Korean studios accelerate global expansion through international partnerships Poster for "Merry Berry Love," stars, clockwise from top left, Ji Chang-wook, Mio Imada, Rinka Kumada and Nam Yoon-su. (CJ ENM) South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM’s global TV series project "Merry Berry Love" is set to premiere worldwide in October, marking the first drama series co-produced by a Korean production company and Japan’s Nippon TV.The cross-border romance follows Yoo-bin (Ji Chang-wook), a struggling Korean spatial designer, and Karin (Mio Imada), a Japanese farmer, as their lives become intertwined while they navigate love across cultural and national boundaries.The series also features Nam Yoon-su, who has earned recognition for his performances in Netflix titles including "Extracurricular" and "Love in the Big City." He plays Park Gu-nam, a working holiday participant employed at Asahi Store, the island’s neighborhood supermarket, who harbors an unrequited love for Mari. Japan's Kumada Rinka rounds out the main cast as Mizuno Mari, Karin’s close friend and a tarot reader.The series will be available on Disney+ and air on Japanese terrestrial broadcaster Nippon TV."Merry Berry Love" arrives amid a growing wave of cross-border collaborations in the Korean entertainment industry, as companies seek to broaden their global reach by combining creative talent, financing and audiences across markets.The growing number of multinational productions reflects a broader transformation in the entertainment landscape, with companies increasingly looking beyond saturated domestic markets to attract international audiences, diversify production ecosystems and take advantage of government-supported filming incentives set for overseas productions.Netflix’s "Human Vapor," which premiered globally July 2, is another recent example of the shift. The eight-episode dark fantasy thriller was co-written by Yeon Sang-ho, the creator of acclaimed works such as "Hellbound" and "Train to Busan," alongside longtime collaborator Ryu Yong-jae, with Japanese filmmaker Katayama Shinzo directing.Another example is "Kidnap Game," a large-scale pan-Asian mystery thriller co-produced by Korea’s SimStory, Japan’s Fuji Television Network and Hong Kong-based MakerVille, which is scheduled to air this fall.Set across seven major Asian cities, the series brings together a regional ensemble led by Korean actor Lee Joon-gi and Japanese star Kentaro Sakaguchi, with additional cast members from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand.