NANJING, China -- An internet documentary series chronicling a wide variety of ordinary Japanese citizens living in China -- from a man in his 60s who opened a curry shop to a single mother and her daughter -- who have all adapted to life here has attracted not only over 200 million views, but has also resonated with young people all over the world.

On Dec. 30, 2017, over 200 young people flooded a restaurant in Nanjing, in China's Jiangsu Province. They had gathered for one reason: to meet Nanjing-based Ryo Takeuchi, 39, the director of the web documentary "Watashi ga koko ni sumu riyu/Wo zhuzai zheri de liyou" (The reason I live here) and the Japanese residents that appeared in his work. This first-ever fan event is being held to express appreciation on the two-year anniversary of the start of the project. Fans selected from over 1,000 applicants came from all over China, as well as some from the United States and Japan.

The original program began posting roughly once a week in November 2015, and now has 98 episodes. When the project began, it showcased Chinese citizens living in Japan, but it was a special episode covering Japanese citizens living in China that became a big hit. The program rose to popularity with a total of over 200 million views across 14 different mediums like Chinese video sites. The documentary show was even chosen by the Chinese version of Twitter "Weibo" as one of the "top 10 most influential travel videos."

The program is completely unscripted. Takeuchi simply carries out interviews in a laid-back atmosphere. With experience directing documentaries for public broadcaster NHK and other TV stations, Takeuchi has come to prefer a style that is looser and unlike regular interviews.

In one episode, 24-year-old exchange student at Beijing Language and Culture University Satoshi Nishida performed "Xiangsheng," a traditional Chinese stand-up comedy routine, in fluent Chinese, rocketing him to celebrity status as Chinese media competed to cover his story. The episode about 38-year-old single mother Rie Matsuo and her daughter Suzusa, 7, in Dalian overflowed with supportive comments like "a mother's love is the strongest no matter the country."

"While many in China have a strong interest in learning about Japan, it's a shame that the response from Japanese people remains weak," said Takeuchi. His next goal is to give viewers an unedited look into life in China by uploading his videos with Japanese subtitles onto Japanese websites.