Twenty Japanese TV shows lined up
Pop stars prance in J Series Festival promotion for television imports
THAIS WHO enjoy Japanese television shows will soon be floating in viewer ecstasy with 20 new series beaming into the Kingdom.
Glimpses of what’s to come were everywhere at the J Series Festival held recently at Siam Paragon’s Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theatre, where a pair of J-pop idols helped lure in the fans.
The 20 TV series run the gamut in content from social issues, mystery and comedy to Thai-Japanese relations. Hajime Shigemura, executive producer of Tokyo’s International Drama Festival, and Police Colonel Taweesak Ngamsanga, a member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, laid out the plans.
Following a fascinating opening video performance by the voice-synthesised cartoon Vocaloid CUL, the audience got to watch trailers for all of the Japanese TV series.
They include “Sanada Maru”, “Here Comes Asa!” and “Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit” from NHK and “The Most Difficult Romance”, “Goodbye Ghosts!”, “The Memorandum of Kyoko Okitegami” and the amusingly titled “We’re Millennials. Got a Problem?” from Nippon TV.
From TV Asahi come “Good Partner” and “Wise and Foolish”. TBS is sending “Sumika Sumire”, “Sleeper Hit”, “Please Love Me!” and “Yamegoku – Helpline Cop”. TV Tokyo offers “Night Hero Naoto”, “Doctor Investigation Team” and “Tokyo Sentimental”. And Fuji TV is contributing “Love Song”, “From Five to Nine” and “Love That Makes You Cry”.
Growing restless, the J-pop fans in the crowd finally got the organisers’ attention, with idols Yuko Oshima, formerly of the massive girl group AKB48, and Daiki Arioka from boy band Hey! Say! Jump putting in personal appearances.
Thai DJs Dada and Ong from 94 EFM had a few questions ready. Yuko told them she visited Phuket on her first trip to Thailand and was suitably impressed.
“This is my first time in Bangkok and I’m amazed at how big it is, with so many high-rise buildings,” said Yuko, who’s appeared in several television dramas since leaving the girl group two years ago. “I love Thai food!” she giggled.
“I’ve been here four times,” Daiki declared. “It’s hard to list everything that’s impressed me because it’s all so new and different – the culture, the way of life, the places. I really want to come for the Songkran Festival.”
Daiki added that he’s pleased that Thais will be able to see more of his country’s culture and attractions through TV series that offer “a fresh perspective”.
Daijiro Enami, Japan’s “tourism ambassador” to Thailand, offered more insights on what the TV shows entail and famed manga artist Michi from Okinawa screened scenes from her animated adaptation of “Rokka no Yuusha”, a novel by Ishio Yamagata.
Two of the performers from Akamaru Dash, another Japanese girl group, sang a few tunes, and finally several fans were called on stage to pose with the visiting idols.
Keep tabs on J Series plans at www.GYUCreative.com and www.Facebook.com/jseriesfestival.
