I still remember when Bae Yong Joon and Choi Ji Woo would top every Japan viewer poll on anything Hallyu related for a good decade and more after Winter Sonata swept the nation. They’ve dropped off for years now but it’s still interesting to see which Korean stars are resonating with Japanese audiences and I get they definitely have a vibe and preference. For the ladies, a recent Japanese audience poll on favorite K-actress has Kim Go Eun topping the list, followed in second by Han Hyo Joo, then IU in third, Kim Yoo Jung then fourth, and Park Min Young rounding out the top 5 spot. For the men, it’s Park So Joon then Lee Min Ho, third spot is Park Hyung Shik, then Gong Yoo, and finally Cha Eun Woo squeezes into fifth. Some of these names have been popular in Japan also for years but the new arrivals in recent years have got to be Kim Go Eun and Cha Eun Woo. Some of the K-dramas that were popular in Japan which got these names ingrained with J-viewers include Why Secretary Kim, Moonlight Drawn by Stars, Hotel Del Luna, and oldies like Boys Before Flowers, Brilliant Legacy and Coffee Prince.