Ryoko Kuninaka

Ryoko Kuninaka (国仲 涼子, Kuninaka Ryōko, born 9 June 1979) is a Japanese actress and singer. She hails from Naha City in Okinawa, Japan and currently works for Vision Factory.

Biography

Ryoko Kuninaka was working part-time at a Zenzai store when she was discovered by a talent scout. In 1998, she entered the "Idol High School" for aspiring female entertainers. And at the age of 18, she debuted in a Fuji TV drama, in which her character is also named "Ryoko". The following year, she debuted in the TBS drama "LxIxVxE".

Two years later, she starred in the NHK Asadora drama series "Churasan" and her portrayal of the heroine Eri won her rave reviews. "Churasan" made Ryoko Kuninaka a star and she continued to appear in numerous TV dramas and movies afterwards.

In 2001, she was given the "Best Smile of the Year" award and the following year, she was dubbed the "Best Newcomer" at the "Golden Arrow Awards".

In 2003, she debuted as a singer when she sang the theme song to "Churasan 2" titled "Ryukyu Moon". In 2004, she released her first album "Furusato" and her second single "Meguri aeta ne", the theme song to "Churasan 3".

Filmography

Television

• LxIxVxE (1999)
• Kokusan Hina Musume (1999)
• Warui Onion episode: "Player" (1999)
• Shin-D episode: "Natsu no tsubomi" (2000)
• Summer Snow (2000)
• Churasan series
  • Churasan (2001)
  • Churasan 2 (2003)
  • Churasan 3 (2004)
  • Churasan 4 (2007)
• Kinyou jidai-geki episode: "Goban no tsubaki" (2001)
• Kinyou drama episode: "Yume no California" (2002)
• Doyou grand gekijo episode: "Tantei Kazoku" (2002)
• Tensai Yanagizawa kyouju no seikatsu (2002)
• Kinyou drama episode: "Black Jack no yoroshiku ~Say hello to BLACK JACK~" (2003)
• Shin Tele Asa tanjou kinen special drama episode: "Nama housou wa tomaranai!" (2003)
• Premium stage tokubetsu kikaku episode: "Taikou ki ~saru to yobareta otoko~" (2003)
• Shinshun drama tokubetsu kikaku episode: "Black Jack no yoroshiku ~namida no gan byoutou-hen" (2004)
• Kinyou entertainment dai 48 kai Edogawa ranboushou jushou saku episode: "Hirobi no monogram" (2004)
• Minna no mukashi wa kodomo datta (2005)
• Suiyou premium drama special episode: "Edomae sushi shokunin Kirara no shigoto" (2005)
• Koi no kara sawagi drama special episode: "Warawareru onna" (2005)
• Brother Beat (2005)
• SMAP×SMAP episode: "Happy Valentine ~ano hi no omoi~" (2006)
• Drama Complex episode: "Senka ~Ginza hostess kabu battle~" (2006)
• Kekkon dekinai otoko (2006)
• Chibi Maruko-chan (2006)
• Hoshi hitotsu no yoru (2007)
• Hotaru no Hikari (2007)
• ROMES (2009)
• Hungry! (2012)
• Date - Koi to wa Donna Mono Kashira (2015)

Movies

• Mirror wo Fuku Otoko (2004)
• Densha Otoko (2005)
• My Darling Is a Foreigner (2010)

Discography

Single

• Ryukyu Moon (2003)
• Meguri aeta ne (2004)

Album

• Furusato (2004)

DVD

• Oto keshiki (2004)

Trivia

• Growing up in Okinawa, Ryoko Kuninaka had never been on a train before. She finally rode one when she went to Tokyo but considered the cost of the ticket to be exorbitant. After appearing in an advertisement for Suica, she took advantage of their services.
• She is a regular guest in Hiroko Murata's radio program "JUNGLE PARADISE", broadcast by FM Fuji.
• Ryoko Kuninaka is friends with fellow entertainers Hitomi Shimatani and Toshimi Sugawara. Ryoko and Shimatani lived in the same condominium for two years while Ryoko and Sugawara performed together at the "Idol High School". Six years later, they would reunite in the "Koi no kara sawagi drama special: Warawareru onna" in an episode titled "Kokusan Hina Musume".
• In 2005, she was cast as "Chisato Tamura" in the TBS drama "Brother Beat". Ryoko was amused when she was told she resembled actress / model Rosa Kato in the series. Neither actress has met the other.
• "国仲涼子" is her stage name. Her real name is "國仲涼子". Both are pronounced "Kuninaka Ryoko". (Note added by a reader: The two names are actually identical. "國仲涼子" is the older Chinese characters (Kanji). "国仲涼子" is the newer simplified Chinese characters (Kanji).)

External links

• Ryoko Kuninaka at the Internet Movie Database
• Ryoko Kuninaka at the Japanese Movie Database (Japanese)