Momoka Tojo (20), who joined idol group “KATACOTO * BANK” last month, accidentally posted a photo with her boyfriend on her birthday. As a result, management has issued these disciplinary measures: 1 - She will keep a certain distance from her boyfriend. 2 - As “punishment”, she will have to post a solo “good night” photo every night for a year, with management adding, “The most important thing for an idol is to ‘sleep close to every fan’.” Fans expressed a variety of amused and concerned comments after the publication
You're viewing a single comment thread. View all comments, or full comment thread.
Comments (20)
sorted by:
Japanese idol culture is the toxic inverse of the West's slut culture, where even having a committed relationship is seen as negative.
Part of the reason is obviously marketing teams wanting to sell these idols as available and that 'maybe' they'll choose a fan one day (they never will, or at least highly unlikely). Other side is also easier to control when they can't rely on someone else as then you can have them constantly performing in places with few brakes.
This and black companies (sometimes one and the same) really need to go. Because both are toxic and detrimental to men developing relationships.
The West's slut culture is an every day reality of people's regular lives. Idol culture is a job that you for the most part choose to participate in.
These situations aren't secret, its pretty well known in fact that idols cannot even be seen standing too close to a man lest they get punished. Yet they still choose to sign up because they love the attention, fame, and affection it brings them just for "existing while cute."
But if I were a Japanese man, I'd not have to involve myself in that nonsense and its extreme purity ideals wouldn't effect me in the slightest. But I cannot escape the consequences of the West's slut culture no matter what I do.
Japanese fans were worried and concerned when Gwar Gura, an English vTuber idol, had male backup vocals when she sang "Big Iron", because it implied someone male was within a hundred yards of her that wasn't her producer. They had to be placated by English fans explaining that she literally used the backing vocals from the original song, no scary men near her recording booth.
The idol culture is bizarre.
It is, but its designed from the top down to be that way. The guys behind every Idol are specifically manipulating and preying on every parasocial and abusive tactic to get fans deeply hooked and insane. They have it down to a science on how to turn Japanese men specifically into simps who will spend 10000$ a year on a girl they see only from a distance with no sexuality openly at play.
Its the same way they turned gacha, gambling and the Skinner box into the monster it is in the gaming industry.
Purity is a positive, yes. If she has a man then she should retire and be a good housewife, unless she has real talents like singing or acting, at which point she is allowed to stay in the entertainment business, but not as an "idol".
Western culture still has the same thing. There's a reason why amarounth? Hid her bf or husband for so long while slutting it up
The concept of being perceived to be single to be profitable is not exclusive to Japan or these idols. Streamers and OnlyFans thots do it too. The second it's revealed they have a boyfriend or husband (spoiler - they all do), the revenue plummets.
The difference comes from (the perception of) purity and morality.