Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Oh Ji Ho - Two From La Belle

In the following photographs you will see an interesting technique used by the director, Yeo Kyun Dong, when showing flash-back memories of the writer versus real-time events.

The first photograph is shown in drab dark colors. It is jarring to look at. All the warmth of the general tone of the film is absent.


Here we see a completely different type of moment. Although the woman has just climbed into bed with the reluctant writer, who had tried to avoid embracing her since she had just returned drunk after being out all night. Regardless of his feelings of the moment, he is about to embrace her. The warmth of the image is powerfully juxtaposed to the cold gloom of the other.

Click images to enlarge.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Oh Ji Ho - Another from C. Chun

C. Chun has come through once again. Thanks so much!

"As promised, here is the picture that was in ASTATV International Edition. It was the 06 AW Mulberry Collection that opened at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Aug.4th to celebrate the opeing of its first Korean branch." C. Chun

Oh Ji Ho - Man at work.



Saturday, October 21, 2006

Thursday, October 19, 2006

My Wife is a Gangster 3 set to open in December


Korean, Taiwanese Stars to Compete at Korean Box Office
KBS Global Entertainment News
2006-10-18

Korean top actress Kim Tae-hee will have to compete with Taiwanese top actress Suh Qi at the box office in December, when movies starring the two are released simultaneously.

The competition between “The Restless” and “My Wife is a Gangster 3” is tantamount to competition between CJ Entertainment and Showbox, the country’s two largest film distributors. Because CJ and Showbox have earned approximately the same amount of profits from the success of “The King and The Clown” and “The Host,” respectively, the success of the new films will decide the winner of the box office this year.

The competition has already started as the two revealed three-minute previews of their films as part of an event at the Pusan International Film Festival. CJ held an event entitled “Invitation to ‘The Restless’” at the Haeundae Grand Hotel in Pusan (also spelled Busan) on Saturday, while Showbox gave a presentation to introduce its lineup at a nightclub in Haeundae, Pusan on Monday.

“The Restless,” set in an imaginary place in mid-heaven where dead spirits must stay for 49 days, set itself apart with eye-catching computer graphics. Kim impressed viewers with her sharp actions in which she flourished a long sword wearing a loose outfit.

Suh Qi, wearing a traditional Chinese dress, also impressed viewers with her powerful actions in “My Wife is a Gangster 3,” which features a grander scale compared to the previous titles in the series.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Friday, October 13, 2006

Super Rookie Out-takes

Load-in will be slow with dial-up connection. It's worth the wait.

Oh Ji Ho - One of Korea's...

...four sexiest men. According to some poll or other. Well...yes.
Click image to enlarge.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Sunday, October 08, 2006

A query from a viewer…

brittas said...

“Your site is great!

I've just finished watching Super Rookie recently, and that's how I discovered Oh Ji Ho. Thanks for all the news and pictures!

Would you have his profile? I've been searching and so far I've only stumbled upon his birthday, height and filmography. Thanks in advance!”

10/07/2006 12:37 PM

Hello brittas,

Thank you for your nice comment about the site.

I am sorry to have to say the answer to your question is no. Information regarding Oh Ji-ho is very scarce. I have seen the same data as you (I think).

The same old stuff is quoted constantly, sometimes with a little embellishment by a fan, such as trying to make it look more original.

I do know he attended Anyang University, but do not know whether he graduated, or what his major was.

Attached here is a typical bio note. I added the link to Anyang University so people can visit it if they wish. Might get a bit of a surprise!

Begin bio data:
“D.O.B: April 1, 1976 (29)
Hometown: Chun Nam Region, Southwestern area. he's a chon saram from the countryside of Korea.
Height: 183cm (6'0")
Weight: 75kg (165lbs)
Education: Anyang University

Link to Anyang University: http://www.anyang.ac.kr/a.ueng/htm/default.htm

Close Actor/Actress Friends: Son Ji Chang, Park Jung Jin, Lee Hyuk Jae, Lee Jang Woo, & Lee Jong Soo
Others: Jetsurfing, waterskiing, swimming, music, Tae Kwon Do, movies, basketball
Debut: Cafe Lotte CF (1998)
His talent: To make an outraged person happy”
End bio data.

I do wish some better biographical information would appear on the scene. It is hard to understand why there isn’t more of it. A theory I have is that since he never really took off as a screen favorite, no one bothered to publicize him very well.

I have tried to get his birth date corrected here and there, mostly to no avail. It is often erroneously reported to be April 1, 1976, as it is above.

His birth date is April 14, 1976. He’s now half-past 30.

His career seems to be one of a difficult uphill struggle for him. In the long run though, I think he’ll get taken more seriously. His physical appearance worked against him in some ways. I think he’s seen as another beautiful man, and his substance as an actor is missed or ignored.

The more I see of him, the less I see him in the physical sense, and I’ve begun to realize that his more serious performances are often very subtle, whereas his comedic work is broad and obvious, often bordering on slapstick. He’s pretty funny. I do love his comedies.

It’s in the other sort of work he does, where he becomes so subtle, that you have to observe him closely because the minutest change in his facial expression conveys volumes.

C. Chun remarks of him, that “he lives in the moment”. I think his acting reflects that. He is the man he portrays…living in those moments. It’s probably a little bit too genuine to impress the average viewer.

He can seem dull, as he was dulled by grief in Autumn Shower. He was harshly criticized for his performance in that role. I wonder how he should have acted? Should he have pulled his hair out? His interpretation of the character was actually good. He, as the character, contained a lot of his feeling. That was the way OJH perceived the character’s nature.

So much for the ramble.

Anyone out there with more bio data? Send it in. I’ll publish it gladly. Address mail to hycin@myway.com.

This photo from A Second Proposal is a good example of his facial expression saying everything. He is looking at someone he cares for. His worry shows clearly in his eyes, but so much tension is conveyed by his tight mouth. He has a very full lower lip which is compressed here. See what I mean?
Click image to enlarge.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Oh Ji Ho and Han Yeh Seul lead the MBC drama "Couple of Fantasy (환상의 커플)”


Oh Ji Ho and Han Yeh Seul (오지호, 한예슬) will costar in the weekend drama “Couple of Fantasy (환상의 커플)” scheduled to be aired by MBC on 10/14 following the final episode of “Rude Women”. Actor Kim Sung Min (김성민aka Kim Sung Taek) and actress Park Han Byul (박한별) also perform in the drama.

This drama, based on the Hollywood movie “Overboard” starring Goldie Hawn and Curt Russell released in 1987, portrays a rich woman and a daring construction engineer’s love story. The script writers are the duo Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran (홍정은, 홍미란) who wrote for popular dramas “Sassy Girl Choon Hyang” and “My Girl”. The PD is Kim Sang Ho (김상호) whose previous work was the drama “Secret Man and Woman”.

OJH plays the role Jang Chul Soo (장철수) who is a shameless money-lover. HYS plays an immodest rich woman Ana Jo (안나 조) who is vivid and comical. Ana Jo lost memory after an accident and becomes poor. Then she and the construction engineer Chul Soo develop love relationship. PHB plays the role Yoo Kyung Eun (유경은) who is a teacher of elementary school. KSM plays Ana Jo’s husband.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Oh Ji Ho - Pre-game practice in Hawaii 2006

The following photos come to us from a kind and generous viewer, C. Chun, to whom I owe a debt of grattitude for wonderful input in the past. (You can read that letter in the post dated June 25, 2006)

The comments below came along with the photos.

"I had forgotten about these photos from the pre-basketball practice and thought you might enjoy them. Probably they are not good enough to go into your blog. The lighting was horribly backlit with spotlights as Chae Yeon was practicing her routine as well.

You can see, however, his intense concentration."

In my opinion, these are very enjoyable because they have immediacy. The conditions were poor for photography, especially since these were taken with a telescopic lens. A telescopic lens can be difficult to cope with.

I like them because they're "real". My favorites photos of Oh Ji-ho are usually the shots that were taken casually on the street, or by friends, without any fixing up. These have that nice quality of an utter lack of self-consciousness in the subject.

The photos show, as the photographer mentions, Oh Ji-ho's concentration, which is a part of his nature he brings to everything he does.

I am most pleased to post them, and thank C. Chun again for being kind enough to send them to me.







Monday, October 02, 2006