A Japanese remake of JTBC’s 2021 series “Nevertheless,” will air from Dec. 9 through local streaming platform Abema and Netflix, the series’ production company SLL JoongAng said Thursday.

The Japanese remake, titled “The Shapes of Love,” features actor Ryusei Yokohama portraying the male lead role and is directed by Ryutaro Nakagawa.


The remake aims to delicately portray the impulses of individuals falling in love and the main characters’ emotions while getting drawn into a relationship, even when they know it will hurt them, according to the production company.

Set in Kamakura, Japan, the series will consist of eight episodes, SLL JoongAng added.

“I’m thrilled to hear that SLL’s production, ‘Nevertheless,’ will be remade by the talented staff and actors from Japan,” Lee Min-jeong, the head of SLL JoongAng's global distribution department, said.

“I believe the remake will beautifully combine the unique Japanese sensibility, outstanding performances and adaptations that reflect local culture, resulting in a high-quality work."

The 2021 Korean series, starring Song Kang and Han So-hee, follows the romance between a flirtatious man who avoids serious relationships and a woman who, despite not believing in love, still wants to date.

The original series garnered global popularity, entering Netflix's Global Top 10 TV list for the non-English category for seven consecutive weeks. It also attracted many Japanese viewers, staying in the streaming platforms’ Japan’s Top 10 list for 13 weeks.

The launch of the Japanese remake of “Nevertheless,” is part of the JoongAng Group production studio SLL JoongAng's recent efforts to work closely with the Japanese content market.

The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in May with Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi to collaborate in the content business, as well as an MOU with Japanese broadcaster TBS Holdings’ production company The Seven.


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]