Advanced Television

Viu acquires Takuya Kimura dramas

July 22, 2020

Viu, a pan-regional OTT video service from PCCW Media Group, has acquired exclusive OTT rights from Fuji TV to bring 12 iconic Takuya Kimura titles, including Long Vacation, Love Generation, and the Hero series to its viewers.

Kimura (also known as Kimutaku) is an iconic figure in the Japanese entertainment industry. He was a member of the best-selling boy band in Asia, SMAP, which hosted the widely acclaimed variety show SMAP x SMAP that was on air for 20 years. After the massively successful drama series Long Vacation starring Takuya Kimura, his popularity was propelled to a new level and the record ratings of his subsequent drama series earned him the title of “The King of Ratings”. The Japanese heartthrob has legions of fans across Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Virginia Lim, Chief Content Officer of Viu, said, “Our commitment is to bring the best Asian content to our audiences, and without question, Takuya Kimura’s dramatic works fit that definition perfectly. We are very excited to be the first and only^ OTT platform offering these beloved titles to the viewers. The fans of Takuya Kimura will now get to watch his engaging and charming drama series on Viu at their leisure. There is no better way to enjoy time at home than watching Kimutaku classics.”

The dramas include a look at Takuya Kimura’s romantic roles in Long Vacation, Love Generation, and Moon Lover, as well as his mystery-comedy Hero series, one of the highest-rated television series in Japan.

The following Takuya Kimura titles will be released on Viu over the next two months:

August: Long Vacation (1996), A Sleeping Forest (1998), HERO (2001). Engine (2005), Change (2008), Moon Lover (2010), PRICELESS – Is there such a thing? (2012)

September: The Ordinary People (1993), Love Generation (1997), Hundred Million Stars From The Sky (2002), HERO SPECIAL (2006), HERO 2014 (2014)

Viu users in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines will be able to watch these classic titles with subtitles of Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, and Thai, on an as-available basis.

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