"Unscripted" Producer MEGUMI Signs Exclusive Partnership with Netflix

Netflix is pleased to announce a multi-year exclusive agreement with Japanese creator MEGUMI. Under this partnership, MEGUMI will produce multiple new unscripted (“script-free storytelling”) series to be exclusively distributed on Netflix.

Her first-ever unscripted project, *Badly in Love* (2025), is a series built around the unlikely pairing of Japan’s “yankee” subculture—a youth culture often associated with rebellious style, delinquent aesthetics, and strong codes of loyalty—and a romantic reality format. Shortly after its release, the series debuted at No. 8 on the Global Weekly Top 10 (Non-English Series)* and became the first Japanese unscripted title to enter the Netflix Weekly Top 10 (Series) in South Korea, breaking records at a remarkable pace internationally. In Japan, the series ranked No. 1 on the Netflix Weekly Top 10 (Series) for four consecutive weeks, already generating an exceptional response for a Japanese unscripted title.   *Tracking period: December 8–14, 2025.

Megumi commented on the new agreement:

“I am truly honored to receive this incredible opportunity from Netflix, and I feel a great sense of responsibility. While creating  *Badly in Love*, I was deeply moved by the raw emotions, impulses, and unfiltered moments shared by everyone who appeared in the show. It made me realize that those very things are what make people truly beautiful. I also came to see how powerfully such authenticity can move the hearts of viewers. In an age where there are no clear ‘right’ answers, I want to carefully capture real emotions and the subtle shifts of the human heart, and convey just how precious they are. Through unscripted projects, I will continue to do my utmost to deliver those irreplaceable moments to as many people as possible.”

Kaata Sakamoto, Vice President of Content - Japan at Netflix

“Our mission at Netflix is to create stories unlike anything members have seen before—stories that deeply move and resonate with viewers. When I first watched the rush footage of ‘Badly in Love’, I felt strongly that, even with her very first unscripted production as a producer, MEGUMI was a creator who truly shared that vision. That conviction led to what became our fastest-ever decision to produce a second season, and has now resulted in this exclusive agreement with MEGUMI as a producer of unscripted content. Through her singular and distinctive perspective, we will continue to discover uniquely Japanese stories that have yet to be told and create compelling works that captivate members around the world.”

Currently, multiple unscripted projects produced by MEGUMI are being developed in parallel at Netflix. Together, creator MEGUMI and Netflix will produce “Unscripted” stories—authentic narratives with unpredictable turns that lay bare real human lives and raw emotions—and deliver them to audiences all around the world.

Stay tuned for the upcoming original series from MEGUMI, exclusively on Netflix.