» Korean Goes To Hollywood| |jkdrama.info

The first native Korean actor to set foot in Tinseltown was Park Joong Hoon, best known for The Truth About Charlie (2002). Following in his footsteps is Kim Yun Jin with her popular role in the television series Lost.

Rain, or Jung Ji Joon, tops the list in terms of budget scope with a supporting role in the big-screen adaptation of Speed Racer. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by the Wachowski Brothers, Speed Racer boasts three times the budget of Transformers. Laundry Warrior, a futuristic fantasy western produced by Lord of the Rings producer Barrie Osborne, stars Jang Dong Gun in the leading role opposite Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns). Directed by Ronny Yu ( The Bride With White Hair), Blood: The Last Vampire boasts an international resume that includes a Japanese scriptwriter, French investor, Hong Kong production team, and Korean leading actress, Jeon Ji Hyun (My Sassy Girl). Lee Byung Hun also collaborates with renowned French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung in I Come with the Rain. Lee stars alongside Josh Hartnett, Kimura Takuya, and Shawn Yue. With the exception of Speed Racer, these films are joint collaborations with Hollywood, and all four fall into the genre of action.

The Korean Wave has been losing wind in Asia in recent years. Though top Korean stars and entertainment products are still highly bankable throughout Asia, the Korean Wave phenomenon seems to have come to a plateau. The year 2008 marks the beginning of the Korean invasion of Hollywood. The jury awaits on whether the Korean Wave can find a new audience in the West.