Minimix 22

KP’s note: Although it isn’t kpculture-related, the passing of a former president is big news – and even more so when surrounded by scandal – so read about Roh Moo Hyun’s suicide in the New York Times, the Associated Press, or BBC News.

On a related note, all of the major broadcasting stations cancelled a week’s worth of variety programs because they felt that it would be inappropriate during this tragic time.

• Veteran actress Yeo Woon Gye (69) passed away at on May 22 due to kidney cancer that had spread to her lungs. Yeo had an illustrious career spanning 57 years – some of her more recent works include Oh! Pil Seung and Bong Soon Young, Bad Family, War of Money, and Golden Era of Daughter-in-Law. Many entertainers are visiting the funeral hall at Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital to pay their respects.
  

  Yeo Woon Gye, 1940-2009

• Yoon Sang Hyun, co-star on hit drama Queen of Housewives, teared up on May 22′s broadcast of Guerilla Date. When asked how his parents feel about his recent rise in fame, Yoon admitted that his father sadly does not yet recognize him after suffering a stroke when Queen of Housewives began filming.
• Korean-Japanese mixed martial artist Chu Sung Hoon (a.k.a Akiyama Yoshihiro) is the guest on Family Outing‘s May 31 and June 7 and June 14 broadcasts. He filmed with the cast and crew overnight on May 18 and 19 around Hwasung, Gyeonggi-do. Chu married Japanese model Shiho Yano earlier this year. Career-wise, he signed with UFC this past February and will fight in his first UFC match on June 11, 2009.
  

  Family Outing with Yoshihiro Akiyama

• The Slingshot (Story of a Man) stills from Gyeong Ah and Do Woo’s wedding were released this week, in advance of episode 15′s broadcast on Monday, May 25.
  

  The Slingshot - still

  

  The Slingshot - still

  

  The Slingshot - Kim Kang Woo, Park Shi Yeon, Park Yong Ha on set

  

  The Slingshot - Heo Wook, Kim Kang Woo, Park Shi Yeon, Park Yong Ha, Han Yeo Woon on set

• Singer Lee Minwoo (a.k.a M) and TV personality Amy have split after half a year of dating. On May 18, a representative of M’s agency confirmed that the couple separated at the beginning of the month due to personality differences. Amy expressed through her minihompy on the same day, “I alone was happy… I alone was sad… I alone was hurt… I alone shed tears… I alone laughed… Now, I’m ok [doing] everything alone.” The two went from make-believe couple to actual couple through meeting on the reality TV program, Kkokko Sightseeing Single Single, last fall.
  

  Lee Min Woo, Amy

Five Senses of Eros (Ogamdo) – An Introduction

Update (6/30): Official segment titles have been added.

Ogamdo - poster

poster

Ogamdo is a star-packed omnibus of five interconnected segments, each directed by a [different] top Korean director. Although the film’s main theme is eros, the poster states that it is “a story of more than eros”.

The Slingshot – Introduction

As the official poster reveals, KBS has chosen 남자이야기‘s English title to be The Slingshot, rather than the direct translation, Story of a Man.

The Slingshot - poster

The Slingshot - poster

The Slingshot - poster

The Slingshot - poster

The Slingshot - poster

Drama: The Slingshot (남자 이야기)

Broadcast Schedule: Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:55 pm on KBS2; begins April 6, 2009

Director: Yoon Sung Sik

Screenwriter: Song Ji Na

Cast:

Story of a Man - cast

• Park Yong Ha – Kim Shin
• Kim Kang Woo – Chae Do Woo
• Park Si Yeon – Seo Gyeong Ah
• Han Yeo Woon – Chae Eun Soo
• Lee Moon Sik – Park Moon Ho
• Lee Philip  – Do Jae Myung
• Park Ki Woong – Ahn G/Kyung Tae

Minimix 5

• Actress Son Ye Jin reported to the National Tax Service office for Samsung/Seocho/Yeoksam districts to fulfill her role as a tax administration volunteer. March 3 was the 43rd annual Tax Day. She told reporters, “I’ll earn a lot of money and diligently pay taxes.” Other celebrities participating with the NTS at various locations this week are Kang Ho Dong, Park Ye Jin, Uhm Jung Hwa, and Kim Rae Won.
  

  Son Ye Jin volunteering for tax administration

• Seo Woo threw a surprise party for Paju co-star Lee Sun Kyun on March 2 for his 34th birthday. When Lee came on set for filming after lunch, Seo Woo approached him carrying a cake, and the cast and crew joined in as she sang “Happy Birthday”. When the embarrassed actor asked, “How did you know it’s my birthday?”, she smiled and responded by saying that she’s been a fan of his since youth and knows everything [about him].
  

  Lee Sun Kyun & Seo Woo on his 34th birthday

• Jeong Sia (Come to Play) will marry actor Baek Do Bin (Kill Me) on March 7 at Imperial Palace Hotel. The couple met last year on the set of the movie Survival. Jeong has stated her intention to discontinue appearing on variety shows following her marriage in order to concentrate on acting.
  

  Baek Do Bin & Jeong Sia

• Han Hye Jin claimed in a recent interview that she hasn’t discussed marriage with her boyfriend of four years, singer Naul. She did, however, express approval of her sister’s boyfriend, actor Kim Kang Woo (Marine Boy). He and her sister have known each other since before his rise to fame. (KP’s note: Han Hye Jin and Kim Kang Woo both belong to the same agency. I’m not sure if she was the one who set the couple.) Han said that Kim remains down-to-earth and is a good, kind person.
  Discussing her appearance, she admitted that people have tried to persuade her to get plastic surgery on her nose. However, she said that she’s lived with her nose for a long time, so she’ll continue to live with it as is.

45th PaekSang Arts Awards

The 45th PaekSang Arts Awards took place on the evening of February 27 at Seoul Olympic Park’s Olympic Hall.

Winners, TV:

• Best TV Drama: KBS Mom’s Dead Upset
• Best Variety Show: KBS Gag Concert
• Best Educational Program: SBS Dokdo’s Choice
• Best Director: Shin Woo Chul, SBS On Air
• Best New Director: Bong Sung Chul, SBS Star’s Lover
• Best Screenwriter: Yoo Hyun Mi, SBS The Scale of Providence
• Outstanding Achievement Award: Lee Soon Jae, Mom’s Dead Upset
• Daesang: Kim Hye Ja, KBS Angry Mom
• Best Actor: Kim Myung Min, MBC Beethoven Virus
• Best Actress: Moon Geun Young, SBS The Painter of the Wind
• Best Newcomer Actor: Lee Min Ho, KBS Boys Over Flowers
• Best Newcomer Actress: Im Yoona, KBS You Are My Destiny
• Best Male TV Entertainer: Kim Byung Man, KBS Gag Concert
• Best Female TV Entertainer: Park Mi Sun, MBC Sunday Sunday Night
• Popularity Award (Male): Kim Hyun Joong, KBS Boys Over Flowers
• Popularity Award (Female): Im Yoona, KBS You Are My Destiny

Winners, Film:

• Best Film: Celebrate Our Love
• Best New Director: Lee Chung Ryul, Old Partner
• Best Screenwriter: Kang Hyung Chul, Speed Scandal
• Daesang: Kang Woo Suk, Public Enemy Returns
  
• Best Actor: Joo Jin Mo, A Frozen Flower
• Best Actress: Son Ye Jin, My Wife Got Married
• Best Newcomer Actor: So Ji Sub and Kang Ji Hwan, A Movie is a Movie (also known as Rough Cut)
  
• Best Newcomer Actress: Park Bo Young, Speed Scandal
• Popularity Award (Male): Ju Ji Hun, Antique Bakery
• Popularity Award (Female): Park Bo Young, Speed Scandal

45th Baeksang winners

First of all, we realize that we’re the only ones who spell it as PaekSang instead of Baeksang. This is in accordance with the spelling found on the official website. Nowadays, Baeksang is more correct – just like the city of Pusan is now Busan – however, we’ll stick with the official version for now.

Keep reading for fashions, quotes, and more!