Movie Stars Booked for Drug Smuggling, Use

Two actors and an actress, including renowned movie icon Ju Ji-hun, 27, were booked for smuggling and taking illegal drugs Sunday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency drug squad also requested arrest warrants for actress Yun Seol-hee, 28, and model-turned-actor Ye Hak-young, 26, who smuggled drugs from Japan. Ju admitted to taking narcotics on a couple of occasions around March, police said.

Ju and another two people were booked without physical detention for taking the drugs. Debuting in the hit 2006 drama "Princess Hours,'' Ju recently starred in the movies "Antique'' and " The Naked Kitchen.''


They are accused of having smuggled some 280 ecstasy tablets and 280 grams of ketamine on 14 occasions from August 2007, funded by 100 million won ($75,000) from Ye and others. Yun allegedly bought the narcotics from an acquaintance in Japan and smuggled them into the company in her undergarments.

Ye gave 3.2 million won to Yun to purchase the drugs and consumed them at clubs and in their residences.

"It's the first time entertainers have funded and smuggled narcotics for their own use,'' a police official said."We're investigating and believe some 15 others have received drugs from Yun, and that seven or eight of them are entertainers.''

Yun has appeared in several movies, including " Tazza: The High Rollers,'' in supporting roles, and Ye is a model who has appeared in several music videos and commercials.

credit: meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr
source: koreatimes.co.kr

Tags: Ju Ji hun/korean actor/Princess Hours

Lee Byung-hun Meets Kimura Takuya in High-Profile Film

Two top stars from Korea and Japan have once again displayed their respective talents in the same movie. Lee Byung-hun and Kimura Takuya are appearing together for the second time--after their 2007 Japanese film “Hero”--in “I Come With The Rain.”

Directed by Vietnamese-French director Anh Hung Tran, whose works include “The Scent of Green Papaya” and “Cyclo,” the film is a multinational project starring Josh Hartnett and Elias Koteas in addition to Lee and Kimura.

The thriller centers around ex-Los Angeles cop Kline (Josh Hartnett) who travels to Hong Kong in search of the missing son (Kimura Takuya) of a Chinese billionaire. Lee plays a role of a mafia boss in Hong Kong.

With trailers released on April 18, it is scheduled to hit theaters in Japan on June 6. A large-scale premiere will be held in the island country, which all the stars will attend.

source: KBS Global

Tags: Lee Byung hun/Kimura Takuya/Josh Hartnett/I Come With The Rain

Ku Hye-sun Displays Her Versatility

Actress Ku Hye-sun is again appealing to women in their 20s, after being pursued by the rich boy in the recent Cinderella tale drama "Boys over Flowers," this time with a novel.

Published on April 1, "Tango" is a hit, selling more than 30,000 copies in only a week after its release.

It is an illustrated novel portraying a 20-something girl who grows into a real woman by going through love and heartache. The enthusiasm for the novel among young women readers can be attributed to a vivid, realistic character they find it easy to identify with.

Ku reportedly felt more pleased to see the book published because she almost lost the manuscript on her laptop in a car accident on her way back home from a location shoot for "Boys over Flowers."

The actress is apparently determined to reveal her versatility now. Besides publishing the novel and enjoying great popularity with the drama, she has also directed a short film, "The Cheerful Caretaker," which got shortlisted for the 2009 Busan Asian Short Film Festival.

Credit: englishnews@chosun.com

source: chosun
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200904/200904150007.html
Tags: Boys over Flowers/Ku Hye sun/korean actress/korean drama

Rain to Hold Fashion Show in Hong Kong

Singer and actor Rain will hold a fashion show for his fashion brand "Six to Five" in Hong Kong in June, according to J.Tune Creative on April 10.

Working as a designer and model for the brand, Rain will also give a performance himself at the F/W show, which he wants to use as an opportunity to promote the brand, as many Chinese fashion people are expected to attend.

In another effort to promote the brand, J.Tune Creative opened a Six to Five teddy bear museum in Jeju Island on April 3 in cooperation with the Korea Teddy Bear Association. It is set to build a similar museum in the Indonesian resort island of Bali after finalizing a contract, and is working to sign a deal to open another museum in Phuket.

J.Tune said that it will develop other projects using the teddy bear theme for "synergy effects."

Meanwhile, Rain held an autograph session at the Nowon branch of Lotte Department Store on April 5, and plans to hold the event at other local branches.
source: KBS Global

Tags: Rain/Six to Five/korean actor/korean singer

Lee Seon Gyun will marry in May.

Actor Lee Seon Gyun, 34, and actress Jeon Hye Jin, 33, will marry on May 23 .
The couple have been dating for six years and a half years.

Congratulations to them!

Tags: korean actor/Lee Seon Gyun/Jeon Hye Jin

Kim Tae Hee in Elle March 2009

Tags: Kim Tae Hee/korean actress/Elle Magazine

Lee Byung-hun Draws Crowds of Fans in Japan

Actor Lee Byung-hun has been visited by more than 2,000 Japanese fans nearly every day during his stay in Akita Prefecture, Japan to shoot his new drama “Iris,” his agency BH Entertainment said.

“We kept the shooting locations secret, so only some key staff knew about them. It was surprising how the Japanese fans found out where the shooting was taking place, and as many as approximately 2,500 fans came to a shooting site to see Lee every day,” the agency said. “The Akita Prefecture government had police and security guards stationed for emergencies, but no regrettable incidents happened.”

Since the Korean actor arrived on March 9, the Japanese prefecture has seen many of his fans pour into the area from all over the country, filling up all hotels and motels although it is the off season, according to the agency. “Some 300 fans were even waiting for Lee at the hotel where he was staying from morning until evening. Lee had to hold an impromptu hand-shaking session for them almost every evening when he returned to the hotel after shooting,” the agency said.

Lee returned home on Saturday to take part in local shooting here. A spy action drama with a budget of 20 billion won, “Iris” has a notable cast including actresses Kim Tae-hee and Kim So-yeon and actors Kim Seung-woo and Jung Joon-ho.

source: KBS Global

Tags: Lee Byung hun/Kim Tae hee/IRIS/korean actor/korean drama