On December 20, King & Prince held their long-awaited special event “STARRING -Premiere Night-” in Kabukicho, Shinjuku (Tokyo) to commemorate the release of their seventh album, “STARRING“, released on Christmas Eve (December 24); which centers on a cinema-inspired theme.
Source: oricon
This new music work contains 12 tracks, including the 16th single “HEART,” the 17th single “What We Got ~Kiseki wa Kimi to~,” “I Know” and the lead track “Theater,” which has recently gone viral, reaching 2 million views for the short version of its music video, even before the full version was released! In this incredible concept that was devised entirely by the two members of King & Prince each song is presented as a film screening at a fictional movie theater, with original posters and teaser visuals produced exclusively for the project. The duo also takes on the starring roles, making the album a reflection of their passion for both music and film.
In keeping with the album’s cinema-themed concept, attendees experienced a special screening of approximately 34 minutes, combining teaser previews for 11 “films” (each related to a track on the album), showing at a movie theater, along with behind-the-scenes footage available exclusively at the event. There was even a real red carpet! Kaito and Ren walked down it like true stars before the amazed eyes of the attendees, around 720 fans, selected by lottery from those who had pre-ordered the album and applied to attend, were present at the venue.
Dumpling Box had the opportunity to attend both the press conference held ahead of the red carpet event and the red carpet itself, and will provide full coverage in this article without leaving out a single detail!
Amid a light drizzle, the two members appeared on the red carpet laid out in the central plaza of Kabukicho, drawing cheers from the assembled fans. As if the rain had been holding back for their arrival, it eased just enough for them to respond to the crowd’s applause and walk to the platform located at the end of the red carpet.
Ren commented, laughing, “I never thought I’d walk the red carpet twice in a single week,” referring to the world premiere of the film and special drama “Last man” on last December 18. “Back then, it was with people like Masaharu Fukuyama and Yo Oizumi. And now, it’s with Kaito. Being able to walk the red carpet with such important people is really special,” he added.
Kaito also shared his feelings: “I walked a red carpet once earlier this year, but being surrounded by Tiara (affectionate nickname used by King & Prince for their fans) makes it completely different. Some of them we don’t see often, but seeing everyone’s smiles is really reassuring. It was such a happy red carpet,” delighting the audience.
Even in the mid-December drizzle, the both showed genuine concern for their fans standing outside in the cold, while joking about their own attire, because they wore jackets without coats, “We didn’t expect this cold and rain,” Kaito said, prompting Ren to quip, “I should have worn thermal leggings!” Kaito immediately teased him, “Stop it. That doesn’t really suit you. Thermal leggings?” and the venue erupted in laughter.
Soruce: the tv jp
The cuttest moment was when the MC asked them a question and both tried to answer at the same time. They ended up saying, “You go first,” simultaneously, and in the midst of all that courtesy then neither of them answered!
The event continued with a discussion about their new album and the upcoming live tour starting in January. During the press photo session and the final TikTok filming segment, Kaito began dancing to tracks from the new album, much to the delight of the fans in attendance.
King & Prince “STARRING’s -Premiere Night-” was not just a really special event; it was a statement of intent. From the moment they stepped onto the red carpet, it was clear that every detail, from the sophistication of their costumes to the atmosphere of the venue, was a visual extension of the universe they built for this album. The depth of their commitment was evident: they are not just performers, but architects of a concept that seeks to raise the musical standard, demonstrating that behind every note there is meticulous design and narrative work.
Q&A from press conference
The press conference opened with greetings from the two members:
Ren: “Once again, I’m Ren Nagase. Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here today. As this event is being held to mark the release of our album “STARRING”, I hope we can fully convey what makes the album special. Thank you in advance.”
Kaito: “Hello everyone, I’m Kaito Takahashi. Thank you very much for gathering here today despite your busy schedules. And once again, I have to say, ‘this album is incredible.’ Even today, there were moments when I thought, ‘What are we doing here?’ he said with a laugh. “But above all, I hope we can have fun together and make this album even more exciting. Thank you.”
Source: oricon
Q. What are the key highlights of the album?
Ren: “The album is built around a cinema theme and features 12 tracks, including “Theater”, which has gained attention on social media, as well as “HEART” and “I Know”. For 11 of the songs, we created fictional films, along with teaser trailers and posters. It’s something we’ve never done before as King & Prince, and I don’t think many groups have attempted an album on this scale. In that sense, the entire album is a highlight.”
Kaito: “For me, the focus is the title track, “Theater”. Each song is positioned as the soundtrack for a fictional film, and “Theater” serves as the overarching theme song for “STARRING“. The track was produced by Ayumu Imazu, who was also involved in choreography. It’s a funk-based song with contemporary lyrics, and I think it turned into a track that can lift people’s spirits. The music video was filmed in New York, although we weren’t there ourselve. It features a large number of scenes and incorporates many of the teaser visuals created for the album, which helps keep viewers engaged. We were also surprised by the response on social media, with the video surpassing 100 million views, and we hope to continue building momentum through events like this.”
Q. Each of the 11 songs has its own story, so choosing just one may be difficult, but is there a particular piece you would like listeners to pay attention to, or one that stands out to you? If you have any memorable episodes from the shoot, please share those as well.
Ren: “I’d say “MODERN LOVE.” The poster shows the two of us lying down, giving it a summery feel, and that shoot was especially fun. We went to the beach and…” he said, glancing at Kaito, “Wait, did you cut your hair?” (Laughter filled the room.)
Kaito: “Now? (laughs) You noticed that right away? I just thinned it out a bit and trimmed it slightly.”
Ren: “He cut his hair, everyone! Just for today!”
Kaito: “That’s fine,” he said shyly. “It’s a little embarrassing.” (laughs)
Ren: “He really did cut it! Amazing!”
Kaito: “When you put it like that: ‘just for today’, it’s embarrassing,” he laughed. “But I’m impressed you noticed.”
Ren: “That really surprised me.”
Kaito: “Thank you.” (laughs)
Ren: “Sorry about that,” he said, turning back to the press. “But for the shoot, we went to the beach and rented a place that felt like a really nice villa.”
Kaito: “Right.”
Ren: “It even had a pool, so we really got a sense of summer. It was filmed during a pretty hot season, and it felt like a true summer shoot. It was a lot of fun.”
Kaito: “That song was “HEART,” right?”
Ren: “Exactly. The shoot had a slightly sweet-and-sour feel to it—very youthful.”
Kaito: “Jumping into the pool and all that.”
Ren: “Yeah. Those moments really stood out.”
– The color palette was also impressive.
Kaito: “Yes, it was something the entire team paid close attention to. We had many discussions about what kind of colors would feel true to King & Prince, and I remember carefully refining that idea together as a team.”
Ren: “That was over a year ago, wasn’t it?”
Kaito: “Yes, more than a year ago. Around the time we wrapped up our sixth album, “Re:ERA“, we started talking about what we wanted to do next. We’d always wanted to try something with a cinema theme, but translating that idea into an album, and finding the right balance between concept and music, was quite challenging. At the same time, we had been doing a lot of acting work, and were fortunate enough to take on leading roles. That made us realize this was something only the current King & Prince could do. We thought that by approaching the songs as theme music and creating various forms of entertainment around them, with the music at the center, listeners might engage with our songs on a deeper level. That was the starting point. From there, we put together extensive materials and presented the idea to the team.”
Q. You put it together yourselves?
Kaito: “Yes, we did. I prepared the materials and gave the presentation, and Ren was on board with it.”
Ren: “Right. From there, we discussed it further, adding ideas like, ‘Maybe this would work better,’ and refining what Kaito had proposed as a team. That process eventually led to “STARRING.”
Q. Filming visuals for 11 tracks must have been no small task.
Kaito: “It really wasn’t,” he said with a laugh. “We realized that once we started.”
Ren: “No, it definitely wasn’t. Each teaser runs about one to two minutes, which is roughly the length of an actual movie trailer—and some were even longer. Each one had its own script and a clearly written synopsis, so they were carefully planned from the ground up. Every story was different, and even for us, having made them ourselves, it was impressive to see how much we had created.”
Q. With your individual schedules, as well as music shows and concerts, you’ve been extremely busy. It’s impressive that you were able to find the time to create something on this scale.
Kaito: “That’s true. It really felt like we were pushing ourselves, and there were many moments when 24 hours in a day just weren’t enough. Ren was involved in a number of projects, and I had various commitments as well. We worked around those schedules, keeping each other motivated and making sure we didn’t lose heart. We devoted far more time to this album than is normally possible, putting a lot of care into it. Because of that, we feel a strong sense of accomplishment, and it’s something we can confidently share with everyone.”
Q. What was the most challenging part of the process?
Ren: “Filming three teaser videos in a single day was tough. We’d be shooting from morning until night, and each one had different costumes and hairstyles. Keeping track of the schedule, thinking, ‘Which one are we on now?’ or ‘We’re finally halfway through’, that, in itself, was the hardest part.”
Kaito: “For me, acting opposite Ren was the most difficult,” he said. “Switching emotions was hard. It was really embarrassing. There were scenes where we had to stare each other down, and the moment they called cut, I’d look away,” he added with a laugh. “We don’t really know what it’s like on each other’s sets.”
Ren: “But on the other hand, having done this together means that if we ever work on a video project as a duo again, I don’t think we’ll feel shy anymore. In that sense, it was a good experience.”
Kaito: “True. We should be fine from here on out.”
Ren: “Yeah, from now on, we’ll be fine.”
Q. You noticed the haircut right away, yet acting together in a video made you feel shy.
Kaito: “Very much so.”
Ren: “Yeah. Making eye contact while in character is surprisingly embarrassing.”
Q. Hearing this story will likely make fans enjoy the visuals even more.
Ren: “I think some people might be smiling to themselves,” he said with a laugh.
Kaito: “Being embarrassed may have been the hardest part.”
Ren: “That’s true.”
Q. Your collaboration with 50TA (Eiko Kano) has been generating a lot of buzz. How do you feel about it?
*Note: More information about the collaboration with 50TA and other artist here
Ren: “The song from 50TA really exceeded our expectations. It truly made us think, ‘This is exactly what you’d expect from 50TA, the revolutionary figure of the music world.’”
(Laughter filled the venue.)
Ren: “We’ve heard comments like ‘That song is amazing’ and ‘I’m jealous’ from members of WEST, and friends have messaged us saying they want to ‘receive it’ as soon as possible. It really feels like the song has already reached a lot of people, and that many are eager to get their hands on it.”
Kaito: “When I first heard the song, I burst out laughing, but at the same time I was deeply moved. You don’t usually hear phrases like ‘sashiagemasu’ or ‘itadakimasu’ in J-pop lyrics, so my first reaction was, ‘What is this?’ But as the song goes on, it starts to resonate more deeply. It makes you realize there are so many everyday blessings we tend to overlook. To be able to write lyrics like that —something that moves you, makes you smile, and leaves you feeling happy— shows an incredible sense of creativity. It was truly an honor. I really want to do as much call-and-response with audiences across Japan as possible.”
Ren: “Absolutely.”
Q. Having created so many teaser films, is there one you would like to develop into a full movie or expand further?
Ren: “There’s one titled ‘Kimi ga Dare de, Boku ga Dare demo’ (‘Whoever you are, Whoever I am’). It has a strong mystery element. The story is set in a cottage in a snowy mountain area where a group of people are staying together, and then a murder occurs. You’re left wondering what happens next. I’m really curious about how that story continues, and if the opportunity ever came up, I’d love to turn it into a film and uncover the truth.”
Kaito: “We’d like to really get the theory crowd thinking.”
Ren: “Exactly.”
Kaito: “People love analyzing things these days —especially in Japan.”
Ren: “They do.”
Kaito: “We want to make them think.”
Ren: “In that case… ‘There is always only one truth,’” he said with a straight face, quoting the famous line from Detective Conan.
(Laughter broke out across the venue.)
Q. What about you, Kaito?
Kaito: “For me, it would be ‘Raitō Brothers,’ which uses ‘Kibō no Oka,’ the song written by 50TA, as its theme. The two of us play brothers whose father has passed away, and together we try to fulfill his dream of becoming number one in the world by flying paper airplanes. It’s a pretty mysterious setup,” he said with a laugh. “In the teaser we filmed, there was a lot of ad-libbing, including a scene where the two of us argue. I’d love to stretch that out into something longer—maybe an hour. We don’t usually insult each other like that, so it felt oddly refreshing and fun. I think it’s something people would enjoy watching.”
Q. You’ll be making an appearance in the heart of Kabukicho shortly. How does that feel?
Ren: “I don’t usually come to Shinjuku in my private life, and the area of Kabukicho we’ll be walking through today is somewhere I’ve probably only been two or three times in my life. Being able to walk a red carpet there as King & Prince feels special in its own way. I hope it becomes the kind of event we’ll remember whenever we come back to this place.”
Kaito: “There are also a lot of international visitors in Shinjuku. We hope that today can serve as an opportunity for many different people to discover and listen to our music.”
Q. Fans have gathered today to watch the red carpet. Do you have a message for them?
Kaito: “We can really feel how eager everyone is to enjoy something we’ve been carefully working on for such a long time. It makes us happy and gives us confidence. We’re grateful every day, and since they’re here, we want them to fully immerse themselves in it and enjoy everything to the fullest.”
Ren: “We’re always most curious about—and encouraged by—the reactions of our fans. This time, we were able to take on something truly ambitious, schedules included,” he said with a laugh, as Kaito smiled beside him. “We poured all our energy into completing “STARRING” with the hope of surprising and delighting everyone. The songs themselves are strong, and there’s a wide range of things to enjoy, from the teasers to the posters. I hope fans will take in every part of it without missing a thing.”
Q. This year seems to have been extremely busy. Looking back, how would you describe it?
Ren: “Back in 2024, when we were asked what the following year would be like for King & Prince, I said it would be a year full of surprises for our fans. Looking back now, I think it really turned out exactly that way. We collaborated with Disney, released several tie-in songs, staged a fireworks event, held live concerts— it feels like we were able to keep things fresh throughout the entire year. Most importantly, we had many opportunities to meet our fans, which made it a fulfilling and rewarding year for us as King & Prince.”
Q. What kind of year would you like next year to be?
Kaito: “We want to make a strong impact. With every release and every live performance, we feel we have to surpass what we did before and keep raising our own bar as King & Prince. We already have a lot of ideas and projects in preparation, and there are many things lined up that we believe will surprise people again. All that’s left is for us to fully commit and give it everything we’ve got. And, of course, we want to stay healthy while doing so.”
Q. 2025 has been a year of major momentum for you. If you had to sum up the year with a single kanji character, what would it be?
Ren: “Here it comes!” he said, reacting to the customary year-end question. “Then… I’ll go with sakana (‘fish’).”
(A murmur ripples through the venue.)
Kaito: “‘Fish!? Why? What do you mean?”
Ren: “I was actually thinking of a tuna. This year, it feels like I never stopped even once, just kept swimming nonstop.”
Kaito: “I see.”
(Someone points out that there is also a specific kanji for tuna.)
Ren: “Oh, you’re right—there is a kanji for tuna. Then I’ll go with tuna (maguro) (‘鮪’). It’s like I kept swimming, ate good food, and put on some nice fat,” he said with a laugh.
Kaito: “That’s true.”
Ren: “Pretty good, right?”
Kaito: “If you got caught now, you’d be at your best,” he joked.
Ren: “If you caught me now, I’d be delicious,” Ren replied, laughing. “So I’ll go with maguro.”
Q. And what about you, Kaito?
Kaito: “That’s a tough one—choosing just a single kanji,” he said, pausing to think. “Is there even a kanji for tereru (to feel shy)?”
(Ren and others in the venue immediately respond that there is.)
Kaito: “Oh, there is! Right—I’ve written it before.”
Ren: “Like the teru in Hikaru Iwamoto from Snow Man?”
Kaito: “Oh, right! That one,” he said. “I’ll go with teru (‘照’). Of course, there were moments when I felt shy facing Ren like this, but…”
He then turned toward the press. “I’m really trying to turn this into a good story right now,” he said, drawing laughter. “It’s a bit hard.”
(Laughter spreads through the venue.)
Kaito: “But there were times this year when my health wasn’t great, and I was supported by a lot of people. Through that, I stopped feeling embarrassed about simply being King & Prince. I started thinking, ‘I’m grateful,’ ‘I should stand confidently,’ and ‘I should enjoy this.’ I gained confidence and a sense of resolve when performing in front of others, so I don’t think I’ll feel shy anymore. With that, I’d like to make this year my ‘last year of shyness’—so my kanji is teru,”.
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