Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Just because you look good strutting down a runway doesn’t mean you have what it takes to be a good actor. But K-Dramas are full of models who have successfully navigated their way from the catwalk into television and films. Here’s a look at some of my favorites who made the transition look effortless.
One of the things that has impressed me about K-Pop’s idol system is that it has developed some truly talented actors. They remind me of performers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, when entertainers were trained to sing, dance and act. Two highly-acclaimed K-Dramas — “SKY Castle” and “Memories of the Alhambra” — featured young K-Pop stars in strong co-starring roles. In the former, SF9’s Chani (né Kang Chan-Hee) put in a stellar performance as a high school student framed for murder. In the latter, EXO’s Chanyeol (né Park Chan-Yeol) played a terrified teenage game developer.
Four years after “The King Of Mask Singer” premiered on MBC in South Korea, “The Masked Singer” made its U.S. debut on FOX. The American remake — in all its gaudy splendor — is a bonafide hit.
“Growing up in Seattle was a wonderful experience,” says musician Jaymes Young. “It was a good environment to get creative.” Young says he is always creating, whether on the road or at his home in Los Angeles. His current album is “Feel Something.”
“Encounter” is a treat for the eyes. Besides the obvious attractiveness of lead actors Song Hye-Kyo and Park Bo-Gum, the scenery — especially in Havana, Cuba — is a lush, welcome guest star. Unfortunately, by the time the credits have rolled, I realized that most of the series was much ado about nothing.
“I experienced culture shock when I moved to the United States,” says Christina Chang, who portrays Dr. Audrey Lim on the popular ABC series “The Good Doctor.” “I was born and grew up in Taipei. When I came to the States for college, I sounded like everyone who grew up here — because I went to an international school with an American curriculum — but I was so new to a lot of the culture, specifically the Midwest. There weren’t many Asian Americans and I was challenged most by feeling like I needed to assimilate to the social culture of the students while trying to navigate being 10,000 miles away from home and family. With time, I’ve settled in and feel very at home here now.”
A unique series that kept me guessing until the end, “Memories of the Alhambra” starts off with a strong, intriguing premise: A teenage videogame developer has created an addictive world of augmented reality (AR), where players interact seamlessly with medieval warriors. Gamers go to real-life places (e.g. restrooms in neighborhood bars) to acquire weapons, which are only visible to people wearing special optical lenses.
Having just finished “Sky Castle,” I am left with a little lump in my throat, not because it’s over, but because I know there are so many children out there who are at the mercy of a brutal educational system — where you are told your life means nothing if you don’t get into Seoul National University, Korea University or Yonsei University.
Hallelujah! Kim Soo-Hyun, Ji Chang-Wook and Lee Min-Ho will be discharged from their mandatory military duties in South Korea later this year. As fans anxiously await their comebacks, let’s head back in time to revisit some of the actors’ most iconic work.
Ellington Ratliff says traveling for leisure is something he’d like to do more of in the future. “I honestly don’t vacation as much as I like, but while I’m on tour I get to see some sights in whichever city I’m in,” says Ratliff, 25. “Some of my favorite cities are Lake Como, Barcelona. I really liked Tel Aviv. Although, I’d have to say my favorite place to unwind is at my grandmother’s house in Wisconsin.”
Before I watched “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth,” I was looking forward to seeing how the romance between Dog Bird (Park Seo-Joon) and Ah-Ro (Go Ara) played out. But after the finale, I realized that what stuck with me wasn’t their tepid relationship, but that of the young men who formed a relationship — which at times was adversarial, but also based on friendship, honor and righteous morals. In other words, I was all about the poet warrior youth’s bromance.
After a successful residency last year in Las Vegas, Adam Lambert and Queen will reunite again this summer for their Rhapsody tour across North America. Lambert says being on the road is made more pleasurable by bringing along a few must-haves. “My iPad is my saving grace,” says the Los Angeles resident, who grew up in San Diego. “I load it up with shows and movies to pass the time. There’s so much great entertainment out there right now — Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Amazon …”
Helmed by writer Kim Eun-Sook and director Lee Eung-Bok — who previously collaborated together on “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin: The Lonely and Great God” — the misleadingly named “Mr. Sunshine” does a beautiful job of juggling multiple story lines that are full of suspense, intrigue and achingly quiet romance.
The Feldman brothers are on a hunt for more than treasure. In their new Travel Channel series, “Lost Gold,” Josh, 39, and Jesse, 44, seek to find forgotten gold mines and other pieces of history throughout America. The Arizona natives say that getting to see the world is a big perk of their job. “From my travels, I have learned to appreciate different cultures and to be open to new experiences,” says Josh. “I believe where we are from influences who we are. I think this is a beautiful thing and it should be celebrated.”
Former NBC News anchor and “Today Show” co-anchor Ann Curry has won multiple Emmys and Edward R. Murrow Awards for her outstanding work in journalism. She has also been honored by the NAACP, Refugees International and Save the Children. Her latest project is PBS’ docuseries “We’ll Meet Again with Ann Curry.” The photojournalist is an avid traveler, who has covered news stories around the world. “I live in New York City but I am often on the road for my reporting projects and for fun with my family,” Curry says. “I have learned to let go of the idea that I could predict what I was about to experience. I’ve realized we don’t truly see the world if we look only from our own perspectives and that opening up to the possibilities of something completely new, is what makes traveling fun.”
Near the end of “My Lovely Sam-Soon,” the titular character has an epiphany: “Even though I liked you, without you, I will live well.” Does she stick to her guns? Or does she relent and allow a man to boomerang back into her life?
“Friends from College” star Jae Suh Park is based out of Los Angeles, where she resides with her husband, actor Randall Park, and their daughter, Ruby. But she also spends a lot of time in New York City, where her Netflix series is filmed. “I would say that New York is the seventh friend in the show,” says Park, who portrays Marianne. “The energy of the city is so inspiring. I can’t help but bring it into my role on the show.”
The very nature of Twitter is that tweets roll by and then disappear — or, rather, get hidden by a mountain of more recent tweets. These are some of the tweets that I would like to remember.
Critically-acclaimed singer and composer Rufus Wainwright, 45, has never been one to shy away from controversial topics, whether it was advocating for LGBTQ rights or speaking up about politics. A portion of the proceeds from his latest single, “Sword of Damocles,” benefits programs to encourage voter registration. Based out of Los Angeles, the musician spoke to us about some of his most memorable travels.
With her first full-length collection of poetry, “A Cruelty Special to Our Species” (Ecco, $25.99), Emily Jungmin Yoon takes readers inside the world of war, colonialism and sexual slavery. Born in Busan, South Korea, and currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Chicago, Yoon’s critically-acclaimed work conveys lyrical beauty, even as it tackles brutal and political subject matter.