The new drama series, "Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo" (Japanese Language Japanese People Don't Know; NTV, Thurs., 11:58 p.m.), is based on a popular comic inspired by a real Japanese language teacher.

Haruko (Riisa Naka) is a "charisma salesperson" at a clothing store that caters to girls. She meets up with an old high school teacher who suggests she might make a good Japanese language instructor and offers to help her get a job at a public high school. However, the teacher has one requirement. First, Haruko has to work for three months at a private school. He hands her the textbook she will use, which is designed for elementary school students. Haruko figures it will be easy.

It isn't until she shows up for work that Haruko finds out the school is for foreign students learning Japanese. Her class includes people from Italy, Sweden, France and the United States, and their questions about the Japanese language make her realize she doesn't fully understand her native tongue.