Sky Castle's Japanese version is being remade by Korean producers, so I feel it's worth watching. I really went in with low expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised, thinking, It's not bad. Thank you for subscribing and liking. The content is about the Korean drama Sky Castle, which has been remade in Japan. A new drama titled Sky is set to start airing on public broadcasting from the end of July. This drama previously depicted various aspects of South Korea's social history, and now it has been remade into a Japanese drama. I can't resist content like this. Isn't the drama just delightful? So, on the broadcast day, I plan to watch it live to share it with our viewers.

I wanted to let you know, so I prepared this content. Before the Japanese version of the drama Sky Castle started in Japan, there were numerous articles about it. I will compare it with the Korean version of Sky Castle and analyze the differences and changes in the Japanese version to inform you all. Since we have actually watched it, I think we can also share some impressions. Right? I believe that after hearing this today, Koreans might perceive Sky Castle a bit differently. Let's talk about it while watching this. The JTBC drama Sky Castle aired in Korea a while ago and really gained phenomenal popularity in society. At first, the viewership ratings were not that high, but as they say...

Have you seen the buzz surrounding the drama? Did you see how it developed? The viewership kept rising steadily, and in the end, it surpassed 20%, becoming a major topic in society. Sky Castle, everyone, was actually imported from Fuji TV in Japan and was broadcasted there. The wives of the upper class in Sky Castle always love to attach subtitles that appeal to Japanese viewers. If it's just called Sky Castle, Japanese people wouldn't understand; it has that feeling of a women's rivalry, right? They tailored it that way. The viewership skyrocketed from 1.7% to 23.8%, making it a huge sensation. In Korea, it was like a coin that just keeps rising and couldn't be stopped, and it was aired in Japan as well. The response was good, so they even re-broadcasted it. It was broadcast via satellite, and they thought, This isn't bad at all.

The Fuji network is broadcasting again. The show Sky Castle will air on February 20, 2024, Tuesday, and recently, this Sky Castle has been a topic of discussion in Japan. If you watch the Korean version of the drama, you will notice that it features a lot of indirect expressions and a specific way of speaking. While it may seem like one is complimenting the other on the surface, it often has a hidden meaning that Japanese people struggle to recognize. This creates a psychological game between the characters. As a result, the original Korean version has been so popular that it has been re-aired on Japanese TV until recently. Given this situation, the Japanese version of Sky Castle began airing. The Japanese version is broadcast by TV Asahi, and it just premiered on Thursday evening, July 25.

There is a reason why the 9 PM drama Gumi is a remake of Sky Castle. You may remember Roppongi Class. What is Roppongi Class? It was also a JTBC drama in South Korea, and it is being remade as a Japanese version. However, Japan does not have Itaewon. Itaewon has a somewhat international atmosphere, with Western people and a diverse vibe. So, where in Japan has a similar atmosphere? It's Roppongi. Thus, they created a drama called Roppongi Class. The final episode of Roppongi Class had a viewer rating of 10.7%. This isn't extremely high, but it's also not extremely low. You could say it struck a balance. In Japan, people do not watch terrestrial broadcasts as much, so for a terrestrial broadcast, this rating was not considered bad.

보니까 이 록본기 클래스를 제작한 제작진들이 이번에 새로 만들게 된 게 바로 이 스카이 캐슬입니다. 이게 당장에 1화가 방영이 됐는데, 시청률이 어떻게 나냐고 했을 때 결과는 뜨끈뜨끈 스카이 캐슬 첫 시청률 88.5%입니다. 예전에 록본기 클래스의 시청률이 1화가 9.6%였으니까, 록본기 클래스보다 좀 낫습니다. 근데 2년 전이자, 거기다가 또 이때는 코로나 시국이 있거든요. 그러니까 코로나 시국 때 드라마의 시청률을 비교하면 좀 그렇죠. 어쨌든 사람들 집에 있으니까요. 그런데 지금은 다 돌아다니니까, 그걸 감안했을 때 조금 내려갔으면 이해할 만하다. 그리고 당장의 숫자가 그렇게 나쁜 건 아닙니다. 왜냐하면, 최근에 드라마 일주일 동안의 시청률이 신규 드라마 스카이 캐슬 88.5%이고, 당일에 했던 후지 TV 드라마는 5%, 6.6%, 6.4%입니다.

This is all drama. Yes, it's all drama. The NHK historical drama Hikaru Kimi airs on Sundays, and it is very popular among the older generation in Japan. Also, the production costs are significantly different, so comparing dramas can be a bit tricky. In addition, there is Black Fair Season 2, which is based on a previously successful medical drama in Japan. The fact that it has a Season 2 means it was popular before, right? So, while it may fall short compared to these two dramas, there are no other dramas that can beat Sky Castle in terms of viewership ratings. Among weekday dramas, it is not bad to be ranked first. This shows that Japanese viewers are interested. Furthermore, when it comes to rewatching Japanese TV shows, there is a site in Japan for that.

There is a broadcast that mentions having 420,000 favorites, so it is said that it's not bad for a first drama. Also, since Sky Castle has put in a lot of effort, it is now prominently featured on Amazon Japan's main page. It seems there might be quite a promotional effect from Sky Castle, and they are making preparations for it. They are paying a lot of attention to this. Just before the broadcast, there was even a production announcement where someone appeared dressed up. TV Asahi has high expectations for the Sky Castle drama. You can really feel the anticipation. 

However, even as I speak, Sky Castle in Korea refers to prestigious universities like Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University, which are terms that reflect the educational hierarchy in South Korea. The area where these people live is called Sky Castle.

The term Sky represents a dual meaning in the context of education. The word Sky Castle has significance, but if you say Sky Castle in Japan, people there wouldn't understand it. They might feel it’s an idol. Japan has its own prestigious universities like the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Waseda University, but their initials don't form Sky. As a result, when producing this drama in Japan, they shifted the focus a bit. 

What was the goal of the Korean Sky Castle? It was for mothers to help their children get into medical schools by hiring specialized tutors for lessons. In other words, it created an overall narrative about university entrance exams. How does the Japanese version of Sky Castle differ?

It feels like this, right? Everyone, it's high school. So within this, there are artisans, right? You are middle school students. In that scene, they took Sky out. Instead of college, they created a high school. In Japan, the basic goal is to enter medical school, and there is an exam to get into that high school for medical school. So when we ask why we need to enter that high school, we need to create a bit of a setting. What happens is that a specialized term called escalator comes into play. For example, from kindergarten to elementary school, from elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school, and from high school to university, it is characterized by the ability to move smoothly within the same school system. This is a bit mixed in. This is the Japanese entrance exam system. The drama sets this premise from the beginning: the medical school that these people want to go to.

If you don't enter a supplementary high school, it becomes completely impossible to take the entrance exam. This is how the initial setup was made. Only those who get into that specific school can advance to medical school. Generally, the escalator to medical school allows you to go through the entrance exam and move up immediately. However, it’s not like that; if you don’t get into this high school, you cannot enter medical school. They have set it up in such a way that getting into high school becomes the ultimate goal. This is how the setting has been changed for the Japanese version. However, the concept of Sky Castle, where you live by paying money, is the same, right? Yes, exactly. So, the title is also a play on words, isn’t it? In Japanese, it’s just like that; it’s simply called Sky Castle.

No, it's somewhat different from Sky Castle. When something like this comes up in the daily reports, what should I say? Basically, it helps to find a rough model. Instead, you get a sense of it. Ah, there are several universities that are famous for using an escalator system, regardless of which university it is. This can only happen in South Korea. The National University of Japan doesn't have an escalator system, but many people in Korea are familiar with Waseda and Keio University. Waseda is well-known even in Korea. However, Waseda is not the focus this time; the background is different. The reason is simple for the Japanese people: Waseda doesn't have a medical school. Right? So, in Japan, the top private university aiming for an escalator-style medical school is not Waseda but Keio. People have somewhat accepted this, so even though it’s a fictional university, it carries that kind of feeling.

In Japan, it seems that this is also possible in universities. The concept of a prestigious private school, which we perceive as SKY, is something that Japanese people also feel, even if they can't quite express it. They have created a model that allows students to attend such schools, with the ultimate goal of entering actual university hospitals in Japan. They have integrated aspects of the Japanese entrance exam system. For someone unfamiliar with the original Korean SKY concept, watching Japanese TV might lead them to think, Oh, something like that could exist. I believe they have incorporated that idea. In our country, there are many independent private schools and prestigious high schools, and in Japan, there are also students who prepare for high school entrance exams from middle school, dedicating their lives to it. If they get into a prestigious high school, there are escalator opportunities.

There are some schools where you can go directly to a prestigious university without taking the entrance exam. On the other hand, if you enter a prestigious high school, there's a strong academic atmosphere. In such classes, even if you just maintain an average performance, you can get into the University of Tokyo. If you place within the top ten of your class, getting into medical school is practically guaranteed. There are quite a few high schools like this in Japan. Because of this, Japanese people can understand why students take their high school entrance exams so seriously, even if it’s not directly related to university admissions. 

Moreover, it's not just about entrance exams; the professions of parents have also changed. In the Korean version of Sky Castle, you see parents who are law school professors, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and medical school professors. In South Korea, within this Sky Castle environment,

There is a book club, right? That book reading group had a lot of discussions, didn't it? Especially the performance of the actor who played the law school professor was remarkable; he had a sharp gaze. So, there was this vibe of a prestigious family background for the university professor. However, in Japan, law school professors are replaced by doctors from medical school hospitals. This means that everyone here is essentially a hospital doctor. They are all people who are already familiar with each other in the hospital, asking questions like, Could your child also become a doctor? So, they have gathered them all as doctors. When comparing law school and medical school in Japan, medical school clearly dominates. Even if someone graduates from law school, there is no guarantee they will become a lawyer or a judge. As a result, they have unified everything under medical school.

The setting has been slightly altered to depict a fierce competition among children to inherit their parents' professions. There is one drama genre in Japan that never fails: hospital dramas. In Japan, stories involving patients, romantic relationships in hospitals, or touching moments conveyed within a hospital setting are the most popular. For example, Sky Castle had a similar premise, and currently, the top-rated Japanese dramas are hospital dramas. They often convey that surgery is not just a procedure but an art form. Japanese audiences really enjoy that kind of storytelling. Therefore, Sky Castle also resonates with Japanese viewers, as it often revolves around doctors, creating a unified theme. This is the context in which it has been framed. The first episode of the drama has aired, and now, as it has concluded, we can consider how Japanese viewers perceive it.

There is something a bit strange about this. When Sky Castle aired in Korea, the houses were quite extravagant, right? The ceilings were so high that you could even play basketball indoors. Korea has a lot of dramas about chaebols, so those kinds of houses are common. However, in Japan, you don't really see such extravagant houses. Japanese viewers have commented on this, saying that there is a sense of incongruity in Sky Castle. They wonder how a resident doctor could live in such a house; it just doesn't make sense. Even if a doctor earns a lot of money, in Japan, they couldn't live in such a mansion. There are various Japanese dramas, and there are houses shown, but the houses in the Japanese version of Sky Castle are quite different from those in Korea.

This drama is about a rich house, right? I also have doctors around me, but they don't live in such houses. It's strange that they feel this way. Are there no such houses in Japan? The average annual income of doctors in Japan is listed below by specialty. This is the average income for doctors. Basically, most of them are neurosurgeons. However, in Japan, the average income for neurosurgery is about 10.8 million yen. Overall, it's not a low amount, but when we think about the kind of money we associate with doctors, it seems smaller. Nowadays, if we convert it, it amounts to about 13 million yen. It's not enough to live in a big house like that, shaking a wine glass and wondering what to do next.

You know, that's a bit difficult. You see, even the parents of our mom and dad can't do it unless they have a certain level of privilege. That doesn't show up, so in dramas, it's well portrayed. In our country, doctors are seen as gods, right? In Japan, doctors are also respected, but when you compare the two countries, South Korea tends to earn a bit more than Japan. The profession itself has a limited number of people, so when you go to medical school in South Korea, it really means you are wealthy. Even if you become a doctor in Japan, you may not reach that level of wealth. There's a bit of a difference in perception. What I felt while watching the dramas is that there wasn't much discomfort. In fact, it felt like there was a bit of an atmosphere that suggested they were trying to create a nice image. There are indeed people who criticize this, but you should know that fundamentally, it’s a Korean wave drama, based on original dramas.

Japanese people really liked the acting and this. However, from the perspective of Japanese viewers, these actors don't quite meet their expectations. In fact, they feel that the acting skills are lacking, and they want to nitpick something. So, in that context, the setting in Japan is not that unusual. When it comes to Korean dramas, it's like, Oh, is this really a 'Bong-gi Class'? There are comments like this. It’s also been mentioned that Japan is the origin of the water, and Korean dramas like Sky Castle are the first to have affordable sets. It's interesting that Japanese people love Korean dramas so much that they even criticize Japanese dramas. It might be hard to understand, but this is a reality. When there’s a work with an original source, and it gets remade, there will inevitably be comments about it. So, while it can be understood to some extent, there are still some aspects that are puzzling.

As soon as the broadcast of Sky Castle started this time, quite a few articles came out in Japan. They say things like the setting is too unrealistic and that it's worse than the original, and the acting is being criticized. However, I think this is largely because Sky Castle has become a hot topic in Japan, which is why there is so much discussion about it. Since Japanese people speak Japanese as their mother tongue, when they hear the actors speaking in Japanese, they might feel that the acting seems a bit awkward. On the other hand, I think that for Koreans watching the Japanese version of Sky Castle with Korean subtitles, it might feel quite different. You know, during the time of Squid Game, we felt that when foreign actors spoke in English, it seemed like they were just acting in a rough English way. However, when Western viewers watch it...

When I think about acting, I feel that it's similar to how one might perceive the performances in Sky Castle. Watching Japanese dramas can feel a bit awkward, but foreign viewers might think, Well, it's not bad in its own way. I found it quite enjoyable. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I had seen some things before, and surprisingly, the actors performed well. Their expressions and the way they spoke were very fitting for the drama, and I could sense that they were well-suited for their roles. Because of this, I felt it was worth watching.

Anyway, in Sky Castle, our society is also one that values education highly, right? Japan is similarly a society that places great importance on academic achievement. Therefore, Sky Castle reflects how educational pressure can be seen as a social issue, and this can lead to stress for people.

There is also content that satirizes the situation, and in fact, Sky Castle does this. It resonates in Japan to some extent because there is a similar academic pressure there. People can feel the stress of being bound to the idea that they must have good grades, get into prestigious universities, and secure good jobs. This shared experience between South Korea and Japan allows for a mutual understanding among students and those under such pressures. That's why a remake is happening in Japan. The original drama has even been re-broadcast until recently, leading to discussions about how Sky Castle might also be well-received in Japan. I watched it without much expectation, but I found it not bad at all, which was quite a surprise. It turned out to be more enjoyable than I thought. However, as I mentioned earlier, the pressure surrounding high school entrance exams is just as intense in Japan as it is for university entrance exams.

You need to understand the premise that there are people involved; otherwise, it can be difficult to grasp the emotions behind it. For example, if someone says, What's the point of going to high school if you have to take the college entrance exam anyway? it may be hard to connect with that sentiment. Therefore, I think it would be more enjoyable if you watch this with an understanding of the context of Park Kwan-il's broadcast. This time, I learned well about the ultra-advanced escalator. I hope today's content has been helpful to you all.

When articles that criticize this trend come out, people might wonder why they are remaking popular Korean dramas in Japan and broadcasting them on terrestrial television. The answer is simple: regardless of whether they are anti-fans or curious viewers, they end up watching. The original popularity of Korean dramas attracts fans, which helps maintain basic viewership ratings.

I started by laying the groundwork. We've already had a taste of this during the Logi class. It's not exceptionally good, but it's not terrible either; it's kind of middle-of-the-road. So, I think it's worth doing. I believe that's the sentiment, right? Since the original work is a well-known drama, I think that's why there's some reaction in Japan as well. 

While watching this time, I realized that the reason I stopped watching dramas for a while was because they seemed cheap and the content was lacking. I hadn't watched for a long time, but this time, I felt that the Korean production team has collaborated a lot in making this. The camera work, from the setting to the way it’s shot, is presented in a distinctly Korean style, which is quite different from Japanese dramas. It seems that while creating this, the Japanese production team and actors are also studying Korean methods. I felt that this collaboration results in a good video overall.

The drama has a directing style characteristic of Japanese dramas, such as camera angles, color tones, and overall composition. However, the recently aired remake of Sky Castle, featuring Japanese actors, has a shooting composition and overall atmosphere reminiscent of Korean dramas. So, while the sets and various elements are entirely Korean, the actors are Japanese, creating a unique feeling. In many ways, the fact that this is being aired in Japan is due to the popularity of Korean dramas there. From our perspective, it seems interesting, and it might not be a bad idea to take a look at it.

일본에서 리메이크 한 한국 드라마 SKY캐슬

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