Latest news with #Shotaro
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
RIIZE Shotaro's mention of TWICE's Sana as a ‘national treasure' receives mixed reactions from netizens: Here's what happened
RIIZE's Shotaro recent interview with TWICE's Sana , but his innocent comment about her status in Japan sparked backlash from some fans. Shotaro visits TWICE's Sana and reflects on his newfound fame RIIZE member Shotaro recently appeared as a guest on TWICE's Sana's popular variety show, Sana's Fridge Interview. The two, who are both Japanese idols in the K-pop industry, reunited after a long time apart and shared a light-hearted yet insightful conversation. During the interview, Sana asked Shotaro about RIIZE's rapid rise to fame and how he felt about his growing popularity. Shotaro expressed his gratitude and shared an anecdote about his friends in Japan. He revealed that many of them previously had little interest in idol groups or K-pop music, but thanks to RIIZE's success, they've started paying attention. He also reflected on how being recognized in public and hearing his group's music in everyday settings has made him more aware of his own celebrity status. Shotaro calls Sana a ' national treasure ' in Japan A t one point in the interview, Shotaro shifted the topic to Sana's immense popularity in their home country. He mentioned that his friends were more excited about his appearance on Sana's show than about RIIZE itself. Laughing, Sana found the anecdote endearing. Shotaro shared, 'My friends always ask, 'Hey, did you meet TWICE? Did you meet Sana?'' Speaking about Sana's influence, he added, 'Sana noona is like a god in Japan—that's what I think. Sort of a national treasure.' Though clearly made as a compliment, the remark quickly went viral online and sparked a variety of reactions from netizens. Netizens divided over Shotaro's comment While many fans found the exchange wholesome and sweet, others criticized Shotaro for what they perceived as unnecessary name-dropping. One user posted, 'Sadly, nobody knows him nor his flop-ass group lmfao... the need to name-drop Sana's name for clout.' Another wrote, 'As a Japanese, tbh, I can only say we live in another world... I think 90% of Japanese may have only heard of TWICE but don't know her face or name.' Still, many came to Shotaro's defense, praising his kind words. Supportive comments included, 'Shotaro said it perfectly; she is indeed a god and a national treasure,' and 'Sana is a god everywhere—I mean, just look at her.' As the video clip continues to circulate, it remains clear that the admiration between the two idols resonated with many—whether taken as a sweet gesture or a controversial remark. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Pink Villa
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Why is RIIZE's Shotaro calling TWICE's Sana ‘national treasure'? Critics call it ‘name drop for clout'
RIIZE's Shotaro recently reconnected with fellow Japanese K-pop star Sana after years. They engaged in playful banter as they reminisced about their first meeting and discussed their industry journeys. They bonded over their shared nationality, with Shotaro noting Sana's treasured status in Japan. However, his comment sparked criticism, with some interpreting his appreciation for her as insincere or driven by ulterior motives. Shotaro appeared on the May 23rd episode of Sana 's Fridge Interview, where he was warmly welcomed by the host with an acai smoothie. Sana then asked him about his feelings regarding the new-found popularity of RIIZE. Replying to that, Shotaro said that he felt elated when his acquaintances in Japan, who were disinterested in idols, knew about RIIZE. Being recognized by people on the street or hearing his group's songs playing in public gave him a taste of fame. He then mentioned Sana's influence in the nation. He revealed his friends back in Japan were more interested in whether he met TWICE than his group's activities. He giggled as he recalled them asking him, "Hey, did you meet TWICE? Did you meet Sana?" Sana couldn't help but laugh out loud, finding the incident ridiculously "cute". Shotaro went on to say, "Sana noona (older female) is like a God in Japan, that's what I think. Sort of a national treasure." Fans thought the comment was a bit of a stretch, with many claiming he was resorting to name-dropping "for clout." Others weighed on whether TWICE was as well-known in Japan as Shotaro was claiming them to be. Some even made harsh comments like, "I think 90% of Japanese may have only heard of twice but dun know her face and name." While others alleged that groups like Stary Kids were way more popular than TWICE. Shotaro wanted to showcase his respect towards his industry senior Sana through the lighthearted remark. However, the context was misunderstood, with fans taking the remark seriously and put it under a microscope, intensely scrutinizing his every word. The incident underscored the immense pressure K-pop idols are under, with their every action being closely monitored and debated upon.
CNA
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
K-pop group Riize to hold Singapore concert in January 2026
K-pop boy group Riize will return to Singapore for a one-night show on Jan 24, 2026. The concert is part of the six-member group's recently-announced Riizing Loud tour, and comes one and a half years after Riize's Riizing Day fan concert in 2024. Riize, which comprises Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee and Anton, will be performing at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Other venues of the Riizing Loud tour include KSPO Dome in South Korea, AsiaWorld–Arena in Hong Kong and Impact Arena in Thailand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by iMe SG 🇸🇬 (@ The Singapore leg of Riizing Loud will be organised by concert promoter iMe Entertainment Group Asia, which is also behind the upcoming Singapore shows by Girls' Generation member Taeyeon and K-pop girl group Le Sserafim. More details of Riize's concert, including ticket prices, will be announced at a later date. Riize is set to release its first full-length album Odyssey on May 19. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @riize_odyssey Riize made its debut in 2023 with the song Get A Guitar as a group of seven, which also included former member Seunghan. Seunghan then went on an indefinite hiatus after leaked photos of him smoking and in bed with an unidentified woman, believed to have been taken before his debut, were spread online. In October 2024, Riize's agency SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan would officially leave Riize – two days after previously announcing that he would rejoin the group.
