Yo Oizumi and Shigeyuki Totsugi co-star for the first time in a commercial, but are confused by the setting of their "long-awaited reunion" (laughs)

■The music is a newly arranged mashup of Tani Yuuki’s “W/X/Y” and the swing jazz classic “In the Mood”!

The new commercial for Suntory’s The Premium Malt’s, “A Good Day, Premium Malt’s. Ice Fridge,” starring Yo Oizumi and Shigeyuki Totsugi, will begin airing nationwide from June 7th. Based on the theme of “A Good Day, Premium Malt’s,” the commercial depicts a happy time enjoying The Premium Malt’s on a nice day in everyday life, with the sentiment, “Since we’re here, let’s meet up with someone and have a toast!”

“Make this summer a time to create small happiness with small actions. Let’s have a summer to enjoy with those you care about and those you want to see,” is the message that Oizumi met this summer with TEAM NACS’s Totsugi Shigeyuki. Oizumi and Totsugi have been friends for over a quarter of a century since their student days, and are like family. Pay attention to their natural expressions and the exchanges that are full of their friendship.

The music is a new arrangement of a mashup of Tani Yuuki’s “W/X/Y” and the swing jazz classic “In the Mood,” which also received a great response in the commercial “Good Day, Premium Malt. Important Junior/Soba Shop” that aired in February. “W/X/Y,” which was released in 2021 and then swept the annual streaming rankings in 2022, and received a great response from young people, and Tani Yuuki’s gentle singing voice is layered over the light tempo of the well-known swing jazz classic “In the mood.” Also pay attention to the music that makes you feel like you’re enjoying the happiness of your daily life.

■ Interview with Yo Oizumi and Shigeyuki Totsugi
Q. Please tell us your thoughts after finishing filming the new TV commercial for “The Premium Malt’s.”
Oizumi:I never thought that Toji-san would come to Premium Malt (laughs). I get to be on set with the (TEAM NACS) members once every few years, but… it’s very embarrassing. I only just met him the other day on a regular (program) in Hokkaido. It was difficult, the director told me to make it seem like we haven’t seen each other in a long time, but I was like, “We met a week ago” (laughs).
Toji:Once every few years is for dramas or movies, but it’s really the first time for a commercial.
Oizumi:This is the first time we’ve appeared in a commercial together. We’ve had all the members appear before.
Toji:It’s really an honor for me… I’ll tell you straight out, I always drink Premium Malts! I say, “When something good happens, I’ll have a little luxury beer,” but I usually drink Premium Malts (laughs). For example, when I invite my juniors over to my house to drink, they buy me Premium Malts without asking me, because I usually drink this. So when you (Oizumi-san) were chosen to be in this commercial, I had mixed feelings (laughs). I thought, “You’re doing a commercial for the beer I always drink!” (laughs).
Oizumi:…I want them to be happy. They’ll be like, “Oizumi promoted my favorite Premium Malt beer.” That’s what I would do (laughs).
Toji:It’s a complicated feeling; I feel happy and surprised at the same time (laughs).
Oizumi:He was so happy. When we decided to work together this time, he said, “Oh man, thank you so much!”
Toji:I was really happy to be able to do a commercial for a product that I like.
Q. Do you ever have the chance to drink beer together? Do you have any memorable stories?
Oizumi:There are a lot of people like me and Toji-san.
Toji:We do a show together, so there are nights when we go on location to shoot in other parts of the country. I’m with the staff, though.
Oizumi:We don’t often invite each other out for drinks because we both have families.
Toji:We meet every month anyway, so it’s not like we’re going to make time for a drink.
Oizumi:We go to the countryside for plays and sometimes meet up after the show. Drinking beer at times like that is always good. It really makes you feel like saying “good job!”
Q. When you invite each other over to your homes to toast, what kind of hospitality do you show each other?
Oizumi:This person (Mr. Toji) really loves inviting people over. I’ve had the opportunity to drink at his house a few times. He’s such a great host!
Toji:Recently, I’ve been roasting venison. I order venison from a butcher that Oizumi-san told me about. When I have guests over, I grill and smoke the venison.
Oizumi:It’s already delicious. Toji-san also likes to make pizza. He makes the pizza dough himself. I’m a guest at Toji-san’s house, so I’ve given him a tonkatsu as a token of my appreciation (laughs). He was very happy with it.
Toji:That was the first time I made it (laughs). The first tonkatsu I made was at my house. When I asked him why he didn’t make it at home, he said, “Because it gets dirty.” What do you think of my kitchen (laughs)?
Oizumi:Tonkatsu is really hard to make because you have to put the batter on and use oil.
Toji:It was my first time making it, so the moment I picked it up with my chopsticks the batter fell apart. That was many years ago. I’ve gotten a lot better at it now.
Oizumi:It didn’t go well. I’ve gotten a lot better at making tonkatsu at Toji’s house (laughs).
Q. Father’s Day is coming up. Do you have any happy Father’s Day stories that made you want to drink Premium Malts?
Oizumi:When I was away from home for a few days for a regional performance, I received a letter from my young daughter at the hotel. I went running and came back drenched in sweat, and there was a letter there. I was drenched in sweat, but I couldn’t help it, so I read my daughter’s letter. I’ll be back in a few days, and it said, “Thank you always, Dad. Please come back.” I felt like I was on a journey that I could never return from…I was sobbing naked. Uuuuu… I was like that. After that, we had a toast right away.
Toji:I also have a message card. There is a big drawing paper with my portrait and I’m holding a beer. It says “Bill”. I forgot the “stick” to extend it (laughs). The message said, “Dad, thank you for always working hard at the housework even though you have to work.” I drank “Premium Malt”! I was so happy.