TV-Series
Description
Hajime Kudō is a 34-year-old real estate agent at the Wang Lai Real Estate agency within the recreated Kowloon Walled City. He possesses a robust, lean build, short black hair, and black eyes, typically dressed in professional attire like a shirt and tie.
Outwardly careless, hot-headed, and sometimes aggressive or ignorant, Kudō hides a fundamentally sympathetic, kind, and considerate core. He cherishes the nostalgic atmosphere of Kowloon Walled City, clashing with his coworker Reiko Kujirai's preference for modernity. This deep appreciation for Kowloon's urban culture and cuisine shapes his interactions and perspectives.
Kudō's past is complex. He transferred from a Japanese branch to work alongside the original Reiko Kujirai ("Kujirai B"), his senior and mentor. Their professional bond evolved into romance and engagement. Kujirai B's suicide by sleeping pill overdose devastated him. Following her death, he became responsible for creating the current "Second Kowloon" or "Kowloon #2," meticulously reconstructing it from his memories of the original city and his time with Kujirai B.
His relationship with the current Reiko Kujirai (Reiko A) is defined by unresolved grief. While Reiko A resembles his late fiancée physically, she lacks their shared memories and exhibits contrasting traits—more reserved and open to new experiences versus Kujirai B's confident nostalgia. Kudō initially responds to Reiko A with icy dismissal, interpreting her actions as mimicry and explicitly rejecting her romantic confession by declaring her feelings "weren't real." Their dynamic shifts when Gwen Tao prevents Reiko A from leaving Kowloon; Kudō embraces her and reciprocates her feelings, leading them to spend the night together. However, he later retreats emotionally when ordinary actions, like her suggestion to make French toast, trigger painful memories of Kujirai B. His subconscious attachment manifests physically, causing earthquakes within Kowloon during his nightmares.
Interactions with others reveal further facets. He shares a close friendship with Gwen Tao, one of the few privy to Kujirai B's death and Kowloon's artificial nature. He displays animosity and distrust towards Miyuki Hebinuma, especially after witnessing him kiss Reiko A. Kudō maintains a sibling-like rapport with the part-time worker Xiaohei, but dislikes Lin Yaomay due to her consistently aggressive attitude towards him.
Kudō exhibits constant internal conflict between honoring Kujirai B's legacy and accepting Reiko A's individuality. He frequently adopts Kujirai B's catchphrases, habits, and philosophies, like touching eights for luck, demonstrating her pervasive influence on his identity. His journey reflects a struggle to reconcile nostalgia with present realities, embodied by his creation of Kowloon as a sanctuary for longing – an imperfect replica that cannot restore what was lost.
Outwardly careless, hot-headed, and sometimes aggressive or ignorant, Kudō hides a fundamentally sympathetic, kind, and considerate core. He cherishes the nostalgic atmosphere of Kowloon Walled City, clashing with his coworker Reiko Kujirai's preference for modernity. This deep appreciation for Kowloon's urban culture and cuisine shapes his interactions and perspectives.
Kudō's past is complex. He transferred from a Japanese branch to work alongside the original Reiko Kujirai ("Kujirai B"), his senior and mentor. Their professional bond evolved into romance and engagement. Kujirai B's suicide by sleeping pill overdose devastated him. Following her death, he became responsible for creating the current "Second Kowloon" or "Kowloon #2," meticulously reconstructing it from his memories of the original city and his time with Kujirai B.
His relationship with the current Reiko Kujirai (Reiko A) is defined by unresolved grief. While Reiko A resembles his late fiancée physically, she lacks their shared memories and exhibits contrasting traits—more reserved and open to new experiences versus Kujirai B's confident nostalgia. Kudō initially responds to Reiko A with icy dismissal, interpreting her actions as mimicry and explicitly rejecting her romantic confession by declaring her feelings "weren't real." Their dynamic shifts when Gwen Tao prevents Reiko A from leaving Kowloon; Kudō embraces her and reciprocates her feelings, leading them to spend the night together. However, he later retreats emotionally when ordinary actions, like her suggestion to make French toast, trigger painful memories of Kujirai B. His subconscious attachment manifests physically, causing earthquakes within Kowloon during his nightmares.
Interactions with others reveal further facets. He shares a close friendship with Gwen Tao, one of the few privy to Kujirai B's death and Kowloon's artificial nature. He displays animosity and distrust towards Miyuki Hebinuma, especially after witnessing him kiss Reiko A. Kudō maintains a sibling-like rapport with the part-time worker Xiaohei, but dislikes Lin Yaomay due to her consistently aggressive attitude towards him.
Kudō exhibits constant internal conflict between honoring Kujirai B's legacy and accepting Reiko A's individuality. He frequently adopts Kujirai B's catchphrases, habits, and philosophies, like touching eights for luck, demonstrating her pervasive influence on his identity. His journey reflects a struggle to reconcile nostalgia with present realities, embodied by his creation of Kowloon as a sanctuary for longing – an imperfect replica that cannot restore what was lost.