Lee Da-hae make big screen debut with "Song of Springs"

Korean actress Lee Da-hae [DBM Entertainment]

Korean actress Lee Da-hae will be making her big screen debut in an upcoming historical movie, according to the movie's producer Sang Sang Entertainment on Thursday.

A press release from Sang Sang announced that Lee will play the female lead named Ara in the film "Song of Springs," based on the novel of the same name written by novelist Kim Hoon, opposite Lee Sung-jae and Ahn Sung-ki.

"Springs" will be helmed by famed director Joo Kyeong-joong, who won best director at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for "A Little Monk."

"Springs" has already been sold to Japan and China after garnering attention for Japanese producer Satoru Iseki taking part in the overseas distribution and marketing for the film.

Lee has appeared in several dramas since her debut in 2001. Her most notable works include her role in "Lotus Flower Fairy" and rose to stardom in Korea and throughout Asia with "My Girl."

She recently played the lead female role alongside Korean actors Jang Hyuk and in the hit KBS historical drama " Oh Ji-hoThe Slave Hunters" which recorded viewership ratings in the high 30 percent range.

Filming for "Song of Springs" will begin in the summer and the premiere date has been set for around the summer of next year.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@
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Jo Yeo-jeong Hits Box-Office Gold with Daring Part

"The Servant" released on June 2 is in many ways significant for the actress Jo Yeo-jeong. It is her first box office success since her debut in 1997, having drawn more than a million spectators in just a week since its release, and it includes the first serious bed scenes of her acting career.

"The Servant" is a modern interpretation with a satirical twist of the classic Korean folktale of Chun-hyang. It tells the story of Bang-ja, the servant of a young nobleman Mong-ryong, who becomes enamoured of a traditional entertainer or gisaeng being pursued by his master.

Jo plays Chun-hyang, the object of both men's attention. In the film she falls in love with Bang-ja, although she tries to capture Mong-ryong's heart to climb up the social ladder.

The daring scenes did not disturb her much. "I don't think the level of nudity in the film was all that excessive because it depicts a secretive love that could never come out," she says. "I looked a lot prettier than I do in reality." She adds she maintains her shape with yoga and that contributes to the scenes' success.

Jo says she learned something new and felt she was being reborn as an actress. She had perfect partnership with her university senior Kim Ju-hyeok, who plays Bang-ja.

Jo feels she is only at the start of her serious career. "It seems to me that the audience just started paying attention to me as an actress," she says.

source : Chosun Ilbo

Won Bin unveils photos from film "The Man From Nowhere"

Korean actor Won Bin in a scene from film "The Man From Nowhere" [CJ Entertainment]

Top Korean actor Won Bin has unveiled pics from his upcoming film tentatively titled "The Man From Nowhere," which wrapped up shooting yesterday.

CJ Entertainment, which produced the film, released to the press several candid photos of the actor taken on the movie set, topless and sporting tight abs.

Won, who underwent rigorous workouts and a strict diet regimen for his role, shot his final scene yesterday which reportedly serves as a crucial turning point in the plot.

"Nowhere," directed by Lee Jeong-bum, is an action flick that tells the story of a lonely man (played by Won Bin) living in seclusion who comes out into the world again to save a young girl next door (played by actress Kim Sae-ron).

Won Bin debuted in 1997 with TV series "Propose" with his breakthrough role coming three years later in KBS drama "Autumn Fairy Tale", in which he co-starred with two other Hallyu stars Song Seung-heon and Song Hye-kyo.

He made his movie debut in "Guns & Talks" in 2001 and has not returned to television since. He was last seen in director Bong Joon-ho's critically acclaimed film "Mother" last year.

"Nowhere" opens in Korea in August.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@
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