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

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Tags: drama production, j-doramas, Lovers in Asuka, Tokyo Showers, Winter Sonata

Filed under: Drama Casting & News, J-Drama by javabeans - 11 Comments →

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

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Tags: Winter Sonata

Filed under: Drama Casting & News by javabeans - 35 Comments →