jdrama: Love Generation
I feel d-wiki sums this up better than I could: "Katagiri Teppei (Kimura Takuya) is a promising creative agent, but whose attitude gets him transferred to the sales department. He has to learn to adapt to the new working environment, which includes cutting his precious locks of hair to create a neater and more appropriate image. Helping him along the way is Uesugi Riko (Matsu Takako), whom he tried to pick up along the street earlier but was tricked by her instead. Riko does not have a good impression of him at first, but falls for him gradually. However, Teppei runs into his ex-girlfriend Mizuhara Sanae (Junna Risa) who is now the girlfriend of his brother Soichiro (Uchino Masaaki). Consoling him is Riko, whom Teppei likes gradually. Just when Teppei and Riko start dating, Sanae realises that she still likes Teppei..."
What can I say? A touch slow at times, but an excellent romance.
I will say this: If someone can direct me towards a Kiura Takuya drama where A) There is no even a HINT of incest(not this one, but others) and B) He does not TOUCH a cigarette unles it's to rip it out of someone's mouth and tell them it's a nasty habit, I WILL WATCH IT. Period. Though I feel compelled to point out that friends don't direct friends towards bad dramas.
*This is my second Kimura Takuya drama. The first, Hero, while very good and a drama I enjoyed a good bit, was very much a KimuTaku drama for KimuTaku fans. While I can't imagine anyone coming out of it without positive feelings for him, it wasn't going to make you a major fan of his. Love Generation, however, is a solid drama that while make you fan of its leads, and I am starting to see why he' such a big deal. While certainly attractive, KimuTaku's attractiveness isn't as much about looks as it is about presence and charisma. Looking at a picture, you don't ee any big deal. It' not until you see him in a good role that you understand the appeal. BTW, I would use the exact same explanation for my favorite jdrama actor, Abe Hiroshi(for that matter, my other favorite, Oguri Shun, is kind of a younger, less potent version.)
*Riko reminds me a bit of Chae-Gyung from Goong...except that I adore Riko and Chae-Gyung annoyed me from start to finish. I'm not sure why this is...it's not that I necesarily prefer Matsu Takako to Yoon Eun Hye...despite my annoyance with the character, her immence likability i one of the few things that got me all the way through Goong.
* I am alo rather fond of Riko' friend, Erica. Early in the series, she and Teppei are seeing each other with the posibility of having sex, but when she learns Riko likes him, she's all about making sure he's good enough for her friend, and she knows what buttons to push even better than Riko. I have a fondness for such characters.
*Teppei has a small naked statue in his apartment. I do not know what it is of, but I have decided that it is a fertility goddes. Not only does Riko carefully clean and dry it after there's a water leak in his apt., but I swear she feels it up when she first sees it.
* For those who get annoyed with the "stand there and think of Japan" approach to dorama kissing...well, KimTaku and Matsu don't believe in that. At all. Serious kissing a few times there.
*And there is RUNNING. Massive running. Running through streets. Running through office hallways. Running in apartment hallways. Running in airports. Running through bus terminals. Running after a bus. And there is even RUNNING THROUGH SNOW(I was so happy that was in the last episode...I would have been sad if I hadn't been able to include that kind of running.)
*Also, I am strangely fascinated by the glass apples that just...randomly appear...
Sole downside: Soichiro and Sanae. Initially, I liked Soichiro well enough(dull but ok) and just found Sanae really boring. About midway through, I was really bored with Soichiro and was going "Oh God oh God, get off my screen" anytime Sanae showed up. I was forced to FF most her scenes and read the subs out of self-preservation. Nothing against the actress, but the character clearly had no purpose save to cause conflict.
That said, there was running through the airport when they got back together. Thi compensates somewhat. I can be generous when my kinks are being catered to.
2 MVs of the show:
Also, a very cute behind the scenes clip from KimuTaku's birthday. I particularly love how he jump up after he kisses him.
PS-
dangermousie, I seem to remember you asking recently for jdramas that are straight out romances. I'd say this one would fit the bill for you. Uhm...unless you've tried and hated it(in which case, forget I said anything) or have watched it already.
What can I say? A touch slow at times, but an excellent romance.
I will say this: If someone can direct me towards a Kiura Takuya drama where A) There is no even a HINT of incest(not this one, but others) and B) He does not TOUCH a cigarette unles it's to rip it out of someone's mouth and tell them it's a nasty habit, I WILL WATCH IT. Period. Though I feel compelled to point out that friends don't direct friends towards bad dramas.
*This is my second Kimura Takuya drama. The first, Hero, while very good and a drama I enjoyed a good bit, was very much a KimuTaku drama for KimuTaku fans. While I can't imagine anyone coming out of it without positive feelings for him, it wasn't going to make you a major fan of his. Love Generation, however, is a solid drama that while make you fan of its leads, and I am starting to see why he' such a big deal. While certainly attractive, KimuTaku's attractiveness isn't as much about looks as it is about presence and charisma. Looking at a picture, you don't ee any big deal. It' not until you see him in a good role that you understand the appeal. BTW, I would use the exact same explanation for my favorite jdrama actor, Abe Hiroshi(for that matter, my other favorite, Oguri Shun, is kind of a younger, less potent version.)
*Riko reminds me a bit of Chae-Gyung from Goong...except that I adore Riko and Chae-Gyung annoyed me from start to finish. I'm not sure why this is...it's not that I necesarily prefer Matsu Takako to Yoon Eun Hye...despite my annoyance with the character, her immence likability i one of the few things that got me all the way through Goong.
* I am alo rather fond of Riko' friend, Erica. Early in the series, she and Teppei are seeing each other with the posibility of having sex, but when she learns Riko likes him, she's all about making sure he's good enough for her friend, and she knows what buttons to push even better than Riko. I have a fondness for such characters.
*Teppei has a small naked statue in his apartment. I do not know what it is of, but I have decided that it is a fertility goddes. Not only does Riko carefully clean and dry it after there's a water leak in his apt., but I swear she feels it up when she first sees it.
* For those who get annoyed with the "stand there and think of Japan" approach to dorama kissing...well, KimTaku and Matsu don't believe in that. At all. Serious kissing a few times there.
*And there is RUNNING. Massive running. Running through streets. Running through office hallways. Running in apartment hallways. Running in airports. Running through bus terminals. Running after a bus. And there is even RUNNING THROUGH SNOW(I was so happy that was in the last episode...I would have been sad if I hadn't been able to include that kind of running.)
*Also, I am strangely fascinated by the glass apples that just...randomly appear...
Sole downside: Soichiro and Sanae. Initially, I liked Soichiro well enough(dull but ok) and just found Sanae really boring. About midway through, I was really bored with Soichiro and was going "Oh God oh God, get off my screen" anytime Sanae showed up. I was forced to FF most her scenes and read the subs out of self-preservation. Nothing against the actress, but the character clearly had no purpose save to cause conflict.
That said, there was running through the airport when they got back together. Thi compensates somewhat. I can be generous when my kinks are being catered to.
2 MVs of the show:
Click to viewAlso, a very cute behind the scenes clip from KimuTaku's birthday. I particularly love how he jump up after he kisses him.
PS-
dangermousie, I seem to remember you asking recently for jdramas that are straight out romances. I'd say this one would fit the bill for you. Uhm...unless you've tried and hated it(in which case, forget I said anything) or have watched it already.