Two popular actresses from South Korea, left, and from Japan meet with Prime Minister Koizumi as good will ambassadors. (Jiji) MY NEIGHBOR, MY FRIEND: Japanese and South Koreans Get to Know Each Other Better March 14, 2002 Recently Japanese and South Koreans have been getting better acquainted with each other's cultures. Japanese people have been enjoying megahit Korean movies like Shiri (released in Japan as Shuri) and shopping at Korean-style marketplaces. People in South Korea, meanwhile, have been watching award-winning Japanese films like Hanabi, and many of that nation's young people are coming to Japan to study. Personal interchanges are growing, and the upcoming 2002 FIFA World Cup will provide an opportunity for many more. The spirit surrounding the World Cup is embodied by its official theme song: "Let's Get Together Now" is a collaborative effort between Korean and Japanese musicians and went on sale on March 13. Popular Actresses Lend Their Prestige One factor behind the increasing cultural exchanges is the World Cup, which will be cohosted by Japan and South Korea. The leaders of the two nations officially agreed in 1999 to use the sporting event, which will run from May 31 to June 30, as an opportunity to boost ties between the two neighboring countries and designated 2002 as the Year of Japan-Republic of Korea National Exchange. Popular actresses Norika Fujiwara of Japan and Kim Yun-jin of South Korea (who was the star in Shiri) have been chosen as goodwill ambassadors for this year of cultural exchange. The two actresses met with President Kim Dae-jung in Seoul on January 21 and with Prime Minister Jun'ichiro Koizumi in Tokyo on January 22. These visits were widely reported by the press, fueling the momentum of this year of exchange. Cultural exchanges via soccer are not just limited to the World Cup; elementary- and middle-school students in the two nations have recently been participating in their own international soccer matches. It seems as though sports is a valuable method of fostering greater understanding between cultures. Collaboration on Movies and TV Dramas Other examples of cultural exchanges taking place include art, music, movies, and theater. A television drama called "Friends" was produced jointly by a Japanese TV station and a South Korean TV station. The theme of the drama was "love that can transcend the two countries' borders," and it featured top Korean star Won Bin (site is Korean only) and Japan's Kyoko Fukada (site is Japanese only), a rising young actress. The drama was aired in Japan on February 4 and 5 in Korea on February 15 and 16, and it attracted a great many viewers due to the unusual nature of its joint production. The show is also slated to air in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. In addition to Fukada in "Friends," more and more TV personalities are crossing the Sea of Japan to appear in TV shows in the other country.   Your Name What did you think of this article? It was interesting. It was boring. Send this article to a friend Trends in Japan Home Another collaborative effort that has proved to be quite popular is the movie Seoul, which was released in Japan on February 9. The director of the movie was Japanese, but the director of the action scenes was Korean. Sound, lighting, visuals, and special effects all employed a mixed crew. In the story, a detective from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has escorted a fugitive from South Korea back to Seoul. On his way to the airport to return to Japan, he becomes caught up in a series of events that begins with the robbery of an armored car. The action scenes in the movie earned rave reviews for their realism. Other movies produced jointly between the two countries will be released in the future. Music and History Also Playing a Role Two new operas, one to be performed in Tokyo and one in Yokohama, are based on Chunhyangjun, an eighteenth-century Korean love story. The one in Tokyo will be performed at Shinjuku Bunka Center on June 21 and 22 and will be cosponsored by South Korea's Beseto Opera Company and the Citizenry of Tokyo Opera Society. The show will feature a Korean cast on the first day and a Japanese one on the second day, but the chorus will be mixed for both shows. Interestingly, all the cast members will use the Korean language. History fans, meanwhile, are awaiting the historical reenactment of Korean envoys to Japan. Between 1607 and 1811 Korea's kings dispatched 12 envoys to Japan's ruling Tokugawa shogunate. While the envoys were mainly sent to celebrate the succession of each new shogun, it is also said that they took note of Japan's internal conditions. Each was accompanied by a retinue of 300-500 people. The groups traveled from Korea to Osaka by sea and then headed east overland. Because the dispatch and reception of these envoys were actions on which both countries had staked their prestige, it is said that the receptions held by the Japanese side were grand and lavish. Those interested in this period of history are excitedly awaiting the recreation of these events. Copyright (c) 2002 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.