Netflix to Adapt French Film ‘Les Émotifs Anonymes’ into Japanese Series with Korean Team Amid Rising Asian Market
Netflix’s latest original series is a Japanese adaptation of the 2011 French film Les Émotifs Anonymes (Romantics Anonymous). The project, known as Romantics Anonymous, will showcase talent from Japan and Korea, two crucial countries in Netflix’s Asian strategy. The series will star Shun Oguri (Godzilla vs. Kong), Han Hyo-Joo (Moving), Yuri Nakamura, and Jin Akanishi, with Sho Tsukikawa set to direct.
Yong Film, a Korean production company known for Believer 2, The Call, 20th Century Girl, and My Name is Loh Kiwan, has spearheaded this project as its debut Japanese series. Production is already underway for a 2025 premiere, with Lim Seung Young from Yong Film serving as the showrunner.
The storyline revolves around a man and a woman who bond over their shared love for chocolate, despite grappling with their respective anxiety disorders. Oguri plays Sosuke Fujiwara, a germaphobic heir to a confectionery empire, while Han portrays Hana Lee, a talented chocolatier concealing her identity. Nakamura takes on the role of a psychologist who becomes a mentor to both Sosuke and Hana, while Akanishi plays Sosuke’s close friend, with whom Hana secretly carries a torch for.
Shun Oguri expressed his excitement for the project, emphasizing the collaboration between Japanese and Korean talents. Han Hyo-Joo echoed this sentiment, highlighting the joy of working with a diverse team. Director Sho Tsukikawa emphasized the dedication to creating exceptional content through combined efforts.
The series announcement comes on the heels of Netflix’s latest data dump, showcasing the enduring global interest in Japanese and Korean content. Korean shows accounted for a significant portion of the top 100 most viewed TV shows globally, with Korean titles like King the Land and Japanese titles like Yu Yu Hakusho season 1 attracting substantial viewership.
Netflix’s substantial investment in Korean content, including the highly anticipated Squid Game season 2, underscores the streaming giant’s commitment to Asian programming. The latest viewership report indicates a strong viewership trend for Netflix content, with audiences consuming a staggering 90 billion hours of content overall.
Trailer: [Romantics Anonymous Trailer](insert YouTube link here)
