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‘You’re good-looking’: Ukraine’s leader woos Tom Cruise
Rtv online desk
02 Oct 2019, 00:00
Photo: Collected
Ukraine’s leader isn’t just trying to charm U.S. President Donald Trump — he’s set his sights now on Tom Cruise, too.
Mission impossible? Maybe not — Cruise is studying possible Ukrainian locations for an upcoming film, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office.
Zelenskiy tapped his roots as a TV and film comedian when hosting Cruise in the Ukrainian presidential headquarters Monday night.
As Cruise walked in, he said “You’re good-looking!,” according to video excerpts released Tuesday by his office. The Hollywood star laughed and said “it pays the bills.”
Zelenskiy joked about how exhausting it is to be president, and mentioned the stalled peace process for conflict-ravaged eastern Ukraine.
The video excerpts included no mention of Trump or the U.S. impeachment inquiry in which Ukraine plays a starring role.
Source: AP/UNB
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What's behind South Korea's K-pop crisis?
The biggest names in K-pop have sought out new markets overseas. But they've left a hole in their home market that no other acts have been able to fill yet.
South Korea's hugely popular K-pop and the broader "hallyu" or "Korean Wave" genre of popular culture are experiencing something of a crisis, with domestic sales declining, new bands failing to whip up the same frenzy as their predecessors, and shares in the top K-pop agencies plummeting, suggesting that investors are jittery that the bubble may be about to burst.
The domestic slump coincides with those same performers — BlackPink, BTS, and the irascible Psy, who unleashed "Gangnam Style" on an unsuspecting world back in 2012 — growing in popularity on the international music scene.
The suggestion is that by attempting to broaden its appeal to a global audience — performing in foreign languages, topping the music charts in key markets around the world and being hyped on the chat shows — those bands have forgotten their roots and are in danger of alienating the very people who launched their careers.
Hallyu has, of course, undergone ups and downs in its popularity in the past but has always found a way to reinvent itself or evolve, analysts point out.
The challenge, they suggest, is for the industry to pull off that same trick to keep the home-grown fans coming back, buying the music and attending concerts.
Domestic versus international popularity
"I would suggest there are absolutely no signs of K-pop declining in popularity abroad and that it is difficult to directly correlate the stock market value of K-pop agencies with the popularity of their bands," said Park Saing-in, an economist at Seoul National University.
"But we can say that stock prices reflect the market's future expectations and while hit bands like BTS and BlackPink are still performing, it is fair to ask where their successors are," Park told DW.
In recent months, new band Baby Monster has failed to make a significant dent in the Melon Top 100, the South Korean ranking for music sales, while ITZY and NMIXX saw their latest releases sink dramatically in their second week, The Korean Times reported earlier this month.
Similarly, sales of the latest mini-album released by girl-group Le Sserafim shrank 20% in the second week of its release.
Uncertainty over the bankability of performers at home has hurt the four biggest management agencies, with stocks in YG Entertainment down by 15% in mid-March from the turn of the year. HYBE was down 19%, while industry giant SM Entertainment fell 22% and JYP Entertainment lost a worrying 33% of its share value in the same period, according to the ChosunIlbo newspaper.
In response to the slump in sales, which account for a major slice of total revenue, agencies are attempting to launch an array of new artistes, with YG Entertainment unveiling the boy-band Treasure, HYBE introducing TWS and Katseye and SM Entertainment pushing NCT Wish.
But it is not at all clear if any of these bands, plus others that are in the pipeline, have what it takes to take over the mantle of super-groups such as BTS.
Scandal and disruption
Other problems have also dogged the industry, with the members of BTS presently carrying out their national service, forcing the band into a year-long hiatus, while other stars have been struck down by scandal.
Karina, a 24-year-old singer with girl-group Aespa, provoked a storm of protest from fans after it was revealed in late February that she was in a relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook.
Agencies encourage their performers not to have boyfriends or girlfriends as that destroys the daydream that they like to promote among fans that these idols are single, and therefore potentially available as a romantic partner, however fanciful that notion might be.
There is a sub-set of fanatical followers who turn up at concerts waving signs that read "my husband" or "my wife" – and revelations that the target of their affections is actually involved in a real relationship is a betrayal that too often leads to anger and accusations on social media.
Whatever the cause of consumers' anguish, that is being reflected in falling popularity at home.
"A lot of hallyu culture reached its peak during the COVID pandemic," said David Tizzard, an assistant professor of education at Seoul Women's University and a columnist for a Korean daily focusing on social affairs. Hallyu is a Chinese term that translates to “Korean Wave” and refers to Korean popular culture, everything from music to movies, food and gaming.
"With people stuck indoors or isolated from others, they turned to the high production values of South Korean music and dramas to get them through it," he said.
"Hallyu is also more than just content, there's a surrounding community and culture which draws people in. They can do more than just watch a drama, they can learn about the actors, read fan fiction, communicate on Twitter and Tik-Tok," he told DW.
Post-pandemic shift
When the pandemic ended, some people "moved on," Tizzard said.
"It served a purpose. It was a genuine culture, with visible high points of the movie 'Parasite' at the Oscars and Black Pink and BTS achieving great success, but now that culture has shifted and people are looking for something new."
Tizzard believes that while hallyu culture may not be as wide as it was a couple of years ago, it remains deep and "the fans who engage in it are still as passionate as they always were."
But Park is not convinced that will be enough.
"In the past, South Korea produced a lot of hit television dramas that were hugely popular here and around the world," he pointed out. "But that is no longer the case and the television sector has lost its momentum. The same thing can happen with Korean movies or music," Park added.
"I would say that K-pop appears to be structurally sound at the moment, but the future remains uncertain."
AI model earning up to €10,000 a month
Aitana, 25, a pink-haired woman from Barcelona, receives weekly private messages from celebrities asking her out. But this model is not real.
Aitana, the first model created by artificial intelligence (AI) in Spain, was born in the middle of a difficult period.
Rubén Cruz, her designer and founder of the agency The Clueless, was going through a rough patch because he didn't have many clients.
"We started analysing how we were working and realised that many projects were being put on hold or cancelled due to problems beyond our control. Often it was the fault of the influencer or model and not due to design issues," Cruz told Euronews.
So, they decided to create their own influencer to use as a model for the brands that approached them.
They created Aitana, an exuberant 25-year-old pink-haired woman from Barcelona whose physical appearance is close to perfection.
The virtual model can earn up to €10,000 a month, according to her creators, but the average is usually around €3,000.
"We did it so that we could make a better living and not be dependent on other people who have egos, who have manias, or who just want to make a lot of money by posing," said Cruz.
Aitana's income is quite varied.
She earns just over €1,000 per advert, and has recently become the face of Big, a sports supplement company, and as if that weren't enough, she uploads photos of herself in lingerie to Fanvue, a platform similar to OnlyFans.
In just a few months, she has managed to gain more than 121,000 followers on Instagram and her photos get thousands of views and reactions. She even receives private messages from celebrities who are unaware that she is not an actual person.
"One day, a well-known Latin American actor texted to ask her out. This actor has about 5 million followers and some of our team watched his TV series when they were kids," said Cruz.
"He had no idea Aitana didn't exist," he added.
Source: Eeuro News
'Mission Impossible 8': Tom Cruise goes on the run in London
Tom Cruise is back on set as Ethan Hunt and if first pictures from the set are any indication, there will be action plus a little bit of blood.
Tom Cruise has started the shoot for the next installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. A fan page of the actor on X shared a bunch of pictures and a video of Tom sprinting through the streets of London, with production underway.
Tom Cruise shoots for Mission Impossible
In the first picture, Tom is seen running in order to shoot a chase scene on the Westminster Bridge. He was dressed in a white shirt paired with a black coat. There was blood all over his shirt as he ran through the street. A second picture showed Tom smiling and talking with some of the crew in between the shots. Another still indicated a heavy military presence at the location with several armed forces standing by the iconic landmark in London.
Meanwhile, the only video from shoot had Tom getting ready for the shot. With the clap, he is seen running fast towards the other side of the road. The film releases in 2025 now, as the release date was pushed for a year owing to the delay with the SAG-AFTRA strike.
More details
In what marks the eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tom will be seen as Senior Field Agent Ethan Hunt. Part One was directed by Christopher McQuarrie and produced by Paramount Pictures. It also starred Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby and Simon Pegg among others.
Part One released in July last year and faced stiff competition from Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig's Barbie. Still, it managed to cross the $500 million mark at the global box office.
An excerpt from the Hindustan Times review of the film added, “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One could very possibly be the best offering of the season with its insane action and a beating heart. Not only does this seventh film in the hit franchise perfectly fit the Hollywood blockbuster template but also improves on it, gilds it to almost undeniable perfection.”
Source: Hindustan Times
Hijacked ship runs out of food, hope for quick negotiation
The Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah, which was hijacked by Somali pirates, is running out of food. However, the hostage have nothing to worry even if the food is reduced. Because the pirates from the shore are bringing food to the ship.
The Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association, an organization of ship's owners and sailors, said this on Wednesday (March 27).
Mizanul Islam, media consultant of KSRM Group, told the media that the hostage sailors are healthy. There is nothing to worry about. Because the pirates are bringing food from the shore to the ship. The pirates usually bring food to the hijacked ship in their own interest.
Captain Anam Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers' Association, said the pirates bring food for their own interests. I have also received reports of Tehari-like foods being brought on board MV Abdullah.
Oscar-winning Oppenheimer finally premieres in Japan
Highly acclaimed movie Oppenheimer has gone on show in Japanese movie theaters, many months after its release elsewhere. The story of the architect of the atomic bomb is particularly sensitive in the country.
"Oppenheimer," the winner of the Oscars Best Picture award, was finally shown in Japanese cinemas on Friday, where the subject of the creation of the atomic bomb remains a highly charged and emotional subject.
Director Christopher Nolan's blockbuster hit the big screens in the United States and other countries in July at the same time as "Barbie" — prompting a viral phenomenon dubbed "Barbenheimer" by movie buffs.
But while the famous doll's movie premiered in Japan in August, "Oppenheimer" has been conspicuously absent from the country's cinemas for months.
Why was the release date so late?
No official explanation was offered, fueling speculation that the film was too controversial to be shown in Japan, the only country to fall victim to the bomb conceived by J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Some 140,000 people died in Hiroshima and 74,000 in Nagasaki when the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities in 1945, days before the end of World War II.
In a huge cinema in central Tokyo where Christopher Nolan's film was being screened on Friday, there was no trace of the usual promotional posters for such a global phenomenon.
The movie, which had a budget of 100 million dollars, but grossed almost a billion at the box office, was advertised with only a small poster.
The story of physicist Robert Oppenheimer garnered rave reviews and a multitude of awards, winning the most at the Oscars with seven statuettes.
The accolades included best film, best director and best actor for Cillian Murphy, who played Oppenheimer.
How was the film received in Japan?
In Hiroshima, the city devastated by the first nuclear bomb, the movie's success generated mixed feelings.
The city has been reborn into a vibrant metropolis of 1.2 million people, but the ruins of a domed building remain standing as a stark reminder of the horror.
Kyoko Heya, president of Hiroshima's international film festival, told the AFP news agency after the Oscars ceremony that she found Nolan's film "very American-centric."
"Is this really a movie that the people of Hiroshima can endure?" she said. However, upon reflection, Heya said she wants "a lot of people to see the movie."
"I would like to see Hiroshima, Nagasaki and atomic weapons become topics of discussion thanks to this film," she said.
In Japanese media, critics point out that the film does not show the damage caused by those bombs.
‘Gen V’ actor Chance Perdomo dies at 27 in bike accident
Actor Chance Perdomo, known for his roles in ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and ‘Gen V’, has died at age 27 following a motorcycle accident.
Actor Chance Perdomo, who worked in ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and ‘Gen V’, died after a bike accident at the age of 27.
The news was confirmed by Perdomo’s publicist through a statement. It read, “On behalf of the family and his representatives, it is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Chance Perdomo’s untimely passing as a result of a motorcycle accident. Authorities have advised that no other individuals were involved. His passion for the arts and insatiable appetite for life were felt by all who knew him, and his warmth will carry on in those whom he loved dearest. We ask to please respect the family’s wish for privacy as they mourn the loss of their beloved son and brother.”
The producers of ‘Gen V’, which is a spinoff of ‘The Boys’, also mourned Perdomo’s untimely death. They released a joint statement which read, “We can’t quite wrap our heads around this. For those of us who knew him and worked with him, Chance was always charming and smiling, an enthusiastic force of nature, an incredibly talented performer, and more than anything else, just a very kind, lovely person. Even writing about him in the past tense doesn’t make sense. We are so sorry for Chance’s family, and we are grieving the loss of our friend and colleague. Hug your loved ones tonight.”
Perdomo played Ambrose Spellman in Netflix’s ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and Andre Anderson in ‘The Boys’ spinoff series, ‘Gen V’.
Source: India Today
Salman Khan-Karan Johar’s ‘The Bull’ not shelved
Karan Johar's film with Salman Khan, 'The Bull', is set to start production in 2025 after rumors of it being shelved. It is based on the events of Operation Cactus.
Karan Johar’s film with Salman Khan, titled ‘The Bull’ is all set to go on floors in 2025. Rumours had been doing the rounds that the film has been shelved. However, IndiaToday.In exclusively learnt that the film has not been shelved, and the writing is currently underway.
Sources told India Today that ‘The Bull’ will most likely go on floors in 2025. The film has gone back to the writing room and the script is being worked up, which is why there is a delay. Earlier, it was supposed to go on floors this year and it was eyeing Eid 2025 release.
‘The Bull’ is based on the events of Operation Cactus, on November 3, 1988, where the Indian forces helped the Maldives government in regaining control after a coup attempt. Given the current status between India and Maldives, the film is being sensitised to political equations and written with a fresh perspective.
Earlier, reports started circulating that ‘The Bull’ had hit the roadblock because Karan Johar and director Vishuvardhan were unable to commit a date for the film.
‘The Bull’ will mark Salman Khan and Karan Johar’s reunion after 25 years. It will be directed by Vishnuvardhan, who had earlier directed Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani-starrer ‘Shershaah’.
Source: India Toady
