Japanese broadcasting corporation NHK will be hosting a whole new level of their annual New Years’ Red-White Battle or Kouhaku Uta Gassen. Even though viewership is slipping, they’ve brought in 53 performers (last year was 58) but all performers are supposedly the best of the best in Japan.

Among that list are SMAP, Koda Kumi, Ayumi Hamasaki and the most highly publicized of all TVXQ. NHK was also able to grab Mr. Children, a long awaited special performance that has failed in previous years. So far things are looking up.

The variety show is consisted of a boy (white) VS girls (red) battle that lasts throughout the evening until midnight. The last three years have been won by the white team, but with the elite of Japan there, the tables may turn.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: kouhaku uta gassen, new years, nhk, performance, red white battle