Roy Kim released a global remake of “Sparkle” from Your Name as part of SHGold networks’ J-POP REMAKE project.

SHGold networks (headquarters: Seoul, South Korea; representative: KangNam) globally released the official remake of “Sparkle,” a representative song from the anime film Your Name, as the fourth installment of the “J-POP REMAKE” project, which sings Japanese famous songs with the expressive power unique to Korean top-tier artists, on various online music distribution sites from 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11. The singer in charge of the vocals is singer-songwriter Roy Kim, who debuted after winning an audition program and enjoys unwavering popularity with numerous hit songs and a warm, deep vocal. Since the first installment, “Bansanka,” by Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon, won first place on major music source charts, the “J-POP REMAKE” project has drawn tremendous reactions from music fans in both Japan and Korea, with the second installment, “Zankoku na Tenshi no These,” by HAN RORO, and the third installment, “Aoi Sangoshō,” by Lee Su-hyun (AKMU). “Sparkle,” appearing as the fourth installment, is a famous song widely loved as an insert song in the anime film Your Name, which was created by the Japanese rock band RADWIMPS and was released in 2016 and recorded a worldwide blockbuster hit. As a song symbolizing the film’s emotional worldview and fateful emotions, it continues to enjoy strong popularity both in Japan and abroad even now, long after its release. For this remake, lyricist Isran and Roy Kim himself directly participated in creating the Korean lyrics. While carefully preserving the heart-pounding yet sorrowful worldview and emotional line of the original song, it was reconstructed around Roy Kim’s uniquely plain yet deep vocals and delicate emotional expression. The quiet introduction and the dramatic emotional line that rises toward the latter half, fused with his warm singing voice, have resulted in a song that delivers a deep emotion different from the original. The music video released at the same time features figure skater Cha Jun-hwan, who is active on the world stage, and rising actress Seo Su-min, who is drawing attention after debuting in the popular drama Agent Kim: Reactivated. The two, making their first appearance together, play the leads and depict the sweet yet beautiful “first flutter of youth.” The setting of the story is a bookstore with a warm and lyrical atmosphere. It depicts the thrill of first love, in which the two people who meet by chance repeatedly exchange notes by inserting them between books and gradually come to understand each other’s hearts. Cha Jun-hwan’s soft and delicate atmosphere and Seo Su-min’s pure charm harmonize, and even without dialogue, they express changes in emotion only through their eyes and facial expressions. Roy Kim’s dramatic vocals and the two actors’ delicate performances overlap, and the music and visuals are completed as a work that leaves a deep lingering impression as one story. This project was planned and produced with KangNam, the representative of SHGold networks and producer, at the center. KangNam, who has a deep understanding of the music scenes of both Japan and Korea, is working to create content that serves as a bridge for cultural exchange between Japan and Korea by combining Japanese famous songs loved across borders and eras with the unique expressive power of Korean artists, thereby delivering new musical emotion. ◆KangNam comment: We sincerely thank everyone for the warm response to “Bansanka,” “Zankoku na Tenshi no These,” and “Aoi Sangoshō.” The fourth installment, “Sparkle,” is a special famous song loved around the world together with the beautiful worldview of the work. Because Roy Kim, who has outstanding singing ability and a warm voice that seems to embrace people’s hearts, participated, it was finished as a very lyrical and attractive song that only he could express, while being respectful of the original. Together with the beautiful MV featuring Cha Jun-hwan and Seo Su-min, I would be happy if many people would listen and enjoy it.