Beyond ‘Kawaii’: How ASOBISYSTEM Is Building a Global Future for Japanese Idol Culture
Categoria: Musica
Billboard JAPAN talked to ASOBISYSTEM CEO Yusuke Nakagawa about the chances of globalizing Japan’s “oshikatsu” culture.
Por Billboard | 28/08/2026
With their performance on a Korean music TV show, CUTIE STREET’s “Can’t we just be cute? -Kawaii Dakejya Damedesuka?-” has crossed international borders. Seeing this response, KAWAII LAB. has decided to hold global auditions in five Asian countries. ASOBISYSTEM, the company behind KAWAII LAB. and its artists, like CUTIE STREET, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and FRUITS ZIPPER, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year. Billboard JAPAN talked to its CEO, Yusuke Nakagawa, about the chances of globalizing Japan’s “oshikatsu” culture, his management style of avoiding setting goals, and what it takes to ensure long term success for artists. In March 2026, CUTIE STREET appeared on a Korean music TV show and performed a Korean version of their song “Can’t we just be cute? -Kawaii Dakejya Damedesuka?-.” This created a lot of buzz, and the group’s Korean shows sold out immediately, leading them to come back to put on additional shows in July. What are your thoughts on their becoming a hit in Korea? KAWAII LAB. has been using social media to engage with Korean listeners across the language barrier, such as by posting K-pop dance videos or having a Korean group do FRUITS ZIPPER’s “Watashi no Ichiban Kawaiitokoro” dance. I think CUTIE STREET’s success was the result of this kind of diligent, ongoing effort. Even so, it was amazing how it spread like wildfire after their TV appearance. The way it was filmed was also surprising. There were a ton of cameras, even cameras for YouTube. That’s why the video got released right after the show was broadcast. They only appeared on a single Korean TV show, but their performance spread around the world through YouTube. It was really something to see. They’ve released a music video for the Korean version of the song, too. How do you balance keeping a Japanese feel in videos while also localizing them for other countries, like Korea? It depends on what triggers it. With CUTIE STREET, I was a little unsure about whether to go with the approach we ultimately did or to make a music video that was more evocative of K-pop. But after they appeared on M COUNTDOWN and became a hit, I thought about the reasons for their success and it seemed to me that it would be better to keep a Japanese feel. So we updated the video, keeping the feeling of a Japanese music video and creating a new, improved version of “Can’t we just be cute? -Kawaii Dakejya Damedesuka?-.” We paid a lot of attention to the translation, as well, and we’ve gotten a lot of feedback saying that we really understand Korea. What countries are you planning to expand into in the future? KAWAII LAB. is holding KAWAII LAB. ASIA GLOBAL AUDITION 2026, a global audition for people in Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. So you’re trying to create a group of idols from various different countries? We haven’t decided on anything specific yet. We might create local groups