Actor Kaya Kiyohara will star in the TBS "Tuesday 10pm" drama "First Love DOGs" (Tuesdays at 10pm), which will begin airing on July 1st. This will be her second time starring in a "Tuesday 10pm" drama in three years since "Fight Song" (2022). She talked about the filming of this Japanese-Korean co-production and what to look forward to.
This is a co-production between the TBS Drama Team and Korean production company STUDIO DRAGON, which has worked on hits such as "Crash Landing on You" and "Marry My Husband, " with the script written by Arisa Kaneko and directed by Shingo Okamoto, Noh Young-seop, and Yoshihiro Ito. The love story begins when the two "pet dogs" of Aiko Hanamura, a cool lawyer who doesn't believe in love, played by Kiyohara, and Kai Shirasaki, a complicated veterinarian who can only love animals, played by Narita, fall in love. Na In-woo , a Korean actor who appeared in " Marry My Husband ," will make his first appearance in a Japanese drama as a Korean heir with a secret who appears before the two.
◇Back on the stage of the Tuesday drama - Excited about spending summer with dogs
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer.
I was also very happy to be returning to the Tuesday drama slot for the first time since "Fight Song," my first lead role on a commercial TV station, and I thought it would be great if I could give back in my own way.
What were your impressions when you read the script?
I felt that there would be many parts that people could sympathize with, as it is a story about adults who cannot be honest about their feelings. Aiko Hanamura, who I play, is also a character who grew up seeing her parents not getting along and has a past and worries, so I would like to play those parts carefully.
Also, because it's a love story, the staff would say things like, "This part is so heart-pounding!" (laughs) I learned a lot from those reactions and approached the shoot, thinking, "I see, so that's what makes people happy!"
◇ The charm of Aiko, who lives with "Sakura First"
--What kind of person is Aiko?
She is a lawyer who specializes in divorce cases. At first glance, she seems cool, but she is a girl who does not believe in love or romance, and she has some complicated aspects. However, since she started keeping her beloved dog Sakura, she has lived a life where "Sakura comes first," so much so that it is no exaggeration to say that she lives every day for Sakura. I think she is a very lovable person. The circumstances that led her to no longer believe in love are very complicated, but I think that this is also an important element of the work, so that is why I want to play her carefully, and I hope that Aiko and the people around her will grow up to see love and romance in a positive light.
This is also my first time playing a lawyer. I'm particularly nervous in the courtroom scenes and in the conversations with my boss. I'm struggling with the technical terms, but I'm taking on the role with the help of my supervisor. There's a lot to learn, and I feel that this is a role that I can play now that I'm older.
--Have you built a relationship with Sakura?
My relationship with Sakura is really important to me as I play Aiko, who lives in "Sakura First." Sakura is a very smart girl and acted with us, and I am so grateful to her that I can't put it into words.
At first, we were both nervous with each other, but recently, I think he finally thinks of me as "someone who gives me treats if the shoot goes OK" (laughs). I hope that by the time filming wraps up, we will have become close enough to be able to say, "I was Sakura's owner."
While filming would not have been possible without anyone, everyone called out to each other, and with help from Sakura and the Shogun (owned by Kai, played by Narita), each of them worked hard for this production. I'm happy to be part of such a team, and I hope I can be of some help to the site.
--This will be your second time working with Narita. What are your impressions?
He's just as kind as ever. It's been a while since we last worked together, but I'm very grateful that he created an atmosphere that allowed me to be myself during the shoot.
Aiko is a complicated character, but Kai is also a complicated character. That's why I felt that it was a very gentle story in which one's perspective and values change through other people. Aiko and Kai have a wonderful relationship in which they don't deny each other, but rather broaden their horizons while cherishing their own values.
◇The warmth of the filming site that connects beyond words
--Please tell us your impression of Na In-woo.
My first impression was, "He's tall!" (laughs). We met for the first time during the poster shoot, and at that time, we were able to get along well enough to talk about how we should call each other. After the shoot started, Narita-san started teaching Inu-san some easy-to-use Japanese, and Inu-san started teaching us Korean. We naturally started to communicate with each other.
I really have a lot to learn from Inu-san. He always comes to the shooting site cheerful and energetic from the morning, so I also get energy from him. I think I can learn a lot from him, including that kind of attitude.
What kind of Korean are you learning?
When I hear someone speak Korean on set, I ask, "What does that mean?", and if there's a word I'm curious about, I ask, "I want to know this." When I have a situation where I can use the words I've learned, I think, "Now's the time!" and use them.
The compliments I often use are "wanbyokada" which means "perfect" and "charane" which means "you're good."
--Is there anything that feels fresh about this Japanese-Korean co-production?
I have had the opportunity to take part in collaborative projects with overseas partners before, and what I've noticed now is that I don't really feel the language barrier on the actual set.
We are playing our roles, and the staff are working with us to create the film, so we are all facing the same direction. I think that just doing that allows us to communicate with each other. Of course, detailed communication is important, but we don't think too hard about it and just have fun filming every day.
There has been talk about how the filming styles are different between Japan and Korea, but Director Noh Young-seop explains things very carefully, so I feel at ease, and I feel like we are able to create a work that makes the most of each other's strengths.
-What are the highlights of this work?
The changes in the relationship between Aiko, Kai, and Soha, as well as the relationships at Aiko's workplace, the law firm, and Kai's animal hospital are also very appealing. There are also heartwarming scenes that will make you smile, so I hope you will look forward to it.
This time, the setting is a seaside town, so the location is also very beautiful. I walk along the seaside, and every time I go to a place with a beautiful view, my mood naturally improves. There are also many refreshing scenes that make you feel like it's summer, so I hope you will look forward to that as well.
-Finally, please give a message to the viewers.
I think one of the highlights of the story will be seeing how these adults, who didn't believe in love or romance, change and grow as they meet people and spend time with dogs.
The story depicts the way Aiko, Kai, and Soha's thoughts and the values they have held up until now are gradually colored through the story. There are sure to be many scenes where you can empathize and say, "I know how you feel." I hope you enjoy this refreshing drama that will brighten up your summer.
