After 25 years of music, one of the biggest boy bands in Asia, SMAP has confirmed that they will be breaking up by the end of this year.
The five-member Japanese boy band made up of members Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori, who are aged between 39 and 43, will be pursuing solo careers after the split.
Earlier this year, rumours of the boy band splitting up had been circulating the social media sites, but the members had denied all of the speculations.
But now, it has been confirmed by the group’s agency, Johnny & Associates on Sunday that SMAP would disband for good.
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| (GIF source: tistory.com) |
“SMAP, which has been in the industry for 25 years, will be disbanding on December 31, 2016,” read the statement from Johnny & Associates, obtained by ARAMA Japan.
At first, the agency proposed for the group to take a hiatus, but some members have expressed their wish to disband due to their individually busy schedules.
SMAP which stands for “Sports Music Assemble People” is by far the best-selling boyband in Asia with more than 35 million records sold around the world, followed by their junior, Arashi, with 33 million.
The band started in 1988 and their popularity has made Johnny & Associates the most successful agency in Japan.
(Photo source: bbc.co.uk)