Jiyoung to take on first leading role in new movie "Reon"

Former KARA member Jiyoung will be taking on her first leading role in a movie when she appears in the film "Reon" which will be shown next year. The director will be Tsukamoto Renpei while the scriptwriter will be Yoshida Erika. The movie is based on the same-titled manga by Ookura Kaori and Kiyoshi Tomohide which is serialised in smartphone magazine "Hot-Dog PRESS".

The story features Jiyoung as Takanashi Reon, a plain OL who had been dumped by her boyfriend and fired by her company. She then works as a dispatch employee at Asahina Foods which is a longstanding foodstuff company with a history of 30 years. Starring opposite her will be Takenaka Naoto who plays Asahina Reo, the autocratic president of the company who is capable at work but a lecher. Due to an unforeseen traffic accident, their souls switch bodies which lead to a series of hilarious situations. Reo starts to relish in becoming a beautiful woman and uses Reon's looks to become a cabaret hostess where he stumbles upon a plot to overthrow and chase him out of the company hatched by his nephew Masao and Kusaka, Reon's ex-boyfriend.

Jiyoung commented that she had known about and liked Takenaka as an actor even before she made her solo debut in Japan so she didn't imagine that she would ever get a chance to work with him. As such, she was excited during the filming and was glad that he was very approachable and gave her advice on how to play her character. In the scenes where she had to show Reo's soul in Reon's body, she could let go of any reservations and show the lecherous side of him in her acting so she hopes that everyone will have fun watching the movie.

Meanwhile, Takenaka said that he wondered if he was good enough for this role and how the movie would turn out. He praised his co-star for being charming, gentle, beautiful and boyish at times and said that she has a lot of potential as an actress.

Source: Eiga.com / Oricon