Vertical Short Drama Creator Group "GOKKO Club" to Release New Vertical Short Drama "Thawing Frozen Time" in Collaboration with Mizuho Bank on March 30
GOKKO Club, a vertical short drama creator group, collaborates with Mizuho Bank to release a new vertical short drama, "Thawing Frozen Time," on March 30, featuring actor Eiji Yoshida and former Morning Musume. OG Haruna Iikubo, sending encouragement to young people starting new lives.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 19:00
GOKKO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative Directors: Satoshi Tanaka, Satoru Tada), which operates the vertical short drama creator group "GOKKO Club," has produced the vertical short drama "Thawing Frozen Time" in conjunction with the "New Life Campaign" conducted by Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
This work is a vertical short drama starring Eiji Yoshida, an actor belonging to GOKKO Club, and Haruna Iikubo, a former member of Morning Musume. It depicts the relationship between young people at the turning point of a new life and their families, with themes of "unchanging reassurance" and "a new step."
As a collaboration project between "GOKKO Club," a vertical short drama creator group with over 12 billion total views on SNS, and Mizuho Bank, Episode 1 is scheduled to be released on Monday, March 30, 2026, and Episode 2 on Tuesday, March 31.
Through vertical video optimized for smartphone viewing, the story aims to resonate with young people embarking on new lives, while also proposing a new form of communication that connects companies and consumers.
◾️Story
▼Episode 1
Eiji, the protagonist, begins his new life as a fresh graduate in Tokyo. On the day of his move, he has a minor argument with his grandmother and heads to Tokyo awkwardly. In a cardboard box delivered to his new home, he finds pickled bran paste and a large number of 500-yen coins prepared by his grandmother. Amidst his unfamiliar new life, Eiji is suddenly contacted by his sister one day, saying, "Grandma is in the hospital"—the story then takes a tense turn.
▼Episode 2
Eiji is distraught upon hearing that his grandmother collapsed. However, he breathes a sigh of relief when he learns that it was not serious. Regretting his words to his grandmother, he finds a letter and photos from her in the cardboard box left in his room, and learns the meaning behind the 500-yen coins. Encouraged by his grandmother's unchanging love, even from afar, Eiji takes a new step forward.
◾️Comment from Mizuho Bank, Ltd. Representative
●Background of this collaboration and future new life promotions
This initiative was planned as part of the "New Life Campaign" which has been running since January 27, 2026. We are challenging new forms of communication through SNS as one approach to those embarking on new lives.
While SNS has the power to move people's hearts, we believe it is important to deliver messages within empathetic stories rather than one-sided announcements. We utilized short dramas as a method to convey the message that "Mizuho Bank supports everyone starting a new life," while minimizing overt advertising.
"GOKKO Club," with whom we collaborated, is a leading presence in the short drama field, and we were attracted by their highly empathetic scripts and direction. Through this initiative, we hope to stand by those taking on various challenges in their new lives, and Mizuho Bank also wants to "together" support their first steps.
◾️Interview with Eiji Yoshida (Eiji, the protagonist)
Q. After filming, what were the most memorable scenes or episodes, and what are the highlights of this drama?
The most memorable scene for me was when my grandmother and I had our family photo taken by my older sister. It was an improvised scene, but it showed the entire history of our family at once, making it a warm scene that really brought the later parts to life.
Q. This work is a story that sends encouragement to young people who will become new members of society from April. Is there anything you would like to challenge this spring?
I went to England this New Year and will be going to Australia soon, so I want to study English more so I can speak it better! I want to study until I can travel abroad alone!!
Q. In Episode 1, there's a scene with trading cards. What nostalgic games or items were you obsessed with as a child?
I used to collect baseball player cards! So I remember getting angry when my family dropped a rare card, just like in the beginning of the main story, haha.
◎Finally, please give a message to everyone who will watch this drama!
I hope you will cherish the important people and environment around you even more.
◾️Interview with Haruna Iikubo (Sister)
Q. After filming, what were the most memorable scenes or episodes, and what are the highlights of this drama?
The scene where the protagonist is deeply moved by the deliciousness of his grandmother's pickled bran paste. I was also a grandma's girl, and I loved the pickled bran paste that my great-grandmother made at my grandmother's house. I can't eat it anymore, but I will always remember that delicious taste.
Q. In the story, "Grandma's pickled bran paste" is an important key that warms the protagonist's heart. Do you have any "gifts from family that warmed your heart" or "memorable tastes" when you were busy or tired?
There have been a few times in the past when I reached my limit at work, but my family always supported me. There were times they specifically flew to Osaka, and times I returned to Tokyo for just one day from a regional location. I will never forget the meals and tastes of those restaurants at those times.
Q. This work is a story that encourages young people to take a new step. You have also continued to take on new challenges in the past, such as solo exhibitions. What do you value when taking on challenges?
My challenges have always been possible because I was blessed with the people around me. People with many hobbies, people who are always creative, people who are stoic about one thing—I get inspiration from various people. I feel very much alive because of the people around me, so I cherish everyone around me.
◎Finally, please give a message to everyone who will watch this drama!
Starting a new life or entering a new environment is always scary, and anxiety can sometimes outweigh excitement, but I hope that the unknown encounters ahead will become a joy in life, and that you can always feel the presence of the people around you and enjoy your life. I hope this drama will bring such realizations!
■Interview with Takuma Nishida (Planner)
When you start living alone in a new life, everyone will eventually have a day when they suddenly feel grateful for their parents, grandparents, and siblings, because they can no longer live with the family they used to take for granted. With that empathy, I wanted to convey the preciousness of family to generations who are not yet independent, so I chose this theme for the work. It's a classic story, and I think many adults in the world have experienced it, but I also wanted to convey the feeling of wanting them to look back and be grateful again. Because "thank you" and "I'm sorry" should be conveyed as soon as possible.
The reason I made it about a grandmother and grandson is that the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren often evokes a strong response when made into a work. It's basically the same as parent-child relationships, but there's a "depth of words" and "love" that only grandparents can convey, so I focused on that.
What I wanted to convey with this work is, after all, "love and gratitude." Don't take things for granted. Even if you know it, humans are creatures who tend to let their guard down, so I hope this work will remind them. In the long history of humanity, "love" has remained constant. In this work, I depicted such "things that have remained unchanged since ancient times" as a story of love and gratitude being passed down. Please enjoy it.
FAQ
Where can I watch 'Thawing Frozen Time'?
It is scheduled to be released via SNS. While specific platforms are not mentioned in the press release, it will likely be available on GOKKO Club's SNS accounts.
What is the theme of this short drama?
It depicts the relationship between young people starting new lives and their families, with themes of 'unchanging reassurance' and 'a new step.' Family love and gratitude are key elements.
What is Mizuho Bank's purpose in producing this short drama?
As part of their 'New Life Campaign,' it aims to support young people starting new lives and convey Mizuho Bank's encouragement through an empathetic story.