Hirokazu Kore-eda to make drama series with Studio Dragon

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda poses for a photo at the screening of ″Monster″ at the KNN Theater in Bsuan during the 28th Busan International Film Festival on Oct. 7. [NEWS1]

Korean production company Studio Dragon will collaborate with Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda on a new drama series, the company told the Korea JoongAng Daily Thursday.

“We are working hand-in-hand with Kore-eda to make a Japanese drama series for global audiences,” a Studio Dragon spokesperson said. “We have not decided on a release date as of now.”

A number of well-known Japanese actors, including Rie Miyazawa, Yû Aoi, and Suzu Hirose, are set to appear in the drama series, the English title of which is not yet confirmed.

Miyazawa is regarded as one of Japan’s top actors and has received six Japan Academy Film Prizes. Aoi and Hirose have also appeared in a number of critically and commercially acclaimed films and have received accolades.

Kore-eda is known for films including “Nobody Knows” (2004), “Still Walking” (2008), “Like Father, Like Son” (2013) and “After the Storm” (2016). His latest film is “Monster,” which won the Best Screenplay at this year’s Cannes International Film Festival and was also screened at the Busan International Film Festival, with tickets for the screening selling out within two minutes.

Kore-eda has previously worked with Korean actors and film crew on the 2022 film “Broker,” in which Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona and IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, starred. Song won the Best Actor award at the 2022 Cannes for “Broker.”

Studio Dragon is a production, marketing and distribution company under CJ ENM and has produced hit dramas such as “The Good Wife” (2016), “Crash Landing on You” (2019–20), “Sweet Home” (2020–), “The Glory” (2022–) and “Doona!”

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]