Hyun Bo
Album: Lisa Vol. 3 Track 2 - Purchase this album
This is the representative track for Lisa's 3rd album, "Featherlight." The ballad nicely melds a piano melody with Lisa's poignant vocals. The song is about missing a lover and about how it's easier to draw him than forget him. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops in Seoul)

19. (-7) SMTown - 사랑은하나죠 (Only Love)
Genre: Pop Ballad

Album: 2007 Winter SM Town Track 1 Purchase this album
This is the representative song for SM Town's "07 WINTER SMTOWN." 40 artistes from SM Entertainment, including Kangta, BoA, TVXQ!, TSZX the Grace, Super Junior and Girls' Generation participated in making this album. The warm pop ballad has lyrics that encourage hope and courage and make a lasting impression. (credits to Arirang TV - Pops in Seoul)

20. (New) Turtles - 싱랄라 (Sing La-La) *** HOT SHOT DEBUT ***
Genre: Pop / Dance

Music + Lyrics: Turtleman
Album: Turtles Vol. 5 Track 3 Purchase this album
Our highest debut this week is the title song from the fun trio Turtles' 5th album. Leader Turtleman once again composed and written the song himself. Sing La-La is a euro dance track in which the members sing and rap about their past experiences. Female rapper/singer Z-E is recovering from a surgery now, so Turtles are performing as a duo at the moment with Turtleman and Gumpi.

TOP CHART URUTAN 21-50

21. (-5) Super Junior - Marry U
22. (-7) ERU - 겨울나기 (Feeling Winter)
23. (-3) Lee Seung Ki - 아직 못다한 이야기 (Unfinished story)
24. (+17) MC Sniper - For You *** BIGGEST MOVER OF THE WEEK ***
25. (+9) Kim Woo Joo - Beautiful Day
26. (+4) Brown Eyed Soul - My Story
27. (-6) Shinhwa - 눈 오는 날 (The Snowy Night)
28. (New) Lim Jeong Hee - 하늘아 바람아 (Oh Sky Oh Wind)
29. (-5) Park Jung Hyun - 눈물빛글씨 (Writing for tears)
30. (New) Tei - 가슴이 슬퍼 (My Heart Is Sad)
31. (-4) V.O.S. - 부디 (By All Means)
32. (--) MC The Max - 사랑을 외치다 (Call out love)
33. (-2) Youn Ha - 첫눈에 (During the first snow)
34. (+2) Krygen - 사랑이 길을 잃어서 (Love Lost Its Path)
35. (-12) J-Walk - 여우비 (Light Rain)
36. (New) Wax - 여자는 사랑을 먹고 (Woman Eats Love)
37. (-4) Tae Sa Bi Ae - 못된 사랑 (Bad Love)
38. (+12) Lee Seung Hwan - 내맘이안그래 (My Heart Isn't Like That)
39. (New) Makustle (feat. Park Ki Young) - 배웅 (Say Goodbye)
40. (-5) Sung Shi Kyung - 한번더이별 (Break Up One More Time)
41. (-1) Jang Yoon Jung - 첫사랑 (First Love)
42. (+2) KCM - 슬픈 눈사람 (Sad Snowman)
43. (--) Lee Seung Chul - 사랑한다 (I Love You)
44. (+1) Drunken Tiger - 8:45 Heaven
45. (-3) Outsider - 남자답게 (Like A Man)
46. (-17) Kim Jo Han - 사랑이늦어서미안해 (Sorry For The Love Being Late)
47. (Re) Tim - 사랑한만큼 (As much as I love)
48. (New) Joo - 남자 때문에 (Because of a man)
49. (-3) Kai - 사랑한다며 헤어지잔 말 (You loved me but ask for breakup)
50. (New) Slow Jam - Crazy Night

MBC’s New Sitcom: `Kokkiri’

MBC will air a new sitcom named ``Kokkiri'' from Jan. 21.

While the title of the sitcom, ``Kokkiri'' means elephant in Korean, however, this is not a sitcom about elephants. Breaking down the word ``Ko'' means nose in Korean and ``kkiri'' means together, and the show depicts the lives of a group of characters in the sitcom having nicknames ending with ``ko.''

Kwon Hae-hyo plays Guk Yeong-su (Psy``ko''), a high school Korean language teacher. He is on bad terms with Ju Bok-man (Gae``ko''), played by Lee Byeong-jun, a high school student in his 40s and the landlord.

Ju's two sons and Guk's three daughters also live in Ju's house, and everyone becomes involved in various incidents and relationships, including romance.

Comedian-turned-actor Kim Kuk-jin will play a jobless tenant living in Ju's attic. His roommate, Ju's younger brother, played by Moon Se-yun, is a man of misfortune.

Joo Hyun and Kim Chang-sook, parents of the Ju brothers, will depict the life and loves of the aged.

``With this unique `ko' characters, `Kokkiri' will move the audience to laughter, especially focusing on paternal love,'' said Lee Min-ho, director of the sitcom, at a press conference.

MBC revived daily sitcoms in 2006 with ``High Kick!'' The sitcom was a phenomenal hit recording more than 25 percent ratings. Lee Soon-jae, who played the stern-looking but funny grandfather, won the 2007 MBC Entertainment Award.

However, the next sitcom, ``Kimchi, Cheese, Smile,'' which closes Friday, did not get the ratings of its predecessor. Some sitcom buffs loved ``Kimchi'' but the average ratings were much lower than ``High Kick!''

``Kokkiri'' will start airing at 8:20 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

My Asian, Your Asian

WELCOME to My Asian, our favourite site about Asian celebrities news, picture and everything. You can come and join with us. Also you can write, speak up or add comment if you want. Enjoy, because My Asian, Your Asian ... !!! :)