Former KAT-TUN Member Taguchi Rides on Junior’s Popularity in Video, Boosting His Favorability?

His attempts to ride on the popularity of his juniors to go viral have become a hot topic!

Former KAT-TUN member Junnosuke Taguchi (38) uploaded a cover dance video of the song “INZM (Inazuma)” by the unit Number_i on his TikTok and Instagram.

Number_i consists of former King & Prince members Yuta Kishi (29), Yuta Jinguji (26), and Sho Hirano (27), who have moved to TOBE after leaving Johnny’s Entertainment. For Taguchi, they are his juniors from his former agency (now known as STARTO ENTERTAINMENT). While many expressed their delight at the unexpected song choice, there were also some slightly sharp comments made.

Taguchi left KAT-TUN on March 31, 2016, and departed from the agency. He announced his return to entertainment activities on his official website on September 1 of the same year and released his first single “HERO” in November.

“Taguchi was supported by enthusiastic fans from his group days, but in May 2019, he was arrested on charges of violating the Cannabis Control Act (possession) along with actress Rena Komine, with whom he had been in a reported relationship. He received a six-month prison sentence (with a two-year suspended sentence) and appeared before fans at a fan meeting in December of that year,” reported a sports paper journalist.

In recent years, he has also showcased his skills as a professional mahjong player and poker player. In 2022, Taguchi passed the professional test for the Japan Professional Mahjong Association and is involved in work as a professional mahjong player, as well as participating in poker tournaments.

Additionally, in January of this year, he opened a bistro restaurant called “Junno’s Table,” which he produced, in Shibuya, Tokyo. He is also reportedly serving as the director of a show club called “A-MEN’S TOKYO” in Shinjuku, expanding his activities to such an extent that it has become difficult to identify his main profession.

On September 25, Taguchi updated his TikTok and Instagram, posting a video of himself dancing to “INZM,” which was released digitally on August 19. “INZM” is a mixture of rock and hip-hop, featuring a catchy repeated phrase of “Inazuma, zuma, zuma,” and has gone viral on social media.

On the day of its release, the official music video for “Number_i – INZM” uploaded to YouTube surpassed 40 million views, garnering significant attention.