Actress Koo hospitalized amid nasty divorce fight Ahn Jae-hyun and Koo Hye-sun Korea Times fileBy Cho Hae-minActress Koo Hye-sun, who is embroiled in a nasty divorce case with husband Ahn Jae-hyun, has been hospitalized, reports said Friday, citing the star's Instagram post. Koo also deleted her claim that her husband was having an affair with a top actress, who stars opposite Ahn in the movie “People with Flaws,” which is still in production.The couple's dispute started when Koo disclosed text messages she traded with her husband regarding Ahn's alleged extramarital relationship.Sep 20, 2019
Rain, Kim Tae-hee welcome second child Actress Kim Tae-hee and her singer-actor husband Rain had their second daughter on Tuesday. Courtesy of RAINCOMPANYBy Dong Sun-hwaTop singer Rain and his actress wife Kim Tae-hee have had a second child. Kim gave birth to her second daughter Tuesday morning at a hospital in Seoul, according to her agency, Story J Company. The actress and her baby are “in good health,” it said. “We want to deliver good news that Kim and her husband have welcomed a new family member,” the agency said. “Thank you for your celebration.”Kim ― praised as one of the most beautiful Korean women by her fans ― made her screen debut as a TV commercial model in 2000. She has starred in several hits including drama "Stairway to Heaven" (2003) and "Iris" (2009). Kim married Rain in January 2017 and the couple had their first daughter in October that year. In June, she grabbed public attention after buying a 2.4 billion won ($2 million) house in Irvine, California. Sep 19, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa
INTERVIEW Actor Bong Tae-gyu reveals hardship of filming investigative drama Veteran actor Bong Tae-gyu recently had an interview with The Korea Times and other media outlets at a cafe in Mugyo-dong, western Seoul. Courtesy of iMe KoreaBy Dong Sun-hwaFor nearly 20 years, chameleonic actor Bong Tae-gyu has featured in various TV series and movies, ranging from action to comedy. But shooting the SBS investigative drama “Doctor Detective,” which wrapped up Sept 5, was particularly demanding.“Doctor Detective” revolved around doctors fighting against irrationalities in different workplaces. Bong played Heo Min-ki, a cheerful specialist in occupational and environmental medicine. “Since the drama focused on exposing prevailing absurdity in our society, it was challenging to scout locations,” Bong said during a recent interview with The Korea Times and other media outlets at a cafe in Mugyo-dong, western Seoul. “The cast and crew were also given only limited time for the filming.” Bong said staff members once attempted to scout a subway station, but were rejected several times. They were to introduce a tragic industriSep 13, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa
G-Dragon's sister to marry actor in October This combined photo shows actor Kim Min-jun, left, and K-pop star G-Dragon's sister Kwon Da-mi. The two will hold a closed wedding ceremony in October. Korea Times fileBy Lee Gyu-leeActor Kim Min-jun is to become brother-in-law to K-pop superstar G-Dragon as he will marry the singer's older sister in October. In a statement released by the 43-year-old actor's agency Family ENT on Tuesday, Kim confirmed that the singer's sister Kwon Da-mi and he will be getting married on Oct. 11 in Seoul at an undisclosed location.He met with a Hankook Ilbo reporter last week, revealing worries that the venue of their wedding could be discovered by the public. “I feel sorry that she has to bear such attention from the public because of her celebrity brother and her husband to be,” he said, asking for the public to understand them for not being able to reveal the venue of their wedding.“As an actor, I don't mind dealing with the spotlight but I feel my fiancee has the right to keep her privacy protected.”He also mentioned that the veteran actor Park Joong-hoon, who appeared in Sep 11, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
Lee Seung-gi, Jasper Liu co-star in Netflix travel show Korean singer-actor Lee Seung-gi and Taiwanese star Jasper Liu appear in Netflix's upcoming travel show. Capture from Lee's InstagramBy Dong Sun-hwaKorean singer-actor Lee Seung-gi features in the Netflix travel show “Twogether” with Taiwanese heartthrob Jasper Liu, according to the media company, Monday. The two take a trip around the world and meet their international fans. Although Lee and Liu face a language barrier at first, they eventually get to understand each other and build rapport. On Monday, Lee released the pair's photo on Instagram, saying, “Do we look good 'TWOGETHER?' Check out what happens with our budding bromance in 'Twogether' on Netflix.”Company Sang Sang ― a Korean production company that made Netflix game show “Busted!” ― will take the helm of “Twogether.” Lee shot to fame as a singer with the hit song "Because You're My Woman" (2004). He has also starred in dozens of popular TV series including "Brilliant Legacy (2009) and will appear in Netflix's upcoming action-thriller “Vagabond” with Korean star SSep 10, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa
Miss Korea contestant-turned-actress presents real estate news on YouTube Sung Hyun-ah. Captured from Tobang TV By Park Si-soo Miss Korea contestant-turned-actress Sung Hyun-ah has launched a YouTube channel presenting up-to-date real estate news and information.“Tobang TV” had its first video featuring scenes of her working out on July 8. It has 41 videos and 832 subscribers (as of 10 a.m. Tuesday), falling short of YouTube's monetization threshold of 1,000 subscribers. “This is the main thing I do these days,” Sung said on KBS TV's morning talk show “Ask me anything you are curious about.” She has kept a low profile since her most recent TV drama ended about a year ago. In the show, Sung asked viewers not to leave negative comments on the channel. She also hinted she could take legal action against those who leave explicitly disturbing messages.“My child turned seven, old enough to read and comprehend messages left on my channel,” she said.Sung, born in 1975, came into the spotlight in 1994 by taking third place in the Miss Korea pageant. She has since starred in many TV dramas, shows and movies. Sung was iSep 10, 2019
Amid low ratings, director finds hope in avid viewers From left to right, Ahn Jae-hong, Jeon Yeo-bin, Chun Woo-hee, Han Ji-eun and Gong Myung, pose before a press conference held at Stanford Hotel in Seoul, Friday./ Courtesy of JTBCTough start in TV series humbles box office-hit filmmaker By Jung Hae-myoung Can the TV series “Be Melodramatic” overcome its dismal viewership rating? Early this year, director Lee Byung-heon's “Extreme Job” showed signs of becoming the hottest film of the year after attracting an audience of 16 million. His TV series “Be Melodramatic,” however, has a disappointing viewership rate of one percent.At a press conference at the Stanford Hotel in Seoul, director Lee along with actors and actresses of the TV series sat down with reporters to share their views about what apparently went wrong ― but despite this setback how the TV series came to get positive reviews from its avid fans. “I think the lower viewer rating may be the result of the public's low expectations for TV series,” Lee said. He said he was humbled after the unexpected great success of his film. &ldquSep 9, 2019
US rendition of Korean drama 'SKY Castle' coming Popular Korean drama “SKY Castle” centers on the educational zeal of upper-class families in Korea. Courtesy of JTBCBy Dong Sun-hwaAmerican TV network NBC will remake the Korean drama “SKY Castle” into a pilot program, reports said Thursday. The remake is tentatively titled “Tribeca,” named after a wealthy neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. “Tribeca” reportedly has a strong possibility of becoming a series. Acclaimed producers, including Jessica Queller, who was behind the success of American teen drama “Gossip Girl,” will join in the production. Yoo Hyun-mi, the writer of the original drama, said earlier Thursday that American entertainment company Warner Bros (WB) has been involved. “Korea is not the only country grappling with excessive private education,” Yoo said during the 14th Asian TV Drama Conference at a hotel in Incheon. “When I wrote 'SKY Castle,' I thought people from other countries could empathize with my drama.”She said she was curious how the American version would look. Sep 6, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa
'Running Man' runs longest among SBS variety shows Since its debut in 2010, "Running Man" has captivated fans at home and in the broader Asian region with its unique competition-oriented format and lineup of hilarious show members, becoming a fixture in Sunday evening prime time.It now is the longest-running variety show on the SBS channel.This Sunday, the TV show will celebrate its nine-year run with a special episode featuring a fan meeting and music concert of its emcees, including Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo and Kim Jong-kook. The event was held recently in Seoul.The broadcasting market has witnessed major changes in trends during the nine-year journey of "Running Man," with more formats now focused on featuring the everyday, real life of stars and their families.But "Running Man" would like to survive the shifting trends to retain its presence as a program to nurture new TV stars, the show's chief producer Jeong Cheol-min said in a press conference on Wednesday.Through the show, several entertainers have established their show business careers, including most notably the show's standing member Lee Kwang-soo, who earned stardom amSep 5, 2019
Singer Kim min-seok hones acting skill for bigger role Singer and actor Kim Min-seok / Courtesy of Mint PaperKim Min-seok takes lead role in web-based musical a stepping stone for acting careerBy Lee Gyu-leeKim Min-seok, a member of male music duo MeloMance, has not had much media exposure. Striving to get out of his comfort zone, the singer has been exploring the world of acting in the online-streaming series “I Asked 'Is it Love?' and Was Told 'It's Love'.” “This drama got me to think about how I'm reflected through the camera. I've learned to become familiar standing in front of a camera and seeing myself in the frame,” said Kim in an interview with The Korea Times in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul, Friday. ”I came to realize that how I am seen by audiences is important because it will help them discover me and give them the opportunity to immerse themselves in my music,”Making his debut in 2015 as the vocalist of MeloMance, Kim was more familiar to the public with his soft vocals and sweet melodies. The duet has had multiple hit songs, including “Gift” and the soundtrack of the megahit TV sSep 4, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
