Fukuyama Masaharu Returns to J-doramas with Fuji TV’s Upcoming Love Song

The last Fuji TV Getsu9 (Monday @ nine) dorama I watched was the thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable 5-ji kara 9-ji made (From Five to Nine) with Yamapi and Ishihara Satomi. I’m passing on the currently airing Itsu Koi (Love that Makes You Cry) from the title alone, but it does make me wonder if the network is planning to stick with romance doramas in that time slot. The big news last week was the announcement that A-list superstar Fukuyama Masaharu was going to be in the next Fuji TV Getsu9 dorama, and it’s also going to be a romance story! It’s called Love Song, which brings back memories of the scuttled K-drama project from years ago that was supposed to star Park Yong Ha and Yoon Eun Hye. This Love Song dorama is unrelated to that one and tells of the romance between a has-been singer and the woman who stumbles into his life. My eyes lit up on seeing the two big name directors who will be co-directing – Nishitani Hiroshi directed Tsuki no Koibito, Galileo, and Engine, among many more, while Hirano Shin is coming off recent directorial successes with 5-ji kara 9-ji made, Dear Sister, Last Cinderella, Priceless, and Lucky Seven.

Love Song will be Fukuyama Masahiro’s direct dorama in three years since Galileo 2 in 2013, and before that it was three years earlier that he did Ryomaden in 2010. Masa-san might be on a three year schedule but J-ent is waiting to see if his star power remains high after his shotgun marriage last year to J-actress Fukiishi Kazue. The leading lady for Love Song hasn’t been selected yet but I expected a currently super popular younger actress in the industry if one goes by the casting for Galileo 2.