diff --git a/unshackle/core/config.py b/unshackle/core/config.py
index 6eb7b26..1c50d62 100644
--- a/unshackle/core/config.py
+++ b/unshackle/core/config.py
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class Config:
         self.update_check_interval: int = kwargs.get("update_check_interval", 24)
         self.scene_naming: bool = kwargs.get("scene_naming", True)
         self.series_year: bool = kwargs.get("series_year", True)
+        self.unicode_filenames: bool = kwargs.get("unicode_filenames", False)
 
         self.title_cache_time: int = kwargs.get("title_cache_time", 1800)  # 30 minutes default
         self.title_cache_max_retention: int = kwargs.get("title_cache_max_retention", 86400)  # 24 hours default
diff --git a/unshackle/core/utilities.py b/unshackle/core/utilities.py
index 5aaf6f0..7a78535 100644
--- a/unshackle/core/utilities.py
+++ b/unshackle/core/utilities.py
@@ -120,9 +120,14 @@ def sanitize_filename(filename: str, spacer: str = ".") -> str:
 
     The spacer is safer to be a '.' for older DDL and p2p sharing spaces.
     This includes web-served content via direct links and such.
+
+    Set `unicode_filenames: true` in config to preserve native language
+    characters (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) instead of transliterating
+    them to ASCII equivalents.
     """
-    # replace all non-ASCII characters with ASCII equivalents
-    filename = unidecode(filename)
+    # optionally replace non-ASCII characters with ASCII equivalents
+    if not config.unicode_filenames:
+        filename = unidecode(filename)
 
     # remove or replace further characters as needed
     filename = "".join(c for c in filename if unicodedata.category(c) != "Mn")  # hidden characters