Mary Stayed Out All Night is a Hit in Japan in Ratings and DVD Sales

What connects with audiences in one country may conversely fail to win over viewer hearts in another country. Mary Stayed Out All Night (Marry Me, Mary!) bombed in domestic ratings in Korea (though not to the extent Playful Kiss tanked), but both dramas have done very well Japan. Speaking just of M3, the ratings for M3 being shown on TBS have been quite solid for a non-J-dorama offering, and this week the Japanese version of the M3 DVD dropped and immediately made it onto the charts, doing the numbers Bae Yong Jun‘s Legend and the DBSK boys DVDs sold in Japan (namely blockbuster sales for a K-product).

I’m so bad, I got the KBS Director’s Cut edition already, but when I saw the gorgeous packaging for the Japan version I immediately wanted to grabbity it as well. But I stopped myself, heh. The only thing I’m curious about is why the DVD uses Kim Jae Wook‘s Bad Guy look as opposed to his clean cut Jung In image from M3? Weird.

I’ve been so swamped with work, life, other dramas lately that I haven’t even watched my M3 DC edition yet. I promise to post about it once I sit down to savor the BTS and interviews, as well as watch the drama the way the director intended it to be seen.

Isn’t the Japanese DVD set gorgeous? Just as a random aside, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lie to Me also did blockbuster in Japan. Kang Ji Hwan is about as big over there as Jang Geun Seok is. As an added bonus, have some screencaps from some never-seen-before BTS footage that aired in Japan.

Seriously – they are sooooo cute together behind-the-scenes. I just want to squishy them together.

[Credit: all pictures from Baidu Mary Stayed Out All Night bar]


Comments

Mary Stayed Out All Night is a Hit in Japan in Ratings and DVD Sales — 48 Comments

  1. “The only thing I’m curious about is why the DVD uses Kim Jae Wook‘s Bad Guy look as opposed to his clean cut Jung In image from M3?”

    I know why — It’s hawt! 🙂 So sad he’ll be going into military service soon.

  2. Thanks Captain for this wonderful news and the bonus BTS screencaps! (^__^)

    And congratulations to MSOAN’s cast and crew because at least in Japan their hard work and dedication to filming this drama is now being recognized.

    Happy Sunday! 😀

  3. so happy for JGS and MGY and the rest of the cast who gave their all and heart to the drama regardless of the sub par writing. congrats.

    • Ditto! Although JKS and KJW are very popular in Japan so I hope the hard work Ms Moon put forth is appreciated as well.

      • Actually Moon has already very popular in many countries (such as Japan, China/Taiwan) since My little bride. She got her popularity way before KJW, & once was more popular than JGS. My Little Bride is a very popular movie not just in Korea, & it got Kim Rae Won there… an actor considered to be the heartthrob actor & even a trendsetter in costume by that time… That time KRW was more popular than JGS. So she got her popularity ahead of JGS & KJW, & she was very popular along with KRW. But, as always happen to female actress, their popularity were not as booming as the male actors, due to the audiences of drama which are female in majority. But I think for MGY she’ll have a solid carier bcoz she possess such a rare talent in acting & unique kind of beauty, plus angelic heart. She’ll hv a long wonderful carier ahead of her…

  4. (sry not related to the post-)
    i’m digging the cool new layout…but maybe a different color than green for the background. like baby pink or something haha

  5. oh boy~ why~~ me too! felt like ditching my current M3 DC and buy that Japan version. not that the former any bad just the latter is prettier. LOL
    Btw, good to know M3 doing great in Japan. I care less about rating and others but my Geuns deserved more recog for their hard work. cooler + ‘neater’. xD) and Happy Birthday to me! ;D YEAY!! huhuu

    • LOLOL what happen to my comment? :p

      *ps- Love the new look (cooler + ‘neater’. xD) and Happy Birthday to me! ;D YEAY!! huhuu

  6. I know there’s a ton of extra behind the scenes stuff in these dvd sets, but how much extra footage is in the DC of the drama itself? Ever since Tamra Island I tend to get overly excited at the prospect of a director’s cut.

  7. I have a question… do you have the video link to the screencaps that you’ve used? because I wanted to watch the video of the screencaps but I cannot find it… If anyone knows the link where I can watch the video of the screencaps used, I would really appreciate it 😀

  8. I am so happy that MMM is recognized in Japan!
    Congratulations to JKA & MGY and all the cast !!!

    I like the new look of AKP, thank you your highness 🙂
    I agree with you about these two , I have the same urge to squeeee…..

  9. What was sold to us wasn’t a D-Cut dvd, it was just an extended edition, meaning some random person added in the scenes. As a result, the music used in those additional scenes didn’t really make sense and some of the scenes added seemed to be fillers more than anything else. In addition, and this part really pissed me off, the subs for the added scenes were awful. Some of the lines sounded like gibberish from Google translate or babelfish. I’m guessing they used the KBS World subs from when the drama aired and then was too lazy or cheap to hire a real translator for the addes scenes. Okay, rant over.

    • Agree with you LizzyD! Ockoala, are we talking about the same limited edition DVD with script, picture book et al? The ONE that we had to preorder? It seems NOT to be a director’s cut but just a re-edited for DVD distribution version. Please reply to confirm.

      I find the English subs for this Limited Edition DVD of M3 is not even as good or as moving as the ones done online by fans. For example : “chagia” was subbed as “hon” – what in the world is that????!!! The inferior subs really spoil the day. I am disappointed with the producers. Wished there would be a proper Director’s cut with better English. Can’t buy the Japanese version because I wouldn’t understand it but the set certainly look far better and I’m sure the translations should be closer to the original.

      Still, love our GeunGeun to bits and they are the cutest, loveliest, warmest couple in the universe!

  10. Agree with you Captain their packaging are gorgeous. I’m tempted to buy too but I know it subbed in Japanese so maybe not? 🙂

  11. I’m happy that it’s doing so well in Japan, though the storyline was a bit messed up, the chemistry between the casts (especially JSG & MGY) was explosive. Can’t wait until someone upload the BTS video for us to enjoy.

  12. aishhh… it did looks neatier… sweet… love its cover
    oh anyway… great new setting captain… very eyes friendly

  13. Wooww thanks captainn.. me too wants to get my hands on the japanese version!!! XD

    So happy that M3 doing well in Japan.. it’s cuteness and sweetness overload everytime i watch JGS and MGY together.. they’re so matched together.. can’t get enough seeing them together.. Love GeunGeun alwaysss!! <3<3<3

    And thank you for the newest background.. it's lovely and neater.. ^-^

  14. Shoot the M3 DVD Japan version is way more cooler and prettier than the my Korean edition..haiist! I envy those who will get this copy. 🙁

    But my happiness for the success ofMSOAN in Japan ratings and all. Congrats to all especially to the cutest pair..Geun-Geun! I hope by this MGY will be more known in Japan and people will love her tandem with JGS. I look forward to their appearance there in August for their promotion. MSOAN fighting!

  15. I think Kang Ji Hwan isn’t as big as Jang Geun Suk in Japan. He is popular, but Jang Guen Suk is top 3 in most Japanese popularity polls. I do see Kang Ji Hwan in top 10 on most polls. But the kicker here may be Yoon Eun Hye. She’s usually top 5 in both male and female actor overall. She’s not only the only actress who can compete against male actors in Japan, but she is in top 5 mostly. She even comes in ahead of Kang Ji Hwan in popularity from most polls I’ve seen. It’s probably because Goong has sold more DVD than any other Korean drama since 2006 (in total aggregate numbers) and Goong Trilogy Japan movie did well too from what hear. Coffee Prince also helped out a lot obviously. For whatever it’s worth, both Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye are big in Japan and it is possible Kang Ji Hwan’s popularity and Yoon Eun Hye’s popularity could make the drama pretty successful in Japan.

    • By the way, if my memories serve me correct..

      Goong was number 2 in total DVD sales in Japan for 2006, beating out Nodame Cantabile (Japan) and only losing to no. 1 Boys Over Flowers (Returns: Japan). But Goong came in number 1 as the on site DVD sales in Japan, and so it won the prestigious Japanese TV entertainment industry award. As far as I know, Goong is the only k-drama that won that award so far. This made Joo Ji Hoon, Kim Hyun Jung (or whatever his name is) and Yoon Eun Hye pretty big in Japan as Goong was the no. 1 most requested K drama during Fuji TV airing of 5 Korean dramas last year.

      • What I don’t understand and I’m hoping for is..
        You’re beautiful was top DVD seller in 2009? or 2010 for Japan..and this got Jang Geun Suk very famous in Japan…But Park Shin Hye’s popularity hasn’t picked up much…I’m waiting for PSH to become big in Japan as well..I’m rooting for her big time (I’m a big fan of her^^)..
        But as far as now..you’ll see Yoon Eun Hye’s status in Japan is uncontested when it comes to Korean actresses and she beats out most male actors in popularity.

      • Has anyone tried Tree in Heaven? PSH was really good in it. It was filmed sometime in 2006 when she was just 16. I thought she did pretty good and it was filmed entirely in Japan. If I am not wrong, the ratings were not bad too..

    • Well, I think male stars, korean male stars are more well known even though some female stars have fans but it’s just a bigger fanbase with males.
      Park Shin Hye hasn’t really been promoting in Japan, she worked on a tw drama so I think she is working on her popularity there.
      But in general korean stars are only popular umong a certain crowd, if you go and ask a regular person walking on the street in Japan I doubt many of them would recognise Yoon Eun Hye.

      • i doubt they’d recognize KJH and JGS for that matter too.. heck most of them didnt even recognize Big Bang.. pretty shocking.

  16. I haven’t seen this drama yet but it’s going to be aired here in the Philippines next week, replacing My Girlfriend is a Gumiho… I am a fan of them both.. It’s just that I’m reading not so good comments regarding the plot/story of this drama making me hesitate to watch this one… =(

    • Actually this is the first drama that hooked me up & stealing so much my sleeping time. I rerun & rerun for times. I was like U once, I got hesitated by others opinion, but after watched it, personally I dont think the plot is not good, it is as good as others (except for the twist in 2 last eps). The only thing that buggers me in this drama is JGS s’times girly appearance & the parents, all the parents, so I always skip the scenes with the parents when I rerun….. but I still pop my eyes out to JGS no matter what, lol (my bias)
      The rest of the drama : the casts, the chemistry, the scenes (many original & cute scenes), MGY’s hair & even her beggar look with all the massive costumes & scarves are superb….(but I hate her formal dress when she’s in the office, I love her beggar look more). In fact this drama is so unique it hardly echoing other drama’s classic story. It brings a new atmosphere & very entertaining… & I’m in love to this couple…

    • Agree with once in a summer.. M3 is not as bad as everyone thinks of though not all people have the same preference.. But this story got me hooked up since 1st episode.. The story is unlike others felt more realistic *but not the parents* A story of 4 young people with complicated backgrounds but somehow got connected bcoz of fated events.. Haha! The characters felt real, the conflicts felt real, and without a doubt the chemistry of Moon Geun Young and Jang Geun Suk feels REAL!!!

      Their chemistry is so addictive and makes me crave for more.. They’re the first korean stars that got me so obsessed.. XD
      This series could make the other series boring to me.. I never finished watching other korean series eversince i watched M3.. But i got excited for LTM coz i like YEH.. I hope LTM could make me watched it till finish.. ^^

    • If there is a negative reviews of a certain drama or movie it makes me more curious to watch it cause I’m the type of person who wants to form my own opinion or appreciation. That’s why I love this blog cause all Ockoala’s favorite dramas is apt to my taste too especially rom-coms. This is the first drama that made me buy the DVD cause I can’t get enough of the chemistry of the two leads. I have no regrets shelling out some money just to have this & so that I can watch it every time I feel some GeunGeun love.

  17. Wow!! they sell Blu-ray for the Jap version??
    and the Korean version is 450p? (like they all are…)

    If only my YAB was Blu-ray…

  18. Kdramas have their own channel or to be precise TBS have their own channel that air korean dramas and I’m not sure if Fuji terebi also have a kdrama channel.
    I think male stars are still more popular then female stars there, I’m not sure how it will go with Kim Tae Hee in Japan, she is signed with Sweet Power there.

  19. BL is all i can think right now but m3 will always have a soft spot in my heart. so thanks captain… they look really cute together<333

  20. Thank you very much to all the Japanese who appreciated M3 especially to Jang Geun for him giving the debut album. M3 is the best koreanovela that i’ve ever watch coz it’s very realistic no pretension. I’m totally hooked & inlove with story. What I love most is the natural look of Jang Geun.. no heavy eyeliner no complication in his look & his talent really comes out in this drama. Moon Geun still carry her role even though they make her out of fashion..I wish there will be part 2..

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