Erika Karata and Jiyeon to star in Japan-South Korea co-production film ‘Katai’

The Japan-South Korea co-production film ‘Katai’ (Negligence) is scheduled for a nationwide release on February 5, 2027. Directed by Akira Yamamoto and based on the novel by Shiho Tanimura, the film explores themes of identity and family through the lens of advanced reproductive medicine.

The story follows two women whose lives intersect due to a mistake involving the swapping of fertilized eggs. In an unusual casting choice, Japanese actress Erika Karata plays Ji-hyeon, a South Korean student studying in Japan, while South Korean singer and actress Jiyeon plays Nanako, a Japanese student.

The production aims to reflect the complexities of modern identity and the concept of family, using the cross-border casting to mirror the film's central themes of intertwined destinies.