Love Actually OST

Apart from the fact that I just spoke about Love Actually and My Love in the previous post, this post has absolutely nothing to do with Korean entertainment.

But I just gotta share the song "Christmas is All Around" by Billy Mack (Bill Nighy). If you don't want to listen to the OST, you still gotta listen to track 13.

It's a blast!

Movie: My Love

(Source: The Korea Times)

Kam Woo Seong (Alone in Love and The King and I) will kick off this Christmas season with a 'Christmasy' new movie - My Love. With a rather similar storyline and premise, comparisons have been made between this movie and the 2003 UK hit movie Love Actually.

Looking at the pictures (My Love - above, Love Actually - below), I cannot help but notice the My Love is trying, not very subtly, to mimic the success formula of Love Actually. The red-and-white theme is especially telling.

The Korea Herald article - 'My Love' nowhere near 'Love Actually' had this to say about the movie:

"My Love" attempts to mimic the famous romantic comedy formula set by "Love Actually" (2003), and the effort itself deserves some attention because the Christmas holiday season is just around the corner, and young Korean couples are keen to watch sweet, feel-good films with the snow falling.

"My Love" has some common grounds with "Love Actually." Obviously, as the title suggests, its target audiences as well as screening time are already set at around the year-end. Both films present multiple couples. But that's the end of the tenuous similarities, and everything else in "My Love" is dramatically inferior to those featured in "Love Actually."

You can read the full article here The Korea Herald. It's not a direct link as all the links in the website, just like all roads lead to Rome, leads to The Korea Herald main address. :)

For me, I am willing to risk it since I enjoyed Kam Woo Seong's impeccable performance in Alone in Love. Should My Love disappoints, I can always dust off my dvd collection and pop in Love Actually.

Wonder how Rain got his name?

(Source: The Korea Times)

It's a common knowledge that the names of many celebrities out there are not their real names. The same goes for some of the Korean stars who I fervently follow as a fan.

Korea Times story - How Stars Creat Their Names provided some interesting nuggets of information on how some of the stars which we follow got their names.

Take for example, Gong Yoo, of Coffee Prince fame, created his name by putting together the last names of his parents, Gong and Yoo. Having a name that represents his parents allowed him to work twice as hard and take responsibility for his works. Isn't that sweet?

As for Rain, he got his name from a producer whom nicknamed him "Rain" since the skies invariably poured whenever Rain was recording his songs. Guess Rain makes for bad company on his recording days since chances are likely that it is, cold, wet and 'rainy'. Then again, fans of Rain wouldn't mind spending time with him even if a typhoon is coming down the street! So what's some rain to them when they have Rain with them.

Lastly, I am sure stars choose a name which is memorable and easy for fans to scream it. Take Hyun Bin for instance. The name Hyun Bin exudes a certain sense of urbane sophistication and coolness. Would Hyun Bin fame be still as good if he used his real name - Kim Tae-pyeong? It would kinda weird to hear people shouting "Kim Tae-pyeong, We Love You!"

Nah....

People: Han Ye Seul

(Source: The Korea Herald)

Han Ye Seul's portrayal of a spoilt heiress in Fantasy Couple (Fantastic Couple) seems to have done wonders to her career. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Han's career has been reported to have taken flight following her stint in the drama series. Read on for Hellohallyu's take on this up and coming actress.

While one cannot, and should never, read too much into media interviews, what came across in the article was Han's candid and down to earth attitude. I cannot help but feel that she's one of those nice artistes without the airs most celebrities surround themselves with. Perhaps most telling was how Han defended her fashion co-ordinator after suffering a minor wardrobe malfunction during a recent film award ceremony. Not many would have done what she did.

Also found out that Han is an American born Korean and is known as Leslie Kim back in the US. With bilingual Korean artistes few and far between, Han will definitely be a breath of fresh air when takingon English lines in any script.

Seeming to follow in the footsteps of Jeon Ji Hyun and Song Hye Gyo, Han has not discounted entering the American movie and drama market in the future. Looks like Korean influence on Hollywood is set to grow.

Top 10 Korean Dramas of 2007

A post by "kdramafanasia" in the soompi forums listed the Top 10 Dramas of 2007 based on results compiled by TNS Media Research for average viewership rating.

The top 10 dramas for the year are:

1. Jumong (MBC) - 47.3%

2. Pure 19 (KBS1) - 39.7%

3. War Of Money (SBS) - 31.0%

4. As Much As Heaven And Earth (KBS1) - 29.0%

5. Story Of First King's Four Gods/Legend (MBC) - 28.8%

6. I Hate You But It's Fine (KBS1) - 28.8%

7. Dae Jo Young (KBS1) - 26.3%

8. Blissful Woman (KBS2) - 25.2%

9. My Man's Woman (SBS) - 24.5%

10. First Shop Of Coffee Prince (MBC) - 24.2%

Perhaps in a weird coincidence, I only managed to watch Jumong, which is currently running on the telly, and First Shop of Coffee Prince, which happen to be rated 1st and 10th respectively in the chart.

Although I did not take part in the polling, I am not surprised that Jumong topped the list of dramas despite the highly competitive environment for drama series in Korea. With its fast paced action, tight storyline, great acting and beautiful sets, it is easy to imagine Koreans being glued to the tv, which is in fact happening to me now, when the drama is screening.

Can't say much for the dramas rated as 2nd to 9th on the chart since I did not manage to catch any of them.

Being a fan of both Yoon Eun Hye and Gong Yoo, I am glad that Coffee Prince managed to squeeze itself into the top 10, which in itself is already a feat. It would be a great disservice to the Korean entertainment scene if this drama did not make it to the list. Tell me honestly, apart from the classic Friends, which other drama had the influence to convince girls to lop off their locks for a Go Eun Chan hairdo?