KAOHSIUNG (TVBS News) — The organizers of the Megaport Festival (大港開唱) announced Monday (Jan. 6) that Japanese actress Ryoko Hirosue (廣末涼子) will attend this year. Hirosue, known for her signature short hair and sweet smile, will grace the stage as a singer for the first time in Taiwan in 18 years.
Hirosue gained fame in the late 1990s after starring in a popular pager advertisement. She debuted in the music industry in 1997 with her single "Maji De Koi Suru 5byoumae" (MajiでKoiする5秒前), which sold 600,000 copies. Her subsequent release, "Daisuki!" (大スキ!) topped the charts.
Although she has visited Taiwan before for drama promotions and endorsement activities, this marks her debut performance as a singer, coinciding with the streaming success of her "Beach Boys" on Netflix. Additionally, the legendary Japanese band Kururi (QURULI) will perform at the Megaport Festival for the first time in Kaohsiung. The band previously participated in the Formoz Festival (野台開唱) in 2007.
Organizers have scheduled the 16th Megaport Festival for March 29-30 at The Pier-2 Art Center (駁二藝術特區) in Kaohsiung, implementing a real-name ticketing system, with sales starting Jan. 13.
