There is no end to the Japanese' love for actor Park Seo-joon.
Park Seo-joon appeared on the 40th anniversary special broadcast of Japan's Fuji TV's representative entertainment show 『Sanmanomanma』, which aired on the 2nd, and delivered a warm New Year's greeting to the viewers along with the release of the current situation. Park Seo-joon, who led the friendly atmosphere from his first appearance by having a pleasant conversation with Akashiya Sanma, a beloved national MC in Japan, drew attention by presenting a Japanese whiskey '26', which he participated in the production as an ambassador and creator.
In addition, Park Seo-joon introduced the Korean tradition of eating rice cake soup on New Year's Day to popular Japanese actors Kazumi Arimura and Sanma Akashiya, other guests of 「Sanmanomama」, and continued their communication by cooking and serving rice cake soup filled with taste and sincerity. Not only did the broadcast generate a hot response from local viewers, but it also topped the Japanese media comprehensive chart immediately after the broadcast.
Park Seo-joon's activities in Japan have continued since last year. The Japanese fan meeting held in Tokyo and Osaka in August 2024 gathered more than 20,000 local fans to confirm their powerful fandom, and in December, they were selected as ambassador for the Japanese whiskey brand '26', drawing attention. In particular, it is said that the whiskey has established itself as a brand that the local liquor industry is paying attention to thanks to Park Seo-joon's popularity, with the news of additional production with 10,000 bottles of pre-sale quantity sold out.
In addition, Park Seo-joon visited Miyazaki to film the popular travel entertainment program 'Another Sky' of Nihon TV in Japan, which aired in December last year. Introducing hidden restaurants and Miyazaki's charms with their unique honest and friendly appearances, it is also receiving enthusiastic responses by creating a craze for SNS photos right after the broadcast. After the end of the broadcast, it became the No. 1 replay on Japan's OTT platform Tver, drawing attention.
Park Seo-joon's popularity began based on his outstanding acting skills recognized in many works. In particular, Park Seo-joon's lead drama Itaewon Class' created a syndrome in Japan, and since its first broadcast in Korea in 2020, not only acting but also fashion and hairstyles have been continuously talked about through global online video service platforms such as Netflix and various social media, and have stood tall as 'Korean representative actors loved by Japanese people'.
For fans at home and abroad waiting for Park Seo-joon's confirmation of his next film, the appearance of Japan's representative entertainment show 「Sanmanomanma」, as well as overseas promotions of various advertising brands, are seen as a sign of full-fledged global activities in 2025. Fans at home and abroad are looking forward to Park Seo-joon's new challenge and his next film.
lunamoon@sportschosun.com
