‘Collaboration is inevitable’: why Japan-Korea TV and movie projects may become common, according to Japanese director Isao Yukisada

Japanese filmmaker Isao Yukisada points to movie Broker and Disney+’s Connect and says more Japan-Korea collaborations will play to both cultures’ strengths

‘Korean content is expanding its global reach while Japanese content is in decline,’ the director says, while also pointing to the success of Japanese films in Korea

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Japanese filmmaker Isao Yukisada says more Japan-Korea TV and movie collaborations that play to the strengths of both cultures are ‘inevitable’ going forward. Photo: Getty images

Published: 4:15pm, 16 Feb 2023

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Given Korea’s booming cultural content industry, there is a growing list of creators in Asia and beyond that are eager to collaborate with local production companies and filmmakers. Ties have been getting stronger between the content industries of Korea and Japan in recent years.

In addition to Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose first Korean-language film, Broker, helped its South Korean male lead, Song Kang-ho, win the best actor prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Takashi Miike directed Korean-language drama series Connect for Disney+.

Japanese director Isao Yukisada said Japan-Korea TV and film collaborations could be a great way to bring the two cultures together and showcase their strengths.

Yukisada says Japan-Korea film collaborations could be a great way to bring the cultures together. Photo: Holy Garden

“Korean content is expanding its global reach while Japanese content is in decline. So collaboration is inevitable. I’m eager to find out how K-content has become so powerful. I want to learn more about the secrets to its success,” he said.