Korean Films, Dramas Ignite Storm in Japan

Korean films and dramas are causing quite the storm in Japan. "Brotherhood" (Korean: Taegeukgi Hwinalli-myeo), the Korean War movie staring Jang Dong-gun and Won Bin, is expected to gross W100 billion in Japan,
Showbox, the film's distributor, said Monday that when one computes the numbers based on the 8,700 pre-purchased tickets sold three days before the film's premier in Japan, the film should draw about 3 million viewers. At W13,000 a ticket, that comes out to around W40 billion, and when one adds this to W60 billion in tapes and copyright imports, the film is expected to make about W100 billion in Japan.

This would be roughly the same sum of money the film made in Korea, drawing 13 million viewers.
About half that sum represents the film's break even point, and when one takes into account marketing costs and other expenses, the film should bring back to Korea W1.55 billion in profits. Of the W6 billion in videos and DVDs, W2 billion is expected to come back to Korea in additional profits, which means the film should make a total of W4 billion in royalties.

"Brotherhood" is news in Japan, placing second in advanced sales behind Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which opened Saturday in 320 theaters across Japan.

The drama, "Did We Really Love?", which will be broadcasted in Japan from July 3 at 10 p.m. under the title "Love Group", may start a "Second Yon-sama (as actor Bae Yong-joon is known in Japan) Craze" in Japan. Bae plays Jae-ho, a man who falls in love with a woman played by actress Kim Hye-su, but unluckily falls victim to a brain tumor.

That Bae would die in the story has generated much interest from female Japanese fans, and the drama -- which is quite different from Bae's misty story of first love, "Winter Sonata" -- is receiving rave reviews as a story that will awaken the meaning of true love in those who live difficult lives.