Fuma Kikuchi Faces Backlash Over New Member Recruitment Auditions Comment Issues Apology to Fans

New member recruitment audition program attracts attention.

The new member recruitment audition program for timelesz, “timelesz project -AUDITION-” (abbreviated as Taipro), began streaming on Netflix on September 13. By episode 07, released on December 6, three members from the “Actor Division” of the same STARTO ENTERTAINMENT agency joined, drawing significant attention.

Originally, Fuma Kikuchi, Shori Sato, and So Matsushima debuted as members of Sexy Zone in November 2011. After Marius Yo and Kento Nakajima graduated, the group was rebranded as timelesz on April 1 of this year.

“With the name change, the three decided to hold an audition to find companions. Applications opened on May 1, receiving 18,922 entries. The details of the audition, including direct meetings between Kikuchi and other members with the finalists, are exclusively streamed on Netflix.

Candidates are filtered based on their singing and dancing skills. In episode 06 (released November 29), those who passed the third round were announced. However, when one of the more popular candidates among viewers, Sota Kagaya, was eliminated, questions about Kikuchi’s attitude began to arise on social media,” explained an entertainment writer.

During the second-round auditions, when timelesz met with candidates, Kikuchi spoke the most, sometimes delivering harsh evaluations.

In episode 01, for instance, he said to a candidate who seemed unmotivated, “If you’re forgetting the lyrics, it’s not going to work (laughs). You have to remember the lyrics.” This comment became a viral meme as “Fuma Kikuchi’s signature phrase” on social media, making him a central figure of Taipro.

However, after the third-round results were revealed, complaints began to surface:

“Isn’t this audition too heavily influenced by Fuma Kikuchi?”

“Sorry, but Fuma’s values don’t align with the fans, and if this continues, I think timelesz’s popularity will drop.”

“It bothers me how Fuma calls some candidates by their last name with ‘-kun’ while calling others by their first name without honorifics. Even if he has favorites, he shouldn’t let that show in front of the audience.”

These and other criticisms have erupted on social media.

“Among the candidates, Ruto Iwasaki has been pointed out as possibly being Kikuchi’s ‘favorite’ (okini), leading to many negative comments online about his advancement to the fourth round,” the aforementioned writer noted.

On December 1, Kikuchi updated his blog on the members-only FAMILY CLUB web titled “Setsunaru Tsubuyaki.” Regarding Taipro, he warned, “It’s not acceptable to speak ill of the candidates or other members. Please reconsider how you engage with social media” (original wording preserved).

He also urged fans to stop criticizing the candidates or other members as a way of undermining him, stating, “Please don’t do that.” These words appear to reflect Kikuchi’s determination to take full responsibility as the focal point of the criticism.

Following the controversial episode 06, episode 07 delved into the fourth-round auditions. At the end of the third round, 15 candidates remained, and they embarked on a three-day training camp. Joining them were STARTO’s actors Takuya Teranishi, Daichi Imae, and Yoshitaka Hara.

After the episode’s release, Kikuchi addressed fans’ questions via Instagram Stories. When asked, “Don’t you think your personal biases are influencing the judging too much?” he responded, “If I were allowed to be biased, I’d want everyone to pass—would that be okay? Each candidate truly has their own wonderful charm.”

Regarding the differences in how he addressed candidates—some by last name with “-kun” and others by their first names—he explained it was due to “ease of calling” but also apologized, saying, “If it caused any misunderstandings, I’m sorry.”

He reassured fans, mentioning that he also interacts with the candidates outside of what is shown in the program, saying, “Please rest assured,” and emphasized, “I know I’m being repetitive, but this is about finding companions.”

With the involvement of STARTO’s talents, Taipro is attracting even more viewers. What kind of members will timelesz ultimately choose?