“What Comes After Love” Kentaro Sakaguchi, Prototype Of “Nevertheless” Bad Boy Is The Current Hottest Male Lead
“What Comes After Love”, which is currently the hottest romance drama, is taking social media by storm, ranking number one in over 100 countries. As a collaboration between South Korea and Japan, the work has melted viewers’ hearts with its touching script and the lead couple’s exceptional on-screen chemistry. With its unexpected surge in popularity, the cast’s identities have quickly become the target of online detective work, especially that of the male lead, Sakaguchi Kentaro.
“What Comes After Love” is set across two time periods: 2019 and 2024. The drama follows Choi Hong (Lee Se Young), a young ambitious Korean woman who falls in love with local Japanese man Aoki Jungo (Kentaro Sakaguchi) during her study abroad in Japan. In this foreign land, they share life’s ups and downs, cultivating the most beautiful memories of their youth. However, conflicts in their relationship lead to a regretful separation. Five years later, fate brings them together again, forcing Choi Hong to choose between her old flame and her fiancé Min Joon (Hong Jung Hyun).
While the love story follows a somewhat familiar plot, it’s the intensely romantic scenes between the lead couple that captivate the audience. Alongside his co-star Lee Se Young, Kentaro Sakaguchi impresses the audience with his portrayal of a thoughtful, introspective young man. These profound reflections stem not only from the life of a mature man with many concerns but also from the passionate, intense love affair of the past. With ten years of experience in the industry, Sakaguchi Kentaro’s performance in “What Comes After Love” has completely won over the public.
Born in 1991, with an impressive height of 1.83m and strikingly handsome features, fate led Sakaguchi Kentaro to enter the fashion industry at 19. He signed a seven-year contract as an exclusive model for the fashion magazine MEN’S NON-NO, becoming a familiar face on fashion runways. In 2014, he tried his hand at acting with his debut film role in “Shanti Days 365 Days, Happy Breath”. He then appeared in the crime series adaptation “Yokokuhan: The Pain” as Ichikawa Manabu. Although only a supporting character, Kentaro Sakaguchi received many positive responses from netizens.
As a male model who crossed over into acting, Kentaro Sakaguchi is one of the rare cases to receive favorable views from the public, even ranking among the most beloved actors. Moving beyond his cute, scholarly image, he gradually matured in his acting style. His most breakthrough career move was undoubtedly the drama “Juhan Shuttai!”. The 90s-born actor played Jun Koizumi, an eccentric office worker who tends to isolate himself from others. Kentaro Sakaguchi convincingly portrayed Jun’s psychological changes through lessons about the value of life and human relationships.
In 2018, Japan decided to “revive” the Korean small-screen phenomenon “Signal”, with the official title of this remake being “Signal: Long-Term Unsolved Case Investigation Team”. Following his standout role in “Juhan Shuttai!”, Kentaro Sakaguchi was handpicked by the production team to play the lead role of Kento Saegusa, alongside veteran actors Kazuki Kitamura and Michiko Kichise.
The drama revolves around the journey of investigators on a mission inspired by true events in Hwaseong, South Korea, which took place in the 80s and 90s. Young Lieutenant Kento, while investigating a dangerous mission, discovers a walkie-talkie that allows him to communicate with detective Takeshi (Kazuki Kitamura), who is working in the early 2000s, 15 years later. Kentaro Sakaguchi’s captivating portrayal of an upright and courageous character contributed significantly to the drama’s success. The drama’s impact was so great that the team decided to produce a film version, “Signal: The Movie”, with the same cast.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Kentaro Sakaguchi’s striking appearance has helped spread his fame across Asia. Affectionately dubbed the “prince of smiles” by the media, the 1991-born heartthrob enchants countless fans with his gentle, refined features, especially his charmingly expressive eyes. Many believe that Sakaguchi Kentaro exudes an indescribable “poetic” beauty, warm and sweet, yet not lacking in masculinity and wildness.
Thanks to his memorable “visual identity”, Kentaro Sakaguchi is also the prototype for the bad boy character Park Jae Eon in the once-popular 18+ sensation “Nevertheless”. He is also said to be the inspiration behind the character Daiki Mamura in the manga “Daytime Shooting Star.”
Source: K14
