Japanese actor and singer.
[Edit]
Japanese pop star Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (34) from the group SMAP was arrested early Thursday (April 23) morning for indecent exposure. Police found Kusanagi at Hinokicho Park, completely naked and heavily intoxicated at 3a.m. in the morning. The park is located near the nightlight district of Roppongi in Tokyo.
Kusanagi is one of the most high-profile entertainers in Japan, both as a singer and an actor. He is a member of the quintet SMAP and they have released more than 30 singles and 20 albums in their 18-year career.
Their popular TV show called SMAPxSMAP has kept the band in the limelight and Kusanagi has built a huge Korean fan base as well by learning to speak Korean and singing in the language.
The Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting has requested that Kusanagi's TV commercials and programs stop airing.****
TBS has announced a drama adaptation of the hit 2001 Korean movie "My Sassy Girl," which is known as "Ryokiteki na Kanojo" in Japan. The series will star SMAP's Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and actress Lena Tanaka.
As a teenager was a member of the popular Japanese idol group SMAP. Kusanagi made several long visits to South Korea in 2003, auditioning and appearing on variety TV shows and commercials. He released a Korean language CD in Korea and Japan.
In 2004, he hosted his own variety show Chonan Gang (チョナン・カン) with Korean guests and themes. The show was named after himself, as Kusanagi uses Chonan Gang (초난강), the direct Korean translation of his name, as his stage name in South Korea. He has also hosted a program in which he talked with South Korean President Roh Mu-hyun in Korean, while the president was on an official visit to Japan in June 2003 (see: http://www.donga.com/fbin/output?sfrm=1&n=200306060135).
He had the lead role in the movie, Yomigaeri 黄泉がえり (January 18, 2003; a Japan public presentation.) Moreover, his Korean-language-Japanese-produced movie Hotel Venus ホテルビーナス (March 6, 2004 Japan public presentation) was submitted to the Moscow International Film Festival on June 25, 2004.
Although not one of the more popular members of SMAP at first, following his well-received performances in a variety of roles, and riding the hanryu wave in the wake of the success of Winter Sonata in Japan, Kusanagi has come to be one of the more popular members of SMAP. In 2003 he came in first place on the ranking list of millionaires in Johnny & Associates
Kusanagi loves jeans, and he was chosen as the "Best Jeanist" for five years until 2003, at which time he was inducted into the Best Jeanist Hall of Fame.
