Ji Chang-wook returns to rom-com after 3 years in Korea-Japan Disney+ co-production 'Merry Berry Love'

Ji Chang-wook, a strawberry field, and a three-year wait

Ji Chang-wook is back in romantic comedy territory. Merry Berry Love, a Korea-Japan co-production starring Ji and Japanese actress Imada Mio, premieres globally on Disney+ on October 7 — the same day it begins its weekly Wednesday run on Nippon TV.

This is the first collaboration between CJ ENM and Nippon TV. Disney+ announced it as their inaugural Korea-Japan co-production at the Disney+ Original Preview 2025 in Hong Kong roughly a year ago. Lee Jae-yun wrote the screenplay. Kim Su-jeong and Noh Young-seop direct.

Strawberry fields and a first for Ji

Ji plays Lee Yu-bin, a Korean space planner who loses everything and ends up working in a strawberry field. Imada plays Shirahama Karin, a Japanese farmer whose whole world revolves around strawberries. Nam Yoon-su appears as Park Gu-nam, a working holiday participant who stays on the island for love.

This marks Ji Chang-wook's return to the rom-com genre three years after the 2023 JTBC drama Welcome to Samdal-ri. His first Japanese series, too.

Ji said the role drew him in immediately: "The character setting itself was fun. I really wanted to work in Japan, and when I received the proposal, I had great expectations that it would be a very fun collaboration."

Imada looks forward to filming with Ji. "I like Korean romantic comedies, and I'm excited to actually feel that world."

October 7

Merry Berry Love drops October 7 on Disney+ worldwide. Nippon TV gets it the same night, then weekly on Wednesdays from there.