Nam Yoon-su and Rinka Kumada used translation apps to talk between scenes on Merry Berry Love. In a Nippon TV interview published October 1, Nam explained how they got to know each other while working in different languages.
Casual conversation and acting discussions needed different approaches. They learned enough of each other’s language for simple exchanges and used an interpreter for more detailed conversations about their scenes.
Nam told the broadcaster, translated from Japanese:
“We usually talked using a translation app.”
Why Kunam says “ore”
Nam plays Park Kunam, who wants Mari to see him as a cool, dependable man. He said Kunam uses the Japanese pronoun “ore” rather than “boku” to sound more confident. Both words mean “I”; the choice is part of how Kunam presents himself to her.
Nam also described Kunam’s care as something shown in small, everyday words and actions. It gives the actor a way to play the character’s feelings even when Kunam struggles to say them plainly.
Where the two couples fit into the story
Merry Berry Love follows Korean designer Lee Yoo-bin after his career falls apart and brings him to Japan’s Charo Island. There he meets Karin Shirahama, a farmer trying to protect her grandfather’s strawberry fields and develop her own variety.
Kunam is on a working holiday and decides to stay after falling for Mari. She is a tarot reader and café-and-bar owner, as well as Karin’s friend. Their romance runs alongside the story of Yoo-bin and Karin.
Who's who in Merry Berry Love
The October 7 premiere
The Japanese–Korean series starts October 7, 2026. Nippon TV’s Japanese broadcast begins at 10 p.m. JST. Disney+’s US title page also lists October 7 and a TV-PG rating; it does not give an exact streaming hour.
In Japan, Nippon TV lists Disney+ streaming plus TVer live and catch-up viewing. The Japanese broadcast clock is separate from Disney+’s release time. Check your local Disney+ listing for the title and timing in your country.
See the full cast and character relationships on our Merry Berry Love page.
For more on the main couple and the island setting, read our Merry Berry Love cast and story guide.
