Japanese actor Nakamura Tomoya has been confirmed to star in “DREAM STAGE,” an upcoming large-scale project from TBS that goes beyond the boundaries of a typical television drama.

A story set in the vibrant yet competitive world of K-POP, “DREAM STAGE” follows a Japanese music producer who, after being expelled from the entertainment industry due to past troubles, finds himself working with seven trainees from a small Korean talent agency. Each trainee is chasing their dream of debuting on the global K-POP stage, and together, they face challenges of passion, ambition, and redemption.
Adding to the excitement, the seven-member boy group NAZE has been officially confirmed to appear in the drama. Formed through a collaboration between Japan’s CJ ENM and Korea’s C9 Entertainment, NAZE was created after three years of auditions and member selection across various Asian countries.

The group’s lineup includes:
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YOUNKI, ATO, KIMKUN, and DOHYEOK (from Korea)
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TURN (from Thailand)
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KAISEI and YUYA (from Japan)
Although they have not yet officially debuted, NAZE will take on the dual challenge of appearing in the drama as themselves while also pursuing real-world music activities, including releasing original songs and performing live.
This unique cross-media project aims to blur the line between fiction and reality—telling the story of aspiring idols both on and off screen, while simultaneously launching NAZE as a real idol group.
With Nakamura Tomoya’s strong presence anchoring the narrative and the inclusion of international rookie idols, “DREAM STAGE” is shaping up to be one of TBS’s most ambitious and globally minded productions to date.
