Thanks to the Internet and an already established fascination with South Korea's boy bands, young Japanese girls and women are shifting in droves to the latest pop idol sensation — the country's girl groups.
Rio Nagasaki, a 15-year-old junior high school student, is among a growing number of fans smitten by South Korean pop music — "K-pop" — performed by artists in her own age group.
"I learned about Kara a year ago before their debut via the Net," she said, referring to the five-member ensemble that is so far the most visible K-pop girl group in Japan.