The Korea Times

Gang Dong-won closes contract with UAA

Actor Gang Dong-won has signed with the United Artist Agency (UAA), which is also home to actress Song Hye-gyo.The UAA was established last year when United Pictures (UP), a film distributor, merged with The Firm, a law firm.UAA boasts global networks, heightening the possibility the model-turned-actor will venture into the international movie industry.The agency has partnerships with China’s ATN, founded in Beijing by famous movie producer Terence Chang, and Effigies, a Paris-based artist representation and image consulting agency.Gang recently finished filming short-movie director Kim Ji-woon’s “Hide & Seek” after the actor completed his mandatory military service.

Apr 23, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Vita Coco to start selling in Korea

Vita Coco, also called “Madonna’s drink” is now available in Korea.The company behind the best-selling coconut water in the United States is also gearing up to make inroads into other Asian markets, said an industry watcher Monday.Vita Coco made headlines when a group of high profile celebrities including Madonna, Demi Moore and major-leaguer Alex Rodriguez invested in the firm. Also it hired pop star Rihanna as a model for its advertizing campaign.   Although the name isn’t familiar to Korean customers, it has been taking the sport and ion supply drink markets by storm as the next-generation natural sports drink.“It is all-natural, 100 percent coconut water. It is great to quench your thirst and recover from fatigue after workouts,” said the Korean manager of the local branch.  Vita Coco will be available at Shinsegae Department Stores, SSG Food Markets and Star Super, with many more outlets expected to stock it in the coming months.

Apr 22, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

2PM feel greatly moved by Japanese fans

The K-pop group 2PM perform during the “LEGEND of 2PM” concert at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiThe six-member K-pop boy band 2PM shed tears following their final performance Sunday in front of 55,000 Japanese fans at the Tokyo Dome.During the second of two concerts titled “Legend of 2PM,” they sang 33 songs including hits “Breakthrough” and “Give Me Love” before their cheering supporters.On the final day all members seemed unable to contain their emotions ― the teary-eyed Taec-yeon thanked fellow band members who have overcome difficulties as well as supportive fans for always being there for them.Nichkhun, who was involved in a drunk-driving incident, also gave his thanks holding back tears. “There was a hard time (for our group) because of me. But I would like to thank fans who trusted me. I am deeply sorry for what I caused to other members, the agency and most of all our fans,” he said.Jun-ho, Yoo-young, Chan-sung and Jun. K all expressed what it meant to perform for their fans in Japan

Apr 22, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Jang Geun-suk holds first overnight fan meeting with Japanese fans

Jang Geun-sukBy Park Jin-haiJang Geun-suk met with 1,500 Japanese fans in an overnight meeting held Sunday at High 1 Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province.  The fans flew in a day earlier for the one-night, two-day meeting with the “Prince of Asia.” Jang, 25, an actor and performer, is in Japan where he recently opened a café for fans in Tokyo. He has starred in popular “hallyu” or Korean wave dramas including “You’re Beautiful.”The event was organized to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Lotte Duty Free’s Korean wave marketing. According to the itinerary, fans had shopping on the first day of their arrival on Saturday and checked in the resort the following day, where they took photos and dined with Jang.Other events included Jang’s mini-concert and a quiz show.“The event is surely a success, given that the Japanese tourists decreased in number in recent years due to the depreciation of Yen and rising security threat from North Korea,” said a manager of the Duty Free Shop. Lotte Duty Free Shop has

Apr 21, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Jang Geun-suk holds first overnight fan meeting with Japanese fans

Shows & Dramas

Brief Line

Officials from the organizing committee for the 2013 Osong Cosmetics and Beauty Expo and faculty members of CheongJu Foreign Language High School pose after signing a memorandum of understanding Thursday for the school’s students to volunteer for the expo.Students help Osong fair High school students will work as volunteer interpreters at the 2013 Osong Cosmetics & Beauty Expo, slated for May 3-26, in North Chungcheong Province.The organizing committee for the Osong fair announced on Thursday it sealed an agreement with CheongJu Foreign Language High School to enlist the services of 93 students as volunteer interpreters.The students will be dispatched in and around the venue during the international fair and provide language services for 10 days.“We have been encouraged by the participation of those students. Their interpretation service will help visiting foreigners and facilitate the Expo, while students themselves will have opportunities to nurture their global-minded talents,” said Ko Se-ung, secretary general of the fair.

Apr 19, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Kim Yu-na to model Post's 'Light up' ad

Figure skater Kim Yu-naDongsuh Foods announced Tuesday it will hire figure skating queen Kim Yu-na for Post’s new “Light up” cereal advertising campaign.“We cannot think of a better person. She has a great firm body due to years of training,” said a marketing manager of the food company.“That corresponds to the company’s ideal of leading a healthy life.”The firm expects the commercial to appeal to women on diets seeking healthy food while keeping their weight down..The figure skating phenomenon is a sought-after celebrity in advertising circles, since products she endorses enjoy brisk sales thanks to her image that appeals to all.Appearing on a TV program, Kim said she eats Korean food for breakfast, salad or fruit for lunch and cereal or fruit for dinner. She also posted photos of her eating cereal on her social network service sites, in her role as the company’s new model, according to the official.       

Apr 17, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Hite Jinro exports 'ZERO' to Japan

Hite Jinro Beverage will export its non-alcohol beer “ZERO ZERO ZERO” to Japan, where the non-alcohol beverage market has been expanding explosively.The nation’s No. 1 beer and soju producer announced Monday it has closed a deal with Japanese distributor Kasuga and will ship 120,000 cases annually worth 3.5 billion won. The first shipment of 10,000 cases is scheduled to leave Busan on Saturday.The non-alcohol beer is locally touted as an “All-Free” type, with zero-calories, zero-sugar and zero-alcohol.“We have been exporting over 200,000 cases of non-alcohol beverages every year since 2011,” said an overseas marketing manager.“But, we will adopt more aggressive marketing strategies in the near future, such as finding more overseas distributors to beef up sales.”Hite Jinro seeks to make inroads to the Japanese market, whose non-alcohol sector was up 143 percent in 2012 at 40.5 million cases from a year earlier.    

Apr 17, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

K- beauty products hot overseas

Cosmetics exports up 32 percent, surpassing imports for 1st timeBy Park Jin-haiFor the first time Korea exported more cosmetics products than were imported – thought to be thanks to the growing popularity of "hallyu" (Korean wave), coupled with efficient marketing strategies.Exports of cosmetic brands stood at $1.1 billion in 2012, up by 32.6 percent from a year earlier, while imports remained at $978 million, according to the Korea Pharmaceutical Traders Association (KPTA).Amore Pacific, LG Household and Healthcare and Missha proved especially strong in oversea markets.Amore’s exports grew 35 percent to reach $442.8 million from the previous year, quadruple the domestic sales.LG Household saw its overseas sales grow 31.4 percent, to $232.3 million, while  Missha's exports rose 32 percent to the value of 28.3 billion dollars.Market analysts attributed the better-than-expected results to several factors: localization, distribution, brand-image and market diversification strategies.An increasing number of exporting companies, based on the

Apr 16, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

'Action, communication hand in hand'

President of the Corea Image and Communication Institute (CICI) Choi Jung-wha, center in second row, and first-place winner Mamadjanov Zohid from Uzbekistan, center in first row, pose with other contestants and organizers of the “Communicating for a Brighter Future of Korea” at Seoul Museum in Buam-dong, Seoul, Saturday.                                                      / Courtesy of CICICICI speech contest offers expats with chances to promote Korea's imageBy Park Jin-haiWhen the name of each anxious contestant is called, each scurries to the podium to deliver a speech.It’s a familiar scene to an audience reared on reality audition programs.This time, however, the contestants gathered at the Seoul Museum Saturday were foreigners and Koreans tackling the theme of the future of “hallyu,” or the Korean wave, and the concept of multiculturalism in Korea.Opening the ev

Apr 14, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Ko Hyun-jung to star in new drama

Ko Hyun-jungActress-turned emcee Ko Hyun-jung will end her three-year hiatus and return to TV dramas in June.She will star in the new SBS drama tentatively named “Queen of the Class,” her agency IOK Company said Friday.Ko was last seen in the drama “Daemul” in 2010, in which she played a female president. She earned the Grand Prize at the SBS Drama Awards that year for the role.The actress described the new role ― Ma Yeo-jin ― she will play as a “demon-like” teacher who shows no mercy to her students.The story depicts the struggle between the teacher and her class.“The style and concept of the drama was rather fresh, not like other school dramas,” Ko said. “It is a challenge for me, too, to play a role like Ma.”  

Apr 14, 2013By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Gang Dong-won closes contract with UAA

Vita Coco to start selling in Korea

2PM feel greatly moved by Japanese fans

Jang Geun-suk holds first overnight fan meeting with Japanese fans

Brief Line

Kim Yu-na to model Post's 'Light up' ad

Hite Jinro exports 'ZERO' to Japan

K- beauty products hot overseas

'Action, communication hand in hand'

Ko Hyun-jung to star in new drama

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