High-class hostess in viral video makes gravure debut
In today’s social media–driven world, it can feel like a new meme and “enjo” scandal appear every day to rage-bait us into clicks and views.
One of the more recent examples in Japan was a video in January of a hostess and a client at an expensive sushi restaurant, arguing with the owner about their order. It ended with the hostess and client (who was the one filming the video) leaving the restaurant and staff having to hold back the owner from attempting a physical assault.
So much for omotenashi.
The trouble between the owner and the couple apparently arose because the client was filming and because the hostess rather fussily asked them to move a glass of wine.
The video swiftly gained millions of views — and then was largely forgotten.
During the height of the viral attention, the woman was soon identified as Mio, a mononymous hostess who works at the club Jungle Tokyo in Roppongi, and who has since made amends with the restaurant owner over the argument.
She has also belatedly now opted to exploit her fame by posing for a gravure shoot in a weekly. The semi-nude shoot in Shukan Taishu really shows off her slinky body.
Can she ride the notoriety and viral success to launch a whole new career in gravure?
Well, she’s already top hostess so surely doesn’t need the dough. In fact, gravure idols don’t earn that much money unless they make it big. The agency will take a large chunk and probably the only lucrative gigs are cover shoots in the major weeklies, and print photo books if they gain enough of a following. Most supplement their income with event gigs and even compensated dating.
This case of a viral video and a slightly notorious woman attempting to move into gravure reminds us of Miwa Hagashimori, who briefly tried the same thing after she found unexpected fame in a video.
5 Comments
One lovely side effect of the social media and internet monetisation age is that people can earn a direct profit by being as insufferable, annoying and outrageous as possible. Any publicity is profitable publicity.
I’m sure that before the end of the decade we’ll see at least one woman committing a random murder in order to draw attention to her Onlyfans/Fansly/whatever page.
In Japan it’s like every girls dream to be featured in magazines, having photobooks, or dvds. and this is usually where their journey towards porn industry starts.
I see so many gorgeous and cute girls in Tokyo visiting that I wonder why many don’t become gravure idols. Is it such a shame job when porn is so prevalent there? I spoke basically no Japanese, so I strategically asked the really attractive ones directions when I wasn’t sure. They were all friendly at least on surface.
@Jason
well gravure are literally small steps toward porn career in japan
i do think porn actress are way better (financially) than delivery girl, prostitute and etc.
@micah
Like gravure, porn actresses don’t make a ton of money, unless you’re a big exclusive star. So for a large majority of them the goal is to raise their profile and fanbase so they can earn much more in compensated dating and other escort work. Which is why so many leave porn after a few years, or even a few films.
There’s also a big overseas fanbase for JAV compared to gravure, and you see some pornstars show up in Taiwan and Hong Kong etc. to earn big money there.
And it’s the same for Western pornstars, after piracy and tube sites killed the old porn industry.