Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, appearing together in Japan for a Winter Sonata-related event? Will the Tokyo Dome be able to contain the excitement?

Choi’s management announced on June 23 that the pair would appear at a special event in Japan on September 29 in advance of the Japanese broadcast of the animated Winter Sonata. Both actors lent their voices to dub the project, reprising their characters Joon-sang and Yu-jin from the 2002 original.

The event will take place at Tokyo Dome, and also be broadcast live via satellite into theaters nationwide to an overall audience of about 50,000.

Choi Ji-woo explained of the animated project, “The plot is basically similar to the original drama, but it has its own unique flavor and a fairy-tale-like feel.” The animated series will broadcast in both Korea and Japan this fall.

Bae Yong-joon will be pulling double-duty; the very next day, at the same venue, he will hold an event celebrating the publication of his book, Korea’s Beauty (working title).

Via Now News

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We first heard about the animated version of Winter Sonata being produced way back in 2007, and now the project is making more progress. Lead actors Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, who helped catapult the original kdrama to pan-Asian fame, began the voice work of dubbing the animated version earlier this month.

A production rep explained, “We can’t yet reveal our schedule concretely, but the first dubbing work was completed in a studio in Korea in early May.” The series is a Korea-Japan co-production, and is planning to broadcast in both Korean and Japan later this fall.

What say you to the animated versions of Yonsama and Ji-woo-hime? I can’t really see much of Choi Ji-woo’s actual facial features in the drawing (although I think the overall look is enough like her character), but Bae Yong-joon is pretty spot-on. They got him down perfectly! (Or perhaps he’s just got a look that is easily conveyed in anime form in the first place? That might help explain the overwhelming Japanese love of Yonsama…)

Via Mk.co.kr

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Following the (still lingering??) popularity of classic Hallyu drama hits Autumn Love Story (or Autumn Fairy Tale) and Winter Sonata, particularly n Japan, movie versions are in the works.

The movie rights have been bought for the dramas and an agreement was made for investment and co-production between a Korean and Japanese entertainment company at the recent Pusan International Film Festival.

As we might expect, the original stars of the dramas — Bae Yong-joon, Choi Ji-woo, Song Seung-heon, Song Hye-gyo, Won Bin — who have all gone on to big careers, will not be appearing in the films. Instead, the production intends to go the opposite way and cast new faces in the roles. Furthermore, discussions are under way concerning the film fate of Daejanggeum (Jewel in the Palace) as well.

Not to sound callous, but: Can’t we move on past these old-school kdramas? The scene has evolved so much from the day of Ye Olde Cancer Storyline and the traditional tearjerker.

Via OSEN, Segye.com

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The Korean Foundation of International Cultural Exchange is working with the Japan Broadcast Writers Association in a joint “TV drama project,” which was announced at the TV Drama Writers’ Conference of East Asia, held in the city of Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture on June 10 and 11.

Plans were announced for a drama series in which eight Japanese drama writers will each be responsible for scriptwriting two hours’ worth of material, to be produced by a Korean production company and air as early as December. Writers include Inoue Yumiko (Pandora, First Kiss) and Oishi Shizuka (Kunitori Monogatari, Komyo ga Tsuji). Casting is unconfirmed, although the names being thrown around for consideration include Lee Byung Heon, while director Yoon Seok-ho of Winter Sonata has given his informal assent.

Given the success of Winter Sonata (and by extension, Yonsama) in Japan, I suppose the director was an obvious choice. There have been other joint-production attempts to capitalize on the Hallyu craze, but they haven’t had the success they were aiming for. There was the 2004 short drama Friends pairing Won Bin with Fukada Kyoko, and, more recently, Tokyo Shower. (I believe 2006’s Japanese drama Rondo with Choi Ji Woo fared better, although it perhaps didn’t live up the hope of becoming a runaway hit.)

Meanwhile, production house Olive Nine is already working on a drama to be filmed in Japan, tentatively titled Lovers in Asuka. The 20-episode series is set in the town of Asuka in Nara Prefecture and will be written by Kang Eun Jung, one of the writers of Lovers in Paris. I suppose they figured they hadn’t milked the “lovers in [insert city]” concept enough yet.

I’m not sure about Asuka, but I’m curious to see how Japanese scriptwriters bring (or don’t bring) a different feel to a kdrama production. (Also, the rotating writers thing worries me — although it’s not an automatic detractor, it’s a risky move.)

Via Hankook Ilbo

SONG OF THE DAY

Lamp – “ムード・ロマンティカ Ｎｏ.２” (Mood Romantica No. 2) [ Download ]

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Huh. Really.

I would’ve thought the thrall of Hallyu’s arguably biggest hit, 2002’s drama Winter Sonata, had long since faded. I know Bae Yong Joon’s still hot shit in Japan, but he really hasn’t had a hit of the same magnitude since, Legend notwithstanding. But that isn’t stopping producers from Korea and Japan from joining together to tackle a joint animated venture, bringing Winter Sonata into its third incarnation (first: drama series; second: theatrical production).

The animated version is being planned as “long-run contents,” which I can only presume means a long-running series. Korean company Key East is partnering closely with the Japanese Total Promotions in the investment and production costs: “With Bae Yong Joon’s brand power and the combined efforts of Korea and Japan’s animation planning and skills, we can make a genuine and meaningful production that represents Asia.” Original production entity KBS Media has also promised their cooperation.

The intent is for the animated Winter Sonata to broaden its initial fanbase of watchers of the original drama and Bae Yong Joon devotees, expanding to draw in new audiences throughout the world.

Key East rep: “We estimate that the animated Winter Sonata can take the success of the original series and far surpass what it earned. In addition to the animated production, Key East will branch out into business ventures with the derivative entities, like the OSTs, DVDs, publications, characters, games, mobile services, events, and other products.”

I mean this gently, but: Tough cookies. I think they’re overestimating the appeal of one long-seen, long-over drama that, while popular in its day, is probably best left to fond memories and maybe an annual pilgrimage to former filming locales for the die-hards. I really don’t think it’s quite the ever-blooming money tree these people would like to believe it is. Then again, I may be biased — I thought Winter Sonata was a total bore. But my mom sure liked it.

Via Newsen

SONG OF THE DAY

Every Single Day – “겨울에 서다” (stopped in winter) [ zShare download ]

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