Simple and affordable, the keys' global success of LOL: Last One Laughing from Yoshimoto Kogyo

In an interview with Prensario, Akihiko Okamoto, president of Yoshimoto Kogyo, shared his excitement about the company's current success, highlighting the growing influence of Asian content in regions such as the Americas. This international interest stems from the global success of the company’s format Documental, which has been adapted in more than 20 countries under the name LOL: Last One Laughing.

LOL: Last One Laughing adaptation in Mexico

Okamoto emphasized their approach to keeping formats 'simple and easy to understand'. He explained, 'this allows producers and broadcasters in each country to add their own flair. We wanted to make sure it was a worldwide format from the beginning', which he highlighted as key to the format's widespread success across different markets.

The format has achieved significant popularity on Prime Video in countries like Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, and others, even leading to multiple seasons in several of these regions. 

The executive also noted that smaller broadcasters, particularly in regions like Latin America, could benefit from the adaptability and lower production costs of Yoshimoto's formats. 'It's a small format, so you can control the production cost. I think it's a format with a lot of freedom', he said, suggesting it as a great fit for markets with fewer resources.

Looking ahead, Okamoto expressed enthusiasm about developing new content with global production and distribution partners. He revealed that Yoshimoto Kogyo would soon host a producer summit in Japan, where 50 unscripted producers from Amazon would collaborate on new international projects. 'We're going to pitch them... and we're very excited for that', added.

Dynamic of the format:

In the format, ten comedians are placed in a studio set up like a living room, filled with hidden cameras. Over the course of a few hours (usually six), the comedians must try to make each other laugh using any means possible, while ensuring they don’t laugh themselves.

When a contestant laughs for the first time, they receive a yellow card as a warning. A second laugh leads to a red card and elimination from the game. Serious rule infractions can result in automatic elimination. The eliminated players join the host in an observation room but may return later as challengers to the remaining contestants. If a comedian is not engaging enough, they can also be disqualified. Communication with the outside world is only allowed through a phone controlled by the host.

 

Alberto Buitron