'City Hunter' Couple Fall in Love Off-Camera

Life has imitated art for star couple Lee Min-ho (24) and Park Min-young (25), whose on-screen characters fell madly in love on the recently ended SBS drama "City Hunter" before the actors followed suit.

Their agencies confirmed on Tuesday that the pair started dating one month ago, after shooting wrapped up. They first met while filming the KBS drama, "I Am Sam," in 2007.

While Lee rose to stardom through his lead role in the KBS show "Boys Over Flowers" in 2009, Park caught the public eye the following year when she acted in "Sungkyunkwan Scandal," broadcast by KBS. She is now busy filming the drama "Glorious Jane," also by KBS. It will air in October.

source: Chosun Ilbo

F4 members reunite to support Kim Joon

From left, actors Lee Min-ho, Kim Bum and Ku Hye-sun turn up at Coex Artium in Seoul, South Korea on October 21, 2009 to watch Kim Joon's musical "Youth March". [Planet 905]

Actors Lee Min-ho, Kim Bum and Ku Hye-sun turned up at a theatre on Wednesday in support of their "Boys Over Flowers" co-star Kim Joon who starred in a musical for the past three months.

The three actors made a surprise visit to congratulate Kim Joon on the last day of his musical "Youth March", his agency Planet 905 said in a press release.

The two F4 members and heroine of the hit TV series watched the two-hour musical and visited Kim backstage afterwards.

Kim had starred as one of the F4 members, which also included boy band SS501 singer Kim Hyun-joong, in the drama which aired early this year.

Kim Joon, originally a member of boy band T-Max, will resume his activities as a singer and visit several countries in Asia on promotion -- flying into Vietnam tomorrow and moving onto Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

T-Max member Kim Joon (center) performs on stage for his musical "Youth March" at Coex Artium on October 21, 2009. [Planet 905]

Credits to Jessica Kim
source: asiae.co.kr

'Smap x Smap' Featuring F4 Airs in Japan

The Fuji TV show "Smap x Smap" featuring the "F4 boys" from the KBS TV drama "Boys Over Flowers" -- Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Beom and Kim Jun -- aired on July 13, recording viewer ratings of 15.9 percent. The four actors visited Japan in April to record the show.

The show went on the air for the first time in three months after it was suspended because one of its members, Tsuyoshi Kusanaki, appeared naked on the show.

On the show, the F4 members appeared in the segment where Katori Shinko acts as a psychic and provides counseling on various problems. The F4 members introduced themselves and entertained viewers with amusing facial expressions.

On Lee Min-ho's question whether or not "Boys Over Flowers" stands a good chance of succeeding in Japan, Tsuyoshi Kusanaki said the drama would be a huge hit.

source: KBS Global
http://english.kbs.co.kr/Entertain/EntertainmentNews/view.html?No=7077

Tags:Boys over Flowers/Lee Min ho/Kim Hyun joong/Kim Beom/Kim Jun/KBS TV drama

Tears Fall at Gong Yoo’s Final Fan-Meeting Before Enlistment

Actor Gong Yoo was seen teary-eyed at his final fan-meeting before enlisting in the army.

Gong Yoo met with roughly a 1000 fans at the Seoul Sungkyunkwan University’s 600th Anniversary Hall on January 6th at 2pm. With plans to enter the Nonsan military training base on the 14th, Gong Yoo enjoyed some time with fans and had a chance to sing and discuss about several topics concerning various dramas.

At the fan meeting he revealed that he spent some time resting at home after 'The first shop of Coffee Prince'. He went on to say, “When I was awarded Best Actor at the MBC Drama Awards, I was so nervous that I don’t even remember what I said that night.”

He continued, "I believe that the military experience will be a great chance to grow as a person. I will be back soon, so don’t worry." With only a week left, he expressed that with the remaining time he has left, he “would like to fill a year’s worth of happiness into each day.” On this day, Gong Yoo’s fan sent a video message saying, “We hope you return as an even more sensational person.” Gong Yoo then tearfully responded with a song by Kim Dong-Yul, ‘Thank You’, saying, “I told myself that I wasn’t going to cry, but the corners of my eyes are turning red.”

Gong Yoo ended the session by personally handing each of his 1000 fans a rose and giving them a handshake.

source:tour2korea

Related tags : Gong Yoo /korean actor/Korean drama/Coffee Prince

Lee Jun Ki visits Japan for 'My Girl' promotion

Actor Lee Jun Ki is promoting in Japan. Capturing audiences both on screen and television through the 2005 'My Girl' and movie 'The King and the Clown,' he will now reach out to Japan amidst his popularity in the current drama series 'Time Between Dog and Wolf' as well as the movie 'Splendid Holiday.'

'My Girl' will be aired starting on the 6th through TV Tokyo. Lee Jun Ki will attend an event commemorating the broadcast of 'My Girl' at the Tokyo International Forum on September 13th and also an event for the opening of his official Japanese website and fan club the following day. The event on the 14th will be held with 150 invited fan members preceded by a press conference. He will also conduct personal interviews with various media personnel on the 15th.

The event on the 13th has been gathering attention for the planned 30 minute talk with Iwai Shimako, a writer and fan of Lee Jun Ki.

source: Broasia

Related Tags: Lee Jun ki/korean drama/korean series/my girl/The Time of Dogs and Wolves/korean actor

Soo Ae Sheds Refined Image for Boorish New Role

Actress Soo Ae has completely revamped her image as the "queen of tears." In the MBC weekend drama "9 End 2 Outs," she has broken out of her fragile and elegant shell, playing a 30-year-old, foul-mouthed and disheveled spinster. She has cast off her melancholy mien and transformed into a jaded single woman struggling with life. Working at a small publishing firm, she dreams of becoming a writer, though nobody much cares. She has a baseball-player boyfriend eight years her junior and, thanks to objections from her family and friends, the relationship is going nowhere. As the character Hong Nan-hee, Soo Ae has taken her acting to a new level. read more

source: chosun

Related Tags: Soo Ae/MBC Drama/korean drama/korean actress/9 End 2 Outs

Song Hye-kyo Bag Line Boosts Her Pan-Asian Status

Actress Song Hye-kyo reconfirmed her status as a top Asian star on July 18 at a product launch event for the handbag brand "Song Hye Kyo for Celine."

Song, who arrived in Hong Kong July 17, gave interviews to a number of media outlets from all over the world.

The actress was pursued by the paparazzi all the way from the airport, and some 200 journalists attended the event, double the originally expected number.

The director of Celine's Hong Kong branch said he was satisfied with the new bag line because it turned out more beautifully than he had expected. He also added he was honored to have a business partnership with Song, who is a pan-Asian star.

A person from Celine said the company was flooded with orders for the Song Hye Kyo for Celine bags even though they have yet to go on sale.
source: kbs grobal

Related Tags: Song Hye Kyo for Celine/korean actress/korean star/Song Hye Kyo/Asian star

Korean Star Kwon Sang-woo Appears on Japanese TV

A Japanese online sports newspaper reported that Korean heartthrob Kwon Sang-woo will appear on a Fuji TV program. Kwon became popular in Japan with his work in the TV drama "Stairway to Heaven" opposite Choi Ji-woo of "Winter Sonata" fame.

Kwon is scheduled to appear on a program called "FNS 27 Hour TV" on July 28 and 29, as well as "The Adventure King 2007." Kwon's TV appearances are expected to set off another nationwide hallyu boom in Japan regarding a Korean actor.

source: kbs grobal

Related Tags: Kwon Sang woo/Stairway to Heaven/Choi Ji woo/Winter Sonata/Korean actor/korean dramas

LA Times Spotlights Daniel Henney

The Los Angeles Times has carried a special story on half-Korean actor Daniel Henney, who has become a major star in Korea in just two years since his debut here.

The U.S. daily called his immense popularity interesting because of Henney's confession that his Korean language skills are at the level of a 12 year old, he cannot fully handle an all Korean cultural situations and that he's not yet comfortable with the Korean style of emotional expression.

His soon to be released film 'My Father' is about an adoptee who comes to Korea to look for his biological parents and how he eventually reunites with his father.

The LA Times cited Henney as saying that "I'm not yet familiar with the Korean father and son relationship but fortunately, I am in the same position with the character I played in the film."

The paper covered how the model-turned-actor first came to Seoul in May 2005 for a commercial shoot, his rise to stardom through the hit Korean dramas 'My Name is Kim Sam-soon' and 'Spring Waltz' and his recent film debut 'Seducing Mr. Robin.'

source: kbs global

Related Tags: half-Korean actor/Daniel Henney/My Father/My Name is Kim Sam soon/Spring Waltz/Seducing Mr. Robin

Jang Nara and Kim Jung Hoon appointed publicity ambassadors of Korean dramas

Jang Nara and Kim Jung Hoon are leading the way to promote Korean dramas which have been losing popularity in China.

The two are attending STVF 2007 as publicity ambassadors of Korean dramas being held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in China.

The Korean Broadcasting Institute announced on the 13th, "Jang Nara and Kim Jung Hoon attended the 'Korean Day' events including the appointing ceremony, fan autograph sessions, and others on the 12th."

Jang Nara who has been active as a singer and actress in China joined the group after her solo concert in Beijing on the 8th and 9th. Kim Jung Hoon who has become popular from the drama series 'Princess Hours (Goong)' was also cast as the main character of 'Yeon Ae Byung Beob (Love Strategies),' a joint drama production of China and Korea.

The 'Korean Day' event the two attended gathered the attention of the press, but once again reflected the declining export of Korean drama series to China.

KBI commented, "The declining export of Korean drama series is also happening in Shanghai. We must place efforts in creating more joint production projects amongst various Asian countries to change the one-way exporting image of Korean content, and must establish a supporting system for such efforts."

source: Broasia

photo credit to junghoonchina.com

Related Tags: Jang Nara/Kim Jung Hoon/Korean Day/Goong/Princess Hours/korean dramas

Han Chae-young got married

Korean actress Han Chae-young (27) has tied the knot with a successful businessman Choi Dong Joon (31) at Shilla Hotel in Seoul over the weekend.

Congratulations to her!

More pictures at Popseoul

Related Tags: Korean actress/Han Chae-young/korean star/korean wedding

Chinese Poll Picks Bae as Top Korean Drama Star

Actor Bae Yong-jun has thanked Chinese portal Sohu.com for selecting him as the top star in the ten most recent years of Korean dramas.

In the Chinese online poll, Bae ranked first along with actress Jang Seo-hui.

Bae posted a message on the site in appreciation of the honor.

He said that China and Korea have had common cultural ground from long ago and that it was good to see the positive response to and great interest in Korean dramas in China.

He thanked Chinese fans for their continued love for Korean dramas and promised to appear in quality productions.

source: kbs grobal

Related Tags: Bae Yong-jun/korean dramas/Jang Seo-hui/korean tv series/korean actor/korean actress