Ji Chang-wook’s ‘Merry Berry Love’ Explodes in 73 Countries—Ranked 2nd Globally

Actor Ji Chang-wook's return to romantic comedy is showing global box office momentum from the early stages of its release. The Disney+ series 'Merry Berry Love', featuring Ji Chang-wook and Japanese actress Mio Imada, rose to 2nd place on the global TV show charts just two days after its release, asserting its presence by entering the top 10 in as many as 73 countries and regions. With a sweet romance connecting South Korea and Japan, combined with Ji Chang-wook's signature sly acting and the heart-fluttering chemistry between the two actors, a green light has been lit for its early success.

'Merry Berry Love' is a cross-border romance where Lee Yu-bin, a South Korean space planner whose work and life get tangled in an instant, meets Karin Shirahama, a Japanese farmer, on a beautiful island. Once a highly capable professional recognized in the industry, Yu-bin loses her job overnight due to a friend's betrayal and visits Charo Island to find a stepping stone for her comeback. However, her relationship with Karin takes an unexpected turn when she is absurdly misunderstood as a strawberry thief there. The chaotic incidents occurring in an unfamiliar environment and the bickering relationship between the two serve as the main entertainment of the work.

The first episode, released on the 7th, drew both laughter and excitement, focusing on the diverging first meeting of the two protagonists. In particular, Ji Chang-wook's acting, showcasing his charm in the romantic comedy genre after a long time, drew significant attention. From the aspect of a city man alternating between seriousness and bluffing to the clumsiness revealed in situations that do not go as planned, Ji Chang-wook naturally expressed the diverse charms of the character Lee Yu-bin. The chemistry with Mio Imada is also an element that makes one look forward to how their relationship will evolve.

The early response was evident on the global charts. According to FlixPatrol, which aggregates global Over-the-Top (OTT) content rankings, 'Merry Berry Love' rose to 2nd place on the Disney+ TV show category worldwide chart on the 9th, just two days after the first episode was released. It recorded 1st place in Brazil, Japan, and Hong Kong, and entered the top 10 in 73 countries and regions, including Czechia, Germany, United Kingdom, Chile, Poland, Taiwan, and Finland. Given that it gained steady interest in various regions immediately after release, attention is focused on how much of a wide viewership a global romance featuring the meeting of South Korean and Japanese actors can secure.

In the second episode, to be released on the 14th, Yu-bin, who was accustomed to city life, begins her full-scale rural adaptation as she transforms into a strawberry field worker. In the released still cuts, Yu-bin appears as a complete farm worker, wearing a comfortable T-shirt and a straw hat. Her bright expression while giving a thumbs-up shows the confidence of a beginner who believes they can do anything. However, her exhausted appearance, drenched in sweat while carrying a large suitcase, foreshadows a difficult reality from the start. The key watching point of the second episode is how a city man, who likely has never even properly touched soil, ended up volunteering for hardship in a strawberry field.

The relationship between the two is also expected to enter a new phase. Interest lies in how Yu-bin, who was misunderstood as a thief from their first meeting, will resolve conflicts with Karin, and whether the two people who have lived in different environments can grow closer through unexpected events. In particular, for Yu-bin, life in the strawberry field could be a process of rebuilding her collapsed daily life beyond a simple means of livelihood. The story of a person accustomed to success reflecting on themselves amidst unfamiliar labor and human relationships also serves as a device to add a growth narrative to the romance.

The highly characterful supporting cast is also expected to be responsible for the fun of the work, as much as the chemistry of the lead actors. Kim Tae-hoon plays the role of Yu-bin's father, Lee Gyeong-su. Lee Gyeong-su is a plant breeder who once dreamed of a future with his family on Charo Island, and is a character who exerts a significant influence on Yu-bin's life through unexpected events. As it is implied that there is a long-unresolved story between the father and son, curiosity grows regarding how Lee Gyeong-su's past will affect Yu-bin's current life and her meeting with Karin.

The One appears as Kim Bong-su, Yu-bin's business partner and best friend. The relationship between Bong-su, who has moved from being a business partner to taking on the role of a manager, and Yu-bin is expected to show both the comfort between friends and the subtle hierarchical relationship stemming from work. The realistic friend chemistry to be shown by Ji Chang-wook and The One is expected to handle the laughter of the drama. Moon Woo-jin, who plays Yu-bin's childhood, also adds emotional depth to the story by delicately portraying the emotions of the young Yu-bin, who had to live with her mother due to her father's overseas assignment.

Jung Young-joo, appearing as a mysterious figure, and Kangnam, playing the role of Lazy, a university classmate of Karin and an influencer, are also worth watching. Jung Young-joo injects tension into the drama with charisma and sly charm, and Kangnam appears as a character who competes with Karin at every turn, creating pleasant conflicts. Additionally, newcomer Lee Hyo-in joins as Han Si-a, the granddaughter of a global construction company and a junior from Yu-bin's university. Han Si-a is a character who creates variables in the relationship between Yu-bin and Karin, drawing attention to what kind of emotional waves she will create among the three.

The production team predicted that in the second episode, Yu-bin's new life after becoming unemployed overnight and the change in the relationship between Yu-bin and Karin, which started with a misunderstanding, will be fully depicted. The key is whether the early interest confirmed on the global charts can lead to actual viewership trends, and what kind of charm the romance of the two protagonists will create when intertwined with the diverse stories of the supporting cast.

'Merry Berry Love' is released every Wednesday through Disney+ and the Japanese terrestrial broadcaster Nippon TV. Attention is focused on whether this work, which combines an exotic encounter set in South Korea and Japan, the chaotic rural life of a city man, and a romance blooming in a strawberry field, can continue its early global success.

Read the original (Korean)