Japanese film adaptation of "Hell is Other People" stars Rintaro Hachimura (left) and Shuntaro Yanagi (LINE Digital Frontier)
Japanese adaptations of popular Korean content are increasing, driven by growing challenges the Japanese content industry faces in importing Korean content as well as broadcasters' desire to air potential hits on their own terms.
Naver Webtoon's "Hell is Other People," a horror that enjoyed immense popularity as both a webtoon and TV show, has since been adapted into a Japanese film set to release in theaters in Japan on Nov. 15.
Directed by Wato Kodama, known for horror projects such as Netflix's "Sword Guy," the film features Rintaro Hachimura and Shuntaro Yanagi in the lead roles.
"Hell is Other People" was previously made into the hit Korean drama starring actors Yim Si-wan and Lee Dong-wook. In the Japanese film, Hachimura takes on the main protagonist's role previously played by Yim while Yanagi plays the role portrayed by Lee.
The Japanese film is expected to follow the plot of both the original webtoon and its Korean drama adaptation, centering on the chilling experiences of a young man who moves into a hostel with disturbing residents.
Another webtoon set to be reimagined for Japanese screens is "Marry My Husband." According to Studio Dragon, the popular webtoon will be reimagined as a Japanese TV series.
The drama production company, a subsidiary of entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM, told The Korea Herald it is currently exploring the possibility of collaborating with a Japanese drama production company for the "Marry My Husband" adaption.
This is spurred by the popularity of both the "Marry My Husband" Korean drama and the original webtoon in Japan, according to a Studio Dragon official.
The "Marry My Husband" drama, which logged over 800 million views globally, was released in January and went on to become the first K-drama to reach the top spot on Amazon Prime Video's global rankings.
SBS' hit sports drama "Stove League" (2019), which reached a peak viewership rating of 20 percent during its run and won the grand prize at the 2020 SBS Entertainment Awards, is also set to be remade into a Japanese series.
Although details regarding the Japanese remake, including the casting and crank-in schedule, remain undisclosed, the series is under discussion between Studio S, SBS’s drama production subsidiary, and Japan’s NTT Docomo Studio & Live, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in August.
Previously, Japan would mostly import hit K-dramas, but the landscape is changing.
"In the past, Japanese viewers would watch K-dramas through platforms such as Netflix, but nowadays, Japanese people may be more inclined to produce local versions. This may be because K-dramas, which are more expensive than before, have become more costly to import," said Kim Yoon-zi, chief researcher at Eximbank.
Kim further explained that the growing number of exclusive contracts between streaming platforms and K-drama production companies that limit shows to a specific service or platform may be prompting Japanese content companies to remake Korean content.
“These days, K-dramas are frequently sold to streaming platforms first, limiting viewing options for Japanese viewers. This exclusivity may be driving Japan to remake K-dramas for wider local broadcasting," she added.
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