South Korean actors Bae Yong Joon and Choi Ji Woo, who rose to fame in Japan for their leading roles in the drama "Winter Sonata," expressed hope Tuesday that their Japanese fans will enjoy the animated version of the series to be released on pay TV in mid-October.
Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, Bae and Choi also spoke of the difficulties they have had doing the voice-overs for their characters, highlighting the differences between acting in front of the camera and behind a microphone.
"I feel as if I've gone back to seven years ago," the 37-year-old Bae said, looking back to the time when the original drama series was first released in South Korea. "I'm thankful that I'm able to feel once again the passion, warmth and happiness of first love which I felt when doing 'Winter Sonata.' "
Bae plays Kang Joon Sang and Choi plays Jung Yu Jin — high school sweethearts separated by a twist of fate and reunited by chance 10 years later before going their separate ways to New York and Paris, and then meeting again in an emotional ending.
The drama was popular in Japan, particularly among middle-aged women, and Bae is known affectionately as "Yon-sama" in Japan.
The "anime" series, which has 26 episodes, will be broadcast on Sky PerfecTV starting Oct. 17.