Honey Popcorn members and the story behind their short-lived group

Honey Popcorn members are Yua Mikami and Sara Izumi. The South Korea-based girl group was formed under the Kyun Create label and officially debuted on March 21, 2018, with their album Bibidi Babidi Boo.

Key takeaways

• All Honey Popcorn members are Japanese, with backgrounds in J-pop and Japanese idol culture.
• The group debuted in South Korea on March 21, 2018, with the mini album Bibidi Babidi Boo.
• Several members, including founder Yua Mikami, had adult film careers, leading to a backlash in South Korea.
• The group originally included Yua Mikami, Moko Sakura, and Miko Matsuda, but it later added Nako Miyase, Ruka Tajima, and Sara Izumi.
• Although disbandment was mistakenly announced in 2021, the group is currently on an indefinite hiatus.

Honey Popcorn members

In February 2018, Mikami announced she would debut in South Korea with a new girl group called Honey Popcorn. It faced backlash and controversy from South Korea’s media because five members of Honey Popcorn were adult film stars. Here are the Honey Popcorn members:

Yua Mikami

• Full name: Yua Mikami (born Momona Kitō)
• Date of birth: August 16, 1993
• Nationality: Japanese

Yua Mikami is a Japanese singer, YouTuber, and former adult film actress. She began her career in 2009 as a member of the idol group SKE48 but left in 2014.

In 2015, she transitioned into the adult entertainment industry under the Muteki label. She later signed with S1 No. 1 Style and appeared in over 200 adult films, including compilations and VR titles. Over the years, she became one of the industry's top-selling and most-awarded performers.

Mikami retired from adult films in 2023 to focus on social media influence and entrepreneurship. She continued her career in music and idol activities, joining Ebisu Muscats in 2015. She founded Honey Popcorn in 2018 as a personal project. Mikami has appeared in the video games Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2.

Miko Matsuda

• Full name: Miko Matsuda (born Okada Risako)
• Date of birth: October 28, 1995
• Nationality: Japanese

Miko Matsuda is a Japanese singer and adult video actress affiliated with the Kyun Create label. She was a member of Honey Popcorn and the Japanese idol group NMB48. Her departure, “graduation” from Honey Popcorn, was officially announced on December 22, 2018.

Moko Sakura

• Full name: Moko Sakura (born Itō Yū)
• Date of birth: March 19, 1991
• Nationality: Japanese

Moko Sakura is a Japanese singer and adult video actress. She is currently part of the idol group Ebisu Muscats. She was a member of both Honey Popcorn and Bakusute Sotokanda Icchome.

Nako Miyase

• Full name: Nako Miyase (born Miyase Aina)
• Date of birth: March 11, 1997
• Nationality: Japanese

Nako Miyase is a Japanese performer and former member of the idol group Sherbet, which she joined on January 30, 2018. She performed under the name Miyase Aina until April of that year. She left Sherbet in October 2018.

In June 2019, she joined the K-pop-inspired girl group Honey Popcorn under the stage name Nako and left in 2020. Miyase is also a household name in the modelling and beauty scene. She was a candidate for Miss Genic 2020, a finalist in Miss iD 2022, and won the Miss Ichigo 2022 title.

Ruka Tajima

• Full name: Ruka Tajima
• Date of birth: September 19, 1995
• Nationality: Japanese

Ruka Tajima is a Japanese singer. She became a member of the girl group Honey Popcorn in June 2019. However, she has since left the group.

Sara Izumi

• Full name: Sara Izumi
• Date of birth: January 24, 1997
• Nationality: Japanese

Sara Izumi is a Japanese singer and a member of the girl group Honey Popcorn. She has performed with Yanchan Gakuen Ongakubu, Bitter Chocolate, and Idoling!!! She was introduced as a member of Honey Popcorn on June 21, 2019.

What happened to Honey Popcorn?

Who are the Honey Popcorn members today? The current members of Honey Popcorn are Yua Mikami and Sara Izumi. On January 16, 2021, Nako Miyase announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Honey Popcorn had disbanded, but later clarified that her statement was incorrect. Since then, Honey Popcorn has remained on an indefinite hiatus.

However, it has been alleged that the group disbanded after backlash from South Korean conservatives. They objected to the members' backgrounds in the adult film industry. The production and distribution of adult content are illegal in South Korea.

Is Honey Popcorn Kpop or Jpop?

Honey Popcorn is a K-pop group formed by Japanese members. While all its members are Japanese and have roots in the J-pop and Japanese entertainment industry, the group was created to enter the South Korean (K-pop) market. Culturally and musically, they are classified as K-pop, but due to the members' backgrounds, they have a strong J-pop influence.

FAQs about the Honey Popcorn group

1. When did Honey Popcorn debut? Honey Popcorn debuted on March 21, 2018, with the mini album Bibidi Babidi Boo under the South Korean label Kyun Create.
2. Why was Honey Popcorn controversial in South Korea? Honey Popcorn was controversial because several of its members, including founder Yua Mikami, had backgrounds in the Japanese adult film industry. This sparked a backlash in South Korea, where adult content is heavily restricted and socially frowned upon.
3. Who founded Honey Popcorn? Honey Popcorn was founded and self-funded by Yua Mikami, who envisioned the group as a passion project blending K-pop style with her idol background.
4. Did Honey Popcorn disband? Honey Popcorn is not disbanded. While a former member mistakenly announced its disbandment in 2021, it was later clarified that the group had not officially disbanded. However, Honey Popcorn has been on an indefinite hiatus since then.

Final word

Honey Popcorn members blended Japanese idol roots with Korean pop culture. Despite controversies surrounding their past careers, they pursued music with passion and resilience. However, the group is currently on indefinite hiatus.

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Proofreading by Masolo Mabonga, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke