Why Are All Korean Actors Ninjas?

CF stalwart Jeon Ji Hyun has been reborn as film actor Jeon Ji Hyun with the release of “Blood”. Not only is her foreign debut, as vampire hunter “Saya”, she has English lines in the script as well as various action sequences. But already, the nationalist sections of the Korean public has been moaning about how she is being perceived as Japanese.
So what’s their problem? There’s been a recent wave of Korean actors being casted into foreign film projects: Rain’s doing “Ninja Assassin” in November, Lee Byung Hyun is in “G.I. JOE” in August and even Jang Dong Gun will be in “Laundry Warrior”.
What do they all have in common? They’re strong, silent character, eyes like daggers, they are Eastern warriors wielding gleaming blades. Koreans are being told by the film PR companies that they are “Asian Warrior” or “Oriental Fighter” but as we all know, they’re enacting the part of the Japanese ninja. Damn it, one of the movies is called “NINJA Assassin”.
Then again, “Eastern Warrior” isn’t entirely false. I guess Japan is part of the East. I guess the samurai and ninja are the most instantly recognisable fighters from the region. So even though nationalism is strong in Korea, our actors who want to make it in Hollywood find the need to just put their heads down and get on with it.
But now let’s ponder for a bit. Why are they all ninja? The reason is simple if somewhat brutal. Those parts were the only ones accessible for the actors branching out to the West.

In “Queen Seon Deok” we have a character called Hwarang. He trains young, talented fighters to achieve glory for the Shilla Kingdom. He is a strong and charismatic individual and yet clearly, a character like Hwoarang is unknown abroad except the dedicated K-Drama fans.
According to Tim Kang, from American series “The Mentalist”, Korean actors “face a huge hurdle when crossing over into Hollywood. It’s definitely not racism, there just are not enough opportunities for Koreans. It’s like back at home; there aren’t many roles for Americans in Korean films either.”
In other words, in the foreign market, there are obviously no roles that are exclusive to Koreans. In a place where there are no Korean roles (unless it’s David Park in Fast and Furious), asking Korean actors to be “patriotic” and choose Korean roles is pretty stupid. Like asking someone to swim in an empty pool. Now, nationalist Koreans, think straight for a while; instead of moaning about how our nationality is being obscured, help fill up that pool by supporting whatever they’re managing to snag for now.
Maybe then Shilla’s Hwoarang will become more iconic than the Japanese ninja in the movies. We’ve seen K-Dramas and K-Pop overtaking their Japanese counterparts and for films and actors to do the same, they’re going to need a LOT of support from the Korean public. I consider myself a patriot so I think fellow patriots should wise up and help them out, not be damned xenophobic about it.
credit: Soul Beat

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Jun's 'Blood' fails to draw crowds

Despite Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun's efforts to prove her acting ability, her latest film is proving a box-office flop.
"Blood: The Last Vampire," Jun's Hollywood debut film, which was released at local theaters on June 11, has drawn around 70,000 viewers through June 20, Korea Film Council said yesterday.
The figures are far behind its competitors, such as Korean flick "Running Turtle (Geobugi dalinda)," which has drawn more than 550,000 since opening on the same day.
With hotly anticipated movies such as "Haeundae" and "Transformers 2: The Revenge of the Fallen" on their way, the prospects for "Blood" look grim.
It is quite a tough situation for Jun, who has not had a real box-office hit since "My Sassy Girl (2001)" and faces criticism that her main job is modeling for TV commercials.
Critics cited Jun's failure to deliver the complicated emotions of her character, Saya, as one of the major reasons for the film's failure.
The loose plot which largely differed from the original Japanese animation that the film is based on and the poor computer graphics are also cited as reasons for the film's lack of appeal.
(youngaah@heraldm.com)
2009.06.22

credit: Korea Herald

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Interview conducted with a translator on 21 May 2009 at Capella Hotel, Sentosa Singapore.

Everyone's curious about your name change. Why Gianna?
Oh you see, my Korean name is Ji-hyun, and my friends and family back home calls me 'Ji-hyun-a'. So I decided to have my English name as Gianna because it sounds similar to the way my Korean name is pronounced. I didn't want to go for something very different. I'm planning to stick to it throughout the rest of my career, by the way.

Why action film as your Hollywood debut?
I believe the audience can associate me better in an action film as I'm not very fluent in my English. For this film, I had to learn English from scratch. So through this, I had to focus more on my action choreography to deliver the character Saya better.

Tell us about your character, Saya.
On the surface, Saya is a stunning 16-year-old. She has stop physical aging since she was 16. So, she roughly is about 400 years old. She has been a loner and an outsider ever since then. When I got the script, I fell in love with the character Saya and went to watch the original anime. Saya might look fragile on the outside, but she is strong inside together with the loneliness and darkness of her life buried within her. That is the reason why I came to choose this film.

Gianna with action director, Corey Yuen.

When and where was the movie filmed?
This movie started filming three years ago and was shot in Argentina and then China for three months.
Was this movie difficult to act in and what kind of training did you have to go through?
Of course, I had to go through very tough physical training to develop the physique that Saya has. They (the producers) made me train in Los Angeles for two months, and then in Hong Kong and China for another two months. I also had to go for martial arts classes and learn how to execute kung fu kicks properly. It started off with the basic physical training of doing repetitive kicks, and after a while, it got a bit boring. But when the filming started, things got interesting. There was never a point where I was ready for everything before filming as I had to practice the stunts and train throughout the whole production phase of the movie. It was really tough. Previously before filming, I could only run for about 10 minutes on the treadmill, but now I can run continuously for more than an hour! It has kept me very fit and I am keeping that routine now.

What was the challenge you face whilst acting out the stunts?
Since this is my first action movie, just being harness to a wire in the air is already difficult for me. I still have to do my sidekicks and all that action whilst being wired up. Even though Cory Yuen ("Transporter 3") did a good job choreographing the moves, everyday was still a challenge.

Was it harder to perform the action stunts or to speak in English?
In the beginning, both were very difficult. It was especially awkward for me to express myself in English, but either way I've learned a lot from start to finish as I had to repetitively practice my English and my action stunts. I can say that I've grown tremendously throughout this film.

n the anime, Saya is a very strong but silent character. But, in this movie you see her with a lot more emotions. How did u learn to portray that including the challenge of delivering it in another language?
It is just a natural flow. I believe in the character and put myself into the character. For having to do it in English, I just have to study more on the character and practice on my own. So there is no difficulty in expressing those emotions, it is just a natural process.

Did look up to any actor/actresses as reference before acting the role of Saya?
Cory Yuen did introduce Nikita to me, but Nikita is a different type of female action. Regardless of that, I've learnt a lot from watching her and the moves that she does, so Nikita is the only person I observed beforehand.


What is the main difference between Hollywood and Korean filmmaking that you have experienced so far?
The film sets of this movie is quite similar to the ones in Korea, but in Hollywood they have a system where it's like an allowance for myself, where I get to have days off so it is less strict. Now that's the part that I like. In Korean films, usually I would have to carry on and on with the filming.
Do you think there is a trend for Korean actors and actresses to venture to Hollywood?
I don't think it is a trend because if you look at it differently, it is because Hollywood needed Korean talents or Asian talents. This is a good chance to let them know that Korea has talent!

Gianna's favourite scene

What was your favourite action scene throughout the whole movie?
The scene where I was under the rain for 20 minutes fighting off all the demons is my favourite scene! And for those 20 minutes alone, it took us a month of filming where I had to be under the rain while doing my stunts. I prayed so hard for time to pass. Nobody should ever go through this! (laughs) Anyway, I didn't go through all that hardship for nothing, so that's my favourite scene and I'm quite happy with the outcome.

Do you see yourself doing another action movie in the future?
If given the opportunity, I would do it because I've experienced it and I am quite comfortable now if I wanted to do another action film. I would like to act in about six other genres if I could, that is if I find the script and character to be good. I won't stick to a certain kind of genre. As for me now, I'm in talks to prepare for a Korean movie.

credit: Cinema Online By Lei Swee Wei

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Jeon Ji Hyun lost in Local Box Office ?

Gianna Jun aka Jeon Ji Hyun reported fail to impress her own country’s Giant Screen Fans. Her recent release 50 billion won movie "Blood: The Last Vampire" reported to only hit the 7th ranking of the domestic box office.

On June 15, 2009 The Cinema Tickets Commission reported that after a 3 days screening in total of 307 giant screens, the movie only gathered a cumulative audience of 50,830 people. So, the total audience for this week which the movie gathered up until now, only 66.794 audiences which made the movie placed on the 7th position of domestic box office.
Last week, the movie was No.1 in Box office and succeed to gather 149,437 audiences. But, this week, it’s not even reach half of the last week’s.
Yet, the commission also said that this week’s result should not be used as the measurement and then claimed the movie as a Fail one.
Blood: The Last Vampire is Jeon Ji Hyun’s 1st foreign movie, and she was doing a heavy campaign for the movie in the domestic market, yet, she failed to impress the local fans with her 1st ever foreign movie.
source: word press via hallyuism

BTW --- The acting of Jeon Ji Hyun was more than okay in the movie. Jeon, who has never played an action heroine before, apparently put a great deal of effort into playing Saya, and speaks both English and Japanese fluently. Everyone, please show your support to Blood: The Last Vampire . It’s awesome... =)

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Win Autographed Blood: The Last Vampire posters and notebook...

Let the bloodbath begin!

16-year old Saya is not your average teen. Born to a human father and a vampire mother, she is a 400 year-old "halfling" who has been a loner for centuries, obsessed with using her samurai skills to hunt down vampires. When her latest mission takes her to an American military base in Tokyo, Saya senses that this may be her opportunity to finally destroy Onigen, the evil patriarch of all vampires. Will Saya succeed in her quest to rid the world of evil and be the last vampire standing?

CONTEST
Sink your fangs into this! Simply answer the following question correctly to win exclusive Blood: The Last Vampire autographed posters and Blood: The Last Vampire movie notebooks!

Closing date: June 21, 2009.

link: http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/BloodTheLastVampire/

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Jun Ji-hyun reveals a new side in 'Blood'

If you really want to see Jun Ji-hyun slash one crudely crafted monster after another, "Blood: The Last Vampire" is not a bad choice. If you want some thing more, the much-awaited Japanese anime-based action flick will probably leave you nursing a headache from the almost endless CGI fight sequences.

Jun, who has adopted "Gianna" as a new "easy-to-pronounce" name for international audiences, seems to have made great efforts to play all the action scenes, some of which certainly demanded long hours of practice, but that's all there is to see. It is unfortunate for viewers who want something more from her debut on a bigger entertainment arena outside of Korea.

Jun plays Saya, a vampire hunter whose tracks down monsters in 1970s Japan. Saya's initial encounter with demons in disguise happens in a high school on a U.S. army base. Without any explanation, she puts on a high school uniform while other American students are clad in casual clothes. She also carries a long case, whose content seems obviously suspicious. But forget reality; after all, the film's key proposition is that it is what Saya does that matters, not why.

The plot, if there is such a thing in "Blood," is that Saya wants to hunt down a chief demon Onigen (played by Japanese actress Koyuki). But before she can stage a showdown with her adversary slash-and-kick sequences are thrown on the screen, as if nothing else will satisfy the curiosity of moviegoers.

Saya's gloomy face, strangely matched with her schoolgirl uniform, sets the tone for the entire film: no self-deprecating humor in a film that attempts to be deadly serious in each and every scene. The resultant effect is almost unreal. Saya's key fighting skill is to slash, run, kick and repeat the pattern, while venting a girlish cry intermittently. Despite these not-so-lethal attacks, all her cartoonish demons fall to the ground.

The real shocker is flying monsters swooping down on a truck driven by Saya's sidekick Alice (Allison Miller). It is as if they lifted some bad footage from the cutting floor of Shim Hyung-rae's "D-War."

The camera relies heavily on fast cuts, close-ups and slow motion in a bid to spice up the otherwise boring set-piece actions. Even a heavy downpour does not add to the dramatic tension, because hundreds of funny-face monsters turn the focus to the sorry absence of a real punch.

Instead, hand-slitting, head-cutting and eye-gouging abound, which will drain the blood out of some of the more squeamish viewers.

The only memorable scene involves Saya's guardian and trainer Kato (Yasuaki Kurata), who showcases the potential of perilous martial arts in his make-or-break confrontation with the monsters in a forest.

The secretive Council, which supposedly gives direction, as well as human blood in a bottle to Saya, is an interesting element. But the Council is dragged out of the story, again without any convincing reason.

What's convincing, though, is Jun's English. She delivers her lines flawlessly, reflecting her study in the past two years for her Hollywood debut. Her fluency comes in sharp contrast to her counterpart Koyuki, whose English sentences are unintelligible.

Jun's comeback on the silver screen, especially through a non-Korean project, has duly raised expectations about her much-needed step forward from "My Sassy Girl," a Korean movie that catapulted her to Asia-wide fame and also cemented her trademark image as a wacky girl with an intriguing drinking habit.

Jun's transformation in "Blood" may not be as satisfactory as many expected, but she seems to have moved one step forward as an actress capable of delivering English lines confidently and kicking some butt with her long legs. This will bloody likely boost her chances of grabbing a role in another Hollywood project.

Blood," directed by Chris Nahon and distributed in Korea by Sidus FNH, will hit local theaters on June 11.

(insight@heraldm.com)
By Yang Sung-jin


source: Korea Herald

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Jun Ji-Hyun 'The last vampire'

South Korean actress Jun Ji-Hyun promotes her new film "Blood: The Last Vampire" at its Hong Kong premiere on May 31, 2009. [Photo: yule.sohu.com]

South Korean actress Jun Ji-Hyun was in Hong Kong over the weekend to promote her new film "Blood: The Last Vampire".

In the action thriller, Jun plays the leading character named Saya, a vampire who hunts and destroys demons.

Jun is best known to Chinese audiences for her role as a bizarre girl in the 2001 romantic comedy "My Sassy Girl", as well as the tragic painter in the 2006 crime film "Daisy", directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Andrew Lau.

Yet Chinese media are apparently blown away by the action stunts shown by Jun in her new film, hailing her "a likely successor to Michelle Yeoh" of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" fame, who is also well-known for her roles in numerous other action films.

source: China Daily

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No jackpot yet for Hollywood in Korean film remakes

The Korean and Hollywood versions of "My Sassy Girl"

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- Film adaptations of beloved books are famous for making fans cringe and sigh. But whether due to translation difficulties or unfaithfulness to the original, Hollywood remakes of foreign films are often lesser-known failures.

As tightening budgets sap American studios of their taste for the unique, directors are reaching overseas in search of tried-and-true material -- and South Korea has become a prime market. So far, the copyrights of 26 Korean films have been sold to Hollywood, including major box office hits "Old Boy" and "The Host."

But many of their American remakes have flopped, leaving audiences and critics wondering if they might not have been better off simply reading subtitles.

Such was the case for "My Sassy Girl." The 2001 hit became an instant classic in Korea and on a smaller scale internationally, while the U.S. adaptation barely registered a blip. Film critics gave it an embarrassing five out of 10 stars, according to the U.S. Internet Movie Database, saying it fell "far below the original."

"The case again proves that few remade movies manage to exceed the original," Korean movie critic Kang Dong-joon remarked on his blog. "The Hollywood version misses out on all the humor."

Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, dubbed the "remake king" for pulling off a number of successes including an adaptation of Japanese horror flick "The Ring," said many filmmakers see huge potential in Korea as a market of ideas.

"Korean filmmakers appear willing to take risks that Hollywood studios cannot imagine," Lee said. "Hollywood could never have created 'Old Boy' or 'The Chaser.'"

Still, few of these cross-cultural experiments have panned out. Only four have actually made it to the silver screen (others went straight to video), earning tepid responses even from Korean fans.

"The Lake House," the Hollywood adaptation of Korea's "Il Mare" has drawn the largest audience among the reworks so far, profiting US$114 million worldwide and $52 million in the United States alone.

Casting mega-stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, the unconventional romance pulled in a good number of female viewers. But critics were less pleased, rating it six out of 10.

"With each country having its unique sentiment and culture, it is difficult to please audiences from two different cultures with a same story," said Choi Jae-won, producer of "The Good, the Bad, the Weird," Korea's No. 1 local box office hit last year.

Vertigo Entertainment's Lee agreed.

Hollywood's "The Uninvited" and Korea's "A Tale of Two Sisters"

"Horror is the easiest reworking genre as fear can be triggered with similar tools all around the world," he said. "The different cultural nuances, however, makes drama and romance much more difficult to remake."

"The Uninvited," the Hollywood remake of "A Tale of Two Sisters," opened in Korea Friday amid high hopes. The original film, directed by award-winning Kim Ji-woon, drew 3.2 million viewers at home in 2003, the largest number ever for a local horror movie.

More a psychological thriller than ghost story, the original film won praise from critics who lauded its knotty, convincing plot and delicate cinematography.

"I think U.S. producers were drawn to the film for its attempt to delve deeper into psychological issues rather than focus on the contrast between the good and evil," movie producer Choi said. "Asian horror films have a unique style that appeals to Western audiences."

While the overall plot remains similar -- eerie happenings surrounding two sisters who return home from a mental hospital after the death of their mother -- the Hollywood version has been "westernized and simplified" to appeal to U.S. audiences, producers of "The Uninvited" said.

Gone are the subtle depictions of shifting emotions, replaced by stunning visual and sound effects that give viewers goose-bumps.

"With a lot of key elements from the original movie abbreviated, the Hollywood version might work better with viewers who aren't keen on head-scratching, complicated plots," movie critic Kang said.

"The key to a remake's success is the balance between what to keep and what to change," he added. "This movie proves Hollywood remakes have a chance of success both at home and abroad."

Despite the somewhat disappointing results thus far, major U.S. studios are continuing to scout Korean films to rework.

Blockbuster whiz Steven Spielberg and top actor Will Smith are set to work together on the Hollywood adaptation of "Old Boy," while Gregor Verbinski, creator of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, will be producing the U.S. version of "The Host."

Recently, Barry Sonnenfeld, the creator of "Men in Black" joined in the remaking tide by announcing his plans to direct an adaptation of "Scandal Makers," a Korean comedy that sold over 8.2 million tickets here.

"The movie is funny, intelligent, and full of heart and values. It is also a movie with universal themes. I am honored to have the opportunity," Sonnenfeld was quoted as saying by Korean distributor Toilet Pictures.

According to M Line, which handles the movie's overseas sales and distribution, remake offers are coming from a number of major studios, including Universal, Sony, Disney and Paramount.

"Korean filmmakers should continue making films the way they believe in," Lee said. "Although it remains a difficult task to turn the uniqueness into something local for Hollywood, it is that uniqueness that draws it to Korean cinema works."

source: Yonhap News

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Jun Ji Hyun was recently top on a list entitled “The 9 hottest Korean Women”

Jun Ji Hyun was recently top on a list entitled “The “The 9 hottest Korean Women” on the popular social-trend website Complex.com.


We consider ourselves somewhat of experts on Korea over here, so it was only a matter of time before we hit up the ol’ Hanguk for an edition of Worldwide Wednesday. With Kim Jong-Il testing nukes and kidnapping journalists, we figured the time was right for a little Korean love. South Korean, that is. Hey, close enough, right?
Given that plastic surgery is like a national pastime in Korea, we were sure to include at least some women who are (at least we think) all-natural. Whatever the case, we’re quite sure we’ve put together an unassailable list of the the 9 hottest women of (South) Korea. Daehan Minguk!

The 9 Hottest Korean Women

#9. (TIE) KIM HYE-SOO (top) and KIM SHI-HYANG
CLAIMS TO FAME: Hye-Soo is an acting O.G. and Shi-Hyang is a former racing model, but both women prove that “two-rrific Korean” is not an oxymoron.

#8. KIM YOO-BIN
CLAIM TO FAME: Believe it or not, the Wonder Girls’ rapper qualifies as “thick” by Korean standards. We’re not sure if that’s sad or funny, but we do know that Yoo-Bin won our hottest Wonder Girls poll. That has to count for something.

#7. HAN CHAE-YOUNG
CLAIM TO FAME: The 27-year-old model/actress is rumored to have had breast implant surgery. We’re rumored not to give a fuck.

#6. KWON YU-RI
CLAIM TO FAME: We got love for Sooyoung, Tiffany, and the other girls of SNSD, but when it comes to “hot,” there’s no contest. Check the perfect form in the backshot above, which proves what you should already know: waist-to-ass ratio trumps all.

#5. SON DAMBI
CLAIM TO FAME: She’s currently the hottest female pop star in Korea but with her face and figure, she could probably make it anywhere as a model. Holla at us, Son!

#4. (TIE) KIM TAE-HEE (top) and HAN GA-IN
CLAIMS TO FAME: These two actresses represent ideal versions of natural, innocent Korean beauty—so much so that we couldn’t find sexy shots of them to include in this. You’ll have to settle for a popsicle pic.

#3. SONG HYE-KYO
CLAIM TO FAME: The star of countless hit dramas has been a favorite since she first burst on the scene in the mid-’90s. Will she ever fall off? No.

#2. LEE HYORI
CLAIM TO FAME: No “hottest Korean women” discussion is complete without bringing up this ex-Fin.K.L. member. So there—consider her brought up.

#1. JEON JI-HYUN
CLAIM TO FAME: The newly christened Gianna Jun is trying to make it overseas (as we previously discussed), but she still takes the cake as our #1 Korean woman. Can we eat it, too?

credit: Worlwide Wendesday: The 9 Hottest Women of Complex.com

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Sassy girl kicks butt...

SO, WILL she make it, or won’t she?

All eyes are on Korean actress Jun Ji Hyun, who is making her Hollywood debut in Blood: The Last Vampire, which will open in the United States next month. The movie opened here last Thursday and has since made a respectable $353,000 so far.

Better known as the star of comedy blockbuster My Sassy Girl (2001), 27-year-old Jun is the latest Asian star to venture West, after Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li.

She plays a half-vampire who uses her samurai sword to kill vampires in this movie directed by French director Chris Nahon, which is based on a Japanese anime, released in 2000.

Already, Jun’s movie has the Western media excited.

CNN listed it as the No. 3 film on its “15 Movies for Geeks in 2009” list in January. It came in behind Fanboys, which was No. 1, but beat movies like Star Trek, which was No. 7.

But Jun – who has adopted the name “Gianna” in anticipation of her breakthrough – was not prepared for her first action role in Blood, she told my paper while in Singapore last month.

“If I had known that the action scenes would be so difficult, I’d have had second thoughts about doing the movie,” she said through a translator.

She went through three months of martial-arts training in Los Angeles and China under Hong Kong director and choreographer Corey Yuen.

“Sometimes, I wanted to give up,” she recalled. But asked if she would take on action roles again, she replied in the affirmative. “I’ve learnt that nothing is impossible,” she said.

source: divaasia

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(Movie Review) Jeon's Hollywood debut 'Blood' falls short of anticipation

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- If you find yourself roaring with laughter while heads and limbs are being atrociously slashed off in this movie, don't doubt your sanity but blame the film's creator.

혻혻 While botching nearly every effect it aims for, "Blood: The Last Vampire," a supposedly brutal slasher, martial arts movie hybrid, does manage to make audiences laugh at the film's silliness and coarseness. As a Hollywood debut piece for top South Korean actress Jeon Ji-hyun, going by the stage name of Gianna Jun in this international film, local movie fans had high expectations since the film's crank-up some three years ago.

혻혻 It is nice to watch the beautiful heroine flying gracefully about the screens wielding a katana but alas, that's about it, with the negatives outweighing the positives by far.

혻혻 Based on a Japanese animation of the same title, "Blood" features half-vampire, half-human Saya (played by Jeon), who is inserted into a high school at a U.S. base located in post-World War II Japan as part of her secret mission to hunt demons in disguise.



혻혻 While the anime film, directed by Oshii Mamoru in 2000, was widely popular in Japan and elsewhere, spawning a fifty-episode anime series, a video game and a manga sequel, the live-action film adaptation appears to fall way short with tacky computer-generated imagery and awkward acting both contributing to the sense of disappointment. Jeon, who has never played an action heroine before, apparently put a great deal of effort into playing Saya, who cuts through demons with a blade like hot knife through butter, and speaks both English and Japanese fluently.

혻혻 But it would only be fair to say Jeon's effort has gone to waste.

혻 혻 With no villain really a match for the powerful Saya besides chief demon Onigen (played by Japanese actress Koyuki), most of the chase-and-fight scenes are a yawner.

혻혻 And while Jeon manages to speak English fluently, Koyuki's English diction makes the audiences strain their ears to try and make out what she is saying. As a result, the climax showdown between Onigen and Saya triggers laughter, rather than tension.

혻혻 An outcome of over-reliance on badly delivered computer graphics, several chase scenes and the coarse appearance of bat-like monsters draw ironic laughter from audiences.

혻혻 Swift and stylish, the scene of a ninja attack set in a leafy Japanese forest was considerably well-shot -- a rare case in this very choppy film -- but it still manages to amuse very few viewers, provoking a sense of deja vu for fans of recently released Chinese martial arts movies.
To round things up, the only impressive aspect in "Blood" is the apparent effort actress Jeon made, showing a potential in her future Hollywood career.


혻혻 "I could not imagine shooting a sequel with an actress rather than Gianna," Bill Kong, producer of the movie, said in a press conference after the film's Seoul preview Thursday. "I was highly satisfied with her acting, especially considering the fact she has no experience in action movies."

혻혻 Kong is dubbed the "Midas of Hong Kong" as the producer of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero," which were internationally well-received.

혻혻 Smiling broadly at the compliment, Jeon asked viewers to enjoy the film as an "animation fantasy."

혻 혻 Directed by Chris Nahon, the creator of "Kiss of Dragon (2001)," "Blood" opened in Japan on May 26, the first release among more than 10 countries that will be screening the film including Singapore, France, Britain, the United States and Taiwan.

혻혻 The Hollywood film, jointly produced by Hong Kong and France, will hit the local theaters beginning June 11.

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Jun Ji-hyun Shines but 'Blood' Disappoints

After blockbuster vampire movies like ``Twilight" and ``Thirst," here comes another movie about those bloodsuckers. This time, hallyu star Jun Ji-hyun, also known as Gianna Jun, plays a half-vampire, half-human demon hunter in her first English-speaking role in the film ``Blood: The Last Vampire."

Based on a popular Japanese anime film, series and manga, ``Blood" follows Saya (played by Jun) as she tracks down and brutally kills those nasty demons in human disguise throughout Tokyo in 1970. Saya does the dirty work for a group of mysterious men in black suits, but she is on a personal mission to hunt down the ``oldest and vilest of all demons" Onigen, who she blames for the death of her father.

The youthful but age-less Saya goes undercover at high school at a U.S. military base in Japan, even though one of the characters pointed out ``she's older than all of us combined." She soon rescues Alice, an American student, from two mean girls who turn out to be actual demons.

Directed by Chris Nahon (``Kiss of the Dragon"), ``Blood" suffers from a convoluted plot (especially for someone who has not watched the original anime), cheesy special effects and overacting from the supporting cast.

Some of the stunts are impressive but reminiscent of other Chinese martial arts films, which is probably not surprising since the film's producer is Bill Kong, who also produced ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and ``Hero."

The title ``Blood" should be a clue for how much blood and gore is in the film, but much of the violence seems gratuitous. Do viewers really need to see a close-up of a man gruesomely slashed in half? How many scenes of demons being killed does the viewer really need to see to get that Saya is a fierce fighter? It probably would not have been as bad if the computer-generated effects were better.

Kong defended the violent scenes, saying the film needed stronger, edgier action scenes since it is competing with other action-packed TV series and movies around the world.

The film bombards viewers with non-stop action and violence, but the much-anticipated showdown between Saya and Onigen (played by Japanese actress Koyuki) lacks any real excitement.

Jun is probably the only bright spot in this film. Clad in a Japanese schoolgirl uniform for most of the film, Saya doesn't speak much, preferring to hide her pain behind a tough, almost emotion-less facade.

Jun delivers her lines in fluent English, although at times stiffly, while in comparison, Koyuki's thick accent makes it difficult to understand her lines.

Jun, who gained fame for her role in ``My Sassy Girl," also does well with the action stunts. In a press conference after the film's preview at CGV Yongsan, Thursday, Jun admitted having a hard time preparing for the action scenes, but is pleased with how the movie turned out.

Kong praised Jun for her commitment to the film, and even leaves open the possibility for a sequel.

``When we embarked on this movie, I asked Gianna whether she is willing to commit to doing a movie in English because this is very important. … The second most difficult thing was if she's willing to commit to the time to train to become the biggest action star in the world. It takes a lot of time and devotion and commitment. Looking at the film, I think she did more than we asked for. If there is any sequel to this movie, there's nobody else in the world that can fill the role better," he said.

``Blood," jointly produced by Hong Kong and France, hits theaters in Korea on June 11.

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

source: koreatimes

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Jun hypes vampire movie

Jun Ji-hyun held a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday to promote her latest movie “Blood: The Last Vampire.”

The Korean actress met with reporters at the Millennium Seoul Hilton hotel in the central part of the city to outline the movie’s plot and describe its characters.

Jun plays the role of Saya, a 16-year-old vampire hunter out for revenge.

The film is a collaboration between production companies in Japan, Hong Kong and France. For her international debut, the 28-year-old star adopted the name Gianna Jun and spoke lines in English for the project.

Blood marks the first action movie for Jun, who is most famous for her 2001 hit “My Sassy Girl.”

“Learning English was more difficult than doing action scenes,” the actress said Wednesday. “I had to practice a hundred times for one line.”

The movie opened late last month in Japan and was released yesterday in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is slated to open at theaters across Korea next Thursday.

credit: joongangdaily.joins.com

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Jun tackles English, action in new vampire film

HONG KONG: South Korean actress Gianna Jun of "My Sassy Girl" fame says tackling English and action was a tough challenge when she filmed her first international production "Blood: The Last Vampire."
The 27-year-old Jun, who rose to fame by playing a bossy girl in the 2001 romantic comedy "My Sassy Girl," told reporters in Hong Kong through a translator Sunday: "English created mental stress. The action put pressure on my body. Both things were rather difficult for me."
Jun plays a half-human, half-vampire vampire killer in "Blood."
The film, based on a Japanese animated movie by the same name, was released in Japan on May 29 and opens in Hong Kong on Thursday.
"My Sassy Girl" was remade as a Hollywood production starring Jesse Bradford and Elisha Cuthbert. - AP
source:the star online

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Gianna Jun in Singapore

Press Conference at Capella Hotel, Sentosa Singapore.

27 May - Korean star Jun Ji-hyun, famous for her 2008 romantic flick "My Sassy Girl," has undergone a name change to Gianna Jun for her Hollywood action film debut "Blood: The Last Vampire." The producers were afraid that the international audiences might not be able to pronounce her Korean name. Gianna who plans to keep the name for the rest of her career explains, "My Korean name is Ji-hyun and my friends and family back home calls me Ji-hyun-a. So I decided to have my English name as Gianna because it sounds similar." In the movie, Gianna plays Saya, a 400-year-old half human, half vampire who goes around slaying vampires and the evil patriarch of them all, Onigen. The film is directed by Chris Nahon ("Kiss Of The Dragon") with action choreography by Corey Yuen ("Transporter 2," "X-Men").

The 28-year-old actress-model appeared in Singapore on 21 May 2009 as part of her promotional tour and sparked interest with the press regarding her toned figure. Gianna, together with the help of her translator, described how she spent her training in China and Argentina preparing for the film's many action sequences. "I started off with the basic physical training of doing repetitive kicks, and after a while, it got a bit boring. But when the filming started, things got interesting. There was never a point where I was ready before filming as I had to practice the stunts and train throughout the whole movie." Gianna, who previously could only run 10 minutes on the threadmil, now proudly says that she can run for over an hour due to her intense training.

For her many dangerous stunts, she praised Corey Yuen for his professionalism in choreographing the action scenes. "His training was precise, gentle and well choreographed that I didn't really sustain any major injuries. Everyday was a challenge because it was not easy to perform the stunts while being strapped up on wires."

However, the stunts weren't the only challenge for her as she confessed difficulties in expressing her emotions in English, which she had to learn from scratch. "It was very awkward for me to express myself in English, but I've learnt a lot from the beginning to the end as I repetitively practice the language." She also explained why she was interested in an action film as her Hollywood debut as it required more physical action than conversing.
Not wanting only to commit to Hollywood films, she said, "What's most important for me is the script and the character. As long as I can feel for the story and the character, it doesn't matter if it's a Korean movie or Hollywood movie." It has been revealed that she is currently in talks of starring in a Korean film as her next project.

credit: www.cinema.com

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Blood: The Last Vampire

China

All hyped up in China.

She floats like a butterfly.

Gianna plays Saya, a vampire slayer.

Argh! Whose head is
that?!

This is Gianna's favorite action scene!

Yikes!

Monsters go green.

She fights better than Buffy the Vampire Slayer, no?

Monsters go green.

Don't forget to check me out in "Blood: The Last Vampire" in cinemas 11 June 2009!

Argentina

"My Sassy Girl" (2008) star Gianna Jun.

Cast and crew.

Gianna & French director Chris Nahon.

Chris: "Yeap, that's the look I was going for."

Gianna: "Are you sure? Because that's not what the paper said."

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Party with vampires

Gianna plays Saya, a vampire slayer.

Gianna Jun in at a press conference in Singapore.

4 Jun – It will be a night filled with blood suckers gathering at Cathay Cineplex Damansara on 10 June 2009 (Wednesday), in conjunction with the live anime adaptation of "Blood: The Last Vampire," due in cinemas 11 June. Hosted by Outpost Events and Columbia Tristar, "Blood: The Last Vampire" will take place from 7.30pm to 11.00pm and promises an evening of gory merriments such as the undead costume mascarade, blood thirst feast, the bloody truth and also the premiere screening of the movie!
Partygoers are urged to follow the dress code which is to wear vampire inspired costume or other spooky attire. Great prizes will be presented to the top three winners in the fastest blood drinking competition and best dressed category, while plenty more freebies will be given away during the bloody truth session (Q&A). There is even a "Blood: The Last Vampire" t-shirt personally autographed by the star of the film, Gianna Jun herself! So come in your best vampire costume and stand an opportunity to take home this grand prize!

In regards to this bloody affair, Cinema Online would like to extend its invitation to the public as there are 20 invitations up for grabs! Whoever would like to join the party, just complete this simple tiebreaker, "I want to be a part of the 'Blood: The Last Vampire' party because..." in not more than 20 words. Then, submit your entry together with your name, IC number and contact number via email at contest@cinema.com.my before 7 June. Winners will be announced via email on 8 June.

So, dress up and have a bloody good time!

credit:www.cinema.com

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My Sassy Vampire Slayer

Jun Ji-hyun a.k.a Gianna Jun

Gianna's translator, Gianna Jun and Singapore Radio DJ Shan during the press conference at Capella Hotel, Sentosa Singapore.

Gianna's appearance at Bugis Junction Mall, Singapore.

Gianna meets her fans

Pictures taken on 21 May 2008 at Capella Hotel and Bugis Junction Mall, Singapore

credit: www.cinema.com

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