Lee Minho and Son Ye Jin for Personal Taste

With March nearly upon us, it’s the time where a load of new dramas make their debut and we have another one to introduce to you. The new MBC mini series, Personal Taste, starring Lee Minho and Son Ye Jin recently revealed their promotional stills, generating interest among fans.

Just like Lee Minho’s last drama, Boys Over Flowers, he will be romancing his co-star who is older than him by five years off the screen.

The photos were recently taken at MBC Dream Center at Ilsan on the 18th which portrays them living together under one roof as roommates. The story is adapted from a novel of the same name and is about a guy called Jeon Jin Ho who is a straight guy but pretends to be gay in order to become a roommate to his female friend, Park Kae In. Sounds familiar but what matters most is the process.

Personal Taste will premiere on March 31st.

credits to Allkpop

Kim Hee-seon, Lee Jun-ki being considered for new drama

Top Korean actors Kim Hee-seon and Lee Jun-ki are being considered as the main cast for a new historical drama based on medicine helmed by famed director Kim Jong-hak of the "Taewangsasingi" series.

"We are still in the process of discussing whether she will appear in 'Faith' -- nothing has been set as of yet," actress Kim's agency told Asia Economic Daily over the phone on Friday.

A source close to the producers of the show also said discussions are still underway with the cast to be confirmed by late February at the earliest.

Meanwhile, an official with a broadcaster said Lee's appearance in the drama has almost been set with the actor himself showing "great interest in the show."

The drama, tentatively titled "Faith," will be director Kim's comeback production set to air on the small screen near the end of the year.

Actress Kim, 32, has been one of the most popular actresses in the country since her debut in 1993. She was last seen on the screen in SBS' 2006 TV series "Smile Again" until she married in 2007.

Lee made a splash into the acting industry, appearing in the 2005 hit film "The King and the Clown" which is the second-most watched Korean film to date. His latest work was MBC TV series "Hero," which ended its run mid-January of this year.

Reporter : Lim Hye-seon lhsro@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Han Hye-jin Embraces Challenge of Historical Role

The actress Han Hye-jin looked beautiful in Korean traditional dress or hanbok on the set of TV series "Jejungwon." Set in the final years of the Chosun Dynasty in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries, the clothes she wears for the drama are not completely traditional in their flamboyant colors and patterns, but they suited the actress to a T.

Han plays a role of the first woman doctor of Western medicine in Korea. Costume is essential for the character, so Han has to get changed at least five times a day during shooting. Although she is happy with the hanbok, she confessed that the clothes could be inconvenient.

"Because I have to wear heavily wired and layered petticoat, it is very uncomfortable every time I go to the toilet. It takes such a long time for just one trip," she said. "Another difficulty is that a lot of the shooting takes place outdoors. But it's still very fun process when you shoot a TV series together with many people and carry the story forward. Because the script is so interesting, I get totally immersed in the story rather than thinking about how hard it is. I'm a bit scared because I'm least confident in historical drama, but I go to work every day in the hope that I'll be able to see that I've made some progress."

Han made her comeback to both TV and cinema early January with "Jejungwon" and the film "No Mercy," her first starring role on the big screen. "Many people ask me why I hadn't starred in a film after all these years, but I still think it's a huge honor," she said. "There are many talented actors and actresses who are forced to rest for prolonged periods because there aren't many opportunities. I'm very grateful that I was able to do both the TV series and the film at the same time."

Han has been in an open relationship with the singer Naul for five years. "Many people tell me that things get harder when you have a long-term romance, and encourage me to get married soon. But we are so comfortable the way we are now. As I've worked hard in my career, I want to let my boyfriend work as he wishes," she said.

Credit: englishnews@chosun.com

source : Chosun

TV series "Goong" to be made into musical production

Official poster for musical "Goong" [Group 8]

Hit television drama "Goong" is set to be made into a musical, according to a press release by the show's producer Group 8.

Group 8 explained that they had long planned on creating the musical version of "Goong", originally based on a comic series before being made into an adaptation on the small screen in 2006.

The musical "Goong" -- the first of the "Group 8 Musical Collection" series -- will be filled with fancy art direction, which the TV series was also famous for, and include various music genres and dance sequences.

The producers are currently casting the lead actors for the musical through an open audition on www.group8tv.com/audition.html.

"Goong" (MBC, 2006) is a story about an average high-school girl marrying a royal prince in 21st century Korea, which is in fiction a monarchical country. The drama was a huge success and turned its two lead actors, Yoon Eun-hye and Joo Ji-hoon, into household names.

The musical will premiere on September 3 at the National Museum of Korea.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Park Han Byul to romance Super Junior's Choi Siwon

Actress Park Han Byul has been added to the cast of SBS’s Oh! My Lady which stars Super Junior’s Choi Siwon and veteran actress Park Chae Rim.

Siwon plays the role of a rude celebrity actor, and Chae Rim plays the manager of Siwon. Park Han Byul will play the role of a former lover of Siwon, she leaves him to study abroad and returns to Korea as a director of a fashion house. Siwon will come in contact with her once again as he becomes a model for the fashion house.

I’ve never seen Park Han Byul act before and to be honest I don’t know much about her besides the fact that she’s the girlfriend of Se7en. This drama seems interesting though and SBS may have a big hit on their hand. This might be the venue launching Park Han Byul to the next level as she advances her career as an actress.
source: Allkpop

[ Korean Drama 2008 ] Worlds Within

Genre: Romance
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2008-Oct-27 to 2008-Dec-16
Air time: Monday & Tuesday 21:55
Official site: http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/worlds/

Cast: Hyun Bin as Jung Ji Oh
Song Hye Kyo as Joo Joon Young
Uhm Ki Joon as Song Gyu Ho
Seo Hyo Rim as Jang Hae Jin

Synopsis:

Broadcasting station, especially television drama production, is often called as the core of desire and materialism. TV station is the place of envy for many people, but they also criticize it as the place where unethical thoughts are generalized. However, those who work in drama production team are not different from us; they are common people who need love and care just like others. Most of Korean dramas are focused on family problems and troubled relationships between lovers. However, for the moderners, workplace is where they spend most of their time. If one fails to build decent relationships with others in his workplace, it would be hard to read his life as a success. “Worlds Within” will bring out the stories of drama production staffs; the warm, touching stories of their love and life.

Hyeon Bin (Jung Ji Oh )
He is acute, righteous, humane, warm-hearted, and passionate. He is also the envy of his juniors. Two miniseries, which he produced in the last three years, had good ratings and were highly acclaimed for their quality. Now, he is producing another miniseries which has a good quality and high ratings.

Song Hye-kyo (Joo Joon Young)
She finished the harsh period as an assistant producer six months ago. Two short dramas which she produced lately received a favorable evaluation and enjoyed high ratings. As she was awarded a prize at a drama festival held in foreign country, she became a new producer of note.
She is straightforward, passionate, delightful, firm, and cool. But, through her parents, she has learned early how thin and futile trust can be between people. Knowing that, she cannot decide what to do in the relationship with Jio which obviously has ended while her heart just aches.
source: www.koreanmovie.com

Gallery:

Bae Yong-joon, Choi Ji-woo reunite for "Winter Sonata" anime

Top Hallyu stars Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo will be reuniting as co-stars in the final scene for Japanese animation “Winter Sonata~ Another Story~”, according to a press release by Bae’s agency KEYEAST.

KEYEAST explained that the two actors -- who provided voice-overs for their famous fictional characters in “Another Story~”-- are set to make an actual appearance in the ending scene for the animated version of their hit TV series “Winter Sonata”.

“More Japanese viewers are becoming interested in the animation with every episode,” an executive at the animation production company was quoted as saying. “So the producers and actors agreed to shoot an actual [non-animation] ending scene to repay the viewers for their support of the series.”

“Another Story~” was created with a newly-structured story with many of the cast members from the original TV show lending their voices for the anime characters.

The promotional event for the series made headlines last September when some 50,000 fans showed up at Tokyo Dome to see Bae, Choi and other supporting cast members.

Korean actors Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo became household names throughout Asia with the success of “Winter Sonata”. Bae, in particular, gained a huge following in Japan and earned the nickname “Yonsama”

“Another Story” currently airs in Japan every Saturday on three channels -- Ch.750 (DATV), Ch. 190 and Ch. 800 (SKY PerfecTV!). The final episode is schedule to air on April 24.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
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