1.1 million admissions: This charming French comedy from the 2010s is getting its own remake series on Netflix

This is quite unexpected news. Netflix’s latest original project is the Japanese TV series adaptation of Jean-Pierre Amery’s French film Les Émotifs anonymous, which drew 1,159,000 attendees in France in 2011.

According to a project whose working title is Romantics Anonymous Netflix, will feature talent from Japan and Korea, two key countries at the heart of Netflix’s strategy in Asia. The series stars Shun Oguri (Godzilla vs. Kong), Hyo-Ju Han (Dark Forces), Yuri Nakamura (Like Father, Like Son) and Jin Akani (47 Ronin). Sho Tsukikawa, director of the live-action series Yu Yu Hakusho, directs.

Yong Film, the Korean producer behind The Believer 2, The Call, 20th Century Girl and My Name is Loh Kiwan, has developed the project into its first Japanese TV series.

Beautiful people behind the camera

Lee Ha-joon (art director of Parasite) will lead the production design, including the set design of the central chocolate shop. The editor will be Yang Jin-mo (Parasite editor-in-chief) and the music will be provided by Dalpalan. Production has begun in anticipation of the 2025 broadcast, with Lim Seung-Young of Yong Film as the showrunner.

The story begins with a chance meeting between a man and a woman, which is explained by their mutual love for chocolate. However, both live with their own anxiety disorders: the man cannot physically touch others, and the woman cannot make eye contact.

Story

Oguri plays Sosuke Fujiwara, the son of a major confectionery magnate whose germophobia complicates his new job at the popular chocolate shop Le Sauveur. Han stars as a talented chocolatier, Hannah Lee, who hides her identity from The Savior members except for her owner and struggles with her own fears of social interaction.

Nakamura stars as a renowned psychologist and author who not only acts as Sousuke’s doctor, but also becomes Hana’s counselor despite her alcoholism and romantic relationship problems. Akani plays Sousuke’s longtime friend, who Hana secretly has feelings for.

Netflix’s strategy

The news follows Netflix’s second release of viewing data, which highlights the world’s continued interest in Japanese and Korean content. Programs from these two countries represent 24% of the world’s 100 most-watched series and shows in terms of viewing hours.

In April 2023, Netflix executives committed to spending $2.5 billion to produce Korean content over the next four years, and the latest data shows why they took that stance. Squid Game Season 2, scheduled for release later this year, is expected to be the biggest release of the year for the service.