Photofix 107

In magazines:

KP’s note: The September issue is the most important one for fashion magazines, so you’ll likely see a lot of big stars in cool photo spreads this coming month.

• Jeon Do Yeon in Harper’s Bazaar

Jeon Do Yeon in Bazaar (9/09)

Jeon Do Yeon in Bazaar (9/09)

Jeon Do Yeon in Bazaar (9/09)

Jeon Do Yeon in Bazaar (9/09)

• Sohn Tae Young – a.k.a. Mrs. Kwon Sang Woo – in W

Son Tae Young in W (9/09)

Son Tae Young in W (9/09)

Son Tae Young in W (9/09)

In marketing:

• Model-actress Shin Mina and model-musician Jamie Dornan market Calvin Klein jeans with Elle (9/09)

Shin Mina for Calvin Klein, Fall '09

Shin Mina & Jamie Dornan for Calvin Klein, Fall '09

Jamie Dornan & Shin Mina for Calvin Klein, Fall '09

Shin Mina for Calvin Klein, Fall '09

Photofix 47

In magazines:

• Kim Hyun Joo for InStyle (5/09)

Kim Hyun Joo in InStyle (5/09)

Kim Hyun Joo for InStyle (5/09)

Kim Hyun Joo for InStyle (5/09)

Kim Hyun Joo for InStyle (5/09)

Kim Hyun Joo for InStyle (5/09)

Kim Hyun Joo for InStyle (5/09)

• Sohn Tae Young models Celine sunglasses in Vogue (5/09)

Sohn Tae Young in Vogue (5/09)

Sohn Tae Young in Vogue (5/09)

Sohn Tae Young in Vogue (5/09)

Photofix 41

In magazines:

• Sohn Tae Young shows off her figure for Allure’s May issue, just two months after giving birth to son, Rook Hee. Sohn will begin filming on May 4 for an SBS daily drama, Two Wives (두 아내), with Kim Ji Young, Kim Ho Jin, Kim Yong Rim (who happens to be lead Kim Ji Young’s mother-in-law), Andy, Kim Yoon Kyung, Kang Ji Sub, and Ko Jung Min.

Sohn Tae Young in Allure (5/09)

Sohn Tae Young in Allure (5/09)

Sohn Tae Young in Allure (5/09)

• Hwangbo is a “diva luxe” for April’s Marie Claire

 

Hwangbo in Marie Claire (4/09)

Hwangbo in Marie Claire (4/09)

Hwangbo in Marie Claire (4/09)

Hwangbo in Marie Claire (4/09)

Hwangbo in Marie Claire (4/09)

Minimix 6

The Kwon Sang Woo edition (2/25 – 3/4):

Kwon Sang Woo

• Kwon Sang Woo is in the midst of opening a coffee shop in Myeong-dong, Seoul. The shop is named Tea’us and it is Kwon’s first business as a sole proprietor. A representative told Star News, “Kwon Sang Woo has had a lot of interest in coffee….The shop interior is currently under construction, so the opening will probably be next month or the one after.”
• Kwon Sang Woo and Sohn Tae Young have finally named their baby boy. Although they originally considered names like Kwon Rook/Luke (권룩) and Kwon Yul (권율), they went to the Gangnam District Office on March 4 and registered their son as Kwon Rook Hee (권룩희). He said in a phone interview, “We called him by the nickname ‘Rookie’ since before he was born, so we wanted continue using that as his real name.” Rook Hee generally looks like his father, but he is slim like his mother.
• Kwon Sang Woo revealed to StarNews, “Sohn Tae Young and I have decided to adopt the Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie couple) concept. Work more aggressively on projects, go out openly and looking nicely with our kid(s), and do lots of good deeds. Sohn Tae Young said that she’s willing to have a second child, but I would like to have a third one as well.”
• He is hoping to take some time off to be a full-time father after completing the Cinderella Man drama.
• His movie, A Story Sadder than Sadness, premieres next week. He told reporters that Sohn shed tears during an advance screening. (KP’s note: On Naver, the movie’s English title is More than Blue; the website’s link is http://www.sadsadlove.com. Hence, I’m not quite sure what the movie’s actual English title is.)
• Kwon told the StarNews journalist, “I hope that viewers come out from watching this movie feeling jealous of Sohn Tae Young for being married to Kwon Sang Woo or thinking that they would like to date a guy like Kwon Sang Woo”.
• On last week’s broadcast of Golden Fishery, he said that he had approximately seven CF contracts in the year before his marriage. None of them were renewed post-wedding. However, Kwon said that it’s okay because his newborn son is worth much more. He has no regrets and feels that it would have been nonsensical to delay marriage for the sake of maintaining his popularity. Kwon is also adamant that the pre-wedding pregnancy was not an accident. He said it was planned – on his part, anyways. He didn’t tell Sohn Tae Young of his intention to get her pregnant.
• He also admitted on Golden Fishery that when they were dating, he wrote a letter to Sohn’s parents asking for their consent. Sohn’s parents had been against her dating another celebrity because of the emotional pain she went through from a previous relationship. The letter won them over, and Sohn’s mother wrote Kwon Sang Woo a letter to express her approval.

KP’s note: This guy is so quotable! I cannot believe he said that they’re trying to be like Brangelina.

Minimix 2

KP’s note: Whew! So many bits of information, this post should be called Maximix instead of Minimix. Minimix will be a regular feature on KPculture to summarize some of the most recent Korean entertainment news you may be interested in. Check out Minimix 1 if you missed it.

2/8- 2/10

• Ju Ji Hun’s star power is being credited for Don Juan‘s strong ticket sales. Although the show began on February 6, Ju’s first show will be on the 12. All of the good seats for his first performance were sold out within ten minutes of being available. Fans are even coming from Japan to catch his live performance as Don Juan, and as a bonus, check out his movie Kitchen in theatres.

Ju Ji Hun in Don Juan

• Kim Myung Min’s manager stated in an interview that Kim Myung Min’s original weight was approximately 70-72 kilograms. However, he lost 5 kilograms since starting to film My Love By My Side; in April, he plans to lose 5 more; and then he will be given two weeks off to lose 10 more by the end of filming. This is to coincide with his deteriorating health (due to Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in the movie. The manager claimed that “these days, [Kim Myung Min] eats only two spoonfuls per meal”.

• Kim Suna will be in the two-episode After the Wedding (결온식 후에), which will reunite her with PD Kim Yoon Chul four years after their hit drama, My Name is Kim Sam Soon. The plot will be about six former university club members who meet 15 years later at a wedding. (Update: Kim Suna is no longer part of the segment.)

• The above-stated project is part of the massive joint Korean-Japanese telecinema production involving eight Korean directors, seven Japanese writers, and a multitude of actors to create nine or ten different segments (stories). Han Hyo Joo and Kim Jae Joong’s Heaven’s Postman is one segment of the production. Lee Soo Kyung, Ahn Jae Wook, and Kang Hye Jung have recently been confirmed to begin filming mid-February for another part, called Triangle. Cha In Pyo will star in the part A Stone’s Dream (돌멩이의 꿈), which also begins filming this month. KP’s note: More information will follow in a separate post on the project.

• Singer Se7en’s digital single has been pushed back to debut in both Korea and the States in early March, rather than on February 14. The song is “Girls”, which features Lil’ Kim and was produced by Dark Child (who has worked with Michael Jackson and Britney Spears). YG Entertainment stated that they require more time for practice and pre-debut promotional activities. After the debut, Se7en will spend three to four months on promoting himself in the U.S., and then head to Korea to continue promotions.

• Lee Jun Ki will be featured as a guest on the debut album of singer Sori. He will be heard rapping on her song “Pinky Finger”. In related news, Kwon Soon Ok, (famous in his own right, but also as BoA’s older brother), directed the music video for another one of her songs. Both the music video and album will debut on February 19.

Sori

• Ivy has been credited as the lyricist for SNSD’s song, “Dear Mom”. She wrote the lyrics at the request of her boyfriend Kim Tae Sung (composer for many SM artists). It was later revealed that she was also wrote the song “The Final Gift” (“마지막 선물”) on boyband SHINee’s debut album. Credits on both songs call the lyricist “The Lighthouse” rather than Ivy or her real name, Park Eun Hye. This is being hailed as her comeback, as Ivy has been off of the public radar since late 2007, when she was bombarded with negative publicity from several “scandals”.

• Visitors of Kwon Sang Woo and Sohn Tae Young’s baby are declaring that he is a beautiful baby who looks just like his father. The couple has yet to decide on the baby’s name, so they are still calling him “Rookie“.

• Bi will go by the identity of The Rain in America, due to the trademark infringement complaint filed by Rain Corporation in February 2007 for his use of the name Rain. However, they have agreed (outside of court) that he may go simply by the name Rain abroad and in his acting activities. In related news, Bi will soon head to court in Hawaii to settle matters with Click Entertainment, who has sued him for $40 million USD for cancelling his June 2007 concerts. At the time, the reason given for cancellation was that Bi could not perform due to the trademark issue.

Kwon Sang Woo & Sohn Tae Young Have a Son

the new parents

Actors Kwon Sang Woo and Sohn Tae Young gave birth to a healthy baby boy weighing 3 kilograms on February 6, 2009. Sohn went through natural labour three weeks ahead of her due date.

Mom and son are both doing well, and left the hospital soon[er than usual] after giving birth, to rest at home. Sohn’s husband, Kwon, is staying by her side for the next few days as she recuperates.

A source reported that Kwon shed tears of joy, and is thrilled for fatherhood. Kwon expressed that he feels a heavy sense of responsibility now that he is a father, and will do his best to be a good one.

Kwon had stated earlier that they were planning to name their son 룩 (Rook? Ruk? Luke? – full name being Kwon Rook/Luke), originating from how they nicknamed the baby boy 루키 (Rookie) during her pregnancy. However, they have yet to officially name him.

The couple met on New Year’s Eve 2007 through Kim Sung Su (Kwon’s co-star in Bad Love). They began dating, and announced in July that they would be married on September 28 of 2008. At the time, they denied that Sohn was pregnant due to negative comments being directed towards Sohn.

Kwon’s movie, A Story Sadder Than Sadness, will hit theatres soon. His next project is drama Cinderella Man (not to be confused with the Hollywood movie) with Han Eun Jung, which will be broadcast in April.