Terry Ito Column Vol. 82 The Man Who Found Happiness Through Arranged Marriage, Part 1 (157th time)

My longtime friend, Nishikawa-chan, a scriptwriter, got divorced 5 or 6 years ago. Feeling lonely, he paid 253,000 yen to join a matchmaking agency 3 years ago, paying a monthly fee of 12,100 yen, and went on 156 blind dates over three years. And on his 157th date, he finally had a fateful encounter. He managed to win the heart of a woman who is a whole generation younger than him, even though he is 63 years old. Happily ever after. Looking at the photo he sent me, she has such a lovely aura that for some reason I can't help but feel envious.

Nishikawa-chan and I meet once a week for work, and over the past three years, I've always heard about his 156 astonishing experiences with arranged marriages. They were truly mind-blowing. This time, I'll share some of his stories.

◆He started living with a woman who lived with cats, but he left a note saying, "I never thought my private life with a scriptwriter would be this boring," and ran away in the middle of the night, leaving behind a huge cat tower.
◆I was dating a woman who worked at a snack bar. I asked her out on dates several times, but she always canceled at the last minute. When I pressed her for an explanation, she said she prioritized going to work with a customer.
◆I wanted a serious relationship, but her behavior seemed suspicious, so I looked her up online and found out she was a habitual pyramid scheme participant.
◆The photo editing was so extreme that the blocks on the wall behind the person were distorted. The worst case involved a woman who used someone else's photo, and when they met at their date's meeting place, the man didn't recognize her. "People often tell me I look different from my photos," she replied with a smile.
That's right, there are some tough women out there.

It seems that there are cases where women like this join matchmaking agencies.
◆Women who can't forget the "chauffeur" and "meals provider" from the bubble era, like "ghosts of the bubble."
◆A woman in her 50s who lived with pets (purebred dogs and cats) and spent her days off watching recorded Korean dramas, joined the service after losing her pet.
◆A woman working at a hostess club for mature women, a well-paying part-time job, but now that she's over 50, she's no longer getting any nominations and is worried about her future.

We asked Nishikawa-chan to analyze what kind of women men dislike.
◆Profile picture and real person are too different ⇒ "Too much photo editing," "Using old photos," "Like a completely different person"—Anger upon meeting!
◆Low reaction/Doesn't seem to be enjoying themselves ⇒ "Doesn't laugh," "Doesn't nod much," "Doesn't make eye contact"
◆The conversation about conditions, money, and the future comes too early ⇒ From the first meeting, it's all about conditions: "What's your annual income?", "What about housing?", "What about retirement?"
◆She talks a lot about her ex-husband and the past ⇒ She's often compared to her ex. Men dislike women who are still hung up on their exes.
◆Too unpretentious about oneself ⇒ "Unique choice of words," "Too eccentric clothing," "Too plain," "Future plans are incomprehensible"
Ladies, please be careful. Next time, I'll introduce the male version.

Terry Ito (director)

Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1949. After attending Waseda Jitsugyo Junior and Senior High School, he graduated from Nihon University's School of Economics.
In March 2023, he completed the Master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
He joined the television production company IVS Television, where he worked on variety shows such as "Tensai Takeshi's Genki ga Deru TV" and "Neruton Benikujidan."
He then went independent and worked on planning and directing a number of television programs, including TV Tokyo's "Asakusabashi Young Clothing Store."
His book "Comedy North Korea" became a bestseller, and he subsequently made numerous media appearances under the name Terry Ito.
In addition to his work as a director, he is also active in a variety of fields as a producer, entertainer, and commentator.
YouTube channelTerry Ito's Comedy Backdrop'
Currently writing a column in LALALA USA
https://lalalausa.com/archives/category/column/terry