Holiday Love (Horidei Rabu) – Japanese Drama Review

I love the manga version of this drama.  I was beyond happy when I first heard that Riisa Naka was starring as the lead girl in the drama version.  She was so good as the cheated on wife in I Love You Just A little Bit.

I am sure she will be as good in this Holiday Love as the cheated on wife, Azu.

Cast:

• Naka Riisa as Takamori Azu
• Tsukamoto Takashi as Takamori Junpei
• Nakamura Tomoya as Izutsu Wataru
• Matsumoto Marika as Izutsu Rina
• Yamada Yuki as Kuroi Yoshinobu
• Iijima Hiroki as Koizumi Shun
• Okada Ryutaro as Ichinose Masato
• Mitsuya Yoko as Tachibana Asami
• Mitsu as Sakaguchi Reika
• Hiraoka Yuta as Haruta Ryuma

The story is about Azu a 30-year old housewife married to Junpei, 32.   Together, they have a kawaii daughter who is 5 years old.

They don’t have a standard family set-up as Junpei works as a construction manager in a place which is at least a four-hour drive from their home in Tokyo, thus he is only at home on weekends.

Though the weekends where happy and peaceful for the family, it brought toil to their marital relationship.  The last three years on being parted during weekdays caused their once loving relationship to be awkward and lukewarm,; they have turned more like of siblings.

One weekend, Azu, decided to seduce her husband.  She had a bath and a good scrub and ready for some action.  🙂 However Junpei was not interested.  He fell asleep immediately.  The next day, she found her daughter looking at Junpei’s mobile phone, where there was an innocuous message from a woman.  Junpei assured Azu that she was a casual workmate.

Azu works from home as a nail artist.  She makes a lot of money, more so than her husband.  One of her customers was Reika Sakaguchi, who seemed to be rather forceful and interested with Azu’s sex life.  All of a sudden she asked to see Azu’s mobile phone.  She then proceeded to download a link  for ‘a hassle-free dating’ and enrolled a surprised Azu to the site.

Azu did not think much of it and decided to delete the link when she has the time.

Another weekend is coming.  Junpei is usually punctual in coming home on Friday nights.  But this time, he was late and not answering his phone.  Then he called her.  He said that he was in trouble.  The husband of a woman at work believed that he was having an affair with his wife.  Junpei assured Azu that it was not what it seemed.

When Junpei finally turned up, he was all bruised and bloodied.  Still Junpei was economical with the truth, until a telephone call from the woman’s husband came in.

He was Wataru, husband of Rina.  Wataru updated Azu over the phone of what occurred; why Jupei was black and blue with bruises.

Wataru related that he found his wife and Junpei in the settee having sex.  And it seems it was not just once that night as used condoms were in the bin next to the settee.

Azu was beyond shocked but kept her dignity (Riika Naka was perfect ).  She said to Wataru that she understood why he had to beat Junpei up.

And this starts a roller-coaster of emotions, forgiveness, jealousy, starting over, set backs, etc.

Episode 4

I wished this drama is subbed in English.  I have just watched episode 4.  Azu met up Kuroi, the man she got to know online from the linked downloaded by Reika Sakaguchi on her phone.

Because Azu was so upset with Junpei, she was told by Wataru that Junpei and Rina were continuing their affair despite having been found out, Azu decided to pay Junpei’s infidelity with one of her own by agreeing to Kuroi’s date invitation.

They ended up in his hotel room and were both half naked in the bed.  At the last moment before they consummate their sexual affair, Azu had a change of heart.  She just can’t do it.  She dressed up hurriedly and went.

She then decided to give Junpei another chance.

Wataru invited Azu and Junpei into his house so they, together with Rina, can talk about what really happened in the affair and how to resolve and make amends.

It was quite eye-opening to listen to what occurred.  Though the affair was between Rina and Junpei, they actually have different take on to what happened and what was said and what was assumed.  Rina thought Junpei loved her and was going to leave Azu immediately if they Azu and Junpei did not have a child together.  Junpei said that he never thought of leaving Azu for Rina.  Again I wish this drama is subbed.

End of episode 4, was Junpei will pay 2MillionY (I think) to Wataru for bedding Rina and disrupting the family. Junpei will also need to leave town and his job permanently.

Azu said that  she wants  1Million Y as well from Rina for the same reasons.

Seeing that Azu and Junpei will be more or less reverting to normal, Rina dropped her bombshell.  She said that while searching the internet as she was curious about Azu, she found photos of Azu half naked and in bed with another man.  She showed her mobile phone to Junpei with the photos of Azu and Kuroi.  Now Junpei is upset with Azu.  He thought she lived for him only!  The hypocrite was really gutted.

Azu was pretty closed to Haruta Ryuma, a male hairdresser, who had become her confidant.  He later told her that Kuroi was a fake.  And it was impossible for Rina to have found Azu’s photo online.  There is a conspiracy that was going on.

Episode 5

Love it!  Really watchable!  Can’t wait for more episodes.

Episode 8 (Super Spoiler below!)

As it had not been translated into English, I can’t really understand what was going on except Azu and Junpei are firmly back together.

They are even moving somewhere else with their daughter.

But Rina is like a super-glue.  She just wouldn’t let go.  I have to say that  Marika Matsumoto was so good.  She made Rina is so scarily annoying. Menacing in a kawaii package.

But she got run over by a car in front of Azu and Junpei.  I am sure she’s dead because that was really a full on crash.