Matsumoto Jun Gets Ishihara Satomi as his Leading Lady for Winter J-dorama Shitsuren Chocolatier
The current Fuji TV Fall Getsu 9 is Umi no Ue no Shinryojo (Clinic on the Sea) with Matsuda Shota and Takei Emi. It’s ratings are pretty ordinary and its predecessor Summer Nude with Yamapi, Karina, and Toda Erika (with a cameo role by Nagasawa Masami) didn’t exactly bring in the viewers either despite all the abtastic fanservice thrown in. Even a giant Yamapi fangirl like myself fell asleep watching that snoozefest. Despite Yamapi and Shota failing to deliver hits, Fuji TV is sticking with its tried and true formula of good looking young leading men and up next for its Winter Getsu 9 is the return of Matsumoto Jun to a time slot where he did deliver a hit with Lucky Seven nearly two years ago. When I heard his leading lady would be Ishihara Satomi, I penciled this one right in because I just adore her to pieces. I still haven’t watched the Lucky Seven SP aired earlier this year where Satomi guest-starred with Jun but I’m fairly certain they must’ve had good chemistry otherwise why toss them together again. This upcoming dorama is called Shitsuren Chocolatier (Heartbroken Chocolatier) and is based on an award winning manga of the same name. The story is about a young man who is in love with a girl since high school and tries to win her heart by becoming the best chocolatier around because she loves chocolates. Jun is the persistent chocolatier while Satomi is the girl of his dreams who breaks his heart with her rejection of his first love confession, which prompts him to go to France to become the best at the craft. I haven’t read the manga but Jun has been picking good projects recently, in addition to Lucky Seven’s ratings success his most recent movie Hidamari no Kanojo with Ueno Juri was also a hit with three weeks in a row being number 1 at the domestic box office charts. This dorama premieres in early January 2014.
While the leads are MatsuJun and Satomi, the supporting cast is also quite solid with Mizobata Junpei as Jun’s best friend in the Paris chocolate program, Mizukawa Asami as a beautiful older woman who opens a chocolate store back in Japan with Jun’s male lead, Mizuhara Kiko as a friend with a casual romantic friendship with the male lead, and Arimura Kasumi as Jun’s younger sister.
Clinic on the Sea is cuter than a bunny. Shota is adorable. I’m still holding my record as a Matsujun completist, so I’ll sign up for Shitsuren Chocolatier as well.
I never would have pegged you as a MatsuJun completist basing on your LJ account. 🙂
LOL! It started out as an accident and I try to keep complete as a matter of humor more than anything else. You’d probably guess that I’d be an Abe Hiroshi completist, but he’s in like 3 films or TV shows a year and has been for YEARS, so that’s nearly impossible to do.
The storyline is sooo cute already! ^^ the otp is even better. I’m in. Can’t wait! Hehe
I’ll put this on my drama calendar as well. But MatsuJun will always be Domiyoji and Ishihara Satomi will always be “Poor Woman” Makoto to me. <3
Oh no! Leeches again!
Yay, finally another J-dorama after RMPW that I can sink my teeth into! I love both the leads and the storyline sounds adorable ^_^
Thank you for this, Koala!! *doing the happy dance*
Btw, I know this is off-topic but do you have any idea what happened to the pig farm drama that Mike He and Ady An were supposed to be in?
Jun AND Satomi? I can’t decide which one I love more. And I will probably still be on winter break, so I can watch without guilt. HURRAH!! Thanks for the news, Captain Koala.
But I’m not that thrilled for Satomi’s character, it seems like she’ll not be lovable as a character and I adore Satomi so much…
Anyways, I’ll probably check it out once it almost finish airing. :p
Saw her in RMPW and she is simply adorable!!
He has aged quite wel while she’s still so bubbly. Should be an easy treat to watch.
Could the writer please do us a favor and have Matsumoto Jun speak French? I’d be curious to hear his accent potentially causing legions to swoon unless it turns out as bad as the Engrish of too many k-actors?
like finally ishihara satomi!!! she’s one of my most favorite jdorama actress I knew her when I watched Rich Man Poor Woman. Never watch Matsujun dorama before but this one is going to be on my list
Shota keeps taking the same kind of dramas and not challenging himself, which is a real pity (and loss for us viewers).
I wasn’t too keen on Satomi in RMWP, I think because by the time the SP rolled around her apologising really grated on my nerves…. (the dorama was okay, the SP kind of annoyed me). Hopefully she’ll play a different character her, then I might enjoy it. I want to, because Matsujun has yet to disappoint me…
The only good j-dorama at the moment is Hard Nut (IMO), with Kora Kengo and Hashimoto Ai. But it’s tiny, small budget, only 8 episodes long and of course no one knows about it.
hard nut is a good drama.did you watch doctor X?
ahh ! someone who is watching hard nut too ! yep yep it is really good and so is the last asadora Gochisousan
@bebe No, haven’t tried Doctor X. It hasn’t really been on my radar… (I’ve seen the title but not paid attention to it). Is it good?
@Selma. A handful of us are watching Hard Nut. Mentioned it on an OT recently, so I think I managed to get a few converts. 🙂 Haven’t heard of Asadora Gochisousan, will look for that!
Man, “Summer Nude” was sooooooooooooo BORING. Seriously, what was that?!
I’m looking forward to this new MatsuJun drama. I’m not a particular fan of his, but this pairing seems nice.
I have read some other works by this mangaka and she is really really good, I have high hopes for this, I dn’t particularly like matsu jun but there’s no denying he is a good actor
BTW miss Koala we’r still waiting for your reaction to Hanzawa Naoki
also, the last asadora with Anne is really great, it’s my fav jdrama of the moment, check it out minna 🙂 at least not to miss the last super hottie of Jdrama land, Masahiro Higashide who plays the male lead; HOT HOT HOT
Higashide plays the lead?
How did I miss that drama…. He is on my young-J-actors-to-watch watchlist (along with Sometani Shota and Hashimoto Ai, the latter of course being the lead in Hard Nut).
I’m liking hard nut so much currently hashimoto ai’s acting is just brilliant
Definitely looking forward to this! I love Matsujun dramas so hopefully it’ll be good. Also can’t wait for the Kagi no Kakatta Heya SP airing at the beginning of January.
Count me interested.
Haven’t read this particular title, but I’ve read some of the mangaka’s other stuff and uh…. fair warning, I would NOT suggest going into this expecting ‘cute’.
OOH thanks Koala, I think I have found the next Jdorama to watch ^^
I really love Satomi after I saw her in RMPW but I think that means I need to forget about RMPW sequel for now.
jun, satomi, france and chocolate????!!!! OMG this drama is a dream!!!