Is supermodel and modeling show entrepreneur Tyra Banks a k-drama fan? Some early segments of her long-running make-a-model show "America's Next Top Model" featured Thai flower boat scenes that were reminiscent of Lee Min Ho's escape scene in "City Hunter."
The answer may become clearer next week when rumors say she will head to Korea to shoot the next round of "America's Top Model." Filming is said to begin on the 21st and will take place in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Rumors also say that Tyra will fly into Incheon International Airport in a private jet. Altogether she and the contestants will spend two weeks in Korea.
While the show will include some of the standard scenes that demonstrate how much hard work actually goes into modeling, it will be interesting to see whether any k-pop or k-drama celebrities pop up in the episodes. There is always at least one local celebrity featured in the show. The season will naturally include someone from "Korea's Next Top Model," which is a spin-off of Tyra's original show but it will likely also include a k-drama actor or k-pop star.
And naturally the show will include photo shoots at beautiful Korean locations and fashion shows that highlight the creations of Korean designers. Korean fashion designers have lately been earning more recognition internationally.
Tyra Banks actually wanted to bring the show to Korea four years ago. The wife of the CEO of 10 X 10 Entertainment, which produces Tyra's show, is Korean-American. However, the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island by North Korea raised concern for the safety of the cast and crew, canceling the trip.
Planning the trip this time also included some challenges. The current show's filming dates had to consider the Korean filming schedule for the movie "Avengers: The Age of Ultron." "America's Next Top Model" should finish most of its filming before the movie production begins on March 30.
The next season of "America's Next Top Model" will be shown in August.
If Tyra brings the show to Korea because of a fascination with k-pop or k-drama, she would not be the first American celebrity to be entranced by the Hallyu. Actress Dakota Fanning wanted to meet G-Dragon. Two cast members of the show "Glee" attended the Big Bang concert in Los Angeles and then featured their music on the show. Rihanna is also a k-pop fan.
Which k-celebs do you think will be featured on the show?
