Japan's entertainment industry is once again making headlines! Former K-pop group 'JYJ' member Park Yoochun and former Japanese group 'KAT-TUN' member Junnosuke Taguchi will co-star in the romantic comedy Greedy Woman and Man with a Past. As soon as the news broke, it immediately sparked discussions on Japanese internet forums—not only because both actors are returning to dramas after years away, but also due to the controversy over both having been involved in drug scandals.
This series will air on TOKYO MX from December 22 to 24, with a total of five episodes. The story revolves around a man who, after being falsely accused of sexual harassment at work, becomes a manager at a shared apartment and rediscovers hope in life. Junnosuke Taguchi returns to TV and takes on a lead role in a drama for the first time in 11 years, while Park Yoochun appears in another Japanese drama after starring in the horror series Peach Song this past September.
Online opinion in Japan is polarized. Some netizens bluntly said, “Both were arrested for drug use—do we really need to put them together in one show? Is the entertainment industry too lenient about drug offenses?” Others criticized, “If ordinary office workers were arrested, they’d lose their jobs immediately. But people in entertainment can make a comeback so quickly. It’s just not fair.” Many also suspected the production team purposely cast them for publicity. However, some responses were more sympathetic, arguing that even though these celebrities made mistakes, they still deserve a second chance: “They brought this upon themselves, but if they can restart their careers through talent and hard work, that’s something to respect.”