YOASOBI, Ringo Shiina, Masaharu Fukuyama… Stars Behind-the-Scenes: Post-Kohaku Moments
Even though the ratings were not so good, the gorgeous artists were satisfied!
The 74th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Singing Contest) was held at the end of last year, and for the first time in its history, the viewer rating for the first part fell below 30%. Although the numbers were not good, due in part to the absence of talent formerly affiliated with Johnny’s, the performers’ faces were upbeat.
Less than an hour before the end of the program, a large crowd had gathered at the back gate of NHK Hall to catch a glimpse of the stars.
Many of the people waiting to leave were women in their 20s who were K-pop fans. Three minutes after the broadcast had ended, the performers began to appear one after another from the back gate. Among them, YOSHIKI and HYDE were quite conspicuous in their costumes and were easily recognized. Masaharu Fukuyama yawned loudly while waiting for his car, probably because he was tired. Around 1:30 a.m., the last two to come out were the two members of YOASOBI, but the other people waiting for them did not seem to notice them,” said a local fan waiting for them.
Despite the record-low viewer ratings, YOASOBI’s reputation in the TV industry does not seem to be bad. A producer of a commercial TV station reflected on the Kohaku Uta Gassen as follows.
The decline in viewer ratings is within the range of expectations for NHK. The fact that there were so many K-POP idols on the program is a sign of NHK’s desire to rejuvenate its viewer base. The program has received high marks in the industry for being enjoyable for all three generations of the family on New Year’s Eve, when many families gather together.
No wonder the performers left the hall with satisfied looks on their faces.
From the January 26, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
PHOTO： Kumataro Arai
