Can Gianna Jun succeed overseas?

"My Sassy Girl" heroine Gianna Jun (her Korean name is Jun Ji-hyun) comes back on screen with her first international action movie "Blood," which will be released on June 11 in Korea.

In the movie, Jun plays the role of "Saya," a human-vampire hybrid who hunts vampires for food. Playing "Saya" is ground breaking for Jun as an actress for the fact that she has never performed in an action movie. Wielding katana and hanging from a wire were new experiences for her.

Speaking at a news conference on May 12 in Seoul, she explained that she chose a hardcore action movie as her international movie debut in an apparent desire to analyze herself as an actress.

She said, "I valued the new venture to debut as an action star in overseas markets and I thought that I must challenge myself."

Working with foreign staff was not an easy task because the language barrier was a new challenge. "I remember the first shooting very vividly. I could only perform two lines of the script, and I couldn`t understand what the producers wanted from me," Jun said.

While Jun took the first step into the overseas movie market, there were mixed reactions to her chances of becoming a Hollywood movie star through "Blood."

Caroline, 23, who works in the fashion industry in New York City, doubts Jun`s chances of success in the tough U.S. film industry. "My first question is can she speak English properly?”

"The reason that the Korean actress in `Lost` (Kim Yoon-jin) was successful is because she can speak English very fluently. Unless Gianna could speak English like that, I don`t think she will be successful," she told The Korea Herald.

Experts in Seoul say language is one of the main factors that decide the success for Korean entertainers who go overseas, especially to the United States.

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Han Su-jung from entertainment management company JYP`s PR department emphasized the importance of English-speaking ability. She exemplified pop singer Park Jun-hyung`s case and said "He filmed two Hollywood movies already: "Speed Racer" and "Dragon Ball Z."

Han also said in an interview with the paper that "Park`s fluent English helped him a lot, since he speaks the language he is playing the main character in `Dragon Ball Z."` “The language came handy when the actor communicates with producers and other cast members and I think it applies to any Korean actor or actress filming in a foreign language."

Along with language, "looks" are not a negligible factor for evaluating Jun as a world star. Caroline said "American audience love to see the `exotic` looks of Asians, but I don`t think she has that … (she) has a forgettable face."

But other Americans raised the possibility that Jun could appeal to the U.S. entertainment industry. Jim Mahan, a banker in North Carolina, who said he is a movie fan, told The Korea Herald in an e-mail interview that Jun reminded him of the young actress in "Hero" and "Kill Bill."

"She has an attractive look, but also, and I know this may sound strange, she looks believable," Mahan said.

Whether playing a saint or an evil character, Mahan said, she has a face that looks genuine. "That`s extremely important in film," he said.

For the movie "Blood," Jun worked with well-known producer Bill Kong, who produced "Crouching Tiger," "Hero," and "House of Flying Dragon."

The movie will be on show from July in the United States.



By Hwang Aesol (csa919@gmail.com)