South Korean Actor Cha In Pyo

Those of us who are into Korean drama will recognize this photo of Korean actor - some say heartthrob - Cha In Pyo.

Apparently in 2002 he became a local hero for turning down the role of a North Korean baddie in the 007 movie Die Another Day. In the movie, James Bond wrestled with a crazed North Korean colonel who used a space-based laser to burn a massive hole in the Demilitarized Zone.

Cha turned down the role, saying that the script was "demeaning." According to reports, he also lost "a coveted ticket to Hollywood stardom."

The baddie role eventually went to Rick Yune, a Korean-American actor who, as can be imagined, received a less-than-cordial treatment when he visited Korea. At least one pop singer - Lee Jong Hyon - declined an invitation to appear alongside Yune.

As for North Korea's reaction to the movie? In classic Korean Central News Agency lingo, the movie was described as a "dirty and cursed burlesque that clearly proved that the United States is the root cause of all disasters and misfortune of the Korean nation."