16 Upcoming Japanese Romance Dramas To Watch In January 2023
Unlike any other South Asian genre of tv shows, J-dramas are known for their bold content as well as comedy. Being shorter than regular Korean or Chinese dramas, Japanese dramas are quick to watch with only 10 to 12 episodes per season.
As the new year draws ever-nearer, various networks have announced a good amount of romantic comedies to watch in January of 2023 alone. With some dramas focusing on the sexual lives of men and women, and others revolving around the work and familial lives of individuals, we have a full package of shows waiting for us.
Here is our list of the 16 upcoming romantic comedy J-dramas that will be released in January.
Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu 3
English Title: I Will Live Properly In My Next Life
Network: TV Tokyo
Episodes: 12
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Premiere Date: January 5th
The third season of Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu will continue telling the story of Omori Momoe, a 27-year-old employee at Studio Delta. She is someone who has intimate relationships with five different partners.
Omori Momoe claims that she can’t help but feel the emptiness that these men leave in her life. However, despite having not one but five different partners, Omori Momoe knows that these men can never be hers completely.
Soredemo Kekkon Shitai to, Yatsura ga Itta
English Title: Still, They Said They Want To Get Married.
Network: TV Tokyo
Episodes: 10
Genre: Drama, Romance
Premiere Date: January 5th
Based on the theme of “wonderful weddings,” this work is a new type of wedding drama that depicts the real journey leading up to the wedding ceremony and various human patterns from the perspective of a certain mouse family.
The mouse family takes over as the staff of the ceremony hall and works hard to rebuild the ceremony hall and solve the troubles that the couples face.
Konya Sukiyaki da yo
English Title: It’s Sukiyaki Tonight
Network: TV Tokyo
Episodes: 10
Genre: Drama, Romance
Premiere Date: January 6th
The 10-episode drama follows the story of Ota Aiko who is an interior designer with a strong desire to get married. She is currently engaged and comes to realise that both she and her fiancé have different views about marriage. They usually fight very often making their relationship full of turmoil.
One fine day, Aiko meets her former high school classmate, Asano Tomoko. Tomoko is aromantic and is very good at housework, especially cooking. Since she is at work as a picture book author, the two friends come up with an agreement to live together.
The condition between the two is that Aiko will provide a place for Tomoko while the latter will provide her with delicious meals.
Yappa Sore, Yokunai to Omou
English Title: It Is Not Good, Maybe.
Network: TV Asahi
Episodes: 10
Genre: Drama, Romance
Premiere Date: January 6th
Kaminiida Midori is a member of “Pon Poko Pi”, a three-person streamer group. The number of views of their videos has been dropping. The group decides to task Midori has been tasked to be the “test subject” of a surprise documentary project in order to garner more views on their videos.
The plot of the project is to let a cute girl approach a guy who looks like he has never dated anyone. One day, Midori approaches an unattractive man named Ishibashi Wataru, and begins dating him, but gradually feels guilty about it.
Kariage-kun
English Title: N/A
Network: BS Shochiku Tokyu
Episodes: 12
Genre: Comedy, Life
Premiere Date: January 7th
Kariage-kun is the story of a young man named Kariage who works as an employee in a private company named Honnyara Industries. The show is based on a popular anime series which narrated stories of Kariage’s naive ignorance which dictated his everyday life. The stories in the show also sometimes take the form of social criticism towards the lives of the people in Japan.
Sanzenen no Tsukaikata
English Title: How To Spend Money Happily
Network: Fuji TV/Tokai TV
Episodes: 8
Genre: Life, Drama
Premiere Date: January 7th 2023
This is a story of three generations of women in the Mikuriya family. All three generations are seriously thinking about one thing and that is – “What kind of life do I want to lead?”. Throughout its 8 episodes, the three generations will overcome their problems by saving money.
Mikuriya Miho is the second daughter of the family and has just started living alone after finding a job with a decent salary. Miho has been dreaming of becoming a working adult with a wonderful boyfriend, but an uncertain event causes her to rethink her life.
Shinyu wa Akujo
English Title:Â My Sly Bestie
Network: BS-TV Tokyo
Episodes: 10
Genre: Romance, Drama
Premiere Date: January 8th
Horie Mana leads a fulfilling life as a sales clerk at Tomiya Corporation and is interested in her coworker Hashii Tsubasa. Mana is someone who has a reserved personality and becomes content just by looking at Tsubasa from afar.
Mana’s high school classmate, Honda Ai, shares that she was interested in their other classmate, Takato Hino, who was Mana’s only close friend in high school.
Years after they had lost contact since graduation, Mana fatefully runs into Hino, Mana welcomes her to her own house after learning that Hino has no place to stay after getting a divorce.
Brush Up Life
English Title: N/A
Network: NTV
Episodes: 10
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Premiere Date: January 8th
Brush Up Life is a human comedy focusing on Kondo Asami, a 33-year-old single woman who lives with her parents and works at the local city hall. Asami suddenly finds herself starting her life over from scratch.
All of a sudden, Asami finds herself on a bed in an obstetrics and gynaecology clinic, where she meets her young parents and begins her life all over again.
Reversal Orchestra
English Title: N/A
Network: NTV
Episodes: 10
Genre: Drama, Music
Premiere Date: January 11th
Tanioka Hatsune is a city hall employee who was known to be a “violin prodigy”, but left the stage 10 years ago due to a certain reason. Despite this, Hatsune has been hoping to quietly continue playing her beloved violin, which later came true when Hatsune got scouted by the “overly aggressive and strange maestro” Tokiwa Asahi. As the new concertmaster, Hatsune becomes a key person in rebuilding Kodama Symphony Orchestra.
Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san
English Title: The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 9
Genre: Comedy, Life
Premiere Date: January 12th
The show narrates the story of Kiyo and her best friend Sumire who leave their hometown Aomori and come to Kyoto, dreaming of becoming a ‘maiko’ at Gion, a famous geisha district. Kiyo and Sumire rent a place together and they practice drumming and dancing.
Despite this, Kiyo is told that she is not suited to be a maiko and should return to Aomori. This causes Kiyo to be depressed, but one day, she receives praise from everyone for her oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl). Kiyo is later offered a job as “Makanai-san”, a cook who prepares food every day for the residents.
Hamaru Otoko ni Keritai Onna
English Title: The Woman Who Wants to Kick the Man Who is Addicted to Her
Network: TV Asahi
Episodes: 10
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Premiere Date: January 14th
Shitara Koichi is an ace product developer for a major beverage manufacturer. He has a beautiful wife who is an excellent cook but was laid off due to conflicts with her boss. One day, Koichi’s wife left behind the divorce papers and disappeared.
Koichi decides to quit his company and works as a live-in manager at a retro boarding house called “Ginseisou”. Meanwhile, Nishijima Itsuka is a hard-working woman working at a web production company, but she has become a slacker after moving into “Ginseisou”, which provides every meal and is within walking distance from her company.
6-Byoukan no Kiseki
English Title: 6-second Trajectory
Network: TV Asahi
Episodes: 10
Genre: Life, Fantasy
Premiere Date: January 14th
This drama focuses on the fireworks industry, which is suffering from a decline in events due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mochizuki Fireworks Store is a fireworks store that has been running for generations. Mochizuki Wataru is the fourth-generation owner who passes away at the age of 80, leaving his son Seitaro alone and at a loss for words.
A few months later, Wataru, who was supposed to be dead, appears in front of Seitaro as if he is still alive. This is a heartwarming fantasy drama, depicting the mysterious daily life of the father and son fomn ireworks masters.
Watashi no Otto wa: Ano Ko no Koibito
English Title: My Husband -Her Lover-
Network: BS-TV Tokyo/TV Osaka
Episodes: 10
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Premiere Date: January 15th
The show tells the story of Sasano Kaori and her husband, Takuya who are very close. One day, Kaori starts to notice that her husband has “changed” and while talking to her best friend Yuki, Kaori learns that Takuya has a secret account with many posts that hint at an affair.
Kaori later finds out that the woman he is having an affair with is Mishima Mutsumi and visits her husband, Kyosuke. She asks for his cooperation in separating Takuya and Mutsumi. Kyosuke agrees with the condition that Kaori has to sleep with him. While following and monitoring Takuya and Mutsumi, Kaori begins an affair with Kyosuke, and later falls in love with him.
Stand Up Start
English Title: N/A
Network: Fuji TV
Episodes: 10
Genre: Business, Drama
Premier Date: January 18th
Mihoshi Taiyo is the president of an investment company called Sunshine Fund and believes in the saying that “people are assets are people”. Calling himself a “human investor”, Taiyo approaches people who are having a hard time living and gives them hope by helping them start a business and discover their potential.
Mama wa Bartender: Koyoi mo Odorou
English Title: Mama Is a Bartender: Let’s Dance Tonight
Network: BS-TBS
Episodes: 8
Genre: Comedy, Life
Premiere Date: January 19th
The short J-drama follows the life of Hoshino Akari, a single mother. After the death of her husband, she is forced to get a job in order to take care of his two kids. She works at BAR 1511 and solves her clients’ problems with her cocktails and advice.
Liaison: Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryosho
English Title: Liaison: Children’s Mental Health Clinic
Network: TV Asahi
Episodes: 10
Genre: Medical, Life
Premiere Date: January 20th
The show is a medical drama that details an account of a the number of medical services provided by physicians, clinical psychologists, and other psychiatric specialists as one team, in cooperation with other medical departments.
Set in a child psychiatry clinic, the drama centres around Sayama Taku, the director who has autism, and Tono Shiho, a resident with ADHD, as they face children and families with different problems and difficulties.
There you have it, our list of romantic comedy J-dramas that we know are releasing in January 2023. There could be some more additions to the list and we will be sure to update it as and when new titles are announced.
Be sure to let us know your thoughts about the upcoming shows in the comments and which you are looking forward to! You can also mention the titles of Japanese dramas and shows we may have missed.