Interview: Joo Woon

My name is Joo Won. My given name is Moon Joon-won. My father came up the name Joo Won for me after I made it into college. It means 'what the Lord wants and what I should do for the Lord.' 

I was born in Seoul on September 30, 1987 but I currently reside in Yong-in. 

My family is composed of my parents and my brother who is five years older than me. My brother and I are the type of siblings that if we don't talk outside of the house you wouldn't think we were related. One can say that my brother is a 'real man' because he is well-built and has a tough personality, whereas I am thinner and the soft type.

I suddenly grew tall when I was in eighth grade. Up until then I was always second or third shortest in my entire class but during vacation I grew 20 centimeters. I used to sit way up front in the classroom but moved to the back and even though my friends changed [their personalities] I was always introverted until I began theater. (laugh) Right now I am 185 centimeters tall and weigh 67 kilograms.

I take after my father personality-wise and look like my mother appearance-wise. My mother is quite the beauty. She even tried out for a talent search during her younger years and I heard that out of the three examinations she made it through the first two. 

Interview: Lee Min Jung

10: "Cyrano Agency" is a movie which contains elements of humor throughout. You seem to have said many times that you had fun reading the script so where was it that you broke out into laughter?

Lee Min-jung: The scene where Sang-yong (played by Choi Daniel) objects to the pastor's sermon? I thought it was really funny while reading the script when he asked for a deal, demanding the pastor end his sermon in an hour "Including the sermon, singing hymns and the words of guidance!" and the pastor responds "You win."

10: But I think the script must've been different from the completed movie.

Lee: Because there are parts of the script which have been expressed down to every detail while some things did not manage to make it into the movie. And there are parts which were changed on set as well.

10: In that sense, I think you may think that the scenes you like from the script and scenes you like from the movie must be different.

Lee: Well since it's our movie, I have an affinity for it and I think it's fun but I think the parts I'm not in are more interesting because I can look at them from a more objective stance. For example, I wasn't able to watch the incident which occurs in the beginning of the film being shot so it was better getting to see it in the movie. I think the beginning of the movie was done well. The incident opened up the element of humor. I think going into a movie knowing there are elements of humor in it is different from finding out in the middle that it is funny in parts. For example, I laughed out loud in the theater while watching director Park Chan-wook's "Thirst" but I think others didn't laugh because they didn't know it was black comedy. I think our movie does well in the beginning to show that as well.

Top Korean talenthouse KEYEAST will release an eco-friendly calendar featuring their stars, according to the agency on Tuesday.

KEYEAST announced in a press release that the calendar for the year 2011, including photographs and messages regarding the environment from KEYEAST stars such as Bae Yong-joon, Lee Na-young, E Ji-ah, Kim Hyun-joon and Choi Kang-hee, will go on sale in early October.

The calendar, part of the agency's push to help save the environment, will be produced with 100-percent recycled paper and printed in soybean oil. 

It will also feature the history of World Environment day and proceeds will be donated to the Global Education Program for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) National Committee for the Republic of Korea. 

"All of the talents of KEYEAST have graciously agreed to take part in this project. We hope that many fans show their support for the environment through this eco-friendly calendar," Yang Geun-hwan, the CEO of KEYEAST was quoted as saying. 

An official from UNEP said, "It is great to see how these top stars of Korea have taken part in this project to help the earth. Hopefully, people will learn more about the environment and the earth." 

The 2011 eco-calendar will go on sale simultaneously in Korea and Japan on October 5 while a smart phone application, to be produced in Korean and English, will be available in mid-October.

Founded in 2004, KEYEAST focuses on various aspects of the entertainment industry such as managing celebrities, licensing, planning and producing visual contents and investments.

Reporter : Lucia Hong

Editor : Jessica Kim 

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

* Wah! I would love to have one...

[PREVIEW] "Fugitive Plan B"

From left, upcoming KBS TV series "Fugitive Plan B" main cast Rain, Lee Na-young and Daniel Henney pose during a photocall of a press conference for the drama held at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, South Korea on September 27, 2010. [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Gee-woo (played by Jung Ji-hoon), an international investigator who has his smirking eyes hidden behind sunglasses, receives a request by Jini (played by Lee Na-young) one day to seek out Melchidec, a questionable character. Mutual trust is most important in an investigator-client relationship but for a certain reason, the two end up not trusting each other. And as soon as he accepts her request, Gee-woo, accused of killing his own colleague, starts being chased by detective Do-soo (played by Lee Jung-jin).

(Photo) The Fugitive Plan B Press Conference

From left, Korean actress Lee Na-young and singer and actor Rain pose during a photocall of a press conference for upcoming KBS TV series "Fugitive Plan B" held at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, South Korea on September 27, 2010.

Rain Says Done Lifetime's Worth of Running For "Fugitive"

Asian pop sensation Rain, who is constantly on the run as a fugitive in upcoming TV series "Fugitive Plan B," has said he has had to run so much that he has probably done a lifetime's worth of running.

In the romantic comedy investigative action series about a conspiracy involving a hefty sum of money going missing in times of the Korean War 60 years ago, Rain plays Gee-woo, a private detective at an international secret agency who becomes pegged as the murderer of his own old friend.

"Lee Jung-jin and my relationship is that of a chaser and the chased so we really ran a lot... I've done a lifetime's worth of running," the singer and actor told media outlets during a press conference for the drama held in Seoul on Monday.

He explained, however, that the action sequences were "not too tough to handle" after having received a year's worth of grueling training in Hollywood for Wachowski Brothers' pic "Ninja Assassin" last year which had left him with zero percent body fat.

The downside, he said, was that the show's director Gwak Jeong-hwan of hit drama "The Slave Hunters" fame, was becoming increasingly expectant of their performance. 

"He was doubtful of us pulling off the action sequences at first but after we succeeded the first few times, he now thinks we can do anything and so just yesterday, we jumped over a wall three meters high," Rain jokingly complained.

From the start of the press conference, Rain had expressed his excitement over working with Gwak and writer Chun Sung-il, the mastermind duo behind "The Slave Hunters" which he claimed to have been a fan of.

Starring Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji-ho and Lee Da-hae, the show hit viewership ratings of nearly 36 percent during its two-month run from January this year and was lauded by critics for its strong storyline and beautiful scenes produced through the use of a Red One camera.

Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, rose to stardom throughout Asia through his solo singing career in 2002, but has made several solid acting appearances on the small screen as well including "Sang Doo! Let's Go to School" and "Full House."

"Fugitive," a 20-part series featuring a multinational cast of Korean actors Lee Na-young, Daniel Henney, Lee Jung-jin, Kong Hyung-jin, Yoon Son-ha, Hong Kong-'s Ti Lung, China's Josei Ho, and Japanese actors Takenaka Naoto and Uehara Takako, will premiere on September 29 on KBS.

Reporter : Jessica Kim

Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk 

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Kim Jae-wook Hops Aboard Jang Geun-suk Drama

Model and actor Kim Jae-wook has been cast in an upcoming TV series starring top Korean actors Jang Keun-suk and Moon Geun-young, according to the show's promoter Ytree;media.

Ytree announced through a press release that Kim will appear as the love rival of Jang Keun-suk's character in the series based on online comic "Mary is Out of Night" by famed cartoon writer Won Soo-yeon set to air starting November.

Kim will take on the role of Jung-in, the Mr. Perfect with money, brains and the looks who weds Mary, played by Moon, for 100 days in a fake marriage.

Mary also fake marries Moo-kyul, played by Jang, who is a hippie and lead vocalist of an Indie band yet without anything else, eventually making realizations about love and herself.

Kim, 27, came into the spotlight after appearing in smash hit drama "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince" (MBC, 2007) and has since made several more appearances on the small and big screen including film "Antique" and most recently drama "Bad Boy." (SBS, 2010)

Jessica Kim jesskim@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Jaebeom To Sing on The Stage of KDF Awards

SOURCE: StarNews; TRANSLATION: Lydia@JAYPARK.NET

YOU MAY ONLY TAKE OUT WITH CREDITS TO JAYPARK.NET. DO NOT ADD/REMOVE CREDITS.

Jaebeom, the ex-member of the male group 2PM, will perform on stage of ’2010 Korea Drama Festival Awards’ as an artist.

An affiliated staff of the 2010 KDF notified the staff of MoneyToday news that “Jaebeom will be doing a performance as a celebratory singer”.

So Jaebeom will decorate the stage with ZE:A at the 2010 KDF which will be held on Oct.2 at 6pm at the Kyung-Nam Cultural Art Centre.

On the other hand, the 2010 Korea Drama Festival will be held at the Kyung-Nam Cultural Arts Centre and on the South River side from October 1st until October 12th.

Reporter Kim Ji-Yeon

Jay Finally Open His Official Website!

Jaywalkers Check This Out!

... now Jay inform this himself... what are you waiting for... 

click (mailing list tutorial) and click (website) again (^^)

[Fanvid] My Girlfriend Is Gumiho - Now I Love You

Credit Vid: Dramatory@YT

Love the MV! It’s awesome

Reactions To This Year’s Golden Bell Nominations

The 45th Golden Bell Awards nominations were finally announced on Monday after much anticipation. It dominated entertainment pages on the following day as expected, and quickly became a hot topic amongst netizens (specifically on PTT.) Now that we’ve had some time to let them sink in, let’s take a look at the hits & mostly misses of this year’s GBA nominations. 

Many were disappointed that Ady An was not nominated for her performance in “Autumn’s Concerto”. Despite being a huge hit, the drama only received one nod for marketing. “Down With Love” shared a similar fate as its lone nomination came from the same category. Netizens mocked the Golden Bell saying Van Ness Wu and Jerry Yan were recognized for their valuable marketability after all. 

Although director Chen Hui Ling (陳慧翎) received multiple nods for her other drama “Year of the Rain(那年，雨不停國)”, she couldn't help but felt disappointed with the outcome for “Autumn’s Concerto”. Van Ness Wu’s manager said the actor indeed had a “slight hope” towards the Golden Bell, so he is feeling a “slight regret” now. His costar Ady An wrote,

“Maybe our filming and ratings were too full of happiness, so our award will have to wait till the *Next Stop!”

The Fugitive : Plan B

Title: 도망자 / Do Mang Ja / The Fugitive : Plan B

Chinese Title : 逃亡者

Also Known as: Runaway

Genre: Action, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast Network: KBS2

Broadcast period: 2010-Sep-29 to 2010-Dec-02

Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 21:55

Synopsis

Weekly Ratings Recap And a Quick Look at The 2010 Golden Bell Nominations

Just a brief ratings recap before highlights from the Golden Bell Nominations: “Zhong Wu Yen” improved to 2.82% (from 2.36% for the previous week) and easily held onto first place. Korean drama “Personal Taste” was second with 1.27%, followed by the new entry “4 Gifts” with a solid debut at 1.14%. “Endless Love” is the only drama that saw a decrease with 0.75% (from 0.81%).

And now, highlights from the 45th Golden Bell Awards nominations announced earlier today: The big surprise was “Autumn’s Concerto (下一站，幸福)” as the hit drama only garnered one nomination in the marketing category. The PTS network continued its domination with nods in 26 out of 32 categories. Their mini-drama “Seeing Heaven (看見天堂)” led the way with 8 nominations in total. “Year of the Rain (那年，雨不停國)”, also from PTS, was nominated in 6 categories including Best Drama and Best Director. The drama was directed by Autumn’s Concerto’s Chen Hui Ling (陳慧翎) and co-produced by Van Ness Wu. 

On The Set of a One-Act Drama With MBLAQ's Lee Joon

Lee Joon and Yang Mi-kyung [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

"Okay, fans please get ready." On a hot August day, boy band MBLAQ member Lee Joon, no, him as the rapper of popular idol group, is waiting on the stage of the Melon AX Hall in Seoul. This location, where a fan meeting and birthday party are shot together, is the set for MBC's one-act drama "Housewife Kim Kwang-ja's New Activity." Housewife Kim Kwang-ja (played by actress Yang Mi-kyung), who was spending boring and tedious days because of her curt husband and supporting her indifferent high school daughter, for the first time in her life starts acting as a 'fan' after coming across Jin's music. This starts to slowly change the life of Kim Kwang-ja's life and the people around her in the most unexpected ways.

It was not an open recording but when the stylist fixed Lee Joon's make-up and even when he just took a gulp of water, the screams that burst out from fans heated up the scene even more. Lee Joon, embarrassed from the cheering and applauding whenever the director gives an okay sign, shows the most natural stage manner when singing his group's song "One Better Day" wish revised lyrics. When glow-in-the-dark sticks are handed out, the supporting cast who have no experience being 'fans,' they start shaking them thoughtlessly but it's a piece of cake for actual fans who have volunteered to take part in the shoot. For the climax scene where Kim Kwang-ja and Jin meet on stage, Lee Joon takes actress Yang Mi-kyung's hand and places it above his heart during a rehearsal. The audience automatically breaks out into a scream but the crew is busy steadying them while telling them, "Scream all you want, even more than you did now, when we go into shoot!" What is this strange meeting between an idol star and middle-aged lady -- romance? Just a scandal? Or something else? You can check the results of "Housewife Kim Kwang-ja's New Activity" at 10:35 a.m. on September 22.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun

Photographer : Chae ki-won

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Jang Kyung-Jin 

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

(Photo) Lee Joon Shoot One Act Drama

MBLAQ member Lee Joon preps ahead of going into shoot for one-act TV series "Housewife Kim Kwang-ja's New Activity" at the Melon AX Hall in Seoul, South Korea.

(Photo) Onew, Dana & Ahn Jae Wook Performs for 'Rock of Ages'

SHINee member Onew performs during the press call for musical "Rock of Ages" held at the Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea on September 16, 2010.

From left, SHINee member Onew and female singer Dana perform a scene from musical "Rock of Ages" during its press call held at the Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea on September 16, 2010.

Singer and actor Ahn Jae-wook performs a scene from musical "Rock of Ages" during its press call held at the Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea on September 16, 2010.

Onew Views Celebrities' Pursuit Of Multiple Jobs Positively

SHINee member Onew takes part in a press conference for musical "Rock of Ages" held at the Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea on September 16, 2010. [Lee Ki-bum/Asia Economic Daily]

Singer Onew of boy band SHINee has said he thinks positively of celebrities pursuing multiple jobs.

The 20-year-old singer made the remark at a press call and press conference for musical "Rock of Ages" on Thursday, responding to a reporter's question on what he thinks about celebrities branching out their careers to various realms of the entertainment industry.

"I think that one person being able to do several things is an advantage," Onew started by saying. "I used to feel distant about singers taking on acting but not anymore...... I think a lot can be shown including singing, acting and musicals when one is given the chance."

Singer Dana, also a cast member of the musical, agreed with Onew. "I think an artist's job is to make the public laugh and feel moved...... The only difference is whether it's done by singing or acting so I think taking on musicals where you can do both with some extra effort, is good as well," she explained.

Musical "Rock of Ages," Broadway's newest production this year composed of rock music and lyrical pop music representative of the 80s, is making its premiere in Korea.

Starring singers Shin Sung-woo, Ahn Jae-wook, Onew, J and Dana, the show will run till October 30 at the Olympic Park in Seoul

Reporter : Lee Eun-ji ghdpssk@

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

MC Mong Will Be Provisionally Taken out of 1N2D

MC Mong

MC Mong will not be on TV for the time being after for being indicted for evasion of military service and interference with a government official in the execution of his duties.

The variety programs for which he is a fixed cast member include SBS’s “HahaMong Show” and KBS2TV’s “Happy Sunday’s 1 Night 2 Days.”

The producers of the two programs held a joint meeting regarding the MC Mong issue and have made a decision after both were lambasted last weekend for airing the shows with him in it.

The “HahaMong Show” will be put on hiatus until a final judgment is made from the 19th. Many already believe that the show is preparing to be axed for good.

On the 14th, SBS made an official statement and revealed, “We’ve continued to broadcast footage with him because a final judgment has not yet been made. However, now that the suspicions have spread beyond control, we have decided that it is not right to continue broadcasting against viewer protests. There are still two episodes worth of footage already recorded, but beginning from the 19th, a different program will take its place.”

“1 Night 2 Days” has also made an official statement stating, “Starting from the 17th, MC Mong’s appearance in the show will be deferred. We are aware that a judgment has not been made regarding his service evasion, but we must also take into account the viewers and their feelings. For now, we have decided that it is impossible for MC Mong to appear on the show. This decision will only stand until a proper judgment is made and ‘1 Night 2 Days’ will continue with a five member group.”

The episode set to broadcast on the 19th has edited out MC Mong as much as possible.

Credit Source: Allkpop

* NO! huhuhuhu hope things goes right for him soon... the program seems different now... first Kim C and now without Mong ....  (T T)

Moon Geun Young Decides to Take Role on "Mary Stayed Out All Night"

Top Korean actress Moon Geun-yeong has decided to join the main cast of an upcoming KBS TV series also starring actor Jang Geun-seok, according to the show's promoter Ytree;media on Monday.

Ytree announced through a press release that the 23-year-old starlet will take on the role of the shameless and optimistic Mary in the drama based on comic "Mary Stayed Out All Night" by famed cartoon writer Won Soo-yeon.

"Mary Stayed Out All Night" will be a romantic comedy which revolves around Mary who makes realizations about love and herself while being in two fake marriages for 100 days -- to Moo-kyul, a hippie and Indie band lead vocalist who has nothing, and Jung-in, a man who has everything including the brains, looks and wealth.

"'Mary Stayed Out All Night' is brilliant in terms of its material and plot but is also fun and appealing because of its unique characters", Moon said. "I feel pressured because simulated marriage is a topic which has never been handled in dramas before but I'm also excited and nervous about how I'll show it".

Just last week, Jang had confirmed he had been cast for the role of Moo-kyul in the drama set to air starting November, after series "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" ends its run.

Moon, currently starring in play "Closer" as Alice, the role of a stripper taken on by Natalie Portman in the movie version, last appeared on the popular small screen show "Cinderella's Sister" five months ago.

Moon, with already 10 years of acting experience under her belt, has appeared in numerous films and dramas including "Autumn in my Heart" and "My Little Bride".

She also won the grand prize at major broadcaster SBS' year-end Acting Awards last year for her role as a talented painter in drama "Painter of the Wind" which has received several international acclaims.

Jessica Kim jesskim@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Source : 10.asiae.co.kr

HahaMong Show on Hiatus!

SBS has decided to pull the plug on the “HahaMong Show” starting on the 19th of September, due to the controversies of MC Mong’s ongoing military scandal.

SBS opted to air “Strong Heart” as a replacement for the show today, and have not made yet made a final decision to cancel the show altogther. As of now, however, the show is officially on hiatus and will be until further notice. With charges against MC Mong are still unclear, SBS has decided to take a wait-and-see approach to determine the best course of action.

Although the show aired during its regular time slot this past Sunday, SBS received harsh criticism for airing the program. KBS is currently under fire for the same situation, as MC Mong is a huge part of the cast on “1 Night 2 Days”.

MC Mong stated on his Cyworld,

“I received an exemption from the army because of my bad teeth. I never would have even thought of pulling my teeth just to receive the exemption and my teeth were just that bad and not normal. When I see the comments branding myself as a draft dodger, I am deeply saddened. It’s not easy filming for my programs.”

The situation has put MC Mong in a tough spot and as a fan, one can only hope that things will get better for him.

Credit Source: Allkpop

* Sorry to say... but after following every 'cases' within Korean Entertainment... I can only says that... most korean fans aren't that forgiven... once they got a news they'll take it, keep it, nurture it, make it big and let them die.... They'll only cry a river when they've killed that person and start point their fingers to each other and digS out every good things they've remember about that person when it's totally 'The End'. 

I started thinking they're acting like a 'VIRUS'....

Luckily My Jay still stand strong, hopes Mong will be strong too.... I really hope.

“1 Night 2 Days” Edits Out MC Mong For New Episode

With singer MC Mong’s draft conspiracy set to be booked without detention, “1 Night 2 Days,” a program he is a fixed cast on, has decided to carry out a daring decision.

The producers of KBS 2TV’s “1 Night 2 Days” spoke with Osen on the 12th and revealed, 

“We received news about MC Mong after we’ve already finished editing the episode set to broadcast this afternoon. Even if there isn’t a final judgment out yet, since it is a sensitive issue and one that deeply affects our society and our citizens, we have decided to edit out MC Mong’s cuts as much as possible for now.”

The representative went on to reveal, 

“The episode that will air today will be a lot shorter than usual. We realized that the episode was cut about 15 minutes after we edited out MC Mong.”

When asked about MC Mong’s position, he stated, 

“Nothing has been decided yet. Once the investigations are finished, the producers and the variety industry alike will be starting a serious discussion. We cannot tell viewers for sure whether he will continue or leave the show.”

Source: OSEN & Allkpop

* WTH! I started watching this program because of him... argh...

[INTERVIEW] Taeyang (Big Bang)

Taeyang (YG Entertainment)

A song is the language through which a singer expresses his emotions. Or at least 20 years ago, this was such a natural thing that it was embarrassing to say so. But these days, this is embarrassing in a different sense. Nobody is sincere when it comes to singing these days. When a certain tone of vocals becomes popular, that immediately becomes the trend, and numerous business-related issues will be linked to a single song. Even when the press spoke of 'four-second singer' or 'removing the MR,' the focus of the debate was on how well the singer sings, not what those songs are trying to deliver. 

In the midst of that, Taeyang says his songs are his way of speaking his heart. This singer, currently one of the most successful idol singers, convinced the interviewee that singing is the way he delivers his emotions rather than it being his job or something that he likes to do. And it did not come from the fact that he was an idol who wanted to be acknowledged as a musician or an artist. Rather than considering music a noble ideal or something difficult, he regarded it as his way of communicating with the world. So how did he come to accept music as his language? 10Asia spoke to Taeyang who said he found his confidence through his first full-length studio release "Solar."

10: You're still busy these days, right? (laugh) Having to promote "I'll Be There" while preparing for your concert as well.

Taeyang: Yes. Things are hectic these days. (laugh) I'm going to try to promote "I'll Be There" up till the concert takes place.

Jang Geun-seok To Play Indie Rocker in New Drama

Korean actor and singer Jang Geun-seok has signed on for a role in an upcoming KBS drama, according to his agency Tree J. Company on Friday.

Tree J. announced in a press release that he will be playing the role of an Indie rocker in the series, based on the web-based cartoon by writer Won Soo-yeon, tentatively titled "Mary Stayed Out All Night".

Won Soo-yeon is the writer of the comic series "Full House" whose small screen adaptation in 2004 starred top Korean star Rain and actress Song Hye-kyo.

"Mary Stayed Out All Night" is about a girl named Jung-in who has never been in a romantic relationship and instead has two fake marriages with two separate guys, a perfectionist and a leader singer of a band, with completely different personalities.

"I feel more pressured choosing a project that involves singing. It makes me wonder if I have a set image as an actor who only plays musicians in dramas", Jang was quoted as saying, adding that he enjoyed reading the synopsis for "Mary Stayed Out All Night".

"I feel like I am making a return and as an actor I get the most joy in starring in a new drama", Jang continued to explain. "I am putting everything into 'Mary' and hope to show the audience something new".

"Mary Stayed Out All Night" will premiere in the country in November.

Jang, 23, rose to fame with his roles in MBC's sitcom "Nonstop 4" (2003) and "Beethoven Virus" (2008). He became a household throughout Asia last year through his role of the eccentric lead singer in the hit SBS' series "You're Beautiful".

He recently wrapped up his Asia tour in Korea last weekend, which kicked off six months ago, where he met with numerous fans in Taiwan, Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka and Hong Kong.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>