Korean VIP spots-on Hollywood

The GI Joe-Korea Report covered by THR

Although the Hollywood team of GI Joe had left Seoul after the 2-day visit, the VIP screening  of their movie was held on Thursday with actor Lee Byunghun attending the premiere preview as one of the starring cast.  It was a really busy day for Byunghun-ssi as he had a full day of various photo-shoots and media interviews for GI Joe promos ahead of the release next week.
July 30, 2009
VIP Screening for GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra (8pm, CGV Yongsan)

Celebrity Guests
Actors: Shin Ha Kyun, Kim Rae Won, Choi Ji Woo, Jung Jun Ho
Lee Eun Hee

Source: MyDaily / daum, naver

July 31, 2009
Korean stars take their shot at Hollywood
Supporting roles seen as opening door to larger parts

By Park Soo-mee

Lee Byung-hun looks for his big break in “G.I. Joe.” (Getty)

SEOUL — At the Wednesday press conference of “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” it wasn’t Channing Tatum or Sienna Miller that caught the eyes of many Japanese fans who anxiously waited outside the hotel lobby to get a glimpse of their star. Instead, they all flew in to see the Korean actor Lee Byung-hun (“The Good, the Bad, the Weird”), who plays a supporting role in his first Hollywood live action.

For Paramount Pictures, the film’s distributor, this was a promising sign — one that suggests the potential benefit of casting an Asian superstar to attract regional ticket buyers when marketing a quintessentially American film.

The strategy seems to be on the rise with major Hollywood productions that once had limited roles for Asian actors. Aside from Lee, who plays the film’s charismatic Storm Shadow, other Korean actors are also participating in the trend.

After tasting bitterness with the boxoffice flop of his Hollywood debut “Speed Racer,” Korean singer-actor Rain is aiming to revamp his reputation through “Ninja Assassin,” another action flick produced by the Wachowski Brothers. Daniel Henney, a Korean-American actor with a strong Asian fan-base, starred as Agent Zero in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” Gianna Jun (or Jun Ji-hyun), an Asian darling from a hit romantic comedy “My Sassy Girl,” also known for its Hollywood remake, recently starred in a pan-Asian English-language film “Blood: The Last Vampire,” which many see it as Jun’s prelude to Hollywood debut.

The trend largely owes to a phenomenon dubbed among the locals as hallyu, or a Korean wave, in which Korean TV dramas and movies became such a hit throughout Asia that the country’s entertainment scene suddenly became a new tourist attraction.

In the film circle, the idea was quickly picked up through organized meetings like Asia Pacific Actors Network during the annual Pusan International Film Festival, which was originally started in 2007 by prominent Korean actors like Ahn Sung-ki and Kang Soo-yeon, and quickly turned into a venue that encourages Asian actors to make inroads into Hollywood.

“For Hollywood, it [hallyu] is a sign that Korean actors hold major ticket power in Asia,” said Choi Min-soo, the head of marketing at CJ Entertainment, the importer of “G.I. Joe.” “It’s also a sign that the Asian market

Brace the Hallyu Storm

A wonderfully concise and precise article from KBS Global, a great summary of the GI Joe related articles & interviews recently. A MUST READ!

July 31, 2009
Actor Lee Byung-hun Debuts in Hollywood

Source: news.hankooki.com

Actor Lee Byung-hun, who is almost 40, is a seasoned actor in the Korean film industry. He debuted in 1992 in the TV drama “Tomorrow Love.” In the 1999 movie “The Harmonium In My Memory” Lee played a teacher who captivated the heart of a young woman from a rural area. And in the 2000 hit “Joint Security Area,” he perfectly portrayed a South Korean soldier who pleads for help when he steps on a mine.

The turning point in Lee’s life came in 2005 with director Kim Ji-woon’s movie “A Bittersweet Life.” Lee easily portrayed difficult action scenes and impressed viewers with his acting talent.

In the 2006 movie “Once In A Summer” Lee appeared opposite Su Ae, and last year he stunned everyone by playing a gangster in “The Good, The Bad, The Weird.” Lee has tried diverse roles so far, joining the ranks of A-list actors. And he is not picky when it comes to genre, whether it is a thriller, an action movie or a melodrama. This time, Lee is poised to make his name in Hollywood through Stephen Sommers’ movie “G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra.”

At a recent news conference in Seoul, Lee shared his thoughts about his Hollywood debut. He said, “My manager showed me the script of ‘G.I.Joe’ and said that I had to take this role. To be honest,