Sairi Ito: "A simply beautiful face," shares her first impression of popular handsome idol NI-KI. What she wants to try this fall is "tempura"

Actor Sairi Ito and NI-KI from the global group “ENHYPEN” will appear in McDonald’s new TV commercial, “Kirekire Harvest Festival,” which will air in Japan starting on October 8.

In the new TV commercial, which will air from October 8, Sairi Ito, who is appearing in the “Sankaku Choco Pie” TV commercials for the fifth consecutive year, and NI-KI from the global group “ENHYPEN,” who is making his solo debut in a TV commercial, will co-star for the first time.

NI-KI said with a smile, “This was my first solo appearance in a commercial, and I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep last night. I was really nervous, but since I had fun filming all day today, I can’t wait to show it to my fellow members.”

マクドナルド新CM「キレキレ収穫祭」篇ビジュアル — Behind-the-Scenes Visual of McDonald’s New CM “Kirekire Harvest Festival” in Japan

Regarding NI-KI, Ito said, “At first, my initial thought was just, ‘Wow, he has such a simply beautiful face’ (laughs). But of course, I couldn’t just stare, so I was just hoping that we could create something fun together. From the photos and videos I had seen, he gave off a really cool impression, but he’s actually very kind. He smiled warmly and talked to me, which made me feel more at ease.”

When asked what she would like to try this fall, Ito answered, “Tempura.” She added, “Frying tempura at home is really difficult. It’s not just limited to fall, but I really like wild vegetables, and this is the season when delicious ingredients become more available, so I want to master new recipes like that.” She expressed her enthusiasm.

When asked the same question, NI-KI answered, “I want to go see the autumn leaves with all the members. Even when we come to Japan for tours, we don’t have much time to rest, so if we could get a break, I’d love to go see the autumn leaves with the other members.”

In the commercial, the two perform the “Sankaku Choco Pie Song,” a comical song expressing their joy at the arrival of the seasonal treat, “Sankaku Choco Pie,” in a park with beautiful autumn foliage. They also showcase a perfectly synchronized, sharp dance performance. Pay attention to Ito’s dance, which has a different vibe each year, and NI-KI’s dance performance.

マクドナルド新CM「キレキレ収穫祭」篇メイキングビジュアル — Behind-the-Scenes Visual of McDonald’s New CM “Kirekire Harvest Festival” in Japan

Starting on October 9, McDonald’s will introduce the “Sankaku Choco Pie” series as part of their seasonal autumn and winter sweets lineup. This includes the 2024 debut of the “Sankaku Choco Pie Oimo to Caramel,” which offers a crispy and flaky texture with sweet potato and caramel flavors, and the classic favorite “Sankaku Choco Pie Kuro,” which was revamped last year. Both will be available for a limited time at stores across Japan.

The newly introduced “Sankaku Choco Pie Oimo to Caramel” features two types of filling: a hearty sweet potato filling and a chocolate cream with caramel corn crunch, offering a crispy texture. These fillings are wrapped in multiple layers of flaky pie crust. Additionally, the pie crust, which is designed to resemble the skin of a sweet potato, contains a caramel flavor. This is the first sweet potato-flavored pie in the Sankaku Choco Pie series, allowing you to enjoy the autumn flavors of sweet potato and caramel at once. The price is 180 yen (tax included), and it will be available from October 9 to early November.

The “Sankaku Choco Pie Kuro,” which enjoys enduring popularity in Japan, was revamped in 2023 with a richer chocolate cream, making it a hit. The balance of the chocolate cream, the texture of the almonds in the cream, and the flaky pie crust is a key feature. The price is 160 yen (tax included), and it will be available from October 9 to late December.