South Korea has selected Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine as its submission to the foreign language film category of the Academy Awards.

A special committee appointed by the Korean Film Council chose Secret Sunshine over Kim Ki-duk’s Breath and Kim Ji-hoon’s box office hit May 18.

Secret Sunshine premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won an actress award for Jeon Do-yeon as a young widow who moves from Seoul to start over in a provincial city. The film also stars Kang-ho Song.

South Korea has never had a film selected for inclusion in the final five nominations.

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Kim Rae Won’s Japanese movie wrapped the filming process
The movie title is Flower Shadow (Hanakake), and directed by Bayside Shakedown’s Gawai Hayato (If you’re into Jap movies, i truly recommend Bayside Shakesdown. It’s the special episode of series “Odoru Daisousassen”, starred Oda Yuuji as a detective, in the world of police beraucracy. Witty and refreshing). Hanakake will open next spring.

Oh, and remember Kim Rae Won’s new upcoming drama, Gourmet? Here’s an interview cut, English subbed.

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Upcoming Movies with trailers:

M, starring Kang Dong Won, Kong Hyo Jin, directed by Lee Mung Se, opens October 26th 2007, premieres at the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival.

Synopsis
A best seller writer Minwoo, suffering from constant deja vu goes into a somewhat imaginary relationship with a mysterious girl.
But the more he mets her, odd things start to occur and Minwoo is thrown into confusion.
Then strangely enough old memories about his first love, Mimi, start to come across his mind.
http://www.thecorestudio.net/

Trailer

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Love/Sarang, cast : Joo Jin Moo, Park Si Yeon, Kim Min Jun, directed by Gwak Gyeong Taek. Opens September 20th 2007 (so it’s supposed to be already out now in cinema)

Trailer :

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Court Lady (Gungnyeo), starring Park Jin Hee, Seo Yeong Hee, Lim Jeong Eun, opens 10-11-2007. It’s all about women, if we see the poster.

Synopsis
A maid-in-waiting hangs herself within the realms of the palace. But while performing an autopsy, palace medic Chunryung suspects murder and starts to investigate the case. With a sense of justice and full of wit, Chunryung bravely unmasks the deceptions, but soon confronts the veiled past, kept hidden by those that had far more power than she had expected.
http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/

Trailer:

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Happiness opens Oct 3rd 2007, cast :Hwang Jung Min, Im Soo Jung

Synopsis
Young-soo has enjoyed his life in Seoul before he finds himself suffering from cirrhosis.
Losing any desire to live, he decides to leave the city and go to a sanatorium in a country.
He meets in there a girl, Eun-hee who is also suffering from a critical disease. They
start to live together in an old house near the sanatorium. One day, his old girlfriend
appears in front of him, asking him to return to the life they once had before. He leaves
Eun-hee and restarts to live with his old girlfriend. But as time passes, he misses
Eun-hee, and goes down to the house they used to live together. But he finds the empty
house and Eun-hee who is waiting for her last moment in the sanatorium.
http://www.showbox.co.kr/

Trailer

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Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere
Compiled by Louise @ ShenYuePop.com
Source : Broasia, Kung Fu Cult Cinema, Variety Asia Online

Here’s the guy you wanna take home, and plant him in your kitchen!

Kim Rae Won, after being a boxer in his latest movie “Miracle”, is changing lane into a cook role in a drama. He’s been attending cooking class since July as preparation for this drama. But nothing sooner than we expect, coz the filming just starts on Sept 10th.

The drama is adapted from a popular comic series, but I am not sure about the English title of the drama yet. Kim Rae-won is starring as a cook who is on a journey across Korea to explore the traditional Korean cuisines.(Yummy! Celebrities and Entertainment News)

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Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere

Picture : DramaWiki Source : Asianfanatics.net + Yummy! Celebrities

Credit for ShenYuePop : Louise

No Additional Credit Should Be Added

Pic: above from top: Ji Seong, Yoon Gye Sang (in military fatigue), Yoon Gye Sang (in cheesy pose) and Park Jae Sang aka Psy

Some Korean entertainers try to escape military conscription by pledging medical conditions making them unsuitable for conscription while one other Korean entertainer knowing he has a knee injury but still went ahead with conscription for the fear from accusation of using his medical condition as an excuse. Most Korean entertainers under 35, try very hard to maintain their registration as students, thus, bidding time to further their careers.

It was rumoured that Rain changed university recently so as to maintain his status as a student. Kangta who is another due for military conscription is holding on tight to his student status. Last month, Kim Rae Won has requested for the second time to defer his military conscription because he has just starting with shooting of his new drama. Apparently, his first notice of conscription was received while he was filming another drama then but he did not know what happened to the notice and continue with his career.

While Jo In sung who was thrown out of Dongguk University a couple of months back for not meeting the minimum number of hours, has also been rumoured to be conscripted by end of this year. Rumour has it he received his conscription after filming A Dirty Carnival last May but he started going back to school. Looking at Jo In Sung´s schedule from since he finished with the above 44th Daejong nominee for Best Film category, he has not committed to any film or drama to his fans´ consternation. His ardent fans are hoping he would act in a drama s to tie them over his impending two years in the mandatory military service.

Song Seun Hun (from Autumn Tale or Autumn in my Heart with Song Hye Gyo, Summer Scent, Happy Together fame) had to apologise to his fans for trying to dodge military service but his fans have since forgiven him with a resounding welcome back meeting last year. Fans from all over Asia went for the meeting, even a sole representative fan from Malaysia flew there for the meeting.

However not all Korean entertainers are/were dodging the dreaded military service. Yoon Gye Sang, formerly from the boyband, G.O.D; Korean drama: My 19 years sister in law (with the late Jung Da Bin) and Korean movie: Flying Boys (in which he won the best newcomer in 2005 Paesang Art Award) did not defer his responsibility even though he was signed on to work with the perennial favourite Korean actress, Lee Young Ae then. He even earned a star for good marksmanship and received a citation from the division commander after completing his boot training and was despatched to a reconnaissance company as a sniper. On his release, Yoon Gye Sang acted in the SBS drama “Crazy for Love” aired on Feb. 3, 2007.

Others who have done their tour of duty last year were Jang Hyuk (Korean movie: Windstruck and recently ended 2007 Korean drama: Thank you), Go Soo (Korean dramas: Green Rose, Marrying a Millionaire, Piano fame), etc. And of course, So Ji Sub (Sorry I love you, What happen in Bali fame) done his entertainment brothers proud by completing his, two months ago in April. Looking back, these korean actors are very much in demand after doing military service. Jang Hyuk and So Jib Sub were immediately recruited to act in new korean dramas. So perhaps, they should view the compulsory conscription as a blessing in disguise as they immediately become hot properties on their emergence from the two years forced absences. Ji Seong (aka Ji Sung) who has just completed his tour last week has in a minor role in a movie.

Kim Jeong Hoon who so far, as the only actor who publicly said that he dreaded military service after acting in DMZ in 2004, should be due for national service anytime.

(Oh, I am saying the following in jest, please do not quote me) He might be a Thai citizen by then! I wonder how are dual citizenships viewed in Korea? Any idea?

Written by Kwfong exclusively for Shenyuepop.com
Source: The China Press, Jeff Chung (KFPD), KBS Global.
Picture Source: mnklove (Cyworld), Hankooki, Hancinema, etc.
DO NOT REMOVE ORIGINAL CREDITS AND ADD OTHER CREDITS

Yoon Kyesang while still with G.O.D. – as long as you love me

Kim Jeong Hoon’s DMZ Haircut Video

Song Seung Hun YTN STAR NEWS 01/08/2007

Source: The Korean Herald, 5 June 2007
Psy quizzed over army draft evasion

Popular singer Park Jae-sang, better known as Psy, was yesterday questioned over his alleged evasion of military conscription at a seoul prosecuters’ office.
“I’ll fully cooperate with the prosecution interrogation,” said Park wearing a gray suit as he entered the Seoul Eastern Prosecutors’ Office.

Prosecutors suspect Park, 29, neglected his duty as a worker at a high-tech company in Seoul, where workers are exempt from the country’s 24-month-long mandatory military duty.

“We’re currently verifying various suspicions, including whether or not the singer Psy actually has the special skills as a computer programmer that exempted him from military conscription,” said Han Myong-kwan, a senior prosecutor.

Park was hired to develop computer software at the information technology firm, but prosecutors have doubts of his capability of doing the work given to him.

“We’ve heard that he is bad at handling computers,” Han said.

The government exempts technology researchers and professional skilled workers with special expertise under the condition of working for some 18,000 companies designated by the Seoul Military Manpower Administration.

However, when asked about his slackness at work between 2003 and 2005 by reporters, Park denied the allegation, saying “yes” that he worked properly from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 30 months.

Prosecutors are also investigating the alleged bribery charges between Park’s uncle and the company Park had worked.

“We will soon summon his uncle as well,” Han said.

Since April, prosecutors questioned two other popular singers who were exempted from conscription after they were hired by a computer game development company.

They also summoned some 20 officials from six companies and 10 soccer players in the same case. Those companies are alleged to have violated the rules, and some allegedly hired company executives’ relatives and acquaintances.

By Annie I. Bang

(aibang@heraldm.com)

Title : Miracle
Genre : Romance, comedy
Filming starts : May 2007
Opens : Fall 2007
Director : KANG Suk Bum

Actor Kim Rae Won returns to the big screen as a K-1 fighter.

Kim Rae Won’s next movie ‘Miracle’ will starts filming in May. ‘Miracle’, a romantic comedy, is the new project of director Kang Suk Bum, who’s attracted much attention for directing ‘Sunflower’ last year.

Kim Rae Won collaborated closely with director Kang Suk Bum last year through ‘Sunflower’. Kim Rae Won happily accepted his invitation to play in his new movie. This time Kim Rae Won plays a Taekwondo teacher and K-1 fighter. The love story spins around his dates and fights with a woman played by a top actress.

The proposed female lead is identified as top star A. Kim Rae Won has started a long series of physical training as well as Taekwondo practices for some months, preparing for the movie.

According to a production group member of ‘Miracle’, Kim Rae Won felt the strong love of movies while working for ‘Sunflower’. This time he’ll use his most skilled style to play a romantic comedy character, completely different from that in ‘Sunflower’.

On the other hand, he’s been famous as a hallyu star in Japan. He recently participated in a Japanese movie ‘Shadow of the Flower’ which will be his debut on Japan’s big screen.

Some time ago, some Japanese fans flew to Korea to see Kim Rae Won at the filming set of ‘Sunflower’ and not long ago, Kim Rae Won held a special fans meeting for his fans in Japan. As a new generation hallyu star, Kim Rae Won’s new movie ‘Miracle’ will surely arouse great attention among his Japanese fans.

http://media.paran.com/entertainment/newsv…7&year=2007

English translation by PChoi, based on Chinese by 一冉81 of kimraewon.cc]

credit source: PChoi@soompi

ilove-koreanmovie.blogspot.com

Kim Rae Won used to be my daydream object with his long legs..LOL..then i just lost interest to this guy..i don’t remember why. he looked hot in Mr. Socrates tho. bad movie, but he was hot.