Friends (2002)

A milestone in Japanese drama history because it is the first collaboration between a Japanese television network (TBS) and a Korean television network (MBC) which will work together to bring a two-part special featuring Fukada Kyoko and Won Bin.

[by wm. penn, Daily Yomiuri, February 1, 2002]: In October, when the announcement of the production of the drama was made in Seoul, the press there asked Fukada to comment on the relationship between South Korea and Japan. She responded: "Now and in the past, there have been many issues between Japan and South Korea. But if we can get over these things and learn to understand each other, I think we can share a common ground." The drama, a typical love story, revolves around a young Japanese woman, Tomoko, who meets and falls in love with a South Korean student, Jihoon, when she visits Hong Kong on holiday. South Korean actor Wonbin, who is very popular not only in his own country but also in Taiwan and Singapore, plays the student, who dreams of becoming a film director. Tomoko, who works at a department store, seems like a trendy, carefree girl, but is actually very good-hearted. Designed to reflect the contemporary situation in South Korea, the drama touches on such issues as military conscription, conservative families and the exaggerated expectations parents have for their eldest sons, all of which become obstacles to the protagonists' love for each other. In the original script, the two were to meet in New York, but because of the Sept. 11 attacks, the location was changed to Hong Kong. Wonbin said he decided to take the role because he saw great meaning in the coproduction of the drama.

[TBS Synopsis]: Left alone on a trip to Hong Kong, Tomoko finds herself the victim of a purse-snatching. The police arrest the man she points out, but it turns out to be the wrong person: a young Korean man named Ji Hoon. Despite his anger and humiliation, he takes her out to dinner since she has lost all her money, and in return she agrees to model for his amateur film. What follows is a magical and romantic two days. Upon returning to their respective countries, Tomoko must return to her nine to five job and Ji Hoon must resume studying to join the family business rather than pursuing his dream of becoming a film director. But soon the two begin to email each other and rekindle their relationship despite the distance and obstacles between them. Marking the very first time in television history that a drama has been co-produced between Japan and South Korea, the story shows us that love has no borders.

STARRING: Fukada Kyoko, Won Bin, Yada Akiko, Toda Naho, Lee Dong Gun, Han Hye Jin, Ozawa Yukiyoshi, Takeshita Keiko, Doko Young Jae, Sunwoo Eun Sook and more. Cameo by Kelly Chen.
THEME SONG:  "ONE" by Lee So Jung
NETWORK: TBS
DURATION: In Japan, the drama which I believe is a two-part drama special will air in Japan on February 4th and 5th on TBS. In Korea, on the 15th and 16th on MBC. There is a two-hour special that was also aired with interviews and behind-the-scenes and making of the drama.
REVIEWS:

I admit that I was very impressed by "FRIENDS". The reason is because of the collaboration between Japan and Korea, also because they take on issues of Japanese and Koreans having relationships and also the challenges of trying to do a drama with two actors who speak different languages. In "DOKU" everyone spoke Japanese (even though they were not fluent in Japanese), in this drama, they spoke their own languages, learned the others language and used emotions to get the job done. The drama making-of special really gives you more of an appreciation for this two-part drama even more. You won't believe the challenges it took to make this drama especially to have two different production teams from Japan and Korea working together to make the drama special.-KNDY