A Bae Yong-joon wave is sweeping Japan. About 5,000 female fans crowded Haneda Airport Saturday to catch a glimpse of the leading Korean actor and star of the popular drama ¡°Winter Sonata.¡± His appearance even led to delays of buses connecting the international and domestic lines and ended up inconveniencing passengers.

The airport terminal was packed with middle-aged women, many of whom had waited from a day earlier, and two hours before Bae¡¯s scheduled arrival the entrances to the airport were clogged with some 3,000 fans.

When Bae appeared in the lobby dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses, Haneda airport was filled with the cheers of Bae¡¯s Japanese nickname ¡°Yong sama.¡± Some fans were overwhelmed by the event and needed medical attention.

Reporters struggled for access to the star and most newspapers emphasized Bae¡¯s visit. The Mainichi Shimbun and Tokyo Shimbun even carried the story on the front page.

An airport official said, ¡°This is the biggest crowd in the airport terminal ever since its establishment in 1998. It proves that Bae¡¯s popularity exceeds all other Hollywood stars.¡±

Bae conveyed his impressions by saying, ¡°I cannot breathe with all the enthusiasm of the fans. I can easily see their sincerity.¡±

Bae will be in Japan until Thursday, carrying out a publicity tour for his movie ¡°Scandal,¡± which is to be released in May.

(Jung Kwon-hyun, khjung@chosun.com )

Updated Apr.5,2004 16:26 KST, Chosun Ilbo