On the 43rd of last month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that KATACOTO BANK member Tojo Momoka had posted a photo on social media on the 23rd of last month, showcasing her birthday celebration with her boyfriend. The photo sparked controversy soon after.
Momoka expressed her sincere apologies for her thoughtless behavior and the harm and discomfort it caused to fans and stakeholders. She acknowledged her lack of awareness as an idol and promised to make efforts to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The agency used social media to clarify that their investigation revealed the man in the photo is Momoka’s current boyfriend, an ordinary person.
They reiterated, “This conduct, which demonstrates a lack of consciousness as an idol, is not acceptable. Following discussions with Momoka, we have agreed upon certain actions to take.”
The actions outlined by the agency consist of uploading a solo sleeping photo every evening for a year and keeping a distance from her boyfriend.
The agency also requested, “In case any photos of Momoka with her boyfriend are discovered, please report them.”
Ever since the official punishment was declared, Momoka has been regularly sharing selfies of herself sleeping alone on social media.
On the 27th of last month, she shared her first post, which featured a selfie and the message, “Good night. I will continue to work hard tomorrow. Please take care.”
The response from netizens has been varied. While some express sympathy towards her, they also recommend that she should have kept a distance from her boyfriend despite the decline in fan support. They criticize her actions as unprofessional and wish for her to find a different job.
Some individuals also voiced their disapproval of the response, arguing that constantly posting solo photos can be problematic, idols should not be prohibited from dating, and the company’s use of this as a marketing tactic is unjust.
The original source of this information can be found at insight.
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