[Herald Economics]

4/21/04 12:05

'WLS' is recording the two-digit viewing rate in Japan. The movie 'Scandal...' is popular too, expanded the screens by large numbers.

The 'Winter Sonata syndrome' is blowing in the Japan Isles.

The viewing rate of the drama 'Winter Sonata' with Bae Yong Jun rises up vertically..

Thanks to it, the scale of the distribution of the Bae Yong Jun led 'Scandal-The Love Story of Men & Women in Chosun' is expected to increase by over half from the original plan.

The viewing rate of the 'WLS,' which was first aired under the title of 'Winter Sonata' on NHK at 11:10 PM on the late 3rd, is rapidly rising.

Having recored the 9.4 % (Kanto) & 9.2 % (Kansai) for its first episode, the viewing rate of the second episode of the 'Winter Sonata' (aired one episode a week) on the 10th went over the 2-digit at last, followed by the 11.4 % 7 14.2 %, respectively for its 3rd episode on the 17th.

Considering that the viewing rate of the 'Winter Sonata Special Edition' with Bae Yong Junwhich was aired before the first episode was broadcast was only 5.1 %, it is the 'vertical rise.'

This kind of viewing rate is at the top level for the foreign dramas.,In addition, it is within the top ten viewing rate among the entire programs, including Japanese dramas.

Because the situation is that the 'WLS' has been aired twice already on the satellite station BS2 in 2003 and the DVDs have been released, the 2-digit viewing rate is considered as the amazing number by the Japanese brodcasting specialists.

The viewing rate of the last 4 weeks' episodes of the American drama 'The White House 2' which was aired in the same time belt before broadcasting of the 'Winter Sonata' had not reached 4 % in average.

Judging from the facat that the first ranked in the chart of the Japanese weekly drama viewing rate is at around 20%, the "Winter Sonata' is strongly predicted to ascend to throne at the top for the first time for the foreign drama.

Along with it, it is already the matter of interest to see where it will be ranked among the entire generations of the Japanese dramas (viewing rate) list.

The drama which recorded the best viewing rate in Japan among all generations of dramas is the 'Hero' (34.3%)

As the viewing rate rises, there arises the 'Winter Sonata" and Bae Yong Jun syndrome.

In Japan. the 'fuyusona boom' (a synthetic word of adding the 'boom' to the 'fuyu sonata' Japanese pronounciation of the 'Winter Sonata'), along with the 'Yon-sama,' name for Bae Yong Jun, are counted as the origin of the Korean Current hot wind.

It is to the degree that a press in Japan had reported that there created the word 'Winter Sonata divorce' indicating that the homemakers in 30~40th who lost their spirits to Yon-sama, would fight against their husband ending in the divorce.

Thanks to the 'Winter Sonata syndrome,' it seems that the scale of the release of the 'Scandal-The Love Story of Men & Women in Chosun' (Directed by Lee Jaeyong, Produced by Film Bom) slated for its opening on May 22, would increase in a large size from the original plan.

Although the CJ Entertainment, which is in charge of export to Japan, planned the opening scale of 100 nation-wide screens before Bae Yong Jun visited, it is now known that they increased the distribution scale to 150~200 screens as the 'Yon-sama syndrome' started blowing.