Calling all socially awkward lover boys and lover girls! If you’ve been craving a new drama to swoon over, Romantics Anonymous is here to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Coming this October 16 to Netflix, Romantics Anonymous is a Japanese-Korean remake of the 2010 French-Belgian film of the same name. It centers around the relationship between Fujiwara Sosuke (Oguri Shun), a germophobic chocolate company president who cannot touch people, and Lee Hana (Han Hyojoo), a talented chocolatier who cannot make eye contact.
While the protagonists of the original movie are generally socially anxious people, the series is expected to delve deeper into the psyches of its characters during its eight-episode run, the first two of which already premiered last September 19 at the Busan International Film Festival.
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Delectable chemistry
With seasoned romance actors in both lead roles, fans are excited to see what sort of sweet dynamic will form between the two.
After starring in action-thriller dramas in the past few years (Happiness in 2021, Moving in 2023), Han Hyojoo returns to the romance genre as the sole Korean in the cast. She is expected to impress with her fluent Japanese, having previously starred in the Japanese action film The Sun Does Not Move (2021) as well as the joint Japanese-Korean production Postman to Heaven (2009) with Kim Jaejoong.
Any J-drama fan alive in the late 2000s and early 2010s would be familiar with Oguri Shun, as he was famous for high school bishounen roles like Rui Hanazawa in Hana Yori Dango (2007) and Izumi Sano in Hana Kimi (2007). Though he has since widened his range as an actor and built a respectable filmography with his more dramatic roles, it is a welcome surprise to see him return to his romance roots.
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Complementary flavors
The drama also features former KAT-TUN member Akanishi Jin and prolific Japanese-Korean actress Nakamura Yuri in supporting roles. Though he was in the Chinese drama The Legends of Changing Destiny in 2023, this is Akanishi’s first J-drama role since 2007. He plays Sosuke’s friend and Hana’s crush, bar owner Takada Hiroshi, while Nakamura plays Irene, a renowned psychologist who aids both Sosuke and Hana in their social struggles despite her own personal issues.
Whether it’s love is in the air or just the lingering scent of chocolate, Romantics Anonymous is not one to miss. Catch it on Netflix this October 16.
Source: Netflix Philippines, iMDb
