Why Kim Hee-Sun?
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South Korean actress Kim Hee-sun made an appearance in Beijing Sunday, announcing her participation in the epic film Warring States that started shooting on the same day. With her compatriot actresses Song Hye Kyo, who is starring Wong Kar-wai's The Grand Master and Jun Ji-hyun, who is in Wayne Wang's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Chinese audiences will be seeing more Korean faces on local screens in the coming 18 months.
The question on many people's lips is: why are top Chinese actresses noticeably absent from local A-list productions and why are South Korean actresses becoming so popular?
Leading Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has faced a wave of criticism over the past year stemming from allegations of charity cheating and sex scandals. She pulled out of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan earlier this year. Zhang is keeping her role in Wong's The Grand Master, but has not announced plans for anything else this year.
Zhao Wei, having reached a career peak with several blockbusters in a row such as Painted Skin and Mulan, has suspended her acting career to have a baby. Meanwhile, Zhou Xun is making the headlines, but not for her acting skills or dramatic roles. Her turbulent love life has become a hot topic for the tabloids and she too, has not announced any projects for 2010.
The only exceptions among popular A-list Chinese actresses are Li Bingbing and Fan Bingbing, both whose schedules are full until the end of the year.
"Local actresses are not enough for China's growing film industry to choose from, at least in 2010," commented Wang, media liaison from Warring States.
Film critic and project manager Li Jin said that as China's film market has grown, so too has financial investment, creating higher standards for the cast.
"Many investors only set their eyes on top actresses when casting for heroines and local top actresses are limited in number while film is not the focus for most of them in 2010," he added. Li said that audiences would also loose interest in Chinese film if the same two or three faces appeared in every production.
"Chinese screens need some fresh faces, but still with fame and talent." He explained that casting South Korean actresses is a popular choice as many of them have a large fan base in China due to the popular TV dramas that they have starred in before.
"Also with their influence in South Korea and other parts in Asia, it is good for the film's overseas distribution."
Kim Hee-sun has starred in several TV dramas that were introduced to China and well received in the early 2000s. She also featured alongside Jackie Chan in the successful 2005 blockbuster The Myth.
"Kim is no less popular to both local audiences and media, compared with Chinese top actresses," Wang commented.
Though not playing a leading role in Warring States, Kim said that she chose the film as her return to cinema after giving birth five years ago as she could closely identify with the character.
"The story and the role appealed to me, as I will also be a mother in the film, which suits my current state of life," she said during her press appearance in Beijing Sunday.
"My Korean fans have seen me return with several commercials, but the film is my reunion with Chinese fans. I treasure the opportunity."
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