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Asiana to foot transport of Korean soap opera
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Posted on Jul 07 2005
Asiana Airlines has agreed to provide roundtrip air transportation for the entire cast and crew of the Korean television drama series proposed to be filmed in the Northern Marianas.
Kwang Joong Kim, general manager of Asiana’s Saipan office, said the carrier fully supports the proposal by Castle in the Sky Entertainment to shoot its new drama program on island.
“This is a very precious opportunity for this island. We might never get a chance like this again,” Kim said in an interview.
He noted that Castle in the Sky’s plan to shoot 80 percent of its new show in the CNMI was out of the ordinary, as the production company normally films only 20 to 30 percent of a series abroad.
The new TV series, titled Paradise Dream, will have 20 episodes running 60 minutes each. Sixteen episodes will be filmed in the CNMI if Marianas Visitors Authority manages to raise the $750,000 needed to sponsor the series.
“This has never been done because the cost of shooting abroad is too expensive. Saipan is a rare case,” said Kim.
The Asiana official attested that Korean drama programs were very popular throughout Asia. He cited as an example the series Winter Sonata, which was still be sold and aired in Japan and other countries seven years after it was launched.
Castle in the Sky’s own Love in Paris reportedly recorded over 50 percent viewership in Korea and is syndicated in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China.
Many tourists have flocked to Paris, particularly to sites where the series was shot, after watching the program. As a result, France’s national tourism organization is currently asking Castle in the Sky to shoot another program in the European country.
Likewise, the series Hong Kong Express has reportedly increased Korean tourist arrivals in the Chinese territory. In addition to France, Hong Kong is another of the six destinations vying against the Northern Marianas for the sponsorship of Castle in the Sky’s new series.
