Korean production company WEMAD is opening a new chapter in Korea–Japan content collaboration by co-producing the 35th-anniversary special of Fuji TV’s flagship anthology series “Tales of the Unusual.”
The special episode “Tales of the Unusual: 35th Anniversary Special – Autumn Edition,” in which WEMAD participated, will air on November 8 at 9 PM on Fuji TV. As a Korea–Japan co-production showcasing creative synergy between both countries, the project signals a new turning point for the long-running series.
The third story within this special, titled “The Game You Must Keep Playing to Stay Alive,” was jointly planned and developed by WEMAD (Korea) and Kyodo Television (Japan).
The suspense thriller follows a man in despair who enters a mysterious game promising a 3-billion-yen prize, plunging into a bizarre world where reality and illusion intertwine. The episode stars Ryôsuke Yamada, making his first appearance in the “Tales of the Unusual” franchise, drawing significant attention.
Producers Yuta Kano and Matsuki Ebana from Fuji TV, along with Ryota Nakamura and Kosuke Utatani from Kyodo Television, oversaw the entire project. From the Korean side, WEMAD’s CEO Hyun-Wook Lee, CEO Yeon-Sung Kim, PD Jun-Yong Lee, and PD Yu-Rim Kim joined as co-producers. The screenplay was written by WEMAD’s Joo Jin, and the episode was directed by Masato Hijikata of Kyodo Television.
WEMAD has previously earned recognition for producing various Korean dramas such as “Check-in Hanyang,” “Heartbeat,” and “The Red Sleeve.” This project further expands the company’s collaboration with Fuji TV, one of Japan’s leading broadcasters.
This partnership is especially meaningful as a creatively collaborative production model—with writers and producers from both countries working together from the conceptual stage. By blending Japanese suspense storytelling with Korean emotional depth and mise-en-scène, the project adds a fresh artistic perspective to the long-running “Tales of the Unusual” series.
A WEMAD representative stated, “This project goes beyond a simple co-production. It was a new collaborative process in which production teams from both countries jointly discovered the story and elevated its quality. We hope to continue delivering new, meaningful content to global audiences through wider collaboration across Asia.”
This expanded co-production model—built on deep creative cooperation—positions WEMAD to continue strengthening its presence in the Asian market through original content production and global OTT partnerships.
