‘Merry Berry Love’ Producers Nippon TV & CJ ENM Talk Korea-Japan Collaboration To Boost J-Drama – TIFFCOM
Nippon TV and CJ ENM are using their first drama partnership, *Merry Berry Love*, to show how Japanese and Korean production expertise can combine to reach international audiences. The series’ early Disney+ performance has added momentum to a wider trend of cross-border drama collaborations.
The ten-part romance stars Korean actor Ji Chang Wook as a spatial designer and Japanese actor Mio Imada as a strawberry farmer on a remote Japanese island. Developed and produced by CJ ENM with Nippon TV as co-producer, it began streaming globally on Disney+ on 7 October, with weekly episodes following their Japanese TV broadcast; Disney+ said it was the platform’s most-viewed Japanese live-action premiere globally in 2026 within 14 days. The companies said they hope to make more joint productions, while Nippon TV also highlighted its new unscripted studio, Gyokuro Studio, which is negotiating format deals less than a year after launch.
In short
- Nippon TV and CJ ENM joined forces on *Merry Berry Love*.
- Disney+ reported strong early viewing for the series.
- The companies plan to pursue further joint productions.
Explained simply
Japanese and Korean television companies have increasingly worked together, combining performers, production teams and audiences from both countries. Such partnerships can help a drama travel beyond its home market, though each company may contribute different parts of the production.
Nippon TV is a Japanese broadcaster and production company, while CJ ENM is a South Korean entertainment company. Their first drama partnership brings together Korean actor Ji Chang Wook and Japanese actor Mio Imada in a romance set on a Japanese island.
The collaboration reflects wider efforts to build television projects for international audiences. Its performance may influence whether the companies pursue further joint productions and how other studios approach cross-border dramas.
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