Former Girl Group Member Stars In New Movie About An Idol Who Was Sued For Dating
Fiction and reality collide in an upcoming movie about idols and the price some of them have paid for falling in love.
Saito Kyoko is a Japanese actress, singer, model, and television presenter. In 2016, she debuted as a member of Hinatazaka46 (then named Hiragana Keyakizaka46), a Japanese girl group with a rotating lineup. She graduated from the group in 2024.
この投稿をInstagramで見る
Saito is set to star in Renai Saiban (Love On Trial), an upcoming film by Japanese director Fukada Koji. It is her first lead role in a film. Love On Trial tells the story of an idol who is sued by her agency for violating a “no dating” clause in her contract after she reunites with her middle school classmate and falls in love.
The film was reportedly inspired by a true story that the director read about in a newspaper. Though he did not name any names, the true story that inspired Love On Trial likely happened at least a decade ago; it took Fukada ten years to bring the film to life. The movie has been chosen for the Cannes Premiere section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Fukuda Koji's movie "Renai Saiban" starring #SaitoKyoko has been officially selected for the Cannes Premiere section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
This movie film depicts a female idol who was sued by her agency for breaching the contract for violating the rule because she… pic.twitter.com/ST0HHiMEfM
— ハズキ 🍀 (@cloverblossoms_) April 24, 2025
In 2016, a court in Tokyo ruled in favor of a J-Pop idol who was sued by her company for dating a fan. Read her story here:
