JO1: The Path They Have Continued to Show as the “Eldest Brother” Group – Three Days at Tokyo Dome for LAPOSTA 2025 Next Year

By Takuma Maeda

The talent agency LAPONE Entertainment, which manages JO1 and INI, will hold the live event “LAPOSTA 2025” from January 27 to February 2 next year at Tokyo Dome City. A total of five groups, including JO1, INI, DXTEEN, ME:I, and IS:SUE, will participate. For the final three days, the Tokyo Dome will be used for the first time as part of a performance hosted by the LAPONE group.

JO1 Appearing on the KCON STAGE

The presence of JO1, who have led the way as the “eldest sons,” is significant in carrying out this largest-ever event. Formed in 2019, they have continued to keep the flame of LAPONE alive alongside groups like INI during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, they made their first appearance at “NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen”, consistently paving the way for junior groups. This Tokyo Dome performance is also possible because of JO1’s achievements to date.

It’s almost been five years since their debut. Leader Sho Yonashiro reflects, “At the beginning, I really couldn’t imagine this.” The journey so far has not been smooth sailing.

A newly released promotion photo of JO1 ©LAPONE Entertainment

One of their charms is that they have consistently delivered results through relentless effort since their debut. Initially, they didn’t even have their own studio and had to practice externally. The days when they couldn’t appear on popular music shows lasted long.

Even on days with no activities, they had a rule of gathering together to practice dance for 2-3 hours, facing each other almost daily. They also spent time improving their individual skills, such as working on music production during busy periods. These efforts have been applied to areas like rap, which they had no experience in before. By increasing their expressive range and consistently delivering results, they have created their own space. Their own practice studio is also a testament to JO1’s hard work.

JO1 Posing at the Press Conference 

LAPOSTA started in 2023. The previous two times, performances were held at TOKYO ARIAKE ARENA and K-Arena Yokohama, and this time the stage is finally set at Tokyo Dome. During the event period, various halls within Tokyo Dome City will feature projects produced by members of JO1 and INI.

This festival is the largest in both scale and duration. As Yonashiro says, “We want to further invigorate Japan’s entertainment industry with LAPONE. This time is a chance for people both domestically and internationally to know our name,” even greater achievements are expected.