Flashback on My Fangirl Life + A NEWS Fan's Opinion on KoyaShige's Latest Gossip (Ulog Day 25)

For the past nine years, I have been an avid fan of the Japanese idol band NEWS. Originally, this band started off with nine members. However, when I became their fan, they only had six members left. These members are YamaPi, Ryo-chan, Massu, Keii-chan, Shige and Tego-nyan.

_{Here's a screenshot from my PREVIOUS BLOG}

During my darkest times, NEWS helped me by uplifting my spirit through their music. Since then, I became a fan. 2 years after being their fan, they got my heart broken when YamaPi and Ryo-chan left NEWS. Here's some parts of what I wrote in my previous blog post about it.

October 7, 2011, probably would be the greatest nightmare I had as a fangirl.. I've never expected such terrible thing to happen especially to the group who I've learned to live with.. the group who I've put my trust, love and devotion .. It's such a disastrous event which slowly sank in and devoured my heart slowly leaving me with tiny, shattered pieces..

Yamashita Tomohisa and Nishikido Ryo left NEWS.. OUCH~!! That was the first word that came into my mind.. followed by.. USO~!! This can't be true... This can't be happening.. It's just a dreadful dream.. I have to wake up from this awful nightmare... But I can't do it.. I can never wake up from this bad dream... coz this isn't a bad dream at all.. It's REALITY... And all that's left for me is to accept it..

I was indeed at a loss that time. I couldn't explain my feelings. The NEWS that saved me, were also the same NEWS that broke my heart. I might have sounded crazy for people who aren't their fans, but it was what I truly felt. You know that feeling when the person you trusted so much deceived you in a snap of a finger? It was too painful and I actually didn't listen to their songs for like 2 weeks because listening only gave me heartache.

It may take time to erase this pain... But it will be gone soon... It'll heal over time... But we can't deny the fact that it will leave a BIG SCAR and somehow an EMPTINESS in our HEARTS..

Minna... This is REALITY... and we have to ACCEPT IT... I can't blame anyone for feeling the same thing as I do.. It's normal.. It's pretty normal.. Because we LOVE NEWS... Because we are part of NEWS and NEWS is part of US... Let's all REMEMBER that NEWS is a 7 member-group..

YAMAPI... RYO.. KOYAMA... SHIGE.. MASSU.. TEGO-nyan.. and US....

In the Philippines, we have a fan group called NYUSU.PH. They're mostly based in Luzon, but there were some members in Cebu, too... (like me, my bestie and my Massu). During NEWS' anniversary, we also celebrated. Well, I couldn't go to meet ups but some members of the fan group sent me NEWS' shirts and there was also an ID strap saying "I am NEWS' 7th member". So, when YamaPi and Ryo-chan left, we did our best to support each other.

We thought of the remaining four members and decided to continue supporting them. They were at a loss more than us during that time. If we felt like we had our hearts broken, how much more for them? Reading news' translations as well as checking their interviews after the incident.

_{Screenshot from my PREVIOUS BLOG}


Almost 7 years have passed since that time, and NEWS fans as well as NEWS remained strongly bonded. 4-nin NEWS were able to rise up again and had a lot of new music and concerts for the past years. Seeing their progress made me really happy and inspired. They taught me, yet, another lesson which is to NEVER GIVE UP.

When I stay in Japan in the future, I'll surely become an active fan and attend their concerts. It has always been part of my dream ever since I became their fan. For now, I settle myself with DVDs and fanreports... but I will definitely make this dream come true in the future.

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NEWS members Keiichiro Koyama & Shigeaki Kato allegedly force underage girl to drink, audio clip released

I woke up to this headline from Aramajapan and Jpopasia... and I was like WTF?!


According to Arama Japan, the tabloid Bunshun claimed that Koyama and Shige allegedly forced an underage girl to drink alcohol. The incident said to happen last winter in Roppongi.

Their company, JE, confirmed that they were indeed Koyama and Shige, but they didn't confirm that the girl was underaged. In another article from Jpopasia, it said that one woman with them was 20 years old while the other girl was someone they don't know, so they're not sure of the age.

VIDEO SOURCE --> also shared in the article from Arama Japan


When I listened to the audio, I can confirm that it was indeed Koyama who was singing... And there was a part when he sang "飲みホゼ". I don't know what it actually means but I'm aware that "飲み" means "drink". So does it mean he "COERCED" someone to drink through a song?

I'm not being biased, but I'm plainly confused. I wouldn't want someone to force me to drink if I don't want to. But based on the audio, was there even a coercion? Enlighten me, please?!!!!

Underage or not, one shouldn't force somebody to drink against their will. However, if it's in the spur of the moment... when everyone was having fun and someone "encouraged" you to drink, I don't think it's an issue. There's a difference between coercion and encouragement.

If I'm with friends and they force me to drink, I'll definitely say no and perhaps leave if they continue. However, if everyone is having fun and someone offers me a drink, I'd probably take a sip. Well, my case is different since I'm not underaged... but it isn't even confirmed if the girl is underaged or not. And I'm quite positive, based on the audio clip, that no coercion happened.

Aside from that, how about the bar they went to? Don't they check the people's age prior to entering such place?


Another thing, a certain swoon21 from Jpopasia commented as quoted:

"Shuukan Bunshun" is the worst possible source for a news article. The article title is translated from the original SB one. It's deceptive and designed to grab people's attention to when there's not much to the story. If the girls (allegedly) were a year older, there would be nothing to report. swoon21 of JPA

How about you guys? Coming from a non-fan (coz there might be a tiny bit of bias in me), what do you think of the said article? How about the audioclip? Please tell me your opinion on the comments below. Have a great day! ^^

EDIT: There are some speculations that Koyama and Shige were framed. Questions like: Why didn't the girl lie about her age? Why did she record it that time only for the audio clip to leak this time? Is it because of NEWS upcoming album? These are just some of the questions circulating in Twitter.

Of course, these aren't the only comments... People's thoughts are mixed.. hatred for the girl, the magazine and Johnny's. Here's an interesting thread on Twitter together with Koyama's comment on News Every --> https://twitter.com/tqttq_macchu/status/1004618283385929730.

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<sub>SOURCES:

ARAMA JAPAN --> http://aramajapan.com/news/gossip/news-members-keiichiro-koyama-shigeaki-kato-allegedly-force-underage-girl-to-drink-audio-clip-released/88981/
JPOPASIA --> http://www.jpopasia.com/feed/24013/news-members-keiichiro-koyama-and-shigeaki-kato-caught-coercing-underage-women-to-drink-alcohol/</sub>