Japanese actor Sato Takeru is facing criticism from domestic fans for his rude attitude.
Sato Takeru appeared on the YouTube channel 'Neighborhood Friend Kang Nam' on the 22nd. In the video released that day, Kang Nam introduced behind-the-scenes information about the Japanese version of the tvN drama 'Marry My Husband' and directly invited Sato Takeru, who stars in the drama.
Kang Nam expressed surprise by saying, 'It's amazing that a national actor walked all the way to the underground studio,' but the atmosphere took an unexpected turn from the beginning of the video. As soon as he appeared, Sato Takeru greeted Kang Nam with 'Arigato' (thank you) in informal speech, and when asked about his age, he replied, 'I was born in 1989.' When Kang Nam said, 'I was born in 1987,' Sato laughed, saying, 'Then we're almost classmates.'
When Kang Nam was taken aback and said, 'What do you mean, there's a two-year age difference?' Sato Takeru stubbornly replied, 'I was born in March, so I also attended school with those born in 1988. That's why we're classmates.'
When asked, 'When is your birthday?' and Kang Nam replied, 'March 23,' Sato added, 'I'm March 21. I'm older than you.' Kang Nam jokingly said, 'Stop trying to compete. Let's play nice, kid,' keeping the conversation light.
However, some viewers expressed discomfort with Sato Takeru's attitude. In particular, the use of informal speech upon first meeting, seemingly ignoring age hierarchy, and overall lighthearted tone led to reactions labeling him as 'rude.' Comments included, 'Isn't "Arigato" informal speech that shouldn't be used with someone you just met?' and 'He seems to be acting as if he is drunk,' along with 'It was unpleasant that he kept using informal speech even though he's two years younger.'
In contrast, some fans observed, 'Kang Nam is very cheerful, so it seems like the atmosphere lightened up,' and 'Maybe they became friends.' However, the majority of viewers rated Kang Nam's response higher, saying, 'That kind of tone on a first meeting is not polite,' and 'I'm glad Kang Nam handled it with a smile all the way through.'
Sato Takeru recently starred in the Japanese version of the tvN drama 'Marry My Husband,' bringing his face back into the spotlight in Korea. Meanwhile, Kang Nam married national speed skating representative Lee Sang-hwa in 2019 and is currently a naturalized Korean citizen continuing his broadcasting activities.
[Photo] OSEN DB / YouTube capture
[OSEN]