On December 16th, actress Ko Shibasaki appeared at a talk show held in Yokohama to thank fans for the huge success of the Abema drama "Scandal Eve." She reflected on the past year, which she described as "a very busy one."
"Scandal Eve" is a suspenseful six-episode series depicting the forbidden battle that takes place before a scandal is made public. Four years after Fujiwara Kuu (Asaka Kodai) left a major agency and left the entertainment agency "Rafale," the company's president, Ioka Saki (Shibasaki), has finally secured the long-awaited lead role in a terrestrial TV drama. A notice arrives from a weekly magazine announcing that Fujiwara's "adultery scandal" will be published. The article was written by Hirata Kanade, a reporter for Weekly Buncho, who has exposed the scandals of many celebrities. With 72 hours left until the article is published, a fierce battle between the agency and the weekly magazine over the publication of the scandal begins.
Shibasaki said she has felt the positive response to the first four episodes. "I've received feedback both directly and via email, and it makes me realize that people are really enjoying it. I get the impression that quite a few people in the industry are watching," she said. Also attending the event were Honami Suzuki, who plays Kodama Yoko, the president of the major talent agency "KODAMA Production," and Mizuki Kayashima, who plays Kanade's younger sister Hirata Riko.
When asked which kanji character represents the year 2025, Shibasaki chose "Geki" (intense), because it was "an exciting year" and "a lot of hard work." When asked "what item you feel is great," she answered "Slurping noodles and spicy food." She says that slurping noodles helps her release stress, and the stimulation of spicy food gives her energy. Shibasaki revealed that she used to eat "super spicy slurping noodles" up to three times a week to overcome the stress of this "great responsibility" of the project.
"(My stomach) was fine. But the stress of quitting it was more difficult, so I thought, 'That's enough!' I thought of it as a source of energy," said Shibasaki, to which her co-star Kawaguchi couldn't help but say, "Thank you."
