A concert video featuring Rima, a member of JYP Entertainment’s girl group NiziU, has become a viral sensation on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The video captures Rima performing at the 2024 KCON Japan event, held from May 10 to May 12, and has attracted significant attention online.
The clip, shared by the ‘yuma’ account on X (formerly Twitter), has amassed 2.7 million views on a single post and over 10 million views in China. The post describes the video as “the video of Nakabayashi, a hot topic that is now going viral in China across the sea,” referring to Rima by her real name, Rima Nakabayashi. The video, which shows a close-up of Rima waving and greeting her fans, has also become a hot topic in Japan, reaching about 2.73 million views.
Speculation about the video’s popularity points to a recent trend in China, where there is a renewed interest in Japanese Showa era actors and idols. Fans have noted Rima’s resemblance to Akina Nakamori, a beloved idol from the Showa era, which may have contributed to the video’s viral status.
Rima, the daughter of Zeebra (real name Hideyuki Yokoi), a pioneer of Japanese hip-hop, serves as the rapper in NiziU. The group was formed in 2020 through the survival audition program ‘Nizi Project’ and has since gained widespread popularity.
The viral video underscores the growing cultural exchange and fascination between Chinese and Japanese pop culture, with Rima’s charming stage presence and resemblance to iconic idols of the past capturing the hearts of many.
