The Korea Times

True Romance: new spin on rom-coms?

By Kwon Mee-yoo May sees an influx of romantic comedies decorate the small screen, and “True Romance” throws its hat into the ring as it premieres tonight on SBS. The TV drama tells the story of a capable, professional young woman who ends up getting involved in a fake marriage. Gong A-jeong, played by Yoon Eun-hye, works for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. She is smart enough to pass the civil servant examination and is sweet-looking. But the 28-year-old is less successful in the love department. One day, she meets an old friend So-ran, who has recently tied the knot with her first love. When So-ran teases her about being single, A-jeong, annoyed, abruptly says that she is married, igniting an imagined marriage rumpus. Her accidental fib takes concrete shape as it spreads through word of mouth, and her imaginary husband manifests as Hyeon Gi-jun, the owner of World Hotel (played by Kang Ji-hwan). Yoon said her character is similar to other rom-com heroines. “A-jeong is more mature and passionate about her work than my previous characters,” Yoon said

May 8, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Appreciate modern art in downtown Plateau

By Kwon Mee-yoo Rodin Gallery, located in Taepyeong-no amid highrise office buildings, seeks to explore the meaning of its space through the “Space Study” exhibition, after changing the name to “Plateau.” It originally opened in 1999, displaying two works of famed sculptor Auguste Rodin — “The Gates of Hell” and “The Burghers of Calais.” The officials explained that the former name was somewhat misleading as the gallery is not wholly dedicated to Rodin’s works. Hong Ra-young, deputy director of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art which operates Plateau, said the new name means high plains or sedimentary layers piling up on the artistic highland of the past where artists and art lovers aim to be. The gallery housed various modern art exhibitions including “Yes Yoko Ono” in 2003, but closed down after photographer Atta Kim’s 2008 exhibition “On-Air” due to a special probe into the Samsung Group. The first exhibition of Plateau is titled “Space Study.” The exhibit literally explores the comprehensive meaning of the Plateau as a place and space in general. A total of 14

May 6, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Weekender Musical, incubated

By Kwon Mee-yoo Some 120 seats of a small theater in CJ Azit in Mapo District, Seoul, were filled with an audience who came to see the reading of the musical “The Goddess Is Watching of You” on April 25. There were not only ordinary spectators but also directors, producers and investors on the floor. The eight actors sat in a row of simple black chairs in front of a music stand. They sometimes held the script and read it. There were not many props, but the actors portrayed a tense, but humorous situation during the Korean War (1950-53) when six soldiers — four from the North and two from the South — were isolated on an uninhabited island along with an imaginary “goddess.” The musical is the virgin work of scriptwriter Han Jung-suk, 28, and composer Lee Sun-young, 28, supported by the CJ Creative Minds program which was launched in 2010. The April performance was a reading, a process in development. Han is a graduate of the Department of Creative Writing at Chung-Ang University and Lee worked as an assistant music director in major productions including “Don J

May 5, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Shows & Dramas

Actor Zo In-sung discharged from army

By Kwon Mee-yoo Korea’s heartthrob Zo In-sung was discharged after fulfilling his two-year mandatory military service at Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, Wednesday. Some 400 fans gathered to celebrate and he held a small press conference to share his feelings. “I still can’t believe I’m discharged yet. I think I will feel it when I arrive home,” Zo said. MBC’s hit variety show “The Unlimited Challenge” installed a red balloon and placards to commemorate Zo’s release. The placard read “Zo In-sung’s Come Back at ‘What Happened in Misa-ri’” suggesting that Zo might join the program’s special segment on rowing since Misa-ri is the place where they practice. “‘The Unlimited Challenge’ is my favorite program, and I like them even more than girl groups,” Zo said. “I am a big fan and I will appear on the program if possible.” Zo debuted in 1998 and starred in many hit dramas and movies such as the SBS drama “What Happened in Bali” (2004) and movies “A Dirty Carnival” (2006) and “Frozen Flower” (2008). He was enlisted in the Air Force in 2009. During his service, Zo play

May 4, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Shows & Dramas

TV soap to peek into celebrity life

By Kwon Mee-yoo A drama featuring the life of entertainers when they are not in front of the camera begins today, starring top actors and actresses such as Cha Seung-won, Kong Hyo-jin, Yoon Kye-sang and Yoo In-na. “The Greatest Love” revolves around Dokgo Jin (Cha) and Gu Ae-jeong (Kong). Gu was the most popular member of girl group Gukbo Sonyeo, literally meaning “National Treasure Girl,” some 10 years ago, but fell from grace after becoming embroiled in scandals. She makes appearances on television programs to eke out a living for her troublemaker father and brother. On the other hand Dokgo is the most beloved star in the nation, topping all kinds of popularity polls and appearing in many commercials, but has several character flaws. Gu discovers a secret about Dokgo by chance and reveals it on a talk show, incurring his fury. However, their ill-fated relationship unfolds in an unexpected way as Dokgo falls for Gu and tries to win her heart. Yoo plays the role of another star Se-ri, who was in the same group with Gu 10 years ago, while Yoon portrays Pil-ju, a gentl

May 3, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Circus clown happy for making people laugh

Steven Bishop of ‘Varekai’ tours world with family in tow By Kwon Mee-yoo The circus is back in town. This time, the tent is yellow and blue. Cirque du Soleil, one of the world’s most famous modern circus troupes originating from Canada, is presenting its third extravaganza “Varekai” in Korea. Though the 21st century is the era of advancing modern technology, Varekai is still performed inside a tent with elaborate costumes, popcorn and traditional acts of thrilling wonder and awe. Among the breathtaking acrobatics including Russian swings, a triple trapeze, aerial stunts and hand-balancing on canes, two clowns liven up the mood with engaging comic relief. Steven Bishop, 50, the male clown, has been running across the Big Top Theater of “Varekai” for about eight years now, rushing up and down the aisles while sometimes cajoling a member of the audience on stage. After joining the production in early 2004, Bishop left Australia and began traveling the world with his wife Cathryn, 48, and four children — Loic, 16; Jose, 14; Ines, 12 and Enzo, 9 — as part of t

Apr 27, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Shows & Dramas

Ordinary no more: Snooki leads reality TVs new focus on non-celebrities

By Kwon Mee-yoo The demand for reality shows in Korea is catching up with that of Western audiences, and the focus has moved from celebrities to ordinary people. Famous people used to compete, showcasing their talents but attention is now shifting to the lifestyles of ordinary people. Leading the trend, the third season of “Jersey shore — Mad Party House” will air on MTV Korea on Thursdays and Fridays at midnight. The reality series is sweeping the United States, becoming the most viewed series on MTV. The first season started on the Jersey Shore, following the lives of eight Italian-Americans sharing a house. The second season went south to Miami and the third returned to the Jersey Shore. The next one is going to be filmed in Italy. Nicole Polizzi, aka “Snooki,” has risen to fame through the series. She says being in a reality show is not easy since the person seen on television is not always the same as the person in everyday life. “I feel like I have two personalities. I can be that fun, party person, but I can also be that outgoing, chill gi

Apr 26, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

K-pop

JYJ to hold concerts in North America

By Kwon Mee-yoo K-pop group JYJ will head to North America in May after finishing its Asian tour, appearing in Vancouver, Newark, Los Angeles and San Jose. The three members, Jun-su, Yu-chun and Jae-joong, started their world tour in Bangkok, Thailand on April 2 and then headed to Taiwan. They held a concert at Taipei Dome, Taiwan, on Saturday drawing some 10,000 fans. The boy band sang songs including “Empty,” “Be My Girl” and “Be the One.” They also presented songs in the form of music essays “Their Rooms,” such as “Mission” and “Fallen Leaves.” They also introduced new songs “In Heaven” and “Get Out” for the world tour. Jae-joong directed the concert with the concept of “Creative Challenge.” He came up with a cross-shaped stage to communicate more with fans. The 120-minute concert excited the audience. Taiwanese actor John Shen said via Twitter that he really enjoyed the concert and JYJ is his role model. JYJ thanked their fans who sang the songs aloud. “We feel the quality of our concert was raised with the Taiwanese one,” the group said in a press release

Apr 26, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Shows & Dramas

Docudrama introduces Joseons party planners

By Kwon Mee-yoo History has never ceased to inspire. Folk painters like Kim Hong-do and Shin Yun-bok have left works depicting the customs of the late Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), and the two have become protagonists in the popular novel-turned-TV drama "The Painter of Wind," starring high-profile actors Park Shin-yang and Moon Geun-young. Popular TV dramas continue to feature the era in such epic stories as "Jejungwon" (2010) and "Dong Yi" (2010). A new documentary on EBS sheds light on the life of commoners on the gritty streets during the period. "The Beauty on the Backstreet of Old Capital Seoul" adopts the format of a docudrama to reveal the daily lives of “gisaeng” (courtesan), gangsters and beggars, rather than aloof Confucian scholars normally featured in stories of political intrigue. The documentary focuses on the reign of King Yeongjo around the early 18th century. The market economy started to develop around that time and it created many cultural cues which still exist to this day. The most important people on the streets of the late Joseon era were

Apr 24, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

People & Events

Seo Tai-ji in divorce suit

By Kwon Mee-yoo, Lee Hyo-won Seo Tai-ji’s divorce is creating a stir as the singer, thought to be single, is rumored to have been married to actress E Ji-ah. E’s real name is Kim Ji-ah. According to legal sources, a woman known by her surname Kim began divorce proceedings in January, asking for alimony and division of property amounting to about 5 billion won. The second hearing was on Monday, with four attorneys on Seo’s side and three representing his wife. It has yet to be proven that E is the Kim in question. The 39-year-old Seo, whose real name is Jeong Hyeon-chol, and 30-year-old E, were both thought to be unmarried. Their reported divorce suit has shocked the Korean entertainment scene, particularly since E recently admitted dating actor Jung Woo-sung. Their agencies have been unable to contact the stars for comment. “Seo Tai-ji has been overseas to work on his album, and we are unable to reach him at the moment. It’s his personal matter so we don’t know anything but we believe it is untrue,” said Seo’s agency Seotaiji Company. “We haven’t been able to

Apr 21, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Kwon Mee-yoo

Read more

True Romance: new spin on rom-coms?

Appreciate modern art in downtown Plateau

Weekender Musical, incubated

Actor Zo In-sung discharged from army

TV soap to peek into celebrity life

Circus clown happy for making people laugh

Ordinary no more: Snooki leads reality TVs new focus on non-celebrities

JYJ to hold concerts in North America

Docudrama introduces Joseons party planners

Seo Tai-ji in divorce suit

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