entertainment

Korean TV drama DVD rentals exceed Hollywood, Japanese films

31 Comments

The number of Korean TV drama rentals in July was 12.51 million rentals which exceeded rentals of Hollywood and Japanese films, said Culture Convenience Club Co, which operates Tsutaya, Japan's largest shared DVD, CD and bookstore.

Korean TV dramas are especially popular among young women, Culture Convenience Club Co said in a press release. "Sung Kyunkwan Scandal" and "He's Beautiful" are the two most popular Korean TV drama titles.

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So what's all this about the Korean Wave being media fabricated then, hmmm?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

So I guess this article is saying that Korean TV dramas are popular. Isn't this an already established fact?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

really? Why is it every tsutaya I visit is so full of Korean drama but nobody is borrowing? I mean its 100 yen for each on special days... propaganda at its best...

I remember a Korean talent or whatever recently who arrived at Haneda with about 80 young girls waiting and then he said "ore dake miru" "uso ha daisuki" and they have a complete press and now with a commercial...anyway, it turned out that the girls were paid 2,000 Yen each, with lunch boxes, kits, and various items but well the TV station reported 800 girls were waiting for him. To get the picture, how many were waiting for Johnny Depp when he comes to Tokyo? 200. How many were waiting for the Japanese Womens team at the airport? less than 400

SO if you believe this reporting, go on.

Wondering whay there are no figures or sources?

-5 ( +3 / -7 )

the_sheriff: "So I guess this article is saying that Korean TV dramas are popular. Isn't this an already established fact?"

It is indeed, but what's NOT a well-established fact, and what some refuse to acknowledge, is that RENTALS of Korean movies/dramas have surpassed those of both domestic and Hollywood movies/dramas, which is a first, I believe.

Bring out the black trucks!!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hmmm. The demographic that watches Korean love stories (ladies in their 50s and 60s), corresponds with the demographic that hasn't yet figured out free downloading,...

Not so very surprising.

;-)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Hmmm. The demographic that watches Korean love stories (ladies in their 50s and 60s), corresponds with the demographic that hasn't yet figured out free downloading,...

Sono toori desu...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

mikihouse

Wondering whay there are no figures or sources?

Because you didn't post any. You yourself sure have a lot of far less believable things to say and you don't seem to need them much.

So was it 80 young women or 800?

Is your black van ready for the weekend? Surely this news deserves a loud, futile and infantile denial?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Oh, and mikihouse, the source is in the article. I guess you will be in front of the Culture Convenience Club Co. headquarters this weekend? Well, if you see a guy running away from your van with a pair of wire cutters, that would be me.

So are both that company and Tsutaya mostly Korean owned? Do tell! :)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

With all the crappy Hollywood movies out lately, this is not surprising at all.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

mikihouse: "Wondering whay there are no figures or sources?"

Easy enough to look up -- but we all know you simply don't want to acknowledge the facts. Where are your links to the mere 80 young ladies showing up to greet the 'whatever' you said arrived at Haneda, hmmm? Let me guess... you don't have it.

How about the THOUSANDS who show up all the time when other bands/TV stars arrive? You going to deny that as well?

Seriously, it's quite pathetic and sad to see people who get all upset over Korean celebrities taking the forefront in Japan... it smacks so much of insecurity that I genuinely feel sorry for such people, until they get into their black trucks and screech about how said Korean musicians/celebrities should go home because they are more popular than the local product! :)

Just because some Koreans are more popular here than domestic musicians/celebs, doesn't mean they are better people. Try to be more confident in yourself (and no, that does not mean be more nationalistic). 'Loving' your nation cannot be defined by the hatred of others, especially when there's zero reason for it besides insecurity and irrational feelings of inferiority.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

smithjapan,

do you understand Japanese and can you read the Japanese newspaper? I know you saw his face on the TV when FUJI TV was trying to sell his album and FUJI TV did had the whole week having his face on TV, guessed on almost all talk shows, even Music staion, mentioning how popular he is in Japan...so a news paper ran a questionnaire about him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moRaU4oH0Eo

and here

http://opinions.news.yahoo.co.jp/op?a=1173876-neta

...and yes BTW, his SINGLE DEBUT ALBUM was indefinitely postponed in Japan after

I don't hate Koreans, I hate manipulation

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

mikihouse, thanks for the link but I doubt they can read it (LOL). Yeah, I heard that news too, and I also dislike manipulation. 800 people wouldn't even fit into the lobby of Narita. That airport is tiny.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

mikihouse: "do you understand Japanese and can you read the Japanese newspaper?"

I understand Japanese just fine, and when I have time I do peruse one or two of the many papers out there.

"I know you saw his face on the TV when FUJI TV was trying to sell his album and FUJI TV did had the whole week having his face on TV,"

I actually don't watch TV, since most Japanese TV is garbage (admittedly I watch major sporting events like the Olympics or WC), so no, I don't know whom you are talking about, but I'll check the link. Regardless, you didn't adress the fact I pointed out that even if it WERE a mere 80, and they got paid to show up, that in the case of most other Korean groups/musicians/actors they are greeted with HUGE numbers of people, again, like with all the Obachan who went 'Beatle-Mania'-like on the Fuyu-no Sonata actor. You give one mere example out of MANY, while ignoring the many besides.

Anyway, fact of the matter remains -- Korean drama rentals are outweighing those of Hollywood movies/dramas and those of Japan (the latter, again, are more or less awful to begin with). And if you guys dislike manipulation, you REALLY have to hate a lot of what goes on in this nation in general, let alone the yakuza--I mean 'entertainment' industry. :)

So, 'bad' click me all you like for pointing out the facts; it doesn't change them.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

mikihouse: "really? Why is it every tsutaya I visit is so full of Korean drama but nobody is borrowing? I mean its 100 yen for each on special days... propaganda at its best..."

Sorry, had to come back to this as it still cracks me up... yeah, it's a JAPANESE chain that pumping Korean propoganda... hahaha!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

smithinjapanAug. 30, 2011 - 07:01PM JST ; Anyway, fact of the matter remains -- Korean drama rentals are outweighing those of Hollywood movies/dramas and those of Japan (the latter, again, are more or less awful to begin with). And if you guys dislike manipulation, you REALLY have to hate a lot of what goes on in this nation in general, let alone the yakuza--I mean 'entertainment' industry. :)

Here is the point the article only states films which I presume is only movies and not TV dramas. Manipulation? I really don't know but it sure leaves out a lot of details.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Mikihouse

I remember a Korean talent or whatever recently who arrived at Haneda with about 80 young girls waiting and then he said "ore dake miru" "uso ha daisuki" and they have a complete press and now with a commercial...anyway, it turned out that the girls were paid 2,000 Yen each, with lunch boxes, kits, and various items but well the TV station reported 800 girls were waiting for him. To get the picture, how many were waiting for Johnny Depp when he comes to Tokyo? 200. How many were waiting for the Japanese Womens team at the airport? less than 400

You do realize that that the story you are quoting is from a trashy tabloid(Cyzo)? The Korean talent you are referring to is Jang Geun Suk and you can find videos of the event you are talking about with way more than the 80 people you claim attended. I can’t believe anyone takes tabloids as seriously as you do. It’s a tabloid for petes sake, they make money by telling lies.

Are you really that bitter about the popularity of Korean culture? Why do you care? Its nothing more than dramas and music. Koreans don’t care about Japanese anime being popular with Korean 5 years old. The level of maturity between Korea and Japan is astonishing. You're just bitter that Japanese stars cannot attract a crowd in Korea or elsewhere. Go weep somewhere else.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

mikihouse, thanks for the link but I doubt they can read it (LOL). Yeah, I heard that news too, and I also dislike manipulation. 800 people wouldn't even fit into the lobby of Narita. That airport is tiny.

I hate manipulation as well. Like when Jpop band Arashi came to Korea and the Japanese media claimed over a two thousand fans showed up. When only around 150 did. Half of them were Japanese lol.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

How can people be obsessed by drama? Seriously...In Italy we haven't japanese/korean drama, but many south-american telenovelas and north-american soap-opera..I can't stand that kind of cliche and cheap plot =.= Drama are the same kind of product. Urgh. Oh, we have also Italian fiction and they are crap. Movies (of every nationality) are sooo better than soap opera, telenovelas, drama and fiction. ù.ù

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How can people be obsessed by drama?.....I can't stand that kind of cliche and cheap plot =.=

Alex80, Are you a 50-something housewife?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Alex80, completely agree with you and the telenovelas but those are not Korean dramas. They are really good nothing compared to all the American dramas. Can't watch those either.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Could the people renting them possibly not be smart enough to down load them for free?

Or maybe they do not have a real computer at home to do that?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Or maybe they do not have a real computer at home to do that?

Or maybe they want to collect a copy.

I always collect DVD copies of movies I REALLY like the most because I want a hard copy of it in my collection.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

SamuraiBlue: "Here is the point the article only states films which I presume is only movies and not TV dramas."

Are you serious? Here... let me quote from the article:

"The number of Korean TV drama rentals in July was 12.51 million rentals..."

See the fifth and sixth words of that sentence? That's the first line. The fifth and sixth words are also repeated later. True, it does say it surpassed the rental of Japanese and Hollywood 'films', as opposed to saying TV dramas, but that's even worse for the latter two industries! Simple Korean dramas trumping block-buster Hollywood flicks and recycled Kimura Takuya roles in domestic movies?

I do agree, though, that there's a lack of info, so while the stats may well include Western/Japanese dramas, they may well not. Can't say.

vg866: (to mikihouse) "You do realize that that the story you are quoting is from a trashy tabloid(Cyzo)?"

Good point!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The level of maturity between Korea and Japan is astonishing.

vg866, I agree wholeheartedly. Have you seen how Koreans protest in the streets? Totally immature and barbaric. Astonishing indeed.

http://www.who-sucks.com/people/the-exciting-world-of-south-korean-protests

2 ( +2 / -0 )

smithinjapanAug. 31, 2011 - 03:52PM JST; Simple Korean dramas trumping block-buster Hollywood flicks and recycled Kimura Takuya roles in domestic movies?

When you watch drama you tend to borrow the whole series comprised of dozens of disks while a movie will always be in one package so drama will always tend to be more in volume.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Whenever a Korean performer comes to Japan, rest assured that said visitor's success will also enhance the income of somebody in Japan. The Japanese entertainment business gets a cut. That's why Japanese media hype them as they hype Japanese performers. These are people selling products and it matters little what passport their product holds. Many of the Korean performers who reach Japan can perform in Japanese and English in addition to Korean. Since the Japanese market is much the larger, they are packaged to sell in Japan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That someone happens to be Fuji Pacific Music Inc.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@taj: I'm 30 :P @Foxie: I read some korean drama's plots...not my cup of tea, really. ^^"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I see, people still rent DVD. Kdramas nowadays aren't any good. But if there's a Park Yong Woo drama, I'll watch. I did just re-watch Hur Jun a few ago. It seems to be not as good the 2nd time around. So I'm done with Kdrama for now. Just started to re-watch Hotaru no Hikaru then I went back watching some Tony Leung Chiu Wai old dramas. It's really hard to find quality stuff nowadays.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

vg866, I agree wholeheartedly. Have you seen how Koreans protest in the streets? Totally immature and barbaric. Astonishing indeed.

http://www.who-sucks.com/people/the-exciting-world-of-south-korean-protests

Genjuro, What about how the Japanese protesting in the street about wanting Korean media out of Japan? I mean, in Japan people actually hold protests about these things! How barbaric and immature. Korean media is in Japan ONLY because Japanese demand it. If they have such big issues with it, then dont watch it, simple as that. But Japanese media cant produce anything on par with Korean TV, so they continue to watch it. Oh, and they also hold protests about THEMSELVES watching it! Ha

http://www.itondo.com/japanese-hold-anti-korean-wave-protest/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan suffers from a somewhat sicko, love-hate relationship with Korea and its culture and people. On one hand, the Japanese swoon over the mystifying attractions of stars like the soda cracker "Yon sama", while in the same breath 5,000 people hit the streets in demonstrations against Fuji TV for over-airing Korean pop dramas. I think Japan unwisely fears Korea's ascendancy - even over that of the vastly more threatening China - as if it were Korea, and not Japan, that colonized the country not so long ago and terrorized its people.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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