Jumong Song Il-Guk Has Fallen In Love

Song Il-Guk (35) is currently seeing a 5 year junior "future prosecutor" Miss A (30).
The two first met late last year, introduced by a reporter from Star News, and have been dating for 5 months since.

Miss A, who has grasped song il-guk's heart, is currently in training for justice admistration. She is said to be of elegant height and slender figure, who is beautiful and cute in image.

Because the two have been separately busy with their work and studies, they have thus far communicated mostly by phone, but upon the end of jumong filming and Miss A's acceptance to exam for justice administration, they can focus more on cultivating their relationship.

Song Il-Guk's attraction to Miss A is based on her genuine and pure, cautious yet free spirit. Meanwhile, Miss A's attraction to Mister Song is due to SIG's wholesome lifestyle despite being a star, his modesty and masculinity.

Neither wants to interfere with each other's career, and the two are carefully cultivating their love.

Song, who was raised in a strict and disciplined family with christian religion, has found himself a woman with a good heart who plans to serve the public.
Source: Star News
Translation by: dramaok @ soompi

doozy: First Hyun Bin and now Song Il Guk?! These news are so heartbreaking because they're such fantasy killer. ahn dwe!!!!!

Although, if news came out that two of my favorite onscreen pairs are dating in real life, I'd be very happy.

H.I.T.

Cast
Go Hyun Jung
Han Jung Woo

Airs
March 19, 2007 (Replacing Jumong)

Episodes
20

Broadcasting Station
MBC

Official Website

Soompi Thread

H.I.T. stands for Homicide Investigation Team. The premise of the drama is similar to C.S.I. For more in-depth description of the drama and its characters, please click here.

Currently, there's no fansubbing group for H.I.T. because this type of professional drama can be quite difficult to translate due to its terminology and jargon. Although I will not be comprehending much, I'll still be watching H.I.T. because I like this genre and I want to see how it compares to C.S.I.

Also, I like Go Hyun Jung because she was very endearing in What's Up, Fox? so I'm interested in her new project.

Jun Ji-hyun to Debut in Hollywood

Actress Jun Ji-hyun is gearing up to debut overseas. Jun, who has gained popularity not only in Korea but also in Hong Kong, China and Japan for her sometimes sassy, sometimes naive roles in movies, will make her Hollywood debut in the movie Blood: The Last Vampire.

Blood: The Last Vampire is based on the same-titled popular animation novel by famous Japanese writer Oshii Mamoru. Jun plays the role of the vampire hunter Saya, who is half-human, half-vampire but who disguises herself as a human being in order to destroy vampires. The actress is expected to display impressive action stunts in the movie.

Playing opposite Jun will be actress Allison Miller, who has gained popularity for her role in the TV show Desperate Housewives. In the movie, Miller’s character teaches Saya what it’s like to be a human.

Interest in movies starring Jun has been on the rise in Hollywood. Jun has drawn notice in Hollywood through the movie The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The movie is a remake of the Korean movie Il Mare, which stars Jun. Jun’s hit movie My Sassy Girl is also currently being remade in the United States, with actress Elisha Cuthbert playing the lead.

The filming of Blood: The Last Vampire will begin March 15. The movie has drawn significant attention for its impressive scale as it involves famous film production firms and filmmakers. After shooting several scenes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the filming location will switch to China before the movie opens in 2008.

The movie is expected to make Jun another hallyu star in Hollywood, like Kim Yun-jin. Jun will go by the name "Gianna Jun" in the United States.
Source: KBS Global

doozy: In addition to Il Mare and My Sassy Girl, I think Hollywood also bought the remake rights to JJH's latest film Daisy.

Am I the only one here who doesn't like the fact that JJH will debut with an American name? The movie's storyline also doesn't appeal to me, but most likely, I'll catch it in the theatres to support her. In any case, I wish her the best of success.

Song of the Moment

This song is performed by Lee Ha Na in When Spring Comes. LHN sings it beautifully. She's really talented. Enjoy!



To download, click here.

Lyrics
Translation by: ai* (WITH S2)

Even though I was young and didn’t know much.
But I understand it now what it means to leave.

Mother’s arms are so warm...
But when it was time, she left...
no other choice...

Goodbye... goodbye... goodbye...

When I let go my hand,
She left like a dandelion.

Never coming back...
like a dandelion...

Like a dandelion...

Like a dandelion...

Random Rant

I'm not feeling well at the moment. I think I got food poisoning or something along those lines. Note to self and those who are reading this: do not consume leftover pizza that is four days old, no matter how "normal" it looked or tasted. I repeat, do not! Trust me on this one.
-----
I finally finished watching Save the Last Dance for Me after it has been taking space on my computer for months. I also finished The Snow Queen. So that's a total of 36 hours of my life, mostly wasted on nothing more than eye candies. Surprisingly, I liked the former more than the latter even though it doesn't have Hyun Bin. I'm not that shallow, you know. I can be objective too, sometimes.
-----
I'm also done with Hwang Jin Yi and I loved it! One of the best dramas I've seen to date. I've been wanting to write a review of sort for the drama but it's quite difficult coming up with right wording and organizing all my thoughts into one that's coherent and detailed. I'll try and see if I can get one together because I really want to get the word out on how great this show is. Highly recommended!
-----
The premiere for Witch Amusement will be pushed back as Surgeon Bong Dal Hee will be extended to 18 episodes due to its high ratings.

I also read that the airing date for Time Between Wolf and Dog will be further delayed until September. Aish, really. Let this be the official date. Please, no more delays!
-----
Thanks to this blog, my respect for Hollywood has changed dramatically. Not that Hollywood cares about what a little person like me thinks about them, but I'm writing this as a kind of "just so you know.." type thing.
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I'm probably going to do episodic summaries and/or screencaps of Hello!Miss because this blog is, afterall, "mukgu-fied." March 19th is the premiere. It's next Monday! Woot woot!

Previews

Witch Amusement
Uploaded by: hirohiroH2

It looks like a fun drama from the preview. Han Ga In is oh so gorgeous but Jae Hee's hairstyle is odd, much different than his look in Sassy Girl, Chun Hyang. Anyway, I'm definitely watching this one!

The Devil
Uploaded by: Lunasy

The clip looks intense. Although I'm still slightly annoyed at the fact that Uhm Tae Woong is second lead, I guess we'll have to see how much screen time he has.

I'm loving the March line-up this year. In addition to the two dramas above, we also have Hello!Miss with Lee Da Hae, H.I.T. with Go Hyun Jung, and Lee Dong Wook in a new drama if he accepts the role. I'm considering doing a episode summary for one of these shows but won't know which one yet until I see the first episode of each drama. Or perhaps an episodic project is too ambitious since I still haven't finished the first one that I started. Heehee. I guess we'll see how determined I am this time around.

LDH for J Polack 2007

Images courtesy of JPolack and pinklily @ soompi.

To view more, please go here.
Wow, I really like the concept of this catalog. LDH is so elegant and gorgeous!

The Devil

Cast
Uhm Tae Woong (Sassy Girl, Chun Hyang, Resurrection)
Shin Min Ah (A Love to Kill)
Joo Ji Hoon (Goong)

Airs
March 21, 2007 (Replacing Dal Ja's Spring)

Episodes
20

Broadcasting Station
KBS2

Director
Park Chan Hong (Resurrection)

Writer
Kim Ji Woo

Produced By
Olive9

Official Website

Soompi Thread

Synopsis
The tragic event of their childhood connects the fates of two men and a woman who has an ability in psychometry into a love triangle. (Psychometry is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a psychic holds an object in his or her hands in order to obtain information about the object or its owner.)

Joo Ji Hoon will be acting as a lawyer Oh Seung Ha, who is destined to meet a police detective, Kang Oh Soo (Uhm Tae Woong). Shin Min Ah plays Seo Hae In, a 25 year old mysterious librarian with an ability in psychometry. She is at the level of being diagnosed with amnesia/sleeping disorder and she tends to be in full concentration when she becomes too absorbed/focus into something. Kang Oh Soo, who is from a rich family, had accidentally caused Oh Seung Ha to lose his brother and mom when they were young. Oh Seung Ha later grows up to be a lawyer who wants to seek revenge on Kang Oh Soo, who is now a police detective.
Oh Seung Ha and Seo Hae In will have feelings for each other while Kang Oh Soo has a one sided love for Seo Hae In.
Credit to: yeohweping

Arirang Showbiz Extra
Uploaded by: Lunasy

Special thanks to Rebby @ soompi for the clip.

doozy: Uhm Tae Woong playing second fiddle and doesn't get the girl? Again?! A love triangle? Again?! Despite those two dislikes, I'm still looking forward to watching The Devil. Why? Because it's from the folks who brought us that amazing drama called Resurrection, it's produced by Olive9 (the production company behind the drama Hwang Jin Yi), and it has Uhm Tae Woong. I really hope they focus more on the part about supernatural powers and the theme of vengeance because I don't know how many more pretty people love triangles I can watch in K-dramas.

Weekend Box Office Chart in Seoul

1. Miracle on 1st Street
Director: Yoon Je-gyun
Starring: Ha Ji-won, Lim Chang-chung
Click here for more info on the movie.

2. The Masked Dalho
Director: Kim Sang-chan, Kim Hyun-soo
Starring: Lim Chae-moo, Cha Tae-hyun

3. A Good Day for an Affair
Director: Jang Moon-il
Starring: Kim Hye-soo, Yoon Jin-seo

4. Voice of a Murderer
Director: Park Jin-pyo
Starring: Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-ju

5. Flags of Our Fathers
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach

For the rest of the list, go here.

doozy: Congratulations to Ha Ji Won for having the no. 1 movie after a successful television drama!

LDW's New Project

Lee Dong Wook has been selected as the lead for JS pictures new drama I love you.
The drama will be adapted from Kim Se Myung popular manhwa I love you which is about a thirty-something comic writer who marries a girl younger than him by 14 years when she gets pregnant. The production company plans to start filming in March when the female lead is selected.

The broadcast date and station are still unknown at the moment.


Credit to: yeohweping

doozy: Woot woot! LDH's Hello! Miss in March and now, LDW is going to film a new drama?! I'm beyond excited.

The Korean-American Who Is Hollywood's Link to Asia

The Departed, the Hollywood remake of the Hong Kong film Internal Affairs starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung, won four Oscars including best director for Martin Scorsese, best picture, best adapted screenplay and best editing, at the 79th Academy award in Los Angeles on Sunday (local time). This also brought a Korean American into the spotlight: Vertigo Entertainment CEO Roy Lee, who was an executive producer on the movie.

Hollywood studios rely on Lee's Asian sensibility and network to find Asian movies suitable for remakes. He has had a hand in introducing almost all Asian horror movies that found an enthusiastic audience in the U.S., including The Ring and Ju-on: The Grudge from Japan. An adaptation of A Tale of Two Sisters, a Korean horror film Lee picked up, will be completed by the end of this year. Lee was also involved in The Lake House, the remake of Il Mare, the first Hollywood remake of a Korean film. A remake of another Korean movie, Addicted with Lee Byung-hun and Lee Mi-yeon, will start shooting soon with Grudge' star Sarah Michelle Gellar. Lee also introduced My Sassy Girl and My Wife is a Gangster to DreamWorks and Miramax.

Born to a doctor father and a teacher mother, Roy Lee worked as a lawyer after graduating from George Washington University and American University’s Washington School of Law.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
Source: english.chosun.com

doozy: Okay, so the article above is interesting and all.. But, the MAIN reason why I posted this article is because of the gross mistake of mispelling the title of a movie. People, for the umphteen time, the US film Departed is a remake of the HK movie titled INFERNAL AFFAIRS. The original movie is from Hong Kong, not Japan; and that's Infernal Affairs with an "f" and not Internal Affairs with a "t."

Seriously, it's not like Infernal Affairs is some indie, low-budget movie that wasn't a huge success and isn't well-known. If even a non-movie buff like myself know the correct title, then shouldn't people who are in the biz know more than I do?

Geez, I wonder how Hollywood would feel if foreign countries called the remake The Deported, instead of The Departed.

Here's a poster of the HK movie for confirmation, in case you think I'm on some halucinogen.

Witch Amusement

This is not the poster for the drama. It's a New Year's greeting from the cast.

Cast
Han Ga In (Dr. Kang, Super Rookie)
Jae Hee (Sassy Girl, Chun Hyang)
Dennis Oh (Sweet Spy)
Jung Hae Bin
Kim Jung Hoon (Goong)
Hwang Ji Hyun (Please Come Back, Soon Ae)

Airs
March 14, 2007

Episodes
16

Broadcasting Station
SBS

Director
Jun Ki Sang (Sassy Girl, Chun Hyang, My Girl)

Synopsis
Han Ga In plays the heroine Ma Yoo Hee hinting that the character is like a "Witch". Yoo Hee has independent personality and is the only daughter of the owner of an advertisement company and is working as an advertisement planner. After she is introduced to Jae Mo Ryong (Jae Hee) who is a student learning cooking, she falls in love with him. Dennis Oh will play a famous French Chef from America. He is perfect guy named Johnny Kruger from New York. He plays a big part in hooking up Ma Yoo-Hee and Jae Mo Ryong.
Source: soompi thread

Hyun Bin No Longer Single and Available

Hyun Bin has been dating Hwang Ji Hyun for almost a year. Reportedly, they broke up in the middle and then got back together again.

Those who are wondering who Hwang Ji Hyun is, she was in New Nonstop 3 and recently, Come back Soon Ae as Park Jin Hee's stewardess friend.
Source: yahoo.co.kr
Translation by: lilshinhwafreak @ soompi

doozy: As a crazy fan girl, my reaction is: Why?! Why her and not me?!
As a realistic person with her head on straight, my reaction is: Why?! Why her and not me?! Haha. I'm kidding! Honestly, as long as he's happy, I'm happy.

Cast of Hello! Miss

Lee Da Hae


Lee Ji Hoon; Ha Suk Jin


Yoon Mi So

Image source: as labeled
Special thanks to yeohweping

So Pretty

Below are some screen caps from LDH's vitamin cf. To view more, please click here.



Call me, Wookie oppa!

I love her smile. There's a certain innocence and genuiness in it. Just look at the picture. She's adorable, yet at the same time, gorgeous.
I'm looking forward to March 12, which is the premiere of LDH's new drama, Hello! Miss.

Special thanks to pinklily @ soompi for providing these images.

Oink

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

It's the Year of the Boar!

Rain, Song Hye-kyo Promote Drama in China

Actress Song Hye-kyo and singer/actor Rain will visit China to promote their drama Full House, which aired on KBS 2TV a few years ago in Korea.

They will leave Seoul Thursday for a 3-day visit to Hunan, China, where a news conference and a fan meeting are scheduled ahead of the drama's local airing.

Song's manager Na Byung-jun of Sidus HQ says inquiries by Chinese fans about their visit are pouring in.

The hit drama was exported to 14 countries including Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Actress Song has recently finished filming her latest movie, a film about the famous Korean courtesan Hwang Jini, while Rain is on his global concert tour.

Teaser posters of Hwang Jin Yi

News source: KBS Global
Images source: songhyegyo.net

doozy:
If you're interested in the latest updates regarding this joyous event, go to AgentP's Headquarters.

LDH Fans Rejoice

So it's finally confirmed! LDH is going to be in Hello! Miss (formerly known as Pride) afterall. I also like the change of the male cast. This is so exciting. I really hope that this time, it's for real and not just a rumor.

Do check out the Soompi thread for additional info and images.

Showbiz Suicides Alarm Management Agencies

Alarm bells are ringing in Korea's entertainment business after the apparent suicides of pop singer U;Nee and actress Jeong Da-bin within three weeks of each other.

Agencies are clearly worried. While the stars ostensibly enjoy wealth and fame, they are also more at risk than ordinary people because their kudos can vanish in an instant. The fickle nature of the business brings its attendant anxieties, especially for women, experts say.

The actress Choi Jin-sil recalls the envy of other performers when she was a teen star. "You may think that the happiest moments come with the 'golden time' of celebrity," she says. "But the mental stress is extreme as well." She admits she suffered from great insecurity not knowing if her fame would last.

Then there is the threat of litigation. As a star's popularity soars and their fees rise, lawsuits become commonplace, especially from management agencies. Jeong was being sued for pulling out of a contract with her former management agency in February 2005. Already in 2002, she was accused of failing to hand over part of her pay to the agency. She lost.

Min Sung-kil, a psychiatrist from Severance Hospital said celebrities in many cases are more exposed to stress than ordinary people. "As a last resort, depressed celebrities may choose to kill themselves."

Management agencies are reassessing their role to protect the celebrities they represent. Namoo Actors, the agency of the actress Lee Eun-ju, who committed suicide in 2005, is taking more time with its star entertainers. Fantom Entertainment Group, which represents the actresses Han Hyo-joo and So Yu-jin and singer Ivy, is taking particular care with its female clients, including ample consultation time.

Jeong Da-bin, U;Nee and Lee Eun-ju

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI) after a postmortem on Monday tentatively concluded the death of Jeong Da-bin was suicide. It said there was no evidence of foul play and Jeong’s body showed clear evidence of death by hanging. Jeong's boyfriend, identified by his last name Lee, who discovered the body and called police, said the actress first tried to kill herself by cutting her wrist in Sept. 2006. Jeong's family and her new agency had requested the postmortem, asserting that the scar on her wrist was the result of a suicide attempt in her teens, not last year, and saying she had no reason to kill herself.

Jeong's funeral service was delayed by a day due to the postmortem and will now be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Asan Medical Center.
(englishnews@chosun.com)
Source: english.chosun.com

doozy:
This makes me angry and sad at the same time.

Bi for Tea

New CF
(In case you're wondering, I think "cf" stands for "commercial film.")

Source: Daum news, yeohweping