"Taxi Driver 3" actor Kasamatsu Sho confessed an embarrassing experience he had at a Korean airport, drawing laughter.
The MBC program Radio Star, airing on the 2nd at 10:30 p.m. (planned by Chey Yoon-chung / directed by Yoon Hye-jin, Hwang Yun-sang, Byun Da-hee, Yang In-hye), is presented as a "K-예능 The Odyssey 2026" special featuring Ryu Seung-soo, Cho Hye-lyeon, Kasamatsu Sho and Mimi.
Kasamatsu Sho, appearing on a Korean entertainment program for the first time, begins by introducing himself in Korean. He said he has worked as an actor for 14 years and, expressing a desire to continue working on projects in Korea, said he wanted to make good memories with the help of Radio Star as he delivered his nervous K-entertainment debut impressions.
The hosts praised Kasamatsu Sho's excellent Korean. He said he had consistently consumed Korean songs, drama and films, and that while filming projects in Korea for extended periods he naturally improved his Korean through interacting with local directors and staff. As the recording progressed he became increasingly comfortable carrying on conversations in Korean, which drew laughter.
He also shared a cute disappointment toward Korean fans. Kasamatsu Sho said that after appearing in Korean projects he received many messages saying, "Contact me when you come to Korea" and "We'll pick you up at the airport." He said he held expectations thinking of Korean stars' airport fashion.
He said that when he entered Korea last year he checked his appearance in the airport bathroom for about 30 to 40 minutes and then headed to the exit, but there were no fans and only two agency staff greeted him, which prompted roaring laughter. He added that he even left a self-deprecating post on social media saying, "It has been proven that popularity in Korea is fake," further amusing the audience.
He also revealed stories from the Korean action set while preparing to shoot "Taxi Driver 3." Kasamatsu Sho recalled jokingly that he expected to rehearse action scenes lightly for about one to two hours, but when he was told his flight back to Japan was about eight hours later, the practice time suddenly increased.
He noted differences between Japanese and Korean action styles, saying that in Japan physical contact is often minimized and camera angles are used, whereas in Korea performers more often directly time their moves together. He said it was not easy—his whole body was bruised—but called it "a good memory," ending on a warm note that drew laughter.
He cited the "gosa" ritual he encountered before shooting the Korean film "The Warriors" as an impressive experience. He said the scene of actors and staff gathering in one place to pray for a safe shoot and the project's success and sharing their resolutions in front of a pig's head was a culture not easily seen in Japan. He said that although it was unfamiliar at first, he felt everyone's sincere dedication to the project and was moved.
A quick back-and-forth with Mimi, who is deeply into Japanese manga, also unfolds. When Mimi asked whether clichéd scenes from Japanese shōjo manga, such as "the second button" and "fireworks festival date," actually exist, Kasamatsu Sho answered from a local's perspective, increasing interest. The two then drew caricatures of each other's faces on the spot, showing unexpected chemistry as they faced each other and continued the drawings, which made viewers' hearts flutter. The hosts' unexpectedly strong reactions added to the laughter.
Meanwhile, SBS's "Taxi Driver 3," in which Kasamatsu Sho appeared, is a season-based drama that ended this January and enjoyed high popularity. It recorded a peak rating of 14.2% (Nielsen Korea nationwide), and featured strong performances by Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin and Bae Yu Ram. <
[Photo] MBC Radio Star
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