King & Prince and Takanori Nishikawa Captivate Viewers: Highlights from NHK's 'Utacon'

NHK's music program "Utacon," broadcast tonight, became a major trending topic on X (formerly Twitter). With its lineup of timeless cross-generational hits and stellar artist collaborations, many viewers shared their thoughts in real-time, dominating the trending topics.

Driving much of the excitement was King & Prince, who performed their new song "So Honey" along with nostalgic hits. Ren Nagase and Kaito Takahashi delivered a breathtaking performance, drawing a flood of praise from fans with comments such as "So Honey, such sweet memories," "The outfits were fresh and sparkly," and "They looked so mature and wonderful." Additionally, after the broadcast, Nagase reported on his appearance through his official blog, drawing attention to heartwarming interactions among fans, who commented things like "You sang a lot with Hiroshi-san" and "Kaity and Ren-kun are so cute."

Furthermore, Takanori Nishikawa left a massive impact with his overwhelming stage presence. Performing "HOT LIMIT" with unwavering intensity even in September, he elicited excited posts such as "Thank you so much, Aniki!" and "I am beyond thrilled to have heard it live." Other performances included covers by EPO, the Imokin Trio, and members of Juice=Juice, showcasing famous hits spanning from the Showa to the Reiwa eras. Viewers filled social media with voices reminiscing about their youth in front of the television and others captivated by the fresh charm of the idols.

Complete with the unscripted moments unique to live broadcasts and warm interactions between the performers, it proved to be a deeply satisfying and rich musical night for viewers.

The context

"Utacon" is a popular live music show broadcast weekly on NHK General TV in Japan. It features a wide variety of musical genres—ranging from enka and kayokyoku (traditional Japanese pop) to J-pop and anime songs—often bringing together veteran singers and contemporary idols on the same stage. The show is known for generating high engagement on social media, particularly when popular groups like King & Prince or iconic soloists like Takanori Nishikawa perform special medleys or new releases.

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