The new Japan-Korea drama stars Akaso Eiji and Kang Hae-won, depicting a heartwarming love story amidst cultural differences.

The Japan-Korea co-produced drama 'Kimbap and Onigiri: Similar Yet Different Lovers' starring Akaso Eiji and former IZ*ONE member Kang Hae-won is gaining attention as a sweet love story for the New Year. Today (7th) in the afternoon, a production presentation for the drama was held at The Saint in DCUBE City, Sindorim, Guro District, Seoul. The story depicts the heartwarming pure love between Hase Taiga (Akaso Eiji) and Park Rin (Kang Hae-won), who are attracted to each other while being confused by their cultural and value differences. Akaso Eiji plays Hase Taiga, a promising marathon athlete who experiences setbacks and leads a listless life. Given that this is a Japan-Korea collaboration, there must have been many differences such as language barriers and cultural aspects. Akaso Eiji responded, 'I actually didn't have any difficulties, but it must have been hard for Hae-won since she came to Japan for filming.' He continued, 'She is amazing for managing to do it alone in such a situation. Since actors and staff from Korea came, I wanted to make the set enjoyable.' Akaso Eiji, who revealed that this is his fourth visit to Korea, expressed, 'Korea has an excellent culture of hospitality. Everyone welcomes you, and they even gave me gifts. It’s a country with a big warm heart towards people.' He added, 'There are many aspects to learn in acting. Although there are language differences, I felt that there are parts we can empathize with as human beings.' When asked about what attracts him to Korean culture, he said, 'The food is really delicious. I love Ogyupsal (pork belly), and it tastes great with white rice. It has a sweet and chewy flavor.' He also praised the drama 'Voice,' saying it is an amazing work. Kang Hae-won plays Park Rin, who struggles between her daily life and future dreams while studying animation. She described the drama as 'a show that delivers small happiness and joy,' stating, 'I studied hard for two months before going to Japan. At first, I struggled with the language, but thanks to Akaso-san's consideration, I was able to adapt quickly to the set. The director also made sure to communicate in a way I could understand, so I didn't have any particular difficulties.' Kang Hae-won revealed that she became close to Akaso Eiji through their shared interest in animation and that her experience as an IZ*ONE member helped her during filming in Japan. 'I was somewhat accustomed to it, so I didn’t feel like it was an unfamiliar environment. I think without that experience, I wouldn’t have been able to do this much in two months,' she reflected. She also shared that to act in Japanese, she prepared by listening to recorded scripts every morning. Akaso Eiji praised her, saying, 'She was very good, and I was surprised. Although she plays a Korean character, she looked so natural that she could pass for Japanese. When I asked her multiple times, 'What are you doing?' she would reply, 'I’m going to study Japanese.' I think the result of her efforts naturally blended into the drama, making it enjoyable for viewers.' Kang Hae-won also shared an episode with the Japanese staff, saying that the Japanese filming set is similar to Korea, and while discussing filming with Korean staff, someone next to her said in Korean, 'That’s right,' so she instinctively thought it was her staff and tried to respond, only to find out it was actually Akaso-san. She found it amusing that his Korean pronunciation was perfect. In response, Akaso Eiji showcased some Korean he recently learned, saying, 'Did you eat? I had Ogyupsal yesterday. It was delicious. Nice! Treat me to Ogyupsal,' which brought laughter to the set. Finally, Akaso Eiji stated, 'Each character carries their own troubles and love as they move forward. I think people all over the world can empathize with it,' and expressed, 'I hope you enjoy it with warm feelings while imagining the kimbap and onigiri that appear in the drama.' Kang Hae-won added, 'I would be happy if this drama could deliver various emotions like small touches and joy to everyone. The other actors besides us also have their own charms, so please pay attention to them.' The Japan-Korea co-produced drama 'Kimbap and Onigiri: Similar Yet Different Lovers' will air every Monday at 11:06 PM on TV Tokyo starting on the 12th and will also be available on Netflix.