Song Joong Ki’s cheeky acting on ‘Sangkyunkwan Scandal’ hits the jackpot

Song Joong Ki’s colorful charms in the drama, ‘Sangkyunkwan Scandal’, is becoming a hot topic as of late.

Also known as the ‘Flower Gentleman’, Song Joong Ki’s self-luminous ‘flower’ image, cute winks, killing smiles, serious expressions, and all sorts of acting in hanbok-style is emitting off a ‘crazy presence’ in the drama, and his charismatic, arrogant acting is currently earning himself an explosion of popularity.

Although his cute expression is meant to convey the character’s cheekiness and prankster-like personality, many viewers are falling in love with the conceited character who believes he knows about everything that happens around him, and that never fails to get in-between any type of situation.

Meanwhile, Song Joong Ki is also taking a role as an MC on KBS’s ‘Music Bank’, as well as being a regular member for variety show, ‘Running Man’.

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Lee Seung Gi gifts 200+ member staff of “My Girlfriend is a Nine Tailed Fox”

Singer and actor Lee Seung Gi is reported to have gifted the entire staff of “My Girlfriend is a Nine Tailed Fox” to show his thanks to them for recording the drama during Harvest Festival.

Apparently, the star gave all 200+ members of the staff rice cakes and a signed OST album, as well as a t-shirt and bag. He stated, “I wanted to share with the staff members who weren’t able to spend Harvest Festival with their families, but used their strength for ‘My Girlfriend is a Nine Tailed Fox’ instead. It will be the last broadcast soon so I hope the gift is a bit of a boost.”

Staff members responded that the studio was brightened by the gifts, and that their moods were indeed lifted.

The last episodes will be broadcast on the 29th and 30th.

Source: Yahoo! Korea

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Taeyang is taking a much needed break

Taeyang has been working non-stop since June when he released his full-length solo album “SOLAR” and began promoting the title track “I Need A Girl“. He just wrapped up his promotions for “I’ll Be There” from his SOLAR International Album last week and ended his solo promotions this past weekend with a successful solo concert.

Earlier today, Taeyang updated his Twitter with a couple photos and a message saying,

“Finally a much needed vacation!! Time to recharge my batteries and comeback with a Bang!!!“

Fans commented,

“Take good care of your health and self. We love you so much and we’ll be waiting for you to come back”

“Thank you for smiling for us even if you were tired. My battery is recharged by your smile and songs.I pray that your face not become cloudy.So have a nice”

“Get lots of rest & have fun relaxing… Hope to see you back with the Big Bang members soon! ^-^’“

We look forward to seeing Taeyang comeback with Big Bang later this year.

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Behind the scenes on Sungkyunkwan Scandal

It’s totally entertaining to see the onscreen camaraderie building between the four leads of KBS’s Sungkyunkwan Scandal, so it’s like icing on the cake to see that good-natured fun exists behind the scenes as well. In fact, before the drama began airing the four actors — Micky Yoochun, Park Min-young, Song Joong-ki, and Yoo Ah-in — stated that they all got along fabulously offscreen. Looks like it.

The drama recently released the following photos of its main quartet of kkot seonbis (pretty-boy Confucian scholars), also known as the Jalgeum quartet or Jalgeum F4. These photos were taken on the filming location in Yeongam-gun in south Jeolla province, in between filming, monitoring each other’s performances, and script rehearsing. Those of you who’ve seen through the latest episodes will no doubt recognize the scenes that were being shot when these were snapped.

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Rain expresses his thoughts for his upcoming drama ‘Fugitive’

Singer and actor Rain, a.k.a Jung Ji Hoon, expressed his thoughts about his character in hew new upcoming drama KBS ‘Fugitive‘ during a recent press conference for the drama.

Rain said, “I’m a character who you weren’t able to see in other movies or TV dramas. When I first decided to take on this production, I talked with scriptwriter Chun. The character is someone whose progress consistently orients around a woman he likes. I’m having fun filming it. I hope you enjoy it too.”

He continued, “I watched the drama ‘Chuno’ religiously. Not because of the storyline or the beautiful scenes, but because Lee Hyuk hyung did so well.. But the scenes were beautiful. I really wanted to film a production like ‘Chuno’. Director Kwak Jung Hwan, scriptwriter Chun Sung Il and me, us three got to meet up. We had a mutual understanding and decided to work hard together.”

Rain also talked about his past dramas ‘Sang Doo! Let’s Go to School’ and ‘Full House‘. He said, “KBS gave me a lot of opportunities. There are a lot of good people as staff and I’m having fun.”

‘Fugitive’, which is set to air its first episode on the 29th, is comical action drama about a group of international investigators and policemen chasing around a group of criminal organizations for a lump of gold that suddenly disappeared from a Korean bank.

Not only was the drama filmed all around Asia, such as Japan’s Tokyo and Osaka, China’s Shanghai and Beijing, Macau, Hong Kong and The Philippines, popular Asian actors such as Japanese actor Naoto Dakenaka, Japanese group Speed’s Uehara Takako, and Chinese actress Josie Ho are also set to make appearances in this action packed drama.

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Taeyang successfully completes his 18+ “Solar” concert

Taeyang has successfully wrapped up his two-day ‘Solar‘ solo concert, and expressed his satisfaction at being able to show all that he prepared. The event was divided based on age restrictions: the first concert on the 25th was open to all-ages, but the second concert on the 26th was restricted to an audience 18 years and over.

On the 26th, Taeyang opened his concert with the songs “Prayer,” “I’ll Be There,” and “Sinner”. Afterwards, he addressed the screaming fans with, “Hello, this is Taeyang. Wow! The adult concert of my dreams!”

He continued, “Yesterday, there were a lot of restrictions in what I could portray with my lyrics. Since everyone here today is an adult, I’ll be able to express my lyrics properly with a bit more freedom. I’m really glad.”

Critics were highly satisfied with Taeyang’s 18+ concert, as they all agreed that the material wasn’t too sexually suggestive, nor too tame. Critics and the audience alike were all impressed with the level of detail and perfection behind each performance, claiming that it was all fitting and appropriate for a maturing male idol.

Taeyang concluded the concert by saying, “This will be the last stage. I’ll be seeing everyone for my first official album, but please continue to anticipate me as I have more to show in the future. I think that standing on stage and performing music is fate. I’ll be completing this concert and returning to Big Bang in order to show everyone more sides of us.”

Source + Photos: MyDaily

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G-Dragon reveals the real reason behind Big Bang’s album delay

Since November of 2008, Big Bang has taken an extremely long hiatus from the Korean music market. Although the boys have created digital releases for CFs and contributed in drama OSTs, fans have been patiently waiting for a solid official release. Yet the longer the hiatus stretches, the more anxious fans have become. The situation has degenerated to the point where there are whispers of deteriorating relationships amongst the members, or that the members enjoy acting more than music.

Big Bang appeared at Taeyang’s ‘Solar’ concert on September 26th to show their support for their fellow member. As the concert came to a close, leader G-Dragon met with reporters and revealed the current progress of their next album.

G-Dragon stated, “We’ve completed the song productions but we’ve yet to decide what kind of concept to go with. There were a lot of songs we made over the past two years, but that also means there are a lot to choose from. It wasn’t easy choosing songs that fit Big Bang and would also satisfy our fans.”

One of the main concerns for the group was the changed music tastes of the mass public and the fast cycling of the music market. G-Dragon solemnly continued, “I have no confidence in the market anymore. These days, singers finish their promotion cycles in three weeks, and everything changes again. The thought of preparing for two years and only receiving three weeks of love is upsetting.”

G-Dragon brings up an interesting phenomenon that has been occurring lately. Songs are ever-changing and receive the “old” treatment once three weeks go by. New songs are always pouring into the market and singers are constantly releasing new songs in order to keep up.

G-Dragon concluded, “I want to sing songs that receive love over longer periods of time. We’ll be working our hardest to make sure that a new Big Bang album is released by the end of this year.”

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“The Fugitive Plan B” releases a new teaser and action video!

September 29th is almost here….Check out these “Fugitive” goodies before you watch the newest KBS drama.

“The Fugitive Plan B“will be action packed,intriguing, full of suspense and plenty of good old fashion running! We can not say enough about this drama that will truly give the synopsis justice. You will just have to tune in to KBS on September 29th at 9:55pm (KST) to see for yourself!

The forever sexy Rain, the charming Daniel Henney,and handsome Lee Jung-jin are the leading men in this new hot KBS series! Ladies already have three good reasons to tune into this show. Gentlemen will also have a chance to watch the two lovely female actresses Lee Na-young and Yoon Jin-seo!

Enjoy the newest released videos and get ready to “Runaway” to your screen to watch “The Fugitive Plan B”!

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Kim Jae-wook’s Pygmalion’s Love on DVD

Kim Jae-wook (Coffee Prince, Antique Bakery, Bad Guy, and EEEEE! Mary Stayed Out All Night) and Kim Joon (Boys Over Flowers) headed to Japan earlier this week to promote their web-drama, Pygmalion’s Love. The Korean-Japanese co-production aired in the spring on Japanese mobile network BeeTV, and is now preparing for a DVD release.

The 12-episode drama, helmed by PD Kim Yoon-chul (My Name is Kim Sam-soon), is a sad love story of a girl with amnesia (played by Japanese actress Minamisawa Nao), and two friends who love her. Kim Joon plays her original boyfriend, and Kim Jae-wook plays his best friend who has to pretend to be her boyfriend post-amnesia. Why? Who on earth knows? I’m sure it’s not the why, but the ensuing confusion, that is the point of the drama.

Pygmalion’s Love will be released on DVD on October 8.

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Kim Hyun Joong has an appearance complex?

You would think that with such a handsome face like Kim Hyun Joong’s, he couldn’t possibly have a complex about his appearance.

Yet on September 24th, this idol confessed during an interview on MBC Section TV, “I originally did not have a complex about how my shaven face looks. But since today’s technology is very HDTV-focused, I feel that people are finding out one by one secrets that I want to hide from the public.”

Furthermore, when the interviewer asked Kim Hyun Joong, “What parts do you feel are similar between you and your role as Baek Seung Jo in Playful Kiss?“, the actor jokingly replied, “I think the part about his IQ being 200,” causing the interviewer to laugh.

Meanwhile, Kim Hyun Joong is receiving attention for his role as “smart but hard-to-get-along-with prince” Baek Seung Jo. This is the idol’s second attempt as an actor after his appearance on ‘Boys over Flowers’.

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Sungkyunkwan Scandal NG cuts + cast interview

The interview asks each cast member to name their favorite/most significant scene so far, and I was pleased to see that the ones they picked were some of my favorite scenes also.

Let me just give you fair warning, Team Moony especially, that our stars have shed their intense personas and there’s a lot of smile-age to be had!! So, fangirls, ready yourselves for the adorable, funny, and quirky Joseon-F4!! I’m loving their on-screen/off-screen chemistry!! Kind of reminds me of the cast of ‘You’re Beautiful’ and their off-screen friendship. (Oh, Micky you dork… this is the Micky I love and adore! Ha! And I love that I’ve finally found the smiling Yoo Ah-In I’m used to.)

Enjoy!

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Super Junior releases ‘Angel’ for Haru OST

Following SNSD Tiffany’s audio teaser for “Ring“, Super Junior released the full audio to their own track, “Angel“, which is also a track for the Omnibus drama Haru.

Seems like the Korean National Tourism Organization is recruiting the top Hallyu artists not only for the drama, but for the soundtrack as well.

Check out the track below:

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Big Bang and Yunho’s “Haru” revealed

A few weeks ago its already Big Bang and many of Korea’s top stars, including U-Know Yunho, Kim Bum, Han Chae Young, Park Si Hoo, and Lee Da Hae would participate in an omnibus style drama titled “Haru (One Day) An Unforgettable Day in Korea”. It was commissioned by Korean Tourist Service Inc. to bring awareness to the beauty of Korean culture, and also to celebrate Korea’s anniversary.

A teaser was released on September 10th which got a lot of people excited. As Chuseok ends in Korea, the long awaited drama has been released online at http://www.haru2010.com/eng/index.aspx

Unfortunately, due to many people wanting to watch this drama the video is loading very slow for me, maybe you’ll have better luck. They’re also offering some type of game with a tag search within the videos and prizes for Samsung products by completing a survey, check it out at http://www.haru2010.com/eng/index.aspx

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MBC ‘2010 Idol Star Dance Battle’ performances

It’s an idol group explosion this week, as many idol groups came together for special episodes of various TV shows for the ongoing Chuseok festivities.

The ‘2010 Idol Star Dance Battle’ was recently broadcast, where many popular groups such as missA, SECRET, 4minute, After School, BEAST, MBLAQ, U-Kiss, INFINITE, 2AM, and IU, took to serious challenges. On the other hand, the funniest of gag women, Jung Juri, Kim Shin Young, and Kim Jisun, battled it out with a vast range of parody performances.

Check out some of the performances below.

Round 1: missA

Round 1: SECRET + Result

Round 3: 4minute

Round 3: After School

Round 3 Result

Round 4: IU

Round 4: Milk Caramel (ZE:A, U-Kiss, INFINITE) + Result

Round 5: BEAST vs. MBLAQ

Round 5 Result

Round 6: Kim Jisun vs. Jung Juri

Round 6 Result

Round 9: Miss AM (2AM)

Round 9: Kim Shin Young + Result

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The Hong Sisters put a gag order on “My Girlfriend is a Nine-tailed Fox” finale

With last week’s foreboding episode, the speculation is that a tragic ending that conflicts with thehappy-go-lucky scheme of “My Girlfriend is a Nine-tailed Fox” is soon to come.

Since the initial August 11th episode, “My Girlfriend is a Nine-tailed Fox” has filled the romantic comedy vacuum punctured by tragedies like “Cinderella’s Sister“. Despite the low initial viewershipdue to “Baker King, Kim Tak Goo“, the fans eventually cherished Shin Min Ah as the adorable 500-year-old “Gumiho”. Assisted by Lee Seung Gi’s portrayal of “Woong”, the pair gave birth to the lovely “Hoi Couple”.

With four episodes left and the “tragic truth” finally revealed to the characters last week, viewers were split on the finale’s outlook.

The broadcast agent revealed, “The director and the writers are debating on whether to keep the original storyboard or swap it with a completely different ending. The cast and staff have been forbidden from speaking about it. Please stay tuned.”

“My Girlfriend is a Nine-tailed Fox” will not air on September 22nd. Instead, both episodes 13 & 14 will be aired back to back on the 23rd.

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Third lead cast member for “Mary Skipped the Curfew” revealed

As previously mentioned, ”Mary Skipped the Curfew” has three main protagonists. First and foremost, there is Moon Geun Young, who will play the role of Mary, a cheerful girl who will experience 100 days of virtual marriage with two men! Mary’s first suitor is an independent band’s lead vocalist, Kang Moo Kyul, which perfectly suits actor Jang Geun Suk, who recently played as a lead idol in “You’re Beautiful“. The other contender for Mary’s hand in marriage is entertainment agency CEO, Jung In, who is a Korean by blood, Japanese in mind, and American in style. Jung In will be played byKim Jae Wook, a popular model who played the role of Hong Tae Sung in “Bad Guy“.

Kim Jae Wook stated, “Although Jung In’s corporation is perfect, he suffers from emotional instability. This humanity in this character appealed to me, and I’ll enliven the character in the drama”. He also noted, “Currently we are bombarded with news of our entertainment world, but Jung In has complete control over his corporation, and creates entrepreneurial luster in creating stars. Even as a guy, Jung In is very appealing.”

The first episode will air on November 11th, 2010.

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Happy Chuseok week: A note about TV programming

As you have probably heard, this week is Chuseok week in Korea, which is the biggest holiday of the year. As the harvest festival, it’s akin to the Western Thanksgiving; the actual day of Chuseok this year is Wednesday, September 22, but the overall holiday spans several days, which often gets stretched into a whole week of traveling home to see the folks, pigging out on songpyun rice cakes, and enjoying a few days off from the usual grind.

What does that mean for television? Well, first off there will be no My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho airing on Wednesday, which will be host to lots of special family-friendly Chuseok programming instead. But fear not, both new episodes (13 & 14) WILL air this week — just both on Thursday.

It should be interesting to watch how Playful Kiss does this week — not only is Baker King Kim Tak-gu off the air, on Wednesday it will have no competition from Gumiho, either, since both SBS and KBS will be airing Chuseok specials. On Thursday, it’ll be up againstGumiho again.

This might give it a chance to pick itself up, get back on its feet, and grab a few new viewers just before Runaway premieres next week. Maybe.

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Gong Yoo’s live stage in Japan

Actor and all-around prettiest human Gong Yoo announced that he’ll be heading to Japan for a special live stage: a fan-meeting with his official Japanese fan club, With YOO, in conjunction with CJ Media.

I know it’s in the future, but I can pretty much tell you what’s going to happen. There will be songs, outfits, screaming, and lots of adorableness. If he’s feeling particularly pretty that day, there will be fainting. Plane to Japan? Who’s with me?

The event, called “Love Song For You,” will take place in Yokohama on December 5. Gong Yoo’s latest film, Finding Kim Jong-wook, is due out later this year. He’s currently looking for his next project, and busy starring in my dreams.

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Kim Hyun Joong changes style for Playful Kiss

Kim Hyun Joong has been garnering a lot of interest lately for MBC’s Playful Kiss and this time it’s for his hair.

The latest episode featured characters Oh Hani and Baek Seung Jo entering college and both wanting to change by showing off a new mature image with this fresh new start. Because of this, Baek Seung Jo changed his hair style to a perm, with some strong encouragement coming from his mother.

Fans are already saying that this hair style suits him really well and his good looks really show.

Hairstyles really do make a man look better, don’t you think?

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Jejoongwon’s Sean Richard joins Athena

Another addition has been made to upcoming spy drama Athena, which premieres in December (Giant‘s extension has pushed the premiere back from its original November target): Sean Richard (or Sean Richard Dulake), the Korean-American actor who played Dr. Allen in SBS’s medical sageuk show Jejoongwon.

If you don’t recognize him, I don’t blame you; he was styled drastically differently in Jejoongwon, where I thought he was about twenty years older than his real age. (He’s 26.)

In Athena, he’ll be a part of Cha Seung-won‘s secret organization, shedding the gentler image from Jejoongwon to dive into the action genre.

Sean Richard (as he is known in the Korean press) was born to a British father and Korean mother and majored in business administration at Boston University, with a minor in acting. Following that, he continued acting in theater and shorts in New York.

Athena has moved from shooting in Italy to Japan, and will premiere in December on SBS.

I can’t weigh in on his acting just yet, but he does look the part. Take his appearance from Jejoongwon, followed by an ad for which he modeled — what a difference a suit makes:

Credit:javabeans