July 29, 2012

[Interview] 120729 The Philippine Star – Lee Min Ho: Soccer’s loss is showbiz’s gain


Bench has clinched another coup by enlisting the Korean superstar as its newest endorser. ‘I love it!’ exclaimed Lee during the Bench pictorial in Seoul. SEOUL — Was anything lost in translation? I strongly suspected that there was because during this Conversation, Korean superstar Lee Min Ho was giving long answers in Korean and the lady interpreter was giving short ones. Or did she simply summarize what Lee was trying to say? Anyway, beforehand the Manila journalists and I who were invited to cover the pictorial were cautioned not to ask Lee any personal question, so I’m warning you at the outset not to expect to read anything personal about Lee, not even what type of girls he is attracted to. But of course, Lee’s fans know practically everything about him. For the sake of those who are clueless, I culled some data about Lee from the Internet, to wit: Lee was born on June 22, 1987, and he has only one sibling (an older sister). His idol as a kid was Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian football superstar (Note: Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer, born in 1985.) , so Lee wanted to become a football player, a dream nipped in the bud when Lee was injured when he was in Grade 5. In his senior year in high school, Lee signed up with StarHaus Entertainment and auditioned for small roles in TV shows. In 2006, his budding showbiz career suffered a hitch when he was seriously injured in a car accident along with his childhood friend and fellow actor Jung Il Woo. Fully recovered in 2009, Lee resumed his rudely-interrupted showbiz career. He was cast in Boys Over Flowers which was a hit all over Asia including the Philippines. It was based on the popular Japanese TV drama Hana Yori Dango. Last year, he was cast in City Hunter (which ABS-CBN is re-airing, now on a late-afternoon timeslot). He’s now busy at work on the new drama Faith which is set to start airing next month. The Korean newspaper Joongang Daily reported that Lee’s followers online have exceeded the 10-million mark, according to StarHaus, with more than 54.4 million followers on Facebook (Note: should be 5.4million and 5.6million up-to-date) , four million on the Chinese social site Weibo.com, 600,000 on Twitter and 230,000 on the Korean SNS Web site Me2Day. Most of the fans are Chinese. The numbers are multiplying by the hour. On the day of the pictorial (June 22), Bench gave Lee a birthday cake topped with chocolates. He blushed as he blew the single candle while those around him sang Happy Birthday. (Note: Lee is wearing Bench. Those he’s wearing in the other pictures are not by Bench. Watch for Lee in more Bench clothes in a forthcoming pictorial.) The day of the pictorial (last June 22) coincided with Lee’s 25th birthday, so Bench bought a beautiful cake for him. As Lee blew the single candle on it, he blushed a bit when those at the studio sang Happy Birthday and cheered him right on. It’s the first time you are endorsing a Filipino product. You look very good in your Bench outfit. “I love it! I’ve been wearing several samples throughout the pictorial today. I feel cool and comfortable in them. They are very casual, easy on the body. Now I know why Filipinos just love Bench.” I’m sure that you are going to wear Bench in your shows. “Yes, of course, I will. I love the cardigans that I wore during the pictorial. I hope Bench will give me the shirts that I wore during the pictorial, hehehehe!” (Note: Bench did, thank you!) Will you tell your friends to wear Bench, too? “Yes, I will. I will recommend to them all the styles, especially the darker colors. I prefer the darker ones.” Have you always wanted to be an actor? “As a kid, I wanted to be a soccer player. However, I suffered an injury when I was in Grade 5, so I forgot about becoming an athlete. When I turned 18, I changed my mind and wanted to be an actor.” What kind of family did you come from? How many siblings do you have? (Interpreter: He doesn’t like to answer personal questions. Sorry.) How do you communicate with your fans? This morning, I saw a report in Joongang Daily that you have more than 10 million followers online. Because of social-networking, it has become easier for me to communicate with my fans overseas and my fan base has become bigger and bigger, not only in Korea but also in other countries including the Philippines.” (Note: The Joongang report quoted Lee’s agent as saying that his special appeal is due to the fact that he’s always trying to create novel ideas to communicate and engage with fans. “Lee is always asking his fans how they are, being honest about what’s on his mind,” said a spokesperson from StarHaus. Lee added, “The messages that my fans leave on my various social websites have been such an immense source of encouragement.”) You are so busy with your career. How do you spend your spare time? “I’d rather stay home than go out. I like to stay indoors. I keep myself busy with my computer.” You look so fit. How do you do it? “I don’t observe a strict diet; there’s no limit in what I eat. I eat anything that I want. As far as sports is concerned, I love wrestling. I also love skiing. If my work schedule permits, I work out in the gym. And if I have longer free time, I go out and have fun with friends, but very seldom. As I’ve said, I spend my free time mostly at home.” I suppose you have been to several cities. Which one is your favorite? “Well, every time I find myself in another Asian country, I always feel that I’m home. I have visited China many times. Personally, I like Maldives and England.” What about Manila? When are you going to Manila? “I’m supposed to go to Manila in November. I haven’t been to Manila so I am excited about going there. Can you recommend what places that I should visit?” There are several beaches in case you want to swim or to surf. We have huge shopping malls and bars. You have several choices. “Thank you for that.” With your Conversationalist during the interview in Seoul If you were somebody else, who would you be and why? “I haven’t really thought about it. But then, if I were to be born again, I’d still like to be myself. But I wonder, how is it like to be somebody else?” What is it that your fans don’t know about you? “I think they know a lot about me. By the way, I like playing online games with my fans.” How do you see yourself 10 years from now? “I’m not the typical person who plans ahead. I like to enjoy the moment, so I don’t think about what I will be 10 years from now. I live for the present.” What do you like most about yourself? “The positive part about my life is that I’m getting so much love from my fans, maybe more than what I deserve. I’m always grateful for that.” And what don’t you like about yourself? “The negative part? No, I can’t think of any right now. I want to look at the positive and ignore the negative.” (E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com.) Source: The Philippine Star

[News] Goo Hye Sun’s movies to have special screening at JIMFF


Goo Hye Sun‘s full-length film ‘Peach Tree’ and short film ‘Fragments of the Memories‘ will be shown at Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF). The 8th JIMFF will be held from August 9th through the 15th at Chungbuk in Jecheon. As Asia’s very first music & film festival, JIMFF strives to introduce a variety of film and music to the public, and is successfully drawing the attention of movie-goers in Korea. With this year’s slogan, ‘Just One More Step‘, the JIMFF is displaying commitment to evolving into a more competitive film festival. This is not the first time that Goo Hye Sun has had a special screening at JIMFF. This is her second visit to JIMFF after her first featured film ‘Magic‘ was put on display at the 6th JIMFF. Her full-length film ‘Peach Tree‘ drew much attention due to the cast line-up of Jo Seung Woo, Ryu Duk Hwan, and Nam Sang Mi, and also for it’s plot of a mutated man who has one body and two faces. The film gained further interest after previously being acknowledged at the 16th annual Busan International Film Festival and is expected to be released this October. On the other hand, Goo Hye Sun’s short film ‘Fragments of the Memories‘ is a short 3D movie which in detail expresses the character’s emotions as he reminisces of the past treasured moments in his life. Actor Yoo Seung Ho takes the lead in this fim, remarkably playing the role of a character that symbolizes treasured memories. Actress Goo Hye Sun has used tracks she personally wrote and composed as the theme songs for these two films, giving the movies a much more lyrical appeal. Goo Hye Sun has earned praise for her short films, ‘Lovely Assisant‘ & ‘You‘, along with her full-length film, ‘Magic’. She is making her debut as a director with ‘Lovely Assistant‘, which she received awards for at the Chinese Mobile Film Festival, as well as at the Japanese Short Shorts Asia Film Festival, Busan Asia Short Film Festival, and Buchun International Fantastic Film Festival. Her film ‘Magic‘ was also recognized at the Jeonju International Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival, amongst others. Meanwhile, this year’s JIMFF will be divided into 8 sections and will screen a total of 120 works from 27 countries. Goo Hye Sun’s two projects will be introduced in the ‘The Today of Korean Music Films’ section. ‘Fragments of Memories‘ will be shown on August 10th and 12th, while ‘Peach Tree‘ will be shown on August 14th. Goo Hye Sun will also take some time to converse with the audience before the showing of ‘Peach Tree‘. Source: allkpop

Ku Hye Sun updates on twitter on 28/07/2012


updated on 28 July 2012 00:23 (KST) Translation (cre Google): Jecheon International Music & Movie Festival Director Ku Hye Sun. 3D short film “Fragments of Memory” starring Yu Seung Ho and feature film “Peach Tree” starring Jo Seung Woo, Ryu Deok Hwan, Nam Sang Mi are special screening. “Peach tree” will release in October.

[Mag] Ku Hye Sun – “Woman Center” (Aug 2012) Scans


[Video] Leukemia News (June 2012) – Ku Hye Sun met Seo Deuh Kuh


[News] Lee Min Ho Tries to Fight the Heat and Loses 5 kg in the Process

With the summer in full effect in Korea, Lee Min Ho and the other actors for SBS Faith are struggling to fight off the sweltering heat as they film for the upcoming drama. As Lee Min Ho and a few of the other actors are playing warriors, they are unfortunately forced to bundle themselves up in suited armors and other costumes that aren′t appropriate for the summer.

One staff member in charge of costumes remarked that sometimes the actors send a glare of resentment towards their way. It’s been so hot that Lee Min Ho has lost approximately 5 kg (~11 pounds) in three days. Also during an interview with SBS’ One Night of Entertainment on July 25, Lee Min Ho started taking off his suit, saying that it’s only break time, but his patience to withstand the heat hit a limit. The actor then continued onto say, “I’m jealous of the people who are coming to Danyang (the location of the filming) for vacation. They can dip their feet in the cold stream and go rafting…” Meanwhile, Faith is a time-traveling story between a Goryeo Dynasty warrior and a modern day plastic surgeon. The first episode will premiere on August 13 on SBS. Photo Credit: SBS Source: enewsworld

[News] Lee Min Ho shows off his swordsmanship on Faith


Actor Lee Min Ho has become a warrior of the Goryeo Dynasty and showed off his swordsmanship. On July 25, a production company of SBS TV’s new drama series Faith released some snapshots of Lee dressed as Choi Young, a warrior of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the series, Lee will show off his swordsmanship to portray a leader of king’s bodyguards. In the behind-the-scenes video uploaded on the official website of Faith, Lee freely wields a sword. It shows he has prepared a lot for this series. Lee says, “I’m trying to wield a sword as freely as possible as if it’s part of my body. I want to give you a strong image of Choi Young. Because I showed various action scenes on City Hunter, I feel like I have to show something more than that, so I’m constantly practicing.” Yang Gil Young, a martial arts director of Faith, says, “In spite of the hot weather, Lee Min Ho is practicing very hard. Because we once worked together for City Hunter, he often gives me his ideas. I think our teamwork is better than before. In this series, actions scenes are not only limited to the ones for a historical drama series. By adding modern ones, we’ll create new types of actions scenes that haven’t been seen before.” Faith is a fantasy action melodrama about Choi Young, a warrior of the Goryeo Dynasty who is interested in neither money nor women, and Yoo Eun Soo (played by Kim Hee Sun), a lively doctor of the modern world. The series will start airing on August 13. Source: Starnews Credit: korea.com —————— “Faith” Lee Min-ho’s sword fighting skill Lee Min-ho was seen using his sword in a preview of the new SBS drama “Faith”. Having shown high levels of action in the previous drama “City Hunter“, this time, Lee Min-ho is about to display some serious sword fighting. He’s very adept in handling the sword as seen in the making of the drama. Lee Min-ho said, “I’m trying to make it look like the sword is a part of me. I want to show you what’s only Choi Yeong’s. I plan on showing you what I didn’t show you before”. Martial arts director Yang Gil-yeong says, “Lee Min-ho is working hard despite the hot weather. He speaks out his mind as we worked once together on “City Hunter“. We work great as a team. Action is not limited in his historical but is grafted into the drama”. Meanwhile, action mellow drama “Faith” stars Lee Min-ho as ancient warrior Choi Yeong who has no feelings for life, money or women and Kim Hee-seon stars as doctor Yoo Eun-soo from the modern world and the two make a true king. To be aired for the first time on the 13th of August. Source : newsen Credit: Hancinema

[News] “Faith” is a real fantasy


“Faith” is about to take over with its unique characters. SBS drama “Faith” released a preview prior to the actual broadcast on the 13th of August. Yoo Oh-seong, Sin Eun-jeong, Seong Hoon and other characters could be seen briefly but they all left strong impressions. Ki-cheol (Yoo Oh-seong) stands against Choi Yeong (Lee Min-ho) with Hwa Soo-in (Sin Eun-jeong) and Cheon Eum-ja (Seong Hoon) to take control of the Koryeo modification. He acts out a cold-blooded politician full of greed for power and desire. Although he has a fancy appearance, he is very cruel and fearful. His skill is to freeze anyone he touches. Yoo Oh-seong said, “This is the first time I am doing action like this with special powers and I am curious about how it will turn out. I hope you enjoy watching it”. Sin Eun-jeong is about to appear sexy as Hwa Soo-in. She is a the Koryeo’s femme fatale with her seductive looks but she has the viciousness of killing people without caring. She is a fire holder who can concentrate fire on her right hand. Seong Hoon takes on the role of Cheon Eum-ja, an indifferent poke face who always carries around an instrument he uses to attack people with. “Faith” contains the genre of a historical with fantasy elements and presents something that has never been seen before. Directed by Kim Jong-hak who also did “The Legend”, “Faith” is one drama this year everyone is looking forward to. Source : newsen.com Credit: hancinema

[News] Lee Min Ho and Faith were Meant to Be?

The upcoming SBS drama Faith has been showing off a lot of interesting ties with Lee Min Ho and its predecessor, The Chaser. First of all, it seemed to come at precisely the right moment for Lee Min Ho. A rep from Lee Min Ho’s agency, Starus Entertainment, said, “Lee Min Ho was considering appearing in a traditional drama to try a new genre and change his image, and just then we were offered Faith. Actors and pieces need to be meant for each other, but [Lee Min Ho] met with the great piece at such a nice time, it was as if the heavens had provided for him.”

Lee Min Ho will be returning to the small screen with Faith, which follows the conclusion of The Chaser. As The Chaser has been praised for being a well-made, high-quality piece; viewers have been looking forward as to whether Faith will continue the legacy. It′s interesting to note that Faith and Lee Min Ho aren’t the only ones that share a special connection. Faith, The Chaser and Lee Min Ho all do. Kim Sang Joong, who appeared in The Chaser as a charismatic presidential candidate, was Lee Min Ho’s stepfather in City Hunter. Scriptwriter Park Kyung Soo of The Chaser used to be the assistant of Faith’s Song Ji Na. Song Ji Na has been writing her own script with a strong determination, saying she would write as if the piece were her last to follow the success of her former assistant Park Kyung Soo’s debut drama. Producer Jin Hyuk of The Chaser was the producer of City Hunter, and not only that, but Faith and The Chaser share similar storylines in that The Chaser was about strong ambition in the presidential race, while Faith is about how a king becomes a true king. Another official from Starus Entertainment told enews, “Lee Min Ho will be showing off a new side of himself through this traditional drama. He’ll appeal with charms completely different from those he showed for modern pieces, and you can look forward to seeing his charisma as an actor.” Viewers can probably look forward to where this ‘special’ drama will take Lee Min Ho, and whether it will continue the success of The Chaser, which originally started off as filler material. Faith will air its first episode on August 13, after the London Olympics come to a close. Photo credit: Starus Entertainment Source: enewsworld

Ku Hye Sun updates on twitter on 23/07/2012

updated on 23 July 2012 07.03 (KST) Translation (Cre cheerkoo @ soompi) Because of school work, I did not have the time for Taiwan’s Absolute Boyfriend. But, I just finished watching the entire drama. It made me think of all the Taiwan staff when we worked so hard together.

July 21, 2012

[Info] Ku Hye Sun – JIMFF 2012 Screening Schedule


JIMFF 2012 screening schedule is released. Peach Tree will have a screening on Aug 14 at 20:00. Before the screening, an “Open Talk” event on Peach Tree will be held at 19:00, in which Ku Hye Sun will attend to meet with audience and talk about the film. Fragments of Sweet Memories is scheduled to have screenings on Aug 10 at 16:00 and on Aug 12 at 14:00. The session on Aug 12 will also have a Q&A session, I guess Hye Sun might be attending as well. below are screencaps from JIMFF website, visit jimff.org for more information.

[Photo] Lee Min Ho – On the set of The Faith


[News] Lee Min Ho becomes a lazy warrior on Faith


Lee Min Ho becomes a lazy warrior. In some snap shots taken on the set of SBS TV’s new drama series Faith, Lee is portraying a lazy character. In the series, Lee is playing the role of Choi Young, the king’s bodyguard. Choi Young is a charismatic, trustworthy person, the best example of the warriors in the Goryeo Dynasty. Although he looks perfect for everything, he always wants to leave the palace and become free. He also likes to sleep for a long time, so he lies down and sleep if there’s a good place to do so. Choi Young is carefree and simple, but he’s having a pain in his heart. Lee says, “Choi Young is a very mature character. Because he doesn’t express his feelings well, he’s a hard character to portray. I think I can portray the character in various different ways, though. I’ll think of him as a character of the story rather than a historical person.” Faith is a fantasy action melodrama series about a romance between the warrior Choi Young from the Goryeo Dynasty and the female doctor Yoo Eun Soo (played by Kim Hee Sun) from the modern world. Starring Lee Min Ho, Kim Hee Sun, Yoo Oh Sung, Lee Phillip, and Ryu Duk Hwan, it will start airing on August 13. Source: TV Report Credit: korea.com

[News] Ku Hye Sun reveals jealousy towards her mother


Actress and movie producer Ku Hye Sun revealed jealousy about her loyal dog Gamja(it means potato in Korean.) On the afternoon of July 19, Ku posted on her Twitter, “Naughty Gamja. I pinched her cheeks.” A little after that, she uploaded multiple pictures with the caption, “Gamja only has eyes for my mother. They love each other.” One of the picture shows Gamja getting her cheeks pinched, and the other picture shows Gamja looking at Ku’s ‘mother.’ Netizens commented: “You must’ve gotten jealous because Gamja loves your mother so much.” “Your mother looks pretty as well.” “You look very happy.” Last year, Ku entered SungKyunKwan University’s Department of Media. Recently, she uploaded a picture of her report card and created a stir. She had a 4.44 GPA and ranked first place among 52 students. Source: TV Report Credit: korea.com

[Photo] Lee Min Ho for Semir


Ku Hye Sun updates on twitter on 19/07/2012


얄미운 감자. 볼을 꼬집어 보았습니다. yfrog.com/es4wprwj updated on 19 July 2012 17:11 (KST) Translation (cre cheerkoo @ soompi): Gmaja is ‘hateful’. I am pinching his cheek. —————- 어무니만 바라보는 감자. 서로 사랑하는 사이랍니다.ㅎ yfrog.com/obeb0urj yfrog.com/nw6heseuj updated on 19 July 2012 17:30 (KST) Translation (Cre Ayesuper): Gamja only looks at mom. They look like lovers (they love each other) . Heh —————— 감자와 만두와 함께. 만두는 어디있을까요.ㅎ yfrog.com/ke8d update on 19 July 2012 18:07 (KST) Translation (cre cheerkoo @ soompi): Me with Gamja and Mandoo together. Can you tell where Mandoo might be? keke

[News] Lee Min Ho kidnaps Kim Hee Sun on Faith


Lee Min Ho meets Kim Hee Sun for the first time in an unusual way on SBS TV’s new drama series Faith. Some snapshots, released on July 19, show Lee and Kim meeting each other for the first time. Choi Young (played by Lee Min Ho) comes to the modern world to bring a doctor assigned by the God to the Goryeo Dynasty, and Yoo Eun Soo (played by Kim Hee Sun) meets Choi Young as she is the doctor assigned by the God. The scene of Choi Young kidnapping Yoo Eun Soo to the Goryeo Dynasty is increasing many viewers’ curiosity. Lee had to carry Kim over his shoulder several times when shooting the scene. However, he rehearsed it many times in various angles and completed the scene without showing a tired look. Lee, worrying about Kim if she would get hurt by his rough armor, and Kim, feeling sorry to Lee because he had to carry her over his shoulder several times, attracted the crew members’ attention. A spokesperson for Faith says, “The scene of Choi Young and Yoo Eun Soo meeting each other for the first time is an important one because it sets off a romance between them. This thrilling scene will be a very interesting part to watch. Please look forward to it.” Faith, which is attracting a lot of attention because it’s created by the famous producer and writer Kim Jong Hak and Song Ji Na, will start airing on August 13. Source: TV Report Credit: korea.com ———————- “Faith” Lee Min-ho sacks Kim Hee-seon Lee Min-ho and Kim Hee-seon meet for the first time. Choi Yeong (Lee Min-ho) travels to the modern times to take Yoo Eun-soo (Kim Hee-seon) the chosen physician back to the Koryo times. Choi just throws her over his shoulders and kidnaps her back to his time. While filming this scene, Lee Min-ho had to carry her on his shoulders several times but didn’t show any sign of tiredness. He worried she would get hurt on his hard and rough suit and she worried he would get hurt carrying her on his shoulders so often. The first meeting point of the two will become a very starting point of everything that happens to them with a time gap of 660 years. Meanwhile, Lee Min-ho takes on the role of Choi Yeong who isn’t afraid of dying and runs head first into everything and Kim Hee-seon takes on the role of a bold female doctor Yoo Eun-soo in this drama which shows the process of making a true king. Source : newsen Credit: hancinema

Lee Min Ho updates on SNS on 18/07/2012


Lee Min Ho updates on SNS on 18/07/2012


[Photo] Lee Min Ho – The Faith Official Still Cuts (16-18/07/2012)