Super luxurious party and sandals…! Wataru Ichinose and Suzu Hirose at the “Netflix Drama Launch” with the stars of the show in attendance.
Production costs are 2 to 5 times higher than terrestrial broadcasting, and the reception hall of a 4-star hotel is rented out... Surprised by the overwhelming capital power of Netflix!
Ichinose in his casual clothes with a strong impact
Guo wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah.”
One night in early March, the streets of Shibuya Ward were filled with the sound of gruff laughter. The voice belonged not to a bald-headed sumo wrestler, but to actor Wataru Ichinose (40). He was dressed in a shabby white T-shirt, yellow sweatshirt, and sandals, but in fact, he was attending an extravagant party that day, the exact opposite of the rough look of his casual clothes.
The reception hall of a four-star hotel was rented out for a consolation party for an original new film produced by Netflix. The cast of this comedy set in Japan’s super-aging society included, in addition to Ichinose, Suzu Hirose (27), Kento Hayashi (35), Raoul from “Snow Man” (22), Yuki Sakurai (39), and Fumino Kimura (38), all of whom are in the lead roles. The cast gathered for the launch of the film after the crank-up, and it was a big party,” said a source from an entertainment agency.
It was quite a luxurious affair to invite so many celebrities to a party at an upscale hotel. In fact, Netflix’s capital power has reached a level that key stations cannot compete with.
I have never heard of a launch party at a hotel reception hall since Corona. The production cost per episode of Netflix dramas is said to be two to five times that of terrestrial broadcasting.
The stations are also looking for ways to make the most of the huge capital, instead of bumping into it.
For example, last October’s drama “If this world were a stage, where would the dressing room be?” (Fuji TV) received a hefty distribution fee from Netflix on the condition of exclusive distribution one hour after broadcast. In the future, a new business model centered on distribution services will become the mainstream,” said a key station employee.
Ichinose, the poster child for Netflix, who got his big break with “Sanctuary,” enjoyed the party until 3:30 pm that day.
From the March 27/April 3, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY
PHOTO： Shu Nishihara