Nice song; Baek Ji-young did well to bring out the sorrow and emotions. Would be great to have a clean (without conversation) version.

IRIS is one of the most anticipated Korean dramas of the year. The star-studded show opened strongly on October 14; its English subbed episodes are scheduled to start showing on KBS World channel (lucky me lol) on Nov 11.

Other co-stars include Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon and Choi Seung-hyeon.

[video via moonml@Youtube]

Baek Ji-young – Don’t Forget MV – IRIS OST from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Regardless, with a strong leading cast of Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-hee, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon and Big Bang’s T.O.P… the drama shows plenty of promises; and the teaser probably managed to reinforce the hype.

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Iris (2009) drama trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal

45th Baeksang Awards’ best actors and actresses… Kim Myung-min, Moon Geun-young,
Son Ye-jin and Jo Jin-mo (Image from Isplus (Kr))

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45th Baeksang Arts Awards (2009) winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Park requested 170.5million won (~USD110k) per extension episode for his previous drama “War of Money”, which the production complied to but failed to pay up in full [more on Hanfever]

Park has filed a lawsuit to claim his unpaid fees (~ 341mil won), which probably prompted the Friday meeting which led to the ban.

The association is also requesting TV stations to ban the involved production company for giving in to Park’s demand at the first place and ‘disrupting the orders’ of drama production.

At the moment an A-list Korean star could demand 30-40mil won per episode, a few super A-listers could get 70-80mil, while the one and only Bae Yong-joon was paid 200mil won when filming “The Legend” per episode. Bae’s case was a bit unique though for the fact that foreign investors were heavily involved.

Korean drama production companies have been complaining a lot lately about the high wages demanded by the actors and actresses. They were planning to set a cap on the actors’ wages last month, which I believe is already being implemented unofficially… as some of the big names are ‘voluntarily’ reducing their wages recently.

Park Shin-yang is obviously a guinea pig for the association to show their determination in the wage battle. He has not done anything wrong legally, but there’s always hidden rules in every industry that needs to be followed, unfortunately… and he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Korean drama production companies ban actor for life from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Grand prize winner Kim Myung-min

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Korea Drama Awards 2008 from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Initial diagnosis showed that she might have developed hypothermia and meningitis, which was probably due to her being submerged in the chilly water for almost 20 hours in the past two days shooting the promotional posters and a underwater scene for the drama. [via Coolsmurf]

Ji-ah, have some good rest and get well soon.

Lee Ji-ah in Beethoven Virus

Lee Ji-ah hospitalised while filming drama from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Ji Sung, Park Yong-ha, Kang Ji-hwan, Jung Joon-ho and Kim Ji-suk

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Most popular K-drama characters in 2008 thus far from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Based on Heo Yeong-man’s popular manhwa (comic), Shikgaek is about a chef on his journey of discovery to become the rightful heir of Korea’s last royal chef. The drama stars Kim Rae-won, Nam Sang-mi, Kwon Oh-joong, Kim So-yeon and Woon Ki-joon etc.

(L-R) Woon Ki-joon, Choi Bul-Ahn, Kim Rae-won and Woon Ki-joon

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Sikgaek meet the press from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Yoona plays a young and cheerful lady who has just undergone a cornea transplant; the story revolves around her relationship with the donor’s family and her new found romance.

The co-stars include Park Jae-jung and Gong Hyun-joo etc. (in the poster)

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SNSD Yoona is leading lady in KBS drama from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The drama is directed by Shin Woo-chul and written by Kim Eun-suk, the team behind popular dramas “Lovers in Paris” and “Lovers in Prague” etc. Leading the cast are Lee Beom-soo, Kim Ha-neul, Park Yong-ha and Song Yun-ah.

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On Air (2008) drama review from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The animation project was revealed in 2007, but only started gaining some serious notice in March 2008 after the announcement that Korean star Bae Yong-joon is going to voice his own character from the original drama… he shares a few words at the end of the trailer.

Update May 29 – Choi Ji-woo has agreed to join the project.

Winter Sonata anime trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Not really a fan of SNSD yet, but love Taeyeon’s voice… it’s pretty unique, and she hit the high notes pretty well.

[video via blahkice@Youtube]

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SNSD Taeyeon – If music video from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The drama and producers are penalised for inappropriate frequency of product placement and overused of Hyori’s songs as soundtrack.

The drama will not be allowed to rebroadcast in Korea, and the show (producers) are required to make a public apology.

The drama, also titled Perhaps Love, is about two cancer patients who met each other in hospital and developed a relationship.

Despite the ban in its homeland, the drama is expected to recoup some of its investments with the strong marketability of the main cast in foreign countries.

Lee Hyori news

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Lee Hyori’s new drama banned in Korea from YeinJee's Asian Journal