Emma Miyazawa: "First Love DOGs"Na In-woo is "really friendly"

The fifth episode of the drama series "First Love DOGs" (TBS, Tuesdays at 10pm), starring actress Kiyohara Kaya, will air on July 29th. Emma Miyazawa plays Yuge Rumiko, a paralegal who is like a "partner" to the main character, Aiko (Kiyohara), a cool lawyer who doesn't believe in love. Yuge is a level-headed type who doesn't interfere with others and sees things from a bird's eye view, but she has something in common with the perfectionist Aiko, and is a character who gently gets to the heart of the matter with objective words. We asked Miyazawa about her impressions on set and stories she shared with her co-stars.

◇ With Kaya Kiyohara, "we have a similar sense of humor"

-First of all, what was your impression when you read the script?

This was my first time watching a joint Japanese-Korean production, so the tempo and dialogue that are unique to Korean dramas were a fresh experience for me. I was curious to see how everyone would act it out in Japan, and I was genuinely looking forward to it. Rumiko has a slightly unusual vocabulary, and some of her lines are written in a word order that isn't normally used, which I found interesting. I read the script with excitement, wondering how they would create "Rumiko."

-What do you keep in mind when playing the role of Rumiko?

In a way, I think she has the same coolness as the main character, Aiko. At the beginning of the story, there is a sense that they are kindred spirits, that they both put their work first, and I think that is something they can relate to.

As the story progresses, various sides of Aiko become apparent, and I hope to portray Rumiko gradually loosening up from her initial cool impression. I was conscious of playing her with a slightly quirky feel from the beginning, but as the story progresses, I hope to convey nuances that give a glimpse of the moment when you realize, "This person must have her own circumstances."

This work has the heart-fluttering romance elements that are typical of Tuesday dramas, but at the same time, it also portrays Aiko and Rumiko in a very pop way, showing them facing their work head-on. Even though they're not in love, they live their days with great energy, and although their relationship seems dry and dry at work, Rumiko actually cares about Aiko. Even in her cool expression, you can see a glimpse of her affection, so I feel that Rumiko is a wonderful person while I'm playing her.

-Please tell us about your relationship with Kiyohara and any episodes that occurred on set.

I mainly shoot scenes at the law firm, and don't often appear at animal hospitals or on location outside. So I don't shoot with Kaya-chan very often, but instead we have a lot of time to chat and have fun in between scenes.

Kaya-chan gives off a very mature impression, but when we talk, there are moments when I think we have a similar sense of humor. The other day, when we were having a great time together, the hair and makeup artist said to me, "Kiyohara-san, you have a lot of scenes with guys, so it seems like you're having more fun than usual when you're together with other women." I felt a sense of sympathy for her, but I'd be happy if it was a similar experience for Kaya-chan as well.

--There are some overlapping parts in the relationships between the characters.

That's right. Even in scenes where I wasn't in the role, he would ask me, "How was the filming?", and we would talk about food, drawn by the sweet smell of the sweets in the law firm (laughs). Sometimes we would talk about acting, or about the projects we'd each worked on so far and what's next.

Maki Sakai plays Aiko's mother Chikako, but in another work, she played my "mother". So, it felt a little strange to see Ms. Sakai playing Kaya's mother in this work (laughs). In between filming, we had a really fun girls' talk with the mothers of the two of them, in an atmosphere that transcended time and space.

-What was your impression of Ryo Narita, who plays Shirasaki Kai?

Narita-san always had a very welcoming atmosphere on set, and I felt that he was someone who acted naturally. He has a calm demeanor that makes you think, "I feel like I can leave my pet with this person without worry." I think that sense of security can be conveyed even through the screen.

-Is there any memorable exchange you had with Na In-woo, who played Woo So-ha?

Na In-woo is a really friendly person, and even though we had only met once or twice, he naturally greeted us with "It's been a long time." The moment he entered the set, he had a centripetal force, or rather, a magnetic pull, that made the atmosphere "his own" - he was truly a mood maker. I wish we could chat for longer, but In-woo's Japanese improved at an incredibly fast rate, faster than my Korean improved (laughs), so he was a great help.

-What do you think about Kishitani Goro, who plays Motosawa Keita, the director and Rumiko's boss?

It was our first time acting together, and almost at the first time we met, he said, "You have the face of ' Emma Miyazawa'!" (laughs). I never really understood what he meant, but on another day on set, we were all sitting around eating sweets and talking, and he asked me, "Do you like sweets?" I answered, "Yes, I do," and he said, "You have a sweets face!" (laughs). I'm a little curious as to what he thinks of me.

Although he is a veteran, he is very natural on set, and there are many moments when his warm and gentle nature soothes me. I have a feeling that there may be some conflicts between Director Motosawa, who is being played by him, and Aiko and Rumiko as the story progresses. He seems to be portrayed as not just a boss with a strong personality, but as someone with a deeper side, and I am really looking forward to that.

◇ "Taking photos with the dog is precious" Sakura and the Shogun's appearance makes me fall in love

--Do you like animals, Miyazawa-san? Do you have any stories to share?

I've always had dogs and I love them, but since my role doesn't have much to do with a veterinary clinic I didn't think I'd get to meet one, but I unexpectedly had the opportunity to meet a cat, which made for a really happy day of filming.

Just seeing a dog or cat on screen is unconditionally soothing. It's heartwarming to see them acting, and it was really adorable to see Sakura (Aiko's dog) and Shogun (Kai's dog) sitting tightly together with no sense of distance between them. Even through the screen, I really felt that animals are not only soothing, but also bring richness to our lives. I was really happy to have had the chance to interact with them even a little this time.

Filming with dogs is a precious experience. Even though we can't communicate verbally, they act well and just having them around makes everyone on set smile. We're now halfway through filming and I'm sure the staff are starting to get tired, but just having the dogs there on such days lightens the atmosphere on set. It made me realise just how great animals are. Another thing that really touches me is the "serious look in the eyes as he stares at the treat." I want to be looked at like that (laughs).

-Please give us a message for the viewers, including what we can look forward to in the future.

I think what I'm most curious about is how the relationship between the three will change from now on. It's not just romantic feelings, but friendship is also emerging. Furthermore, there are some rather serious elements that will emerge, such as how the legal situation will develop regarding the Shogun's "owner."

In fact, even we actors haven't been told the ending yet, so we don't know how it will all end. When you think of a love story, you probably imagine a happy ending where love comes to fruition, but I feel like this work goes beyond that and has many different endings. I myself am looking forward to seeing how things develop from here on out. I hope that you will be comforted by the animals that appear, including the Shogun and Sakura, while also enjoying Aiko's work and the relationships between the characters that fluctuate daily.