Korea-Japan joint titles emerge as new streaming sellers

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - In October, Netflix’s charts delivered an unusual pairing at the top: the Korean film “Good News” and the Korea–Japan co-produced drama “Anonymously Yours”. Despite their different genres, both titles underscore a fast-rising trend — Korean and Japanese creators increasingly joining forces in writing, directing, casting, and financing.

“Anonymously Yours,” a romance series adapted from the 2010 French–Belgian film Les Émotifs anonymes, is directed by Japan’s Tsukikawa Sho, written by Korea’s Kim Ji-hyun, and produced by Yong Film. Starring Han Hyo-joo and Oguri Shun, the series premiered on Oct. 16 and immediately climbed to No. 1 on Japan’s Today’s Top 10 Series, while also entering the Top 10 in Korea and Netflix’s global non-English TV rankings.

The Korea Creative Content Agency’s Tokyo office notes that co-produced titles are now in structural demand across both markets.

Japanese broadcasters are aggressively partnering with Korean studios to compete with global OTT players and to expand export pipelines, while Korean producers gain access to Japan’s stable primetime slots and extensive library of adaptable IP.

As major OTTs and terrestrial broadcasters line up more joint projects, the “Korea–Japan collaboration” tag is becoming a recognizable programming category in itself.
 

Released on the same day, “Good News” — a dark comedy loosely inspired by the 1970 Yodo-go hijacking — brought together Korean actors Sol Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung, and Ryu Seung-bum with Japanese stars Yamada Takayuki and Kasamatsu Sho. Directed and written by Byun Sung-hyun, the film satirizes Cold War-era bureaucracy between the two countries and entered Netflix’s global non-English film Top 10 following strong reviews. 

Netflix’s portfolio already includes multiple Korea–Japan collaborations, from crime thriller “Road” to the youth drama “Soulmate” and “Gas Human,” a new adaptation of the 1960 Japanese sci-fi classic. The trend extends beyond Netflix: Coupang Play recently released the joint drama “Love After,” while Disney+ is preparing “Merry Berry Love,” co-produced by CJ ENM and Nippon TV. 

The surge in co-productions reflects a broader shift in Northeast Asia’s content ecosystem — one where cross-border storytelling, shared financing, and mixed casts are emerging as strategic tools to reach global audiences.