By Karen Sakai
The Last Samurai Gets Married
Dec. 17 -- Oscar-nominated Ken Watanabe married Japanese actress, Kaho Minami. Recently, he has starred in American films like The Last Samurai and Batman Begins. In 2005, he was recognized in People Magazine as one of the International Men of Sexiness. Watanabe currently stars in Memoirs of a Geisha.
Hooray for Hallyuwood!
Dec. 16 -- The growing overseas popularity of Korean entertainment, Hallyu, called for the creation of a center for its entertainment industry. On Friday, Korea held a launch ceremony for the development of a movie-making complex, Hallyuwood, as a production base for the Hallyu industry and Hallyu activities. Built in Goyang City, northwest of Seoul, the area will include a theme park, shopping centers, production houses, movie sets, and education and business facilities. Plans are to be completed by 2008.
Golden Globes for Asian Films?
Dec. 14 -- The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced nominees for its 63rd annual awards to be held Jan. 16. Nominations for the Golden Globe best foreign language film included Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige's The Promise and Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle.
'Typhoon' Hits South Korea and Sets Five Day Record
Dec. 19 -- South Korea's new high-budget movie Typhoon drew 1.8 million people during its first five days in theaters. From the director of Friend, Kwak Gyeong-taek's new blockbuster has set the local box-office record for this year. With a budget of 1.5 billion won and stars like Jang Dong-gun and Lee Jeong-jae, the film portrays the conflict between a divided Korea, as a North-Korean pirate seeks revenge with a nuclear attack and a South-Korean agent tries to stop him.
Jun Ji-hyun in Elle
Korean Actress and Elle cover-to-be Jun Ji-hyun will soon be found at newsstands in the four Asian countries that receive the Asian edition of the monthly fashion magazine. Starting in Jan. 2006, Ji-hyun will grace the covers of the magazine until April. She will also be promoting her upcoming film, "Daisy," set to premiere in January of next year. This will be the first time for Elle to feature a Korean celebrity on the cover of its Asian edition.
Hong Kong Erects Bruce Lee Statue
Legendary martial arts star Bruce Lee will receive recognition in Hong Kong with an 8.2-foot bronze statue on the 65th anniversary of his birthday. Funded by Bruce Lee fans, the statue will be put along the Avenue of Stars, a Hong Kong attraction that honors its movie stars.
Zhang Yimou's domestic debut
Dec. 16 -- Riding along for Thousands of Miles, directed by renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou, premiered in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The film stars Japanese actor Takakura Ken and tells a story of a Japanese fisherman who fulfills the last wish of his dying son by traveling thousands of miles to the Yunnan Province to search for the secret behind an opera, which is unsurprisingly called Riding along for Thousands of Miles.