Kyōko Saitō

Kyōko Saitō (齊藤京子) is a Japanese singer, model, and actress, represented by Toho. She is a regular model for the fashion magazine ar and former member of Japanese idol group Hinatazaka46. Her fans are known as the Kyonkois (きょんこいず).

Music
Saitō had aspired to become a singer since middle school. She attempted and failed multiple singing auditions until she tried out for Keyakizaka46's subgroup Hiragana Keyakizaka46 (renamed to Hinatazaka46 in 2019) after she learned that Yui Imaizumi, whom she had met at one of the previous auditions, was a Keyakizaka46 member. Her musical career began on 11 May 2016 when she passed the auditions, which was hosted on the streaming platform Showroom. Saitō, along with ten other people that passed the audition, joined Neru Nagahama in Hiragana Keyakizaka46 and was known as the "first generation". Her first concert occurred on 28 October of the same year at Akasaka Blitz, where she performed Kanji Keyakizaka46's songs "Silent Majority" and "Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai", as well as Hiragana Keyakizaka46's own "Hiragana Keyaki".

During her time at Hiragana Keyakizaka46, Saitō participated in every single between "Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai" and "Kuroi Hitsuji". She is the center (lead performer) for the song "Soredemo Aruiteru", a B-side for the single "Kaze ni Fukarete mo", and performed a solo song on the group's first album Hashiridasu Shunkan, titled "Igokochiwaruku Otona ni natta" (居心地悪く大人になった). After Hiragana Keyakizaka46 was renamed into Hinatazaka46, Saitō has also participated in every single and album until her departure. She also performed in the song "Hatsukoi Door", a B-side of "Jiwaru Days" performed by Sakamichi AKB, a collaboration between members of AKB48 Group and Sakamichi Series.

In June 2020, Saitō announced that the name of her fandom would be Kyonkois (きょんこいず), a combination between her nickname Kyonko and "love" (恋).

On May 18, 2022, Saitō performed "Boku Nanka" on the YouTube channel The First Take. It was the first solo performance by a Hinatazaka46 member, and the third one by the group, on the channel. The song was rearranged with piano and strings to showcase her voice, and she commented that she projected her own insecurities into her performance.

On September 10, 2022, during the first performance of Hinatazaka46's nationwide tour "Happy Smile Tour 2022" at Aichi Sky Expo, Hinatazaka46's eighth single "Tsuki to Hoshi ga Odoru Midnight" was announced for release on October 26, 2022, with Saitō as the center (lead performer), and the title song was performed live for the first time. It would be the first time in 5 years for Saitō to hold the center position since "Soredemo Aruiteru", first released in 2017, and the first time as the center for a title song.

On January 11, 2024, Saitō announced that she would leave Hinatazaka46 on April 5. Her "graduation" concert was held on the same day at the Yokohama Stadium, which was also the day before Hinatazaka46's 2-day 5th Hinatansai anniversary concert at the same venue. Her final participation on a Hinatazaka46 music release was for the 11th single, "Kimi wa Honeydew", serving as the center for the B-side "Boku ni Tsuzuke" (僕に続け).

Modeling
Saitō is a regular model for the fashion magazine ar, published monthly.

Saitō's solo photobook, titled, was released on January 19, 2021. It was produced by ar magazine's editorial team with the concept of "dating at various locations in Tokyo". The initial print run was 115,000 copies, and a total of 40,000 additional copies were reprinted within its release week. The book placed first in Oricon's photobook sales ranking for its release week with an estimated 84,000 copies sold and was third place with 135,119 copies sold in that year's annual photobook ranking, which saw the top three ranks dominated by Hinatazaka46 with Nao Kosaka's photobook on first and the group's Hinasatsu Vol. 01 on second.

Acting
Saitō made her acting debut in the Hiragana Keyakizaka46 television drama Re:Mind (2017), and also appeared in the Hinatazaka46 drama Dasada (2020). She co-starred in the 2021 television drama adaptation of the Tetsuya Honda novel Borderless (ボーダレス), which features selected members of Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and Hinatazaka46 co-starring in a television drama for the first time, and its 2023 sequel Actress. In 2023, she appeared in her first solo female lead role in the television drama adaptation of the manga Nukarumi no Shokutaku, and also did her first feature film dubbing work for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, as April O'Neil.

In 2019, Saitō played high school student Wakame Isono in the stage adaptation of the manga Sazae-san, which ran from September to October. She shared the role with Nogizaka46 member Manatsu Akimoto.

In May 2024, after her departure from Hinatazaka46, Saitō announced that she has signed with the Toho Entertainment talent agency and intended to further pursue acting.

Other ventures
Saitō is a ramen enthusiast, and her catchphrase is "I love ramen, I'm Kyōko Saitō" (ラーメン大好き、齊藤京子です). She is featured in a 2018 television special titled after her catchphrase, in which several members take her to their recommended ramen restaurants. In April 2019, she became an ambassador for the 2019 Ramen Girls Expo in Shizuoka. In February 2021, she was appointed the "Jjigae Miso Angel" by the ramen chain Hidakaya for her fondness of their Jjigae Miso ramen. In 2023, the cup noodle brand CupStar, in whose commercials Hinatazaka46 had previously appeared, released a Hidakaya Jjigae Miso Ramen limited edition product, with Saitō's likeness featured on the lid.

Saitō is also known for her proficiency in the language game babigo (バビ語). She often demonstrated this ability in variety shows, with fellow member Kumi Sasaki serving as "interpreter".

On April 1, 2021, the late-night dance talk show Kyoccorohee, co-hosted by Saitō and comedienne Hiccorohee, started airing on TV Asahi. Since then, live events based on the show have been held in 2022 at the EX Theater Roppongi and in 2023 at the Tokyo International Forum, Hall A. According to Saitō, the show's appeal lies in having long-winded conversations between two women who are "not on the same wavelength". The duo have also released their debut single, "After You!", digitally on January 1, 2024, and as physical media on February 14; the main song, written by Hinatazaka46 lyricist Yasushi Akimoto, was first revealed live on Music Station Superlive 2023 on December 22, 2023. Saitō also wrote the lyrics for her solo B-side song on the single.

Solo concerts

 * MTV Live Sessions: Kyoko Saito from Hinatazaka46 (broadcast only, June 5, 2022)
 * MTV Unplugged Presents: Kyoko Saito from Hinatazaka46 (Pia Arena MM, May 21, 2023)

Feature film

 * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), April O'Neil (Japanese dub)