RU Korean - Korean Wave

Hallyu Concert Closes Formula 1 in Shanghai

rukorean — Wed, 4 Oct 2006 17:28:47 -0700

A concert featuring a number of top hallyu stars was held Oct. 2 in Shanghai, China at the closing ceremony of a Formula 1 Grand Prix competition. Performers included Kang Ta, Chang Nara and Bada, among others.

Formula 1, which Korea will host in 2010, is held by the International Automobile Federation in only 17 or 18 countries. The Shanghai competition first opened in 2004. This year, the Chinese authorities organized the hallyu concert and a vast array of other cultural events after the competition.

Korean Wave Makes Inroads into India

rukorean — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 03:45:04 -0700

The Korean Wave or Korean pop culture craze is set to sweep the world’s second most populous country, as the KBS hit drama “Emperor of the Sea” began airing in India on July 23. It is the first-ever Korean drama to be broadcast in that country, which has a population of 1.1 billion.

China Draws up Drama-Based ‘Weird Korean Customs’ List

rukorean — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:59:48 -0700

Chinese fans of Korean soap operas were baffled to see Koreans use both spoons and chopsticks to eat, but not as surprised as when they saw women pull each other’s hair during fights and managers strike their subordinates on the back of the head. Other notable features of Korean society for the Chinese couch potatoes are the vast difference in treatment meted out to rich and poor here and the number of marriages of convenience. In all, the China Finance Information Network drew up 80 strange Korean customs as gleaned from TV dramas. Here are 12 of them:

1. When Koreans lift their glass to drink any alcoholic beverage with someone senior, they always turn to one side.

Will B-Boys Lead Next Wave of Hallyu?

rukorean — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:51:40 -0700

By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter

Until about three years ago, Lee Woo-sung, leader of the top-notch B-boy team Expression Crew, had to deal with angry parents who flocked to the crew’s training room to inquire the whereabouts of their children, who ran away from home.

A scene from “Marionette”

The crews, of course, were as clueless as the parents, but the parents often did not believe them.

``When something occurred in town, even the police knocked at our door,’’ Lee said, reminiscing about the common perception of B-boys as a group of juvenile delinquents because of their hip-hop style outfits and zeal for break dancing.

Originators of Korean Wave Still Loved in Japan

rukorean — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:37:39 -0700

Four Korean actors who are considered the originators of the Korean Wave, or Korean pop culture craze, have been found to still be the favorites among Japanese fans.

In its internet edition on Monday, the Japanese entertainment magazine Oricon Style announced the results of its survey of Japanese people between their teens and 40s that asked, “Who is your favorite Korean actor and actress?” The announcement came in the wake of the news that the recent Korean movie “The Host” is drawing global attention.

Bae Yong-joon, who stole the hearts of Japanese women with his role in “Winter Sonata,” was chosen as the most popular Korean male star. He was praised for his sincere and caring attitude toward his fans and his "killer" smile. Following Bae were Jang Dong-kun, whose tough image was cited as his charm, Lee Byung-hyun and Won Bin.

Japan’s First Lady-to-Be an Avid Korean Wave Fan

rukorean — Thu, 7 Sep 2006 04:08:55 -0700

As Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe looks ever more likely to replace Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi later this month, the spotlight is moving toward his wife Akie Abe (44).

Akie Abe is known to be an avid Korean Wave fan, and in keeping with her stature is a heroine with a big heart. But unlike her husband, who never lets alcohol cross his lips, Akie Abe is fond of a drop and is known for throwing parties and attending gatherings, building the human network for her husband.

Akie Abe is the oldest daughter of Akio Matsuzaki, the former president of Japan‘s leading confectioner Morinaga & Co, and a graduate of the University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo. She worked for a time at the country’s no. 1 advertising firm Dentsu and in 1987 married Shinzo Abe. Around the same time, Abe’s elder brother Hironobu Abe married a daughter of the president of Ushio Denki, a major Japanese firm, giving rise to talk that the marriage was politically motivated. In the 1990s, Akie Abe worked as a FM Radio DJ in her husband's hometown of Shimonoseki.