Sota Fukushi Draws Massive Crowd—Korean Entertainment Industry Takes Notice

Massive-scale filming

Around 3 p.m. in early June—A bright red Lamborghini was parked in front of the Toyama Prefectural Office. Surrounding it were flashy motorcycles customized in biker gang style and police cars. Amid this intense atmosphere, the Lamborghini’s scissor door opened, and a man stepped out. It was actor Sota Fukushi (32). What on earth was going on?

“They were filming a remake of an overseas movie. Actors Tsuneji Mizukami (26) and Yunho (39) from ‘TVXQ’ were also there, and a large crowd had gathered,” said an eyewitness.

In recent years, Fukushi has gained considerable popularity in South Korea, appearing in the Netflix drama Can I Translate This Love?.

“He’s been a hot topic for over 10 years because of his resemblance to Lee Min-ho (38), a nationally beloved South Korean actor known for shows like Boys Over Flowers and City Hunter in Seoul. In 2018, Fukushi appeared as a presenter at the 2018 MGA, a Korean music event. A commemorative photo taken with members of BTS and posted on the group’s official social media further boosted his popularity.

Thanks to his rising fame, Triii Studio—a major South Korean drama production company led by the producer of the hit series Crash Landing on You—signed a direct casting contract with Fukushi, making him the first Japanese actor to do so,” explained a Korean columnist.

The filming in question involved a massive operation that shut down central Toyama city roads from 3 p.m. until around 5 a.m. the next morning. Despite the long hours, Fukushi showed no signs of fatigue as he powered through the shoot.

“Between takes, he was seen chatting with staff and even conversing in Korean with co-star Yunho,” noted a crew member.

Fukushi’s popularity in South Korea is likely to soar even higher.