BYJ’s Food Chain in Japan

Nov. 25, 2009

Source: The Korea Times (Text only)
Photos credit as labeled .... many many thanks.

11-25-2009 14:22

Bae’s Food Chain in Japan

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Hallyu superstar Bae Yong-joon, who has been actively promoting Korean food and culture recently, will open the third outlet of his Korean food chain in Japan, Friday.

The ``Winter Sonata'' hero will launch Goshire Gun in the basement of Seibu Department Store in Tokyo. The store will sell Korean dishes including salads, ``ssambab'' (lettuce wraps) and ``juk'' (porridge), among others.

http://mychikara.blogspot.com/2009/11/notice-for-openning-of-gosireh-branch.html

In 2006 the actor, affectionately called ``Yonsama'' by Japanese fans, opened Goshire, a traditional Korean restaurant, in Shirogane, Tokyo. Last year he launched a traditional Korean bar, Goshire Hwa, in Nagoya.

Gosireh in Shirogane, Tokyo

Gosireh Hwa in Nagoya, Japan

Bae also has Korean lunchboxes, called Goshire Bento, being sold in major Japanese convenience stores. Featuring 16 dishes from Korea's ancient Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668) such as ``bulgogi'' and kimchi, the lunch sets sell at 2,500 yen (about $26), the highest that any lunchbox has been priced in Japan.

The first bento

Second

and the third

He also has a successful restaurant business in Korea. Gorilla in the Kitchen, located near Dosan Park, Sinsa-dong, is popular among young crowds for its herbal salads and sandwiches.

The 37-year-old rose to stardom in Japan and other Asian countries through the melodrama ``Winter Sonata.'' In September he and his co-star Choi Ji-woo took part in a large promotional event at Tokyo Dome to promote an animated version of the TV series.

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

'Visit Korea' Drive Kicks Off

Nov.11, 2009

Scanned photo by Dolce of BYJgallery (Thanks a lot)



Source: The Korea Times
11-11-2009 19:34

'Visit Korea' Drive Kicks Off

By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter


Momentum for a three-year campaign to attract 10 million tourists to Korea is expected to pick up pace. The Visit Korea Committee (VKC) held the official launch ceremony for the "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year" initiative Wednesday at the Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul.

The event is the latest in a series of launch ceremonies the VKC has organized here and internationally. It held a large-scale promotional event in Tokyo last month and will hold another international promotion in Shanghai, China, on Nov. 24.

"We will vigorously pursue overseas marketing and develop incentive programs for foreign visitors," an official with the committee said. "In particular, we will actively engage the Japanese and Chinese markets and send promotional teams there." All of the activities will be conducted in cooperation with the Korea Tourism Organization, a co-organizer of the campaign.

Ultimately, the campaign is aimed at increasing the nation's tourism revenue to $10 billion and having Korea join the list of top-20 countries in surveys of tourism competitiveness.

More than 2,000 participants took part in the event, including First Lady Kim Yoon-ok, the honorary chairwoman of the VKC; Yu In-chon, minister of culture, tourism and sports; and Lotte Group's Vice Chairman Shin Dong-byn, who has been serving as the VKC chairman since last month.

The first lady has displayed a keen interest in the campaign aimed at nurturing Korea into a tourism superpower in Asia.

She met with actor and Asian superstar Bae Yong-joon, a goodwill ambassador of the campaign, at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday to discuss how they could disseminate the campaign to foreigners, a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said.

Along with Bae, she agrees that Korean food could be a catalyst to boost global interest in Korea.

The first lady is currently leading a national committee for the globalization of Korean food. Bae is the owner of an upscale Korean restaurant in Tokyo.

Korea will also promote major international events to take place here in the next three years, such as the 2012 Yeosu Expo and the 2011 Daegu World Championship in Athletics, as some of the compelling reasons to visit Korea. The committee will also focus on attracting visitors to provincial regions.

Officials are hoping that the campaign will be an impetus for advancing the nation's tourism competitiveness. Currently, around 6 million tourists visit Korea every year.

The launch ceremony, held in cooperation with the Seoul City administration, coincides with the five-day Seoul Lantern Festival around the Cheonggye Stream area.

The committee launched its official Web site at www.visitkoreayear.com on Wednesday. Foreign-language versions will be up and running in January 2010.

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr

"Visit Korea" Project Targets 10M Tourists

Nov. 10, 2009

Source: The Korea Times
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/11/113_55173.htm

11-09-2009
18:58

'Visit Korea' Targets 10 Mil. Tourists

By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter

An official launching ceremony for the "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year" campaign will be held Wednesday at the Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul, with around 2,000 participants, including First Lady Kim Yoon-ok, the honorary chairwoman of the Visit Korea Committee (VKC).

"Last March, we reported to President Lee Myung-bak our intention to launch a Visit Korea campaign and he suggested that we do it for an extended period, rather than just one year," Sonia Hong, secretary-general of the VKC, recounted during a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul. Japan has hosted a similar campaign for the past eight years.

The opening of the official Web site at www.visitkoreayear.com will coincide with the launching ceremony on Wednesday. Foreign-language versions will open in January 2010.

The campaign is demonstrative of the commitment of the Korean government and its people to developing Korea's tourism potential, organizers said. Through a successful campaign, Korea hopes that the nation's tourism revenue will reach over $10 billion and enter the list of top-20 countries in a survey of tourism competitiveness.

The VKC and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), a major supporter of the campaign, are planning to promote major international events to take place here in the next three years, such as the 2012 Yeosu Expo and the 2011 Daegu World Championship in Athletics, as some of the compelling reasons to visit Korea.

For an ambitious campaign that ultimately aims to attract 10 million tourists, marketing and funding are key - that's where the Lotte Group comes in. The VKC is led by Lotte Group's Vice Chairman Shin Dong-bin. Currently some 6 million visits Korea per year.

Lotte has been taking bold steps to expand its leisure and tourism business by building hotels in Russia and opening a department store in China. "We are fortunate to have staff of the Lotte Group on board. Shin is very enthusiastic about leading the campaign to great success," Hong said. Shin, 55, was picked at a board meeting of the committee for the Visit Korea 2010-2012 campaign, succeeding former Kumho Asiana Group CEO Park Sam-gu.The campaign, first announced last year, is currently promoted by goodwill ambassadors Kim Yu-na, 2009 world champion in ladies figure skating, and actor Bae Yong-joon.


The VKC recently held a large-scale promotional event in Tokyo and will hold another international promotion in Shanghai, China, on Nov. 24.

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr

TB to Prioritize "Visit Korea" Campaign

Nov. 2, 2009

Source: The Korea Times
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/11/113_54697.html

11-02-2009 00:19

Tourism Board to Prioritize 'Visit Korea' Campaign

Lee Charm is the first naturalized citizen heading a public corporation. As president of the Korea Tourism Orgazinations (KTO), he is tasked to upgrade Korea’s tourism competitiveness. / Courtesy of KTO

By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter

An ambitious state campaign to attract more than 10 million tourists to Korea will be the main focus of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) next year, KTO chief Lee Charm said, ahead of the campaign's official launching ceremony on Nov. 11 in Seoul.

``The underlining theme of all of our major projects will be the 2010-2012 Visit Korea Year' project,'' the KTO president said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. ``We will send promotional teams to Japan, China and Southeast Asia and will design hallyu events and festivals to disseminate our efforts.''

In an attempt to become a tourism superpower in Asia, Korea has launched a ``Visit Korea Year'' initiative once again. The last was held in 2001-2002 when Korea co-hosted the World Cup finals.

``Through a successful campaign, we hope that the nation's tourism revenue will reach over $10 billion and that Korea will enter the list of top 20 countries in a survey of tourism competitiveness,'' Lee said. Currently, it is ranked 31st in the 2009 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Japan has already shown a keen interest in the campaign. Ahead of the domestic launch, it recently promoted the Visit Korea 2010-2012 campaign at the Tokyo Dome with more than 40,000 participants.

The campaign, first announced last year, is promoted by goodwill ambassador Kim Yu-na, the 2009 world champion in ladies figure skating, and Korean actor and superstar Bae Yong-joon.


To bring more professional expertise to the campaign, a special committee has been set up and Lee serves as its vice chairman. The committee is led by Lotte Group Vice Chairman Shin Dong-bin. The committee's main responsibility is to promote the merits of Korean tourism to visitors from outside the country, particularly the 2012 Yeosu Expo and the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu.

Korea has been an underdog in the field of tourism, not because it lacks reasons to visit, but because of the lack of tourism infrastructure, Lee said.

``The particulars of the TTCI showed that Korea lags behind its Asian neighbors in terms of affordable accommodation and convenient facilities.'' Foreign tourists often have complained that it is simply too expensive to travel in Korea and that the lack of English signs outside the capital has made it hard for them to travel, he said.

The TTCI ranked Korea 102nd in terms of price competitiveness in tourism, meaning that it is more expensive to travel in Korea than it is in Japan, which ranked 86th.

However, Korea was ranked relatively high in the quality of cultural assets and resources, ranking 13th, slightly ahead of China, which ranked 15th. It has been Lee's belief that this should be the main focus of the promotional drive for Korean tourism.

In this connection, Lee said during a recent parliamentary inspection of the KTO that he would place priority on traditional culture rather than natural beauty or architecture, which are not Korea's strong suits.

``As shown in the TTCI figures, there is not much difference in how our cultural assets are perceived by the international community, in comparison to those of China or Japan. We will work with the government to improve the tourism infrastructure and develop travel resources that are distinctively Korean,'' Lee said.

He has stressed that Korea's spiritual uniqueness and historical richness could be promoted as compelling reasons to visit Korea. ``We will try to promote our cultural performances, food, Buddhist traditions, taekwondo, and city project, to name a few, as tools to lure visitors to Korea.''

``Koreans have innate qualities of energy, joy and affinity. Combining such qualities with the stories behind our cultural assets could be a good marketing strategy for Korean tourism,'' he added.

Another important goal of the KTO is to promote domestic tourism with fresh ideas to urge Koreans to travel around their own country.

``It is important to attract foreign visitors to Korea. But the more pressing task is revitalizing the intra-bound travel, without which we could not fully expand our tourism infrastructure,'' Lee said. Since 2006, the KTO has been conducting a campaign to introduce hidden travel destinations in all provinces.

Lee is a firm believer that the tourism industry could become the backbone of the Korean economy in the future. ``We will do our utmost to nurture Korea as a tourism hub of Northeast Asia. In this regard, we will strive to generate more investment in tourism and improve Korea's image as a tourism destination,'' he said.

The KTO will soon introduce ``Korean Tourism Supporters,'' composed of both Koreans and non-Koreans, who will work in conjunction with local governments to exchange ideas about how best to develop the country as a tourist attraction.

Meanwhile, Korea's focus on tourism has been gaining attention from the international community.

Korea will host the 2011 general meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), following a decision unanimously made at a meeting of 154 members of UNWTO in Astana, Kazakhstan last month. An UNTWO assembly is attended by culture ministers of member nations and is held every other year.

The world's largest event on tourism will raise some 15 billion won ($13 million) worth of economic benefits. Officials see the assembly as a good opportunity to promote the 2010-2012 Visit Korea campaign.

Who Is Lee Charm?
Born in Germany, Lee made headlines when President Lee Myung-bak named the naturalized Korean to the state-funded KTO top post, with a mission to advance the tourism industry from a ``different perspective.'' As the new KTO chief, he leads a public corporation with some 700 employees, with more than 25 overseas offices. Since taking office in late July, he has been travelling the country extensively and meeting with industry experts and officials to pool ideas. Ultimately, he wants the world to perceive Korea as a respected tourist destination like China, Italy or France. ``In order to meet this objective, we will initiate projects to increase state support for expanding tourism infrastructure,'' he said. Lee first visited Korea in 1978 to attend a Unification Church seminar and married a Korean woman in 1982. He later gave up his German citizenship and became a naturalized Korean citizen in 1986. He lectured in German at several universities and worked at the Korea-German Chamber of Commerce. He also appeared in several television dramas and films, including ``Stairway to Heaven,'' and has written books on his life here.

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr

Still about BYJs Hospitalization

Sept. 21, 2009

Source and reposted from: Korean Herald
Home> News> Culture

Actor Bae Yong-joon hospitalized for illness

Korean Wave star Bae Yong-joon has been hospitalized for treatment of an illness believed to have been caused by extreme fatigue and stress, his management agency said Sunday, Yonhap reported.

Bae's agency, BOF, said the actor was admitted to a Seoul hospital Thursday after his blood pressure and blood sugar levels fell sharply. Test results showed that he was suffering from early stages of blood deterioration, the agency said.

Agency officials said the actor was not in serious condition and may be able to be discharged from the hospital this week in time for a scheduled publicity event.

"Bae has lost a lot of weight and appears to have grown weaker after working hard over the past year on a book that looks into the issue of Korean aesthetics," one agency official said.

Bae rose to stardom in neighboring Asian countries, including Japan, for his lead role in "Winter Sonata," a drama about star-crossed lovers in 2002.

www.koreaherald.co.kr
2009.09.20

__________*******___________

Source and reposted from: Korean Times
2009.09.20

Hallyu Star Bae Hospitalized

Korean top star Bae Yong-joon, 37, has been hospitalized to get treatment for blood poisoning, according to Bae's management agency Sunday.

"Bae was taken to a hospital in southern Seoul on Sept. 17 as he collapsed amid an abrupt fall in his blood sugar and blood pressure. The initial medical check proved that he was in the earlier stages of blood poisoning. He has become weaker in immunity due to overwork and stress," said the Boundaries of Forest (BOF).

"Bae seems to have gotten stressed about writing his book recently. He seems to have lost weight and is exhausted mentally as he has been consumed in writing his book for over one year," the agency said.

"There are no other problems. He is taking it easy, receiving Ringer's nutrient solution, at hospital."

Bae has lost more than 10kgs in weight during the past one year, while writing his photo essay, Journey Seeking Beauty of Korea, according to BOF

Bae is scheduled to hold a ceremony for the publishing of the book at the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul on Sept. 22. A similar event along with the one promoting the animation, Winter Sonata, is scheduled in Tokyo from Sept. 29 to 30.

"We believe that he will be able to leave the hospital by the publication day although we are worried a little," the agency said.

"He has gotten fatigued a lot due to a series of overnight work sessions to finish the publication. It seems that he really took it hard ahead of two big events in Seoul and Tokyo."

Inconvenient & Frustrations For Bloggers

This is a repost articles from: The Korea Times
First from----Home>Newszone>BizFinance

07-21-2009 21:25

New Online Copyright Law Baffles Users

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

With the government's new anti-piracy measures going into effect Thursday, Internet users are struggling to figure out what to do with their old blog posts and video clips.

The revised copyright law, devised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, grants authorities the power to suspend the Web accounts of Internet users transferring copyrighted content such as videos, music and text, for a maximum six months.

Regulators can also shut down Web sites after a third warning over copyright infringement, regardless of whether or not the copyright holders complained about it.

Internet users accused of illegally sharing copyrighted content will also be subject to the ``three-strikes'' rule, which results in having their Web accounts severed.

Ministry officials emphasize that the provisions aren't intended to target the average blogger, but the ``heavy uploaders'' who move a large volume of illegal files on peer-to-peer services and online storage sites and gain commercially from the actions.

However, most industry watchers believe that the impact of the strengthened law will immediately be felt by regular Internet users each time they press copy and paste, and eventually, might compromise the vibrancy of the country's Internet culture.

Critics argue that the loose definition of ``copyrighted content,'' which could be anything from films and music to news stories and blog postings, makes the new law over-the-top.

A debate over the law's excessiveness was triggered earlier this month when Naver (www.naver.com), the country's most popular Web site, decided to delete a video clip of a five-year-old girl singing and dancing to a Son Dam-bi song, which had been posted by a users of its blog services.

The move was criticized severely in the blogosphere, although Naver countered that it was only responding to a complaint by the Korea Music Copyright Association.

The Internet companies aren't taking any chances when the new anti-file sharing provisions could have severe ramifications to their business.

``Copyright laws are all about balancing the protection of intellectual property rights and encouraging the consumption of those content in the right way. It is regrettable that the balance seems to be broke here, with too much weight concentrated toward the protection side,'' the company wrote in its official blog.

``This broken balance will not help users, online service providers and also copyright holders in the long term.''

SK Communications, the operator of popular social networking service, Cyworld (www.cyworld.com), and Web portal, Nate (www.nate.com), has been alerting its users about the legal changes through messages on its Web sites since last week.

The company is telling its users that the use of copyrighted images and videos on blogs or Web communities will be strictly prohibited, and that also goes for movie lines, song lyrics and book excerpts.

SK Communications also warns that those goofy parodies of movie posters or video clips of school girls singing and dancing to the latest Wonder Girls tune won't be allowed when the new law kicks in. And forget about posting restaurant reviews or traveling journals to blogs unless you wrote them yourself, based on the list of possible violations provided by the company.

A company spokesman said it is recommended that users review their own Web postings and erase any content that used copyrighted materials without authorization.

``We are trying to emphasize to our users that most of the copyright violations are unintentional, and self-reviewing has become very important,'' said the company official.

Online piracy is a serious problem in Korea, as evidenced by every major Hollywood studio giving up on their DVD businesses here.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr

----***----

Second from ---The Korea Times
Home>Newszone>Technology>Technologist Digest

07-26-2009 16:51

New Copyrights Law Alerts Bloggers

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

Suh Ji-su, not her real name, has been getting dozens, or often hundreds, of daily visitors for her blog on movies, music, television and other pop culture staples.

But despite enjoying all the fun that comes from a growing online readership, she is now deciding to close her blog on Naver (www.naver.com).

With the country enforcing a new anti-file sharing provision last week, which gives authorities more power to prevent Internet users from illegally accessing copyrighted material, violators could face the suspension of Web accounts. Suh was suddenly uncomfortable about the many captured movie images and Japanese animation posters on her articles.

``It's not like the authorities upstairs would care, as I am not close to being one of the country's popular bloggers, but I really don't want to take any chance,'' said the 33-year-old Seoul office worker.

Suh plans to move her cyber home to a foreign-based blogging platform or social networking service, such as Facebook (www.facebook.com), saying she isn't sure what flies and what doesn't under the new rules.

``Of course it is frustrating. But what is the point of running a blog when you have to handcuff yourself with fear, as nobody can tell you for sure what will be allowed and what not?'' said Suh.

Suh is apparently not the only blogger who is confused over Korea's new Internet regulatory regime. With already hundreds of blogs being closed or converted into ``undisclosed'' status, critics say the new law might hurt the vibrancy of Internet culture.

Bumchon, a blogger popular for his travel writing, was forced to shutdown his Egloos (www.egloos.com) blog recently, after answering police questions over a pop song streamed over one of his posts.

``I used a pop song, which was like 40 years old, on one of my posts. I was surprised to learn that I had been sued for copyright infringement and was questioned at a police station. I am forced to block my past postings and review if they are illegal under the new law,'' he recently wrote on his online journal.

Internet users in Web communities are just as uneasy as bloggers. The members of a Kim Yu-na fan club at DC Inside (www.dcinside.com) are fiercely debating whether they will be allowed to use the photos of their figure skating star because the copyright belongs to SBS.

NHN, the operator of Naver, the country's most popular Web site, said it is receiving about 200 calls a day from Internet users on copyright.

Tatter Media (www.tattermedia.com), which operates an online magazine-like service compiling the writings of popular bloggers, says that the confusion is also shared among the more experienced Internet users.

``We get queries about using streamed music, captured photo images, and even captured television images taken from the official review sites of certain products,'' said a Tatter Media official.

The Lee Myung-bak administration has been considering more ways to impose rules on Internet users.

Along with measures to limit online anonymity on major Web sites, the new anti-file sharing requirements may have the biggest impact.

The revised copyright law grants authorities the power to suspend Web accounts of Internet users involved in the illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property for up to six months.

Users accused of illegally moving copyrighted content will be subject to the ``three strikes'' rule, having their Web accounts severed after a third violation.

The same goes for Internet companies, which could have their Web sites shut down after a third warning over copyright infringement, whether or not copyright owners complained about it.

Government officials said that the provisions aren't intended to target the average blogger, but ``heavy uploaders'' moving a larger volume of illegal files for commercial gains.

However, critics argue that the loose definition of ``copyrighted content,'' which could be anything from movies, music and news to online diaries, make the law over-the-top.

Equally vague is how to define commercial interest. For example, will a blogger who uses a captured movie image for his movie review be punished when he gets some pocket money from the Google AdSense advertisements that are attached to his blog?

When reached by The Korea Times, Culture Ministry officials didn't have a clear answer.

And what about all the copy-and-pasted news stories from professional news organizations that account for a massive amount of material in the blogosphere?

A ministry official, admitting that there are no clear-cut rules, suggested that ``straight'' news stories or press releases, which don't contain ``ideas'' or ``sentiment,'' may not be subject to the copyright law, but other feature stories may.

``If authorities decide to impose the law exactly as it is written, virtually every Korean site would be tagged for violation. It is clear that the new copyright would eventually hurt the copyright owners themselves by limiting the buzz generated from their materials, which would clearly hurt consumption,'' said an official from a Web technology company, who didn't want to be named.

``Everybody is confused, and I think it will eventually come down to the Internet companies to figure things out. The copyrighted material, such as photos and music, used by bloggers are pretty predictable, and I think it would be possible for Internet companies to reach some kind of agreement with copyright owners like television stations, while allowing their bloggers the same kind of freedom they had before.''

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr

BYJ to meet Japanese fans in September

June 23, 2009

Source #1:The Korea times
Home>News>National - June 23, 2009

Korea's 'Yonsama' to meet 100,000 fans in Japan

Korean Wave star Bae Yong-joon, better known by the sobriquet "Yonsama" in Japan, will meet some 100,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome in September, his agent in Seoul said Tuesday, according to Yonhap News.

Bae will meet them on Sept. 29 to promote the anime version of his widely-popular TV drama "Winter Sonata" and another meeting the following day on his essay on the beauty of Korea, his agent BOF said in a press release.

The two fan meetings, to be held at Tokyo's largest stadium, will be broadcast live at multiplex cinemas across Japan.

"Winter Sonata" heroine Choi Ji-woo, widely known as Jiwoohime in Japan, will join Bae for the promotion of the animation.

Bae's essay, the first book to be authored by the popular actor, features his ideas and views on Korean aesthetics. The title of the book has yet to be finalized.

Bae last fan meeting in Japan was in June last year when he promoted his TV series appearance in "The Story of the First King's Four Gods."

Bae gained an explosive popularity in the neighboring country after playing the hero in "Winter Sonata" in 2002, and remains especially popular among middle-aged Japanese women.

2009.06.23

Hmmmmm.... I really envied Japanese fans. They always see and meet my "Honey Baeb"

Source #2: The Korea Herald-Home>News>Culture

Bae to meet with 100,000 Japanese fans

Bae Yong-joon, known as "Yonsama" by his Japanese fans, will meet with an estimated 100,000 this September according to the 37-year-old Hallyu star's management company, Boundaries of Forest (BOF).

Bae is scheduled to hold a pair of events at the 40,000-plus capacity Tokyo Dome on Sept. 29 to promote the animated version of "Autumn Sonata"(they mean Winter Sonata) -- the 2002 KBS drama that catapulted him into continental super-stardom along with a book signing the following day for "The Beauty of Korea," which he penned over the course of a year.

BOF said yesterday "The Tokyo Dome can hold over 40,000 so over a two-day span we're looking at a maximum fan turn-out of around 90,000. If we take the estimated 10,000 that will hopefully attend live satellite broadcasts around movie multiplexes throughout Japan, we're estimating a ballpark figure of 100,000 total."

The upcoming events will be the actor's first "fan-meeting" in Japan since last June, when he was there to promote his MBC fantasy serial "The Legend."


Source #3:And here's the notice from JOB http://www.yongjoon.jp/
Tomato in BYJ Quilt/ freeboard/freeboard #15158 -June 23'09

Greetings, dear family,

We would like to inform you that Bae Yong Joon’s Japan visit in September has been decided.
Upon this Japan visit, two events have been determined.
An event for Animation ”Winter Sonata” which Bae Yong Joon currently challenges as voice actor for first time.
And other event, to introduce the book “Beauty of Korea (tentative)” which he is reporting and writing his experiences on Korean traditional culture and traveling spots.


Animation “Winter Sonata” is already a big topic as Bae Yong Joon and Choi Ji Woo are co-starring as voice actors after 7 years since the drama “Winter Sonata.” It will be first time in Japan for the two actors to stand on the same stage outside the drama.

Also, “Beauty of KoreaI(tentative)” is scheduled to be on sale both in Japan and Korea in autumn.
At the event, Bae Yong Joon will introduce it’s contents himself.


[Animation “Winter Sonata” -another story- event details (plan)]
date: Tuesday, 29 September 2009, open:16:00, start:18:00（plan）
appearance: Bae Yong Joon, Choi Ji Woo, Ryu Seung Soo, Kang Yo Hwan, Lee Se Na others
site: Tokyo Dome (Suidobashi, Tokyo)
organized by: Digital Adventure, Animation ”Winter Sonata” Production Committee
event office: 0570-064-754（weekdays 10:00～18：00）
ticket price: jpy 8,925（tax incl.）
event special site: http://www.yongjoon.jp/ws/


[Beauty of Korea (tentative) publish commemorative event details (plan)]
date: Wednesday, 30 September 2009, open:14:00, start:16:00（plan）
appearance: Bae Yong Joon others
site: Tokyo Dome (Suidobashi, Tokyo)
organized by: Digital Adventure,
event office: 0570-064-754（weekdays 10:00～18：00）
ticket price: jpy 8,925（tax incl.）
event special site: http://www.yongjoon.jp/kb/

Photos credit as labeled
and

Thanks a lot Bae Sisters

*^__^*

BYJ's 3rd Bento Box

June 16,2009

I've notice that the Gosiereh always released a well known "Yonsama Bento"( a Korean food produced by BYJ in a lunch box) in Japan every 6 months.The first one was June of last year, the second was last December and now the third is today(June 16), which was always distributed in Seven Eleven chain stores in Japan and now Digital Adventure as well. It's always a hit and the price is still the same, Y2500. A bit expensive but "itsumo"(always) sold out.

I wish I could taste that healthy and yummy, yummy lunch box. I made a bento for my daughter every schooldays but I want this "Yonsama Bento". I like Korean Foods and I can eat only if I go to some Korean Restaurant in Manila , it's so far from where I am now.

This was the first issue

The second

And now the third bento

As I counted the menu, there are 16 different dishes.

See here for more news:

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/06/123_46907.html

Photos credit as labeled -- Thanks so much!!!!

@^__^@

BYJ Proves That Lean Poultry Diet's Effective

May 18,2009

Source:THE KOREA TIMES
Home > Newszone > Biz/Finance

Men Eat Up Chicken Breasts for Tight-Bodied Look

By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

Who said chicken breast is a diet staple only for tight-bodied sizzling young men? With the latest social trend idolizing muscular and fashionable middle-aged men, 30- and 40-something men looking to tone up and trim down are emerging as the biggest buyers.

Online shopping mall Auction's sales data showed Sunday that revenue generated from chicken breast sales has shot up 108 percent on-year in the past month. Male shoppers accounted for 75 percent of the sales and among them, 30-something shoppers were the largest age group (37 percent), followed by consumers in their 20s (26 percent) and 40s (23.4 percent).

Ko Hyun-sil, a food merchandiser at Auction, attributed the strong sales to the recent fad for ``beautiful older men,'' an image characterized in MBC's popular drama ``Queen of Housewives.''

Oh Ji Ho , Yoon Sang Hyun and Choi Chul Ho

Queen of Housewives

In the drama, typical ``ajeossi,'' or middle-aged men, who are stereotyped to be outmoded and have little physical allure, are nowhere to be found. All three main male characters are fit and stylish, each with their own manly appeal.

``The television show has triggered even ordinary men to work their way toward becoming these hot characters,'' she said, adding that weight control is the first place people are looking to start.

Skinless chicken breast, which is known as one of the leanest and most protein-packed foods, is a popular choice for health and weight-conscious individuals.


Top actor Bae Yong Joon proved the lean poultry diet's effectiveness recently by shedding more than 8 kilograms in two months by eating chicken breast and eggs.

The growth rate of chicken breast purchases among 40-somethings stands out the most, based on the data. Their consumption soared 214 percent year-on-year, the highest jump compared to other age groups.

According to Auction, male shoppers in their 40s also showed off their purchasing power in the health supplement categories. While sales of diet supplements leaped 25 percent year-on-year, 40-somethings generated 24 percent of the revenue.

``Social trends trigger all sorts of fads, but the latest one is beneficial because it ultimately helps middle-aged people look after their health more,'' said Kim.

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr

05-17-2009 18:16

Thanks to Jane Han of Korean Times

(Repost) Korea Can Learn From Japanese

April 21. 2009




Korea Can Learn from Japanese Drama Production

(Source) The Korea Times
Arts and Living - 4/20/2009 - 16:23
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter



Korea and Japan have been at center stage when it comes to television dramas, and the Korean Broadcasting Institute has revealed the differences of the two close yet distant countries' drama production.

According to the report ``Comparison on Drama Making of Japan and Korea,'' led by researcher Kim Young-duk, the acting fees given to local star actors exceed those in Japan, decreasing the competitiveness in the drama production market. While local actors' pay account for 60 percent of the drama budget, Japanese actors based on a similar budget receive only 20 to 30 percent the amount.

``Excessive fees can lead to oversized production costs, which may also lead to poor profits. Korea must come up with a rational fee estimate system by observing objective data,'' the report suggested.


The reason why Japanese actors don't get paid excessively is because of negotiations carried out based on accumulated data. Japan emphasizes what is called ``potential ratings,'' which is basically possible ratings based on the actors' series ratings and number of appearances on television and other media for the three previous years. The report gave examples of this system, including that of Nanako Matsushima, who receives 4.5 million yen (approximately $ 45,514) with potential ratings of 14.8 percent; Yukie Nakama with 3 million yen ($ 30,342) at 14.1 percent and Kimura Takuya receiving 3.5 million yen ($ 35,400) with 13.1 percent. Top local actors such as Bae Yong-joon are known to receive approximately 250 million won ($ 185,800) and Song Seung-heon 70 million won ($ 52,025) per episode.

``We need a similar system that is transparent and based on trust,'' the report said.

Although many actors including Kwon Sang-woo, Ko Hyun-joung and Song have noted the difficulties in drama production and have decided to lower their paychecks, the problem still lingers among other ``expensive'' actors and also them appearing in the same dramas.

Apart from production costs, other differences included the number of episodes aired weekly and running time.

While Korean dramas usually air twice a week ― Mondays and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and on weekends ― Japanese productions mostly present dramas once weekly. Korean dramas are relatively longer, at 70 minutes, while Japanese episodes air for approximately 46 minutes.

``The two-day airing system may be effective in raising ratings, but to produce more globally competitive shows, we need to look into airing one episode per week and cut running time and pre-production,'' Kim said in the report.

Drama production in Japan starts about six months to a year prior to actual airing, which gives actors, crew and producers time to deliver their best work. Such is rarely the case in Korea.

``Many Korean dramas are made in a rush due to conflicting schedules,'' according to the report.

Many episodes of local dramas are made at the last minute, creating words like ``jjok-daebon,'' which means scripts being given out right before the shooting of a particular scene. Some suddenly extend the number of episodes, riding on popularity, but later get criticized for stretching the storyline too much.

In order to break the bad production habits, Kim suggested the need of specializing.

``Having a producer and also a scene director may help cut the time in drama production and help strengthen overall quality,'' Kim said in the report.

Considering the impact television soaps have on social, economic and cultural aspects, it's important to understand how to best create them and how to present them in effective time slots, the report added.

``According to the Korea Economic Research Institute, the economic effect of the drama `Winter Sonata' was 3 trillion won. For production companies, dramas are among the content they are highly interested in for creating a firm image of themselves and also as stable moneymakers,'' Kim wrote.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr