Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon

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Drama: Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon (English title)
Romaji: Hirugao - Heijitsu Gogo 3 ji no Koibito tachi
Japanese: 昼顔 - 平日午後３時の恋人たち-
Director: Hiroshi Nishitani, Mai Takano
Writer: Yumiko Inoue
Network: Fuji TV
Episodes: 11
Release Date: July 17 - September 25, 2014
Runtime: Thursday 22:00
TV Ratings: 13.9% (weekly average)
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Sawa Sasamoto (Aya Ueto) is a housewife. Through an incident, she begins to have an affair with another man. Rikako Takikawa (Michiko Kichise) is a housewife and involved in an extra marital affair. She leads Sawa Sasamoto into having an affair.

Notes

Drama series title "Hirugao" is derived from a relatively new Japanese expression "Heijitsu Hirugao Tsuma" which refers to housewives having afternoon affairs while their husband's are working. The expression "Heijitsu Hirugao Tsuma" is derived from the French film "Belle de Jour” which is itself based on the 1928 novel "Belle de Jour “ by Joseph Kessel.
Related titles:
1. Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon | Hirugao - Heijitsu Gogo 3 ji no Koibito tachi (Fuji TV / 2014)
2. Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon | Hirugao (2017)
3. Love Affairs in the Afternoon | Pyeongil Ohoo Seshiui Yeonin (Channel A / 2019)

Cast



Aya Ueto	Michiko Kichise	Takumi Saito	Haruka Kinami	Houka Kinoshita
Sawa Sasamoto	Rikako Takikawa	Yuichiro Kitano	Misuzu Hasegawa	Toru Takigawa



Yasushi Fuchikami	Kosuke Suzuki	Atsuko Takahata	Kazuki Kitamura
Tomoya Hagiwara	Shunsuke Sasamoto	Keiko Sasamoto	Osamu Kato

Additional Cast Members:

Yoko Kondo - Kyoko Mizutani
Mayu Yamaguchi - Mana Takigawa
Kentaro Ito - Keita Kinoshita
Hinako Tanaka - Manami Goto
Ayumi Ito
Kanami Tagawa

Episode Ratings

Episode	Date	Ratings (Kanto Region)
01	07/17/2014	13.3%
02	07/24/2014	13.5%
03	07/31/2014	12.0%
04	08/07/2014	13.1%
05	08/14/2014	11.8%
06	08/21/2014	10.9%
07	08/28/2014	13.8%
08	09/04/2014	15.6%
09	09/11/2014	15.1%
10	09/18/2014	16.7%
11	09/25/2014	16.5%
Average		13.9%

Source: Video Research, Ltd.

Comments

Park Min Feb 20 2024 1:11 pm You'd think there was room for this deep dive into human desires and the messiness of relationships, but the drama just stumbled into this predictable mess of melodrama and characters you could barely see through. The characters were supposedly torn apart by the whole moral dilemma of their sneaky affairs but they did the bare minimum in that regard. Even the romantic tension felt too forced, superficial and lacking. The drama would've benefited from focusing on the main infidelity only. In comparison, all the previous points also applies to the KR version except that they were less drastic and detached than this one.

chan Apr 17 2020 4:05 am I'm quite sad that a lot of people actually like the korean version just because they got a happy ending. Eventhough the korean version may be more likeable, i really like this japanese drama and movie. I really like the main lead character. I like how they slowly fall in love and their scene in the hotel is so cute. The ending is sad but they just want to show having affair is bad and nothing can justify the action.

Kiran Jun 05 2019 5:00 am Love love love 100x !! But the ending is just... arrgh. Kitano sensei always makes me smile, love him. wow this drama brought a lot of joys and also tears :'( i'm hoping for season 2 pleease

Yukiko Jun 16 2018 9:55 pm Greatest drama ever

jinjoo Apr 15 2018 8:11 pm i quite enjoyed this drama - i seldom watch Jap drama but this one was nice - (spoiler - sad ending) i was hoping they would be together in this drama! i know it's not right to cheat or have affairs but these two justified that their relationships with their spouses were not to be reckoned with so in spite of seeing them having sinned, i got drawn to their roles - i guess because they truly love ea other unlike sa wa's husband who loved his hampsters more than her :( i luv the 2 lead actors, they're v convincing in their roles! this is one of da best Japanese dramas i've watche n i highly recommend it! i'd like to see more of the two leads in another project!

astiny Mar 12 2018 10:01 pm one of the best drama!!...i really hate people who cheated on their spouse but i dont know why i keep wishing that sawa and yuichiro end up together. and hate their spouses who always selfish and arragont!!!...sawa and yuichiro must end up together!!!....

Roxyna Dec 11 2016 12:57 pm I really enjoyed this drama! Here you'll find how really life could be, a real deep love that hurts, no dreams, no charming prince, and all this bulls...! Only the true sad reality. I can say that's one of the best japanese drama ever, acting is really good, I felt all the emotions in the story. I just didn't like the end, for this I'm giving 75% instead of 90%. Let's wait and see the movie in 2017! I hope for a better end!

kato yubo Sep 27 2015 3:18 am What is the name of the high school boy ? Its not listed in the casts

ame Sep 18 2015 11:38 am it is really great drama i enjoy whatch it but the end is not clear and the drama was very short

aoi Jul 30 2015 12:39 pm Was a really great drama but the ending sucked... it should have ended differently

Kim Apr 16 2015 8:55 am Love the cast.The last episode was unrealistic.I wanted the ending to go a completely different way, and think IRL it would have.That being said..wow on the performances by Aya Ueto and Takumi Saito....Totally "ship" worthy....

123 Mar 03 2015 5:44 am Trust me and watch this dorama. I have watched countless of Asian dramas and find this one absolutely beautiful!!! These days it is so hard to find a drama with the right amount of sentiment and emotion like Hirugao. It can put on you the most genuine smile and also bring tears to your eyes.

This dorama is practically perfect. Words can't describe how much I love it, I will put it at the top of my fav list. It depicts love, pain, scary consequences in such a realistic way I couldn't help but sympathize with every character. Please watch it. 10/10 definitely.

70m0r31 Jan 06 2015 5:52 pm This drama started rather slow and shows a different light towards Ueto Aya's acting. A very interesting drama with the ideas of pre-cheating, cheating and the consequences of it through the eyes of the character named Sawa Sasamoto (Ueto Aya).

If you are expecting a mainstream ending, prepared to be surprised.

scarlet Dec 17 2014 2:54 pm In my own point of view, this drama is very interesting, very realistic and timely. I admire the writer how she tackles the concepts of adultery and challenge the viewerships mentality and morality. Castings are great too. With the productions decision in choosing Ms. Aya Ueto, I think I got it. Congratulations!!!

aaa Dec 13 2014 3:42 pm the cast is good, and the start is great, the beginning is very cool and interesting,....but take care because in the middle of history...the dorama lost the F$%& line..... the last epsode is extreming WTF, very noisy and boring....(for no say, bullsh"·$%)....

it`s not one bad dorama, (but can be very, very better, ) ...

the history start be extreming boring in the middle and they focus only in 2 cast....when you see only (aya ueto as sawa Sasamoto , and takumi saito as yuichiro kitano )....all the FU"·"$%$ time, and the bulls$%·$·% that they did..... sometime I would like to shoot on my tv....

the bad part is that the dorama, lost the focus in other cast, as houka konoshita, (that was posible to make one big scener with this cast),..... and as haruka kinami ...(who F$%$% is this girl???) we dont know anything about her, nothing ...maybe she has one fake love? or maybe one true love? how know?.....

the final is bad, please kick my ass...(this is not one final....) and the others cast all is missing from the middle of history....

you can see others doramas, as slow dance, that have start, middle and end....and one good line, for all cast.... this dorama is imposible to say who is who in the end....

...................................................................... ....................................................................... .................................................................. with you only want to take 2 cast for make one dorama....is better to make one dorama as tokyo love story...

I dont recommend this dorama....is not bad but is very far to be great....

have good (resorces) but one bad history....

my point for this dorama 0 for 10 is 6.......

not extreme bad, but can be very very better.

JR Dec 05 2014 5:33 pm In my opinion the drama is amazing. Great one!

Theresa Oh Sep 28 2014 3:20 pm At first, I really enjoyed this drama . The unlikely friendship between the two ladies was fun to watch but soon I noticed that neither leading men had any personality. And the storyline became more and more boring and at the end, why did the drama become so self righteous? Here in America, cheating on your spouse is considered to be a terrible thing to do but in Japan, this drama depicts it as one of the most offensive crimes one can commit. I did not care for the ending or the two men who looked asleep during the second half of the drama.

Chris Sep 01 2014 3:54 pm Beginning theme song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI1_4zrhG6A

Jenny Sep 01 2014 9:29 am I love this drama!! Does anyone know where I can listen to the full version of Never Again by Karen Aoki? I have been searching for it everywhere, but I can't find it

Chang Aug 29 2014 12:24 pm I love this series.The acting is real and the storyline is interesting.

Tam Aug 26 2014 11:47 am I am liking this drama. It is only the 2nd Japanese drama that I have watched but I like. Believable acting and realistic storyline...

CoCo Aug 23 2014 10:39 am It's rare for me to watch a J-drama, as 99% of the time I only watch K-dramas & variety shows (LOVE THEM!), but I have to say this J-drama is really good! And that song by Karen Aoki is so mesmerizing, that I have been dying to listen to it on its own.

Thanks to Umika & lila for posting the info so we can all find the OST when it comes out!

Hopefully, it will be posted to You Tube as a video soon, after the CD is released! :o)

lila Aug 20 2014 2:29 am Karen Aoki "Never Again" (Rambling Records

Umika Aug 19 2014 5:59 pm I did a lil research ...I might be wrong but I think the song name is Never again by Aoki Karen ... Im basing my comment on da following info

CD Listing.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/es-toys/4988013036383/?scid=af_pc_etc&sc2id=162968745

Aoki Karen official side

http://www.rambling.ne.jp/karen/information/

And if I'm right ost will be out on August 27th according to Aoki karen twitter https://twitter.com/Karen_Aoki/status/501332834418565120

Halaa Aug 13 2014 9:40 am I wonder what is the name of the other theme not the ending theme that audery did talk about

Audrey Aug 04 2014 5:45 pm I love the theme song. Singer is Hitoto Yo. Go to You Tube and search "Hirugao, Hitoto Yo" and you will find the song.

or google 他人の関係 feat.SOIL&”PIMP”SESSIONS ／一青窈

maeda Aug 02 2014 2:27 pm great drama so far :X can't wait to watch next episode

skhaan Aug 01 2014 11:18 am WHAT is the song that plays at the beginning, in the background and near the end?!?! (piano, I've been looking everywhere for it and I can barely hear the lyrics it's been driving me crazy, please help!) Also, the drama is great so far wooh saucy

gaby Jul 29 2014 11:58 am love it <3

Vette Jul 25 2014 8:36 pm I love the drama so far; it keeps me interested. Such a same that the episodes are only once a week.

Hwa Jul 25 2014 9:17 am awesome drama!! can't wait for more episodes

Belle Jul 24 2014 7:32 pm Good drama so far!

External Links

Official Website

Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon

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Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Notes

Cast

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