entertainment

NHK announces lineup for 'Kohaku Uta Gassen'

15 Comments

Japan’s national broadcaster NHK on Wednesday announced the lineup for its annual New Year's Eve program, "Kohaku Uta Gassen" (Red and White Song Contest). The theme this year is "Let's Sing Our Dreams."

The program, which will be broadcast on Dec 31 from 7:15 p.m. for the 69th consecutive year, will feature a total of 42 acts, 21 from the “red” (women) team and 21 from the “white” (male) team, as well as two special guests. The two teams will be competing for the trophy with songs, costumes and overall performances.

Singer-songwriter Aimyon, 23, and singer Daoko, 21, will make their first appearance on the show for the red team. Idol group King & Prince, rock band Suchmos, chorus group Jyunretsu, and collaboration Yoshiki feat. Hyde will make their "Kohaku" debut for the white team.

Da Pump, who had this year’s big hit song, “U.S.A.,” will appear for the first time in 16 years, and singer-songwriter Yumi Matsutoya, 64, will make her first appearance in seven years.

For the red team, Sayuri Ishikawa will be making her 41st appearance, while veterans for the white team include Hiroshi Itsuki (48 appearances) and Hiromi Go (31 appearances).

Japanese comedian Teruyoshi Uchimura, 54 and NHK announcer Maho Kuwako, 31 will return to host the show for two years in a row. They will be joined by idol group Arashi member Sho Sakurai, 36, and actress Suzu Hirose, 20.

The show is still one of the most popular New Year’s Eve entertainment TV programs in Japan, despite its declining rankings over the past couple of years, blamed on repetitive selection of singers and dominations of boy and girls bands.

To see the full lineup, visit https://www.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/artist/index.html

© Japan Today

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15 Comments
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It's that time of year again? 2018 has gone by fast...

The in-laws watch this every year, we mostly just comment on who has and hasn't aged well.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

And this is where all that Money they're collecting from us goes ?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

/pass. But I'm not interested in downtown either anymore. Every year the same rehash. I'm sad to say that NYE is really the most depressing one in Japan.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"It's that time of year again? 2018 has gone by fast.."

2019's going to go by even faster...

I see Seiko Matsuda is going to appear. I wonder if she is still going to look like she's in her late thirties.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ho hum....used to be a time when this was the "thing" to do on New Year's eve. Sit around the TV with family and watch the men and women "battle" it out.

First the "Record Taisho" then the rush to participate in Kohaku, since they moved the Record Taisho to a different day kohaku has lost a lot of it's luster.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

People waste a great night slumped in front of the telly when they should be out binge drinking and getting into fights outside pubs.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Da Pump... I cringe

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Surprised they don't have NHK's Tokyo Olympic song "Papurika" on the menu.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Da Pump?  He is still a thing?  More like Pa Dump.

Nevertheless it adds and exter option for NYE excitement - sit in, get trashed, giggle at the televisual goings on.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Just watch 笑ってはいけない like everyone else with a pulse

Right? At least, and I don't care how tightly you're wound, you'll get a few good laughs out of it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Just watch 笑ってはいけない like everyone else with a pulse

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yawn!!!!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Watching all the old pop stars do their thing again and again with forced vitality is extremely cringe worthy....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I can't wait for Kohaku Uta Gassen because my favorite artist group sings and dances on this TV program for their first time. I'm really pleasure to hear that!! The name is GENERATIONS. They sings very well, dance is high quality and looks cool. I love GENERATIONS.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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