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'Yon-sama' Japan's Word of the Year

TOKYO -- Korean actor Bae Yong-joon's Japanese diminutive "Yon-sama" has been selected as the most talked-about word in Japan. Bae played the leading role in the Korean drama "Winter Sonata", which became a massive hit in Japan.
The Asahi Shimbun said Wednesday that "Yon-sama" had been selected as the "word of the year" at a talk show to celebrate the publication of the 2005 edition of "Chiezo", its yearly book of words on current affairs.

"Yon-sama" won the most online and cell phone votes. The word "a humble player",which was popular during a recent walkout by pro baseball players, competed with "Yon-sama" and came in second place.

Other most talked-about words include "Ichiro", the name of the Japanese baseball player who set the single-season hit record in the U.S. Major Leagues; "My Way", the baseball philosophy of Junichi Dragons coach Ochiai Hiromitsu who helped the team win the championship of the Central League; and "There are various ways to live ones life", which was made by Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro, after the fact was revealed that when he was young, he had received wages from a company, although he had not actually worked there.

The Asahi Shimbun reported that as rumors have spread that Bae Yong-joon would attend several official functions in Seoul over this weekend, Tokyo-Seoul flight tickets from Friday to next Monday have been sold out.

Choi Heup

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