Gen Hoshino

Gen Hoshino (星野 源), born on January 28, 1981, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is a celebrated Japanese artist known for his wide-ranging talents as a singer-songwriter, actor, musician, and author. His artistic roots trace back to the early 2000s, when he led the instrumental band Sakerock, impressing audiences with his skills on guitar and marimba. Hoshino ventured into a solo career in 2010 with the release of his debut album Baka no Uta, which marked the beginning of his rise as a solo performer. Over the years, albums like Episode, Stranger, and especially Yellow Dancer helped solidify his place in Japan’s pop scene, with the latter reaching No.1 on Oricon and Billboard Japan and achieving platinum status from the RIAJ.

Beyond music, Hoshino has made a significant impact in acting and television. His performances in films such as Why Don’t You Play in Hell? and Blindly in Love displayed his range and earned him praise. However, it was his 2016 hit “Koi” — the theme song for the beloved drama The Full-Time Wife Escapist — that catapulted him to household-name status, thanks to its catchy melody and viral dance. In 2018, his album Pop Virus became a massive success, topping charts and going double platinum. Hoshino has since won numerous accolades, including Best Album at the Japan Gold Disc Awards and multiple Space Shower Music Awards. In recent years, he co-hosted the Netflix talk show Lighthouse, and continues to shine as a cultural icon in Japan, sharing both his life and art alongside actress and wife Yui Aragaki.