Japan-Korea co-produced drama “Time Without a Girlfriend” starring Kim Hyun Joong starts broadcasting today

As a Japan-Korea co-produced drama, the cast and staff from both countries work together to fully demonstrate their respective strengths. A beautiful work full of visual beauty and lyricism was born.

Photographed by Mitsuru Tamura

The love that shapes Kim Hyun Joong. That’s what I showed…

In his latest album “LOVE UNIVERSE,” which was released in Japan in July, Kim Hyun Joong mainly sings songs that he wrote and composed himself, but also songs written by Fumiya Fujii, Naoto Inti Raymi, and Ai Kawashima. At times, he expanded his perspective to the earth and the vast universe, and filled the hearts of those who heard him with great love. There, Kim Hyun Joong’s typical appearance was reflected, always with a gentle smile and delivering warm and heartwarming thoughts. On the other hand, in “CAGE,” which was released in South Korea in August, he raps a harsh message over a cool song. They have shown a different expression from the musicality depicted in the album. He explained why he has shown different expressions in such a short time.

“The album “LOVE UNIVERSE” was created with the pure desire to nurture this love together with my friends who support me. There was a part of me that created this song because I wanted to get excited with the fans and have a big chorus together.“CAGE”, which was released in Korea, has two meanings.There are still wars going on all over the world, and people are fighting. For a world that continues to struggle, one is the lament that no matter how hard we try, we can’t escape from the current global environment. Another thing that makes me think is, “We are still an important part of the earth, so let’s use our own hands to change this world (to one filled with love and peace).” Since ancient times, humans have repeatedly fought many battles to take things away. It is not only those who are actually involved in the conflict who feel anxious about conflict, but also those of us who are watching it. That’s why the message is that instead of fighting, we should grasp the meaning, reason, and importance of living from a different perspective, and change the world in our own way to a world free of conflict.

What I packed into “LOVE UNIVERSE” was “warm love.” Because of love, we want to protect the people we care about, and we can live for them as well. That’s the message. On the other hand, “CAGE” expresses the world from a critical point of view. It’s true that the way I communicate things is different between the album “LOVE UNIVERSE” and the single “CAGE,” but my underlying feeling is the same: “The feeling of loving others is what’s important.”

Recently, Kim Hyun Joong has been focusing on his music career, but he is starring in a new work as an actor. That is “Time Without a Girlfriend,” which will be broadcast as a Japan-Korea co-production drama in November on Metele (Nagoya Television Broadcasting) for a total of four episodes. The main character, Eun-tae, played by Kim Hyun-joong, loses his memory due to the shock of losing his beloved wife Mai, and begins a journey to regain his memory using a photo he finds in his home as a clue. Eun-tae begins writing a story of strange fate with a girl he meets on his travels… The content is. He explained the appeal of this work, which has the underlying theme of “pure love” as follows.

©2024 “Time without her”/Metere & PH E&M

“When I first read the script without knowing anything about it, I thought, “What?! A story about falling in love with a high school girl?” Of course, once I understood the story, I realized that it was not a depiction of a dangerous relationship, but rather a wonderful story that moved my heart. However, there is a kissing scene in the movie, and I felt that unless I understood the content deeply enough to act out the scene, the viewers might think, “Is this a story about a dangerous relationship?” . That’s why before we start filming, and of course during filming, I talk about various scenes with my partner, Tensho Amane, and express ourselves so that there is no room for misunderstandings with each other and with the viewers. I kept that in mind.

The story takes place in a town called Jeongseong in South Korea. In Japan, the main stage is Nagoya. Set in South Korea, the first time he meets a girl is at a train station. The place where the final story with the girl is written is a field full of reeds at the mouth of the river near the sea in Nagoya. By filming in a variety of scenic locations along the way, I think you’ll be able to really feel the drama of how the film ended up in Japan. How the mysterious relationship between the two people becomes clear… Enjoy the process along with the scenery that colors the background.

Eun-tae and I have a lot in common, such as being the same age and having someone to protect. For me, while playing Eun-tae, I learned anew that instead of “regreting someone you care about after they die,” you should always try to “protect them from the moment you are with them.” I think I felt that way because I experienced the sadness and emptiness of losing a loved one through Eun-tae. When I tried to translate Eun-tae’s feelings into how I feel now, I thought not only of the many fans who love and support me, but also of my family, friends, and everyone on the team who support me. , try to cherish it every day so you never lose it. I’ve always thought that, but Eun-tae taught me this feeling once again.”

Kim Hyun Joong is also in charge of the ending theme song for the drama “Time Without a Girlfriend.” This song, which is centered around an acoustic melody, will give you a sense of his charm, which is different from the songs included in the album “LOVE UNIVERSE” or the facial expressions depicted in “CAGE.” In conjunction with the terrestrial broadcast, Lemino will also exclusively and simultaneously distribute the complete version. In terms of artist activities, additional performances of “2024 KIM HYUN JOONG CONCERT “THE LAST DANCE”” are scheduled for November 9th (Saturday) and 10th (Sunday) at Nankai Nagikiri Hall Large Hall. Lastly, I would like to convey his message for the future.

“Even now, many Japanese fans shower me with a lot of love as a singer and an actor.I will continue to make various attempts and research in order to live up to everyone’s expectations.” At the same time, I try to do performances that move people’s hearts.In terms of music, I always imagine various kinds of music, simulating them in my head, thinking, “If I play this kind of music, how will people react?” and creating. I love band music, and that’s the basis of my expression. I especially like British music. I think this is what all artists want, and it’s also what I think. I have always, and will continue to pursue music that is simple yet trendy, like the music of the Beatles, which will never be lost in history. We are also planning an additional performance in Osaka in November. This will be the last time I sing and dance on stage myself. Please don’t be disappointed. From now on, we will continue to express ourselves as a band, as we have always done, to fully satisfy everyone. Thank you for your continued support. And let’s touch each other again.”