Photo: 아이도루러브 / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Honestly, a rapper out of Fukui catches me off guard in the best way. I always pictured hip-hop as a big-city, neon-soaked thing, so the idea of a kid spitting his own bars from snowy Hokuriku just makes me grin — music really doesn't care where you're from. Born in 2003, he's barely into his twenties, and there's something I love about that: a regular local guy who went to high school in Sabae, now gripping a mic and putting his own words out there. He joined SM Entertainment in 2022 and debuted with NCT WISH in 2024, and raw young energy clawing its way up from a small town is already cool enough for me. That hunger is the whole appeal. This is a kid I'd happily bet on, just to see how far the runway takes him.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
Overview
Maeda Riku is a Japanese singer and rapper born on June 28, 2003, in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture. Raised in the Hokuriku region, he attended Fukui Prefectural Sabae High School before pursuing a career in music. He joined SM Entertainment as a trainee in 2022 and debuted in February 2024 as a member of NCT WISH, a unit of the boy group NCT.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Maeda Riku
- Name (Japanese)
- リク
- Reading
- りく
- Born
- June 28, 2003 (age 23)
- Origin
- Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
- Occupation
- Singer / Rapper
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Goat
- Agency
- SM Entertainment
- Active years
- 2023 -
2. Background
- High school
- Fukui Prefectural Sabae High School
3. Works & records
Works summary
- Works
- 8 (2023–2026)
- By year
- 2023: 3, 2024: 2, 2026: 3
- Debut work
- NCT Universe: LASTART
Filmography / notable works
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Mezamashi TV | 2026 |
| ギャグコンサート | 2026 |
| slow burn | 2026 |
| にじパレ | 2024 |
| 音道楽√ | 2024 |
| NCT Universe: LASTART | 2023 |
| Hirunandesu! | 2023 |
| FIRE | 2023 |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%20(%E6%AD%8C%E6%89%8B)
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q122309465
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. Works and profile fields sourced from Wikipedia reflect content as of 2026-08-26. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Maeda Riku born?
Maeda Riku was born on June 28, 2003 and is 23 years old.
Where is Maeda Riku from?
Maeda Riku is from Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.
What does Maeda Riku do?
Maeda Riku works as Singer, Rapper.
Which high school did Maeda Riku attend?
Maeda Riku attended Fukui Prefectural Sabae High School.
What agency is Maeda Riku with?
Maeda Riku is with SM Entertainment.
How long has Maeda Riku been active?
Maeda Riku has been active since 2023.
What is Maeda Riku known for?
Maeda Riku's notable works include slow burn, NCT Universe: LASTART, FIRE.
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