Entertainment - The Korea Times

Documentary sheds light on Africas harsh reality

By Han Sang-hee Major network MBC’s highly anticipated new documentary series “Tears of Africa” kicked off with a one-hour prologue Saturday night. “Tears of Africa” is the third of MBC’s “The Tears of the Earth” documentaries. The first “Tears in the Arctic” was aired in 2008, surprising fans with its high definition footage, high quality scenes and interesting storyline. The following year, MBC brought “Tears of the Amazon,” which featured the forest dwelling Yanomami tribes. The series was a hit, garnering more than 20 percent in television ratings and eventually establishing the documentary trend, plus raising awareness concerning global environment issues. The third project “Tears of Africa” deals with environmental problems faced on the continent and the hardships locals endure. Global warming and other environmental conditions have affected the continent in various ways, including the death of wild animals, scarcity in water and droughts that hinder agriculture. “Because we got such high ratings with ‘Tears of the Amazon,’ we felt a bit of pressure with the next

Dec 6, 2010

Hollywood stars to promote hansik

By Ines Min In a time when Korea is making headlines due to tensions with its northern partner and most Westerners ask natives timidly “From the North or South?” one Korean-American pioneer seeks to finally find success in the long-embattled fight to get the word out and distinguish South Korea — via “hansik,” or Korean food. “Kimchi Chronicles” has entered its final production stages, producers announced Friday at a press conference in central Seoul. Following the conclusion of a three-day shoot with Hollywood actress Heather Graham (“Austin Powers”), reporters were shown a short promotional clip of the upcoming show — which begins airing early next year on the acclaimed U.S. public network PBS. Marja Vongerichten, wife of the world-famous Michelin chef Jean-Georges, hosts the hansik-focused documentary, serving as the inspiration and motivation for the crew. “Chronicles” follows Marja, Jean-Georges and daughter Chloe across the country as they sample cuisine from Seoul, Busan, Jeju Island, Sokcho, and Jeolla and Gangwon Provinces. Guest stars include Graham an

Dec 3, 2010

Athena to sneak into homes this month

By Han Sang-hee The poster says it all: black suits, edgy, stern and somewhat mysterious gazes, and guns in hand. “Athena,” the new spinoff of the previous hit drama “Iris” (KBS) is creating a buzz, and viewers can finally check out if all the hype is worthwhile Dec. 13. While the poster shouts out “stylish action,” the trailer screams out “Iris” with a bit of flash from the 007 series, the intensity of the Bourne series and the love triangle from any other Korean drama. The cast “Iris” may have made headlines with its start-studded cast including Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-hee, but “Athena” has its own group of steamy heartthrobs. To start off, Lee has been replaced by the sleek Jung Woo-sung, while Kim switched places with the elegant Su Ae. Additional cast members include actors Cha Seung-won, Lee Ji-ah, Kim Min-jong and Super Junior member Choi Si-won. Jung Woo-sung is returning to the small screen the first time in 15 years and for female fans, his presence on television will be a delight in itself. “Because it’s been so long, I wanted to do more and better. A

Nov 30, 2010

JYJs first concet signals rough, chilly start

By Han Sang-hee Members of boy band JYJ may have made headlines with their departure from one of Korea’s most popular bands, TVXQ, and with their efforts in broadening their fan base, but it seems they will need to work on the basics: professionalism and consideration to the audience. The three-member group — consisting of Yu-chun, Jae-joong and Jun-su— held its first concert “JYJ Worldwide Concert in Seoul” in freezing weather at the Olympic Main Stadium, Sports Complex, Saturday night. It snowed and rained a bit in the morning, and although the weather seemed to get better during the day, it got chilly and very windy again as evening descended. By the time the concert was scheduled to start, which was 7 p.m., the bare and open stadium was literally ice cold. To make matters worse, the concert was delayed for an hour, which made even the most devoted fans a bit frustrated. Around 7:20, the three members suddenly appeared on the stage, thanking the fans for coming and also expressing their condolences to the victims of Yeonpyeong Island, where a Nort

Nov 28, 2010

Battle of the bands: TVXQ versus JYJ

By Han Sang-hee Boy band TVXQ is returning to the pop scene, or at least two of the remaining members are, to be exact. The group’s agency SM Entertainment announced TVXQ’s comeback plans on the band’s website (http://tvxq.smtown.com) Tuesday, saying that the group was “returning to fans in 2011.” “SM Entertainment has refrained from the activities of the two members U-Know and Max during the past year after the departure of the other three members. We have waited a long time dreaming of bringing back TVXQ and also thinking about the fans that have been waiting for so long,” the agency wrote. It added that they believed that TVXQ must work under the agency and that the other three members, who created their own group JYJ in October, have not given any answers regarding SM’s offer for TVXQ. “We have decided to carry on TVXQ for U-Know and Max, the two members who have never given up their dreams, and also for the group itself that we have strived so hard to protect,” it said. Fans may be excited, but the inevitable question is: Will the two-member group pick itse

Nov 23, 2010

Weekender/Hallyu Move over girls, the boys are back!

By Han Sang-hee It seems like only yesterday that young, handsome and talented male singers and actors paved the path for local television programs to debut overseas. The word ``hallyu’’ has become a household term in so many Asian countries, including Japan, China and Thailand, and the torch has been passed to yet another group of talented stars, particularly K-pop girl groups. Just when fans may have thought the pretty girls have captivated Asia, the boys, both old and new, have jumped right back into the picture, but on a more diverse scale. The females take over… Currently, girl groups are doing a good job in continuing the hallyu craze. Some local press are even calling it the ``second phase of hallyu,’’ and the groups have music chart success, concerts and television shows to prove it. Girls’ Generation’s popular number ``Gee’’ hit second spot in Japan’s weekly Oricon chart last week, the first non-Japanese Asian group to do so and the second foreign female group in 30 years. Girl groups Kara, 4Minute and

Nov 18, 2010

Will truth behind slave contract of local entertainers be disclosed?

Girls’ Generation, the K-pop girl band currently having their heyday both in Korea and Japan, will make an appearance at the Fair Trade Commission early next month as the subject of an investigation on the so-called “slave contract" that reportedly prevails in the Korean entertainment industry. The sordid contract became highly controversial when a rising young actress, Jang Ja-yeon, committed suicide due to pressure from her management company to provide sexual service to authority figures. The issue emerged again after three members of the now-disbanded male group TVXQ filed a suit to end a 13-year exclusive contract with SM Entertainment. In addition, the group’s fan club requested the FTC Seoul office earlier this month to investigate the company’s abuse of its power over artists. These two cases finally motivated the FTC take action on the issue, and Girls’ Generation, currently managed by the same agency as TVXQ, was summoned to state their views on the three members’ case and the slave contract. Girls' Generation was slated to appear before the FTC at the end

Nov 15, 2010

KOCIS ready to promote local culture during G20

By Lee Hyo-won Korea has risen from being among the world’s poorest countries in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950-53) to assume such leadership as chairing the G20 summit. But the country’s growing influence is, moreover, reflected by the dissemination of local “soft power” — in an age where cultural exchange is fast and fluid, fan clubs for Korean TV soap stars are mushrooming even in Mexico and LG mobile phones are becoming a coveted fashion item in the Middle East and beyond. “Compared to the past, when national defense and economic growth were valued, there is more emphasis on the importance of ‘soft power’ — namely science and technology, cultural exchanges and international solidarity,” Seo Kang-soo, director of the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), said in an interview with The Korea Times last week in Seoul. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched the organization in 1971 to support and facilitate such exchange processes. It is now active in 34 locations in 29 countries around the world, to promote cultural content, both t

Nov 10, 2010

National Geographic:state of world caught on camera

By Han Sang-hee The small yellow rectangular logo is recognized everywhere and behind the logo stands a very historical mission: to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world’s cultural, historical and natural resources. The National Geographic channel, a member of the National Geographic Society, one of the world’s largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions, is bringing its biggest project in its 122-year history to Korea. The channel’s new documentary ``Great Migrations’’ will be televised worldwide Nov. 7 for the first time in 166 countries and 34 languages, aiming to offer the true beauty of the earth through high-definition footage and touching stories. The seven-episode mega-documentary took more than three years to produce, costing 10 billion won and with teams traveling 670,000 kilometers through some 20 countries. Divided into seven episodes ― four original features and three specials ― the documentary is expected to impress fans with its spectacular footage of real, raw wilderness and interes

Nov 2, 2010

Longoria ready to host MTVs EMAs

By Han Sang-hee Actress Eva Longoria may seem like she’s all about glamour, but the 35-year-old actress is also all about music as well. Longoria has been chosen to host the 2010 MTV European Music Awards (EMAs), one of MTV’s and the world’s biggest music events. Taking place at Caja Magica in Madrid, the 17th annual EMAs will be broadcast live to about 600 million viewers around the world on Sunday. “I am so excited to host the 2010 EMAs in the beautiful and sexy city of Madrid,” Longoria told The Korea Times in an email interview. The Hollywood superstar may be used to strutting the red carpet in fabulous outfits, but the music event is big enough to make even Longoria a bit nervous. “Any time I have to play myself is nerve wracking. Generally, I over-prepare. I want to know in detail everything that’s going to happen,” she said. A promotional preview for the event was released early this week, with Longoria dressed in a sexy black bikini. Instead of showing off her pretty smile and rehearsed lines, the feisty Longoria surprised fans with her rapping skills.

Nov 1, 2010

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