Stephen Chow's New Film Unfazed by China-Japan Tensions, Casting Takeru Satoh Sparks Discussion

Comedy king Stephen Chow’s (Sing Yeh) new film KUNG FU Soccer Queens announced on the 6th that it will be released in China on the 11th, revealing a teaser trailer and cast list all at once. Surprisingly, Japanese drama heartthrob Takeru Satoh is among the cast, igniting hot discussions.

KUNG FU Soccer Queens is directed, written, and executive produced by Stephen Chow, with leading roles played by Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and EXO member Lay Zhang (Zhang Yixing). Notably, Carina Lau and Japanese star Takeru Satoh make special appearances, while MC Jin, Louis Cheung, and Ouyang Wancheng appear as guest stars.

In particular, Takeru Satoh’s appearance has drawn attention, especially amid the current tense China-Japan relations. Previously, plans for Hong Kong's 'Twilight of Kowloon Walled City' series to invite Takuya Kimura were rumored to have fallen through due to the situation. So Satoh's collaboration with Chow and other Chinese actors comes as a pleasant surprise to many. It has been circulated online that Satoh will play the coach of the Dahe (River) team, speculated to be the rival Japanese team’s coach in the film, though his role has not yet been officially revealed.

In fact, Satoh’s participation seems traceable: as early as May last year, Satoh posted a clip on Weibo of him with Lay Zhang holding zongzi and wishing everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival. At that time, netizens expressed astonishment: “This doesn’t feel real, how did these two meet?” “How do you know each other?” “What a magical pairing!” Now, the answer has finally surfaced. #

Source: Liberty Times Entertainment