The Trainee Who Became A Pornstar — And Still Debuted As A K-Pop Idol After
While sex work is real work, there is no denying that those who engage in it are still stigmatized. Even individuals who do not willingly have their intimate moments exposed still face backlash, sometimes career-stalling or ending.
However, there are some exceptions to the rules that have allowed them to move between adult entertainment and celebrity life.
AKB48 is a popular Japanese group known worldwide, featuring a rotational lineup and a system for new members to join. The group has since expanded to other regions and countries, including NMB48, named for the Namba district in Osaka, where their theater is located.
Outside of “official” members, each theater has Kenkyuusei, or “research students,” who are training to join the group. These Kenkyuusei are known to the public and sometimes fill in for members who are absent, along with performing stages.
In 2011, Okada Risako joined NMB48 as a Kenkyuusei and participated in a few releases before ultimately leaving in February 2012.
After this, she did not appear to have any entertainment activities until 2017, when she announced she would be debuting as an AV (adult video) actress under the name Matsuda Miko.
She was featured in several videos at this time before another avenue of her career was announced. Matsuda, along with two other AV stars, Mikami Yua and Moko Sakura, were announced to debut as Honey Popcorn, a K-Pop group.
Mikami funded the venture herself, and the group debuted in March 2018 with “Bibidi Babidi Boo.”
However, it appears that the idol life did not suit Matsuda again, as she graduated from the group that December citing health issues.
Afterwards, she continued to appear in AV works for nearly a year, before she seemingly retired. Before her YouTube content was made private, she reportedly shared that she had been living in Thailand since 2020.
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She is currently active on Instagram, where she documents her travels around the world.
