Ryoko Hirosue’s Return to Singing Reveals Her Acting Evaluation

The reason why she started her singing career in earnest.

In June 2023, Ryoko Hirosue (44) was reported to be involved in a double affair with famous chef Shusaku Toba (46), leading to an indefinite suspension from her agency. She independently left the agency in February of the following year. Recently, she appeared on a YouTube show called “Short Hope,” where she spoke about living life as the theme.

The video, which was released in five parts from the end of last year until the 11th of this month, featured Hirosue being asked by the interviewer about the double affair scandal. She tearfully responded, “I don’t think I should say, ‘It was for the best’ and just brush it off.”

She continued, wiping away tears, “While it’s important to give my best, I think it’s okay to remove parts of myself that were too forced,” and then smiled, saying, “I want to try living a life that isn’t my ideal image as an actress.”

Before her independence, Hirosue was a leading actress in the industry, but after becoming independent, she has been on hiatus from acting. However, due to her divorce in July 2023, caused by the affair, she must earn money for her three children, for whom she has custody. In December of last year, she held a live concert in Tokyo for the first time in 25 years. It was also announced that she will perform at the “Megaport Festival” in Taiwan on March 29 and 30.

“‘Singer Ryoko Hirosue’ had hits with her debut song ‘Maji de Koi Suru 5 Byou Mae’ (1997) and ‘Daisuki!’ (same year). She was also popular in Asia. She paused her music activities in 2002 to focus on acting, but now, it seems that restarting her music career might be one of the only viable ways for her to generate income through entertainment” (according to a music industry insider).