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| ▲ Sakaguchi Kentaro (L) and Lee Se-young, lead actors of Coupang Play original series "What Comes After Love," speaks during the melodrama's press conference held in Seoul on Sept. 12, 2024, in this photo provided by Coupang Play. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- "I think it's a role that requires a lot of emotional energy, thinking about one person for five years. There must have been a variety of emotions—regret, sadness, and more."
Sakaguchi Kentaro, who has won the Japan Academy Award for Best New Actor and Best Supporting Actor, stars alongside South Korean actress Lee Se-young in the melodrama What Comes After Love, which is set to premiere on September 27.
At the press conference for the Coupang Play original series held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on the 12th, Sakaguchi shared his concerns about portraying a character who loves someone for five years. "I wondered if I could truly convey that kind of devotion," he said.
What Comes After Love is based on the novel of the same name, co-written by Gong Ji-young and Tsuji Hitonari. It tells the story of Choi Hong (played by Lee Se-young), a South Korean woman who moves to Japan in search of her dreams, where she meets and falls in love with Aoki Jungo (Sakaguchi Kentaro). After breaking up, the two unexpectedly reunite five years later in Korea.
Reflecting on the script, Sakaguchi remarked, "I thought it was a beautiful story. While it's about a Japanese man and a Korean woman, I believe that regardless of cultural differences, love is a universal feeling that everyone shares."
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| ▲ This image, provided by Coupang Play, shows Coupang Play's original series "What Comes After Love," starring Korean actress Lee Se-young and Japanese actor Sakaguchi Kentaro. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Since his debut in 2014, Sakaguchi has received recognition for his performances, winning the Japan Academy Award for Best New Actor in 2017 for the film 64 and Best Supporting Actor in 2023 for Hell Dogs. He also appeared in the Japanese remake of the Korean drama Sorry, I Love You in 2017.
At the press event, Sakaguchi and fellow Japanese actor Nakamura Anne, who plays Kobayashi Kanna, Jungo’s former lover, shared insights about the series with the help of translators. Sakaguchi charmed the audience when asked to speak some Korean, humorously saying, "Please make bingsu with this ice," a phrase he first memorized on set while filming a scene by a frozen lake.
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| ▲ Sakaguchi Kentaro (L) and Lee Se-young, lead actors of Coupang Play original series "What Comes After Love," pose for photos at the melodrama's press conference held in Seoul on Sept. 12, 2024, in this photo provided by Coupang Play. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Lee Se-young shared her own experiences, explaining, "In this project, I actually spoke more Japanese than Sakaguchi Kentaro because Aoki Jungo is not a very talkative character." She admitted that listening carefully to Jungo’s lines and reacting to them made her feel quite tense during filming, adding that early on, she even felt more lonely than her character, Choi Hong.
Actor Hong Jong-hyun plays Kim Min-jun, Choi Hong’s longtime friend who secretly harbors feelings for her, while Nakamura Anne portrays Aoki Jungo’s former lover, Kobayashi Kanna.
The 12-episode series What Comes After Love will release its first two episodes on September 27.
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