Screening of NHK drama SP "Hajimari no Uta"

A screening event of NHK's drama SP "Hajimari no Uta" starring Arashi's Matsumoto Jun was held in Tokyo on 19 September. The drama SP is a commemorative work to mark the 80th anniversary of NHK's Gakkou Ongaku Contest and is based on Arashi's song "Furusato" first sung during the 2010 NHK Kouhaku. Matsumoto plays a freelance camera who works in Tokyo and is sent to his hometown on an assignment where he reunites with his ex-girlfriend and meets a group of primary school students who work hard towards entering a choir contest which gives him the motivation to chase after his dream again. In the drama SP, Matsumoto has to play the piano but he said that it was tough to use both hands at the same time so he also practiced on the piano at the hotel he was staying in while on location shooting.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Matsumoto Jun to star in NHK drama SP "Hajimari no Uta"

Arashi's Matsumoto Jun will be starring in the NHK drama SP "Hajimari no Uta" which will be shown on 23 September at 7.30pm. The drama SP is based on Arashi's song "Furusato" (Hometown) which the group sang during the 2010 and 2011 Kouhaku Utagassen and talks about the feelings one has for his hometown. "Hajimari no Uta" also marks the first NHK drama which Matsumoto has a leading role and his first NHK drama appearance in 15 years since 1998's "Hitsuyo no nai hito" (The unnecessary person).

Matsumoto plays the role of Wataru, a freelance cameraman who works for a travel magazine in Tokyo. In actual fact, he had aimed to be a teacher when he was in his hometown but failed to achieve his goal and left home to go to Tokyo. However, he does not do well in Tokyo and has to return to his hometown at the orders of his superior for a travel feature of his hometown. Wataru reunites with his former girlfriend played by Eikura Nana who is a primary school teacher now and through his interaction with his family, friends and a group of primary school students who want to take part in a choir contest, he begins to take steps to resurrect his dream of being a teacher.

Co-stars include Toda Naho who plays Wataru's elder sister, Kunimura Jun who plays his father as well as Onoue Hiroyuki, Ishida Takuya and Tokunaga Eri who play Wataru's ex-classmates and Yuki Saori who plays his teacher. Filming will wrap up in the beginning of August.

Source: Sanspo 1 / Sanspo 2