Kyaaaaa, I cannot believe my J-dorama gods granted my prayers for the last month that the two leading men cast opposite Ayase Haruka in her new fall dorama would be right up my alley. The full casting news dropped this week for the live-action adaptation of the popular young ladies manga Kyou wa Kaisha Yasumimasu (きょうは会社休みます translated as Today I take the day off work), which is as close to a renai-centric story as it gets. Ayase Haruka has understandably been taking a break from television after she headlined last year’s year long Taiga Yae no Sakura. Her choosing this rather slim but delicately rendered manga story as her drama comeback seems rather curious a choice but I love her so her casting as the plain jane 30 year old never dated before office lady Aoishi Hanae gets a thumbs up from me. Her casting was announced last month so I toddled off to read the manga and polished off all 6 currently published volumes in one night.
The story is engaging and the illustrations lovely but in the end I liked it without loving it. The story revolves around male-shy and romance inexperienced Hanae and her unexpected one night stand with 20 year old college student and intern at her company Tanokura Yuto that leads to a real relationship. Yuta will be played by rising young actor Fukushi Sota and so far all the entire manga has painted Hanae and Yuto as the OTP despite their ten year age difference and their romance is developing nicely in dealing with sweet and serious issues. There is a potential third wheel in the capable CEO of a neighboring company in the same building who becomes quite fascinated and amused by Hanae, and his character Asao Yu will be played by Tamaki Hiroshi. The manga isn’t done yet so if the mangaka switches up the romance it wouldn’t surprise me, Yu is in all ways more suitable for Hanae and their chemistry is as good as what she shares with boyfriend Yuto. I like all three characters equally and now love all three leads equally as well. Eeeek, I can’t wait!
The dorama premieres in October and I hope it’s not going to be as painfully uninspiring as Last Cinderella.
So it’s not all that different from “Hotaru no Hikari”.
I’m glad she picked this project. I can’t make the commitment to watch a long drama, plus I love her in rom-coms.
On a shallow note: the ponytail looks awful on her. It makes her forehead look huuuge. I like it better when she wears her hair down.
Hotaru all over again… What happened to her Buchoo?
Why is Hiroshi playing the second lead here? I’d totally love to watch this if he were the lead.
Yeah, I’m disappointed about it too, Tamaki Hiroshi deserves to be lead. Maybe the drama will surprise us and pair Yu and Hanae together.
I’m not a fan of love triangles so I’ll probably not watch this on this basis alone, but the other thing is that, acting-wise, this is a pretty unequal love triangle. Tamaki Hiroshi has pulled out plenty of nuanced performances, but Fukushi Sato has yet to impress me in anything he’s done (I have seen several of his projects). Such a bummer he scored lead role in Strobe Edge, one of my favourite shoujo mangas ever, too, because he’s going to struggle with conveying the loneliness of Ren.
Surprise this isn’t a noona romance kdrama 😀 And I wouldn’t be surprise if Korea decides to remake this either.
they’ve already have something like this storyline, I don’t remember the name but she was a fashion related executive/designer/something that has a one night stand with a younger guy and gets pregnant. I didn’t like the main character and quit watching less than half way through so, I don’t remember the name.
I Do I Do with Kim Sun Ah and Lee Jung Woo.
Ahh…*LOL*, It all comes back to me now.
Oh man I hope they stick with the manga so far cause sota as the lead makes me happy I loved him in starman and have wanted him to lead another show so bad but he keeps playing secondary characters
That should be sato ops big typo
With this noona-craze sweeping Asia I wonder if the drama watching demographic is now completely composed of middle aged women who lust after young hotties! 🙂
sota with his crappy carp acting. =.= reminded me of JSY.
CHIAKI SENPAI?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? *dramatic weeping*
Is she married to Matsumato Jun, the Hana Yori Dango lead actor?
What? No. LOL
Matsujun isnt married. He’s a Johnnys. It would take some serious stuff for him to get hitched
Hotaru & Chiaki Senpai.. weren’t they in that deer drama before? It’s still in my watchlist
Yes, Ayase and Tamaki were in Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi. It is highly recommended!
Just watched this. My fav drama so far. Both male leads are super great and swoon worthy.
I love this movie, and I think Sota acts his role very well. I’ve watched several projects of his, and it is noted that he has improved a lot.
Also, Tanokura-kun is such a sweetie. <33