Tanaka Kei is drawing attention for his unexpected new activities following the controversy surrounding his alleged affair with actress Nagano Mei.
According to recent reports from Japanese media outlets including Sports Hochi, the actor has been actively participating in international poker tournaments over the past year and achieving surprisingly strong results.
On May 5, Tanaka Kei reportedly competed in the Aussie Millions international poker tournament held in Melbourne, Australia.
He participated in the “25K Challenge NLHE” event and ultimately finished in 7th place after advancing to the final table with aggressive gameplay.
Reports state that the actor earned approximately 111,720 Australian dollars (around 118 million KRW or $76,000 USD) in prize money from the tournament.
The achievement quickly became a hot topic online, especially as Tanaka Kei has remained largely absent from entertainment activities following last year’s scandal.
This was reportedly not an isolated result.
Japanese media claimed that Tanaka Kei has consistently entered major poker competitions over the past year. In July last year, he reportedly placed 3rd out of 1,935 participants at the prestigious World Series of Poker held in Las Vegas. That result allegedly earned him around 17 million yen in prize money.
Reports further claimed that he later participated in European tournaments and accumulated nearly 20 million yen (approximately $130,000 USD) over a two-month period.
While Tanaka Kei’s poker activities appear successful, his acting career reportedly remains heavily affected by the controversy involving Nagano Mei.
The controversy intensified after media outlets released photos of the pair together, including selfies and reports alleging late-night visits between their homes.
Tanaka Kei denied the affair allegations at the time.
“As someone with a wife and children, I was not in an adulterous relationship with Nagano,” he reportedly stated.
Despite his denial, the scandal significantly damaged his public image, with multiple drama appearances and advertising contracts reportedly canceled afterward.
Recently, Tanaka Kei was reportedly spotted attending a performance involving actor Oguri Shun, who also serves as the head of his agency However, public opinion surrounding the actor reportedly remains cold.
Some online users commented on noticeable changes in his appearance, with reactions such as: “He seems to have gained weight compared to before.”
Born in 1984, Tanaka Kei rose to fame through numerous popular Japanese dramas including Gokusen, Water Boys, Crying Out Love in the Center of the World, and the Doctor-X series.
Sources: Herald Economy,Sports Hochi
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