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Sink or Swim: Complex Magazine Profiles Korean Stars Vying to Make it in America

America ain't easy. Yet success here remains an aspiration for many artists around the world, not least of all the pop culture darlings of Korea, who have enjoyed many successes as part of the Hallyu Korean wave in Asia.

American pop culture and lifestyle magazine Complex recently profiled five of Korea's stars with the best chances—but no guarantee—of making it big in the U.S. of A. The online feature looks at singers BoA (Kwon BoA) and Se7en (Choi Dong-Wook), actresses Jun Ji-hyun and Bae Seul-ki, actor Lee Byung-hun, and—of course—all-around showman Rain (Jeong Ji-hoon).

The article also gives a nod to actress Kim Yunjin, who earned her fame on the TV series Lost and was perhaps the first native Korean to achieve widespread attention in the United States, albeit as part of an ensemble cast.

While all the stars had some aspects of themselves working in their favor and some against, history shows that nothing is a sure thing in the entertainment industry. Rain, for example, perhaps one of the biggest stars in Asia today, had a dissappointing start to his 2007 U.S. tour, which was largely cancelled due to legal woes that are still being worked out today, and his minor role in 2008's Speed Racer didn't put him over the top either. His next chance will be as the lead in Ninja Assassin, an action-revenge film expected in U.S. theatres in late 2009.

While Complex gave Rain just 2.5 out of 5 in terms of "crossover potential", actress Jun Ji-hyun topped the ranking with a 4. Her role in the 2001 romantic comedy "My Sassy Girl" made her a household name in Korea, and with Korean cinema buffs abroad (the film was remade in English with American actors in 2008). Jeon's next big opportunity will be her English language debut starring in "Blood: The Last Vampire", due to hit America in 2010.

Despite the uncertainty of earning celebrity in America, the article notes that Korean celebrities do stand a chance if they can adapt to the local culture—and perhaps have a little luck.

By Adam Wojciechowicz

Complex Magazine original article :
http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/31/which-korean-entertainer-will-become-an-american-star

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