Japanese Entertainment News
Started by bmwracer · 25 Feb 2004 · 3,505 replies
Japanese Entertainment
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November 10, 2004
Olympic judoist Inoue Kosei (26) has been romantically linked with pin-up girl Higashihara Aki (photo, 21). The two met in the summer of 2003 when Inoue was a guest on the popular Fuji TV fighting sports show "SRS", for which Higashihara is the "visual queen." She made her debut as a campaign girl for Asahi Beer. Inoue was a hot favorite for a gold medal in the 100kg class at the Athens Olympics, but was one the few Japanese judoists to come home empty handed. • Kano Mika (36) has made her singing debut. One half of the "gorgeous" Kano Sisters, she is now calling herself Super Beauty Mikarin and teams up with the Cutey Monsters on a CD whose title is "cute" beyond belief - or translation. She has recently been appearing in CG form on a popular kids program, from which the song originated. Her dance moves in the promo video were choreographed by Papaya Suzuki.
November 10, 2004
Olympic judoist Inoue Kosei (26) has been romantically linked with pin-up girl Higashihara Aki (photo, 21). The two met in the summer of 2003 when Inoue was a guest on the popular Fuji TV fighting sports show "SRS", for which Higashihara is the "visual queen." She made her debut as a campaign girl for Asahi Beer. Inoue was a hot favorite for a gold medal in the 100kg class at the Athens Olympics, but was one the few Japanese judoists to come home empty handed. • Kano Mika (36) has made her singing debut. One half of the "gorgeous" Kano Sisters, she is now calling herself Super Beauty Mikarin and teams up with the Cutey Monsters on a CD whose title is "cute" beyond belief - or translation. She has recently been appearing in CG form on a popular kids program, from which the song originated. Her dance moves in the promo video were choreographed by Papaya Suzuki.
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November 11, 2004
Comedian Tokoro Joji (49) has been fined for speeding on the Wangan Expressway in Tokyo. He says he is normally a safe driver but went 50kph over the 80kph limit because he was late for work. • Actress Mifune Mika (22) has given birth to a baby girl. The daughter of the late screen legend Mifune Toshiro has been married to rock singer Takahashi Joji (46) for more than six years. They have named the baby Renon, because it sounds like Lennon (as in John). • Nippon Ham outfielder Shinjo Tsuyoshi (32), who had a brief career in the major leagues, attended his first Hollywood movie premier on Tuesday. The Disney action-adventure flick National Treasure opened at the Pasedena Civic Auditorium and Shinjo was there with his wife Shiho (33), a former TV personality. • Production has started in Thailand on the new movie starring Yagira Yuya (14), who won the best actor award at this year's Canne Film Festival. In "Hoshi ni Natta Shonen" (Little Randy and Shining Boy), he plays an elephant herder. His mother will be played by actress Tokiwa Takako (32). The movie is scheduled to open next summer.
November 11, 2004
Comedian Tokoro Joji (49) has been fined for speeding on the Wangan Expressway in Tokyo. He says he is normally a safe driver but went 50kph over the 80kph limit because he was late for work. • Actress Mifune Mika (22) has given birth to a baby girl. The daughter of the late screen legend Mifune Toshiro has been married to rock singer Takahashi Joji (46) for more than six years. They have named the baby Renon, because it sounds like Lennon (as in John). • Nippon Ham outfielder Shinjo Tsuyoshi (32), who had a brief career in the major leagues, attended his first Hollywood movie premier on Tuesday. The Disney action-adventure flick National Treasure opened at the Pasedena Civic Auditorium and Shinjo was there with his wife Shiho (33), a former TV personality. • Production has started in Thailand on the new movie starring Yagira Yuya (14), who won the best actor award at this year's Canne Film Festival. In "Hoshi ni Natta Shonen" (Little Randy and Shining Boy), he plays an elephant herder. His mother will be played by actress Tokiwa Takako (32). The movie is scheduled to open next summer.
bmwracer wrote:More entertainment news from Japan-zone.com - Your Guide to Japan and Japanese Culture: :D
November 11, 2004
• Nippon Ham outfielder Shinjo Tsuyoshi (32), who had a brief career in the major leagues, attended his first Hollywood movie premier on Tuesday. The Disney action-adventure flick National Treasure opened at the Pasedena Civic Auditorium and Shinjo was there with his wife Shiho (33), a former TV personality.
Aaagh. If only Shinjo could hit. He played stellar defense and had a cannon for an arm, not to mention great speed on the bases. The Giants needed him... but he couldn't adjust to breaking balls in MLB. :banghead:
-PCM
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November 12, 2004
Things are gearing up for Christmas already. Pin-up girl turned TV personality Megumi (photo, 23) has been chosen as the celeb for a 24-hour Nippon Housou charity radio show on Christmas Eve. She did a promo event for the show dressed in a suitably revealing Santa suit. • The emcees have been named for this year's NHK "Kohaku Uta Gassen" (Red-White Song Contest) spectacle on New Year's Eve. The show will be hosted by "Saturday Sports" presenter Horio Masaaki (49); the White team will be presented by Abe Wataru (37) and the Red team by Ono Fumie (36). It's the fourth year in a row that the jobs have both gone to NHK presenters. The show which in the past was the main event in the nation on New Year's Eve has seen rapidly falling audience ratings. Organizers will be hoping for some prize names to add to this year's lineup to try and salvage the show from the record low figures of recent years.
November 12, 2004
Things are gearing up for Christmas already. Pin-up girl turned TV personality Megumi (photo, 23) has been chosen as the celeb for a 24-hour Nippon Housou charity radio show on Christmas Eve. She did a promo event for the show dressed in a suitably revealing Santa suit. • The emcees have been named for this year's NHK "Kohaku Uta Gassen" (Red-White Song Contest) spectacle on New Year's Eve. The show will be hosted by "Saturday Sports" presenter Horio Masaaki (49); the White team will be presented by Abe Wataru (37) and the Red team by Ono Fumie (36). It's the fourth year in a row that the jobs have both gone to NHK presenters. The show which in the past was the main event in the nation on New Year's Eve has seen rapidly falling audience ratings. Organizers will be hoping for some prize names to add to this year's lineup to try and salvage the show from the record low figures of recent years.
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November 13, 2004
The latest trial of Tashiro Masashi (48) started yesterday. He is being tried on charges of marijuana and amphetamine use while on probation for an earlier drug offense. He was arrested in September while driving in Tokyo with a woman named as Fukui Setsuko (38). She claimed he convinced her that sex would be better on drugs and that she hadn't been able to refuse for fear of angering him. The former musician and variety show star has seen his life fall apart in the last few years. It started when he was caught filming up a woman's skirt at a train station in 2000. He was later arrested for peeping into a man's bathroom and again for drug possession. He was given a 2-year sentence, suspended for 3 years, in 2002. In the meantime, he also caused a traffic accident in June. He is expected to have to serve a prison sentence this time around.
November 13, 2004
The latest trial of Tashiro Masashi (48) started yesterday. He is being tried on charges of marijuana and amphetamine use while on probation for an earlier drug offense. He was arrested in September while driving in Tokyo with a woman named as Fukui Setsuko (38). She claimed he convinced her that sex would be better on drugs and that she hadn't been able to refuse for fear of angering him. The former musician and variety show star has seen his life fall apart in the last few years. It started when he was caught filming up a woman's skirt at a train station in 2000. He was later arrested for peeping into a man's bathroom and again for drug possession. He was given a 2-year sentence, suspended for 3 years, in 2002. In the meantime, he also caused a traffic accident in June. He is expected to have to serve a prison sentence this time around.
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November 15, 2004
Producers of the movie "Toukou no Ki" held a press conference to discuss recent revelations of threats from actor Hagiwara Kenichi (54). Hagiwara, known by the nickname "Shoken," was originally cast to play the lead in the movie, but after problems during filming in August 2003, he was removed and replaced with Nagashima Toshiyuki. Contracted to work 8-hour days, Hagiwara's behavior had been "abberant": his speaking voice was shrill, he shouted at director Negishi Yoshitaro and co-star Akiyoshi Kumiko, and even hit an assistant director. Staff were said to have been scared to work with him. He is said to have telephoned producer Okada Yutaka - it was to be their third film together - in June of this year and demanded that he be paid his \15 million appearance fee in full, threatening to disrupt the film's release. At an unrelated press conference last month after he caused a traffic accident, Hagiwara denied having made the call. But a recording exists and producers have filed a criminal case against him.
November 15, 2004
Producers of the movie "Toukou no Ki" held a press conference to discuss recent revelations of threats from actor Hagiwara Kenichi (54). Hagiwara, known by the nickname "Shoken," was originally cast to play the lead in the movie, but after problems during filming in August 2003, he was removed and replaced with Nagashima Toshiyuki. Contracted to work 8-hour days, Hagiwara's behavior had been "abberant": his speaking voice was shrill, he shouted at director Negishi Yoshitaro and co-star Akiyoshi Kumiko, and even hit an assistant director. Staff were said to have been scared to work with him. He is said to have telephoned producer Okada Yutaka - it was to be their third film together - in June of this year and demanded that he be paid his \15 million appearance fee in full, threatening to disrupt the film's release. At an unrelated press conference last month after he caused a traffic accident, Hagiwara denied having made the call. But a recording exists and producers have filed a criminal case against him.
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November 16, 2004
Korean soap opera star Bae Yong Joon (32), known in Japan simply as "Yon-sama," is rumored to have broken up with his "cho bikei" (extremely beautiful) girlfriend. The reason cited by a Korean sports newspaper was his extremely busy schedule, not only in his home country but also in Japan, where he is the most visible face of the current Korean boom. • Minor actors Kawano Taro (44) and Ikuina Akiko (36) received equally minor injuries in a traffic accident yesterday. They were returning from a location in Yamaguchi prefecture by taxi van when the accident happened. • Actor Ogishima Shinichi died of cancer at a Tokyo hospital last Thursday. He was 58. His final performance was as a guest star in a "Mito Komon" episode last November.
November 16, 2004
Korean soap opera star Bae Yong Joon (32), known in Japan simply as "Yon-sama," is rumored to have broken up with his "cho bikei" (extremely beautiful) girlfriend. The reason cited by a Korean sports newspaper was his extremely busy schedule, not only in his home country but also in Japan, where he is the most visible face of the current Korean boom. • Minor actors Kawano Taro (44) and Ikuina Akiko (36) received equally minor injuries in a traffic accident yesterday. They were returning from a location in Yamaguchi prefecture by taxi van when the accident happened. • Actor Ogishima Shinichi died of cancer at a Tokyo hospital last Thursday. He was 58. His final performance was as a guest star in a "Mito Komon" episode last November.
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November 17, 2004
Former Diet member Nakamura Atsuo (64) is to return to his acting roots. The man that many know simply as "Monjiro", after a TV character he made famous in the 1970s, will play legendary samurai Takeda Shingen in an upcoming TV Tokyo period drama. The 10-hour show "Kunitori Monogatari" will air on January 2. It's been six years since Nakamura did any acting, when he appeared as a ninja in the 1998 Fuji TV-backed movie "Fukuro no Shiro." He is best known in the west as the star of the 1970s TV series "The Water Margin." He was elected to the House of Councillors in 1998 but dropped out of politics after failing in a re-election bid this year.
November 17, 2004
Former Diet member Nakamura Atsuo (64) is to return to his acting roots. The man that many know simply as "Monjiro", after a TV character he made famous in the 1970s, will play legendary samurai Takeda Shingen in an upcoming TV Tokyo period drama. The 10-hour show "Kunitori Monogatari" will air on January 2. It's been six years since Nakamura did any acting, when he appeared as a ninja in the 1998 Fuji TV-backed movie "Fukuro no Shiro." He is best known in the west as the star of the 1970s TV series "The Water Margin." He was elected to the House of Councillors in 1998 but dropped out of politics after failing in a re-election bid this year.
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November 18, 2004
Child actors currently banned from working after 8 p.m. will be allowed to appear on stage up to one hour later from January, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. A panel appointed by ministry officials agreed to the change because child actors have been prevented from appearing in curtain calls, and older actors were forced to take their parts because of the 8 p.m. deadline. Children working on TV programs or in movies, however, will still be limited by the 8 p.m. limit. • Ishihara Makiko (71), widow of the screen legend Ishihara Yujiro (photo), said she was moved to tears by the new TV Asahi biographic series on her late husband. She herself is portrayed by actress Matsuzaka Keiko, while Miura Tomokazu takes on the role of her late husband in middle age. Ishihara died in 1987 of cancer at the age of 52. The series, titled "Ototo" (Younger Brother), started tonight and runs for five nights. It is narrated in the voice of Yujiro's elder brother, Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro. • Haida Rumihiko (50), son of the late singer Haida Katsuhiko, has been arrested for helping two Czech women gets jobs as bar hostesses without valid visas. He arranged jobs for the two 21-year olds in the Kabukicho entertainment district of Tokyo.
November 18, 2004
Child actors currently banned from working after 8 p.m. will be allowed to appear on stage up to one hour later from January, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. A panel appointed by ministry officials agreed to the change because child actors have been prevented from appearing in curtain calls, and older actors were forced to take their parts because of the 8 p.m. deadline. Children working on TV programs or in movies, however, will still be limited by the 8 p.m. limit. • Ishihara Makiko (71), widow of the screen legend Ishihara Yujiro (photo), said she was moved to tears by the new TV Asahi biographic series on her late husband. She herself is portrayed by actress Matsuzaka Keiko, while Miura Tomokazu takes on the role of her late husband in middle age. Ishihara died in 1987 of cancer at the age of 52. The series, titled "Ototo" (Younger Brother), started tonight and runs for five nights. It is narrated in the voice of Yujiro's elder brother, Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro. • Haida Rumihiko (50), son of the late singer Haida Katsuhiko, has been arrested for helping two Czech women gets jobs as bar hostesses without valid visas. He arranged jobs for the two 21-year olds in the Kabukicho entertainment district of Tokyo.
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November 19, 2004
The latest idea for reviving the flagging fortunes of the Kohaku Uta Gassen, NHK's New Year's Eve song special, is to go Korean. With the Korean boom still going strong, the network is negotiating to get such stars as heart-throbs Bae Yong Joon (32) and Lee Byung Hun (34) and actress Choi Ji Woo (photo, 29) to boost its lineup. Bae, known as "Yon-sama," in particular is a firm housewives' favorite, while Lee is currently the most popular among young women. • Comedian and emcee Shimada Shinsuke (48) continues to be kept off the airwaves following his assault on a female Yoshimoto staff member last month. In his place, mostly fellow Yoshimoto veterans such as comedy duo Downtown will host this year's remaining shows on NTV, Yomiuri TV and Fuji TV. Shimada is/was a regular host of eight TV shows.
November 19, 2004
The latest idea for reviving the flagging fortunes of the Kohaku Uta Gassen, NHK's New Year's Eve song special, is to go Korean. With the Korean boom still going strong, the network is negotiating to get such stars as heart-throbs Bae Yong Joon (32) and Lee Byung Hun (34) and actress Choi Ji Woo (photo, 29) to boost its lineup. Bae, known as "Yon-sama," in particular is a firm housewives' favorite, while Lee is currently the most popular among young women. • Comedian and emcee Shimada Shinsuke (48) continues to be kept off the airwaves following his assault on a female Yoshimoto staff member last month. In his place, mostly fellow Yoshimoto veterans such as comedy duo Downtown will host this year's remaining shows on NTV, Yomiuri TV and Fuji TV. Shimada is/was a regular host of eight TV shows.
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November 20, 2004
Veteran actress Shirakawa Yumi (68) was hospitalized yesterday after falling out of her bed while asleep. The wife of actor Nitani Hideaki (73) is said to have suffered injuries to her shoulder and cervical vertebrae. • Young talento Kato Rosa (photo, 19) denied she was romantically involved with popular actor Tamaki Hiroshi (24). She denied the romance, reported in a women's weekly magazine, while at a ceremony to light up a giant Christmas tree under Tokyo Tower. Christmas is a time when singles are expected to go out on dates and rumors of romance usually abound. Born in Naples, Kato is an up and coming model and actress and is perhaps best known as the face of the bridal magazine Zekushi. She is also a regular on NHK's Italian language study program.
November 20, 2004
Veteran actress Shirakawa Yumi (68) was hospitalized yesterday after falling out of her bed while asleep. The wife of actor Nitani Hideaki (73) is said to have suffered injuries to her shoulder and cervical vertebrae. • Young talento Kato Rosa (photo, 19) denied she was romantically involved with popular actor Tamaki Hiroshi (24). She denied the romance, reported in a women's weekly magazine, while at a ceremony to light up a giant Christmas tree under Tokyo Tower. Christmas is a time when singles are expected to go out on dates and rumors of romance usually abound. Born in Naples, Kato is an up and coming model and actress and is perhaps best known as the face of the bridal magazine Zekushi. She is also a regular on NHK's Italian language study program.
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November 22, 2004
The voice actors who do the main parts for the ever-popular children's anime Doraemon are all to retire over the next few months. With all five being in their late 60s - one is even 70 - they've decided to step aside after 25 years and make way for a younger generation of actors. The voice of the the robot cat himself is provided by actress Oyama Nobuyo (68). The weekly animation series is based around the adventures of lazy elementary school student Nobita and his friend Doraemon, a time-traveling robot cat created by the future Nobita to look after his hapless earlier self. Doraemon's many special gifts include a "dokodemo-door" which can open to anywhere in the world, and a "take-copter" bamboo device that fixes to the head and allows the characters to fly.
November 22, 2004
The voice actors who do the main parts for the ever-popular children's anime Doraemon are all to retire over the next few months. With all five being in their late 60s - one is even 70 - they've decided to step aside after 25 years and make way for a younger generation of actors. The voice of the the robot cat himself is provided by actress Oyama Nobuyo (68). The weekly animation series is based around the adventures of lazy elementary school student Nobita and his friend Doraemon, a time-traveling robot cat created by the future Nobita to look after his hapless earlier self. Doraemon's many special gifts include a "dokodemo-door" which can open to anywhere in the world, and a "take-copter" bamboo device that fixes to the head and allows the characters to fly.
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November 23, 2004
Today is the Kinrou Kansha no Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) national holiday
The latest Miyazaki Hayao-directed anime feature, "Hauru no Ugoku Shiro" (Howl's Moving Castle), opened at a record 448 cinemas across Japan at the weekend and is already predicted to break the box office record set in 2001 by Miyazaki's previous hit, the Oscar-winning "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" (Spirited Away). The number of screens showing the movie is exactly a third more than the 336 that "Sen to..." opened on, and that movie made over \30 billion. "Hauru..." is scheduled to open in Korea on December 24, France on January 12, Taiwan on February 5, and Hong Kong on March 17. Negotiations are underway for the U.S. version and the dubbing is likely to feature some top Hollywood names. • Talento Carousel Maki celebrated her first birthday as a woman on Sunday. Her actual 62nd birthday is the 26th, but Sunday's party saw over 150 gays, "new half," and drag queens from across the country gather for the celebration.
November 23, 2004
Today is the Kinrou Kansha no Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) national holiday
The latest Miyazaki Hayao-directed anime feature, "Hauru no Ugoku Shiro" (Howl's Moving Castle), opened at a record 448 cinemas across Japan at the weekend and is already predicted to break the box office record set in 2001 by Miyazaki's previous hit, the Oscar-winning "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" (Spirited Away). The number of screens showing the movie is exactly a third more than the 336 that "Sen to..." opened on, and that movie made over \30 billion. "Hauru..." is scheduled to open in Korea on December 24, France on January 12, Taiwan on February 5, and Hong Kong on March 17. Negotiations are underway for the U.S. version and the dubbing is likely to feature some top Hollywood names. • Talento Carousel Maki celebrated her first birthday as a woman on Sunday. Her actual 62nd birthday is the 26th, but Sunday's party saw over 150 gays, "new half," and drag queens from across the country gather for the celebration.
whoo-hoo i cant wait! but i really wish they would pick some nice voice actors.. i didnt like the remastered version of laputa/castle in the sky..
bmwracer wrote:More entertainment news from Japan-zone.com - Your Guide to Japan and Japanese Culture: :D
November 23, 2004
Today is the Kinrou Kansha no Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) national holiday
The latest Miyazaki Hayao-directed anime feature, "Hauru no Ugoku Shiro" (Howl's Moving Castle), opened at a record 448 cinemas across Japan at the weekend and is already predicted to break the box office record set in 2001 by Miyazaki's previous hit, the Oscar-winning "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" (Spirited Away). The number of screens showing the movie is exactly a third more than the 336 that "Sen to..." opened on, and that movie made over \30 billion. "Hauru..." is scheduled to open in Korea on December 24, France on January 12, Taiwan on February 5, and Hong Kong on March 17. Negotiations are underway for the U.S. version and the dubbing is likely to feature some top Hollywood names. • Talento Carousel Maki celebrated her first birthday as a woman on Sunday. Her actual 62nd birthday is the 26th, but Sunday's party saw over 150 gays, "new half," and drag queens from across the country gather for the celebration.
Excellent. I hope when they do dub it they will include the original voices and subs as an option for the DVD release. I worry when they say they are looking for top Hollywood names. Sometimes they get so caught up in the name they don't match it well with the character. Should be really good though!!!
Doramafan113 wrote:Excellent. I hope when they do dub it they will include the original voices and subs as an option for the DVD release. I worry when they say they are looking for top Hollywood names. Sometimes they get so caught up in the name they don't match it well with the character. Should be really good though!!!
No subs for me. Well done english subtitles will do just fine. :D
More entertainment news from Japan-zone.com - Your Guide to Japan and Japanese Culture: :D
November 24, 2004
"Howl's Moving Castle" has got off to a great start at the box office. The latest anime feature from Miyazaki Hayao (63) grossed a full 40% more in its opening weekend than his previous hit "Spirited Away." (2001), the box-office record holder. It was seen by 1.1 million people and brought in \1.5 billion over the opening two days. It continues a trend of growing popularity with every film turned out by Studio Ghibli. • "Naruhodo Za Waarudo" (Discovering the World) is to make a brief comeback. Fuji TV will air a New Year's special of the show which ran for 15 years until 1996. Original presenters Aikawa Tetsuya and Kusuta Eriko will be replaced by comedy duo Bakusho Mondai. • Actor Sakai Toshiya (45) revealed on a variety show last night that he recently divorced. He meekly made his admission on the "Odoru Odoru Sanma Goten" hosted by his friend, comedian Akashiya Sanma (48). He and his wife were in their tenth year of marriage and were considered an ideal couple.
November 24, 2004
"Howl's Moving Castle" has got off to a great start at the box office. The latest anime feature from Miyazaki Hayao (63) grossed a full 40% more in its opening weekend than his previous hit "Spirited Away." (2001), the box-office record holder. It was seen by 1.1 million people and brought in \1.5 billion over the opening two days. It continues a trend of growing popularity with every film turned out by Studio Ghibli. • "Naruhodo Za Waarudo" (Discovering the World) is to make a brief comeback. Fuji TV will air a New Year's special of the show which ran for 15 years until 1996. Original presenters Aikawa Tetsuya and Kusuta Eriko will be replaced by comedy duo Bakusho Mondai. • Actor Sakai Toshiya (45) revealed on a variety show last night that he recently divorced. He meekly made his admission on the "Odoru Odoru Sanma Goten" hosted by his friend, comedian Akashiya Sanma (48). He and his wife were in their tenth year of marriage and were considered an ideal couple.
More entertainment news from Japan-zone.com - Your Guide to Japan and Japanese Culture: :D
November 26, 2004
More than 3,500 screaming female fans turned out at Narita airport to welcome the biggest foreign celebrity in town. But the average age of the women was probably mid-30s to 40s, and the celeb in question was Korean soap opera star Bae Yong Joon (32). Several TV networks even aired the arrival of "Yon-sama" live, such is his celebrity status these days following the huge popularity of the series "Winter Sonata". Several hundred fans "abandoned their families" to spend the night at the airport to get the closest possible glimpse of the 'idol,' who has insured himself for \1 billion in case of injury in the melee everywhere he goes. About 420 police, including 70 anti-riot squad members, were mobilized to control hysterical fans. • And speaking of celebrities with an inexplicable fan base, a diamond-studded platinum Hello Kitty has sold for \10.5 million yen. The special edition of the hugely popular character was created to celebrate its 30th anniversary. It was sold to a customer at the Mitsukoshi department store in Osaka, after touring the country for the last few months.
November 26, 2004
More than 3,500 screaming female fans turned out at Narita airport to welcome the biggest foreign celebrity in town. But the average age of the women was probably mid-30s to 40s, and the celeb in question was Korean soap opera star Bae Yong Joon (32). Several TV networks even aired the arrival of "Yon-sama" live, such is his celebrity status these days following the huge popularity of the series "Winter Sonata". Several hundred fans "abandoned their families" to spend the night at the airport to get the closest possible glimpse of the 'idol,' who has insured himself for \1 billion in case of injury in the melee everywhere he goes. About 420 police, including 70 anti-riot squad members, were mobilized to control hysterical fans. • And speaking of celebrities with an inexplicable fan base, a diamond-studded platinum Hello Kitty has sold for \10.5 million yen. The special edition of the hugely popular character was created to celebrate its 30th anniversary. It was sold to a customer at the Mitsukoshi department store in Osaka, after touring the country for the last few months.
![[image]](http://www.flyingbox.co.jp/new-web/fb/FBdata/hazuki.jpg){kind=link}
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