“He came back”: Fans get emotional as former TREASURE member Mashiho opens Instagram account on his birthday

TREASURE’s former member Mashiho opened a solo Instagram account and wrote a letter to fans on March 25 (as per Korean Standard Time). The 22-year-old Japanese singer debuted with the Jikjin group in 2020 and left it two years later, in November 2022.

With the username @mshtkt_tm, the Japanese singer has returned to the public spotlight after months of radio silence. The reason for his exit was only stated as “personal reasons.”

However, with his comeback on social media, fans became both ecstatic and emotional. In the then-12-member group, the 22-year-old had created his own loyal fandom, who called themselves “mellows.”

Former member of TREASURE, Mashiho, writes a letter to fans in newly created Instagram account

Fans of Mashiho were devastated when YG Entertainment announced his departure (along with Bang Yedam) in November last year.

The Japanese singer was initially announced to be on hiatus due to health issues in May. The break was then extended in July as TREASURE was stated to continue as a 10-member group throughout 2022.

Months went by as upset fans kept demanding an answer from the agency and waiting for the 22-year-old singer to return.

On March 25, Mashiho opened his Instagram account and posted a heartfelt letter in the caption of his first post, which was a blank white image. He wrote his message to fans in Japanese, Korean, and English. In the caption, he said:

Fans react to former TREASURE member Mashiho returning to the spotlight

Fans were initially skeptical about an Instagram account posing as Mashiho Takata. Later, some found out that boy group BUGVEL’s Japanese member Mahiro shared the account’s screenshot and posted it on his Instagram story.

Kotaro, a Japanese trainee who participated in YG Treasure Box survival show, reposted the same on his Instagram story.

Once it was confirmed that the new account was of Mashiho, fans celebrated his return after approximately a year. The 22-year-old former TREASURE singer went on a hiatus sometime in May 2022 after already staying in Japan over “health reasons.” He then left the group in November of the same year.

Hence, fans received almost no content in terms of live streams, photos, and updates from the singer since his break. It was only natural that his update - returning to Instagram and the letter - nearly a year later, made fans emotional.

Moreover, the Japanese singer celebrates his birthday on March 25, making his first post on Instagram on the same day all the more special for fans.

It remains to be seen which path Mashiho Takata will walk on in the future. Fans can follow his Instagram account @mshtkt_tm to stay up-to-date with his announcements.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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