Korean Actor Jang Dong-gun on Cover of "TIME Asian Edition"
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The latest Asian edition of the U.S. magazine "TIME" featured a cover story on the Republic of Korea (ROK) titled, "Breaking Through". The article centered on the nation's "new wave of creativity", which was spreading to the movie, music and science industries.
Jang Dong-gun, who is featured on the cover, is one of Korea's most popular leading men. He gained his popularity on the screen through the film Friend. Internationally, he gained increasing popularity through his role in last year's groundbreaking Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War. This Korean War film is a story centered on the bond between two brothers. When his younger brother is forced to serve in the war due to unforeseen circumstances, Jang decides to enlist alongside his brother and make sure that they return safely home. Since his role in Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War, Jang has also starred in the U.S.-Chinese-Korean co-production The Promise, alongside Hong Kong star Cecilia Cheung. This production is Beijing's pick as its contender for the Oscar in Best Foreign Film.
According to "TIME", the ROK's hottest export is entertainment. The new craze, named "Korean Wave" or "Hallyu", is at its peak. Referring to the success of the Korean TV series, Jewel in the Palace, "TIME" reported that since airing in Hong Kong, the program has scored this year's highest viewer ratings. It is even said that the Chinese President Hu Jintao is a fan of this series.
The rise in popularity of Korean movies and TV programs has led to a boom in the tourist industry. In the first ninth months of 2005, 550,000 tourists visited the ROK on "Wave package tours". On these tours, fans visited the locations where popular Korean TV programs have been filmed. Due to the boom of the Korean Wave, the overseas box office has reported nearly $42 million from Korean films for the first six months of the year. This is a great increase compared to the $58 million from all of 2004.
In addition to the increase in exports and capital, according to Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, the Korean Wave has brought the ROK respect and recognition. Yang Kee-ho, a political-science professor at Seoul's Sung Kong-hoe University stated that "The Korean Wave shows we're not just a small country anymore".
The article states that Korean art reflects "the country's unique sensibility". In both TV programs and movies, familial relationships and ties are strongly represented. Yoon Seok-ho was the director of four TV programs that have been successful in Japan. When talking about the nation's sensibility, he refers to han, which is a "deeply felt sense of oppression". He states that "Korean dramas express sadness particularly well. The writer of The Autumn in the Heart would cry when writing his script. The actors, during rehearsals, started crying too".
Sin Hyeon-teik, a film producer and promoter of cultural exports, is worried that the Korean Wave will settle down. He believes that the only solution is to join in co-productions with other Asian nations.
The "TIME Asian Edition's" cover story, in addition to looking at the boom in the entertainment industry and the influence of the Korean Wave, looks at the advancements in the science industry. The article is available both online on TIMEasia's website http://www.time.com/time/asia and in the latest issue of "TIME Asian Edition".
By Su-jung Choi
Jang Dong-gun, who is featured on the cover, is one of Korea's most popular leading men. He gained his popularity on the screen through the film Friend. Internationally, he gained increasing popularity through his role in last year's groundbreaking Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War. This Korean War film is a story centered on the bond between two brothers. When his younger brother is forced to serve in the war due to unforeseen circumstances, Jang decides to enlist alongside his brother and make sure that they return safely home. Since his role in Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War, Jang has also starred in the U.S.-Chinese-Korean co-production The Promise, alongside Hong Kong star Cecilia Cheung. This production is Beijing's pick as its contender for the Oscar in Best Foreign Film.
According to "TIME", the ROK's hottest export is entertainment. The new craze, named "Korean Wave" or "Hallyu", is at its peak. Referring to the success of the Korean TV series, Jewel in the Palace, "TIME" reported that since airing in Hong Kong, the program has scored this year's highest viewer ratings. It is even said that the Chinese President Hu Jintao is a fan of this series.
The rise in popularity of Korean movies and TV programs has led to a boom in the tourist industry. In the first ninth months of 2005, 550,000 tourists visited the ROK on "Wave package tours". On these tours, fans visited the locations where popular Korean TV programs have been filmed. Due to the boom of the Korean Wave, the overseas box office has reported nearly $42 million from Korean films for the first six months of the year. This is a great increase compared to the $58 million from all of 2004.
In addition to the increase in exports and capital, according to Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, the Korean Wave has brought the ROK respect and recognition. Yang Kee-ho, a political-science professor at Seoul's Sung Kong-hoe University stated that "The Korean Wave shows we're not just a small country anymore".
The article states that Korean art reflects "the country's unique sensibility". In both TV programs and movies, familial relationships and ties are strongly represented. Yoon Seok-ho was the director of four TV programs that have been successful in Japan. When talking about the nation's sensibility, he refers to han, which is a "deeply felt sense of oppression". He states that "Korean dramas express sadness particularly well. The writer of The Autumn in the Heart would cry when writing his script. The actors, during rehearsals, started crying too".
Sin Hyeon-teik, a film producer and promoter of cultural exports, is worried that the Korean Wave will settle down. He believes that the only solution is to join in co-productions with other Asian nations.
The "TIME Asian Edition's" cover story, in addition to looking at the boom in the entertainment industry and the influence of the Korean Wave, looks at the advancements in the science industry. The article is available both online on TIMEasia's website http://www.time.com/time/asia and in the latest issue of "TIME Asian Edition".
By Su-jung Choi
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