Aya Ueto stars in suspense drama

admin 2018年6月21日

SONY DSC

Photo by Shuichi Aizawa via Flickr

Vocabulary:

channel /CHAN-l/

[verb] to express (your ideas, thoughts, feelings, energy, etc.) through a particular behavior or action
Kuraishi channels his hatred for criminals into his duty as a police officer.

maternal /muh-TUR-nl/

[adjective] characteristic of a mother
The loud cries of the abandoned baby seemed to bring out her maternal instincts.

demote /dih-MOHT/

[verb] assigned to a lower position; opposite of promote
After the presentation mishap, Kaneyama was demoted two ranks from his job.

serial /SEER-ee-uhl/

[adjective] effecting or producing a series of similar actions
The coroner recognized the serial killer’s style by looking at the victim’s wounds.

alleged /uh-LEJD/

[adjective] said or thought by some people although there is no or not enough proof
The alleged killer managed to escape through his political connections.

32-year-old actress Aya Ueto channeled her maternal instincts in her latest role. In preparation for her role, she paid attention to news reports about child abuse. Being a mother herself, she already has an idea on how toddlers are like. Midnight Journal director Kiyoshi Sasabe advised Ueto to act naturally for her role.

In the TV special Midnight Journal, Ueto portrays the role of a young journalist named Yuri Fujise. It tells the story of two journalists Sekiguchi (played by Yutaka Takenouchi) and Yuri who were demoted due to the false report they made about a case of serial kidnappings of young girls. The case was closed after the arrest of the alleged kidnapper, but seven years later, incidents start occurring again. Sekiguchi suspects that both cases are connected.

True or False:

Kiyoshi Sasabe told Ueto to “be just the way she is” in her role as Yuri.
Yutaka Takenouchi and Aya Ueto play the role of police officers.
In Midnight Journal, Sekiguchi and Yuri were promoted seven years ago.
Aya Ueto prepared for her role by reading the novel of the drama.
In Midnight Journal, the case is believed to be closed after the arrest of the alleged kidnapper.

Discussion Questions:

What do you think about Midnight Journal‘s plot?
Do you think watching TV makes people unimaginative? Please explain your answer.
Do you believe that celebrities are different in real life? Why or why not?
If you will be given a chance to be a journalist, what kind of stories would you like to cover? Why?
If you were to become a TV producer, what kind of show would you produce? Please explain your answer.

Express Your Opinion:

Truth is stranger than fiction.
“Before deciding to retire, stay home for a week and watch the daytime TV shows”. – Bill Copeland
“Charm, in most men and nearly all women, is a decoration.” – E. M. Forster