Actors Yutaka Matsushige, left, and Yoo Jae-myung in a scene from the upcoming Japanese film “The Solitary Gourmet” / Courtesy of Media Castle
By Baek Byung-yeul
A diverse lineup of Japanese films is set to hit Korean theaters this month, covering a wide spectrum of genres that range from romance and drama to thrilling suspense. While Japanese films rarely achieve explosive box office success in Korea, their various offerings continue to draw Korean moviegoers, providing them with more choices.
"Japanese films may not feature Hollywood-style blockbusters, but their diversity in genre is remarkable. With more Koreans becoming familiar with Japanese culture through frequent travel, we expect to see even more Japanese films released here this year," an official from the Korean film industry said Tuesday.
Among the upcoming releases this month, "The Solitary Gourmet," slated for March 19, is expected to draw significant attention.
Based on the popular Japanese TV series of the same name, it follows Goro Inogashira (Yutaka Matsushige), a company worker who travels across Japan and discovers hidden gems of local cuisine.
The series, which first aired in 2012, gained immense popularity not only in Japan but also in Korea. Matsushige reprises his role in the movie version, which he also directed and co-wrote. Adding to the excitement, Korean actor Yoo Jae-myung will appear alongside Goro to share a meal.
Another notable release is “Teasing Master Takagi-san,” a romantic coming-of-age drama arriving in theaters on Wednesday. The film, based on the bestselling manga that sold over 12 million copies, features popular actors Nagano Mei, Takahashi Fumiya and Kurokawa Soya.
Actors Hikari Mitsushima, right, and Masaki Okada in a scene from the upcoming Japanese film “Last Mile” / Courtesy of Korea Box Office Information System
On March 26, “Last Mile," a suspense thriller about a series of mysterious bombings linked to deliveries from an online shopping site, will premiere.
This film shares its universe with the hit 2018 Japanese TV series “Unnatural” and the 2020 series “MIU404," making it highly anticipated among fans of Japanese dramas. Released in Japan last year, it attracted over 4.14 million viewers and topped the box office for five consecutive weeks.
According to the Korea Box Office Information System, three Japanese films are currently ranked in the top 20 as of Monday. They are “The Supernatural Sweetshop The Movie” at 10th place, “1st Kiss” at 11th and the animated feature “Crayon Shinchan The Movie: Our Dinosaur Diary” at 19th.
Among them, the romance film “1st Kiss,” which opened on Feb. 26, has drawn steady interest, attracting 32,752 viewers within six days of release.
This romantic time-slip film centers on Kanna Suzuri (Takako Matsu), who tragically loses her husband Kakeru Suzuri (Hokuto Matsumura) after 15 years of marriage. Although their once-passionate relationship had grown cold over time, Kanna stumbles upon an unexpected opportunity to travel back to the year they first met, giving her a chance to rediscover their love and rewrite their story.
Yuji Sakamoto, the writer who won the Best Screenplay award at the 76th Cannes Film Festival for the 2023 film “Monster,” observed that as film enthusiasts in both Korea and Japan develop a taste for each other's cinematic creations, creative exchanges between the two nations are also on the rise, effectively bridging the cultural gap.
"I am a great admirer of Korean works ... I hope we can foster even closer ties," Sakamoto shared with Korean reporters in an email interview for his film "1st Kiss” on Feb. 25.
Discussing potential collaborations, he added, "I have had the privilege of collaborating with outstanding Korean creators thus far ... Given my experience in Japan, I would be delighted to serve as a bridge between Korean and Japanese creators, particularly for the younger generation."
English (United States) ·