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Japan’s kawaii culture didn’t go global by adapting to Western tastes – it did it by doubling down on its own identity. That was the central argument at one of the 2026 Golden Melody Festival’s most colorful opening
sessions, held in Taiwan ahead of the Golden Melody Awards.
Kawaii – Japan’s aesthetics-driven pop movement built around cuteness, character and personality – has grown from a domestic cultural phenomenon into one of the country’s most effective entertainment exports, carried by artists, idol groups and visual brands that have found audiences far beyond Asia.
Moderated by Liang Makoto, strategic consultant at Sony Music Solutions Inc., the panel titled “Kawaii Culture as an Entertainment Export Model” brought together Nakagawa Yusuke, CEO of Asobisystem Co., Ltd., and Kimura Misa, producer at Kawaii Lab and former idol, for a wide-ranging conversation on artist development, cultural branding, and the surprising global reach of cute.
Nakagawa, returning to the Golden Melody Festival after a decade, outlined Asobisystem’s two-decade evolution into a cultural ecosystem spanning artist management, live events, retail and regional projects, all guided by its core philosophy of “play.” He pointed to Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Atarashii Gakko! as examples of acts that achieved global reach not by adapting to Western expectations, but by fully embracing their original, unconventional identities – with streaming and social media amplifying that authenticity worldwide.
Drawing on her experience as a former member of Musubizm, Kimura described Kawaii Lab as part of a wider shift in idol culture. Instead of asking performers to fit a predefined image, she said the project encourages artists to celebrate their individuality, enabling audiences to connect with more authentic personalities.
Kimura used Kawaii Lab’s flagship group, Fruits Zipper, to illustrate how idol development is changing. Rather than building groups around a single standout member, she explained that each of the seven members was selected for a distinct personality and appeal, letting fans form individual connections rather than rally behind a predetermined center.
The discussion also touched on the export of Japanese pop culture. Using Cutie Street’s growing popularity in South Korea as an example, Nakagawa argued that international audiences respond most strongly to artists who retain a clear cultural identity. Rather than adapting the group’s concept for the Korean market, the team preserved its distinctly Japanese aesthetic by making only minor adjustments.
Closing the session, Nakagawa encouraged Taiwanese creators to embrace social media while remaining confident in their own cultural identity.
