Entertainment - The Korea Times

Local Dramas Enduring With Support In and Out

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The economy looks gloomy, and a dark cloud is casting a shadow over the local drama industry. But producers and networks alike are striving to keep up with demands from viewers, with support in and out of the country. Local television network SBS will offer a new drama ``Swallow the Sun'' this July and has joined hands with renowned Canadian circus troupe ``Cirque du Soleil'' for the show. ``After discussions with the vice president of the troupe in Taiwan, we decided, in Las Vegas, to bring the circus in April,'' Yoo Chul-yong, the producer, said. He added that they decided to appear without any royalties, as it considers Korea a potential market. The new drama is being made by the makers of 2003's hit drama ``All In,'' writer Choi Wan-kyu and Yoo. Seogwipo, a city on Jeju Island, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the production company for ``Swallow the Sun,'' as the drama is to be filmed entirely in the city, with the exception of scenes abroad. ``We signed the MOU last July, promising support for the over

Feb 17, 2009

Boys Over Flowers Continues to Bloom in Korea

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter ``Boys Over Flowers,'' a perfect fairy tale of a television drama, is taking local viewers by storm. Based on the comic series of the same name by Yoko Kamio, it has been made into a live TV series in Japan, Taiwan, and now, Korea. What is it about the local version that has the nation swooning? Four pretty boys dubbed F4, a plain girl, fabulous clothes, houses, cars and a love story may fit for an answer. ``Boys Over Flowers'' saw its big screen debut in 1995 and a 51-episode animation series the following year in Japan. In 1997, Japan came out with a full-length animated version for the big screen. The plot then saw its first television debut in Taiwan in 2001 under the title ``Meteor Garden.'' The Taiwanese F4 members became a big hit locally and abroad, even creating a band of the same name. ``Boys Over Flowers'' finally returned to its original fan base in Japan and was made into a drama starring top stars Jun Matsumoto and Shun Oguri in 2005 and a movie with the same cast last year. The Korean version, which airs Monday and

Feb 10, 2009

Veteran Actors Team Up for Small Screen

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Veteran actors, with their impeccable acting and experience, are returning to the small screen, recently dominated mainly by good-looking younger people. Some of Korea's favorite actors are getting together to bring the life, love and passion of middle-aged men and women to the small screen with the drama ``Again in Love'' (working title) on KBS. Actors Park Sang-won, Choi Myoung-gil and Jeon In-hwa are famous for their acting, and viewers will have the chance to see them perform together for the first time in the 24-episode series. ``We will show more mature, perhaps even reckless relationships through the drama,'' Park said at a press conference last week. Park, 49, is known as one of Korea's best male actors, with his soft smile and charismatic roles in hit dramas like ``Hour Glass'' (1995) and ``Taewangsasingi'' (2007). Choi, 46, made it big with the hit drama ``Last Empress'' (2001) as Empress Myeongseong of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), while Jeon, 43, is also famous for her roles as charismatic empresses in historical dramas. F

Feb 3, 2009

Japanese Girl Band Seeks Korean Member

Japan's Up Front Entertainment will hold open auditions in March to recruit a Korean member for their new girl band venture, ``Hello! Project.'' The agency, which produced top Japanese girl band Morning Musume, will partner with South Korea's Mnet Media for the local auditions. According to Mnet Media, the announcement was made at ``Hello! Project 2009 Winter Concert,'' recently held at Yokohama Arena, Japan. Up Front chose a Taiwainese member for ``Hello! Project'' last May during their first overseas auditions and the newcomer was introduced to fans at the concert. ``Because this is such a big scale, global project, the open calls from March to April will be aired as an audition program,'' Mnet Media said. The Korean winner will undergo training sessions that are typical of the Japanese entertainment business. Depending on her ability, she will debut as a solo artist or with a group in Japan. Korea Times intern Hwang Sung-hee contributed to these articles.

Feb 2, 2009

Stars Families Stealing Spotlight

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Do celebrities come from a special family, where all of their siblings are talented as well? Fans who wonder have had the chance to get a glimpse of some celebrities' family members through various programs. More are coming soon. MBC's program ``Introducing Stars' Friends'' was one of the most popular shows last year and it has now become the stage for friends and family members of celebrities who also have what it takes to be a star. To start with, TVXQ member Xiah Jun-su brought his twin brother Kim Jun-ho to the program last November. Many fans were surprised to see the talented and handsome brother, which led him to a commercial for a beverage company.

Jan 28, 2009

IPTV Changing Lifestyles of TV Viewers

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Local Internet protocol television (IPTV) is expected to change lives to the fullest, according to IPTV operators KT, SK Broadband and LG Dacom. KT's Mega TV, the first provider here, and SK Broad & TV by SK Broadband, both have 780,000 subscribers, while LG Dacom's myLGtv currently has 80,000. While the telecommunications industry is looking forward to a jump in subscribers and increased interest this year, viewers and potential subscribers are leaning in for the fun and educational factors. Min Jin-ah, 40, is a housewife with two daughters. She has always been a big fan of television, but by subscribing to IPTV, her life and her family's have changed for the better. ``I enjoy watching television, and I think IPTV is an interesting tool for entertainment. It's fun and easier to use than I thought. I think it will help my family in all areas, including education and getting information quickly and easily,'' she told The Korea Times. Her younger daughter is seven years old and will start school this year. Just to make sure she h

Jan 27, 2009

Back in Their Game, After Decade

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Last year was all about newcomers and idol bands, but 2009 will have some familiar faces returning to the small screen. Choi Yang-rak and Kim Jung-ryeol, who were popular comedy stars in the 1980s and early 1990s, returned to the small screen the first time in 10 years on SBS's ``Yashimmanman'' early this month. The 47-year-old and 48-year-old comedians, respectively, made their debut in 1981 and garnered fans with their witty lines and personalities, but dropped out of the spotlight in the late 1990s. Lee Bong-won, another hit comedian of the 1980s, also returned to television. His wife, popular ``ajumma'' comedienne and television hostess Park Mi-sun, made her debut in 1984 and made it big with comedy sequences and shows. The three comedians saw their heyday when television programs were more focused on stand-up gigs, instead of the talk show-like programs with young, up and coming stars stealing the spotlight these days. ``It's a great honor and I am so excited, but one thing I am worried about is that I have to be funny,'' Choi w

Jan 27, 2009

Fun, Educational TV Programs for Children

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Television is one of the most accessible entertainment tools people enjoy from an early age. The Children's Media Culture Act has announced 20 programs that will help children build effective and healthy viewing habits. In the case of Korean households, youngsters watch television at least one hour a day, according to a survey conducted by the organization, which is under the Seoul Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). As quality matters more than quantity, it is crucial that parents understand the programs and realize that there are certain deeds they can do to bring a more effective outcome for their kids. The Korea Times have chosen a few to help parents get going. Papier Friends: Papier literally means paper in French, and like the title, the program brings colorful crafts and paper onto the small screen. Created by French artist Mila Boutan, the show demonstrates different shapes and textures of paper. The show wraps up by showing how to make the paper characters. ``Papier Friends'' airs from Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. on EBS.

Jan 21, 2009

Desire to Make Good Music Key to Success, Producer Says

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The local entertainment industry and fans are looking forward to seeing Koreans stars who branched out abroad enjoy the fruits of their labor this year ― with more celebrities gearing up for their own Hollywood adventures. The Korea Times had an email interview with Grammy Award winning rapper Nelly's producer Cudda Love of Fo'Reel Entertainment last week to look into the star power in the United States and perhaps offer some tips for those engaged in preparation. Cudda Love is currently searching for a local star he and his team can nourish, bring to the United States and hopefully captivate global fans. When asked about the current entertainment business in the United States, Love said that it was in a slight slump, just like the local scene. ``Album sales are down due to the economic problems, hence, major singing artists need to focus more on digital/internet sales and branding the artist's name to keep on succeeding here in the United States,'' he said. Asia is known as undiscovered territory, with numerous hidden talent and possibi

Jan 20, 2009

New Family Dramas to Warm Up Fans

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter While other networks are busy with dramas about young trendy teen stars and affairs between spouses and celebrities, KBS is beckoning fans with warm and comical stories of families. Dramas ``The Way Home'' and ``Gyeongsook, Gyeongsook's Father'' are both about families, and are anticipated to be a breath of fresh air among the other trendy and provocative plots and characters. ``The Way Home'' asks a simple question. After spending a hectic day in the competitive world, to where would you finally want to head? The drama's answer is home, and so it depicts the simple yet heartwarming story of a three-generation family. ``I tried to make dramas that would make our children proud in the past, but with this drama, I tried to make it fit for our parents. It will be more about the people who live their life to the fullest, from their work to emotional breakdowns, instead of dramatic plots like revenge,'' Mun Bo-hyun, the producer, said at a recent press conference for the drama. Starring veteran actors like Park Geun-hyung, Ban Hyo-jung, Jang