Galaxy Express 999 - Theme Songs in Korea and Japan, and Kokura Station

While traveling around Fukuoka, I visited the statues in front of Kokura Station that commemorate Galaxy Express 999.

Kitakyushu is famous for being the hometown of Leiji Matsumoto, the original creator of the Galaxy Express 999 manga.

Maetel and Tetsuro in front of Kokura Station.

This is a Galaxy Express 999 poster. While we read it as ‘Gu-gu-gu’ in Korea, in Japan, it is read as ‘Three Nine’.
銀河鉄道999 (Three Nine)

The Japanese theme song for Galaxy Express 999 is as follows:

The starting part is similar to the Korean version, and the lyrics are also quite alike.

This is the Korean version of the Galaxy Express 999 theme song sung by Kim Kook-hwan.

However, personally, I prefer the song ‘Galaxy Express Laden with Tears’.
This is the video version.
The lyrics are as follows:

At the sound of the lonely whistle, even tears run dry
Even the starlight sobs in the cold wind
In the longing to find a mother’s love
The heartless train, the heartless train sobs and cries
Please tell me, Galaxy Express, where is my destination?
Please tell me, Galaxy Express, Galaxy Express

‘Originally, this song was used as the opening theme for episodes 1 to 5 during the MBC broadcast. However, the authorities at the time rejected it, claiming the song was too dark for a children’s cartoon, and replaced it with a song that was misunderstood as a translated version.’
Found this on Namuwiki.