Actor Hong Suk-Chun to Host Coming OutBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Hong Suk-chun, the first Korean actor to publicly ``come out of the closet,'' is hosting his own television talk show, ``Coming Out'', a program that features the lives of homosexuals. Hong will be hosting the program with actress Jung Kyung-soon on cable channel tvN. He stirred the nation when he came out in 2000 and suddenly stopped appearing on television for a while. At a press conference for the show, which was swarmed with reporters and photographers eager to get a glimpse of the now successful owner of three restaurants, Hong said that he was not initially thrilled about hosting the program. ``When I first saw the synopsis of the program, I thought it was crazy. There are people around me who once thought of coming out, but there were always problems with family and work. This program is not just coming out to your friends or family, but to all of Korean society,'' he said. The program will show mini dramas of guests' lives as homosexuals and talk with Hong and Jung. The two hosts will work as mentors and give advice and coacApr 13, 2008
Ne-Yo Promises to Return to FansBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter R&B star Ne-Yo promised Korean fans he'll definitely be back for another performance, after obviously being surprised at the crowd's raucous reception at his concert Sunday evening. ``Seoul is really good. I'm definitely coming back here… This is my first time here but it definitely won't be my last,'' he told the crowd at the packed Olympic Hall, Olympic Park. From the moment he came on stage, Ne-Yo had the crowd screaming and grooving to his music. Cheers erupted when he sang the worldwide number one hit, ``So Sick.'' His voice was deep and smooth, and he had a simple style, wearing khaki pants, matching vest and a navy shirt. His only ``bling'' accessory was a huge diamond-studded necklace. Ne-Yo followed up with ``Do You,'' and ``Sexy Love,'' which he dedicated to ``all the beautiful women in Korea.'' His sexy back-up dancers heated up the stage with steamy dance moves, as he sang ``Addicted.'' Since it was his first time in Seoul, Ne-Yo teased the crowd, saying he wasn't convinced everyone knew his music. He asked themApr 7, 2008
Worlds Top DJs Coming to SeoulBy Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter World-renowned disc jockeys will be in Seoul to participate in the second Seoul World DJ Festival from May 3-5. The festival becomes an independent event from this year after the festival was held successfully as a part of ``Hi Seoul Festival'' hosted by the city government last year. Stellar headliners for this year's festival, including DJ Dan, Ricky Stone, Rabbit In the Moon, and DJ Kawasaki, will bring groovy beats to the stage. DJ Dan, born Daniel Wherret, is a professional recording artist on the Moonshine record label in the United States. DJ Dan, who has released 10 albums selling about 300,000 since 1996, has won the support of fans all over the world. He specializes in strong turntable rhythms from various genres such as house, techno and old school. Ricky Stone, from the United Kingdom, is a veteran DJ who ranked 40th on DJ Magazine's Top 40. He also stole the limelight of Asian clubs, such as Japan's Womb, Taiwan's Ministry of Sound, Singapore's Liquid Room and China's Rojam, with his powerful and creative break beats. Apr 1, 2008
Director Jieho Lee Returns With MovieBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Korean-American director Jieho Lee was better known in Korea for marrying star actress Kim Min, but recently made headlines near and far by making his feature film debut with five of Hollywood's top stars. Before ``The Air I Breathe'' opens across theaters here April 9, the 35-year-old met with the press Tuesday at a hotel in northern Seoul. Lee expressed thanks for a warm reception, speaking in a mixture of Korean and English. ``Working in Hollywood was a blessing and I had a lot of luck. There's no set path,'' he said. ``It took me a very long time. (Hollywood is) a very closed society and it's hard to break into that. The first thing that was important was that I wrote a script people responded to,'' he said. ``Air'' is an omnibus-type film that explores four basic human emotions through four characters: happiness (Forest Whitaker), pleasure (Brendan Fraser), sorrow (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and love (Kevin Bacon). Andy Garcia, Lee's ``favorite character,'' stars as a notorious mobster named Fingers, who somehow brings everyone together. Apr 1, 2008
Chinese Stars Back in SeoulBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Chinese super stars Leon Lai and Kelly Chen may have not visited Korea for a while, but they proved they were still fond of Korean fans at their new movie's premiere Friday. At the press conference of ``An Empress and the Warriors'' release, Lai and Chen seemed excited to be back in Seoul. ``I am so happy to be here again,'' said Chen, dressed in an elegant white and gray dress, as she greeted reporters and her fans in perfect Korean. ``An Empress and the Warriors'' depicts the tragic love story of an empress and two warriors. Due to director Ching Siu-tung, renowned for his Chinese martial arts movies such as ``Naked Weapon'' (2002) and ``A Chinese Ghost Story'' (1987), fans may thought the movie would be full of martial arts scenes, but ``Empress'' also depicts a heart-breaking love story. Chen plays the role of courageous Yen Feier, the empress of a kingdom 2,000 years ago in ancient China. She is left to reign over the war-torn nation, and also has to protect herself from enemies who wish to see her fall and steal the crown. TornMar 30, 2008
Choi Min-soo to Co-Star With De NiroBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Korean actor Choi Min-soo will co-star alongside Hollywood stars Robert De Niro and Andy Garcia in the up-coming film ``Street of Dreams,'' Yonhap news reported Tuesday. ``Street of Dreams'' is a 40 billion won co-production between US-based FR Productions, Korea's Hyun Jin Cinema and Japan's Wides Japan. It will be produced by Fred Roos, whose credits include ``The Godfather: Part II'' and ``The Godfather: Part III.'' Hyun Jin Cinema has produced Korean films such as ``Holiday'' and ``My Wife is a Gangster 3.'' ``Street of Dreams'' is based on the true story of Montana Joe, a legendary Japanese-American gangster in the 1940s. In the film, Choi will play the role of Montana's Korean friend, Eddie. This will be Choi's first Hollywood film, having appeared in several Korean films such as ``Holiday'' and ``Sword in the Moon.'' FR Productions said De Niro has been cast as an Italian mafia leader. De Niro, who has won two Academy Awards, is known for memorable roles in ``The Godfather Part II,'' ``Taxi Driver'' and ``The UntouchablMar 18, 2008
Lena Park to Hold `Evergreen ConcertBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Singer Lena Park, or Park Jung-hyun, marks her 10th anniversary this year as a singer of great ballads. With her sweet, delicate melodies, the petite 31-year-old is holding her concert late this month, and will prove once again that she not only has a big voice, but a big heart toward her fans as well. At an open studio event for the press last Friday, Park showcased two songs from her latest album ``Come to Where I Am,'' and explained that her upcoming concert ``Evergreen'' was going to be special. ``I wanted to show my fans the bright side of my music, and myself. Evergreen is a tree that stays green throughout the year and I wanted to express my thanks and happiness for being able to sing all this time,'' Park said. Coincidently, the second day of the concert falls on the date she released her first album ``Piece,'' back in 1998. ``To be frank, I didn't know until a fan told me. Ten years seems like a long time at first, but I feel fortunate because it makes me think that I had a busy and great ten years. Now I am starting to feeMar 11, 2008
Ne-Yo, Sean Kingston, 50 Cent in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Grammy-award winning R&B star Ne-Yo, best known for the hit song ``So Sick" will give Seoul a taste of his brand of music in April. Ne-yo will team up with up-and-coming Jamaican reggae singer Sean Kingston for the Groove 2008 concert on April 6 at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. Ne-Yo, whose real name is Shaffer Chimere Smith, started in the music industry as a songwriter in 1999, writing songs for Youngstown, Christina Milian and Mario, whose single ``Let Me Love You'' became a hit in 2004. In 2006, Ne-Yo released his debut album ``In My Own Words,'' which sold 301,000 copies in the first week alone. The single ``So Sick'' was a big hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The album eventually sold over four million copies around the world. As his career as a solo artist skyrocketed, Ne-Yo's reputation as a hit songwriter also grew. Among the hit songs that he wrote include, Rihanna's ``Unfaithful,'' Mario Vasquez's ``Gallery'' and Paula Deana's ``Walk Away.'' But his biggest hit was R&B supersMar 11, 2008
Different Bodies for Different Souls in `Who Are You By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter The producers of the 2007 hit drama ``Thank You'' have teamed up together for another drama for the family, ``Who Are You?'' This drama employs ``spiritual possession,'' a popular idea which was also used in the 2006 drama ``Please Come Back, Sun-ae'' and the Japanese movie ``Secret'' (1999), in which spirits take control of a human body. Director of the drama Shin Hyun-chang explained the drama as human, fantastic, romantic and comical. ``This is a family drama about recovering relationships,'' said Shin. In a Korean tradition mixing Buddhism and Confucianism, the soul of a dead person is left on earth for 49 days before going to the afterlife. The drama is a story about those 49 days for a father who loves his daughter so much he possesses a stranger's body to care for her. A cold-hearted corporate raider Cha Seung-hyo, played by ex-G.O.D. member and actor Yoon Kye-sang, is a stickler for cleanliness and a perfectionist. However, after a traffic accident, weird things start to happen around him and he finds out that a deliverymMar 4, 2008
`Last Scandal: A New Drama of Strong Spirited AjummaBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Dramas have always been the center of attention among Koreans with their cheerful characters played by young, hip and stylish celebrities. This year, the fever will go on, but this time it will be led by none other than ``ajumma.'' ``Ajumma'' is a Korean term that refers to middle-aged women who are married and usually represented as strong, fearless and dependable. Two television networks have already aired dramas depicting the lives of these women: MBC's ``A Beauty's Unmatched, Park Jeong -geum,'' and SBS's ``First Wives Club.'' Now, Korean fans will welcome another drama full of romance, humor and humanity, all conjoined into the life of a normal, but courageous ``ajumma.'' Choi Jin-sil and Jeoung Jun-ho, from ``Marrying the Mafia'' (2002), have teamed up with director Lee Tae-gon for the new drama, ``The Last Scandal'' (working title) a Cinderella story of a 39-year-old ``ajumma.'' At the press conference, Korea's famed actress Choi Jin-sil, from ``Rosy Life'' (2005), explained why she chose to portray this particular charMar 4, 2008