{
  "id": 13900712,
  "title": "'KiDnap Game,' 'Merry Berry Love' show how Korea-Japan dramas are evolving",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/kidnap-game-merry-berry-love-show-how-korea-japan-dramas-are-evolving",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-12T07:42:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/shows-dramas/20261012/kidnap-game-merry-berry-love-show-how-korea-japan-dramas-are-evolving"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Korean and Japanese creators are increasingly collaborating on television dramas, but the latest wave of partnerships is going beyond the novelty of simply pairing stars from the two nations. Two recent series, \"KiDnap Game\" and \"Merry Berry Love,\" showcase how Korea-Japan co-productions are evolving as producers merge distinct production methods and storytelling techniques from the outset, while targeting audiences outside of either country. On Tuesday, Channel A's \"KiDnap Game\" premiered, a thriller set across seven Asian cities, including Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, and Naha. The international production involves Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, with Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi and Korean star Lee Joon-gi starring together for the first time. Just the following day, CJ ENM's \"Merry Berry Love,\" a cross-border romance, aired on Japan's Nippon TV and Disney+. The drama follows Yubin, a Korean spatial designer.",
  "summary": "Korean and Japanese creators are increasingly joining forces on television dramas, but the latest wave of collaborations is moving beyond the once-novel spectacle of simply putting stars from the two countries together. Two new series, \"KiDnap Game\" and \"Merry Berry Love,\" illustrate how Korea-Japan co-productions are evolving as producers combine different production systems and storytelling…",
  "key_points": [
    "\"KiDnap Game\" premieres on Channel A, a thriller set in seven Asian cities",
    "\"Merry Berry Love\" airs on Japan's Nippon TV and Disney+, a cross-border romance",
    "Collaboration involves Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong for both series"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "'KiDnap Game,' 'Merry Berry Love' show how Korea-Japan dramas are evolving",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/kidnap-game-merry-berry-love-show-how-korea-japan-dramas-are-evolving-13903982",
        "published": "2026-10-12T08:02:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}