Haruto, Sakura, Mashiro… are all examples of Japanese idols who have found their way into the hearts of Kpop fans
LE SSERAFIM’s Sakura:
It’s not hard to see why HYBE recruited Miyawaki Sakura to be a member of LE SSERAFIM. She is popular not only in Japan, Korea but also across Asia. This is partly because Sakura already got herself a large fan base during 10 years of working in the idol industry.
However, the deciding factor for her immense popularity over the years is her progressive attitude at work. By acknowledging her flaws and showing constant effort at perfecting herself, Sakura has received much love and admiration even though she is not extremely talented at any specific area.
The definition of a K-pop star’s success is evolving. And one of the names that contributed to change that perception was Sakura – a Jpop Idol who has created a sensation in Kpop by her determination and hardwork.
Kep1er’s Mashiro:
The Hallyu craze around the world has given foreign idols more opportunities to conquer the K-pop industry, one of them is Mashiro. Before her official debut in Kep1er, Mashiro was well-known as a JYP trainee.
Mashiro used to be considered for ITZY‘s debut lineup but she ended up leaving JYP. She was one of the first foreign contestants to pass the JYP’s audition held in Korea.
With the advantage of being trained at one of the leading K-pop entertainment agencies, Mashiro is highly appreciated by experts for her talents in singing, dancing and performance skills altogether. During the 11 episodes of Girls Planet 999, she always ranked among the top contestants with the highest votes. Besides, her fluency in Korean is also an element that helps Mashiro win over the hearts of Kpop fans.
IVE’s Rei:
Ever since their debut, IVEq has been one of the most successful 4th generation girl groups in Kpop. As the only foreign member of IVE, Rei has managed to gain much attention.
Born in 2004 with a lovely appearance and a baby face, yet she takes on the main rapper position of IVE. In addition to her strength in rap, Rei is also praised by the audience for her native-like Korean pronunciation. Although her vocals are not excellent, she is showing her progress on group performances as well as in solo covers.
Thanks to her charm, Rei became the 4th member of IVE to sign an individual cosmetic advertising deal after Won Young, Yu Jin and Liz. The brand representative said Rei‘s mysterious and pure charm is why she was chosen as the muse. Having Rei helps the brand target both domestic and Japanese customers.
Treasure’s Haruto:
Haruto is known as Treasure’s stan attractor. His height is 1.83 m, and his distinctive rap makes him stand out from the group. Because of his good looks and talent, Haruto has gained a big fan base since his participation in the survival program YG Treasure Box.
At that time, even though he was only 14 years old, Haruto was said to have all the qualities of a star. He ranked first in the rap segment and was the first member to be named in the YG boy group lineup. He was even dubbed the next T.O.P thanks to his charismatic aura and trademark deep voice.
In the group’s first concert that took place in early April, Haruto was the most searched name on social media. In particular, in the cover of Big Bang‘s hit song – Bang Bang, he also created a buzz. With his current talent and charisma, Haruto is expected to become the next ace among YG’s male idols.
Enhypen’s Niki:
Originally a back-up dancer, the Japanese member of Enhypen proved himself to be a well-rounded idol right from the first rounds of I-LAND. Despite being only trained for 8 months before joining the program, Niki still excelled and ranked 4th place overall. As the youngest member of the group, the male idol born in 2005 surprised with his amazing dancing skills and attractive performance.
Niki‘s talent was praised by J-Hope (BTS), The8 (Seventeen), Doobu and Big Hit dance choreographer Son Sung Deuk. Therefore, even before debut, Niki received a lot of admiration from Kpop fans.
In his home country, Niki‘s popularity is even comparable to his senior group BTS. In Japan’s most searched Kpop idol ranking in 2021, Niki surpassed BTS’s Jung Kook to take 6th place. He is also the Enhypen member with the most international fans in the group.
