If you are flipping through the Korea Guide book which is easily available at any of the Tourist Information center across Korea, you will come across the Korean TV Drama – Winter Sonata – used very often across many a pages. There would be mentions about Winter Sonta in the Hanryu or the Korean Wave section and then there would be mentions about its various filming locations in Korea in the recommended places to visit section.

So what makes this 2002 Korean TV Drama – The Winter Sonata (Gyoeul Yonga) so popular. Or rather the actor Bae Yong Joo so popular in Japan that

• Korea starts cashing in by promoting the filming locations as a part of Korean Tourism.
• Bae Yong Joo gets paid approx $170,000 per episode.
• Bae Yong Joo becomes a part of the Korean Wave.
• Bae Yong Joo merchandise becomes best sellers.
• Restaurants in Korea has special Bae Yong Joo (Yon sama) menu.

You can read the entire story of Yon Sama and other popular Korean TV Series here by Laura Miller – Korean TV Dramas and the Japan Style Korean wave.