What makes Japanese entertainment unique is its "Galapagos-style" evolution. Because Japan has a massive domestic market, its culture often develops in isolation, creating distinct aesthetics that the rest of the world eventually finds fascinating.
Unlike the gritty realism of Korean K-Dramas, J-Dramas are often unhinged in the best way. One week you’re watching a serious legal thriller ( Legal High ); the next, you’re watching a woman quit her corporate job to buy a broken down van and eat canned food in the woods ( The Full-Time Wife Escapist ). Since streaming (Netflix, Viki) opened the gates, shows like Alice in Borderland have shown the world that Japan does "death game" horror better than anyone.