ACTOR IN FOCUS
Recently, confirmed to star in Park Chan-wook’s new film “The Ax,” Korea’s Son Ye-jin is set as the subject of the Bucheon International Fantastic Festival (BiFan)’s annual actor focus. Previous honorees include Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Hye-soo, Seol Kyung-gu, and Choi Min-sik.
Son who was the star of breakout TV series “Crash Landing on You,” has wide-ranging credits that include “A Moment to Remember,” “The Art Of Seduction” in 2005; an eccentric woman married to two husbands in “My Wife Got Married” in 2008; and as a spirited pirate in “The Pirates” and the 2016 hit “The Last Princess.”
These have earned her more than 50 awards including the Prime Minister’s Commendation, three Grand Bell Awards (2003, 2014, 2016), six Baeksang Arts Awards (2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2020), five Blue Dragon Film Awards (2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2016), and two Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. She was also named best actress at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her performance in 2005’s “April Snow.”
The contemporary retrospective, titled “One and Only Son Ye-jin,” will include screenings of some of her representative films, the publication of a booklet commemorating actors, a mega talk session, and a photo exhibition. She is also expected to tread the red carpet on the festival’s opening night. The festival runs July 4-14.
MALAYSIAN MEMORIES
KG Global Media’s AXN has teamed up with Tourism Malaysia to create the “Unfading Memoirs” series. Intended to showcase Malaysia’s rich cultural tapestry and breathtaking landscapes, the show takes the form of travelogues through Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak. The show is hosted by Justin Bratton and actor Selina Lo (“Boss Level,” “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”) alongside food and travel enthusiast Erwan Heussaff.
Debuting on AXN in July, the show will be complemented by user-generated content initiatives, through which viewers will be empowered to share their own travel experiences.
Founded by former Sony executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien, KC Global Media Asia operates premium pay-TV channels in South-East Asia and Korea, including AXN, anime channel Animax, South Korea’s ONE and Japanese entertainment channel GEM.
AYE EYE
Digital marketing company Dexter Crema, which is a subsidiary of Korean content company Dexter Studio has signed a business agreement with Aligo AI, which operates the celebrity image licensing platform CeleVu, to promote artificial intelligence (AI) technology alliance and joint sales. The two companies will develop generative AI assistants and hyper-personalized marketing.
Source Agencies