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When K-drama meets J-drama: sparks fly as Korea and Japan team up on screen
From Netflix’s Romantics Anonymous to Disney+’s Merry Berry Love, Korean-Japanese collaborations are on the rise
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
By Kim Se-jeong
Netflix’s romance series Can This Love Be Translated? has drawn attention for many reasons, including the casting of Japanese actor Sota Fukushi as Hiro, a Japanese superstar whose initial contempt for Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung) gradually turns into love as the story unfolds.
Fukushi’s role is smoothly woven into the narrative as a Japanese celebrity working alongside a top Korean star, with several scenes filmed in Japan.
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The casting of Japanese actors in Korean productions – and vice versa – is becoming increasingly common. More notably, this reflects a broader rise in cross-border content creation between the two countries.
Can This Love Be Translated? represents one of the simplest forms, involving mainly casting. Similarly, season three of SBS’ action drama Taxi Driver, released in November 2025, features Japanese actor Sho Kasamatsu as one of the villains. Gimbap and Onigiri, a Japanese drama released on January 12, stars Korean idol-turned-actor Kang Hye-won in a leading role, opposite Eiji Akaso.
Prime Video Japan’s original Marry My Husband (2025) demonstrates a deeper level of collaboration and proves it could succeed.
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