entertainment

Johnny's boy bands join lineup for 'Kohaku Uta Gassen'

32 Comments

NHK on Monday announced the names of the 50 artists and groups to perform on this year's 60th NHK "Kohaku Uta Gassen" (red and White Song Contest), with four Johnny's boy bands topping the list including, Arashi, Hey! Say! Jump, and NYC boys.

Arashi was scheduled not to appear due to other commitments but decided to join in the 60th anniversary program. NYC boys, who will make their first appearance, were also excited to participate, with member Yuri Chine, 15, vowing to "definitely try not to lose to Arashi!"

Both groups were invited by NHK. Keisuke Inoue, NYC's chief producer, explained, "Kohaku usually only features the top sellers of that year. Arashi is always a best seller. And NYC has been having great sales even though they're still new."

Johnny's Entertainment president Johnny Kitagawa said, "Because there's an age limit on the actual countdown (that runs after Kohaku), NYC couldn't appear, so we instead wanted them to sing on Kohaku."

Inoue also hinted at the possibility of other singers in the 100-member Johnny's Jr troupe to make a surprise appearance as "reinforcements."

Other groups making their debut at "Kohaku" include Funky Monkey Babys and Flumpool.

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32 Comments
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2009 is this year Arashi first participated in the Red and White Singing Festival. That years they celebrated their 10th anniversary. I still remember vividly the Red and White Singing Festival at that time. They were very cool. They celebrated their 20th anniversary this year. I want to thank them for their support. I love them in the future.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ugh. saying they're just talentless nobodies... well, maybe someone is, but deffinetelly not Johnny's boys. even if someone doesn't like their music, it is a fact, that they are successful. it's a fact that they have millions fans all over the world and they earn some serious money with being "talentless nobodys". As always I'm looking forward to Johnnys countdown this year, which comes after kohaku.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The boy and girl groups today are a far cry from those that started in the 90s, both globally and domestically.

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I think Arashi can really work it. Maybe I'm just biased, but I agree with Makun and honestly think they are probably the most talented out there right now, in both singing and dancing. Their music and style actually seems to evolve as they get older. Some of the younger bands are just... ugh. They can't sing, so nevermind their dancing, haha. Like those NYC boys... cute, but that's pretty much all they are!

Inoue also hinted at the possibility of other singers in the 100-member Johnny’s Jr troupe to make a surprise appearance as “reinforcements.”

This makes me so curious...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's about time that Arashi got included in the Kohaku lineup.

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While I wouldn't be caught dead with one of their CDs, I have to admit there are a few Johhny's tunes out there that I like. To me, the secret to tollerating them is to just listen to the music- don't look at their faces or outfits and for goodness sake don't watch them dance.

As for New Years .. I'm looking forward to the hatsuuri Lots of bargains to be found :) The shrines and temples are usually so full of people I think I'll avoid them this year.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I love ARASHI. I will watch it for them and them alone, haha.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I also enjoy New Year in Japan in comparison to many Gaijins. I enjoy staying home, having some good food, watchin TV (NHK as well dowtown's comedy show) On the 1st, my wife and children go visit the wife all families who gather in Shizuoka... Then all together we go to the Temple, watch TV, Play with with Kids, And ready to get back to work after a lot of good food, talks.

Definitely, I enjoy New year's in Japan

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A-RA-SHI!!!! FOR DREAM!!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hikaru Genji!!! They were the peak of the Johnny's empire. Catchy melody and rhythem, good lyrics, etc. And performing all this on roller skates! Yeah, Hikari Genji!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

brain-dead idiots for their like. party time!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm so excited for Arashi! They deserve this honor, absolutely.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The word band implies musical talent.

Unless it's elastic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"As soon as I saw those twits Exile singing to the Emperor on his 20th anniversary, I finally knew Japan was doomed.

This is just another symptom"

Malignant Kawai-itus: Kills by infecting the victim with copious amounts of cute, fluff and the rapid and absolute degradation of culture.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Kohaku is the most boring backslapping fest I have ever seen on TV. TV Junk food"

At least real junk food will eventually kill you and put you out of your misery. This thing goes on year after year like a recurring plague.

Boy band?!? The word band implies musical talent. These over produced nightmares hardly qualify for more than predicatably dull eyecandy for people lacking imagination or taste in music or dance.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When July 2011 rolls around, I have no plans to replace my boob tube. Analog TV might become obsolete in two years, but Japanese TV programming contents has been obsolete for the past four decades.

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New Year`s/oshogatsu in Japan is SOO boring. Nothing to do, no where to go, and if you do go anywhere it is crowded, exprensive and boring. Japanese TV like this programme? I gave up watching it years ago. Mindless and crass, it is a waste of space. These guys are all talentless nobodies.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As soon as I saw those twits Exile singing to the Emperor on his 20th anniversary, I finally knew Japan was doomed.

This is just another symptom

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm glad Arashi will make it this year. Johnny's may be a degeneration of society, but Arashi have a certain charm and professionalism to their craft. Kohaku may not be overly exciting, but it's just become a tradition for me to watch. Kind of like the Thanksgiving Day Parade in the States. It's always on every year, same characters and fake smiles. After about 10 minutes everyone gets bored and moves on to something else. But just hearing it in the background gives a sense of peace, and gets you in the mood for the holiday. I feel the same for Kohaku.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And plase invite Korean musicians like Big Bang, G Dragon and Rain!!! MBLAQ too!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I have one request for this year's Kohaku Uta Gassen - have Glay come on for a special encore performance of "Yuuwaku" with a new version which is w/ pronounced drums. They just played in San Francisco, so I was reminded of the song. Great guitar play - is Glay connected to Johnny's Jimusho?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Watching this program on New Year's Eve was for many years as important to Japanese families as Americans watching the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards on TV. I can understand how it became an annual ritual. I have watched it myself quite often. It is a means, or used to be, of bringing the family together for the two or three days.

Personally, I like the quiet way Japanese celebrate New Year's Eve. It is a time for reflection for me. Who cares about wild parties like we get in the West? You can have a party anytime. Last year, I happened to pass through Roppongi about 10 p.m. on Dec 31 and there seemed to be more foreigners on the sidewalks than Japanese. It was a bizarre feeling.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why Japanese people watch this on New Year's Eve Because they are japanese, That´s all.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

New Year's Eve chez cleo involves a family game all-night marathon lubricated with mince pies and other goodies left over from Christmas and punctuated by the Yuku Toshi Kuru Toshi bell-ringing programme. It feels so good to sit at home toasty-warm with a big tumbler of Scotch and watch other folk all wrapped up out in the snow.

Can't remember the last time we watched Kohaku.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Pretty much all of the Johnny's boy bands are talentless and unoriginal. Why Japanese people watch this on New Year's Eve is beyond me. However, I always believe: to each his own. As I see it, New Year's in Japan is the equivalent to Christmas in North America. A quiet time to spend with family. And I mean, some Christmas traditions in North America are not much more exciting. People go to church, watch football, eat turkey...Traditions are good as long as you are actually enjoying them and not just doing them because everyone else is. That's stupid.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

why not go out and party on the streets, get reallly stupid and do something crazy once a year instead of sitting at home and staring at the idiot box???

It's a relatively long holiday for most Japanese yet most just seem to complain that they had to drive 10 to 15 hours to get to their beloved hometowns and share a frustrating time with their families, not to mention watch this unfathomly boring singing contest.

And why is it a battle of the sexes thing anyway? How do they decide who wins?

I think Japan wins hands down for most boring New Year's events on the planet. This contest, Ekiden marathons, going to a shrine... All very good reasons why.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As if I needed four more reasons not to watch this piece of crap. Have people in Japan really been that desperate for the past 60 years for something to do on New Year's Eve? No wonder the birthrate is so low.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Kohaku is the most boring backslapping fest I have ever seen on TV. TV Junk food

0 ( +0 / -0 )

boys? come on, who ya trying to kid?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

i hate to break the news, but they're not boys

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

that is why I listen to korean music only now

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I despise these girly boy bands. Where have the boys and men all gone?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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