South Korean actor Lee Jun-ki's new TV series "Hero" will show a week earlier than expected, according to a broadcaster on Wednesday.

"The drama will air on November 11, pulling up the ending date for 'No Limit' which has been seeing low ratings," said an official at MBC.

The production company for "No Limit" said the issue had not been settled on as of yet.

A couple of South Korea's top stars, including idol group TVXQ member Chung Yun-ho and popular actress Ara, star in the sports drama which has been seeing ratings of around five percent.

"Hero" will star 27-year-old Lee who became a household name in 2005 playing a woman-like clown in the hit film "The King and the Clown" and was recently voted the most popular Korean Wave star in China.

source: asiae

Driven by the star power of Lee Junki, MBC’s new Wednesday-Thursday drama Hero [히어로] has been licensed for a Japanese broadcast even before it airs in Korea. This is not that surprising when one considers Lee Junki’s widespread popularity throughout Asia, but what IS surprising is the recent admission that the licensing was done far in advance — as far back as last November.

A source explained on October 9 that most dramas in this climate are subject to economic considerations and licensing is generally not finalized until two to four episodes have aired. “However, in Hero’s case, recognition of the solid synopsis and lead actor Lee Junki has led to an unusual circumstance of an early sale at a high price.”

Also announced on the 9th was the drama’s confirmed cameo of pop girl group KARA. The ladies will be featured in the first episode in a performance scene. The mini-concert marks the first meeting for Lee Junki and Kim Min-jung, who play a reporter and a police detective, respectively. They get off on the wrong foot, so I’m betting we can expect a lot of bickering in their future.

The KARA members said of the cameo opportunity, “It’s an honor for us to start off this drama together with Lee Junki and Kim Min-jung, who are actors we have always liked. We’re already excited just thinking about filming, and and really looking forward to it. It feels exciting to be able to show a different side of KARA in the drama.”

Hero premieres on November 18, after Heading to the Ground ends.

Via Star News, Joy News + dramabeans

Korean actor Lee Jun-ki has been voted the top Hallyu star in China, according to his agency on Friday.

The actor came in first, beating Rain and actress Song Hye-kyo, in the "2009 Most Popular Korean Star" survey held by CRI Online, a major portal in China, Mentor Entertainment said in a press release.

Lee is also receiving attention in Taiwan with more than 80 media companies on Wednesday attending Lee's press conference for a fan concert set for tomorrow. His Taiwan concert was delayed indefinitely last year due to a typhoon.

"The foundation of Lee's popularity in the Chinese market is more solid than any other Hallyu star syndrome," an official working at a Taiwanese broadcaster was quoted as saying. "I don't think his popularity will decline anytime soon."

The 27-year-old actor rose to stardom playing a woman-like male clown in the 2005 hit film "The King and the Clown".

He is set to appear in the MBC drama, tentatively titled "Hero", which will air in Korea in November.

Source: asiae.co.kr

#1 – Kim HyunJoong (SS501)

#2 – Yamashita Tomohisa (NEWS)

#3 – Akanishi Jin (KAT-TUN)

#4 – Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN)

#5 – Park Yoochun (DBSK)

#6 – Ikuta Toma

#7 – Kim Bum

#8 – Kim Jaejoong (DBSK)



#9 – Wuzun (Fahrenheit)

#10 – Kim Heechul (Super Junior)

#11 – Lee Min Ho

#12 – Kim Junsu (DBSK)

#13 – Lee Jun Ki

#14 – Tachibana Keita (w-inds)

#15 – Ryo Nishikido (NEWS, Kanjani Eight)

Translations: mandasoh@tohosomnia

In to its 4th year, Seoul Drama Awards 2009 (below indicated as SDA) will be held on 11-Sep at Olympic Park’s Olympic Hall, Bangee-dong, Seoul.

The organizing committee for SDA held a press conference at Press Center on 19-Aug at 11am. They revealed “The leading popularity awards for male and female category for this year’s SDA are Lee JunKi and Moon GeunYoung respectively. Popular production seems to be SBS ‘IlJiMae’. Especially in male popularity awards, there is a fierce competition between ‘Iijimae’ Lee JunKi and ‘Boys Over Flowers’ Kim HyunJoong.”


The voting for popularity is held through website yahoo Korea from 13-Jul to 30-Aug, and at the current status on 19-Aug, netizens from 50 countries worldwide participated casting more than 1.5million votes in a day, confirming SDA’s status worldwide.

In addition, Kim MyungMin (mini series), Park YongHa (feature film), Antony Starr from New Zealand, Akira Kume from Japan were nominated for male actor award. Moon GeunYoung (mini series) and a diverse nationality of female actresses were nominated for the female actress award.

There will be fanmeeting, drama premieres, congratulary events, etc, held from 4~ 13-Sep, a total of 10 days, at KwangHwaMoon plaza for the citizens.

Credits : Daum.net + SS601.com + (English Translation) xiaochu @ Quainte501.com

The accusations just keep rolling in.


Earlier this week, accusations of G-Dragon’s plagiarism ran rampant. Netizens accused the singer of sampling heavily from Western beats based on previews that the singer released via his me2day. Most notably, controversy surrounding his title track “Heartbreaker” caused industry big wigs to step in and assess the situation.

Recently, it seems many are doubting the singer’s new look as well. Observant netizens have recently pointed out similarities between G-Dragon’s “Heartbreaker” concept photos and those from Lee Jun-ki’s “JStyle” album photoshoot, which were taken earlier this year. Between bleached hair, smoky eye makeup and vacant stares, both photos do actually look eerily similar.



If that wasn’t enough, G-Dragon’s new album cover is also being accused of looking a bit too much like the cover of English space rock band Spiritualized’s 2001 release “Let it Come Down”.



So, do you think G-Dragon is getting too much inspiration from other artists or do netizens just have it out for singer?

cr:popseoul

Actor and singer Lee Jun-ki was named the promotional ambassador of the Korea Tourism Organization on Wednesday.

Lee's popularity across Asia has been proven by a number of concerts given in Korea and overseas. A concert held in Seoul last April in collaboration with the Shanghai branch of the KTO attracted 2,500 fans from Asia, including 180 from China. Two concerts in China in May, including one held in Suzhou, lured over 10,000 fans, and shows in Yokohama and Kobe last month drew over 9,000 Japanese fans.



"I've thought of my role as kind of a cultural ambassador, so I really enjoyed it when I was a promotional ambassador for the Korean Wave in 2008," Lee said. "I'm very proud to have this opportunity to represent Korea in 2009, and I would like to take this chance to show a better and positive image of myself and my country."

A survey was done from 19th till 26th July on CyWorld visitors on artistes minihompy visitor hits ranking and 2NE1 members Sandara Park, Park Bom and Gong MinJi was in the top 10 chart, all 3 of them have gathered over 480K visits to their minihompy on Cyworld.

Other than 2NE1 on the chart, other artistes’ minihompy on the top 10 ranking are Amy (who wrote about the pains she is going through amidst all the gossips and rumours she has gotten into lately) and Lee EulJung (especially since after she revealed photos of her boyfriend who is 7 years younger than her).

Another survey was also done at the same time on popular background music for Cyworld minihompy. And 3 of 2NE1’s songs are up on the top 10 chart with ‘I Don’t Care’ on #1.

Star Minihompy visitor hits:

1.Sandara Park (238,505 visits)

2.Lee Eul Jung (223,108 visits)

3.Amy (173,918 visits)

4.Park Bom (151,574 visits)

5.Han HyoJoo (120,722 visits)

6.Gi SeongYoung (120,027 visits)

7.Kim HeeChul (114,090 visits)

8.Gong MinJi (93,633 visits)

9.Lee JunKi (88,430 visits)

10.Lee Teuk (84,126 visits)

Minihompy background music:

1.I Don’t Care – 2NE1

2.NaengMyun – MyungCaDrive

3.Words more beautiful than love – MC Mong

4.Will You Marry Me – Lee Seung Gi

5.Let’s Dance – Future Liger

6.Abracadabra – Brown Eyed Girls

7.I Hope – FT Island

8.In The Club – 2NE1

9.Pretty Boy – 2NE1

10.Indian Boy – MC Mong

cr:sookyeong

Actor-turned-singer Lee Joon-ki is making a return to center stage in Japan with concerts in Kobe and Yokohama on July 18 and 19. The event will commemorate the re-opening of his fan club, Splendor.

Lee previously recorded and released music in 2006, but his new single in April was his first time back on the music scene. Another EP is due later this year and the undying love of his fans has thrust him back into the public eye.

The 27-year-old gained widespread fame for his role as an androgynous court jester in the film "The King and the Clown".

Although he has appeared in numerous films, TV dramas and commercials since his surge in popularity, Lee's subsequent endeavors failed to garner as much acclaim in Korea as his original role.

Lee continues to have large fan bases in other Asian countries, contributing to a wave of cultural exchange called "hallyu", the term used to describe the welcome of Korean pop culture in Japan, China and others countries. He was the representative for last year's Seoul Hallyu Festival.

In an interview with HanCinema, an online database for Korean movies and dramas, the actor discussed his motivation to satisfy the fans.

"Being a public figure, there aren't many ways for me to relieve stress. And, over the years, I've lost some of the people in my life", he said. "In that sense, I just want to have fun with my fans. My fans mean a lot to me".

Lee has recently held fan appreciation concerts in Shanghai and Hangzhou in China, where there were 10,000 in attendance. Tickets for the Japanese concerts ― where fans will get the only opportunity to buy a special edition DVD of his upcoming EP, J Style ― have already sold out.

The SBS drama "Iljimae" (a mysterious, black-swathed thief who robs from corrupt government officials and gives to the poor) will be broadcast for its third run on Japanese television starting August 25 on Korean entertainment satellite channel Mnet. Beginning Aug. 1, the channel will also air "Time Between Dog and Wolf - Drama", a thriller drama, and "Episode 2: The Mask", which recorded an international fan's meeting with Lee In Seoul last April.


Credits:The Korea Times via Han Cinema

Lee Junki was last in Japan in October 2008; he also put out a single album (in Korea) called “J Style” in April. However, Japanese fans will get the unique chance to buy a J Style Special Edition DVD, which will go on sale only for attendees of the fan concerts.


Lee Junki has attracted fans in Japan for previous roles in films like Fly Daddy Fly and The King and the Clown, but his popularity grew when his SBS drama series Iljimae showed last year on Japanese satellite channel So-net TV. It began re-airing on broadcast airwaves last month, and will enjoy a third airing starting August 25 on the satellite channel devoted to Korean entertainment, Mnet. Mnet will also begin airing his 2007 thriller drama Time of Dog and Wolf beginning August 1, as well as his Episode 2: The Mask “global fanmeeting” that took place in April in Seoul.

source: yonhap news

Lee Jun Ki's "Soliloquize" MV has been released. Check it out inside this post!





[credits]
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