Korean soap opera becomes the new craze in Japan, director Kar Wai enters film in the Cannes Film Festival, A-mei gets international recognition, and the Fifteenth annual Golden Melody Awards nominees are released. Find all this news and more in this issue of News From Abroad
Korean TV Drama Winter Sonata Captures Japanese Audience
Korean soap opera Winter Sonata, which has become the latest craze in Japan, has inspired a new affinity between the two formerly rival nations. This Korean boom in Japan appears to have begun in 1998 with the hit film Shuri and then reinforced by the two countries collaboration during the 2002 World Cup.
The star of the show, heartthrob Bae Yong Jun, has inspired a host of female fans from their 20s to 50s. His arrival in Tokyo earlier this month triggered a frenzy which could be compared with the Beatles' arrival to the U.S. in the 1960s. The star is referred to as “Yong-sama,” a name reserved generally for royalty.
The popularity of Winter Sonata continues to encourage this Japanese infatuation with Korean culture. Korean dictionaries are now selling in record number, Korean-language classes are full, and flights to Korea are booked!
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Wong Kar Wai's Film 2046 Competing in Cannes Film Festival
Wong Kar Wai's sci-fi drama 2046 was submitted to this year's 57th Annual Cannes Film Festival. Since Hou Hsiao-hsien has withdrawn his movie Coffee Time from the competition, Kar Wai's film remains the only Chinese-language (Cantonese) film in this year's competition.
Director Kar Wai will be attending the festival along with some of the movie's leading actors Kimura Takuya, Faye Wong and Tony Leung. 2046 is actually somewhat of a sequel to Kar Wai's film In the Mood for Love which was recognized at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival for Best Actor in addition to receiving the Technical Prize.
What: The 57th Cannes Film Festival
Film: 2046
Where Cannes, France
When: May 12-23
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Hong Kong's Andy Lau To Display Acting Skills in Upcoming Film
Heartthrob Andy Lau intends to demonstrate his acting skills in Zhang Yimou's new film House of Flying Daggers. Long hailed as Hong Kong's “Heavenly King,” Lau is tired of being recognized as just an idol. Lau wants to be taken seriously as an actor, which he doesn't feel he has, even though he is in his 22nd year in the business and has received the award for Best Actor Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his performance in Running on Karma.
Lau hopes that by taking on more intense and complex characters, he will be able to assert himself as an artist, not just a handsome face. Three-time Oscar nominee Zhang Yimou, who hopes to complete the film in time to enter it into next years' Cannes Film Festival, places a lot of faith in Lau's acting abilities.
The House of Flying Daggers is an epic tale set in China's Tang dynasty (AD 618-906) that follows the loves and betrayals between imperialistic rulers and a secret martial arts society. In the film, Lau plays the role of a conniving imperial guard. The film is scheduled for release this summer.
Film: The House of Flying Daggers
When: Summer 2004 (Expected release)
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Korean Animated Feature Wonderful Days Suffers at the Box Office
The recently released Korean film Wonderful Days, which took five years and almost $11 million dollars to produce, only grossed a disappointing $1.9 million at the box office. The film is a futuristic epic about an environmental dystopia. While animated films like Spirited Away and Finding Nemo have been largely popular with a Korean audience, the domestically produced films cannot boast the same.
The problems with Korean animated films may be a result of the fact that while the visuals are impressive, the plots are lacking in many respects. Animation schools in Korea typically focus on procedure rather than emphasizing creativity. However, with the recent disappointment of Wonderful Days, Korean animation is turning their focus on the development of a distinct style.
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Japan Philharmonic Orchestra Develops a Pop MusicSpecialization
Composer Joe Hisaishi expresses excitement about his latest project to embark the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra on a journey into popular music. Hisaishi has composed scores for more than 40 movies including Academy Award winning Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, both by acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki.
The New Japan Philharmonic, which was established by Seiji Ozawa in 1972, initially specialized in classical music. However, with the artistic direction of Hisaishi, the orchestra has begun a venture in popular music. They will call themselves the New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra when playing popular music.
Hisaishi hopes that the newly made pop orchestra will reach out to audiences and stay in their hearts and minds. He is confidently claiming that they “will surpass the Boston Pops Orchestra within three years.” The orchestra's show, which will feature combinations of famous film scores, will start its tour of Japan on July 19th in Sendai.
What: The New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
When/Where: July 19th in Sendai, Japan to August 1 in Osaka, Japan
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New Jackie Chan Movie Possibly May be Banned in Taiwan
Hong Kong native Jackie Chan's unwise comment that the recent presidential election in Taiwan was “the biggest joke in the world” received much publicity – and a very negative reaction from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
In light of Chan's comment, senior ranking DPP member Parris Chang has proposed legislation to ban Chan's new movie Around the World in 80 Days. In addition, he has also proposed legislation to ban Chan from entering Taiwan altogether. The legislation has yet to be considered. While movies aren't typically banned for the comments their actors make, banning films for their violent content is common.
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Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan Eyes Film on Nelson Mandela
Famous Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan (Khakee, Baghban) has expressed interest in working on director Shekhar Kapur's upcoming film about African apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.
Apparently, Bachchan, also known as “Big B,” has actually met Mandela twice and was moved and inspired by him. In an interview, he said “I was highly impressed by his ideas…I would feel lucky even if I am able to play a small role in the movie.”
Although Bachchan is nearing retiring age, he has expressed no interest in leaving the big screen. A recent interview with “Big B” indicates that he intends to stay as long as his audience keeps encouraging and loving him.
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Fifteenth Annual Golden Melody Awards Nominees Released
The 15th annual Golden Melody Awards will soon determine the reigning artists of Chinese popular music. This invitation-only award show is the most prestigious in the Chinese-language music industry.
The list of nominees was released this week with little protest, although many were surprised that pop stars like A-mei and Machi didn't make the cut.
While the award show will have some returning artists such as last year's Best Male Singer Eason Chan, Jolin Tsai and Jasmine Leung are among the many new faces that will be seen at the ceremony. The Best Group category is expected to be the most competitive with groups like Shin, Mayday, and Tizzy Bac competing against one another.
What: The Golden Melody Awards
When/Where: May 8th in Taipei, Taiwan
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Taiwanese Pop Diva A-mei Getting Global Acclaim
On June 22, A-mei will be recognized as the “Greater China region” winner of the World Peace Music Award. This award has been referred to as “Nobel Peace Prize for musicians” and recognizes artists around the world for the content of their songs. As an example, at the last award ceremony in 2002, Gloria Gaynor was recognized for her classic feminist anthem “I Will Survive.”
A-mei will be performing at the ceremony in Hanoi with about 25 other acts from around the world including Black Eyed Peas and Jurassic 5. The publicity from the award has given her much additional fanfare. A-mei recently appeared on the cover of Asia's Time Magazine under a headline “Asian Heroes,” making the Taiwanese separatist an icon throughout the Asian world.
Who: A-mei
What: The World Peace Music Awards
When: June 22, 2004
Where: Hanoi, Vietnam
