The Reason Why NHK Drama 10 Captivates the World—The Secret Behind the "No Misses" from 'Shoujiki Fudousan' and 'Tokyo Salad Bowl' to 'Fune wo Amu'

1. Introduction

With the rise of global streaming services, Japanese TV dramas are now expected to meet "international quality standards" more than ever before. Leading the charge is NHK General's "Drama 10" slot on Tuesdays at 10 PM. Since its inception in 2010, it has produced a wide range of masterpieces, from serious social dramas to romantic comedies, and has grown into a brand known as "never a miss."trilltrill.jp

2. Overview and Evolution of the Drama 10 Slot

• Background of its inception: Compared to commercial broadcasters, NHK has fewer constraints on focusing on ratings, allowing it to design this slot as a place to nurture projects with substantial themes or based on original works.
  
  

• Change in broadcast time: Initially on Fridays, it moved to Tuesdays. By placing it mid-week, it enhanced its spread on social media as a "drama that working adults can discuss the next day."ja.wikipedia.org
  
  

• Recent Hit Examples: Works such as 'The Swallow Will Not Return' and 'Classroom in the Sky' have also received high praise from 2024 onwards.trilltrill.jp
  
  
  
  

3. Case Study ① 'Honest Real Estate'

• Overview of the work: A delightful workplace comedy about a real estate salesman who is cursed to "not be able to lie" (10 episodes, 2022 / sequel in 2024).
  
  

• Viewing and Distribution Data: Household ratings were in the 5-6% range, but including time-shifted viewing, the total ratings reached 10-11%.videor.co.jp
  
  

• Overseas Reception: The English subtitled version was distributed overseas and was well-received in North America, where there are many commonalities in real estate matters.
  
  

• Success Factors

  1. Recognition Expansion Due to Tomohisa Yamashita's International Popularity

  2. Script Balance that Turns Social Issues (Housing Loans, Vacant Houses) into Comedy

  3. Horizontal Story Structure Premised on Sequel Productionoricon.co.jp
     
     
     
     

4. Case Study ② 'Tokyo Salad Bowl - International Investigation Case Files'

• Work Overview: A unique suspense depicting Tokyo's multicultural society as a detective of foreign roots pursues complex international cases (9 episodes, January 2025 season).sp.horipro.jp
  
  

• Viewing and Distribution Data: Initial 7.8%, frequently trending on social media from mid-series. Satisfaction index stands out more than real-time viewership ratings.vodeveryday.comnfhome-network.com
  
  

• International Evaluation: Multilingual dialogue and authentic location shooting resonated with overseas Japanese communities.
  
  

• Success Factors

  1. Placement of Diverse Foreign Characters such as Career Officers × Technical Interns

  2. Visual Direction that Fuses Action and Culinary Depictions

  3. Pre-production of English and Chinese E-PKs for International Film Festivals
     
     
     
     

5. Case Study ③ 'The Great Passage - I Will Make a Dictionary'

• Work Overview: A re-dramatization of Shion Miura's 'The Great Passage' with a new cast. A coming-of-age ensemble drama navigating the sea of words through the seasons of a dictionary editorial department (Starting June 17, 2025, 10 episodes).radwimps.jp
  
  
  

• Production Topics

  • Film version scriptwriter Takuma Nishioka is in charge of series composition

  • “Example Cards” visualized in CG for visual translation of linguistic nuances
    
    
    

• International Expansion: English subtitled version to be broadcast simultaneously on NHK World Premium.

6. Five Mechanisms to Create "No Misses"

7. Viewing Guide for Foreign Audiences

1. Distribution Platform: Available on NHK On Demand + via VPN (restrictions may apply depending on region).

2. Subtitle Quality: Drama 10 officially provides English/Chinese subtitles by a specialized team.

3. Cultural Background: Specialized terms like real estate customs and pension systems are conveniently explained in the program's official website glossary.

4. SNS Integration: The official X account includes English tags to promote interaction among international fans.

8. Future Prospects

• Acceleration of Co-production: Reports indicate that a joint project with South Korea's KBS is underway for 2026 and beyond.

• Expansion of Themes: Large-scale dramas addressing international issues like AI ethics and climate change are in the planning stages.

• Expansion of Viewing Experience: Experiential initiatives such as Metaverse preview screenings and multilingual live commentary are also under consideration.

9. Conclusion

NHK Drama 10 has branded itself as a "production system" that balances the social mission of public broadcasting with entertainment value. The exhilarating nature of 'Shoujiki Fudousan,' the multicultural perspective of 'Tokyo Salad Bowl,' and the love for words in 'Fune wo Amu'

——each possesses a different texture, yet they all embody NHK's pride in "carefully depicting humanity." For international viewers, this serves as the best catalog for selecting the next work to watch, offering deep insights into Japanese society alongside universal dramaturgy.

List of Reference Articles

• TRILL "As expected, NHK 'Drama 10' never disappoints…!trilltrill.jp

• Mynavi News "From 'Honest Real Estate' and 'Tokyo Salad Bowl' to 'The Great Passage'" 2025-06-17news.mynavi.jp

• Videor "Drama 10: Honest Real Estate Time Shift Ratings" 2022-05-15videor.co.jp

• Videor "Drama 10: Honest Real Estate 2 Time Shift Ratings" 2024-03-10videor.co.jp

• ORICON NEWS "Reasons for the Success of Tomohisa Yamashita's 'Honest Real Estate'" 2022-06-10oricon.co.jp

• "Tokyo Salad Bowl" Program Information (NHK) 2025-01-07sp.horipro.jp

• Ratings News Site "Tokyo Salad Bowl Premiere 7.8%" 2025-03-15vodeveryday.com

• Work Analysis Blog "Tokyo Salad Bowl Ratings Trend and Reactions" 2025-03-20nfhome-network.com

• NHK Official "Drama 10 'The Great Passage: I Will Make a Dictionary' Broadcast Decision" 2025-03-14radwimps.jp