The number of Japanese households that can watch a South Korean satellite channel specializing in Korean pop culture has exceeded 4 million, the channel said Friday, indicating its growing popularity in the neighboring country.

KBS Japan said more than 4 million Japanese households can view popular South Korean TV dramas, films and music programs on a channel provided through Japan's Sky Perfect satellite TV and cable television stations such as J:COM and JCN.

The figure, up eight fold from 500,000 in April 2006, when the channel started its service in Japan, means the channel is now available in most parts of the country.

The actual number of the channel's individual viewers can reach

12 million under the assumption that a household has at least three members.

Korean pop culture, known as "hallyu," has been gaining popularity in foreign countries, especially across Asia.

"The number, 4 million, is a baseline that Japan's major ad firms consider is necessary to expect a positive response when their commercials are on TV," Kwon Oh-jun, chief of the broadcasting department of KBS Japan, said. "We will exert efforts to attract more viewers to Internet TVs and smartphone TVs."

Also popular in Japan is two other satellite channels specializing in South Korean TV programs -- KNTV invested in by Korea's two other major TV networks -- MBC and SBS -- and Mnet Japan run by CJ Media Japan. The two channels have about 110,000 and 120,000 paid subscribers each although their monthly subscription fees are relatively high, according to the channels. (Yonhap News)