South Korea refuses "Tokyo Decadence"

[Don Brown]

Murakami Ryu's "Tokyo Decadence," which was set to be the first Japanese 
adult film to be released in South Korea as a result of the fourth opening 
of domestic markets to Japanese popular culture, has been refused screening 
permission by the board of film and video classification.

"Tokyo Decadence" is Murakami's 1992 film adaptation of his own novel 
"Topaz" about a woman working in an S&M club. Its importation was declined 
on January 29th for its "excessive scenes of perverted erotica, and as it 
conflicts with the sentiments of the Korean people."

The South Korean company which are attempting to import the film say they 
will cut certain scenes before reapplying, and are looking into taking 
legal action.

Until last year, the only Japanese films with R18 ratings that could be 
screened in South Korea were those that had won prizes at international 
film festivals, but this restriction was lifted in the fourth stage of 
liberalization regarding Japanese popular culture that came into effect 
this month.

Source:
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200401/gt2004013109.html
Don Brown

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