Sunday, October 03, 2010

Year of the Rabbit Stars - 1987

(왼쪽부터)한효주, 이승기, 문근영, 장근석. source: 동아일보 )
   Seriously, I almost wrote rabid stars... ehh... 

   This article is partially true. Younger stars are to replace older ones, this is how the world works, but I have to disagree on several points in it.
This article sees this fact as a blessing. Fine, I can see few young actors who, if they are not going to be distracted by anything else, can go to the level of solid or watchable, but the fact that they are young and fame-hungry doesn't make the true actors out of them. It takes something more than just that. What about the talent and personality? I don't dine with them so I can't say much about their true personality, but about the one they are showing. And I don't like those who think they conquered the whole world.
One part of the article I had to translate:

87년생 스타 중에는 유독 남자가 많다. 한창 활동할 나이의 김남길 조인성 김래원 김재원(1981년생), 이준기 현빈 주지훈(1982년생)이 군에 입대했거나 입대할 예정이어서 그 공백을 메우면서 부상한 것이다.
There are many male stars born in 1987. They are active now, because most of those older ones are now serving in the military, like Kim Namgil, Jo Inseong, Kim Raewon, Kim Jaewon, Lee Jungi, Ju Jihun. (transl. mine).
This is the matter I was talking about few months ago (I even composed a poem that will be carried for the generation and analysed in schools. Probably interplanetary ones). Hwarang of Korean actors is now in the military, and this is a good opportunity for the rest to grab the chance they got.
Of course the biggest out of them is Lee Seungki, who swept away all CF offers and all and is even compared to Ko Hyeonjeong and Ahn Seongki in the "customer reliability" level. Fine, but there is nothing about the acting level that of Mr. Ahn or Mrs. Ko.

아역 배우 출신인 장근석과 문근영은 만화가 원수연의 웹툰을 드라마화한 KBS ‘매리는 외박 중’에 남녀 주인공으로 캐스팅됐다. 두 사람 모두 성인 연기자 변신에 성공했다는 평가를 받고 있다. ‘매리는…’의 홍석구 PD는 “장근석과 문근영처럼 연기력과 스타성을 갖춘 또래 배우를 찾기란 쉽지 않다”고 극찬했다. 
Both Moon geunyoung and Jang Keunseok started as child actors and they were both casted for the upcoming drama "Mary Stayed Out all Night". Both of them are praised for their transition from child actors to adult stars. The director PD of the drama, Hong Seokgu talked about their quality in both aspects as stars and talented actors. (transl. mine) 
I have nothing against Moon Geunyoung, she's sweet and displays an image of an reasonable lady.
Keunseok also displays an image of a lady. But totally unreasonable one.
My point? Moon Geunyoung starred lately in a stage play Closer, yes the same Closer we know as a movie with (this time Western overpraised) Natalie Portman. Not many people know it was originally the stage play. Anyway, Moon Geunyoung appeared on the press conference dressed in a lovely vintage dress, and those sick netizens found out that this dress costs less than 100 th. won (95$). Asked about why she didn't choose the expensive designer dress, she replied with sincerity that it's not that important.
And we have her total opposite in the form of Keunseok.
But I have one question - what adult actors??
MGY, fine, she showed both in Cinderella's Sister and Closer that she can carry the heavy story, but what has Keunseok done this year?
Shaking his ass on different stages of the whole wide word (read: Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea) - checked.
Showing off his S-line - check.
Talking rubbish of how he wants to become a serious actor - check.
Dressing up as a girl - check.
Behaving like a girl - check.
A full year of nothing except for spreading the love (what love, I may ask??), glitter and false notes? Journey through the stadiums filled with screaming oppa-fangirls just solidified his thought of how awesome he is. No, Keunseok, you're not.
What adult actor? What solid role? And now what? Forgive me my blindness, but I see no way on earth and in hell how this new drama will sky-rocket his position into the pantheon of great actors. He had chance to enter at least the Good Actor's Club. Instead he entered the pool full of his eels, and is apparently content with that. He got love of 14 years olds, why he should need more?

That is why I can't agree with that article. I don't see this as a good sign as long as agencies will focus only on CFs. Because this is now the litmus paper for the star-factor.
Star-factor has nothing in common with talent. Lee Seungki is not an actor, no matter how hard he and his agency tries. He sucks big time. He was so damn bad in his both dramas. I couldn't stand his Dead Carp acting so I dropped it.
Kim The Table Hyun Jung is another example. But from what I heard, he's at least trying to make another facial expression.

Other young 87's actors mentioned in this article: Lee Min-ho, Joo Won, Choi Seung-hyeon (T.O.P.) and Choi Si-won, Han Hyoju.

Star-factor is just an indicator for agencies how much money they can make out of the star. Being a star doesn't mean you're an actor. Fine, Keunseok is a star, I admit that freely. He has tons of charms and bling... ok, he has tons of charms enough to knock down all the armies of Mordor and turn them into bopping bunnies. But charm, as we all know, doesn't last long. It will eventually disappear into the thin air and we'll see the naked truth (come to think of naked JKS, brrr.... help, need another image, quickly!!). A good actor, a talented actor possesses certain charm that doesn't disappear and is displayed with another character he plays. But those who rely only on their charms will wake up one day and realise they fanbase is long gone, kyaaa-ing for someone else. Charms are like Jedi tricks - they work only on weak minds.

Yes, you can disagree, I stated mu points in a bitchy way. I'm not hating, I'm just seeing things the way they are. Even though I admire some actors to death (what an overacting, my dear, aigoo) I can tell things that I don't approve about them. Because talent is not afraid of the criticism. Talent needs it to be more visible. I bet rough diamond also doesn't like the cutting and polishing blades as well, but only after being cut and polished it is stunning.