Plagiarism Controversy Slows Snow Man as SixTONES’ GO Story Gains Momentum

Looks like that other show sparks backlash

Snow Man, who have now grown into the flagship of STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, faced a plagiarism controversy online over a segment on their TBS show Sore Snow Man ni Yarasete Kudasai (“Let Snow Man Do It!”).

The controversial segment aired on August 15 and was a new企画 called Sore Ad-lib de Yarasete Kudasai (“Let Them Do It in Ad-Lib”). All nine members of Snow Man acted as delinquent students in a school drama, performing scripted scenes with unscripted ad-lib parts scattered throughout, engaging in spontaneous dialogue following the story. However, many viewers felt a sense of déjà vu when watching the segment.

“Many viewers felt it was similar to the Netflix variety show Talk Survivor! – Survive the Drama if Your Talk is Interesting,” says a TV industry insider. Reflecting this sentiment, the show’s director and producer, Nobuyuki Sakuma (49), posted ‘Seriously? lol’ on X immediately after the broadcast of Sore Snow Man, which drew a huge response and widespread agreement online.

A sports newspaper entertainment reporter notes that the controversy may stem from various circumstances, including Snow Man’s busy schedules making coordination difficult.

“When Sore Snow Man used to air on Sunday afternoons, there were location shoots and a variety of ways to entertain fans. But after moving to the Friday GP (Golden Prime) slot in April 2023, and especially with the members becoming busier recently, the show has focused mainly on dance segments.

While these dance segments have been a major reason for the show’s popularity, online there are still many voices saying ‘The Sunday version was better.’ This ad-lib企画 seems to have been an attempt to overcome that perception.”

Although Snow Man remains popular

Previously, their weekly show only aired five times between July 25 and mid-August, with special episodes on August 1 and 15. The average household ratings were 6.7% on the 1st and 5.3% on the 15th (Video Research, Kanto region). Despite their strong CD sales—both singles and albums hitting the million mark—and live concerts being nearly impossible to get into, their flagship show has noticeably lost momentum.

Meanwhile, SixTONES, who also debuted on January 22, 2020, have been rising in popularity. Until now, they had seemed to trail behind the more established Snow Man.

“At debut, fans of both groups would compete online over fan club memberships and CD sales, but eventually Snow Man pulled far ahead. Even so, SixTONES consistently sell 400,000–500,000 copies of singles and albums, solidifying their status as a popular group,” says a record company insider.

Previously, SixTONES only had occasional solo shows on Nippon TV, but starting in April this year, they launched a regular variety program Golden SixTONES (GOスト) on the same network. The first episode on April 6 featured entertainment legend Sanma Akashiya (70), and the show has since delivered a variety of segments each week. Though the ratings were initially tough, the program is now beginning to make a comeback.

Room to grow may be on SixTONES’ side!?

“The first episode of GOスト recorded a household rating of 5.9%, and the following weeks hovered around the 4–5% range—a period of low-altitude flight. However, gradually, viewers—especially fans—seem to have settled into a regular viewing habit. Ratings climbed consistently over five weeks, from 5.9% on July 27 to 7.7% on August 24. Many of these episodes even surpassed Sore Snow Man ni Yarasete Kudasai airing the same week.

The time slot for GOスト overlaps with Nippon TV’s Sunday drama 19th Karte starring Matsumoto Jun of Arashi (41), but some episodes still managed to secure second place among commercial broadcasters following that drama.

Additionally, on weeks when TBS doesn’t air Sore Snow Man, the network often broadcasts a 2-hour special of Ōkami Shōnen, hosted by Downtown’s Hamada Masatoshi (62), which features SixTONES members Jesse (29) and Tanaka Juri (30) as regulars,” explains a TV industry insider.

SixTONES are showing signs of catching up to Snow Man. Entertainment journalist Shōji Hirata comments on the dynamic between the two groups:

“Until recently, Snow Man, with its idol-like charm and relatability, was slightly ahead of the more artistically inclined SixTONES in popularity. But with GOスト, they now have a flagship program on terrestrial Nippon TV, which is expected to expand their fanbase further. While some predicted struggles for the show—since it followed the long-running popular program Gyoretsu no Dekiru Sōdanjo—it’s performing well.”

From July, SixTONES have also been starring in Warota! on Amazon Prime Video, a series of sketch comedy episodes featuring special guests.

“Compared to music shows, variety and comedy programs allow each member’s personality and humanity to shine through, increasing viewers’ sense of closeness and helping attract new fans. In terms of room to grow, SixTONES has strong potential to narrow the gap with Snow Man,” Hirata notes.

SixTONES are rapidly catching up, closing in right behind Snow Man.

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