HANA Idol MOMOKA Accused of Underage Drinking — Fans Eye Agency’s Response

Holding a drink like a chuhai

A surprising controversy has hit the rapidly rising girl group “HANA,” which made a sensational debut in April and continues its momentum.

HANA is a seven-member Japanese girl group formed through the audition program No No Girls (NonoGa), hosted by the agency BMSG, led by rapper Chanmina (26) and SKY-HI (38).

The final audition drew over 560,000 simultaneous viewers on YouTube, and their debut song “ROSE” became the first Japanese female group track to debut at number one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 through digital release alone. Additionally, the “ROSE” music video has been viewed 38.5 million times on YouTube (as of August 7).

Amid this high attention, MOMOKA (21), a member of HANA, has come under suspicion for underage drinking.

An image dated June 17, 2022, posted by an exposé account on social media, shows a woman believed to be MOMOKA holding a drink resembling a chuhai. It appears to have been taken by someone sitting across from her. The drink has a stirrer, and something that looks like a slice of lemon is at the bottom of the glass.

The X post, which became the epicenter of the controversy, has garnered over 24 million impressions (as of August 7). If the woman is indeed MOMOKA, she would have been underage at the time.

The decision of SKY‑HI, the head of the agency attracting attention

In the comments section, some defended her:

“Isn’t that a juice straw, not a stirrer?”

“Dates can easily be altered.”

“It’s probably non-alcoholic.”

However, someone claiming to have identified the restaurant based on its interior offered detailed observations:

“This place doesn’t use black straws.”

“The non-alcoholic drinks here are only beer.”

“Soft drinks don’t even come with straws.”

“The head of the agency is SKY‑HI, but this same agency also manages Ryoki Miyama (26) of BE:FIRST, who was recently involved in a widely reported breakup controversy with popular YouTuber R-chan. The agency faced criticism for being ‘too lenient’ when no action was taken against Miyama. If this photo turns out to be MOMOKA and no action is taken again, it could be seen as disregarding compliance. Conversely, if the photo is fake or inaccurate, the agency should issue a clear statement. With over 24 million views, ignoring this is no longer an option. The agency’s response is drawing attention,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

The site reached out to HANA’s management to verify whether the image of MOMOKA drinking underage is authentic, but no response was received by the deadline.

In an age where images can be shared instantly, digital tattoos continue to accumulate daily, making the agency’s response all the more closely watched.