| Native Name: | 松島聡 |
| Native Name Lang: | JPN |
| Birth Date: | 27 November 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Shizuoka, Japan |
| Genre: | J-pop |
| Years Active: | 2011-present |
| Current Member Of: | timelesz |
So Matsushima (松島聡, Matsushima Sou, born November 27th, 1997[1]) is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, artist, and member of the group timelesz (formerly known as Sexy Zone[2]). He is from the city of Shimada in Shizuoka prefecture.[3] [4]
Matsushima entered Johnny & Associates in February 2011, at the age of 13, after being inspired to join the entertainment world by idol group Hey! Say! JUMP, also belonging to Johnny's.[5] That same year, he was selected to join the group Sexy Zone, and on September 29th, 2011 it was announced that Sexy Zone would make their CD debut a few months later in the November of that year.[6]
In May 2014, Matsushima was placed into a sub-unit named "Sexy Matsu", together with Juniors Kaito Matsukura and Genta Matsuda. The name was chosen due to the shared occurrence of the character 松 (Matsu) in the trio's family names.[7]
On November 28th, 2018, he announced that he would take a hiatus from activities to recover from idiopathic panic disorder.[8] On August 12th, 2020, he announced that he would return.[9]
In February 2022, it was announced that he would star in the play "Kodomo no Issei" in April of the same year, replacing Hey! Say! JUMP's Hikaru Yaotome who withdrew due to sudden hearing loss.[10] [11] Also in 2022, he appeared on Nippon Television's The! Tetsuwan! DASH!!, and became a weekly cast member in 2024.[12] [13]
As a Shizuoka native, in the autumn of 2022 he became a travel ambassador for the prefecture in a campaign to encourage tourism.
Due to his artistic skill, he was in charge of designing the charity T-shirt for 24 Hour Television and also designed Sexy Zone's mascot, the Sekubear (a portmanteau of Sexy Bear). He also designed sneakers for Takahisa Masuda of the group NEWS, for their tour NEWS LIVE 2022 ONGAKU (音楽).[14]
In 2023, he prepared an art exhibition titled Ko-ten at Omotesando Hills Space O from September 27th, 2023 until October 15th, 2023.[15] The works consisted of installation pieces, many using mannequins to represent his experiences and feelings.[16] In May 2024 he released a book containing images of the artworks.[17]
As of October 2023, he has collaborated twice with the brand Peach John to produce a collection of unisex loungewear featuring motifs related to his dog, Bisu.[18]
He opened an official Instagram account on 9th January, 2024.[19]
On March 31st, 2024, Kento Nakajima left the group Sexy Zone and on April 1st, Matsushima and the remaining two members of the group officially began activities under the name "timelesz".
He occasionally presents the radio show timelesz no Qrzone (previously Sexy Zone no Qrzone), and maintains a paid blog titled SO GOOD DAY via the agency's Family Club Web.[20]
He is known affectionately by fans and colleagues as So-chan.[21] He has made reference to being raised in a single father household for at least some portion of his life,[22] and has an older sister who is 8 years his senior. In 2019, during his hiatus, he acquired a pet French Bulldog known as "Bisu", short for "Biscuit" (Bisuketto).[23]
He is a big fan of the series Harry Potter, and once queued for 6 hours in order to get Tom Felton's autograph.[24]
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Yo nimo Kimyou na Monogatari | Kanta | Fuji TV | [25] | |
| Wagahai no Heya De Aru | Textbook | NTV | [26] | ||
| 2018 | Zero - Episode Zero | Keisuke | Hulu | [27] | |
| 2021 | Kotaro wa Hitorigurashi | Tasuku Iwanaga | TV Asahi | Guest role | [28] |
| 2022 | Kioku Sosa S3: Shinjuku Higashisho Jiken File | Takumi Yojo | TV Tokyo | Support role | [29] |
| 2023 | Kaettekitazoyo! Kotaro wa Hitorigurashi | Tasuku Iwanaga | TV Asahi | Support role | [30] |
| Beni Sasu Life | Kazuma Hojo | NTV | Support role | [31] |