'Winter Sonata' to be released as film in Japan next year

The iconic drama 'Winter Sonata,' which fueled the Korean Wave in the 2000s, will be adapted into a theatrical film and released in Japan.

Pan Entertainment, the production company behind 'Winter Sonata', announced on Monday, "We decided to make it into a film after receiving continuous requests from Japanese distributors and viewers to produce it in celebration of the drama's 20th anniversary (2023) in Japan," adding, "We are currently editing it to release it in Japan in the winter of 2025."

The drama, starring Choi Ji-woo and Bae Yong-joon, originally aired on KBS 2TV in 2002 and was broadcast on NHK in Japan the following year under the title 'Winter Sonata.’ It generated widespread excitement and ignited a Korean Wave craze in Japan. The film version will enhance the original's picture quality to 4K and offer a refreshed experience through color correction. Additionally, the soundtrack will be rearranged and re-recorded in an orchestral style. Director Yoon Seok-ho, who directed the original series, will oversee film production.


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