The closest thing to a real Korean “world star”

Super(duper) Hallyu star Jang Dong Gun’s recent fanmeeting (scheduled to coincide with his birthday, as many fanmeets do) reportedly attracted fans from — get this — sixteen different countries. Wow. I guess that’s a promising factoid to keep in mind when considering his upcoming role in the Hollywood flick Laundry Warrior (costarring Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush, produced by the people who brought you the Lord of the Rings), for which he just finished filming in New Zealand.
The 36-year-old has returned to Korea for the first time in six months, and held his birthday bash on March 8 (his birthday’s the 7th) in Seoul’s Coex Auditorium; it’s his first fanmeeting in Korea in two years (he did hold one last March in Japan).
In attendance were a thousand fans who came from countries including but not limited to: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States, England, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
From Jang’s Mexican fan club: “I’m so happy to be able to meet Jang Dong Gun in person like this for the first time” and “Jang Dong Gun is really popular in Mexico.”
Jang Dong Gun showed footage he’d taken himself while in New Zealand for filming, which included not only everyday events but also him hanging out with the Hollywood film crew. The event was emceed by Kim Jae Dong, and included guests Sung Shi Kyung, Fly to the Sky, Gong Hyung Jin, Han Jae Seok, Hyun Bin, and Shin Mina.


http://www.dramabeans.com/

Jang Dong-gun and Jung Ryu-won_Giordano

Spring is right around the corner (finally!). And casual clothing brand Giordando already brought out the big gun, Jang Dong-gun and Jung Ryu-won as the models of choice for the new season. Absent from the ads is fellow superstar, Rain.
Doesn’t the face painting make you feel all spring-y inside?
Jang Dong-gun will star in the upcoming movie Laundry Warrior (2008).







http://popseoul.com/

Jang Dong Gun

This isn’t too different from the Hollywood system of things, if you substitute “talk show circuit” for the Korean variety programming mentioned below. You know, if an actor or personality appears on Letterman, Conan, or any of the other late-night (or early-morning) programs, chances are they’re hawking something, whether it’s a new movie, new book, new fragrance, new vanity athletic shoe line, new healthy-cooking meat griller, whatever. And similarly, in Hollywood, the bigger the star, the rarer the appearances (and the bigger the deal when they do appear). So to the following, I say, (1) makes sense, and (2) DUH.
Active stars who don’t appear on variety shows…?
“I’m not close with Jang Dong Gun. Please talk with his management.” “Please ask Mr. Jang Dong Gun and get him to appear.” Those are the words of [host] Kang Ho Dong on MBC’s popular program Goldfish. Kang Ho Dong never fails to ask for Jang Dong Gun to appear whenever the opportunity arises or a star connected to him comes on the show. In truth, he’s said that PD Lim Jung Ah is negotiating to get Jang Dong Gun to appear.

http://www.dramabeans.com/