...Hallyu began roughly 12 years ago when the rest of Asia discovered Korean soap operas. One of the breakthrough dramas was a series 'Winter Sonata' starring Choi Ji-woo & Bae Young-Joon. After that, more Korean dramas saw their way to foreign shores and Korean films and music started to follow suit. Korean marketing people started to see a Korea-centric trend. They dubbed this flow "The Korean Wave" or Hallyu....
Showing posts with label China Star News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China Star News. Show all posts
[News] Jackie Chan wins Best Director. Cr. - sg.entertainment.yahoo
The 9th Huading Awards that was held at the Kowloon Bay
International Trade & Exhibition Centre recently has chosen Jackie
Chan as its Best Director for the first time.
As reported on Groove Asia website, the multi-talented star, who won the
title for his directorial effort, "CZ12", expressed, "I've been acting
for 53 years and have neither cared for awards, nor do I have any fate
with awards. This is my first film director award in Hong Kong. I got it
before a long time ago in Japan."
The 59-year-old actor enthused, "I will continue to work in this
industry, but I will no longer be a director. Directing is too
difficult. "Project A" even took seven years to prepare. How many more
years do I have!"
Speaking about the film, "CZ12" that won him the award, Jackie stated,
"I didn't expect that the movie would be that popular and earn so much
in Southeast Asia. The film hasn't released overseas yet, but a film is
like making a bet. It's either all or nothing."
Nicholas Tse, Andy Lau, Fan Bingbing, Jackie Chan, Chapman To, Joey
Yung, Leo Ku, and Charlene Choi were some of the stars that attended the
event.
Some of the winners include:
Best Film: "Cold War" Best Director: Jackie Chan ("CZ12") Best Actor: Nicholas Tse ("The Bullet Vanishes") Best Actress: Fan Bingbing ("Double Xposure") Best Supporting Actor: Chapman To ("DIVA") Best Supporting Actress: Mavis Fan ("The Silent War") Achievement of the Year Award: Deanie Ip
[VOD & News] Huang Xiaoming’s “The Patriot Yue Fei” to Air in July. Cr. - jaynestars
The anticipated historical period drama, The Patriot Yue Fei <精忠岳飛>, will begin airing on July 4. Produced by Stanley Tong (唐季禮), the drama will be mainland China’s first television drama to focus on the life experiences of the famous Song Dynasty military general.
Even before filming began, the impressive acting line-up had already attracted much attention from viewers. Mainland Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明) stars as the titular Yue Fei. The cast also includes Hong Kong actors Gallen Lo (羅嘉良) and Allen Ting (丁子峻), mainland Chinese actors Wu Xiubo (吳秀波) and Shao Bing (邵兵), and mainland Chinese actresses Ruby Lin (林心如), Cecilia Liu (劉詩詩), Viann Zhang (張馨予), and Cheng Pei Pei (鄭佩佩).
According to Huang Xiaoming, who is one of the drama’s investors in addition to the male lead, the part of Yue Fei is one that he has been anticipating for a long time. Although he is well-known for playing heroes in wuxia dramas, Xiaoming feels that this role is different. “Yue Fei is a hero who really existed in history,” he said. “He’s not like the warriors I portrayed in the past, who all had a legendary quality and were exaggerated and dramatized. The Patriot Yue Fei is a factual biography of a hero, and it conveys Yue Fei’s bravery and skill, as well as his loyalty and dedication to his country.
It will give everyone that type of steadfast and unyielding spirit of a hero.”
Among the many actresses in The Patriot Yue Fei is mainland Chinese actress Ying Er (穎兒), who was invited by the drama’s executive producer, Tang Jili (唐季禮), to play the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan. Referred to as “the beauty of Jiangnan,” her character functions as a “gift” that is sent to Yue Fei. Netizens marveled at released stills of Ying Er in costume, and Tang Jili praised her ability to depict the elite culture of ancient China, which emphasized the appreciation of calligraphy, painting, music, Go, poetry, wine, and flowers.
Ying Er shared that she was extremely impressed by the research and detail that were put into the costumes of The Patriot Yue Fei. “Every time I came to the set, Xiaoming’s clothes were different,” she shared. “When I went to the costume room, it was simply a big warehouse. The standards that this drama has for every actor’s costumes are really excellent.”
[News] Tang Wei beats Fan Bing Bing and becomes 'goddess of the continent'.Tang Wei beats Fan Bing Bing and becomes 'goddess of the continent'. Cr. - hancinema
The actress won a survey for a group of university students titled, 'Who's the goddess in your heart?'.
This is unusual that Tang Wei
got the hit because she is currently restricted from doing any activity
in China. For the reason that she took on the role of a woman who
romanticized with a pro-Japanese and a turncoat in the movie "Lust,
Caution", she has been forbidden from any activities in China.
The reason for her support in Korea seem to her passion for acting and intelligent looks.
The second runner up was Fan Bingbing from China. Then came Angela Baby and Ko Won Won.
[News] Lee Byung Hun Wins Big at the ′Huading Awards′ in Hong Kong. Cr. - enewsworld
Lee Byung Hun swept through China with his acting in G.I. Joe 2, cementing his status as one of the most popular actors in Asia.
On April 10, the actor attended the 9th Huading Awards held in Hong Kong, and won the Best Foreign Actor Award.
The ceremony awards actors chosen through an audience vote from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Macau and other countries in the Greater China area.
Lee Byung Hun and Han Ga In attended the ceremony this day and mingled with such top Chinese stars as Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Simon Yam, Tse Ting Fung, Fan Bing Bing and more.
After receiving the award, Lee Byung Hun said, "I want to thank my fans inside and outside of Korea for helping me get to where I am now. I especially want to thank my childhood hero and the best action star Jackie Chan."
He then received a big hug from Jackie Chan himself.
The actor appeared onstage again to award the Best Lead Actress Award, and as he handed the winner Fan Bing Bing her award, he taught her how to say "Be happy" in Korean and warmed the air.
Lee Byung Hun is currently meeting audiences around the world with his second Hollywood film G.I. Joe 2.
The mainland Chinese detective drama Young Sherlock < 少年神探狄仁杰>, which was shot in Hengdian World Studios this past winter, has entered post-production and may premiere on HunanTV by late 2013. Filming ended on April 10, 2013.
Contrary to past Di Renjie productions, Young Sherlock stars a refreshing young “idol” cast, with Bosco Wong (黃 宗澤) starring as the young Di Renjie, who is tasked by Empress Wu to solve a string of mysteries that is occurring in the Tang capital of Chang’an.
Ruby Lin (林心如) will star as Empress Wu, Yuan Hong (袁弘) as Emperor Gaozong, Ma Tianyu (马天宇) as Renjie’s sidekick Wang Yuanfang, and Stephy Qi (戚薇) as Renjie’s love interest, Li Wangqing.
The action-packed mystery drama is produced by H&R Century Pictures, best known for their investments on popular idol drama blockbusters, such as Palace <宫>, The Queen of SOP, and more recently, Wine Beauty <紅酒俏佳人>. Told in a serialized, case-by-case format, the script of Young Sherlock had to go through many months of revisions before it entered official production. The writers ensured that the storyline would be gripping, climactic, and historically acceptable for the audience.
At 40 episodes, Young Sherlock took nearly three months to complete. Cast member Ma Tianyu exclaimed that he was on set almost every day in the past three months, and thus developed a close friendship with his costars. On the last day, Tianyu thanked the cast and crew for their hard work and care, and expressed his wishes to collaborate with the crew again in the future.
Young Sherlock tells the story of 26-year-old Di Renjie, who travels to the capital city to take the Mingjing imperial examinations. At Chang’an, Renjie comes across a rumor involving a ghost and a murder. After solving the chilling mystery, Renjie is sent to court and receives praises from the young Emperor Gaozong and his wife, Empress Wu, who asks him to stay in Chang’an to solve a string of terrorizing mysteries.
The Chinese model-actress enters her boyfriend Vic Chou’s apartment freely while he is away.
Vic Chou's rumoured girlfriend, Chinese model-actress Reen Yu, has been spotted in his empty house on several occasions.
According to the Taiwanese media, Vic’s house is currently vacant as the Taiwanese artiste is busy promoting his upcoming movie Saving General Yang in various countries and his girlfriend Reen has the privilege of entering his house when she pleases.
Reen was caught leaving the apartment for the salon to style her hair last week.
Dressed in casual clothes, the actress, who usually wears a mask whenever she leaves Vic’s house, did not attempt to disguise herself at all. She was also not afraid of the public recognising her.
Sporting a new hairstyle when she left the salon two hours later, Reen met a female friend and the two proceeded to a restaurant for dinner.
She then headed back to Vic’s place alone. The security guard warmly welcomed her back and even opened the door for her, showing that the actress visits her rumoured boyfriend’s house so often such that the security guard recognises her.
Responding to the reports, both Vic and Reen’s managers said that they would not comment on their artistes’ private schedule.
The couple’s alleged relationship was exposed when intimate photos of the pair surfaced early this year. Reen was also caught shuttling in and out of Vic’s apartment a few times, giving rise to speculations that the pair is cohabiting.
[News] Jessica Hsuan and Loura Lou Face Off in Period Drama “Loving Herb”. Cr. - jaynestars
After the success of its iPartment <愛情公寓> series and other modern romantic dramas, production company China Syndication Entertainment is taking on its first period drama. Set in the era of the Republic of China, Loving Herb <愛情悠悠藥草香> (unofficial English title) will bring together Hong Kong actress Jessica Hsuan (宣萱), and mainland Chinese artists Loura Lou (婁藝瀟), Han Dong (韓棟) and Benny Qian (錢泳辰).
The story of Loving Herb revolves around six females and their intertwined quests for love and independence. Foregrounded in the story as well are the two sons of the Bai family, who are involved in the medicinal herb business. Director Jeffrey Chiang (蔣家駿), known for his fast-paced, female-oriented romantic dramas like Boy & Girl<男才女貌> andLove to Be Found Nowhere <美麗新天地>, hopes to use the characters’ stories of love and despair to give viewers a comprehensive depiction of how women lived in that particular era.
In order to remain true to the Republican China time period, the production company spared no expense when it came to the filming locations, selecting the Lu-Family Residence (盧宅) as the home of the Bai family. Located in Dongyang in Zhejiang Province, the Lu-Family Residence is an important historical and cultural site that dates back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The old building complex, which is under state-level protection, is often referred to as the Imperial Palace of Southern China. Its refined simplicity and grand loftiness are sure to well befit the aristocratic Bai family, as well as lend a believable historical aura to the backdrop.
Adhering to their objective of producing dramas that feature “beautiful love, beautiful scenery, and beautiful people,” China Syndication Entertainment chose Loura Lou and Jessica Hsuan as Loving Herb’s female leads. Loura, who has proven herself capable of playing a variety of roles in dramas like iPartment and Love Destiny <愛情自有天意>, will play the role of Huang Caiwei in her first Republican China-era series. The other female lead, the vicious and merciless Ma Fufang, will be portrayed by Jessica.
Bu Bu Jing Xin <步步驚心> and Swordman< 笑傲江湖> actor Han Dong will be the male lead, whose elder brother will be played by Benny Qian, an experienced period drama actor. Other actors include Ni Hongjie (倪虹潔), Jin Ming (金銘), Tong Xiaoyan (仝曉燕), and Sun Ya (孫雅), as well as veteran actors Xia Taifeng (夏台鳳), Kenneth Tsang (曾江), Yue Yueli (岳躍利), and Jia Ni (賈妮).
[News] Li Bingbing learns to be grateful. Cr. - sg.entertainment.yahoo
It's not easy living in a foreign land, especially when you're a celebrity in your own country that is restarting her career in Hollywood.
According to Women of China, mainland Chinese actress Li Bingbing recently revealed that she has learned to be more independent and confident during her stay five-month stay in Los Angeles while filming and promoting her Hollywood movie, "Resident Evil: Retribution".
At the film's press conference, the actress stated, "I plucked up my courage to give up something and do what I want to do in America after finishing my performance in the Hollywood film "Resident Evil: Retribution". I worked and lived in a foreign country while acting in the film. It motivated me to learn English further."
Li revealed that she had to deal with several changes in her lifestyle, including renting an apartment, cooking and getting a driving license.
However, the actress expressed that the changes helped her to learn to cherish what she had and to be grateful.
Li stated, "I didn't appreciate the things that my family or colleagues did for me before. But when I was alone over there, my mind was filled with all their kindness towards me and after going through all that, I feel more confident to face my future."
[News] Tiffany Tang Hints at Roy Chiu’s Dishonesty. Cr. - jaynestars
Mainland Chinese actress Tiffany Tang (唐嫣) recently attended a press conference for her upcoming TV drama, Agent X < X女特工>. During the conference, reporters barraged her with questions about her high-profile breakup with Taiwanese actor Roy Chiu (邱澤),
but she refused to respond. When asked if she was willing to still be
friends with him, Tiffany’s sole comment was that she “makes friends
only with honest people,” suggesting that Roy had been deceitful.
Hailed as the Chinese version of Charlie’s Angels, Agent X
is mainland China’s first drama about female secret service agents. In
order to adhere to the espionage theme, the four cast members — Tiffany,
actor Luo Jin (羅晉), and actresses Zhang Xilin (張唏臨) and Wendy Wang
(王笛) — were dressed like their characters at the press conference. They
also played a game where they had to assemble a sniping rifle.
Agent X, which is scheduled to begin airing on March 26, tells
the story of three beautiful women who become experienced spies after
undergoing a series of grueling training sessions. In order to make the
action scenes more realistic, Tiffany performed almost all of her stunts
by herself. She shared, “I have a fight with someone in nearly every
single one of my scenes, so I was often injured.”
Many viewers are looking forward to her onscreen relationship with Luo Jin, with whom she previously collaborated in A Beauty in Troubled Times <亂世佳人>.
However, Luo Jin revealed that their relationship in this drama will be
more brutal, because their characters often face situations where “of
the two, only one can survive.”
Whether the love story in Agent X is more brutal than the one
in Tiffany’s real life is up for debate. Throughout the press
conference, Tiffany appeared to be in low spirits and frequently had a
wooden expression on her face. When reporters asked about her
relationship with Roy, she simply stared and did not say a word. Only
when the questions began piling up did she say, “I don’t want to answer
any questions pertaining to my love life.”
During a previous event, Roy said that he wished he could still be
friends with Tiffany. When this topic was brought up, Tiffany was silent
for a long time. Mustering up a great deal of courage, she calmly
replied, “I make friends only with honest people.”
With a cast featuring Ekin Cheng (鄭伊健), Yu Bo (於波), Vic Chou (周渝民), Li Chen (李晨), Raymond Lam (林峯), Wu Chun (吳尊), Fu Xinbo (付辛博), and Shao Bing (邵兵), it could be said that Saving General Yang <忠烈楊家將> has the most luxurious and handsome ensemble of actors out of the many adaptations of the story of the Yang family. The cast held a press conference on March 6, where they discussed the brotherly camaraderie on the set, as well as some amusing stories that occurred behind the scenes.
When asked which part of the movie left the deepest impression on them, the seven “brothers” all mentioned the strong friendships they’d built up during filming. Ekin, who plays the oldest brother Yang Dalang, shared that they were close not only within the movie, but also outside of it, and they would often eat and play video games together. Raymond hoped that they would be able to collaborate again in the future, while Vic summed it up best, “The love between a family cannot be broken.”
Left out of this brotherly love, however, was Shao Bing, who plays the villain Yelü Yuan. He joked that he felt resentful about their good friendship and complained good-naturedly about being the outsider on the set. In response, Ekin expressed that, had the Yang family and Yelü Yuan met under different circumstances, perhaps they would have become friends.
Apart from sharing about their feelings as brothers, the cast also discussed their experiences in filming with horses, which brought the wide-ranging battle scenes to life but were extremely dangerous as well. In one scene, the seven brothers enter the battlefield on horseback, with more than 300 horses charging behind them. To everyone’s terror, Ekin almost fell off his horse, but luckily he was secured by wires and evaded calamity. At the press conference, Ekin said that he had been “protected by the Yang family.”
Unfortunately, this protection did not extend to Wu Chun, who had to carry his onscreen father Adam Cheng (鄭少秋) while on horseback. During the first take of that scene, Wu Chun fell from his horse. However, no damage was done, and he never fell off his horse again.
While potentially hazardous, the inclusion of horses also created opportunities for humorous anecdotes, such as the one Vic shared about trying to build up a friendship with his war horse. He would often lead his horse to a very high hillside to eat, because other horses rarely ate there, meaning the grass was more plentiful. From then on, he no longer feared horses.
Although the story of the Yang family has been adapted several times, director Ronny Yu (于仁泰) wanted his version to exemplify a more youthful and modern style, while adhering to the historical time frame. When he read the story several years ago, he was deeply moved by the themes of loyalty and righteousness, and jokingly added that although he was advancing in years, he was still fashionable at heart.
Saving General Yang will release in worldwide theaters on April 4, 2013.
[News] “The Four” TV Drama to Combine Fantasy and Martial Arts. Cr. - jaynestars
Above: Mao Zijun stars as Iron Fist in “The Four”.
Mainland Chinese drama, The Four <少年四大名捕>, began filming at Hengdian World Studios on February 27. Because of the enormous expense spent on bringing together the best production team in the country, there has been much speculation over who “The Four” will be. Recently, the male leads were revealed to be Hans Zhang (張翰), William Chan (陳偉霆), Yang Yang (楊洋), and Mao Zijun (茅子俊).
Based on the wuxia series by Wen Ruian (温瑞安), The Four is the story of four young men – Cold Blood, Chaser, Heartless, and Iron Fist – who each excel in different martial arts practices and use their expertise to bring down corruption and establish justice.
The story has been adapted many times for television, including the 2008 TVB drama starring Raymond Lam (林峰), Kenneth Ma (馬國明), Sammul Chan (陳鍵鋒), and Ron Ng (吳卓羲), but the previous versions achieved only minor success.
“The Four” Incorporates Fantasy Elements
In an attempt to put a fresh spin on this new adaptation, the producers decided to combine the martial arts story with fantasy elements. This mixture of genres has seen growing popularity in past years, especially with dramas adapted from role-playing games, such as Chinese Paladin <仙劍奇俠傳> and Xuan Yuan Sword 3: Scar in the Sky <軒轅劍之天之痕>. The Four will be co-directed by Liang Shengquan (梁勝權) and Chun Man Wong (黃俊文), both of whom are familiar with this genre, having worked together on Xuan Yuan Sword 3.
This new adaptation of The Four also pushed for a more youthful cast, imbuing an “idol” element alongside the fantasy and martial arts. According to an online poll posted on the drama’s official Sina Weibo, mainland Chinese actors Hans Zhang, Lin Gengxin (林更新), and Mickey He (何晟銘) were the favorites among netizens. The production side, however, has mostly kept quiet about the main cast, although an insider revealed that Mickey would be one of the villains.
Idol Cast
Recently, promotional stills of The Four were released, showing Hans Zhang as Cold Blood, William Chan as Chaser, Yang Yang as Heartless, and Mao Zijun as Iron Fist. Although all four actors are relatively young, their experience in the entertainment industry is undeniable: Hans Zhang was the male lead in the mainland Chinese adaptation of Meteor Garden <流星花園>, William Chan is a popular Hong Kong singer and film actor, Yang Yang was the lead in the 2010 drama adaptation of The Dream of Red Mansions <紅樓夢>, and Mao Zijun played the role of “Fourteenth prince” in Palace <宫>.
The lead female actress has not yet been announced, but the handsome features and combined star power of “The Four” are sure to draw all eyes to this new adaptation.
[VOD & News] Fan Bingbing Makes Appearance in “Iron Man 3″ Chinese Trailer. Cr. - jaynestars
In the latest installment of Iron Man 3 from the Marvel franchise, Tony Stark will travel to China to seek the help of Dr. Wu who will help strengthen him in preparation for war against super-villain, The Mandarin. Chinese actor, Wang Xueqi (王學圻) will play the good doctor while Fan Bingbing (范冰冰) will play the role of the doctor’s assistant.
Teaser trailers for Iron Man 3 were released several months ago, and the official trailer was released this week. In China, where part of the filming was done, another version of the trailer was released. In order to appeal to the Chinese market, footage of Fan Bingbing and subtitles in Chinese were also shown. Though the trailer was a shortened version of the original one, it still shows the exciting battle between The Mandarin (played by Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley) and Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr).
Origins of The Mandarin
In the comics, The Mandarin is half Chinese and half English. However, English actor Ben Kingsley does not fit the ethnic profile, which begged many fans to go deeper in finding out who exactly is The Mandarin in the movie. Newly appointed director, Shane Black ,who replaced Jon Favreau, explained, “We’re not saying he’s Chinese.
We’re saying he draws a cloak around himself with Chinese symbols and dragons because it represents his obsessions with Sun Tzu in various ancient arts of warfare that he studied.” And what better way to fight Sun Tzu than to use the same tactics against him. Thus, the almost-defeated Tony Stark has to seek Dr. Wu’s help in getting rid of his biggest nemesis yet.
There were initial speculations that Wang Xueqi will play the villain, Radioactive Man. However, footage from the trailers dispelled that conjecture. In one scene, Dr. Wu was seen operating on Tony Stark and in another, he was standing in front of the Beijing Yongdingmen Tower, sending Iron Man off.
Fan Bingbing’s Screen Time
In the 2 minutes and 25 seconds trailer, Fan Bingbing only appeared in less than a second. In that shot, she was seen walking towards the camera, wearing a medical jacket with her long silky hair untied. It was reported that though her role was minor, the senior executives of the filming studios were charmed by her aura. With Shane Black and the creative director speaking highly of her, Fan Bingbing may well be the next Asian darling in Hollywood.
Iron Man 3, which is co-produced by Marvel Studios and China’s DMG Entertainment, will see a limited 3D release on April 25 and worldwide release on May 3.
[News] “Legend of Zhen Huan” Movie Script is Finished. Cr. - jaynestars
A film adaptation of the highly successful Chinese television serial, Legend of Zhen Huan <后宫·甄嬛传>, may hit the big screens soon.
On March 2, Legend of Zhen Huan director, Zheng Xiaolong (郑晓龙), revealed that script for the serial’s movie adaptation is already completed. To ensure a faithful book-to-movie adaptation, award-winning director announced that Liu Lanzi (流潋紫), author of the Legend of Zhen Huan novel and writer for the Legend of Zhen Huan television drama, has helmed the movie’s script.
Zheng assured that he will try his best to gather the original cast to star in the movie adaptation if he is hired to be its director.
After airing to record-breaking ratings in mainland China, Legend of Zhen Huan also received impressive viewership ratings in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Aside from considering a big-screen adaptation, the serial’s production company – Beijing TV Art Center – is also in negotiations to bring the serial over to South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
Legend of Zhen Huan will be broken into a series of six mini-films for its American broadcast. Director Zheng said, “Several million US dollars are invested into this project. It is quite a hassle. Not only do we have to re-shoot some scenes, we also need to re-do some of its background music.
Inundated with the success of the serial, Betty Sun (孙俪), who starred as Zhen Huan, once said that she did not want to watch another episode of Legend of Zhen Huan anymore. However, Betty expressed that she is interested in working on a Zhen Huan movie if it is to be made. She stated through her manager, “As long as Zheng Xiaolong is returning to direct the movie, [I] will be willing to portray the role of Zhen Huan once more.”
[News] “Saving General Yang:” Ekin Cheng Survived Near Death Situation. Cr. - jaynestars
Above: “Saving General Yang” cast at fan autograph session in Taipei.
The cast of Saving General Yang <忠烈楊家將> is currently on a whirlwind promotional tour in Taiwan. After appearing at a formal press conference in Taipei, Adam Cheng (鄭少秋), Ekin Cheng (鄭伊健), Vic Chou (周渝民), Wu Chun (吳尊), and Yu Bo (于波) and director Ronny Yu (于仁泰) were guests on Dee Hsu’s (徐熙娣) Kangxi Lai Le <康熙來了>. Ekin’s private life was drilled relentlessly on the variety program.
Ekin revealed that in one scene in Saving General Yang, he was riding a horse with 300 other horses following fiercely behind. Momentarily, he accidentally fell off his horse and was hanging in mid-air. Ekin feared that he would be trampled to death by the horses should he fall down. It was then that a mystical force gave him strength to pull himself up again. Ekin attributed his safety due to Ronny Yu, who had prayed to the flag of the Yang family that was hung at Kaifeng, Henan province where filming was done.
Ekin’s Private Life Drilled
Newly married Ekin was not spared of Dee Hsu’s sharp questions about his personal life. When asked if Ekin was forced into marriage by Yoyo Mung (蒙嘉慧), Ekin said, “I’m a rebel. When others insist I do [something], I don’t. When people don’t ask me to do it, then I’ll do it,” indicating that he is willing party in their marriage union.
Dee did not let down and pressed on with more embarrassing questions. At one time, she asked Ekin if he still likes to look at other women now that he is tied down. Without missing a beat, Ekin replied, “Of course! I am looking at one right now!” After complimenting Dee on her beauty, Ekin then added, “You look older now.”
Dee pointed to rumors that the couple will quit the entertainment industry and go into the toy making business. To that, Ekin denied, “I love to buy toys, but I have never thought of going into business, neither have I thought of quitting acting.”
Ronny Yu Will Not Direct “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2″
Ronny Yu also clarified that he will not be directing the sequel of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon <臥虎藏龍2>, which will star Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊). Ronny said, “They did ask me but I will definitely not accept. Ang Lee (李安)’s film is a classic and I respect him too much to continue his work.”
Fan Autograph Session
Meanwhile, the cast and crew continues to promote Saving General Yang in Taiwan, in which a fan signing session was held today. Fans lined up to have Ekin, Vic, Wu Chun, and Yu Bo sign photo books. Excited fans will likely eagerly snap up movie ticket sales when the film opens on April 4.
[News] Yu Zheng’s “Swordman” Finale Accused of Copying “Painted Skin 2″. Cr. - jaynestars
Swordman <笑傲江湖>, Yu Zheng’s (于正) 40-episode adaptation of the Jin Yong (金庸) wuxia novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer,
will air is finale episode next week on Hunan TV. The serial has been
receiving mixed critical reception from the audience, with both praises
and criticisms. Fans of the original novel bashed the serial for its
nonsensical story line and unfaithful adaptation. Other fans lauded the
serial for its addictive storytelling fashion, also gushing at the
Linghu Chong (Wallace Huo 霍建華) and Dongfang Bubai (Joe Chen 陳喬恩) pairing.
Yesterday, Chinese media sources spoiled that the ending of Swordman will
dramatically differ from the novel’s ending. Dongfang, who initially
plots to kill Linghu’s lover, Ren Yingying, in order to keep Linghu to
herself, ultimately decides to save Ren’s life by giving her heart. This
finale strongly resembles the ending to Wuershan’s (乌尔善) Painted Skin: The Resurrection <
画皮II>, in which the demon Xiaowei sacrifices herself to return the
heart of Princess Jing, out of love for the protector, Huo Xin.
Yu Zheng denied the plagiarism allegations, claiming that Swordman had already ended production when Painted Skin: The Resurrection first
opened in cinemas. Dongfang’s heart sacrifice arc was instead inspired
by an Iranian novel Yu Zheng read a few years back.
In a press interview with actress Joe Chen, she expressed that she
was expecting her character to generate mixed reception when she first
took on the role. “I need a strong heart in order to face the viewers’
criticisms,” Joe joked. “I really like Dongfang’s character. I portrayed
Dongfang Bubai in the way I perceived the role, and I want to thank
those who support my portrayal of him.”
Yu Zheng’s decision to cast an actress to portray Dongfang Bubai was most likely inspired by the 1992 Hong Kong film, Swordsman II <笑傲江湖之東方不敗>, in which Dongfang was famously and classically portrayed by Taiwanese actress, Brigitte Lin (林青霞).
Open Ending
Many romantic elements were added in Yu Zheng’s Swordman. Among the most heatedly discussed topic was the triangle relationship involving Linghu, Dongfang and Ren Yingying (Yuan Shanshan 袁
姗姗). As Dongfang’s presence dramatically outnumbered Ren’s screentime,
many more fans of the drama were beginning to support Linghu to choose
Dongfang as his lover instead of Ren.
When fans asked if Yu Zheng would change the ending so Linghu would
end up together with Dongfang, Yu Zheng said that Dongfang and Linghu
were already “endgame” to begin with. The producer explained that the
ambiguity of the ending will be able to satisfy the fans of both
“Chongdong” and “Chongying.”
[News] Wu Chun and Fu Xinbo Discuss “Saving General Yang”. Cr. - jaynestars
Above: Fu Xinbo and Wu Chun star in “Saving General Yang”.
Yesterday, Pegasus Motion Pictures released six new stills from their upcoming anticipated war epic, Saving General Yang <忠烈楊家將>. Surrounded by a clad of armored men, the new stills feature stars Wu Chun (吳尊) and Fu Xinbo (付辛博) kneeling solemnly on the ground, shirtless, as they are beaten by their father, portrayed by Adam Cheng(鄭少秋).
The film, which is based on the traditional Chinese folklore Generals of the Yang Family < 楊家將>, stars an ensemble of actors from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China. Wu Chun and Fu Xinbo respectively star as the two youngest brothers in the Yang family – Yang Liulang and Yang Qilang – the sixth and seventh sons of the great General Yang Linggong.
According to the tale, the two youngest brothers sneak out of the house to witness a widely publicized martial arts tournament. Winner of the contest will earn the opportunity to take Princess Chai’s hand in marriage. Upon seeing that competitor Pan Bao, son of government official Pan Renmei, is backstabbing his way through the tournament, Qilang decides to compete against Bao himself, and accidentally kills him.
Liulang and Qilang are then brought home to be disciplined by their father. Bao’s death also angers Pan Renmei, who later betrays Yang Linggong in the Great War. Pan’s betrayal provides the backbone to the main plot in Saving General Yang, which tells the tragic story of the seven Yang brothers sacrificing their own lives in order to save their father from the enemy’s hands.
Wu Chun on Yang Liulang
As the sole Yang survivor of the Great War and husband to the princess, Yang Liulang is the most famous brother from the Yang legend. “I got very emotional after reading the script,” said Wu Chun, who portrays Liulang. “In order to do the role justice, I think it’s very important for me to like my character and believe in him. Family love, camaraderie love, and romantic love are all emphasized in this film. Like my character, I also see family as my top priority.
Although Liulang and Princess Chai are very much in love, Liulang still places family above everything else. He was willing to put aside his relationship to go save his father, and he didn’t even know if he would be able to go back to Princess Chai alive. If it was me, I would do the same.”
Fu Xinbo on Yang Qilang
Unlike Wu Chun, Fu Xinbo cannot find many similarities with his character, Qilang. “I’m not a very impulsive person in real life, and I am the exact opposite of Qilang. I will never act on impulse.”
Yang Qilang’s tragic death in the war also makes him a key character in the epic story. Xinbo expressed that his character’s death scene was his most memorable filming experience in the film.
“As I was doing the shoot, I kept on thinking to myself about how I should die to make this the most horrifying death. What would I look like if I was dying from over a dozen of arrows piercing through my chest?”
Saving General Yang, directed by Ronny Yu (于仁泰), also stars Xu Fan (徐帆) as She Taijun, Ekin Cheng (鄭伊健) as Yang Dalang, Yu Bo (于波) as Yang Erlang, Vic Chou (周渝民) as Yang Sanlang, Li Chen (李晨) as Yang Silang, Raymond Lam (林峯) as Yang Wulang, Ady An (安以軒) as Princess Chai, and Bryan Leung (梁家仁) as Pan Renmei. The film will be released on April 4, 2013.
[News] miss A’s Fei and Jia meet Jackie Chan and Kwon Sang Woo.
Cr. - en.korea
miss A’s Fei and Jia recently took a picture with actors Kwon Sang Woo and Jackie Chan.
On February 18, Jia posted a picture on her Weibo account with the comment, “Jackie Chan’s 12 Chinese Zodiac Heads is really fun. You did a good job working on the movie. I believe that the audience was impressed too.”
In the picture, Jia and Fei are intimately posing with Kwon and Chan. Jia drew a lot of attention by showing off her close friendship with Chan.
People who saw the picture responded: “I guess Jia and Chan are close.” “Chan looks like Jia’s father rather than a friend.” “I’m surprised to hear that Chan is Jia’s friend.”
Chan arrived in Korea on February 18 to promote his movie 12 Chinese Zodiac Heads. He recorded SBS’s variety show Running Man on February 19.
It seems that being in an idol band doesn’t mean you can’t be star-struck.
On Feb. 19, Super Junior’s Choi Si-won took to Twitter to post a picture of himself and Jackie Chan.
He also commented, “was such a great time with jackie chan. always our hero!” In the picture, Choi can be seen giving Chan a Super Junior M album on CD.
The two are set to appear together on the variety show “Running Man” soon.
The picture was taken when Chan was visiting to promote his latest film “Chinese Zodiac Heads.”
Choi has recently been busy touring with the sub-unit of his group, Super Junior M.
[News] The Many Criticisms of Yu Zheng’s “Swordman”.
Cr. - jaynestars
Above: Dongfong Bubai (Joe Chen) and Linghu Chong’s (Wallace Huo) romance take center stage in “Swordman”.
Long awaited wuxia drama, Swordman <笑傲江湖>, an adaptation of Jin Yong’s (金庸) The Smiling, Proud Wanderer by one of China’s top television producers, Yu Zheng (于正), finally made its debut on February 5. Not only did criticisms about its cast not die down, it has increased in volume over the miscast, especially that of bubbly Joe Chen (陈乔恩) as the main villain, Dongfang Bubai, as well as the subversion of the characters.
Dongfang Bubai Takes Over Female Lead
Since March last year, when news of Yu Zheng’s adaptation was reported, the online community was puzzled by his casting choice for Dongfang Bubai. Even though the villain was a castrated man who later turned feminine, the choice of the cute Joe Chen did not sit well with the public. Also, unlike the novel, Yu Zheng has included a love aspect between Linghu Chong (played by Wallace Huo 霍建华) and Dongfang Bubai, which increased the screen time of Joe Chen over female lead, Ren Yingying (Yuan Shanshan 袁姗姗). Yu Zheng explained, “We just want to include a dramatic irony in the show. Just when Yue Buqun wants to be the most formidable man in the world, Dongfang Bubai who is already one, seeks love instead.”
Yuan Shanshan’s Ren Yingying Ridiculed
Yuan Shanshan said that she is not afraid of being overshadowed by Joe Chen. Believing that every role plays an important part in the drama, Shanshan feels that the screen time for Joe Chen is justified.
Shanshan herself was not spared of verbal attacks from the online community. A netizen cruelly called her the “disfigured” version of Ren Yingying. Another said she possesses “sausage lips”. Claiming to be good at self-ridicule, Shanshan said she is equally good at filtering out the bad comments.
Subversion of Blue Phoenix
Besides Dongfang Bubai, the role of the Blue Phoenix also received heavy flak. In Swordman, the role of the Blue Phoenix is played by Kelsey Lu (吕佳容), who was a buck-teethed ugly girl, unlike the original Blue Phoenix who was supposed to be charming and beautiful. Kelsey explained, “Blue Phoenix was ugly initially. After a face lift, she will become a beauty.”
Not only that, the revised Blue Phoenix is man-crazy. Besides having a relationship with Linghu Chong, she will always act silly and crazy whenever she comes across a handsome man. Blue Phoenix will be the character to provide much comic relief, which was originally provided by another character, Tao Gu Liu Xian. She will also be taking on the characteristics of 7 other roles from the novel in Yu Zheng’s drama adaptation.
Wuxia Turned Love Story
There are also netizens who worried that the addition of the extra love scenes between Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan (Yang Rong 杨蓉), Ren Yingying , and Dongfang Bubai will turn the wuxia drama into a melodramatic Qiong Yao love story instead. Yu Zheng said, “There are so many fighting scenes in the series. I want to add some love elements but it’ll take up only a quarter of the whole show. So this is still mostly a wuxia drama.”
The distributor of ‘Chinese Zodiac’, JOYnContent Group, revealed, “Jackie Chan will be in Korea from February 18th to the 19th.” Jackie Chan had produced, directed, and starred as the lead character in them movie. In February, he will be visiting Korea to hold a press conference, a red carpet event, and interviews.
Even though Jackie Chan is busy filming for ‘Expendables 3‘ and ‘Police Story 2013‘, he has decided to come to Korea because of his special friendship with Kwon Sang Woo. He will be participating in all of his Korean promotions with Kwon Sang Woo by his side.
The movie ‘Chinese Zodiac’ will be released on February 28th in Korea. The movie has already accumulated more than $135 million USD at the box office in China.
