Friday, March 13, 2009

Lee Byeong-heon and T.O.P starring in a new drama

The director of the movie "Taegukgi" is directing a new drama titled "Iris".This action drama's production cost was very high filmed in China, Russia, Japan, U.S, and other foreign countries raising expectations for the audience.Main character are Lee Byeong-Heon who was recently in the movie "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" and T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyeon), rapper for Big Bang. Lee will be National Security Secret Agent Kim Hyeon-joon and T.O.P will be a skilled murderer from an underground gang, Iris in the U.S.The two are known to be body-building for the action scenes.This drama which contains 20 episodes will be in the beginning of next year and will start filming on October.

Get the fat suit ready for Bada

While news is quiet of the 200 Pound Beauty sequel, plans are under way for a musical version, starring SES lead singer Bada. (The film sequel will be losing the sleeper hit’s original plastic-beauty Hana, star Kim Ah-joong, who opted not to return to the franchise in favor of other projects now that she’s catapulted to stardom.)This musical version will be the follow-up stage role to Bada’s previous theatrical turn as Esmerelda in Notre Dame de Paris, for which she received favorable reviews. She’ll share the double-cast role of Hana with musical actress Yoon Gong-joo (really, Yoon parents? You named your kid “Princess”?). The male lead role, originated by Joo Jin-mo in the movie, is yet to be cast.The musical version of 200 Pound Beauty will begin its theatrical run on November 27.

FT Island is back with rock ballad!


FT Island will be releasing their 2nd album ‘colorful sensibility’ on 25th August. The preview of the MV of the title song “After Love” was also revealed.Debuted last year with the song, “Sarang Alhee”, after which they occupied on and offline chart within a month into debut and also took home the best newcomer award during the year-end music awards, FT Island will be back on 23rd and 24th August in Seoul Melon AX for their commemoration concert for their 2nd album.A part to the MV of the title song “After Love” of this new album was revealed on 18th August on Mnet site (www.mnet.com).A 60-members-strong orchestra participated in the song “After Love”, and is said to be a magnificent and powerful song. With this, FT Island will also be showing more maturity in their music this time.The MV is directed by Jo Soo Hyun, who also directed MVs for artistes like Seo In Young, Big Bang, MC Mong, Rain etc. And all FT Island members will be featured in the MV, talking about 5 different stories of love and separation.And while filming for the MV, leader Choi Jong Hyun hurt himself while filming a scene hitting the sandbag. But Choi Jong Hyun had continued with the filming with professionalism and finished the filming smoothly.The 2nd album ‘colorful sensibility” plus the full version of the MV will be released together on 25th August.
Preview of “After Love”

10,000 Thai Fans Flock to Watch Big Bang Live

Group Big Bang successfully wrapped up a recent concert in Thailand, followed by equally-successful concerts in Korea and Japan. Big Bang’s management agency YG Entertainment said Big Bang held a concert entitled ‘Global Warning Tour’ at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on August 7. The agency said although it was the group’s first-ever concert in Thailand, some 10,000 local fans gathered to watch their favorite Korean group perform. According to YG Entertainment, the entire audience gave them a standing ovation from the start of the show. The agency also said some 20 fans fainted during the concert and received first aid treatment from paramedics. Big Bang’s popularity in Thailand rivals that of Korea’s. Since the group released its first studio album in Thailand in September last year, a total of four songs, including ‘Dirty Cash’, ‘Lies’, ‘Always’ and ‘Last Goodbye’ nabbed number one spots on Thailand’s MTV International Music Chart. After the concert, the members thanked the audience in Thai saying it was an exhilarating concert and that they hoped to one day release a Thai version of their album. A number of music industry personnel, including the president of Sony Music Thailand, attended the concert. Diehard from neighboring countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam also traveled to Bangkok to attend the concert.

Han-Kyung, Chinese Member of Super Junior Carries Olympic Torch

Hang-kyung, the Chinese member of popular male vocal group Super Junior, took part in carrying the torch of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Han-kyung took part in the Olympic torch relay during one of the final legs of its journey in Bejing. Numerous fans flocked to the streets to greet the idol star.The torch relay was broadcast live across China through BTV which introduced the singer as a popular member of Super Junior who was selected by Korea's SM Entertainment.After completing his leg of the relay, the singer said it was the single most special moment of his life and that he felt honored, happy and moved by the whole experience. He also went on to thank his Korean, Chinese and other Asian fans for supporting him.Han-kyung nabbed the number one spot in the "2008 Beijing Olympic Torch Bearer Selection Vote" which took place on the Chinese website for Coca Cola (http://www.icoke.cn). He was chosen as the torch bearer for the Beijing relay earlier this year in March.

Big Bang's 3rd Mini Album Sweeps Online/Off-line Stores

The group Big Bang has sold more than 30,000 copies of its third mini album "Stand Up" just two days after it was released on August 8. The album received an order of 85,000 copies from a retail dealer.

The album was completely sold out by 5:00 P.M. on August 9 at major record stores including Evan Records and the Gwanghwamun branch of Hot Tracks. The album was temporarily sold out on major online record stores including YGeshop and Internet Kyobo Book Store.

The manager at a record store said the album is selling at the same rate as Seo Taiji's latest album.

Big Bang's latest album defeated Seo Taiji on the Hanteo Chart and topped the weekly chart. The title song of the mini album "Day by Day" also ranked number one on Cyworld's music chart, MNet.com and Jukeon.

A total of 640,000 online users accessed the music video of "Day by Day" on YG TV, two days after it was unveiled to the public.

"Ingi Gayo," a popular music show on SBS TV, alloted an unprecedented ten minutes for Big Bang's first TV appearance since the album's release.

Gummy ranks first on MTV Thailand chart!

Gummy has topped Thailand's MTV Chart with her latest hit, "I'm Sorry." The song is the title song of her 4th studio "Comfort" which was released early this year. The album was released for the first time in Thailand in June. It wasn’t long before "I'm Sorry" pushed Usher out of the number one spot stealing on Thailand's MTV International Chart. It is a significant feat as Gummy has not done any official promotional work in Thailand.
From MUSICS LIFE

Singer Bada Cast in Musical ‘Pounds Beauty’

Singer Bada has been cast in the brand new musical ‘Pounds Beauty’. The musical is based on the 2006 film which was based on a Japanese cartoon under the same title. At the time of its release, the film attracted six million movie goers, the most-ever audience for a Korean romantic comedy. The film also made actress Kim Ah-joong into a super star overnight. Bada will take on the role of heroine Han-nah along with musical star Yoon Gong-ju. Bada had previously starred in ‘Notre Dame de Paris’, a hit license musical which was recently staged in Korea. The producers are still searching for an actor to take on the role of the male heroine, who was played by top actor Ju Jin-mo in the film version. Musical ‘Pounds Beauty’ will open at the Chungmu Art Hall on November 27.