Korean Media News

Rookie duo group 2BiC has teamed up with Davichi for a new project. The most talented duo artists have just unveiled the music video for their collaboration single “A Night Like This”.

2BiC, which was produced by composer Cho Young Soo debuted early this year with “I Made Another Girl Cry.” The duo is comprised of Jihwan and Junhyun, who have already been praised for their prodigal talents.

“A Night Like This” carries a soft and fresh neo-soul melody and features a perfect blend of 2BiC and Davichi’s lovely voices.

Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah met for the first script reading.

New MBC drama “Arang and the Magistrate” had its first script reading on the 12th of May in MBC meeting room.

Director Kim Sang Ho, writer Jeong Yoon Jung, Shin Min Ah, Lee Jun Ki, Yeon Woo Jin, Kang Moon Young, Kwon O-joong, Hwang Bora, Han Jeong Soo, Kim Yong Gun, Kim Kwang Gyoo, Yoo Seungho and others attended on this day.

Kim Sang Ho took about an hour or so seriously explaining the background and initiatives of the drama “Arang and the Magistrate”.

Being Lee Jun Ki’s first drama since his release from the army and Shin Min Ah’s first MBC drama, this day's script reading continued within a lively atmosphere the whole time.

“Arang and the Magistrate” is a mellow fantasy drama motivated by the legend of Arang about a forgettable ghost named Arang who wants to know about her death and a bad tempered magistrate who has the ability to see ghosts. To be aired in July.



Source: hancinema

The new SBS TV Wednesday and Thursday drama “Ghost” released three official posters featuring the lead cast So Ji Sub and Lee Yeon Hee.

“Ghost” is about the life and works of network reconnaissance team members So Ji Sub and Lee Yeon Hee who reveal the secret of human hidden behind the highly developed state-of-the-art instrument on Internet world.

The drama is scheduled to hit the airwaves every Wednesday and Thursday with the conclusion of “Rooftop Prince.”

Girls’ Generation‘s Tiffany and Jessica have participated in a new pictorial for the latest issue of ‘Vogue Girl’ magazine.

In celebration of Chanel’s first ever cosmetics pop-up store, the two recently had a pictorial for the brand which was held in the store itself. Tiffany and Jessica showcased their perfect beauty and fashion sense, donning some flashy outfits and glittery accessories.

KBS2 TV’s upcoming Monday-Tuesday drama series “Big” released its official drama trailer. The newly released drama trailer introduces the characters of lead cast Gong Yoo and Lee Min Jung.

In the drama, Gong Yoo attempts at two roles; one of a streptococcal doctor and a 18-year-old adolescent teenager. Lee Min Jung will play the innocent teacher Kil Da Ran, while miss A’s Suzy will be a part of a love triangle, who will captivate the heart of the 18-year old Gong Yoo.

“Big”, written by the famous Hong sisters, is telling the a series of funny and romantic love stories caused by a 18-year-old boy who turned 30-year-old adult overnight. The drama succeeds “Love Rain” to debut in June.

2PM members Taecyeon and Junho transformed into toy figures for the upcoming edition of Cosmopolitan magazine.

Cosmopolitan magazine released photos of the two beastly idols, drawing the viewers’ eyes with their manly charisma. With their charismatic gazes, tanned skin and built body, Junho and Taecyeon transformed into dolls that have just awoken from inside their packaged boxes.

During the shoot, Taecyeon also charmed the staff with his wit. When asked where a doll like him can be purchased, he answered, “From our moms!”

Catch the rest of Taecyeon and Junho’s sexy pictorial in the June issue of “Cosmopolitan.”

Park Minyoung has revealed the similarities between JYJ members Park Yoochun and Kim Jaejoong.

Park Minyoung attended the MBC new drama “Time Slip Dr. Jin” press conference in the Lotte Hotel in Sogongdong, Seoul with Jaejoong, and had previously worked with JYJ member Yoochun in the KBS2TV drama “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”, and said that they “are similar.”

When Park Minyoung was asked to “compare the charms of Jaejoong and Yoochun whom you had previously worked with”, she said “Instead of saying that I should compare between their charms, I think that the feeling I have after working together on projects is that both men are similar in the aspect that they both work really hard,” she said. Also, “During ‘Sungkyunkwan Scandal’ I was really surprised at how hard Yoochun worked, but I’m also surprised at how well prepared Jaejoong is this time.”

Following that, she said, “This is Jaejoong’s first period drama, but he looks at the script in such a familiar manner. Even during the first reading, Jaejoong could remember everything.”

At this point, Jaejoong denied this, and looked embarrassed, and Park Minyoung said, “Jaejoong is really good at memorizing. I think the way both Jaejoong and Yoochun prepare themselves so well makes them similar.” Also, “Both men have different charms visually. Jaejoong suits charismatic roles better,” she said.


Source : Star News
Translated & Shared by : dongbangdata.net

“’Hallyu’ will cool down in four years.”

Six out of 10 foreigners believe the recent fad for Korean culture ― K-pop, movies and TV dramas and soap operas ― will decline over the next few years.

Sixty percent of 3,600 people in nine countries, including China, Japan, Thailand, the United States and France, are doubtful that hallyu, the Korean wave, will see lasting international success, according to a survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE).

Hallyu, which started with the popular Korean drama “Winter Sonata” in 2002 and continued with K-pop’s Girls’ Generation, is still hot all over the world. Therefore, Koreans, currently drunk on the international Korean culture craze, are shocked at the survey’s results.

The main reason foreigners doubted hallyu’s continued success is because they are “tired of standardized content,” as 20.5 percent of respondents said.

Hypersexual dancing, lyrics and clothing are common among K-pop “idols,” and teen singers. Korean drama series repeatedly revisit topics such as adulterous affairs, revenge and secrets surrounding the birth or identity of characters, making it difficult to move increasingly desensitized audiences.

Experts believe it is time hallyu had a makeover.

Korea needs to sell its unique story to win over other countries, integrating the nation’s traditions into Korean pop culture, said experts.

“Content that isn’t original and diverse will not survive in the market. It is essential to diversify the stories in the media,” said an official from the culture ministry. “We also need to encourage financial investment in media, because you can’t create a masterpiece with just a great story and an idea.”

In today’s society, stories equal money. A unique story will help make a drama, movie, game or animation a success.

The worldwide bestselling, “Harry Potter” series, shows how powerful new stories can be. The brand value of JK Rowling’s seven-volume series rose to $ 15 billion over a decade, landing the author $ 1 billion in profits. The series about the apprentice wizard comprised of seven books, eight films, various games and a theme park, that opened in Florida in 2010, and has contributed an estimated $ 6 trillion to the British economy annually. This is equivalent to profits that Samsung Electronics, the largest Korean business, made in the first quarter of last year.

There are a few successful media stories for hallyu as well.

The number of tourists visiting Namiseom, a small island on the Han River in Chuncheon, hit a record 2.3 million last year. Eighteen percent, or 400,000, were foreigners.

This is the result of “Winter Sonata’s” success. The popular Korean drama, starring Choi Ji-woo and Bae Yong-joon, aired from January to March 2002, using Namiseom as its backdrop.

It became the first hallyu hit as middle-aged Japanese women flocked to see the setting for the show after it aired. Namiseom uses a method of storytelling, in its tours, recreating the narrative at every corner of the island for tourists.

It calls itself the “Republic of Nami,” and makes visitors pass through an “immigration bureau.” Many believe that unique programs like this and celebrations like “National Day” for foreigners also contribute to attracting tourists.

“Seoul Forum 2012” released plans to help globalize hallyu in the Dynasty Hall of the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on May 16 and 17.


Source: Korea Times

K-Pop groups Girls’ Generation and T-ara continue to solidify their growing status in Japan, as they achieved several album awards for their Japanese releases.

According to the Recording Industry Association of Japan’s report, Girls’ Generation’s title song from third Japanese single “Mr. Taxi” has been certified the double platinum status in Japan after they notched half a million digital ringtone downloads.

On the other hand, T-ara’s “Bo Peep Bo Peep” has achieved gold status after receiving over 100,000 paid download since being released on October of last year.

Under the Recording Industry Association of Japan’s (RIAJ) standard, music content selling over 100,000 copies are certified Gold, 250,000 as Platinum and one million as Million.

Comedian Jung Jun Ha tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend at the Silla Hotel in central Seoul yesterday.

“The day that I never thought would come has finally arrived,” Jung wrote on Twitter late Saturday night. “It’s a very strange feeling, and I’m thrilled.”

“I know I can’t answer all of your questions, but this old bachelor will make good family,” he added.

The 41-year-old told media earlier this month that he would marry his girlfriend, who is 10 years his junior. The two have been dating for four years, and Jung’s fiancee is reported to be a Korean-Japanese flight attendant.

Actor Lee Soon Jae, who appeared in the sitcom “High Kick” along with Jung, was the wedding officiant.

Comedian Lee Hwi Jae hosted the wedding ceremony. Singers Shin Seung Hun, Bada and Sweet Sorrow performed wedding songs on the big day, much to the delight of guests.

Jung and his new wife have not revealed the location of their honeymoon.


By Joo Kyung-don
Source: JoongAng Daily

Things get gnarly in this episode, where loyalties can shift in a blink of an eye. An episode centering more on Yi On, it also features Lee Won Jong as her mentor. Woohoo! That guy should probably be a cop in every thing he does. Here’s episode 3: “Crashing Sirens.”

SONG OF THE DAY

“A Week” by Shin Ji Soo (from “Superstar K” season 3) from Hero OST [download]

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It’s a quiet morning at a Chinese restaurant as Heuk Chul visits an old friend, who is the daughter of a Chinese restaurateur…who happens to be Manager Jang Chae Ok!? She’s busy entertaining the Chinese ambassadors, while her father is busy trying to get Heuk Chul to get engaged to her. (Oh, weird!) Outside, a police officer is writing up tickets for parked cars, but there’s no one on the street. Quiet morning indeed.

A black car drives up in front of the restaurant; inside are masked robbers as they pull out their guns and wait for the streets to clear. They break in quickly, with one as a watch out, and another firing his gun at the ceiling for attention. They rob everyone in the restaurant, including the ambassadors, of their money and jewelry. The gunshot grabs the officer’s attention, and she heads over to the restaurant to check it out.

One of the robbers notices Chae Ok’s necklace under her dress, and he pulls it out. But Heuk Chul grabs the robber’s hand to stop him. His glove comes loose, and out of Heuk Chul’s grip, and he steals the necklace anyways. Heuk Chul notices a ring on his finger before he gets shot in the ear. Yowch – but it’s ok, his magic healing powers take effect, and he makes chase.

The robbers all make a run for their car, but they encounter the officer outside. She shoots at them, and one of them shoots her in the gut. Down she goes, but one of them tries to staunch the bleeding before they all have to run away. Hmm – robbers with a heart? Heuk Chul tries to catch up to the car, leaping over rooftops and running along the side streets, but he barely reaches them before his injuries from crashing through windows take a toll.

At the hospital, Yi On meets her former mentor, Kwon Joon Sung. He’s angry to hear that the police officer shot outside the restaurant actually lost her baby. The officer herself is in critical condition. Yi On is surprised to see her mentor here, as he’s part of the Central Police Department. She on the other hand was roommates with the injured officer back in the police academy, and was close friends with her. Joon Sung explains that he’s been after these robbers for a while now. They were part of an Anti-China protest group, and as soon as their leader was released on parole, these strings of robberies have begun.

He leaves Yi On with the officer’s personal belongings (a pregnancy diary), and reminds her of their number 1 rule: safety first.

Mayor Kim hears of the incident and tells Chae Ok that he’ll visit the officer in the hospital before attending a press conference with the National Police Agency. She asks what he’ll do about the police reform bill; he was going to implement a new police system called HSS, where cameras will automatically detect criminals and respond immediately at the scene. Police officers would actually lose their jobs with this new system, which isn’t really wise considering the crippling economic state Muyeong is in. To make matters worse, the recent incident occurred where HSS was supposed to be implemented – and it looks like it didn’t really work.

And then… the police officer dies, the surgeons unable to save her.

Hyuk Kyu hands Heuk Chul the morning paper – if Heuk Chul had caught the robbers, he would have made the front cover. Heh – I don’t know if publicity is what a masked vigilante should want. He also tells Heuk Chul about his father’s plans with HSS.

All the squad cars are taken, so Yi On can’t borrow one to investigate the crime. She tries to borrow Young Joon’s, but he says he needs it. She gets nosy and pokes around his desk – turns out he’s busy reading “How to Start a Business for Dummies.” He needs to prepare a backup plan after hearing rumors of massive layoffs and the HSS implementation. So he needs his car to look up business storefronts? Lucky for Yi On though, Joon Sung comes to pick her up in his car.

Joon Sung wants to know what her plans are for the investigation, but she has none. Heh. So she changes the subject towards his siren, those “antique loud things” that they used to use back in the day. She used to find it annoying, since he would use it even when there was no traffic on the road. However, being an awesome sunbae, Joon Sung had taught her that if it’s on, the victim that hears it in the distance might hold on for a little longer, and the criminal just might run away because of it. Joon Sung gloats with pride over how smart he must have been to have come up with it.

Except, Yi On realizes that his siren is now broken. Woops.

The two of them go to meet Heuk Chul and Chae Ok at the restaurant for questioning. She doesn’t remember much, while Heuk Chul has some information to give, but Yi On refuses to listen to him out of sheer spite. Hehe. Only Joon Sung lets him speak. Heuk Chul remembers that the robbers had rehearsed their plan, knowing exactly what to do and how to move and how to get away. Also, one robber had a ring that said “Hit and Run,” which is a baseball term. Joon Sung shifts uneasily in his seat.

TRAITOR! I can see it in your eyes Joon Sung! I can see it!

The two detectives want to question Chae Ok’s father as well, and so Yi On offers to go with her to their home. Yi On asks how well she knew Heuk Chul. They had grown up together, with him being more shy and she being more of a tomboy. However, one winter day when they were making a snowman together, a group of middle schoolers had bullied her and her Chinese background. Heuk Chul rose to her defense and tried to tackle them, but of course he was easily beaten up instead. The next day, she saw that Heuk Chul finished making their snowman, and was touched.

Yi On thinks that Heuk Chul must have been really different back then. “No. He’s still the same,” Chae Ok says.

The next day, she makes her presentation on the case to her superiors. Go Myung Suk is their main suspect, as he’s the leader of the Anti-China protest group and has threatened to bomb the Chinese embassy before. He was recently released three weeks ago, and since then, three robberies have occurred in HSS-surveilled areas. Apparently Go and his men hacked the system, and as long as they committed their crimes within a 5-minute time frame, they could get away without being caught on camera. However, in the latest robbery, the cameras caught one of the robbers trying to staunch the bleeding of the officer. That’s not typical robber behavior, but Joon Sung jumps in and says the robber in question is a 70% match to Go.

The police chief and Mayor Kim give him the warrant to do whatever it takes to arrest Go.

With the right intel, the police burst into the Anti-China group’s hideout and arrests everyone inside. Only Yi On is unsatisfied as she thinks that they’re all wasting their times. The Anti-China group can’t be behind the robberies – the pieces don’t fit. She insists on investigating more, and Joon Sung encourages her. But we all know he’s a little troubled by the fact that his protegee is getting a little too smart.

The real robbers assemble in their own hideout and split the rewards from the recent robbery. Joon Sung emerges from the shadows and addresses them as his colleagues. They’re actually all former police officers belonging to 7th police squad. Joon Sung asks if it’s possible for them to leave some of their money from this recent heist with him. Because the officer they shot died, he wants to send it over to the family as an anonymous donation. These former officers all have a heart, and with little hesitation, they hand it over to Joon Sung. He proposes one more heist – the last one – and afterwards, they’ll be reinstated to the police department.

They all agree, but Joon Sung wants one of them, Choi Yoon Soo, to sit out; his injured arm will hold them back in the next heist. He later meets with the police chief – apparently the two of them have been plotting these serial robberies. With one more hit, they’ll be able to bring down Mayor Kim and HSS, and Joon Sung and his colleagues will definitely be reinstated. If they fail, the police chief will abandon them completely.

Heuk Chul reviews some ring samples with Dong Min, who’s already getting bored because they’ve gone through hundreds, and Heuk Chul has been unable to identify it correctly. Then Hyuk Kyu arrives with some burgers and they hit the jackpot! The suspect’s ring is exactly the same as Hyuk Kyu’s!

Wait – is Hyuk Kyu the suspect?! Haha – the way their faces turn ashen is hilarious.

Heuk Chul, of course, contacts Yi On right away, who in turn contacts Joon Sung. She wants to meet in a certain cafe where a lot of former police officers hang out. That cafe is also managed by one of the masked robbers. Dun dun dun… Joon Sung rushes to meet Yi On before she can ask too many questions of the cafe manager, and tries to pull her outside. However, Yi On shows him a picture of Yoon Soo, saying that she found out he’s a former 7th Squad officer with a gun shot wound – he matches the description of one of the masked robbers.

At that moment, Heuk Chul calls Yi On with more information – Dong Min found a photo of the former 7th squad team, and he’ll be sending it over to Yi On. Perhaps all the officers are in on the robberies, except why they are committing the crimes is a question that remains to be answered.

As the photo downloads to Yi On’s phone, guess who enters the shop? Yep – Yoon Soo. Oh great. Yi On quickly raises her gun to arrest him, but the cafe manager aims his gun at Yi On. What will Joon Sung do?! He sees the photo download onto her phone, and it has his face on it. He pulls out his gun… and aims it at Yi On’s head. Uh oh… Joon Sung forces her to put the gun down, and then ties her up in another room.

The three former police officers regroup and finalize their plans. One of their members, Park, is going to meet them at the stadium where their next heist will be. Joon Sung goes over to Yi On and discreetly calls the last number on her phone – Heuk Chul’s. He then explains to Yi On that if the reform bill goes into effect, many more officers will be laid off. To protect those jobs and to stop the reform bill, he’s committing these crimes to prove that HSS is a failure.

Yi On still refuses to understand that the crimes committed are “for the sake of the police department,” so Joon Sung slaps her across the face. Heuk Chul hears all of this, and immediately demands Dong Min to trace her location. Joon Sung looks away regretfully, and the other two cops prime the place for a fire explosion.

Yi On: “Cop rule #2! Do you remember it? ‘A police officer abides by the laws of the right path!’” The line between police and criminal is very thin, and Joon Sung is crossing it. It hurts to hear it, but it doesn’t steer him off his chosen path. The cafe manager kicks her in the face, and she falls unconscious. Good thing Heuk Chul arrives just as the toaster lights the jammed paper on fire. He rushes inside, saving the toaster before it falls off a table and lights everything – including Yi On – ablaze.

Meanwhile, Mayor Kim invites the police chief to his home for a private, impromptu meeting with Myung Chul. Mayor Kim offers the chief a drink, but then pours so much alcohol that it spills over. “The way you’ve been acting up lately – you’re pushing it, and so I was unable to stop myself,” Mayor Kim says benignly. He knows – he totally knows the police chief is behind the recent spate of robberies. How? Well, because Officer Park just sold everyone out to the Mayor.

Mayor Kim gives the chief an ultimatum: if he gets rid of his little team of robbers, the chief will be able to keep his position.

When Yi On wakes, she finds herself in the hospital with Young Joon at her bedside; he had rushed over as soon as he got a call that she was hurt. They both then here a police report calling officers to the stadium. Yi On realizes that the police are all assembling to stop Joon Sung and his team. She quickly unhooks herself from the IV and runs out of the hospital.

Heuk Chul is waiting in a car outside and sees Yi On run to the car. Of course, he follows. Meanwhile, Joon Sung drives into the stadium parking lot – where a SWAT team and police force are lying in wait. When Yi On arrives, she hears an order through the walkie-talkies to kill the robbers on sight. Their target is a safe full of cash.

First, Joon Sung’s team hacks into the security system to turn off all cameras. Then they don their masks and make their way to the safe. Yi On begins her own search for her mentor while the police force’s snipers get into position. Right behind Yi On is Heuk Chul…

Eventually, the robbers realize that Officer Park hasn’t met up with them. That’s because he’s busy leading the police force right to where Joon Sung and the others are. He guides them to the rendezvous point, where Joon Sung starts to realize that they’ve just walked into a trap. They try to retreat, but Yi On appears right behind them, gun pointed at Joon Sung.

She pleads with him to turn himself in, so that he can at least get out alive. After all, the entire location is surrounded with police officers. Joon Sung slowly inches towards her, his arms outstretched as if he were about to put his gun down. However, one of his colleagues rushes up to him and gets shot by a sniper. Chaos ensues as the robbers fire back at the police. A bullet very nearly hits Yi On, but Heuk Chul pulls her behind a pillar to safety.

The robbers try to escape, but one of them – the cafe manager – has been shot dead. Yoon Soo managed to get out, but was shot in the leg. Heuk Chul sees the police approach him, and Yoon Soo surrenders, begging them not to shoot. They shoot.

As for Officer Park, he victoriously puts his hands up to the police waiting in the parking lot, thinking that he’s safe. Nope – they point their lasers at him and shoot him dead. Mayor Kim wants no remnant of this rogue activity to survive.

All that’s left is Joon Sung. He’s managed to run away, but Yi On is on his tail. When he realizes that it’s just her, he reveals himself from his hiding place and approaches her. She keeps her gun trained at his chest, asking him to unmask himself. However, Joon Sung raises his gun, and out of instinct she shoots.

Oh the pain and sorrow that fills her face as she realizes she just killed her mentor, her partner, her friend. He proudly looks at her, noting how much she’s grown as a cop, and then dies.

The police report in to headquarters – the mission is complete.

The next day, Mayor Kim announces the implementation of the new reform bill and HSS with the police chief’s full “support.” Heuk Chul watches the news disinterestedly, knowing that there’s not much he can do about it. As for Yi On, she receives Joon Sung’s cellphone, which was found next to his body. There’s a video message for her.

Joon Sung: If you’re listening to this message, it means that you’re safe as I’d expected. I never regretted what I was doing, not even once. I thought I was doing it for the good of the police. But… as soon as I saw your face at the hospital, I wished I hadn’t done it at all. There were moments when you had me cornered while we were investigating together, but I was really proud of you for becoming a better detective than I. I’m a failure. Don’t ever try to understand me. I’m sorry Yi On.

A flashback reveals that he had emptied his bullet chamber before revealing himself to Yi On. He was never going to shoot her, but he pretended he was so that she’d be the one to kill him instead.

Comments:

This episode managed to show how the present Mayor Kim makes decisions that affects everyone’s past memories and future actions. Because of his police reform bill, he manages to ruin a good memory between Yi On and Joon Sung, and spoil it so that it has a bittersweet after taste. I’m glad we got to see a little bit of how Yi On became the detective she is today in the context of issues occurring in the present. However, I was a bit more disappointed because I was hoping for more Heuk Chul action. I guess this week our vigilante was taking a little break.

It was quite sweet to see Heuk Chul’s childhood, and we now know who those bullies were that prompted Mayor Kim to advise him to fight back (mentioned in episode 2). Heuk Chul is still very much the little boy in the past. Rushes headlong into things without a plan? Check. Still quite the shy but persistent boy? Check. Sentimental and sensitive? Check, check. But his childhood friend being Jang Chae Ok?! That’s the weirdest pairing ever, especially since I’ve filed Chae Ok away on the “Baddies” column. Now all of a sudden she’s a victim of a robbery, subject to racial discrimination, and a friend Heuk Chul could have married? I guess she is supposed to be morally ambiguous, but I preferred her as someone I could hate. She’s so much more fun evil.

Back to Heuk Chul… While I don’t want him to change very much because he’s quite charming, I do hope he becomes a stronger person who will rush to save the day. He knew the motive behind the robbers’ actions, and he knew his father was somewhat at fault for it. However, he did nothing to help save Joon Sung or stop his father. For that, I am very disappointed. It felt like he was more a spectator than a doer, and that’s not how I like my heroes.

But I am sure he has to make a mistake – or several, for that matter – so that he can find the inner strength to fight. His father is the big fish, and he really can’t just rush headlong into a fight without a plan anymore.