Banned singer makes an appearance in Korea... on silver screen

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Jackie Chan’s new movie “Little Big Soldier,” set during China’s Warring States Period, is set to premiere in Korea on March 11.

Locals are taking note because of the appearance in the film of Steve Seungjun Yoo, a hugely popular K-pop singer in the late 1990s and early 2000s who was banned from entering the country when he obtained U.S. citizenship to avoid conscription in the Korean army.

In a phone call with Newsen on Tuesday, a local public relations representative for the film said, “Yoo’s entry into Korea is impossible, and there isn’t confirmation of visits by other actors such as Jackie Chan and Wang Leehom either.” The representative quickly added, “Yoo’s contribution to the movie is big, so there won’t be any cuts to the parts in which he appears.”

The singer joined Jackie Chan’s company, JC Group International, in 2006 and has since worked in China.

Source: JoongAng Daily

So if his role had been small it had been cut out? Way to keep grudges Korea.

Comments

[cynth84.livejournal.com]

They need to get over it.

[kaylapoo.livejournal.com]

impossible

[tabi.livejournal.com]

So if his role had been small it had been cut out? Way to keep grudges Korea.

No surprises there lol.

[orangeinsanity.livejournal.com]

All healthy males need to serve the military for two years, so according to this article he got a U.S citizenship to opt out of that and obviously it didn't sit well with Koreans.

[chapstik.livejournal.com]

So if his role had been small it had been cut out? Way to keep grudges Korea.

is that even legal to do that if they don't want his face on korea's big screen?

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

China didnt let the dark knight play because of edisen chen.

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

lol I remember this guy. The whole story is crazy.

[gdlovesbee.livejournal.com]

"Can't Wait" used to be my jam~

[hergracious.livejournal.com]

I supposed even if the censorship board really wanted to cut his parts out it'll be like covering his face with smileys or something mad like that...lmao

[froggster.livejournal.com]

:/

stupid mandatory army service.

[pumpkinskin.livejournal.com]

it's not stupid

[thenylonkid.livejournal.com]

I still need to listen to his 7th :/

[orangeinsanity.livejournal.com]

I still can't believe he was actually banned for that.

[spacesuitmonkey.livejournal.com]

Haha, for many countries (including mine) that practices mandatory military service, we all have a ~relatively~ small population size in comparison to other countries. This essentially means that the number of healthy males willing to seek a career in the military might be too few to form a capable military force in times of need.

So, it becomes a law for healthy males to attend the army to ensure that there will always be a large group of combat ready males in the country. He has to be banned by the government to show that this law has to be treated seriously and that no exceptions are allowed lest the mandatory military service becomes a joke.

/at least the koreans can choose when they want to enlist into the army. From where I come from, 18/19 year old males are shipped off to the army, and have to defer their university education by 2 years.

[luvey.livejournal.com]

is there a reason, besides blatant overt obsessive nationalism, that korea doesn't allow duel citizenship?

[kellygreen.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure of the reason, but apparently the government is planning to allow it soon.

[anotherorange.livejournal.com]

Whatever it is, I'll watch this movie for the sake of Wang Lee Hom.

(http://img99.imageshack.us/i/n59956531846436663402.jpg/)

[blabby-lwy.livejournal.com]

YES.

[nice-vibe.livejournal.com]

SHUN THE NON BELIEVER


SHUUUUNNNNNN

[maharetishtar.livejournal.com]

Jackie Chan and Wang Lee Hom in the same movie??
Enough for me to watch it

[eveandadam.livejournal.com]

i googled him after watching the movie cos he's pretty cute inside. dint know he had such a dramatic story.

the movie is a little boring imo, but lee hom looks rly handsome even with all the dirt and mud on his face so i guess it's all fine.

[anaaga.livejournal.com]

So if his role had been small it had been cut out? Way to keep grudges Korea.

i would be surprise if korea allows him to enter. i think THIS GRUDGE SHALL REMAIN IN KOREA'S HEART UNTIL THE SEVENTH GENERATION OF STEVE SEUNGJUN YOO. *thunder*
8D

[treat.livejournal.com]

No, the issue was that he promised the public that he would go to the army and then he suddenly took off after he got US citizenship. I remember because my friend was a huge fan and she was bawling for weeks.

[cremespresso.livejournal.com]

thank you.

i am tired of the "GET OVER IT KOREA" comments. :)

[misstellittome.livejournal.com]

ugh, his story makes me so sad. i wish they'd just let him back D: at least to set foot in korea.

kindaremindsmeofjaebumtoo

[vikihpnerd.livejournal.com]

I guess SKorea is still not a free country and they are pretty conservative.

[stellar-13.livejournal.com]

:O jackie Chan and Lee Hom Wang?!! must see this movie.

[jorge-callas.livejournal.com]

I disagree with all the get over it comments. I mean, they were understandably angry then and why should they forgive him now, it's not like he's sorry or will do anything about it.
I don't agree with the whole idea of military service but in the world we live in it's necessary. He's enjoyed the benefits for many years but won't give back. South Korea is technically not living in peace time, the Korean War ended in a cease fire and Kim Jong Il is hardly rational so there's no telling what he'll do in future.

'This is the fact that is the most important in understanding how Koreans approach their military duty: Korea is still technically at war against North Korea. The Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. Therefore, the military administration in Korea operates on the assumption that there will be another war in the scale of Korean War, which killed several million soldiers and civilians.'
http://askakorean.blogspot.com/2009/03/military-service-series-part-i.html

[gunsandsmoke.livejournal.com]

omggg i remember yoo seungjun ahhhh time machine

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Eh I just think it goes way way overboard if they consider cutting away parts of movie where he appears. Physical exile I can understand, but they are talking about even banning a picture of him on screen. LOL