It was revealed on September 30th that actor Eiji Akaso will be starring in TV Tokyo's drama Premiere 23 "Kimbap and Onigiri: Two Lovers Are Similar But Different" (Mondays 11:06pm), which will start on January 12th, 2026. The heroine will be played by Kang Hyewon, a former member of the globally popular girl group IZ*ONE.
Just like "Kimbap" and "Onigiri," they look similar and use similar ingredients, but taste completely different when you eat them... This is a pure love story about two earnest people who are drawn to each other despite being confused by the differences in culture and values between Japan and Korea. Each episode will be exclusively streamed worldwide on Netflix at the same time as it is broadcast on terrestrial television.
Akaso, who plays the protagonist Hase Taiga, has a number of starring roles lined up this year, including the films "About a Place in the Kinki Region" and "366 Days." This will be his first starring role in a TV drama in five years, since "Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!, It Seems Like" in 2020. Taiga was once a promising young man as the ace of the university relay team, but his performance was a setback. Still haunted by his past, he now works as a part-time waiter at a small restaurant, leading a dull life with no particular dreams. However, when he meets and falls in love with the Korean heroine, he begins to face his own life and take a step towards his future.
Kang, who plays the heroine, is also active as an actor, having appeared in Korean dramas such as "Boyhood - Love, Tears and Youth" (2023) and "Rivalry of Goodwill" (2025). She plays Park Rin, a graduate student who comes to Japan from Korea to study animation, and struggles to balance her dreams for the future with reality in an unfamiliar life in Japan. This is Kang's first time appearing in a Japanese terrestrial TV drama. She is said to have interacted with both Japanese and Korean staff on set, and delivered many lines in Japanese. Other Japanese and Korean cast members will be announced in the future.
Comments from the lead actor Akaso and heroine Kang are as follows:
◇Comment from Eiji Akaso (role of Taiga Hase)
--Please tell us how you felt when you were chosen to appear in the drama and what you thought when you read the script.
When I first heard about it, I was surprised by the title "Kimbap and Rice Balls" and wondered "What kind of drama is this?" (laughs) I had no idea, but when I read the script, I found it to be a love story with carefully written descriptions of the characters' emotions, such as the interactions between Taiga and Rin. What's more, I was excited to see what would happen next, and I thought it was a very endearing script, with the way the characters complement each other to overcome the barriers of culture and values.
--Please tell us what you think are the highlights and things to look out for in the role you will be playing.
Taiga experienced a setback in track and field when he was a university student, and hasn't been able to move forward at all since then. I think it will be interesting to see how Taiga changes after meeting Rin while living his life aimlessly.
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the drama.
All the characters, including Taiga and Rin, are extremely adorable, so I hope you will watch over them with kindness.
◇Comment from Kang Hyewon (Park Rin)
--Please tell us how you felt when you were chosen to appear in the drama and what you thought when you read the script.
I was really happy when I heard about the role. At the same time, I thought a lot about how I should act. When I first read the script, I realized that the main characters are about the same age as me, and we have a common thread of "pursuing our dreams," so I empathized with that feeling and was drawn into the world of the story.
--Please tell us what you think are the highlights and things to look out for in the role you will be playing.
I would like you to see the relationship between Taiga and Rin, and the process by which each of them pursues their dreams. And it's not just Rin, the other characters each have their own charms, so I hope you'll pay attention to that as well.
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the drama.
This drama airs in winter, but was filmed in the hot summer. It's not just a love story, it's a human drama with charming characters, and there are plenty of points you can relate to. Be sure to check it out!
◇Comment from Nakajima Kana (Producer), TV Tokyo Drama Production Department
Whether it's something big or small, people are drawn to each other because they have different backgrounds, and sometimes those differences can shake up relationships. "Kimbap and rice balls" may look similar and have similar ingredients, but the contents and taste are different. It is because of our differences that we try to get to know each other and reexamine ourselves. Perhaps these experiences, accumulated over time, lead to true love and understanding. We all created this drama with that message in mind. Please support Taiga and Rin as they laugh, cry, and feel excited in their everyday lives!
◇Comment from BABEL LABEL producer Kimitaka Goka
It's been almost two years since we started this project, and since it's an original script, it's been a very long journey.
"Two people of different nationalities grow together, deepening their understanding while respecting each other."
We wanted to share this heartwarming, tender love story with the world. With that strong desire, the cast and staff worked diligently, steadily building up the script, filming, and editing. Working together with members who spoke different languages and had different backgrounds, we all had different approaches, even though we were aiming for the same goal, and it was a constant process of trial and error. But we communicated with each other, respecting each other's ways of thinking and backgrounds, and proceeded carefully, one step at a time. Just like the story's protagonist, Taiga, and heroine, Rin.
It was through this process that mutual understanding deepened, and I believe that the result was a very good work. The atmosphere in the world has changed considerably in recent years. Now more than ever, I hope that young people around the world, who will be responsible for the world in the future, will be able to watch the story of the hardworking and lovable Taiga and Rin and feel something new from it. There will also be plenty of delicious food, so please come hungry while you wait.
