Song Hye-gyo reconfirms John Woo film
by girlfriday
Busy, busy. Song Hye-gyo has confirmed (or reconfirmed, as the case may be) that as soon as her drama That Winter, The Wind Blows ends, she’ll be flying to China to star in the next John Woo film Love and Let Love. It’s a project that’s been in the works for over four friggin’ years (then called 1949), and Song was attached from the get-go to star, but the production languished in development. Or maybe his two-part epic Red Cliff took precedence? Anyway, now they’re back in business, and Song has confirmed that she’ll star once again.
It’s a wartime romance melodrama, which is a bit of a departure for the Hong Kong/Hollwood action director, but he’s certainly no stranger to the epic blockbuster. Starring opposite Song will be Chang Chen, who was also attached to the project from the start, and Zhang Ziyi. The three of them incidentally co-starred in the Wong Kar-wai film The Grandmaster first, since Love and Let Love was shelved for so long.
The screenplay by Wang Hui-ling (Lust, Caution, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) follows the life of a wealthy Shanghai woman (Song Hye-gyo) in the wake of World War II, and through the Chinese Civil War. It’s described as an epic tale of love and pain in a turbulent era.
Song will go straight from shooting drama to film without a break, which sounds a bit insane, but you can’t exactly fault someone for working like crazy to stay loyal to a project. Guess she’ll be having a melo-tastic year, beginning with That Winter, which premieres this week. And then Love and Let Love starts shooting in April for a release this year.
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Tags: Song Hye-gyo
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1 Mystisith
February 11, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Ha! Good for her. Better too much work than not enough. Funny how my first thought after hearing this was: No extension for That Winter The Wind Blows then. ;)
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sweetcloud
February 11, 2013 at 12:32 PM
Ha good one, I totally didn't see that. Or she'll ride motorcycles/boats/planes back and forth à la Shin Minah of King of Dramas.
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Rachel
February 17, 2013 at 6:13 AM
Haha I love that King of Dramas is now a reference in any discussion of a drama with regard to casting news, broadcast slots, product placements and series extensions.
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Andy ain't lyin'
February 11, 2013 at 8:35 PM
Right! Any Song Hye Kyo is better than no Song Hye Kyo. ;) If you don't like seeing this woman on screen, you might as well poke your eyes out, cuz they ain't doin' you no good,anyway ... :)
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2 jandoe
February 11, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Sounds potentially GREAT. I can't wait!
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3 Maris
February 11, 2013 at 12:32 PM
Will watch anything of hers. She is beautiful.
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4 Annie
February 11, 2013 at 1:18 PM
I guess she's going to play second fiddle to Zhang Ziyi again. Chang Chen is pure hotness though.
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lily
February 11, 2013 at 11:29 PM
nah. she's the main character
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5 Ivoire
February 11, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Thanks for the news!
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6 Kokare
February 11, 2013 at 2:02 PM
So I always wonder about the Korean actors that star in other country's film... Will she speak in Korean or Chinese or English?
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Maricel
February 11, 2013 at 2:26 PM
I wonder the same too... XD
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Jolie
February 11, 2013 at 2:31 PM
Probably be dubbed because I don't think Song speaks fluent Mandarin, especially since she's playing a Shanghainese woman.
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Shiku
February 11, 2013 at 3:27 PM
They usually speak Korean and their costars speak Mandarin or Cantonese then they will all be dubbed. Korean stars like Chaerim and Jang Nara have done that in their previous c-dramas
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JO
February 12, 2013 at 10:03 PM
but its not a cheap drama this time. It's a movie. Would it still be awkwardly dubbed I wonder??
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lily
February 11, 2013 at 11:32 PM
it depends. sometimes they dub them but sometimes they try to speak the language (eg jang dong gun in wu ji)
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7 AnotherFan
February 11, 2013 at 2:48 PM
Tough on her for the tight filming schedules but I applaud her professionalism! I always think she's a much better (and conscientious) actor than people and media give her credit for. And she never seems to be content to just bank on her ultra gorgeous looks - she seems to always seek out for roles to challenge and improve her acting skills. A rare quality in today's entertainment industry, wherever!
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JoJo
February 11, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Agree, but to be be able to pick and choose acting parts, one has to be financially well off. I'm sure she's made lots from CFs, but there might be another reason why she's keeping extra busy...
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starryeyes
February 11, 2013 at 3:24 PM
Based on her recent projects, I would assume that she is quite financially well off since any Asian actress would pretty much die to work with these internationally known directors (whoa, Wong Kar-wai and now John Woo) and staff. I just assumed she took TWTWB was basically out of respect/friendship with the writer and director since she worked with them before, not because the script was so amazing she couldn't say no lol.
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lily
February 11, 2013 at 11:36 PM
I agree. I'm not a fan or anything but she's much better than people give her credit for. she's a lot better than some of the other k-actresses who are known for their beauty (like kim tae hee, jeon ji hyun, han ga in, etc)
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Alex Mottis
February 11, 2013 at 11:54 PM
Good point! I know she may not be the best actress in the world, but some people act as if she was the wooorst actress when there a lot of other girls that act worse than she does, like all the girls you mentioned. And, I mean, she just didn't get this films for nothing, there must be something the directors noticed in her, it's Wong Kar-wai and John Woo we're talking about.
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Angelina
March 3, 2013 at 9:48 AM
OMG, Kim Tae Hee >.< I know she is pretty but I think that she suits with mean roles better becuz she always has that evil eye look even when she played the main-good actress role. But, SHK is =very prety too, like omg without make-up, she looks so so pretty. I'm even have a girl crush on her. Anwyay, but no1 notices her beauty O.O I mean the Korean ppl. About acting, I think SHK has very good acting skills. If not, she wouldn't have many hit dramas. <3
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weenhiecookies
February 12, 2013 at 3:35 AM
I love Jeon Ji Hyun though... she suits on rom-com movies hehe
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crixa
February 12, 2013 at 3:08 AM
Amen to that! Couldn't agree more. :)
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V
February 12, 2013 at 7:48 AM
I gained a lot of respect for her after that whole Hyun Bin breakup debacle a couple years ago.
After he released a press release that they broke up and went off to the military. She was left to take all the heat and back lash. She kept quiet though and was really respectful even though all his fans were bashing her.
She isn't the best actress, but she is improving with each project.
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imot
February 12, 2013 at 11:54 PM
Totally agree ...
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8 early
February 11, 2013 at 3:14 PM
wow busy year.
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9 Kana
February 11, 2013 at 3:31 PM
Queen Zhang Ziyi <3
i just watched house of the flying daggers for the 5th time
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10 Sajen
February 11, 2013 at 4:24 PM
does no one in kdrama land know how to rest without collapsing and spending a few days in the hospital?
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11 Pipit
February 11, 2013 at 4:53 PM
Every time I see her pictures can't help but be amazed by her stunning looks. Some actresses look amazing in some photos but unrecognizable in others but not SHG. She looks great in every moment, make up or not make up, great angle or no great angle.
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AnotherFan
February 11, 2013 at 6:01 PM
I totally agree. I am also mesmerized by her stunning looks.
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12 kami
February 11, 2013 at 8:23 PM
not zzy again....
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13 snow_white
February 11, 2013 at 9:12 PM
that's cool......she remained absent from screen for so long and now a drama and a movie!! surely a treat for her fans..
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14 Thatgirl
February 11, 2013 at 11:20 PM
I guess I'm just nitpicking but if they were going to have a Korean person in the movie why couldn't they have her play a Korean character? Is the production like Sophie's Revenge, where CJ Production (or whatever) also was involved in production?
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15 lily
February 11, 2013 at 11:31 PM
her career is awesome right now. wong kar wai and john woo back to back? awesome.
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16 YY
February 11, 2013 at 11:32 PM
Possible endings:
*SHG dies and ZZY gets the guy.
*ZZY dies and SHG gets the guy.
*The guy dies. The girls live.
*The guy lives. The girls die.
*All three die.
*The guy dies, leaving behind pregnant SHG.
*The guy dies, leaving behind pregnant ZZY.
*The guy dies, leaving behind pregnant SGH and pregnant ZZY.
I'm also expecting a winter scene and at least one scene of the wind blowing.
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Alex Mottis
February 11, 2013 at 11:57 PM
Lol, what wartime romance melodrama is complete without one of those scenes? And don't forget about the countless buckets of tears Song Hye-gyo will shed. Good thing she's practicing with That Winter, the Wind Blows
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17 Alex Mottis
February 11, 2013 at 11:59 PM
I'm excited for her! Now that she's the protagonist we'll get the chance to see more of her, unlike The Grandmaster where she only had a few scenes. Hopefully it gets a release in Cannes or some other big festival like the Berlinale.
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18 Michelle
February 12, 2013 at 2:05 AM
drama and now movie..yay can't wait
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19 Uhnny
February 12, 2013 at 2:42 AM
2013 is going to be a busy year for her. I hope she'll be able to keep up with all her schedules. :D
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20 Valleydale
February 12, 2013 at 5:15 AM
I'll bet there are a slew of excellent Chinese actresses out there who speak perfect Mandarin, wondering why in heck they couldn't have been tapped for the part. Don't get me wrong, I think Song Hye Gyo is a really good actress, but if you can't convincingly speak the language the part demands, you do a great disservice to the character and ultimately insult the audience. Song is 31 now. Given how unforgiving the Korean film and television industry is to actresses once they've moved much beyond their twenties, I wonder if she's trying to work as much as she can before offers begin drying up.
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misha
February 12, 2013 at 5:53 AM
this project was offer to her 5 years ago. it just got delayed because of some copyright problem ( Not so sure) & last year john woo underwent a surgery on his tonsil. & hye kyo is studying mandarin since 2011... im sure hye kyo is so ready to shoot & get this movie done.
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miwa201
February 12, 2013 at 12:39 PM
I agree completely. They could have given this to any Chinese actress, why choose a Korean one? Or maybe this is my hatred for dubbing that is speaking.
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21 han toe
February 12, 2013 at 9:27 AM
no c actress beside zzy ?
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AAAA
April 8, 2014 at 4:17 PM
Seriously, right? Producers and directors are so close-minded sometimes. They all want the same actress. In the end, they are doing the Chinese entertainment business a disfavor by not introducing new talent. Think of all the amazing actresses that are out there, that are still unknown, their youth just passing by, because directors and producers just want to work with proven actresses. The truth is, if you have a quality script and quality production team, no-names is no problem. You don't need a famous name to sell your movie, your movie should be able to make an actress famous, if it's any good!
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22 risu
February 12, 2013 at 8:28 PM
Many actors and actresses get dubbed even if they are Chinese because of differing accents. Dubbing is the norm in mainland China. Even if the role was given to a Chinese actress it would not have guaranteed a movie without dubbs.
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23 Amethyst
February 14, 2013 at 6:22 AM
I'm glad that this film will finally start.... I mean she gave up a lot just be in this film.
Love her and will support her.
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24 rahimah
February 15, 2013 at 6:35 PM
ohhh!! miss her so much!
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25 rhea
May 31, 2013 at 9:02 AM
song hye gyo can speak Chinese and English. yikes! why cast somebody who can't?
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