Why Old Johnny’s Talents Are Dominating Summer Dramas

In July, summer dramas are starting one after another.

This season, there are many highly anticipated dramas, including ‘Shinjuku Frontline Hospital’ (Fuji TV), where writer Kankuro Kudo (53) teams up with actress Eiko Koike (43) for the first time, and ‘GO HOME: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Unidentified Person Consultation Room’ (Nippon TV), written by Hiroyuki Yatsu (52), who also worked on ‘Hanzawa Naoki’ and ‘VIVANT’ (both TBS). 

However, what stands out just as much is the large number of dramas featuring former Johnny’s talents (now under STARTO ENTERTAINMENT).

Fuji TV has cast Ren Meguro (27) from Snow Man as the lead in their flagship Monday 9 PM drama “Umi no Hajimari.” Ryosuke Yamada (31) from Hey! Say! JUMP stars in “Billion × School,” airing on Friday at 9 PM, while Koji Mukai (30) from Snow Man is cast in the Monday 10 PM drama ‘Mountain Doctor.’

On TBS, Sho Sakurai (42) from Arashi appears in “Warau Matryoshka,” and Hokuto Matsumura (29) from SixTONES has a regular role in the Tuesday drama “Saionji-san wa Kaji o Shinai.”

TV Asahi has Shota Watanabe (31) from Snow Man as the lead in Aoshima-kun wa Ijiwaru, while TV Tokyo features Kento Nakajima (30) in “Shosen Tanin Koto kara ~Toaru Bengoshi no Honne no Shigoto.”

When considering supporting roles as well, there are a significant number of former Johnny’s talents appearing in summer dramas. The rapid increase in their use, after a period of near disappearance, raises questions about the underlying reasons, which key network insiders are ready to discuss.

 

“Last year, when the sexual misconduct issues related to the former Johnny’s agency were in the spotlight, it was common to receive viewer complaints when casting their talents in dramas. Some sponsors took a strict stance, and commercial broadcasters temporarily refrained from using them.

 

However, since STARTO Entertainment officially launched in April, it has marked a clear break from the former agency, leading sponsors to soften their stance. Networks also see this as an opportunity to build goodwill. By supporting STARTO Entertainment now, it could make casting talents in variety and music shows easier in the future. There’s likely some strategic thinking behind this move.”

Concerns about viewers drifting away from television have been ongoing for some time. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, budget cuts have left many networks in a tight financial situation. One of the avenues they’re exploring to find new opportunities is the streaming business. Here’s an explanation from a programming executive at a major network. 

“Since the launch of the free streaming service TVer in 2015, created by the five major commercial networks, viewership numbers have surged explosively. Though approximate, it is estimated that each network’s revenue from TVer is around 5 to 6 billion yen annually. While this still falls short of broadcast revenue, streaming income has been growing at nearly double the rate each year, with a potential to surpass broadcast revenue within the next 5 to 8 years. It is currently one of the most anticipated areas in the television industry.

Former Johnny’s talents have a strong connection with the core demographic of the streaming business, which includes teens to those in their 30s who are part of the smartphone generation. Their influence on social media is significant, making them essential for casting aimed at streaming platforms.”

In fact, there have been hits that have become social phenomena. For instance, the Fuji TV drama Silent, starring Ren Meguro, which aired in October 2022, had an average household rating of 7.6%. However, it was streamed an average of 5 million times per episode, setting a record for the highest streaming numbers in the history of commercial TV. This success has been widely reported as a national hit, making it a prime example of success in this field.

“This season’s Monday 9 PM drama ‘Umi no Hajimari,’ starring Ren Meguro, had a modest start with an average household rating in the 8% range for its premiere. However, the catch-up streaming on TVer surpassed 4.6 million views for the first episode alone, exceeding even Silent in this metric. Both Meguro and Ryosuke Yamada are highly regarded in the industry for their strong streaming appeal, making it very possible for former Johnny’s talents to dominate the TVer rankings this summer.

Previously, the term rating star was used, but now television executives are looking for view count stars on streaming platforms. This is why there’s a growing trend to use former Johnny’s talents who excel in streaming, rather than relying solely on seasoned actors or big names.”

It seems that this momentum will continue unabated.