It has been revealed that Kyoko Saito, who graduated from the idol group "Hinatazaka46" in April, will star in the serial drama "Sudden Marriage," which will be broadcast in the Drama DEEP slot (Nippon TV, Tuesday midnight 12:24) in January 2025. This will be Saito's first lead role in a drama since graduating, and she will play the main character who gets married without realizing it while drunk.
The original novel is "Sudden Marriage - When I Woke Up, I Was Someone's Wife?!" by Otoi Sakurai, which was posted on the novel creation platform "Everystar" in 2021. It was adapted into a comic book by Noboru Tomikawa titled "Sudden Marriage - When I Woke Up, I Was My Handsome Boss's Wife!?" (Core Mix) in April 2023, and the comics have become so popular that they have sold over 1.5 million copies in total.
When Mao Koshiba, a plain office lady, finds out that her office boyfriend is cheating on her, she becomes desperate and drowns herself in alcohol. The next morning, she wakes up in the bed of a handsome man she has never met. Then, a handsome man who calls himself Hajime Ando appears as her new boss and tells her a shocking truth: "You're no longer Mao Koshiba, you're Mao Ando." Hajime, who for some reason dotes on Mao despite just meeting her, Mika, a girl who is trying to get her to dominate, and Kota, Mao's emotionally abusive boyfriend who was cheating on her with Mika, all disrupt Mao's life, which was supposed to be ordinary...
Yu Shirota will play the role of Hajime Ando, the boss at the workplace who suddenly marries the main character Mao. He has played many prince-like characters on stage, but this will be his first time playing a traditional prince-like character in a film. Saito is 155cm tall and Shirota is 190cm tall, and there will be many heart-fluttering scenes between the two, who are about 35cm apart in height.
◇Comment from Kyoko Saito
-How did you feel when you received the offer for this work?
I read the original work immediately after hearing about the role, and I thought it was very interesting with many shocking developments. As I read it, I myself was thrilled by many things, so I would like to act in the drama in a way that will make more people's hearts pound.
--Thoughts on the main character, Koshiba Mao, and what are the highlights of the role?
Mao is very shy when it comes to romance, but she is good at her job and is relied on by everyone. She has a very kind personality and will go to help anyone in trouble nearby. Mao is a lovable character that makes you want to root for her, so I will do my best to act in a way that viewers of the drama can empathize with.
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
This story begins with a very shocking scene in which an ordinary office lady wakes up one morning to find a handsome man sleeping next to her, and then suddenly finds out that they're married. From there, many unexpected developments await, and I think it will be a drama that you won't get bored of watching every episode.
We will be working together as a team with the staff and co-stars to create this production, so please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Yu Shirota
-How did you feel when you received the offer for this work?
I've mostly played villains up until now, and this time I'm playing a handsome boss in a romantic comedy, so I thought it must be a mistake (laughs).
--Thoughts on the role of Ando Hajime, and what are the highlights of the role?
I will play a picture-perfect, wonderful man who is good-looking, good at his job, and has a career. I would like to portray the duality of the face he shows to his subordinates at work and the face he only shows to Mao, as well as his hidden feelings.
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
We will all work hard to make this a drama that makes viewers want to root for Mao and think, "Let's do our best tomorrow with a bright smile!" I will act as if this is the last romantic movie I will do in my life, even if I feel a little embarrassed, and I will do my best to make everyone think this is a wonderful movie and make Mao's heart flutter!
