Japanese animation ‘Your Name’ dominates local box office

Japanese block buster animated film “Your Name” continues to dominate the local box office in Korea, drawing in more than 2.6 million viewers in just two weeks since its release. Against the backdrop, Makoto Shinkai, director of animated film, will visit Korea to keep his promise with Korean audience. During his visit to Korea in order to celebrate an opening of his animated film on January 4, he said, “Though it looks highly unlikely, I would come back if admissions surpass 3 million.”

“Shinkai said he would visit Korea again to keep his promise,” the Korean distributor of “Your Name” told the Dong-A Ilbo on a phone interview on January 16. “Now, we are coordinating the schedule of his visit, and we plan to arrange a press interview, which was skipped due to schedule issues during his last stay in Korea.” As Shinkai’s animated film continues to make a huge box-office hit in Korea, he has decided to meet Korean audience for one more time in only two weeks after his previous trip.

If “Your Name” attracts audience at the current speed, the animated film is forecast to record over 3 million admissions this week, eclipsing “Howl's Moving Castle” by Hayao Miyazaki, which remains as the most successful Japanese animated film in Korea with a record of 3.02 million admissions.

After hearing the news that “Your Name” had attracted more than 1 million viewers in Korea for only five days, Shinkai tweeted, “It is like a dream.” He posted a picture of Korean dish he had during his trip to Korea on his social media and showed his fondness for the country.

“Your Name” is about a teenage body-swap drama that tells a story of teenagers trying to protect a town from a comet that passes Earth in every 1,200 years. The story is a bit surreal, but Shinkai, who is known as a magician of light, invites moviegoers to incredible animation. The animated film is based on earthquake that hit Japan in 2011, but some Koreans with teary eyes said they were reminded of the Sewol Ferry incident. “Your Name” has recorded more than 17 million admissions in Japan, making Shinkai an undoubted master in the animation industry.

Won-Jae Jang peacechaos@donga.com