Hit Webtoon "Joyu Shikkaku" Becomes A Live-Action J-Drama Starring Kayashima Mizuki

"Joyu Shikkaku" key visual (C) Mengi, LINE Digital Frontier/NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan

The hit webtoon "Joyu Shikkaku" (Actress Disqualified) is getting a live-action drama, with Kayashima Mizuki in the lead role!

The series, which runs on LINE Manga in Japan, will air late at night on Fuji TV (Kanto region) from December 21, 2026. It will stream first on FOD, and free catch-up streaming will be available on TVer.

What is it about?

Once adored as an "angel," a genius actress vanishes from the public eye after a shocking scandal. In an entertainment world full of love, ambition and revenge, can she overcome her past and make a comeback? The drama is billed as a fast-paced love suspense about a heroine who loses everything and fights her way back.

• Kayashima Mizuki plays Tendo Risa, a former child prodigy known as "Angel Risa" who left the industry after being caught up in a marijuana scandal she did not commit.
• Four years later, she returns to the spotlight for a certain reason and faces acting again, hoping to win back her old self.
• Waiting for her are people she shares a past with, and the story weaves together love, desire, jealousy and revenge.
• The drama also draws on real-world industry topics such as drug scandals, sponsorship deals and public reactions on social media.

The rest of the cast, which ranges from rising stars to veterans, will be announced later.

The "Joyu Shikkaku" webtoon (C) Mengi/LINE Digital Frontier

The original webtoon

"Joyu Shikkaku" is by Mengi (Gi Maeng Gi), the creator of the webtoon behind "My ID is Gangnam Beauty." It has been released in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, France and North America, and it passed 70 million cumulative views on LINE Manga in Japan as of October 2026.

The team

• Director: Kuma Shinji, known for the "Wakako Zake" series
• Screenwriter: Kurosawa Hisako, known for the "Izakaya Shinkansen" series

Kayashima Mizuki (Photo provided)

What they said

Mengi said it is an honor to greet Japanese viewers again, and that this is a special moment because it is the first live-action adaptation of "Joyu Shikkaku." Because expectations were so high, the author took the script more seriously than ever and actively shared feedback and ideas, and hopes the passion and love on set will reach viewers.

Kayashima Mizuki said that when she first saw the title, she wondered what kind of story it could be, then read the original right away and understood what the title meant. She found it fascinating and was motivated because it is a story about her own profession. She described Risa as someone praised as a prodigy from childhood who has lived under public scrutiny, her classmates' admiration and jealousy, and her family's expectations. That has given Risa a sharp edge and a wall that keeps people at a distance, which Kayashima sees as Risa's way of protecting herself. She asked viewers to watch how Risa's life changes through the people she meets.

Director Kuma Shinji said he was deeply drawn to the original's powerful story of a woman who falls from grace in the entertainment world, is captivated by acting and makes a comeback. Pushed into acting by her mother, Risa acted out of obligation and did not realize how talented she was.

Will you be watching "Joyu Shikkaku"?

Source: (1)