The Japanese drama Kimbap to Onigiri: Koisuru Futari wa Niteite Chigau, starring Akaso Eiji with Kang Hye Won as the female lead, has unveiled new promotional visuals and announced its theme song, “In Halo,” the latest release by aespa. Blending gentle storytelling with everyday realism, the series explores how two people at personal crossroads find connection and renewal through ordinary moments and shared meals.
The story centers on Hase Taiga, once a promising university relay runner and star athlete whose professional life failed to take off after graduation. Now working part-time at a small restaurant called Tanomi, Taiga gradually discovers a sense of fulfillment he never found in his earlier ambitions. Being entrusted by the restaurant owner to help create new menu items gives him renewed confidence and a quiet sense of purpose.
Opposite him is Park Rin, a Korean graduate student majoring in animation. While struggling to meet assignment deadlines, she unexpectedly receives notice of dismissal from her program and is asked to vacate her student dormitory. As a foreigner in Japan, finding housing proves difficult, and the mounting pressure leaves her physically and emotionally exhausted. Their paths cross when Rin enters Tanomi by chance.
There, Taiga’s onigiri offer Rin more than just nourishment, helping her push through hunger and fatigue. For Taiga, Rin’s unguarded smile as she enjoys his food becomes a moment of unexpected warmth. Rather than a dramatic romance, their relationship develops quietly, shaped by small gestures, shared routines, and mutual understanding.
The supporting cast includes Moon Ji Hoo, Fukagawa Mai, Kataoka Rin, Fukuyama Shodai, Fukikoshi Mitsuru, Seo Hye Won, Bang Eun Hee, Yui Hiroko, Nakajima Hiroko, Miura Masaki, and Watanabe Makiko, adding depth and texture to the narrative world.
Kimbap to Onigiri: Koisuru Futari wa Niteite Chigau begins airing today, broadcasting every Monday at 23:06 on TV Tokyo and affiliated networks. With aespa’s “In Halo” setting the emotional tone, the series presents a cross-cultural, quietly healing love story about loss, resilience, and finding a new beginning in the most unexpected places.
