Photo: Space Shower Network. / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, Gen Hoshino is one of those infuriating people who's genuinely great at everything, and I refuse to fully forgive him for it. Dude writes and produces his own ridiculously catchy songs, then turns around and acts the lead in a prestige drama like it's nothing. "Koi" and that whole Koi Dance phenomenon from Nigehaji basically owned Japan for a year, and then he just casually plays a Sengoku warlord in Sanada Maru. The range is absurd. What gets me, though, is that he survived a subarachnoid hemorrhage and quietly came back making some of his warmest, funkiest work, the YELLOW DANCER and POP VIRUS stretch. He's also weirdly honest and self-deprecating in interviews, which makes the whole thing impossible to resent. Mostly.
Story
The Man Who Can Do Everything: How Gen Hoshino Mastered Both Music and Acting
Overview
Gen Hoshino is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, and writer born on January 28, 1981, in Kawaguchi, Saitama. He first gained wide attention as a founding member of the instrumental band SAKEROCK and made his acting debut in 2003 through the theater company Otona Keikaku, going on to star in major television dramas and films. His 2016 single "Koi," used as the theme song for the drama We Married as a Job!, became a nationwide cultural phenomenon, and his album YELLOW DANCER reached number one on the Oricon chart in 2015. After surviving a subarachnoid hemorrhage and two surgeries in 2012, he continued to produce acclaimed work across music, acting, and writing.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Gen Hoshino
- Name (Japanese)
- 星野源
- Reading
- ほしのげん
- Born
- January 28, 1981 (age 45)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
- Blood type
- AB
- Height
- 168 cm
- Agency
- Amuse (music), Sateoki (actor)
- Agency history
- Otona Keikaku (actor, from 2003)
- Active years
- 2000–present
- Occupation
- Musician / Singer-songwriter / Actor / Writer
2. Background
- Junior high
- Jiyuu no Mori Gakuen Junior High School
- High school
- Jiyuu no Mori Gakuen High School
- University
- Did not attend university (failed entrance examination for Osaka University of Arts)
- Debut
- Founded the instrumental band SAKEROCK in 2000. Made his acting debut in 2003 after participating in an Otona Keikaku workshop, appearing in the stage production Ningen Gozan. Released his debut solo album Baka no Uta in 2010.
Awards & achievements
- 2012 4th CD Shop Award — Runner-up (album Episode)
- 2014 37th Japan Academy Film Prize — Newcomer of the Year (film Hako Iri Musuko no Koi)
- 2017 9th Itami Juzo Award
- 2017 54th Galaxy Award Radio Division — DJ Personality Award
- 2020 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize — Buzz Award, Actor Division (film Samurai Shifters)
- 2021 44th Japan Academy Film Prize — Outstanding Supporting Actor (film Koe: The Unknown Caller)
- 2021 45th Hochi Film Award — Supporting Actor Award (film Koe: The Unknown Caller)
Timeline
- 2000Founded the instrumental band SAKEROCK with high school classmates at Jiyuu no Mori Gakuen High School
- 2003Participated in an Otona Keikaku workshop and made his acting debut in the stage production Ningen Gozan; joined Otona Keikaku
- 2010Released his debut solo album Baka no Uta
- 2012Hospitalized with a subarachnoid hemorrhage; underwent two surgeries and recovered
- 2015SAKEROCK disbanded. Album YELLOW DANCER reached number one on the Oricon chart
- 2016Single 'Koi' became a nationwide hit as the theme song for the drama We Married as a Job!, spawning the viral 'Koi Dance' trend
- 2021Announced marriage to actress Yui Aragaki
- 2024Appeared in the film Last Mile; announced upcoming new album Gen and arena tour
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Yui Aragaki (married 2021)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Music production
- Watching films
- Walking
Specialties
- Multi-instrumentalist (guitar, bass, and others)
- Songwriting and composing
- Acting
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album | Baka no Uta | Songwriter, composer, performer | 2010 |
| Album | YELLOW DANCER | Songwriter, composer, performer | 2015 |
| Single | Koi | Songwriter, composer, vocalist | 2016 |
| Album | POP VIRUS | Songwriter, composer, performer | 2018 |
| TV Drama | We Married as a Job! (Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu) | Lead (Hiramasa Tsuzaki) | 2016 |
| TV Drama | Sanada Maru (NHK Taiga Drama) | Lead (Sanada Nobushige / Yukimura) | 2016 |
| TV Drama | Kounodori | Lead (Sakura Koudori) | 2015 |
| Film | Hako Iri Musuko no Koi | Lead (Kentaro Amashizuku) | 2013 |
| Film | Koe: The Unknown Caller | Supporting (Toshiya Sone) | 2020 |
| Film | Samurai Shifters (Hikkoshi Daimyo!) | Lead (Genemon Takamura) | 2019 |
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Profile/A023121.html
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/iamgenhoshino/
- Xhttps://x.com/gen_senden
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%98%9F%E9%87%8E%E6%BA%90
Frequently asked questions
When was Gen Hoshino born?
Born January 28, 1981 (age 45).
Where is Gen Hoshino from?
Gen Hoshino is from Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.
What does Gen Hoshino do?
Gen Hoshino works as Musician, Singer-songwriter, Actor, Writer.
How tall is Gen Hoshino?
Gen Hoshino is 168 cm.
What is Gen Hoshino's blood type?
AB.
What agency is Gen Hoshino with?
Gen Hoshino is with Amuse (music), Sateoki (actor).
How long has Gen Hoshino been active?
2000–present.
What is Gen Hoshino known for?
Notable works include Baka no Uta, YELLOW DANCER, Koi.
Musician — see all → · Singer-songwriter — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.