Puff piece by the Korea Times? Dong-A Ilbo? No, surprisingly it’s an article from Newsweek and not just the Asia regional Newsweek version either.
Here’s a few choice cuts:
Lately, however, ethnic Korean actors have started to gain traction in American film and TV. Kim Yunjin and Daniel Dae Kim broke through when they were cast in Lost in 2004, followed by Sandra Oh in Grey’s Anatomy and James Kyson Lee in Heroes. This year Korean-American heartthrob Daniel Henney appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as the villainous Agent Zero, and now stars on the new CBS medical drama Three Rivers. Lee Byung-hun took on the role of Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. And John Cho, who played Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, is currently starring as an FBI agent in ABC’s drama FlashForward.
Next up: Jeong Ji Hoon, a.k.a. Rain…. On Nov. 25, Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers will release their latest big-budget martial-arts thriller, Ninja Assassin, starring Jeong as the title character…
The article also suggests that regional realities are making Hollywood directors cast more ethnic Koreans. For example, since Rain is big in China and Lee Byung-hun is big in Japan, casting a Korean could mean at least an extra $20M or so in worldwide box office receipts.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
The Asian actor in the show Dexter is Korean too.
Very good show.
Yeah, because Newsweek never puts out puff pieces or anything.
Yeah, but there is a clear difference between a puff piece out of the KT and then one out of an international periodical like Newsweek…
After monopolizing the US dry cleaning industry, I guess it’s natural to move into other areas.
‘the hollywood reporter’ has an article on the rise of foreign movie studios. they talk about three. one of them is cj entertainment.
it’s all coming together now, korea.
Masuka’s the shit.
“The article also suggests that regional realities are making Hollywood directors cast more ethnic Koreans. ”
I had never heard of the term “regional realities” before, but I KNEW there had to be some ridiculous $$$-related reason for casting Daniel Henney in the Wolverine movie. His acting was terrible, and the character was not needed.
And the movie sucked because it was geared toward kids, rather then making a truly kick-ass beserker/violent Wolverine origin movie.
Here’s how the movie SHOULD have looked: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EocXtLAAAc
The difference is that the KT generally puts out puff pieces to boost Korea and Koreans, whereas an outfit like Newsweek pushes whatever a PR firm or corporation in their contact network peddles to them. The writer wasn’t sitting around one day counting Koreans – it’s likely the PR team for the upcoming Ninja Assassin movie was contacting various media outlets and the writer worked it into a broader “Koreans in Hollywood” story.
Rain and Lee BH, ok, koreans.
The others are all US citizens or, as some of you say, americans. What’s the fuzz? The ethnicity? Damn, the press is rally lacking something to talk about.
So? what is a problem?
If any other Asian actors have the looks and acting skills they would got the roles too.
you know what’s so funny? the expat’s always running around painting his constant crticism of korea as his attempt to help. but then, he’s the first one to rush out and take a shit on anything positive koreans achieve.
Pat Morita was the best owner of Arnold’s. Much better than Al Molinaro. Obviously due to those Korean potters his ancestors abducted.
Same can be said of George Takei.
“you know what’s so funny? the expat’s always running around painting his constant crticism of korea as his attempt to help. but then, he’s the first one to rush out and take a shit on anything positive koreans achieve.”
If that was for me, I think you didn’t get what I meant: I think it’s great that Rain, BH Lee, and others Asians (Watanabe, J. Chan, etc.) get the recognition and be talked about.
What I point out is that J. Cho, S. Oh, D. Henney, these people are not representing Korea, they are US’ers. And I don’t think they give a d… to Korea, honestly.
btw, my comment applies also to P. Cruz, S. Hayek, Banderas and others that were able to succeed in Hollywood.
“international periodical like Newsweek” ???
Smith Cho in Knightrider too….
You must log in to post a comment.