Korean race queen: Hwang Mi Hee

Korea sexy girl: Park Eun Kyung

KARA

KARA is a Korean girl group. Who know more about this girl group ?

Hwang-Im's 'Happiness' Invited to Toronto Film Festival

The Korean film "Happiness" starring Hwang Jeong-min and Im Soo-jeong has officially been invited to the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival.

The Toronto festival, called the 'Cannes' of North America, is the largest regional film market and one of the four major global film festivals after the Cannes, Berlin and Venice.

An official of the movie said, "An invitation to the festival's Contemporary World Cinema category came simply through a preview of the film's edited version, as full editing and mixing has yet to be done. It's double the pleasure to have been invited along with the Cannes winning Korean film 'Secret Sunshine'."

The Contemporary World Cinema category, regarded a key section at Toronto, invites award winning films and new productions by up-and-coming directors.

'Happiness,' directed by Heo Jin-ho, depicts the ultimately cruel love story of a couple who first meet at a nursing home.

(source: KBS)

'Angel' Chae Raising Profile in China

Singer Chae Eun-jeong, known as 'Angel', is rising as a Hallyu star in China.

Less than a month after she debuted at the RNX Hallyu Concert held last month in China to mark 15th year of bilateral ties, her blog has opened on China's largest portal Sina.com.

The number of visitors topped 80,000 on Wednesday. Members of the blog have given Chae the nickname "sexy princess."

Also posted on the blog is her first solo album title song 'POP,' a music video, her profile, photos and some 500 online comments.

An official of her management agency said, ¡°Chinese fans have instantly took note of her charm. We will lend our best support so Chae can reach Hallyu stardom following singers like Lee Jeong-hyeon and Jang Nara."

(source: KBS)

Nancy Lang to Hold Exhibit in Paris

Pop Artist Nancy Lang will hold an exhibition in France at the invitation of a Paris gallery.
The month-long exhibit will open Sept. 8.

In an interview with Sports Hankook, Lang said "I'm happy, as I feel that my work has been recognized by the home country of art. After the exhibit, the gallery wished to submit my works to the FIAC fair in October.

FIAC is the largest art market in France that will showcase over five days works by some 600 contemporary artists from 200 galleries worldwide, including New York, Venice and London.
Lang will present her created art work 'Taboo Yogini.' She says "If the exhibit proves successful, hopefully it will boost my US debut and gain wider recognition for me as a contemporary artist."

(source: KBS)

Pop artist Nancy Lang

Since her performance of 'Lost Dream' in her underwear at the 2003 Venice Biennale, Nancy Lang was introduced to Korea, and she quickly appeared in magazines, on TV and on the Internet. Her showbiz philosophy that she would make money with art shouting "Cutie! Sexy! Kitty!" and "I Love Dollars" has raised controversy among art circles as well as the public.

Unconventional performance
Lang played the violin in the middle of a street wearing Victoria Secret lingerie and red high heels with kabuki style makeup. Her childhood dream was to become a violinist. And she realized the dream through art. Once, at the San Marco Piazza in Venice, she was held by the police for four hours, after which she became popular. Her performances thereafter continued to stand out. The New York born ethnic Korean is a US citizen. She only attended an international high school in Manila but her mannerisms and accent bear the hallmarks of a third generation Korean-American. Her Korean name is Park Hye-ryeong. But eyeing the world as her stage, she strategically changed her last name through help from a lawyer. "Lang" was the final choice among several names as it visually looked nice in typographic terms. Born into a well-to-do family, Lang however went through difficult times when her father died during her college years and her mother fell sick. At times, she couldn't pay her tuition. But through the trials, she developed a clear sense of life and living.

The evolving Taboo Yogini
Multi-talented Lang's unconventional character and provocative performances have grabbed the attention of the art, fashion and entertainment circles alike. In her trademark series 'Taboo Yogini,' characters such as a woman with a huge courtesan wig or a figure with a body of a robot and a head of a girl, rooster or dog appear. And invariably held in their hand is a powerful gun or a Louis Vuitton bag. In the backdrop is a car, a Chanel lipstick and other luxury brand logos. "Yogini" means an angel or a devil in the dictionary. Taboo Yogini, representing both good and bad, is a ceaselessly resurrecting spiritual being due to its persistent power and life energy. It is the symbol of Lang herself, her dreams, her wounds and her fight. The self-proclaimed 'walking pop art' doesn't hide her love for brand name and elite goods. Last year at the Seoul Arts Center, the bikini clad Lang asked audience members to put oil on her body before going on to sing 'Purple Scent' to the tune of a karaoke machine. She pulled off another eccentric performance "Nancy Lang's autograph session" during which she autographed her posterior as the inaugural artist of the Gwangju Biennale. The Taboo Yogini series is expected to evolve even more. In pursuit of breaking apart and assembling robots, Lang has only yet gathered the parts, and during the process she can let go of past regrets. Her work these days in fact show glimpses of her severing chains with the past and moving toward a fantastic future, portrayed by a wounded yogini and a guardian angel robot. If yogini was Peter Pan to Lang, the robot would be her Tinker Bell. It may be that she is inviting someone she can rely on in the future into her world filled with luxury goods.

Dreaming of Korea's Takashi Murakami
Her work and lifestyle and her brutally candid and daring speech and actions invite criticism at times. But she doesn't care. She confidently argues that, like a racehorse, she only runs toward a clear goal. She has firmly established herself as an artist reaching out to the public. Few others see art as showbiz as much as she does. But approaching show business with new ideas and works is a whole different realm. Her role model is Takashi Murakami, who successfully turned his character creations into art based on the animation, comics and games culture. Most of her works sell well and her name once topped the top online search word list. She knows what she wants, "I will become a world renowned artist who can influence the general public, and based on that foundation, I want to gain wealth and fame." We wonder what she will show us next, as she brings along issues and controversies wherever she goes with her art.

(source: KBS)

Singer Seo Shows Off Archery Skills in China

Sexy singer Seo In-young has maintained Korea's pride in archery.

With group member Park Jeong-a and break dancer Poppin Hyunjoon, Seo on July 30 attended an opening ceremony of a Chinese satellite variety program promoting the success of next year's Beijing Olympics.

During the show, Seo teamed up with Hyunjoon and took part in an archery match, finishing in first place among seven teams.

The program's producer said the energetic performance of the three has impressed many Chinese viewers.

Seo's management says "We hope that the Beijing Olympics will facilitate Korean stars' advance into China. Chinese media is showing interest and Seo is receiving many calls to be on Chinese broadcast shows. She will soon release a Chinese album to launch full fledged activities in China."

Mina's New Album Receives 150,000 Preorders in China

The popularity of sexy singer Mina is soaring in China.

Her fourth album (in Chinese) to be released by a major Chinese record agency later this month has already received 150,000 advance orders. The Chinese record firm and her management is stunned, as the number would be high even for top notch Chinese singers.

Mina already sold 250,000 albums for her hit song 'Pick up the phone.' At the news of the staggering number of preorders, she reported excitedly exclaimed, "What if it sells a million copies?"

Mina will promote her fourth album in Korea while also touring China, Thailand and the Philippines.

source: KBS

Bada to Appear in Musicals

Singer Bada will appear in two musicals in October: the one-person musical "Tell Me on a Sunday" and the French musical "Notre-Dame de Paris." The latter drew two million viewers in France and some 10 million viewers in 11 countries since its debut in 1998. In 2005, it was staged in Korea by the original French cast.

The musical in which Bada will play the lead is based on a novel by Victor Hugo. The cast will comprise Korean actors.

Bada will receive singing and acting training from the original French cast in France over two weeks in September.

source: KBS

Actress Kim Hee-seon Holds Promo Tour in Japan

Actress Kim Hee-seon has begun a promotion tour in Japan with support from her close celebrity friends.

Lee Byeong-heon, Ryu Si-won, Kwon Sang-woo and Jackie Chan sent video messages to her official news conference at a Tokyo hotel on July 22 that gathered 150 teams of reporters. In the messages, the actors spoke of how they felt about Kim while working together with her.

After the news conference, the Korean beauty met with 1,300 fans, sang the theme song of her drama 'Sad Love Story,' and played the piano. She also gave out gifts and took pictures with fans.
The fan meeting in Japan was arranged at the invitation of Fuji TV, which aired 'Sad Love Story.'

(source: KBS)

Actress Jeon Do-yeon One of 50 Most Influential Women

Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon has officially become an influential world star. Jeon recently made the list of '50 Most Influential Women' released by America's Variety magazine.

Quoting Korean critics, Variety described Jeon as a "chameleon" actress who is capable of completely engaging herself in a given role. The magazine said Jeon received the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as a mother who loses her only son in Lee Chang-dong's film "Secret Sunshine." The magazine went on to comment that it was the first time for a Korean to win an award for best acting in an international film festival and that it was the result of a unanimous decision.

In May, Variety chose Jeon as one of the 60 most prominent people to lead the future of the Cannes Festival.

(source: KBS)

Full House Season 2 in the Making

Season 2 of the hit KBS drama series 'Full House' is in the making.

Park Chang-sik at Kim Jong-hak Production says "Jo Jeong-hwa has been working on the script for a year and the script is ready for the 3rd episode so far. Overseas shooting is also under review."

Casting will begin this year and the drama will be filmed and aired next year. The director has yet to be decided.

Park says "The first series in 2004 was beloved at home, in China and Southeast Asia so that many Asian broadcasters offered to produce their own series. A well made season 2 could hit it big at home and abroad. It's unclear whether Rain and Song Hye-kyo will be recast."

Full House, which ended airing in September 2004, was based on a popular same-titled Korean comic by Won Soo-yeon about a trendy young couple's love story. Rain and Song were touted as the most lovely drama couple.

(source: KBS)

Wonder Girls Enter MTV Thailand's Top-5

The song "Irony" from the female group Wonder Girls, which debuted in Thailand in June, took the fifth spot on MTV Thailand's international chart.

The chart announces the most popular songs based on the frequency of their broadcasts and the number of viewer requests to play them over the past one week. By taking the fifth spot, the Wonder Girls have beaten even world famous stars such as Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5.

The group was also selected by MTV as the Artist of the Month in July, and it has gained enormous popularity all over Asia.

Since its debut earlier this year, the Wonder Girls have been performing vigorously in various countries. In April, the group held a showcase in China. In early June, the band released its first single album in Thailand at the urgent request of its Thai fans.

The band entered MTV Thailand's top-five with its album just a month after its release, without having visited the country in person so far.

The Wonder Girls will perform in Korea, China and Thailand after releasing its first full-length album during the second half of the year.

Film Starring Kang Su-yeon to Compete at Venice Film Festival

A movie starring world star Kang Su-yeon, her first big-screen work in 20 years, will be screened at the Venice Film Festival.

Kang gained global acclaim in 1987 by winning the Best Leading Actress award at the festival for her role in Lim Kwon-taek's movie "The Surrogate Woman."

Her new film is a story about a nine-year-old girl from a mining village in Gangwon Province and her views on her family and the world. Kang plays the girl's mother in the movie.

Directed by Jun Su-il, the movie will compete in the "Horizon" category of the Venice festival.

Lim Kwon-taek's movie "Beyond the Years" will also participate in the festival in the non-competition category.

Wonder Girls Enter MTV Thailand's Top-5

The song "Irony" from the female group Wonder Girls, which debuted in Thailand in June, took the fifth spot on MTV Thailand's international chart. The chart announces the most popular songs based on the frequency of their broadcasts and the number of viewer requests to play them over the past one week. By taking the fifth spot, the Wonder Girls have beaten even world famous stars such as Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5. The group was also selected by MTV as the Artist of the Month in July, and it has gained enormous popularity all over Asia. Since its debut earlier this year, the Wonder Girls have been performing vigorously in various countries. In April, the group held a showcase in China. In early June, the band released its first single album in Thailand at the urgent request of its Thai fans. The band entered MTV Thailand's top-five with its album just a month after its release, without having visited the country in person so far. The Wonder Girls will perform in Korea, China and Thailand after releasing its first full-length album during the second half of the year.

Film Starring Kang Su-yeon to Compete at Venice Film Festival

A movie starring world star Kang Su-yeon, her first big-screen work in 20 years, will be screened at the Venice Film Festival.

Kang gained global acclaim in 1987 by winning the Best Leading Actress award at the festival for her role in Lim Kwon-taek's movie "The Surrogate Woman."

Her new film is a story about a nine-year-old girl from a mining village in Gangwon Province and her views on her family and the world. Kang plays the girl's mother in the movie.

Directed by Jun Su-il, the movie will compete in the "Horizon" category of the Venice festival.

Lim Kwon-taek's movie "Beyond the Years" will also participate in the festival in the non-competition category.

(source: KBS)

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.

Korean Stars To Visit Japan in August

Well-known Korean stars with large fan bases in Japan will travel to Tokyo in August. The Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports reported that a number of famous Korean stars are scheduled to appear at the two-day "FACE in Japan Premium Event" at the Tokyo Dome on August 14th and 15th. The event is part of a cultural exchange program between Korea and Japan and a sequel to the Hallyu Expo held in Jeju Island last year.

Actress Yoon Son-ha will host the show for two days. Actress Ha Ji-won, actors Lee Dong-gun, Jo Han-seon, Shin Hyun-jun, the popular idol group TVXQ, and other up-and-coming singers and performers will make appearances.

Honey Lee Likely to Become 1st Hallyu Miss Korea

Honey Lee, who finished fourth at the 2007 Miss Universe beauty pageant, has recently drawn attention from Singapore's The Electric New Paper.

It was the first time the daily introduced a beauty contestant, not a celebrity. It wrote that Lee, who holds a third degree black belt in taekwondo, "once played 'bodyguard' to actress Kim Tae-hee" when she was in college, because she is 10 centimeters taller than Kim and has excellent taekwondo skills. The daily wrote, "The two beauties have been good friends since joining the same ski club while studying at Korea's prestigious Seoul National University in 2004."

Lee currently hosts a weekly entertainment show along with emcee Seo Kyung-seok, but she denies that she has made an official debut in showbiz. The Singaporean daily quoted Lee's agency as saying that Lee "wants to represent traditional Korean beauty and culture to the world. And this is the first step toward fulfilling her goal."

The Electronic New Paper showed great interest in Lee, adding that she received a traditional red Mexican doll from the First Lady of Mexico at the Miss Universe competition back in May.