Shizuka Kudo and Ryoko Shinohara: “Two Major Firms” Behind the “Kohaku” Selection

The artists participating in the 73rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Singing Contest), the annual event held on the last day of the year, have been announced.

Ten groups, including “Midori-Yoshiki Shakai,” “LE SSERAFIM,” and “Naniwa Danshi,” will participate for the first time in both the red and white groups. The host of the Kohaku group was Kanna Hashimoto (23), who enjoys great popularity among young people, and the group has made a major step toward attracting younger viewers. This is the major problem facing the Kohaku program.

Last year, Kohaku recorded a record low household viewership rating of 34.3% (for the second part). The station’s position in the market is not secure, and it is necessary to make some adjustments in order to survive. As Director-General Rie Hayashi said directly to Ms. Hashimoto about the reason for her selection, “I expect her to bring a new style to the Kohaku Uta Gassen,” there is a growing sense of crisis. Morale is high at the site in anticipation of this critical year, but there are some who are dissatisfied with the selection.

The two big names chosen for the red group raised eyebrows among those involved. They were Ryoko Shinohara (49) and Shizuka Kudo (52). Shinohara is scheduled to sing “Koishisato, Setsunasato, Shinryokosato 2023,” a re-arranged version of her 1994 hit “Koishisato, Setsunasato, Shinryokosato,” which was released in September of this year. Kudo was also chosen to commemorate the 35th anniversary of his debut. There seems to be a reason for the selection, but what is the reason for the resentment of those involved? It seems that behind the selection is an office-first attitude on the part of the upper management that is the exact opposite of the sense of crisis felt by those on the frontlines. A person involved in the entertainment industry reveals.

It was reported that the reason for the divorce was her affair with Gwang-su, 35, of the Korean idol group “Super Nova. Since then, offers for dramas, movies, and commercials have plummeted. As a way out of her stalled entertainment career, she has been trying to find a way to make a comeback in her music career, and has chosen to appear in Kohaku (red and white) as a foothold in her career. It is said that Tanihara’s office pushed for Shinohara’s appearance in exchange for Tanihara’s handing over the hosting duties of the white program.

Kudo’s selection was influenced by the intentions of that major agency, which has been rocked by the exit scandal.

Kudo is currently working for a private agency, but she has a good relationship with Johnny’s, to which her husband Takuya Kimura (50) belongs. In addition to her wish to celebrate her anniversary year in a grand way, Johnny’s expects a good publicity effect from “Legend & Butterfly,” a movie starring Mr. Kimura that will be released next year. The film is a Toei’s 70th anniversary movie and a big title with a production cost of 2 billion yen, so it is absolutely impossible for the film to fail. It seems that this was the background that led to his decision to appear in the film.

I think that coordination and negotiations with the office are very important and necessary. However, even in this year, when the field is frantically preparing for the survival of the program itself, there are voices of dissatisfaction coming from the field, saying that if they continue to make the program in the old way…” (The same before)

(The same source).” If a program that is supposed to be a showcase for viewers becomes a showcase for influential firms, it is no wonder that it is said to be a program that is not appropriate for the times.