Actor Lee Byung-hun, nicknamed `Byonsama` in Japan, will soon launch a fan club in that country in a joint effort with Hakuhodo DY, a subsidiary of the influential Japanese advertisement agency, Hakuhodo. The firm has agreed to provide active support to set up a fan club for Lee, who is often described as `a hallyu blue chip.`

The club, entitled `Lee Byung Hun Japan Official,` will be unveiled in November. Hakuhodo DY, which highly regards the actor`s popularity in Japan, will take charge of the club`s founding and overall management by capitalizing on its extensive marketing knowledge.

Although the operation of Lee`s unofficial fan Web site has been suspended ahead of the club`s launch, the number of its visitors has exceeded 10 million recently, attesting to the actor`s skyrocketing popularity in Japan.

Meanwhile, Hakuhodo DY has staged various pre-launch marketing events recently, such as posting advertisement banners on Tokyo`s downtown buses and running ads in the press in a bid to publicize the creation of Lee`s official fan club. `