Nippon TV and CJ ENM are building a cross-border drama partnership aimed squarely at global audiences, with their first joint production, Merry Berry Love, already delivering strong early results on Disney+.

The ten-episode series began streaming worldwide on October 7. According to Disney+, within 14 days it had become the platform’s most-viewed Japanese live-action title premiere globally in 2026. It was also the most-viewed premiere of any Japanese title in the APAC region.

Executives from the Japanese broadcaster and Korean studio discussed the collaboration during a TIFFCOM presentation, explaining how they brought together different production and distribution strengths for the project.

Merry Berry Love stars Ji Chang Wook, whose credits include The Worst Of Evil, as a spatial designer. Mio Imada, known for Tokyo Revengers, plays a strawberry farmer. Their characters fall in love on a remote Japanese island.

Kim Soojung, who directed Semantic Error, directs the series from scripts by Divorce Insurance writer Lee Jaeyoon. CJ ENM developed and produced the drama, while Nippon TV served as co-producer. Episodes stream weekly on Disney+ immediately after their linear broadcast on Nippon TV in Japan.

Two Production Cultures Come Together

Shinji Enari, Nippon TV’s executive vice president of content business, said Merry Berry Love represents the company’s first collaboration with CJ ENM. Rather than splitting leadership evenly, Nippon TV supported the production under the Korean company’s direction.

“We delegated leadership to CJ ENM and have been supporting the production while following their lead,” Enari said.

Giyoung Choi, CEO of CJ ENM Japan, said the partnership reflects the companies’ complementary experience. Korean businesses have spent years distributing dramas internationally, he noted, while Japan has traditionally been stronger in selling formats.

“Nippon TV wants to offer Japanese drama to the global market by taking advantage of our expertise in this area,” Choi said.

Choi also addressed the contrasting working styles encountered by Japanese and Korean teams. In his assessment, Korean productions tend to focus on how to achieve success, while Japanese teams place greater emphasis on avoiding errors and failure. He stressed that neither method is inherently superior.

“The key is to try to reach out to each other to understand the good points of the Korean and the Japanese systems,” Choi said. He acknowledged that communication can initially be difficult for the two groups, but said staff members can learn to collaborate by observing one another.

The experience has left CJ ENM interested in continuing the relationship. Choi said the company is looking forward to pursuing more joint productions based on what the teams learned while making Merry Berry Love.

A Growing Korea-Japan Drama Trend

The series arrives as more productions combine performers, crews, settings and stories from Korea and Japan. Recent examples include Netflix crime thriller Blue Road, adapted from a manhwa about detectives in the two countries pursuing a serial killer responsible for murders in both markets.

Fuji TV’s Kidnap Game is another cross-border thriller, bringing together talent and production partners from Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.

Nippon TV also used its TIFFCOM appearance to highlight its broader international ambitions beyond scripted drama. The broadcaster presented 11 unscripted programs produced during the past year by Gyokuro Studio, including Love On The Menu, Never Look Back, Majority Rules, Ultra Mission, Mega Catch and Secret Little Assistant.

Launched in June 2025, Gyokuro Studio was created to develop unscripted programming for global format sales. Studio head Ken Akiyama said multiple companies have made offers for shows including Majority Rules, Ultra Mission and Never Look Back.

“We thought this would take more time, but we’re negotiating multiple contracts within one year of launching the studio,” Akiyama said.

Nippon TV has additionally opened an office in Los Angeles as part of an international network that includes outposts in New York, London, Amsterdam, China and Southeast Asia.

ShowBiz Take

Merry Berry Love matters because it is more than a one-off casting crossover. CJ ENM led development and production, Nippon TV supplied co-production support and a Japanese linear home, and Disney+ provided immediate worldwide streaming after each domestic broadcast. The show’s early viewing rankings, as reported by Disney+, offer a concrete indication that this model can reach audiences beyond its home market.

The wider TIFFCOM presentation also shows that Nippon TV’s global push is not limited to one drama. Between the CJ ENM partnership, Gyokuro Studio’s format negotiations and the expansion of its overseas office network, the broadcaster is pursuing international opportunities across both scripted and unscripted entertainment.

What Happens Next?

New episodes of Merry Berry Love will continue to stream weekly on Disney+ following their Nippon TV broadcasts in Japan. CJ ENM has expressed interest in more joint productions, while Gyokuro Studio is negotiating multiple format contracts. TIFFCOM itself runs for three days, from October 28 through October 30, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho.