Jesse’s Relationship Scandal Impacts SixTONES Popularity and CD Sales, Falling Behind SnowMan

On July 25, “Josei Seven” reported that Jesse from SixTONES and actress Haruka Ayase are in a serious relationship. In response to the magazine’s inquiry, Jesse replied through his personal company ZDN, saying, “Please leave my private life to me. We are getting along well. Zudon.” The poor handling of this initial response has led to a surge of disappointment from fans. 

“Jesse was one of the main cast members in Haruka Ayase’s starring film ‘Revolver Lily,’ which was released in August 2023. After the filming wrapped, they began to keep in touch and reportedly continued their friendship by having meals at private dining establishments. Over time, their relationship grew closer, and it is said that Jesse started visiting Ayase’s home” (entertainment writer).

When ‘Josei’s Seven’ inquired about the relationship, Ayase’s agency responded, ‘We leave her private matters to her.’ On the other hand, Jesse, through his newly established personal agency, commented, ‘Please leave private matters to us. We are getting along well. Zudon,’ offering a unique remark.

“The fact that neither side clearly denied the relationship has shocked SixTONES fans, leading them to speculate that ‘marriage might be near.’ Most troubling to fans is Jesse’s response. The term ‘Zudon’ he used is a standard greeting at concerts and blogs, a phrase that could be considered a catchphrase with fans. On social media, disappointed fans have expressed their frustration, saying, ‘Don’t ever use Zudon at concerts again’ and ‘Using Zudon in comments to weekly magazines shows a disregard for fans'” (same).

Adding to the fans’ heartache was a report from Sports Nippon on the 25th. According to the report, SixTONES held a concert at Tokyo Dome from April 20 to 22 this year. Sports Nippon claimed that Ayase attended the Dome, and an insider testified, ‘It seems she came by invitation from Jesse, and I thought their relationship was quite close.’

While the exact details remain unclear, fans supporting SixTONES and STARTO ENTERTAINMENT idols have been reacting to the article with concern and disappointment.

“If this is true, I’ve lost respect for Jesse. Mixing personal and professional matters as an idol is the worst.”

“Jesse invited her to the dome… I feel betrayed. No matter what happens, I can’t get back the feelings I once had.”

“So Jesse was singing at the dome for her, huh.”

I was so stunned.

Speaking of Jesse, who belongs to SixTONES, the group made its CD debut alongside Snow Man in January 2020. However, their sales and popularity have been left far behind.

 

For example, the first-week sales of SixTONES’ single “GONG / Koko ni Kaette Koi” released in July and October fell about 100,000 copies short of the first-week sales of 523,000 copies for their May release “Neiro,” resulting in 426,000 copies. In contrast, Snow Man’s latest single “BREAKOUT / Kimi wa Boku no Mono,” released on July 31, sold 834,000 copies on its first day alone (according to Oricon).

 

“Currently, Snow Man has a regular show on Friday’s prime time called ‘Sore Snow Man ni Yarasete Kudasai’ (TBS), while SixTONES does not have a TV show of their own. Jesse, who is considered the face of the group, is experiencing a clear loss of fans due to the recent reports, and the gap between them and Snow Man might continue to widen.” (from the same source)

 

During a magazine interview, Jesse’s behavior, which was uncharacteristic of a young idol, alienated fans. Regaining lost love and trust will not be easy, and a sincere approach to addressing fans’ feelings is now required.