Kwon Sang-woo in Hollywood!

Kwon Sang-woo has received a lovecall from the Hollywood film "Green Hornet" for the character Kato that was supposed to be Stephen Chow's role. Stephen Chow was to direct the film. He stepped off due to miscommunication issues. Michel Gondry will replace Stephen Chow as the director.

Asia's star Kwon Sang-woo has been able to break through the language barrier and take part in this film!

It is known that Kwon's English hasn't been perfect throughout the audition with the main actor Seth Rogen, however, it was successful.

The filming will begin this September and will be released in 2010.
Other stars in this film are Nicolas Cage and Cameron Diaz.

Green Hornet has been a popular radio drama of 1930s and has been made into a film in 1940. It has also been loved as comic books and TV series.

Green Hornet's main character is about a hero who works in a newspaper company as an editor which she inherited from her father and in the night living as a green hornet wearing a black mask defeating enemies.

Kwon's role will be that of a driver of the green hornet. Kwon will be driving Black Beauty which is a top rate automobile.

Source: news.nate.com

Jang Dong-gun for President?

Star director Jang Jin got Korea's leading man Jang Dong-gun to try his hand at comedy for the first time. JANG is set to play a young charismatic president in the upcoming KnJ Entertainment production "Good Morning President". The explosive combination of Jang Jin and Jang Dong-gun turns it into a highly anticipated fall release.

Han Chae-young has been cast in the female lead role. The story will be about three persons who get to meet the president. With Jang Jin at the helm, the film will be spiced up with Jang Jin's characteristic peculiar humour. Jang Dong-gun told reporters that except the young age of the president, the film has no similarities to current U.S. President Obama's story. "Good Morning President" is scheduled for an October release in cinemas.

Jang Dong-gun has been absent from the big screen for four years, since he appeared in 2005's "Typhoon". He's best known for the films "Friend" and "Taegukgi". Jang Dong-gun returns this year with two films. Besides "Good Morning President", his English language film debut "The Warrior's Way" – alongside Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush – is also set for a 2009 release.

Source: koreanfilm.or.kr

Long Awaited Tsunami Movie "Haeundae" about to Hit Korea

For what maybe the longest possible wait for an internationally released movie to hit its own shores, "Haeundae" is about to be released in Korea. Back in April the film sold to a number of territories at the Hong Kong Film Mart. The CJ released film then went on to repeat its success at Cannes. Given its star pull and its sizable success overseas, there is much anticipation for the film here in Korea.

The film headed by director Youn J.K. (Yoon Je-kyoon) is set in the southern tip of South Korea in the city of Pusan. The city which is the name sake of Asia's largest international film festival also boasts the seaside resort of Haeundae a beach which can attract a million people a day at the height of summer. This sets the scene for gigantic tidal wave that is about to engulf the city at just this time – Summer, as it is in Korea now. Ironically the film, which was filmed partly in California, is a more human story focusing on Man-sik, a local who runs a small seafood restaurant. After losing a friend to the sea a year before he can never go back. Later, while running into a stream of complications he is forced to confront his fear in the shape of a 500 mph wall of water.

"Haeundae" stars Seol Kyeong-gu ("Public Enemy", "Voice of Murderer") as the title character and Ha Ji-won of "BA:BO" fame. It was released on July 23.

Rain to Get Exclusive IPTV Channel

Singer and actor Rain now has his own Internet protocol television (IPTV) channel where fans can catch glimpses of the star from morning to night, starting next month.

The singer's agency, J. Tune Entertainment, announced Friday that SK Broad & TV has decided to open an exclusive channel for him. This is the first time for a local celebrity to have his or her own channel on IPTV. The channel name has yet to be made.

Rain's channel will offer various categories that will reveal everything about the singer.

The "History" category will have music videos from his latest five albums, along with clips of his videos, while the "Designer Rain" category will offer fans the chance to peek behind the scenes of the singer's fashion brand, Six to Five.

Other categories will include commercials, performances, live concerts, photo shoots and other clips of Rain working as a singer, actor and designer, including unreleased material.

"As this is the first time for a local celebrity to have an exclusive channel on television, we feel a great deal of responsibility. We will put forth our efforts to bring more exclusive channels for artists in the long run. This channel has given us the opportunity to look for ways artists can get closer to and communicate better with fans", J.Tune Entertainment said.

Rain, who is the goodwill ambassador for Seoul city, will hold his 2009 Global Fan Meeting in Seoul Sunday at Kyung Hee University. It will be the first time for the singer to appear in front of fans in a year. His upcoming movie, "Ninja Assassin", will be in theaters in November.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

New drama starring Jang Hyeok and Oh Ji-ho

Jang Hyeok and Oh Ji-ho are casted for the new drama, "Slave Catcher" as main characters.

Jang Hyeok is the slave catcher and Oh Ji-ho is the runaway slave. Jang Hyeok's last historical drama was in 2003, SBS. Jang Hyeok will be looking for the woman he loves dearly while he chases the runaway slave.

For Oh Ji-ho, it will be his first historical drama ever. Oh's character has been framed thus ended up as a slave unfortunately.

The drama will be aired Wednesdays and Thursdays on KBS 2TV starting this October!

Source: news.nate.com

Rain to Return With Asian Tour

Singer and actor Rain will wipe away the summer heat with his upcoming Asian tour "Legend of 'Rain"' this August.

Starting in Japan, the concert will tour China and Southeast Asia, where the 27-year-old singer is popular, according to the singer's agency J.Tune Entertainment.

"(The title) shows his determination to become a legendary icon representing this period", the agency said through a press release.

The event has been in preparation ever since 'Rain"s fifth album release, which was a year ago, and the singer is planning to show his multiple talents as an entertainer by participating in the overall concert planning.

"Legend of 'Rain"' is his first tour in two years, and the agency stressed that they are planning a grand event to not only wow Asian fans, but fans around the world as well.

An agency official added that the event was to originally to visit more countries, but was downsized due to the promotion tour for the singer's upcoming film "Ninja Assassin". The movie is slated for release on Sept. 25.

Rain is planning to meet fans from regions he has never been to, and was quoted as saying that he hoped to meet as many fans possible through the concert. Organizers added that a Seoul concert will take time to confirm.

Meanwhile, Rain is holding a special fan meeting on July 26 at Kyung Hee University to meet fans prior to the concert.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

Rain to Help Hansik Globalization

Singer Rain will join Korea's efforts to help the world enjoy its indigenous food, other wise known as "hansik".

The international acclaimed singer, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, was appointed Monday as a point man for the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in leading the hansik globalization initiative.

"Hansik is seriously making its debut on the world stage but, with 'Rain"s help, it will in no time become food everybody can enjoy, like the world enjoying 'Rain"s music", Minister Chang Tae-pyong said, while presenting the singer with a plaque and certificate at his office in the Gacheon Government Complex.

The minister said that Rain would participate in hansik banquets for foreign dignitaries and help them to learn and enjoy Korean food.

Rain will serve as "Hansik Ambassador" for the next year, starring in promotional videos and taking part in related events. His hit number, "I do", was played as background music during the ceremony and for a video clip entitled, "Rain Soaked in the Beauty of Hansik".

A ministry official said that inviting Rain to assist in the globalization of hansik shows that Korea is very serious about turning the food industry into its future growth engine.

Under Minister Chang's leadership, Korea is pushing hard with a variety of related efforts from the standardization of hansik dishes to the provision of incentives for big hotels to open up hansik restaurants. In the ministry's annual food expo in October, a competition is scheduled for new and aspiring chefs.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

Actress' Husband Kills Himself Over Debt

The husband of actress Kim Da-hye was found dead in a motel in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, in what is believed to be a suicide, police said Thursday.

The man, identified as Jang, 34, was also the former manager of comedians Nam Hee-suk and Kim Ji-sun. He used briquettes to inhale toxic gases, police said.

Jang ran an entertainment agency and managed a number of comedians.

He married Kim, who starred in the 2006 movie "Silk Shoes", in May 2007.

Jang left a suicide note to his wife, police added. According to close associates, he disappeared in May. He is said to have been suffering from debt problems and overdue payments owed to comedians contracted to his firm. An autopsy is to be carried out.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

Kim Jeong-hoon In Comical Role

The premiere of the Korean-Japanese movie "Cafe Seoul" starring singer Kim Jeong-hoon from the duet UN was held June 28 in Tokyo. It was attended by filmmaker Masaharu Take, actor Kim Dong-wook from the TV drama "Coffee Prince", up-and-coming actor Takumi Saito, Jang Seo-won and Koo Bon-woong.

Prior to his military service, Kim Jeong-hoon said in a video message that he chose that role in "Cafe Seoul" because he had always wanted to play a cynical role. He added that he received injuries while filming scenes where he is beaten by gangsters.

He also added that he enjoys the movies produced by Takeshi Kitano and Satoshi Miki, and that he would want to try his skills in a comical role someday as well as the role of a detective or murderer.

Takumi Saito, who also appears in "Cafe Seoul", said the movie is a masterpiece of an innovative genre, and that he was impressed to see the production crew of the movie eat from the same pot and discuss the movie over lunch when it was filmed in Seoul.

Kim Dong-wook said he decided to take the role because it was interesting to see how Japanese writers and director dealt with Korean culture and traditions and because it was an opportunity to learn. Kim added, "Saito and I received energy from stamina drinks".

Director Masaharu Take, for his part, said the movie had presented him with a valuable experience and added jokingly that he still craved the Korean chicken and ginseng soup "samgyetang".

"Cafe Seoul" is a story about the conflicts, strong ties and love of three brothers whose traditional bakery "Morandang" is threatened to be demolished soon. The movie will open in Japan on July 18, starting in Tokyo.

Source: kbs.co.kr