Kaya’s Smooth Move Behind the Scenes of Hatsukoi DOGs

“Whoa, too beautiful to handle.”

In late May, young people were enjoying a game of basketball on the court at “Shonan Bellmare Hiratsuka Beach Park” in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Among them stood a lone woman—dressed in a white hoodie and striking blue pants—who pulled off a graceful leg-through dribble. It was 23-year-old actress Kaya Kiyohara.

That day, the park served as a filming location for the upcoming July drama Hatsukoi DOGs (TBS), starring Kiyohara. Also spotted on set were Ryo Narita (31) and Na In-woo (30).

“The series is based on a Korean webcomic, known as a ‘webtoon.’ It’s a co-production between Korea’s STUDIO DRAGON and TBS, and it’s generating a lot of buzz in Korea. Kiyohara plays Aiko, a cool-headed lawyer who doesn’t believe in love. She falls for Kai (played by Narita), a veterinarian who only loves animals, and then comes Woo Seo-ha (played by Na In-woo), the heir to a Korean conglomerate, forming a tangled love triangle. It’s a mature romantic drama about adults who’ve grown complicated about love,” explains a TV magazine writer.

On the plaza near the beach park, they were filming a scene where the three characters talk before Kiyohara walks off with a dog. A basketball court was nearby, and during breaks, the three actors were seen enjoying some basketball. Na In-woo, possibly with experience, showed off a series of slick dribbles and shots. And then came the scene mentioned earlier.

“Kiyohara didn’t seem like an experienced player, but she clearly has great athletic instincts. She practiced the ‘leg-through’—a move where you pass the ball between your legs and switch hands—and pulled it off almost immediately. She really stood out among the tall male cast members and looked incredibly cool. When she strolled with a dog in one hand and an ice cream in the other, onlookers couldn’t help but say, ‘Whoa, she’s just too beautiful,’” recalls one bystander.

Kiyohara shared her thoughts about playing her first role as a lawyer:

“This is my first time playing a lawyer, and I’m already struggling with all the legal jargon, but I’m learning a lot and enjoying the filming process. I hope viewers will warmly follow Aiko, who keeps her distance from others due to her disbelief in love, as she meets Kai and Seo-ha, and gradually finds more color and growth in her life.”

Expectations are high for Kiyohara—stunning and effortlessly cool.

 

“FRIDAY Digital” welcomes tips and information from readers. Please send any leads via the submission form below or through our official X account.

Information Form: https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/tips
Official X: https://x.com/FRIDAY_twit