Lee Min-ho, Kim Bum surprise visit Jung Il-woo fan meeting

From left, actors Jung Il-woo, Kim Bum and Lee Min-ho at Jung Il-woo's fan meeting held at the Broadhall in Seoul, South Korea on September 5, 2010. [N.O.A Entertainment]

Korean heartthrobs Lee Min-ho and Kim Bum made a surprise appearance at actor Jung Il-woo's fan meeting held over the weekend, according to Jung's agency N.O.A Entertainment on Monday.

Lee and Kim, co-stars of last year's smash hit series "Boys Over Flowers" and best friends with Jung, turned up at the meet and greet also held in time with Jung's 23rd birthday.

Warnings on ‘Fake Twitter’ in Entertainment Industry

▲ Actress Kim So Eun smiles during the production presentation of the KBS daily drama “A Good Day For The Wind To Blow.”

As Twitter becomes more popular, people in the entertainment industry are under stress due to fake Twitters that impersonate star actors and singers.

Actor Jung Il Woo’s agency N.O.A Entertainment delivered the news on July 8, stating, “We have recently searched the list of stars’ Twitters, and found out that a person has opened a fake Twitter account under Jung Il Woo’s name illegally.”

Lee Min-ho sets up official Twitter account

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Lee's official Twitter page]

Korean actor Lee Min-ho has set up an official Twitter account after falling victim to a Twitter impersonator last March.

The actor announced on his Cyworld mini-hompy board Thursday afternoon that he had created his own account (http://twitter.com/actorleeminho) on Twitter, a popular social networking and micro-blogging service.

Lee made his first Twitter entry, saying "I want to ride a bike" along with a photo of himself riding a bicycle in a commercial.

He then 'followed' actor Jung Sung-hwa, his co-star in the recent MBC TV series "Personal Taste," and 'tweeted' to Jung, "I made a Twitter account too. Teach me."

The actor also visited the Twitter page for filmmaker Park Kwang-choon, who directed Lee in films "She's On Duty" (2005) and "Our School E.T." (2007), and wrote "Director Park, it's me Lee Min-ho. The one you went to before was fake."

Last March, Lee's agency Starhaus Entertainment warned fans that a fake Twitter account had been opened up under the actor's name and had over 70,000 followers at the time. The agency was even seeking to take action to protect the actor's fans.

As of July 2, the number of followers on the fake account currently stands at 88,573 compared to 8,282 on Lee's official page.

The 23-year-old actor became a household name in Korea and throughout Asia last year with the success of KBS drama "Boys Over Flowers," co-starring actress Ku Hye-sun and singer Kim Hyun-joong of SS501.

In "Taste", he played a man pretending to be gay in order to move in with a female roommate, played by Korean actress Son Ye-jin.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@
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Lee Min-ho spends weekend with Asian fans as well as celebrating his birthday

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Asia Economic Daily]

Hallyu star Lee Min-ho celebrated his upcoming birthday with his fans over the weekend, hosting a fan meeting for some 4,500 fans who turned up from Korea, Japan and China to see the actor.

The actor entertained his local and foreign guests in various ways at the event titled "2010 The Special Day with Minoz" held at Seoul's Kyung Hee University on June 20.

The fan meeting started with a showing of video message sent in by the fans, followed by a musical performance by Korean pop group See Ya, who performed their hits "His Voice" and "My Heart Is Heavy With Emotions," which was featured on the soundtrack for Lee's TV series "Personal Taste."

Lee too displayed his vocal chops, singing the song "Falling Slowly" from the Irish indie hit film "Once" (2006) which he had been practicing for the fan meeting.

"While I was rehearsing the song, I realized that singing isn't for everyone," said the actor. "I am not talented enough [to release an album] but I would like to take part in a soundtrack if the opportunity came by."

He added that he is a fan of the film "Once" and thinks "Falling Slowly" suits his voice.

Lee also carried on a friendly conversation with comedian Yoon Hyung-bin, who served as the emcee for the fan meeting.

The event featured several musical guests including boy band 2AM, female singer Younha and Taiwanese entertainer Joseph Cheng, who is considered the "Rain of Taiwan." Lee and Cheng exchanged gifts and promised to maintain their friendship in the future.

Below is a Q&A session held with Lee Min-ho.

Q: It takes about two days to shoot a fashion spread or commercial. What do you afterwards?
▶ Lee: Zone out.

Q: Any changes after removing the metal pin?
▶ Lee: A little discomfort but nothing too inconvenient in everyday life.

Q: You have a puppy named "Choco" - does it like your mom or you?
▶ Lee: It likes my sister.

Q: How do you choose your acting projects? And what kind of roles do you want to play?
▶ Lee: I want to play all kinds of professions. No rule about how I choose my acting work. Just when I find the character attractive.

Q: What do people in other countries call you?
▶ Lee: I have one name but everyone says it differently. People from Thailand elongate the "Min."

Q: Any other dream you want to achieve besides acting?
▶ Lee: Soccer player. My childhood dream was to become a professional soccer player.

Q: What do you do on your days off from work?
▶ Lee: I sleep, play, eat, sing and work out. I learn a lot of things so the day goes by very fast.

Q: When you are busy shooting, how do you make time?
▶ Lee: I can't.

Q: Your most memorable character?
▶ Lee: Mino-me. (My character doll)

Q: How do you break the ice with the staff members when you start shooting a new film or drama?
▶ Lee: I try to talk to them a lot. I had met Son Ye-jin for the second time on the day we shot the poster [for TV series "Personal Taste"]. We had to act like we were close friends for the poster concept and I got so into the acting that I called Son Ye-jin, "Dork." There was an immediate silence.

Q: What do you wear when you go to sleep?
▶ Lee: I tend to walk around in my underwear when I'm home.

Reporter : Kang Seung-hun tarophine@
Photographer : Han Youn-jong hyj0709@
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@

Lee Min-ho [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Actor Lee Min-ho poses at a photo session of a press conference for his fan meeting "2010 The Special Day with Minoz" held at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea on June 20, 2010.

Lee Min-ho [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Lee Min-ho [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Actor Lee Min-ho blows a birthday cake during his fan meeting "2010 The Special Day with Minoz" held at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea on June 20, 2010. His actors friends Jung Il-woo (left) and Kim Bum (right) also attended the event.

Lee Min-ho [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Actor Lee Min-ho receives a birthday present from actor Jung Won-chang at his fan meeting "2010 The Special Day with Minoz" held at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea on June 20, 2010.

Lee Min-ho [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Actor Lee Min-ho sings at his fan meeting "2010 The Special Day with Minoz" held at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea on June 20, 2010.

Lee Min-ho [Han Youn-jong/Asia Economic Daily]

Actor Lee Min-ho speaks at his fan meeting "2010 The Special Day with Minoz" held at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea on June 20, 2010.

Photographer: Han Youn-jong hyj0709@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@

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Lee Min-ho's "Personal Taste" sells to 3rd world countries

Official poster for TV series "Personal Taste" [MBC]

Korean actor Lee Min-ho is proving his Hallyu star status with his recent TV series "Personal Taste" selling to five countries in the Third World.

According to an industry source on Thursday, the MBC Wednesday-Thursday drama has been sold to United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Jordan, Venezuela and Mexico.

"These countries are very interested in Lee Min-ho's exotic looks in particular," the source was quoted as saying. "They are even asking if he is really Korean."

He also added that Lee is "likely to further solidify his position as a major Hallyu influence during the latter half of the year" as the overseas broadcast could bring about a new generation of Korean Wave craze, even if the series had only sold for a moderate price.

So far, the only Korean drama to have been exported to South America or Middle East was MBC's 2004 hit "Jewel in the Palace", which starred top Korean actress Lee Young-ae.

Lee, 22, became a household name in Korea and throughout Asia last year with the success of KBS drama "Boys Over Flowers".

In "Taste", he played a man pretending to be gay in order to move in with a female roommate, played by Korean actress Son Ye-jin.

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Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 10

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Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

After Lee Min-ho wrapped up "Boys Over Flowers", it took viewers a year to see him again on the small screen -- in the currently-airing TV series "Personal Taste." But for Lee, he had only taken a break from work for about two or three months.

"I rested really well for like two, three months. I went skiing often, watched old dramas that I had not seen, went out for lots of good food and played many video games at home."

Now that he was a top star, it was only natural that he would start worrying about his next acting role. "I didn't feel pressured but I did think that I should act well. I worried a lot too -- over whether I play a macho role next or a cheerful character. But since I am still pretty young, I wanted to portray a cheerful character."

Out of a couple dozen scripts and synopsis he had been handed during his break, Lee chose to take on "Personal Taste," a drama based on writer Lee Se-in's novel of the same name. "I don't think I have laughed so much reading a script than I did while reading 'Personal Taste.' That is why I chose it."

Once he had decided to star in the series, he had to focus on his acting. "I worried a lot about how I can improve my acting but that only got in the way of my acting because I started having too many thoughts. I started calculating every single movement and it would break my concentration as well. So I just decided to think about what kind of acting -- the vibe and the feel -- would bring me closer to the viewers."

For Lee, it is also a great joy to be working with actress Son Ye-jin. "I really enjoyed watching the drama 'Alone In Love.' I think Son Ye-jin's character Park Gae-in [in "Personal Taste"] is an extension of her character Yoo Eun-ho in 'Alone In Love.' There was a scene in 'Alone In Love' where I felt like her character showed glimpses of Park Gae-in."

In fact, the actors and crew of "Personal Taste" all went on a trip together and spent the night there, by suggestion of Son Ye-jin. "I thought she might be a little hard to approach but I saw on the trip that she was incredibly down-to-earth. We talked about the drama all night. Writer Lee Se-in was there too, so we just couldn't stop talking." (laugh)

Thanks to the passionate acting by Lee Min-ho and Son Ye-jin, "Personal Taste" is currently very popular among fans. "Personal Taste" looks to be the drama which will verify that Lee Min-ho is onto becoming a serious actor and not just a star who is a flash-in-the-pan.

Hallyu star Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 9

Korean actor Lee Min-ho during a promotion tour in China [Starhaus Entertainment]

When "Boys Over Flowers" ended its run on television, Lee Min-ho became a top star overnight. With the drama still being broadcast in other Asian countries, he became the front-running Hallyu star for the new generation. But his huge popularity also drew forth huge misunderstandings about him.

"What I heard the most was that I changed when I became famous," Rumors, by its nature, always spread through people who did not know Lee Min-ho rather than through those who knew him.

"Seriously, I heard all kinds of rumors about me. That I was dating a lot of female celebrities or that I was going to switch agencies, things that I wasn't doing at all. But when I kept hearing stuff like that, I did become very sensitive."

Even his close friends told him that they had heard such rumors. "I have about fifteen very close friends. And apart from the five that I met really often, the remaining ten were convinced that I had really changed. We met up later and cleared the air." (laugh)

But he is glad that his fans adore him. "I have had my butt pinched at the airport, my chin stroked like I was a puppy and even my cheeks too. At fan meetings, there are some fans who cry and their bodies are shaking because they are so happy. When I see people like that, even I start floundering because I don't know what should I do. But all my fans actually have good manners."

He remembers a grandmother who gave him money at a fan meeting. "She was sitting outside under the scorching sun and she looked worn out. So I apologized to the fans in front of the line and gave her my autograph first. And then she put two tightly folded 10,000 won bills into my hand, like a grandmother giving her grandson allowance money. I almost cried when she did that."

Lee Min-ho is enjoying an explosive popularity throughout Asia including China, Japan, and Taiwan. "When I go overseas and meet all my fans, even I am so surprised. And it is amazing that so many people like me. I'm grateful, of course."

Actor Lee Min-ho's fan meeting in Singapore [Starhaus Entertainment]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 8

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

"Boys Over Flowers" had finally premiered on television. "I was monitoring the first episode too and it was really fun. I always find my dramas to be fun. Haha."

But Lee started gaining some anti-fans after the first episode. "After the premiere episode, there were many responses like 'What is up with his hair' and 'he looks cheesy.' But I think it worked out for the better because it made a strong impact from the start and then they started supporting me from the second episode on. Really, they became crazier about me. People were talking about 'Boys Over Flowers' all over the Internet."

It was during the location shoot in Daegu that Goo Joon-pyo, or Lee Min-ho felt like he "made it." "I went down to Daegu for a shoot and a lot of fans showed up to watch. I think around 2,000 people came and we couldn't shoot there so we came back. I thought, 'Ah, this drama has made it.'"

However, Lee was unable to fully realize his popularity during the shooting because he was busy working on the show. "All I remember about the shooting is that it was exhausting. I worked every single day. And from about halfway in, it was really hard because I had to shoot commercials and other stuff too. I would go sleep in the car whenever I got the chance to and wake up and act when shooting started. Then I would go right back to sleep."

With little sleep and all work, It was only natural that his body would feel worn out. "I think I stayed up for like four nights and it was hard just to keep my eyes open. I didn't even know if I was saying my lines properly. It's like I was acting without being aware of I'm doing."

"Once I caught a cold after shooting in a swimming pool that had ice in it. I knew that I was feeling quite unwell but I had a rugby scene to shoot right after. In the middle of shooting the rugby scene, I threw up and was taken to the emergency room."

But Lee Min-ho always gets energy from the support of his fans. "I just like that when I show up somewhere, I can hear the instantaneous cheers. The louder, the better, I think. There are times I feel disappointed when I don't hear the cheers. I think all actors feel that way." (laugh)

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

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Actor Lee Min-ho : Most Popular Korean Celebrity On Facebook

Actor Lee Min-ho, currently starring in the drama "Personal Taste", but best known for his role as Goo Joon-pyo in the drama "Boys Over Flowers", is drawing attention for his fan base on the popular social networking site, Facebook. As of May 5th, he currently has over 544,420 fans worldwide that are subscribed to his official Facebook account. This is a new record for any Korean star! Although this may not sound like a big deal when compared to some of the big Hollywood stars, it's still quite a notable amount. To put things into perspective, US actor Leonardo Dicaprio has about 296,831 fans while Korean group Wondergirls has about 241,294 fans to their name.

When broken down, his Facebook fans are made up of 25% Americans, 3% Koreans, and the remaining 72% of fans from 16 southeast Asian countries (including Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia) plus Canada and France. Though there are obviously some language barriers, due to fans being able to translate any information or updates from Lee in real time, this has not slowed down the Lee Min-ho fever.

Lee's representative voiced that the response from fans to Lee to connecting with them through the site have been great. Also, keeping in mind that Koreans aren't as active on Facebook compared to people from other countries, Lee's reps said that they hope time would change that, thus only increasing his fan base. 

Source: KBS
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Lee Min-ho's Facebook attracts half-million fans worldwide

Korean actor Lee Min-ho's official Facebook page [Facebook]

 

Korean actor Lee Min-ho is making news for attracting over half a million fans to his official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialLeeMinho), according to his agency Starhaus Entertainment.

"We set up an official fan network to prevent social networking piracy for people overseas and it is getting a great response," said an official at Starhaus, referring to the recent fake Twitter incident that Lee had warned his fans about.

The fake account had reportedly accumulated over 60,000 followers who thought it had been opened up by the actor.

The actor currently has over 540,000 members on his Facebook page, a popular social networking site that connects and enables interaction among Internet users around the world.

Many celebrities nowadays use the site to communicate with their fans; Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio currently has about 296,831 members for his page while the figure for Korean pop group Wonder Girls stands at 241,294.

Lee's Facebook page features various information about the actor including the films, commercials and various charity campaigns he has taken part in for UNICEF and Good Downloader.

Users' log-in statistics revealed that most of Lee's Facebook loyals are composed of fans from overseas, particularly Asia.

While Korean fans only accounted for 3 percent of the membership, a whopping 72 percent of users were known to be from Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines as well as Canada and France. The remaining 25 percent of members were from the United States.

Although the members' communication on Lee's page are mostly conducted in English, many fans provide translations of comments written in other languages in order to exchange comments about their favorite star.

Lee, 22, rose to mega-stardom after starring in the smash hit "Boys Over Flowers" last year and currently stars in the MBC TV series "Personal Taste" alongside Korean actress Son Ye-jin.

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 7

Actors Lee Min-ho (right) and Ku Hye-sun in TV series "Boys Over Flowers" [KBS]

Although the location shoot in New Caledonia was difficult, what shocked Lee Min-ho the most during the filming of "Boys Over Flowers" was the car accident.

"I didn't have a driver's license but I had to shoot a driving scene. So I got my license in a rush and drove the car on a provisional license. And the car I was driving in the scene was a Lotus GP3." That is when last January, Lee Min-ho ended up crashing into a guard rail while shooting the driving scene for the show.

"They told me the car was worth over 100 million won. When the car charged forward and over the bump, I thought the car would fly over the guard rail. I was lucky to not get injured. I didn't worry too much because the car had been insured but it crumpled up like a piece of paper. So I thought, 'Even an expensive car like this one gets crushed easily.'" (laugh)

During the filming of "Boys Over Flowers", other main actors also often got into car accidents. Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Joon, Kim Bum and Ku Hye-sun were all involved in car accidents and when Ku was hospitalized for four days, the producers delayed airing of the series by a week and showed a special feature episode instead.

"I think all the car accidents happened because everyone was busy and exhausted from the shootings. Seriously, it was hard to get even one hour of sleep so we would be dozing off whenever we got the chance."

Actors Lee Min-ho (left), Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Joon and Kim Bum on the set of TV series "Boys Over Flowers" [KBS]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 6

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

Not long after Lee Min-ho had started shooting "Boys Over Flowers", he was to go on his overseas location shoot to New Caledonia.

"We shot there for twelve days and we ate baguette bread and meat the whole time. The island was French-governed territory, so everything was incredibly expensive. I think one meal cost about KRW 400,000 to 500,000 won. A coke cost about 15,000 won -- need I say more? Imagine eating that hard bread three times a day for twelve days."

Food was not the only problem during the New Caledonia shoot. "Seriously, the shoots went on without any break. There was barely any time to sleep. When we weren't shooting the drama, they would wake us up to shoot a photo spread of F4. Later I was told that, in my sleep, I had kicked my stylist with my foot when he was trying to wake me up. I don't remember doing that but, I think I was under stress subconsciously because I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat rice and the weather was so hot." (laugh)

Even the hot weather turned out to be an unexpected pain. "It was illegal to leave the car idling, so we had to deal with the hot weather without turning on the air conditioning in the car. And they told us to show our teeth and give a large grin when we see a local native. Or else they would drag us away." (laugh)

In addition, Lee had to appear extremely friendly with actress Ku Hye-sun during the filming in New Caledonia because the romantic storyline between their characters Goo Joon-pyo and Geum Jan-di was reaching its peak. "We had just started working, so we really hadn't gotten to know each other. And so it was a little hard because we had to pretend that we were very close. In the scene where Goo Joon-pyo and Geum Jan-di were walking around on the beach, there were even water snakes in the water and so I was about to go crazy."

"At the time, we would look like rich people on camera. But when the director yelled 'cut,' we really looked like beggars. (laugh) In the making-the-film footage for 'Boys Over Flowers', there is a shot of me wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and sitting on the boat while eating a baguette bread. I was eating to survive at that point."

But Lee says he was able to shoot comfortably in Macau. "All the scenes we had to shoot were inside the hotel. So we shot comfortably for two weeks without having to go outside the hotel. And thankfully, my character was avoiding Geum Jan-di in Macau, so it was easy to work with Ku Hye-sun, whom I was not very close to at the time. Haha."

Actor Lee Min-ho on the set of TV series "Boys Over Flowers" [Starhaus Entertainment]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 5

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

His destined connection to the drama "Boys Over Flowers", which turned Lee Min-ho into a star that he is today, began around the time he was doing stage greetings for the film "Our School E.T."

"I actually found out from a newspaper article that I was cast in the role of Goo Joon-pyo. I didn't even know I had been cast for the show before I read it." In fact, producers of "Boys Over Flowers" had auditioned many actors for the part even after they had met with Lee Min-ho. "They kept holding auditions and there were many actors who were waiting to try out. I think it was like non-verbal pressure, like saying 'Good luck, we got many other actors.' Haha."

Nonetheless, Lee Min-ho ended up being cast for the part of Goo Joon-pyo, the leader of F4, and he began to prepare for the transformation into his character. "Goo Joon-pyo is the son of an extremely wealthy family and so I learned everything from horseback riding to Japanese fencing to golf to swimming. I think what I learned back then will help me a lot in my acting career."

And then he met his co-star Ku Hye-sun, who would play the role of Geum Jan-di. "The director wanted us to become friends before the first script reading session, so we all went out to eat together. But I couldn't help being awkward around her. When you look at the location shoots overseas, you can see that I looked very uncomfortable." (laugh)

Once he went into shoot, a grueling work schedule was waiting for him. "I am the type of person who sleeps a lot, about ten hours a day. But when I was shooting "Boys Over Flowers", it was hard to get even one hour of sleep a day. You can see how rigorous the shooting was."

Actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 4

Actors Kim Su-ro and Lee Min-ho (right) in the film "Our School E.T." [Courage Film]

In 2008, Lee Min-ho appeared in one project after another; producer Lee Jae-dong's mini-drama "I Don't Know Very Well But..", drama "I Am Sam" and films "Public Enemy Returns" and "Our School E.T."


"Personally, 'I Don't Know Very Well But..' left a very strong impression on me. We shot it for three weeks, travelling all around the country. It was a single-episode drama about two rebellious outsiders going on a trip together, but I myself could feel that my acting was improving while working on it. Although I got apprehended a lot [by the director] I felt like I was doing something right acting-wise. It felt like I had moved up to a different level."


"Public Enemy Returns" was Lee Min-ho's first feature film. "Even though I wasn't a complete newcomer at the time, I think I was excited because it was my first movie. And I was very glad to work with people that I admire like director Kang Woo-suk and actor Sul Kyung-gu. I felt like I was receiving their energy and that I had become a movie star and it felt great. Working on a film was different from working on a drama. I loved the get-togethers after work too."


He said he had fun shooting his next project, "Our School E.T." because his co-stars were people that he was close with. "Director Park Kwang-choon told me that he enjoyed watching 'Mackerel Run.' So a lot of the actors who were in 'Mackerel Run' worked on 'Our School E.T.'" (laugh)


This is when he became very close friends with actor Kim Su-ro. "Kim Su-ro was very good to me. He took care of me like he was my actual teacher. That's why I think I was able to feel comfortable during the shoot."


When Kim Su-ro appeared on KBS2 variety show "Win Win" on March 16, he said, "I recognize a star when I see one. When I was doing 'Our School E.T.', I knew that Lee Min-ho would become one of the top actors in the country." He also added, "Min-ho is also one of the nicest people I know. He has become a top star now but he still calls me often. He is so adorable that it almost drives me crazy." He joked that "once you've become a top star, it is not easy to call [old friends]. But Lee Min-ho still calls every now and then. When he calls me, my whole family freaks out." He jokingly said.


Lee Min-ho revealed a surprising incident that had happened during the shooting. "All the actors and crew were eating seafood ramen at a restaurant and suddenly a gang member shows up. He starts a video call on his phone and shoves it in front of Kim's face. When my manager told him not to do that, he grabbed my manager's head and threw the boiling seafood ramen into his face. My manager even got burns on his face. Kim calmed the gangsters down and so nothing else happened but I was really shocked."

Actor Lee Min-ho (left) and the cast of "Our School E.T." [Courage Film]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 3

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

Early in his career, there was a time when Lee Min-ho was working under a stage name although not many people know about it.


"After I had finished shooting 'Secret Campus', I worked under a stage name for about two years I think because my real name Lee Min-ho seemed too ordinary. So I talked with the president of my agency and we decided to change my name. A lot of names came up, like very cheesy ones that sounded like comic book characters. Haha."


The name they had eventually agreed to use was 'Lee Min,' minus the "ho" from 'Lee Min-ho.' "The major reason I chose that name is because [Korean actor] Jung Woo-sung's character in the film 'Beat' was named Lee Min. It looked cool."


But after he changed his name to Lee Min, he got involved in a car accident and not working much when he was cast in the drama "Mackerel Run." "But when I looked up 'Lee Min' on the Internet, the only search word that would come up was 'overseas immigration' [the latter word in Korean has the same pronunciation as 'Lee Min']. So I thought I shouldn't use that name." And so he changed his name back to Lee Min-ho.


"Do you know that Kim Nam-gil, who I worked with on film 'Public Enemy Returns', used to work under the stage name Lee Han? So it was a battle between Lee Han and Lee Min. Haha."


Lee Min-ho is famous for being particularly affectionate to his family. "I have an older sister, but she hates to be called 'the older sister of Lee Min-ho.' And I used to feel the same way too [about being called her younger brother]. My sister and I are both very proud people. Haha."


But there are times when Lee Min-ho needs his older sister. "To be honest, I don't like getting a bunch of free stuff just because I am a celebrity. So these days, I use my sister's name when I go out to buy stuff."


Lee Min-ho's role model is his mother. "Back when I was going through tough times and kept getting rejected at auditions, I was able to keep working hard and not fall into despair because of my mother. She always taught me to keep trying."

Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

Reporter : Ko Jae-wan star@
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@

Source: Asiae

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Lee Min-ho attends last "Boys Over Flowers" Japan event

 Korean actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

 

Korean actor Lee Min-ho attended a fan event for hit TV series "Boys Over Flowers" held in Japan over the weekend.

The actor met with some 5,000 fans at "Boys Over Flowers Last Event - Graduation," held at Yokohama Pacific Hall on April 25, making his last appearance as the show's main character Goo Joon-pyo.

"Thank you for the support and love you have shown toward me and the drama," the actor said. "'Boys Over Flowers' is a drama that gave me many memories. I am now officially graduating from the character Goo Joon-pyo, but I will be showing you new characters from now on."

The actor asked his Japanese fans to look forward to his current TV series "Personal Taste," which he said is likely to air in Japan sometime in the future.

The event also featured several of his co-stars from "Boys Over Flowers" including actors Kim Bum, Ku Hye-sun and Kim Joon of T-Max. Popular boy band SHINee also heated up the venue with their musical performance.

Lee, 22, became a household name in Korea and throughout Asia last year with the success of "Boys Over Flowers".

He currently stars in MBC's Wednesday/Thursday evening drama "Personal Taste" as a man pretending to be gay in order to move in with a female friend, played by Son Ye-jin.

Reporter : Ko Jae-wan star

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878

Source: Asiae

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 2

Korean actor Lee Min-ho in 2007 TV series "Mackerel Run" [SBS]

EBS TV series "Secret Campus" -- where Lee had made his acting debut -- achieved relatively satisfactory results, but a trial was awaiting Lee. He became involved in a serious accident. One can imagine how big an accident it was, considering he had to put in iron rods in his right thigh and knee.

"I was lying in a hospital bed for seven months and so I had to take a year and a half off from work." His accident was all the more painful because he had been set to appear in MBC sitcom "High Kick!" and MBC mini-series "9 End 2 Outs".

After recovering from the accident, the first drama that he ambitiously readied himself for was SBS TV series "Mackerel Run." "It was my first lead role in a drama. When the show was about to premiere, I couldn't even get any sleep because of the pressure. And there was also some pressure from having to overact, which I had to do because it suited the drama."

He was reunited with actress Park Bo-young in the series. "There weren't many actors who could play high school students at the time. We used to run into each other a lot at auditions and we were both cast in 'Mackerel Run.' Even back then, Bo-young was a really talented actress."

Actor Lee Min-ho on the set of SBS TV series "Mackerel Run" [SBS]

But "Mackerel Run," which attempted to take on a comic book-ish style, was cut short to just eight episodes. "I started out thinking that it was going to be a 16-part series. I was shooting the sixth episode when I found out that it was going to end at episode No. 8. Apart from the viewership ratings, I think there were also some problems between the production company and the broadcasting station. The show's premiere date had gotten delayed by a week too."

Just because the series ended early, it didn't mean that Lee didn't experience any hardships during the shooting. "There was a scene where I had to drown in the Han River. I was hanging by a wire and under water completely. But after I got back out, nobody cared how I was doing. When I got in the car, my whole body stank of food trash and my skin went all red."

Because he went through so much trouble shooting the show, Lee said he felt even more heartbroken when he heard the show would be cut short. "I guess I felt dejected because I was working so hard and they told me the show was going to end. And I was enjoying watching the show, maybe because I was in it. (laugh) Even now when I watch re-runs of the show, I see that I made a lot of funny facial expressions."

Even though it left many painful memories, "Mackerel Run" would have a profound impact on casting Lee for his next acting project -- 2007 film "Our School E.T."

Actor Lee Min-ho (third from left) and the cast of TV series "Mackerel Run" [SBS]

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[STAR DIARY] Lee Min-ho - Part 1

Actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

When character Goo Joon-pyo first appeared in the drama "Boys Over Flowers", it caused quite a sensation. With a hairstyle that looked made him look like someone who had just jumped out of a comic book and strong facial features, Lee Min-ho seem familiar yet difficult to place.

Some say that Lee Min-ho "became a star overnight" as he became an A-lister after starring in "Boys Over Flowers." But he too had once been an aspiring actor who had been rejected at many auditions.

And after "Boys Over Flowers," he has been trying to set up a foundation for another take-off through MBC's Wednesday and Thursday evening drama "Personal Taste," co-starring actress Son Ye-jin. After appearing in five dramas and two movies in three years since making his debut, Lee Min-ho is now opening up about himself. "Lee Min-ho's Star Diary" will run in ten episodes. [Editor's Note]

Actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

Lee Min-ho showed up at a cafe in Seoul's Cheongdam-dong area to be interviewed for "Star Diary," looking no different from the newcomer actor he had been before he took on "Boys Over Flowers." Lee, who smiles and remarks that he "took a little break from the drama and shot a commercial today," looked more like an ordinary young man than a top star.

Lee Min-ho is making a comeback to the small screen with "Personal Taste" exactly a year since wrapping up "Boys Over Flowers." There were many changes in his life during that year -- he has become an undeniable A-lister, shooting over ten commercials, but his newfound fame also meant less freedom. He does not seem to mind it too much though.

Actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

"I was totally into skiing this winter. I think I went skiing like ten times." How was he able to enjoy skiing freely at the ski resort, which is full of people? "Nobody recognized me because I was wearing goggles and a mask. I went twice with Bum [as in actor Kim Bum], who I became close with during 'Boys Over Flowers.' It was his first time skiing but he's very athletic so he learned quickly."

While most young people enjoy snowboarding these days, Lee is sticking to skiing. "I'm the kind of person who enjoys speed more than technique, like going fast in straight descent. Haha."

But he got caught by fans a few times. "There's nothing you can do about lunchtime. When one person sees and recognizes me, then all the fans at the ski resort start looking for Lee Min-ho. Word on the color of my skiwear and the shape of my goggles spread instantly. Once I was walking down the stairs, and I heard people walking up and saying 'I heard Lee Min-ho came here today.'" (laugh)

It was around his freshman year in high school when Lee Min-ho first thought about taking up acting. "It was a means to get into college, maybe? (laugh) I was working as a model for magazines and decided to try acting after meeting my current boss. I started going to auditions regularly after I got accepted to Konkuk University as a film arts major. After a few rejections, I was cast in the EBS drama 'Secret Campus' where I made my acting debut."

He has a lot of memories about "Secret Campus" as it was his first real acting job. "It was where I first met [actress Park] Bo-young who is now one of my best friends. My character was very brusque so it wasn't too hard to play him, but I didn't really know anything about acting back then. When I had to shoot a fight scene, I would really fight. I even broke a finger and had to put a cast on it. Haha. EBS played re-runs of "Secret Campus" up until last year but I turned the channel because I could see that I was so stiff in it. I am not the kind of person who can watch my own work."

Actor Lee Min-ho [Starhaus Entertainment]

Reporter : Ko Jae-wan star
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Lee Min Ho : ‘I Want Favorable Evaluation for Splendid Acting’

Actor Lee Min Ho, who came back to dramas after a one-year break following the KBS TV drama “Boys Over Flowers,” revealed his ambition of obtaining a "favorable evaluation for splendid acting" on his new MBC TV drama “Personal Taste,” which will broadcast its first episode on March 31.

In the production presentation of “Personal Taste” held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 25, Lee said, “I have distressed myself about how to play the character in the drama. I feel pressure because I want to be praised for good acting by viewers.”

The drama “Personal Taste” tells exhilarating stories about two characters. An easygoing woman, Park Gae In (Sohn Ye Jin), wants to have a gay male friend, and a charismatic man, Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho) is mistaken by her to be a gay man. These two create entertaining stories while they are living together.

Lee explained the character he plays: “He is a competent architect and when it comes to work, he always aims for perfection, so much so as to be regarded as a cold-hearted person. He does not want to be interrupted nor to interrupt others.“

Jeon Jin Ho is similar to Goo Jun Pyo, which is the character he played in his previous drama “Boys Over Flowers,” in that he is also a charismatic character. Lee Min Ho continued, “It is true that the two characters have similarities, but I do not care too much to differentiate this character with that of Goo Jun Pyo. I have rather concentrated on making a character who is very much faithful to the script. If I have to compare the character to Goo Jun Pyo, Jeon Jin Ho is a mature and thoughtful person and has a pride in his work as a professional.”

Asked about his one year break, he answered, “I had a tight schedule at home and abroad after the drama ‘Boys Over Flowers,’ so I actually took a break only for three months. During the break, I had seriously agonized about how to make a comeback to dramas, and with what kind of image. In the end, I decided to play a pleasant character in a drama, since I am still young, and chose ‘Personal Taste’ as my next drama.”

Lee Min Ho entered stardom with “Boys Over Flowers,” so it is natural that he feels stress about the viewer ratings for “Personal Taste” which has to compete with other outstanding dramas such as “Cinderella’s Stepsister (KBS)” and “Prosecutor Princess (SBS)”, which will air its first episode on the same day.

Lee Min Ho commented about the viewer ratings: “Honestly, I cannot afford to care about other competitors because I am only concentrating on playing my role in the drama. But, it would be great if the ratings came to around 18 percent for the first episode. Then, if the viewer ratings increased by one percent for each episode, the ratings for the final episode would be around 34 percent, since our drama has a total of 16 episodes for the series.”

Source: KBS

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SHINee Minho falls during "Dream Team" shoot

SHINee member Minho [SM Entertainment]

 

 

Boy band SHINee member Minho was injured yesterday during a recording for the second season of KBS sports entertainment show "Let's Go! Dream Team."

The 18-year-old singer, a regular on the Sunday morning program, had been taking part in a game when he fell off from a swinging poll and landed outside a styrofoam zone which had been set up for the safety of contestants.

"Minho has hurt his back from the fall but luckily, X-rays show that he hasn't suffered any major casualties," an official at the singer's agency SM Entertainment assured, adding that his injury will also not affect his upcoming activities.

He added however, that the agency will keep a close eye on Minho's condition and have the singer also undergo thorough examination as a precautionary measure.

Minho is one of the five members of Korean idol group SHINee who debuted in 2008 and gained popularity with K-pop hits such as "Older Girl, You're So Pretty," "Juliette," and most recently "Ring Ding Dong" which topped various music charts in Korea and other Asian countries last year.

Reporter : Park So-yoen muse@asiae
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