Riku Hagiwara and Na In-woo, co-stars in " First Love DOGs ," "have a lot of fun playing around with each other"?

The fourth episode of the drama series "First Love DOGs" (TBS, Tuesdays at 10pm) starring actor Kiyohara Kaya will be broadcast on July 22nd. Riku Hagiwara plays Watanabe Kosuke, an animal nurse at Shirosaki Animal Hospital who has feelings for Miyase Yuka (Fukada Kyoko), the manager of a dog cafe. We asked Hagiwara about what he keeps in mind when playing the role and about some episodes he has had with his co-stars.

◇ As Kosuke, he is the one who keeps the tension high on the set

-What impression did you have when you read the script?

I myself have never acted in a Japanese-Korean co-production before, so it was refreshing to see Korean being used so naturally. In addition, there are animals in the story, so I was really looking forward to the script, which has many different colors.

--Is there anything you keep in mind when playing the role of Kosuke?

I think Kosuke is the one who controls the overall tension in the veterinary clinic. So, when I talk with the nursing team, I want to consciously step in with a little more tension, so I hope I can raise the atmosphere on set by one level. I can understand Kosuke's positive side because I'm also a positive person at heart. In recent years, I've often played quiet roles, so I'm grateful to have received a positive response to a "sunny" character like Kosuke.

-You're playing the role of an animal nurse. Is there anything you keep in mind when interacting with animals?

As advice from Dr. Shohei Arito, the veterinarian supervising the animal hospital (Japan Animal Medical Center Main Hospital), I was taught right at the beginning of the work that "it's better not to get your face too close to the cat." When interacting with a dog, you may bring your eyes to the same height, but you don't do the same with a cat. If you have built a trusting relationship with the cat, this may not happen, but it may be startled and scratch you by making a "hiss!".

Actually, I've had a lot of opportunities to interact with animals in the past few years. So, rather than looking for something new, I'm playing Kosuke with the feeling that "I hope I can make use of my previous experience."

--Please tell us about some episodes from the filming with Kiyohara, Ryo Narita, and Na In-woo.

This is my first time acting with Kiyohara-san, but I feel that he has a great "leadership power". He leads the entire filming site to raise morale and brightness, and although we don't have many scenes together, he talks to me in a very friendly manner.

Narita-san's last work was very serious, so I'm surprised that my impression of him is so different from then. As the director, he is always watching the atmosphere on set, and he is also considerate to the smallest details of the care for the animals. I feel that he really embodies the role of "director of a veterinary hospital."

Inu-san is a person who talks to everyone in a friendly manner, and I often have a lot of fun with him. We keep poking each other (laughs). On a normal shooting site, we start with a greeting of "Good morning," but this time I feel like he treats me with a more frank sense of distance. It's very refreshing to start with that kind of communication, such as shaking hands or touching.

--You are starring in the side story "First Love Under DOGs ~Loser Dog and First Love~" (currently streaming on TVer, TBS FREE, and U-NEXT).

I definitely recommend watching it together with the main story. If you watch only the side stories without watching the main story, you probably won't understand it very well, and if you watch the side stories, you'll get a deeper feel for the charm and background of the characters in the main story and you'll enjoy it more. So, rather than "either/or," I would strongly recommend "both!"

-What was the atmosphere like on the set with the Shirosaki Animal Hospital members?

Everyone's characters are so rich, I never get bored talking to them, and I feel like the sense of teamwork is growing stronger with each shoot. I'm having a lot of fun filming.

--What can we look forward to in the future?

I think it's about time that Kosuke starts to move towards Yuka in a different direction from Aiko and the others. There are many other stories that will progress, so I hope you will continue to enjoy them.