Miho Nakayama in a scene from 1995 film “Love Letter.” Courtesy of Waterhole Company
Is there a Japanese film that resonates with Koreans as much as "Love Letter"? The 1995 romance film was rereleased in Korea on Jan. 1 and has been gaining considerable popularity again, drawing over 50,000 viewers in nine days.
Industry experts said Friday that the background of its box office revival includes the atmosphere of mourning for lead actor Miho Nakayama, who passed away last month, and the increasing number of fans coming to enjoy what has now become a classic masterpiece.
"This is one of the rare Japanese films, excluding animations that have been a big hit in Korea. This movie is still quoted by many people, and it seems that interest in the film has grown after the unfortunate passing of the lead actor," an industry official in a local film industry said.
Directed by Shunji Iwai, “Love Letter” was the first feature to be released in Korea in 1999, drawing over 1.15 million audiences. The film gained immense popularity for its stunning snowy landscapes of Hokkaido, sweet music and heart-wrenching story.
Still recorded as the highest-grossing non-animated Japanese film released here to date, the movie left a deep impression on many Koreans, with the line "Ogenki Desu Ka? Watashi Wa Genki Desu" (How are you doing? I'm doing well) shouted by Nakayama to her deceased lover still being quoted by many Koreans.
Miho Nakayama in a scene from 1995 film “Love Letter.” Courtesy of Waterhole Company
In this movie, the story begins when Nakayama, unable to forget her dead fiance, sends a letter to his old address and receives a reply from his female middle school classmate of the same name (also played by Nakayama).
The rereleased film attracted 14,957 viewers on Jan. 1, landing at 11th place in the box office, according to Korea Box Office Information System (KOBIS). Since then, the film has drawn 50,814 viewers over nine days until Thursday, fluctuating between 10th place and just outside the top 10 at the box office.
A poster for the 1995 film “Love Letter,” which was rereleased in theaters in Korea on Jan. 1. Courtesy of Waterhole Company
Watcha, a local streaming service provider, said it imported the film for rerelease in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of its release in Japan.
"On Watcha, a platform consistently loved by movie fans for its rich collection of masterpieces and diverse films, 'Love Letter' is a movie that every film fan has memories of, and has established itself as a steady seller, especially popular in winter," a Watcha official said. "For this rerelease, we introduced vertical subtitles to further emphasize the film's classic sensibility."
Hyun In-chul, a 45-year-old office worker in Seoul, said he decided to watch the movie again after hearing the news of the lead actor's sudden passing.
"I was sad when I heard the news that she had unfortunately passed away. The image of her in the movie from my childhood wouldn't leave my mind. So I'm planning to go see this rereleased film," he said.