actor koike teppei is happy to be called "cute"!
Koike is popular for his 'baby face'. How does Koike consider that fact?
Koike: I'm happy to be called 'cute'. It's much better than being called 'disgusting'. But when I was filming the drama 'ごくせん / Gokusen' I had a hard time. Even though I was playing the role of a juvenile delinquent, I didn't look menacing at all. I eventually learned to enjoy the experience by focusing on creating my own bad-boy character, instead of just trying to look threatening.
In the currently broadcast drama series 'おひとりさま / Ohitorisama' Koike is a timid teacher at a girl's school. The way he is pushed around by older colleagues at a glance seems to perfectly match his personality.
Koike:It's hard to portray a timid person! I still haven't got the hang of it; it's because in real life I'm the exact opposite. People usually think I'm 'refreshing' and 'cute', and although I'm flattered I do have a masculine side as well. So people who meet me in person often say they were surprised that I don't fit the 'cute' public image.
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source: mjp+, af