The NT$10,000 beef noodle (Image via Xinhuanet)

The restaurant is named “688 Beef Bowl”, and is located at Taipei’s busy Zhongxiao Road. The restaurant has been operating for 18 years and most of their beef noodles are priced around NT$150-300… the expensive noodles are only sold on limited basis and need to be pre-ordered.

I am not sure why the beef noodle cost so much; it seems like it’s not using special ingredients… the high cost was probably attributed by the quality of the beef. The restaurant owner has spent 5 years to search for the high quality beef to make this beef noodle… and a nice piece of beef could be really costly, obviously.

Korean movie “Secret Sunshine” (밀양; Milyang) is the biggest winner with 3 major awards (complete list). Below are some pics from the event…

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung (best actor) and Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon (best actress)

Hong Kong based pop duo 2R

Taiwanese actor Chang Chen and Korean actress Song Hye-kyo

Hong Kong artists Kate Tsui and Miriam Yeung

Taiwanese actress Shu Qi and Singaporean singer Stefanie Sun

Chinese actress Joan Chen (best supporting actress)

Japanese actress Mika Nakatani and Korean actor Song Kang-ho

(Image via Dayoo, K-popped, Qq and Sohu)

Olive9 is responding to reports which claimed that the Korean actress was drunk and behaved inappropriately in the LVMH party last Friday (Mar 14, 2008). Choi and her reps strongly denied the reports and stated that she didn’t drink at all.

Choi Ji-woo at the LVMH party; the guy is Hong Kong star Chow Yun Fat

At first glance, Choi does seem like tipsy from the photos; but then, photos could be deceiving sometimes… we’ll have to choose what we want to believe.

Point is, it’s a party, people do get drunk. As long as they are not too misbehaved (thrown up or taking off their cloths etc) and have friends around to take care of them when needed… we should just let it be ain’t so? If normal people could get drunk and gone wild occasionally, why are celebrities forbidden to do so?

Director Kim Hae-gon, co-stars Kim In-kwon and Park Han-byul were also at the event.

Song Seung-hun and Kwon Sang-woo at the special press screening

Song, Kwon, actress Park Han-byul and co. at the special screening (Image via Chosun)

Destiny is about four buddies who find themselves confronting each other under unexpected circumstances, which involves love, betrayal and brotherhood.

The movie is highly anticipated by Korean drama/movie fans as it would be Song’s first act since discharging from his two-years military service. The movie will make its public screening on March 20.

Contrary to most of the fashion shows which only invite celebrity guests, TGC is opened to public with an affordable fee (¥3,000-10,000; ~USD30-100). [Hat tip to KN]

Make no mistake though, despite the cheap entrance fee, the show is still as glamourous as other top fashion shows, albeit more casual, with participation of top brands & models, and performances by popular artists (TVXQ, Leah Dizon, DJ Ozma etc).

The crowd and models at TGC 2008 Spring/Summer (Image via GW)

Japanese pianist Yosuke Yamashita playing the fiery piano (Image via Xinhuanet)

Yamashita performed the stunt in Shika town, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. His performance lasted for 10 minutes before the piano became unplayable.

Artistic or whatever… I can’t see anything remarkable about this stunt beside a waste (piano).

Wang Weiqing, 58, of Beicheng village, China’s Guangzhou Province, was walking along the pool with his own grandson when he spotted a boy struggling in the water and saved him.

Mr Wang telling his heroic stories (the kid is his grandson, not the rescued boy)

When the grandfather of the rescued boy arrived, he was amazed to see the rescuer was the same man who saved his son, the boy’s father, from the same pool 20 years ago.

Like father like son… thank goodness the saviour was around for both occasions.

The former England captain will also attend some private functions to meet his fans as well as endorsing some products for his sponsors.

David Beckham in a press conference in Seoul (Image courtesy of Newsen)

LA Galaxy will also play against Shanghai-Hong Kong United in Shanghai, China on March 5. There are news that they will be playing in Hong Kong on March 9 as well, but the schedule has not been confirmed yet.

You need a huge stage for a 13-member boyband

SuJu in action (Image courtesy of Newsen, hat tip to K-popped)

Super Junior is one of the most popular pop groups in Korea; their second album “Don’t Don” was Korea’s second best selling album in 2007.

Figurines and cosplayers at Wonder Fest (Image from Dengeki, Akibablog and Akibana)

You can view more pictures at Akibana, Akiba-Ch, Akibablog, Heisei and Dengeki. Mind that some of the pics are not safe for work.

The 999m long wedding dress on display [Hat tip to Cri]

The red dress was purely hand made and took three months to be completed, with dozens of decorative phoenix figures knitted using golden yarn and jades.

Lee graduated from Chung-Ang University (중앙대학교; literally Central University) after 9 years of studies, while Ivy from Dongduk Women’s University after 7 years.

Lee is a veteran singer and actress; she was already quite famous when she enrolled into CAU in 1999. Ivy is relatively new but was arguably the most outstanding Korean female pop star in 2007.

Ivy’s graduation… shiny shoes and expensive bag

Lee Jung-hyun’s graduation… (Image credits to Newsen and Spn)

Koreans in general give high priority to education; lots of Korean artists took their studies seriously as well despite their hectic schedule, and most of them obviously took a longer period to graduate.

Other big names that have high level education include pop star Lee Hyori; actress Lee Young-ae, Kim Tae-hee, Ha Ji-won; actors Lee Byung-hun and Kim Jeong-hoon etc.

[Update] Actor Yoo Ji-tae was graduating on Feb 22 too… his achievement is more remarkable than the above two as he has obtained his master’s degree instead of bachelor’s degree.

Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market is adopting new rules in April for visitors.

Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest fish market in the world and is famous for its tuna trading. The market has become an iconic travel spot in Tokyo thanks (or no thanks) to foreign travel shows and the blogging hype.

Tuna trading at Tsukiji Fish Market (Image source)

The influx of visitors has however created a hygiene risk and is interfering with normal business activities.

Specifically, Tsukiji workers complain that some tourists try to touch the fish, and that camera flashes interfere with hand signals used during auctions.

Tourists who arrive unaware of the new rules won’t be kicked out though, but the ill-mannered may be escorted off the premises by security guards, according to a spokesman.

Under the new rules… [Hat tip to Japundit]

* All outside visitors must submit an application in advance.
* Sightseers will be “asked to refrain from entering.”
* Visitors who show up unaware of the new restrictions will be allowed to enter but will be asked to abide by the new rules.
* No flash photos in the auction sites.
* No smoking except in designated areas.
* No babies, baby strollers or other large baggage.

I doubt any travellers would actually refrain themselves from entering… hope that the visitors could at least have the courtesy to follow other simple rules.

Namdaemun (officially known as Sungnyemun; 숭례문) is a historic gate located in the heart of South Korea’s capital, Seoul. It was the oldest wooden structure in Seoul prior to the fire, and the most iconic landmark of the city. Namdaemun was officially declared as the nation’s number one national treasure in 1962.

It’s reported that the suspect has committed the arson due to a grievance over a land compensation case. I doubt anyone would pity him at all.

Namdaemun on fire (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Lim couldn’t follow his script properly and was slurring his words when reporting the news on Jan 31. TV audiences were fast to suspect that he was drunk while reporting the news, which he admitted later on.

According to Lim, he drank a bit during lunch to celebrate the Korean handball team’s victory against Japan… and couldn’t recover from the hangover in the evening.

The production team has also apologised for failing to notice Lim’s drunken condition before allowing his to report the news.

This is the 2nd high profile blunder from MBC’s news announcer in a month. News anchor Moon Ji-ae was replaced in early January for giggling at the end of a live broadcast.