I love Kimura Takuya going on twenty plus years strong but this weekend I learned the definitive date of his entertainment existence that has led the J-wave for two decades strong. The Crown Prince of J-ent just made his first visit to Taiwan in his entire twenty-eight year long acting and singing career, a visit that the TW-media and his Taiwanese fans are going insane over. His arrival was supposed to be top secret but clearly wasn’t the case as Taipei’s Songshan airport was mobbed with over a thousand screaming fans waiting for his arrival.
The media correctly took note that a welcome party this size is already huge for any celebrity visiting Taiwan, but the fact that KimuTaku is on the waning side of his popularity bell curve and still gets this turn out is incredible. If he showed up fifteen years ago then the entire airport would have needed to be shut down, which is a claim I totally believe considering back then was the triple threat heyday of Love Generation, Long Vacation, and Beautiful Life. His two most recent doramas were quite well received and did solid ratings, namely Hero 2 and the just finished I’m Home, both of which I enjoyed as well. Welcome to Taiwan at long last, Kimutaku!
Kimutaku’s first visit to Taiwan will last four days and came about thank to acclaimed director John Woo inviting him. John Woo will be directing Kimutaku in a Taiwan Tourism Bureau travel campaign video promoting tourism in Taiwan, which feels so cross-border having a HK-director and a J-actor doing it making it even cooler. I also wonder if stuff will blow up in the video since this is John Woo we’re talking about LOL. I reckon there will definitely be wind machines used, and plenty of slo-mo shots. Despite Kimutaku’s sky high pay rate, he’s doing this project basically at cost due to his friendship with John Woo. Those in Taiwan the next few days can go stake out the Regent Taipei as that’s the luxe hotel he’s staying at.
Saw a pic in Show’s IG. Glad Taiwanese fans get a little K-san in their lives. Thank you John Woo!
Eeeehhh… Pride was my first Jdrama and still my favorite. I love the OTP in that drama so much ~ He looks older now but still handsome… When I saw him, I thought he look a little bit like Won Bin.
+1! In everything!! Pride was my very first KimuTaku drama! Won Bin’s big brother…Maybe, lol!!!
Kimutaku doesn’t age that well, which is a reminder for me to stop my bad habits that I think I might share with him. But his sex appeal is still as strong as before, if not stronger. Yummy.
my first japanese actor crush ever ^^ fall in love ith him on long vacation. I also love how he still keep his marriage strong till now. Its kinda rare for a superstar like him to keep a long term marriage life
We’re all following his drama and movies, aside from his handsome figure, he is a very good actor! Keep it up!
love him!!!
Change is my most favorite drama of him and since then, I do adore him.
Love the fourth pic, LOL, kimutaku!!!!! XD
He totally dominated jdoramas for me during those years. I will always have a soft spot for him. Watched I’m home which I also enjoyed. I think he’s ageing in well by choosing that role. He’s in that awkward age where rom com maybe isn’t that appealing, yet too hot to be considered an ahjussi. It was a good balance in im home
Always like to see news of him. I really enjoyed I’m Home. It was one of those shows that I needed to be actively engaged when watching because there were so many puzzle pieces to figure out.
That’s a lot of fans considering. The best pic is the one with the two little girls looking at him. Bahaha.
I liked him back in those good years in the late 90s and early 2000s. I loved pride – it was my favorite drama of his. Still like him a lot even Brain. I really liked I’m Home and followed it weekly. glad he took on a dad role.
Really happy he actually and finally came to Taiwan. 🙂 too bad I am not there.
I really like him ..Especially in LONG VACATION ..
It is a superb actor who has managed throughout the years playing in superb quality dramas! I have a big crush on him in ‘Pride’ and since it’s a love story between him and me lol. He has a very strong presence in addition has a really amazing talent … His voice, serious, very rocky patches to completely upset me … And her eyes adds a layer sacred! Anyway thank you for sharing unnie ^^
Well, I would not call his last two dramas achieved “solid ratings” given the recent ratings landscape of doramas. Hero 2 achieved the second highest average ratings in 2014 and I’m Home is currently the dorama leading in terms of ratings in 2015. Like Koala has said, despite the fact that his popularity is waning (but still much more popular than 99% of stars out there), he still attracts so many fans and press to catch a glimpse of him, which truly indicates how HUGE he is in Japan and Asia.
PS. I’ve been a silent reader for a few years but you can’t expect me to remain quiet when there’s the coverage of 大神. Love your blog, Miss Koala : )
Okay, correction, Sato’s dorama surpassed I’m Home in terms of average ratings so I’m Home has achieved the second highest average ratings in 2015 but it still scored the highest rating (19%) of a single episode this year so far.