The drama "Winter Sonata," which sparked the Korean Wave, is once again thrilling Japanese fans. It has been remastered in 4K and reedited for theatrical release, and is set for official release in Japan on the 6th.
According to Pan Entertainment, a preview screening event for "Winter Sonata" was held on the 26th of last month at the Piccadilly theater in Shinjuku, Japan, and tickets for the screening sold out immediately after going on sale, continuing a strong local reaction.
In particular, director Yoon Seok-ho visited Japan on the day of the screening event and watched the film in person. Hosted by MC Tashiro Chikayo, voice actress Tanaka Misato, who voiced the role of Yujin played by Choi Ji-woo in the original, participated as a guest, and she had a meaningful time conducting a discussion about the film with local reporters and audience members.
"Winter Sonata" is regarded as a pioneering work of cultural exchange between Korea and Japan, and as a legendary work that has remained the most favored Korean drama in Japan since it aired in 2002, news of the film's release has drawn eager coverage from Japanese TV and newspapers, gathering heated anticipation and interest.
The film adaptation of the drama "Winter Sonata" was planned and produced directly by Pan Entertainment, the original production company, to give Japanese fans a nostalgic gift for the 20th anniversary of its screening in Japan in 2023. In fact, Japanese viewers had continuously requested a theatrical version, and for Japanese fans in their 40s and 50s who remember the original's nostalgia, an excellent opportunity was created to see the drama "Winter Sonata," like a "first love," again in theaters.
Moreover, director Yoon Seok-ho, who led the original drama's success as its director, participated in the entire film production process to continue the original's emotion while embedding an even deeper and more poignant "first-love sentiment."
In addition, music director Lee Ji-soo, who has been active across films and drama series from the original to films such as "Oldboy," "Silmido," the recent Netflix drama "The Silent Sea," and TVING dramas "Yonder" and "Ransom," participated and led orchestral-centered arrangements so that audiences could enjoy the original's sentiment more richly in theaters. In fact, the entire soundtrack, including the original's famous main OST "My Memory," was re-recorded with orchestration, adding special emotion and resonance.
Meanwhile, the film "Winter Sonata," heralding the return of the originator of the Korean Wave, will be available in Japanese theaters starting on the 6th.
[Photo] Provided by Pan Entertainment
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