Lee Byung-hun named most influential Asian actor at CMA

Actor Lee Byung-hun [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean star Lee Byung-hun will be recognized as the most influential Asian artist at the China Music Award and Asia Influential Awards (CMA) to be held Sunday, according to his agency BH Entertainment.

Lee will be the first Korean actor to receive the prestigious award at the CMA co-sponsored by the Chengdu Foreign Cultural Exchange Association and mass media group Channel V.

The event, now into its 14th year, will take place at the International Tennis Center located in the Sichuan region.

The awards ceremony will be broadcasted live in all of China and telecasted to 53 different countries including Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Other noteworthy mentions are Chinese actors Jet Li, Jay Chou and Donnie Yen who will receive the award for most influential Chinese actors.

Lee, who made his debut in 1991, has long been considered one of the most successful actors in Korea with dozens of television dramas and films under his belt.

He had a particularly successful year in 2009, making his Hollywood debut in action flick "G.I. Joe" and co-starring with Josh Hartnett and Takuya Kimura in "I Come With The Rain."

He also led a star-studded cast in blockbuster drama "IRIS", for which he picked up the grand prize at KBS Acting Awards.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Asiae

Korean star Lee Byeong-heon cleared of gambling charges

Actor Lee Byeong-heon [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actor Lee Byeong-Heon has been cleared of illegal gambling charges filed against him last year by his former girlfriend.

The Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office ruled Friday that "there is no evidence" Lee had been involved in habitual gambling overseas, an allegation made early December by the Korean-Canadian woman identified only by her last name Kwon.

A legal dispute between the two fired up when Kwon lodged a complaint to court saying she was allured into having a sexual relationship with the actor on his false promises of marriage and demanded she be compensated for physical and psychological damage she suffered.

She also accused the actor of gambling while on shoots overseas and distributed a photograph of the two of when they were a couple to backup her claims.

Prosecutors also acknowledged that Kwon had tried to defame Lee's reputation, as the actor's legal representatives had claimed through a countersuit, but ordered a stay of prosecution with Kwon having departed for Canada.

Meanwhile, baseball player-turned-TV personality Kang Byung-kyu, who too was sued by Lee, was indicted without detention for defamation and attempted blackmail.

Kang had already been indicted for his alleged involvement in an assault case on the set of TV series "IRIS" which he visited in mid-December over talk that Jeong Tae-won, chief of Taewon Entertainment and producer of the hit show, had spread false rumor that he was behind the feud between Lee and Kwon.

Lee, 39, has appeared in numerous Korean dramas and films, including TV series "All In" and director Park Chan-wook's 2000 film "JSA - Joint Security Area".

He also debuted in Hollywood last year with a supporting role in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" alongside Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller and starred in action thriller "I Come with the Rain" with Josh Hartnett and Takuya Kimura which also showed in theaters in 2009.

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc kun1112@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>


Asiae

Lee Byung-hun "The Influence" poster review

The poster and preview for the online mystery film "Influence", starring Lee Byeong-Heon and Han Chae-young, have been revealed.

The film's producer Realize Pictures and Windsor Entertainment released the poster on Friday, showing a relatively large image of a suited up Lee from the bust upward and smaller head-to-toe image of Han donning a red dress.

Lee plays the role of the character W who has to make a choice in order to follow his path to fulfill a promise he made many years ago. Han will play J, W's lover who is stuck in an aquarium. The two share a love that transcends time and space.

The film, based on a time period spanning from 1907 to 2010, will be Lee Jae-gyoo's directorial debut pic. He has created several hit TV series during his career including "Damo" and "Beethoven Virus".

"The Influence" is set for release online in early March.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Lee Byung-hun to promote Korea Tourism

Top Korean actor Lee Byung-hun has been picked to promote Korean tourism, according to a report on Tuesday.

The actor will star in the "2009 Korea Tourism Promotion Video", which is produced by Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)."In this video, Lee will work with Japanese actress Kuriyama Chiaki who was very impressive in the movie 'Kill Bill'", an official at KTO was quoted as saying.

Korean-American Hollywood actress Moon Bloodgood, who was appointed the honorary PR ambassador for KTO in August, is also set to make a special appearance.

KTO produces a promotion video every year to promote Korea's tourism and shoots at many different locations around the country including Seoul, Pusan, Jeju, Jeonju, Gongju and Hadong. The video, which will be completed by next month, is set to be released in Japan and U.S. early next year.

credit: asiae

Lee Byung-hun throws party for Hollywood stars

Popseoul reports

Nothing like throwing an off the hook mixer to show your American friends a good time.

Lee Byung-hun personally threw a party at a cafe in Kangnam for the Hollywood stars visiting Korea for the opening screening of “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra“. A few of the Hollywood celebrities that were present include Sienna Miller, Channing Tatum, Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Director Stephen Sommers. It has also been reported that a few Korea celebrities, including Han Chae-young, were present at the event as well. Wonder if any of the celebrities hooked up because rumors are that Lee Byung-hun and Sienna Miller were a little close and “touchy, touchy” throughout the night. But unfortunately, we weren’t there so we wouldn’t know. Here’s a few more pictures of the night below.

Why is the host drinking orange juice? It's not a party without alcohol, right?

Sienna Miller has a new BFF

Han Chae-young is so stiff standing between the guys

Hollywood remaking South Korean "A Bittersweet Life"

Oscar winning actor Denzel Washington will star in a remake of South Korean film "A Bittersweet Life" directed by Kim Ji-woon.

This project has been in development at Fox and tells the story of a highly cultural and ruthlessly violent society as it illustrates the ethical codes in the Korean mob and how they clash with personal morality.

The title character is an enforcer for underworld boss who is
given a task that he fails to execute. Double-crossed and faced with certain death, he regroups and sets up a plan to exact his revenge.

It will be interesting to see the transformation of South Korean culture into Hollywood style movie. With Denzel Washington as the lead man you can expect no less than an Oscar performance than the original actor Lee Byung-hun.

South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun plays a bad-ass ninja Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra currently showing in cinemas.

Check out the Korean version trailer

[source]

Vietnamese-French movie stars Korean, Japanese, U.S. actors

Three top actors from Korea, Japan, and the United States joined forces to promote their new film in Japan. Lee Byung-hun (above), Takuya Kimura and Josh Hartnett were on hand in Tokyo on Wednesday for the world premiere of “I Come with the Rain.”

The movie was written and directed by the Vietnamese-French filmmaker Tran Anh Hung. It tells the story of a former Los Angeles cop searching throughout Asia for the son of a Chinese billionaire.

Hollywood star Hartnett plays Kline, the police officer. Lee, who recently received good reviews for his role in last year’s “The Good, the Bad and the Weird,” is Su Dongpo, a Hong Kong gangster. Japan’s Kimura, the main man in the Japanese hit drama “Mr.Brain,” appears as Shitao, the missing son. The movie opens in Japan on June 6.

Source: http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2905430