Ok guys, here’s the latest roundup of the news of the past week (Monday 4th to Sunday 10th). Enjoy.

Super Junior-H with not so Happy news

Yesung of Super Junior Happy injured his back last Friday during the Music Bank Rehearsals. He tripped on a Power Cord and fell from the stage, he was sent immediately to the Hospital. The rest of the boys continued the performance like the troopers they are, check out the vid. My favourite of the lot is Ms. Patty (total lol soyboy!).

Get better soon and stay fit and healthy Yesung.

JYP ever the young’un

JYPs new album concept, ‘pimp’?

Park Jin Young the coolest Producer on the block doesn’t seem to notice that he can never be sexy. As much as I love this guys talent, I think he should stay away from these crazy photo shoots. JYP please be as great as you are in the recording booth but please put on some clothes and act your age? Just a tip. By the by to the random netizen that said, “He is as sexy as a gorilla. His stomach muscles are like chocolate.” Please be exposed to some more men, thank you, take a look at Kwon SangWoo for instance, and since when were gorillas sexy?

Big Bangs comeback

Well 08.08.08 has come and passed and Big Bang released their newest mini-album. There were some rave reviews by some and not-so-happy reviews by others. No matter what, Big Bang showed us that they are as popular as ever as their album sold an impressive amount in just pre-orders (100k). The album as covered by the staff earlier this week has a wide range of genres and as some people here in the international section are not so keen on it, Big Bang dominates the Cyworld chart as the Top 10 includes every track of the album, even the intro “Stand Up”.

Korean Films rock the movie theatres

One of the main reasons for plenty of people to get in to the Hallyu Wave has got to be their movies. I for one am a huge KMovie fan and finally, the movies are nabbing a nearly 50% market share of the Korean Movie Market, 47.7% if you’re going to nitpick. Awesome movies are out this summer and one of the best picks has to be the Korean western “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”, starring three of the most talented actors Jung WooSung, Lee ByungHun and the ever awesome Song KangHo. Keep watching those Kmovies people.

Kang HyeJung hits the US

Well, kind of. Young actress Kang HyeJung has been cast in ‘American’ movie ‘Wedding Palace’ about two people who meet in L.A and get married. It focuses on their different cultural backgrounds and will be shot mostly in the US with some scenes in Korea. Its produced by Korean American company TU Productions.

Monday Kiz goes solo

After the devastating death of Kim MinSoo of the talented duo Monday Kiz earlier this year, news has reached us that the other half Lee JinSeong will continue. Monday Kiz’s record label gave up finding another partner and wants Mr. Lee to try his luck as a solo singer. We wish him the best of luck in his efforts.

Hana Yori Dango still dangling in the air

It was announced earlier this year that Mr. Hyunjoong of SS501 was going to star as Hanazawa Rui in the Korean adaptation of Hana Yori Dango, and then not too long after that they claimed it was not confirmed. Group 8 who is producing this version seem to be meticulous in their casting project as it has been extended yet again. I know that it’s going to air next year but it’s getting ridiculous as they refuse to tell us who is going to star in the drama. Apparently 80% of the idol stars have auditioned for the drama but no one has particularly stood out yet. They are still deciding on who is going to make them rake in the most money without looking like they sold out.

Maybee wants you to be as inventive as ever

Pretty and talented Songwriter/Singer/DJ Maybee has allowed her fans to produce both her recent single and Music Video. The single was written and produced by 20 high school girls who are avid supporters of Maybee. It was released on the 4th last week as a digital single. Maybee is great to encourage and reward her fans for their own creativity. And its pretty nice that the song is dedicated to her. It’s called “Maybee Praise Song” if you were wondering.

Nell makes their way in to Japan

After a successful comeback earlier this year with their album “Separation Anxiety”, Nell find themselves being invited to the Japanese SummerSonic Rock Festival. Foot traffic reaches highs of 80.000 (concert-goers) and it’s good to think that they will be able to be exposed to the almost-eerie yet ear pleasing music of Seo Taiji discovered Nell. All those hours “researching” in that insane asylum paid off, right guys?

It’s time for this weeks Music chart, credit goes to Mr. Edward1849 as ever, from Soompi.

Weekly Music Chart – 2nd Week – August
1. Lee Hyori – U-Go-Girl
2. Davichi – 사랑과 전쟁 (Love and War)
3. Uhm Jung Hwa (feat. T.O.P) – D.I.S.C.O
4. Shinee – 누난 너무 예뻐 (Noona’s Pretty (Replay))
5. Wonder Girls – So Hot
6. Brown Eyes – 가지마 가지마 (Don’t Leave Don’t Leave)
7. Mighty Mouth (feat. Sun Ye) – 에너지 (Energy)
8. Alex – 그대라면 (If It’s You)
9. Sung Shi Kyung – 안녕 나의 사랑 (Goodbye My Love)
10.Zi-A – 사랑해 미안해 (I Love You, I Am Sorry)

Also, check out news for Dynamic Duos anticipated comeback…

For more news just head over to our forums. Check out exclusive celeb photos and videos by becoming an SYP member >>>
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Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere
Source: Youtube, Soompi, Empas
Credit for ShenYuePop.com: noonoo_shoo
SYP Forums list full credits.

…are going to be in the same screen. After drama Hero, Lee Byung Hun and Takuya Kimura work together again in a Tran An Hung’s thriller, I Come With The Rain. And to add the thrill, are Josh Hartnett (actually, he’s the leading role) and Chinese Shawn Yue (or Hong Kong?whatever. he’s the coolness of Initial D and Infernal Affairs)…yummy..

The English-speaking movie is already started the filming 2 weeks ago, and scheduled to wrap up the process  early in October.

The US$18 million high-definition pic is about a private detective who, haunted by a past encounter with a serial killer, heads to Asia in search of a missing heir who has the power to heal with his touch.

read the complete news :

continue reading Lee Byung Hun, Takuya Kimura, and Josh Hartnett…

Korean star Lee Byung-heon will hold a showcase to mark the publication of his third photo collection “Paris, a Monochrome Man in a Monochrome City” on July 12, his 37th birthday.

The showcase was hosted by a Japanese marketing firm at the request of Lee’s Japanese fans. The event will take place in Nihon Budokan in Tokyo.

Lee’s official fan club will also hold a birthday party for him at the showcase. There were so many people wanting to attend the party that the showcase will be held in two separate stages–at 2 pm and 7 pm–to accommodate the 16,000 fans expected.

Lee’s fan meeting in May 2006 at the Tokyo Dome was attended by some 42,000 fans, demonstrating his popularity in Japan. The upcoming showcase will again prove his drawing power and solidify his position in the Japanese entertainment industry.

credit : KBS World

This piece of news is a little dated but interesting as it reported that Korean director, Kim Jee-Woon has recruited 3 Korean thespians and pitted these 3 acting giants together in the same movie.

Source: Variety, By Darcy Paquet, Feb. 7, 2007, 7:50pm PT

SEOUL — Three of South Korea’s top male stars have signed on for director Kim Jee-woon’s hotly anticipated Korean-style Western “The Good, the Bad and the Weird.”
Production company Barunson announced the Sergio Leone-inspired Western will star hot thesps Lee Byung-heon (”A Bittersweet Life”) as “the good”; Jung Woo-sung (”The Restless”) as “the bad”; and Song Kang-ho (”The Host”) as “the weird.”

Casting of the three top actors turns the pic into the biggest showcase of South Korea’s star system in recent memory.

The ambitious $10 million production will be set in Manchuria during the early 1900s, building off a string of Korean genre films from the 1970s that combined the aesthetics of the Western with outlaw movements aligned against Japanese colonial forces.

However, latest pic is expected to include more humor, along the lines of helmer’s early work “The Foul King” and “The Quiet Family.”

Pic is scheduled to shoot from April to June in China, with delivery planned for early 2008. Seoul-based seller Cineclick Asia will handle presales at Berlin’s EFM.
NB: There is also a discrepancy between the slogans on the posters against the report, i.e. JWS is the good, LBH is the bad.

Translated from Spanish:
The 3 Korean actors most mentioned of the moment, Lee Byung-heon (A Bittersweet Life) as the Good, Jung Woo-sung (The Restless) as the bad y Song Kang-ho (The Host) the Ugly (I think it should be The Weird) will contend against each other in the new work of Kim Jee-woon (A Tale Of Two Sisters) with a budget of USD10 million. The film will be inspired by the Sergio Leone original and will be shot in several locations in China although it is based on Manchuria in the 1900.

Note: There is a couple of discrepancies between the Darcy Paquet´s version which I take it to be more reliable as he is a Korean entertainment reporter against the Spanish version.

Translation from Spanish: Kwfong @ Shenyuepop.com
Source for picture & Commentary in Spanish: toede´s blog
credits: www.ShenYuePop.com
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Read more about this film from the URL below:
http://www.haf.org.hk/haf/pdf/project07/project9.pdf

The movie ‘Hero’ starring Kimura Takuya cranked up in Tokyo on the 15th. The movie gathered attention for having filmed on location in Busan with Lee Byeong Heon. Sankei Sports on the 16th reported that Kimura Takuya was moved by the teamwork of the staff and said the climax and scenes for the title were filmed that day. Director Suzuki Masayuki delivered flowers to all the actors after the movie and Kimura Takuya and other cast had satisfied looks. Kimura Takuya who played Kuriyu Kouhei, a rather peculiar high school drop out prosecutor, commented, “I was always on set or location as the teamwork of the staff and cast was great. I had a great time. This time I hope our actors can meet everyone through the movie screen. I hope to meet everyone again in the theatres.” The movie version of ‘Hero’ is based on the televised version that aired in 2001 with 11 episodes all exceeding 30% viewer ratings and an average of 34.3%, the highest of a Fuji TV drama series. The special episode that aired last year had a 30.9% viewer rating gathering attention as to whether the movie will be just as successful.

credit : broasia

this is something worth to wait, Takuya Kimura, Lee Byung Hun, and Hero the movie.

Ryu Si-won is currently a popular Korean singer in Japan, the market where he has focused his attention for the last five years of his singing career. His concerts are popular with Japanese mothers with daughters of marriageable age because they perceive him to be a good son-in-law material. They attend his concerts with the hope of Si-wonssi picking up the e-mail addresses of their daughters that they throw at him! He is around 35 years old and has pledged in one of his concerts last year in Japan that he would remain single for the time being for the sake of his Japanese fans.

Ryu Si-won is the only Korean artist who is a licensed international racing driver and he has a stable of fast cars and racing bikes. However, in Korea, he is more reknowned as an actor. Last year, he returned to act in the Korean drama, Wedding with Jang Nara since his career focus in Japan. While shuttling between his home country and Japan, he did radio disc´jockeying and was the MC for Ms Korea 2006 event.

He also has a cook book published some years ago and loves dabbling in cooking at home. For those who have watched him in the Wedding and Beautiful Days (the 2001 Kdrama with Lee Byung Hun and Choi Ji won, in which Ryu Si-won also sang one of the songs, Yaksok), he looked very much at home at cooking. His love for food was evident in Beautiful Days as he looked like a tubby teddy bear then. Also, in Beautiful Days, he offered his Mercedes 280 SL as the car driven by the character of his screen brother and album producer played by Lee Byung Hun. However, even the offer of his merc and the initial story outline could not retain Ryu si-won as the love interest of the lead actress because very few actors could upstage Lee Byung Hun.

Source: KBS Global, Entertainment News, 2007-06-07

A Japanese travel agency has introduced a package that includes a visit to the family house of Korean star Ryoo Si-won in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province.

During the three-day tour of Ryoo’s family house in Andong, tourists can see beautiful natural scenery and experience traditional Korean culture. They will also get to sleep in Damyeonjae, where Queen Elizabeth II was given a birthday party and watched the Hahoi mask dance during her visit to Korea in April 1999.

Ryoo’s fans should particularly enjoy this tour package, since Ryoo’s mother will personally cook Korean dishes for the tourists and tell stories from his childhood.

Written by Kwfong exclusively for Shenyuepop
credits: www.ShenYuePop.com
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Actor Lee Byung-hun will likely play a Hong Kong gang leader involved in crime and drug businesses in an upcoming film by a renowned Vietnamese-French director. Yonhap News Agency reported from Cannes, France that the 37-year-old actor will star in “I Come With the Rain,” a film scheduled for 2008 by director Tran Anh Hung. Tran’s previous works include “The Scent of Green Papaya” and “Cyclo” among others. The upcoming $18 million-budget movie will become the first English-language film by the director. The film stars Josh Harnett, of “Black Hawk Down” and “Pearl Harbor” fame. The American actor will play the lead role of a former Los Angeles cop who comes to Hong Kong on a mission to find a missing son of a high-ranking Chinese businessman. Lee’s role, a gang leader called Su Dongpo, will support the plot along with the role of Meng Zi, a Hong Kong cop and a long-time friend of the American. The film is expected to be Lee’s debut on the world stage. Lee is currently filming “The Good, the Bad and the Weird” by director Kim Ji-woon, and is reviewing the proposal for the role in Tran’s film, sources close to him were quoted as saying by the local media. Variety.com reported that the film will feature music from Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed the music for “Brokeback Mountain.” The film shoot will last 10 weeks in Los Angeles, the Philippines and Hong Kong from July 9, and will premiere in the United States, Canada and France, according to the report.

koreatimes.co.kr

another gangster from asia?

The China Press, Entertainment Supplement, 11 May, 2007

Although Korea’s Baeksang Awards is long over, but still a lot of websites are hotly discussing the female artists’ sexy dressing. However the most hilarious and hotly debated is about the male stars’ high heel shoes! Lee Byung Hun and ShinHwa’s Minwoo were selected as representatives of the male high heel shoes wearers.

That website even highlighted Byung Hun oppa’s shoes were at least four inches in height. Minwoo was not to be left out, he immediately appeared to be towering that day.

Aside from this, Lee Byung Hun completed the shooting of 《律政英雄》starring Takuya Kimura. On the 27th of last month, Lee Byung Hun performed his duty as host to both Takuya and another Japanese actor by taking them to sample seafood and touring in Pusan’s well know locations. So it was not surprising that Takuya was incessantly praising Lee Byung Hun as an outstanding actor and a very caring person.

Note: Takuya Kimura is a Japanese heartthrob and lead singer from SMAP.
[source]
Translation: Kwfong @ Shenyuepop.com
credits: www.ShenYuePop.com
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Kwfong’s observation on this prolific Korean actor:

Lee Byung Hun is touted to be the Korean actor most likely to make it in Hollywood, however, it looks like Rain will beat him to acting in a Hollywood film. It rests to be seen next year how Rain will fare in Speed Racer next May. Many claimed that Lee Byung Hun as Korea’s Robert De Niro. However he would be considered short in stature as Korea seems to be churning out 6 footers actores. At around 5 feet 9 inches in height, his co-star, Choi Ji Woo in an older Kdrama was the same height and he wore 2 inches heels then.

Lee Byung Hun starred in Joint Security Area (JSA) that it is still the most memorable Korean film I have watched so far. I highly recommend this movie for those who wish to have an insight into the North and South Korea’s DMZ. More importantly, to have a better appreciation of the people of one country separated into two due to different ideologies. JSA also starred, Song Kang Ho, the best actor winner in this year’s Hong Kong Film Fest for The Host and perennial favourite Korean actress, Lee Young Ae from the Jewel in the Palace fame.

He is a very prolific actor who has acted in many Korean dramas and movies. Among the most notable was his role in All In, as a maverick gambler who made good in the end.