Jun Shison to Star in Japan-Korea Drama, Marking First Korean-Language Role
Japanese actor Jun Shison will take on the lead role in the upcoming Nippon TV drama, “No Tree Will Fall After Ten Cuts,” set to premiere on April 12th. This role marks Shison’s first time acting in Korean, showcasing a growing trend of Korean cultural influence in Japanese broadcasting.[3]
A Cross-Border Love Story
The drama, planned and created by Yasushi Akimoto, centers around a pure love story that unfolds across both Japan and Korea. The title itself is derived from a Korean proverb, signifying resilience and perseverance – “No matter how difficult something is, if you maintain trying, you will surely succeed.” [3]
Shison will portray Kim Min-seok, also known as Teru Aoki, a young man of Japanese descent who was adopted into a prominent Korean conglomerate after losing his parents at the age of seven. The narrative follows his journey from being a potential heir to falling from grace after the death of his adoptive father, ultimately leading to his return to Japan after 23 years. [3]
Filming in Korea and Linguistic Challenges
Filming for the drama took place on location in Korea, adding a layer of authenticity to the production.[3] Shison expressed initial apprehension about the amount of Korean dialogue required for the role, stating, “When I first received the script, I saw the amount of Korean dialogue and thought, ‘Huh? Am I really doing all of this?’ I was embarrassed.” [3]
Though, he embraced the challenge, recognizing it as an opportunity to push his boundaries as an actor. “I thought it was a really captivating challenge as an actor to go beyond simply memorizing and expressing the strange boundary where Korean and Japanese naturally mix,” he explained. [3] He is currently working with a language teacher to refine his pronunciation, aiming for a natural delivery befitting his character’s upbringing. [3]
Growing Korean Influence in Japanese Media
This drama is part of a broader trend of increasing Korean language and cultural elements in Japanese television. TBS previously garnered attention with its 2024 drama “Eye Love You,” which featured Korean dialogue without Japanese subtitles, allowing viewers to experience the protagonist’s perspective of not understanding the language.[3] actress Han Hyo-joo’s performance in the Netflix Japanese drama “Romantic Anonymous” incorporated both Korean and Japanese language elements.[3]
About Jun Shison
Jun Shison (志尊淳, Shison Jun) was born on March 5, 1995, in Tokyo, Japan.[1] He began his career with Watanabe Entertainment’s D2 acting troupe in 2011, making his debut in the stage musical “The Prince of Tennis.”[1] He starred in the live-action film adaptation of the manga series “Senpai to Kanojo” in 2015 and appeared in the “High&Low” franchise in 2019.[1] More recently, he was cast as Kurama in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “YuYu Hakusho” in 2022 and portrayed Kai Asakura in the 2023 cooking drama “Fermat’s Cuisine.”[1] In December 2023, Shison left Watanabe Entertainment and is now working independently.[1] He also became an official ambassador for the “Persona” video game series in November 2023.[1]
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