Korean Fitness Media Also Taking Notice: Muscle Entertainer 'Masso' with 260K SNS Followers Releases First Original Music Video

Japan-based muscle entertainer Masso has released the music video for his first original song, 'Masso,' on YouTube. Concurrently, the song has also been made available on major music streaming services.

This work, 'Masso,' is an original song based on the concept of muscle x entertainment. Starting with a muscle-brained morning routine, it is a 2-minute and 24-second video that depicts a comical and chaotic world where everyday scenes like schools, izakayas, and live music clubs become steeped in 'muscle.'
Furthermore, the MV for this work is billed not as an 'Official Music Video' but as an 'Official Muscle Video.' The release date of the MV and the start of distribution, April 6, is a play on words for '4 (ji) 6 (mu)' [Gym]. Masso's unique dedication to his muscle-themed activities shines through.

■ Highlights of the Song and MV
The main highlights of this work are as follows:
- A 'muscle-brained routine' where the day begins with drinking protein.
- A scene at school where 'compulsory education' is rewritten as 'GYM education,' and students start working out in the classroom.
- A comical staging where he appears to be groveling in apology while being scolded by the vice principal, but is actually doing push-ups.
- A banquet scene at an izakaya where they toast with protein shakes, saying 'Otsukaresa-masso!' (Good job-masso!).
- A climax where he hypes up the crowd in unison at a live house.
The lyrics interweave Korean phrases alongside Japanese, structured to reach overseas listeners as well as a domestic audience.

■ Designed with Dance Expansion in Mind
The choreography was handled by dance creators Magic hour (Mimi, JUN), who have strong influence primarily on TikTok. The video was directed by tarutaru of the video production team 'aspect works,' and filmed by video creator Kotaro Suzuki.
Apart from the main MV, a dance version video has also been released, structured with an eye toward diffusion on short video platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok. The development of user-generated content (UGC) originating from the hashtag '#MassoDance' is already underway.

■ Response After Release
After its release, the MV recorded a highly rated ratio of over 98% on YouTube. In terms of song distribution, access from South Korea accounted for about 58%, surpassing Japan's 40%.
Dance video posts are spreading on Instagram and TikTok, and UGC expansion through the hashtag '#MassoDance' has begun. Furthermore, it has been picked up by the Korean fitness media 'MILLION PHYSICAL' (approx. 155,000 Instagram followers), drawing attention from the Korean fitness demographic.

■ Why Reactions Spread in Korea First
Since 2025, Masso has been rolling out short videos under themes like a 'Macho Solo Travel VLOG' set in various Asian countries (South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong), and his followers had been expanding, particularly among the fitness demographic in South Korea.
In South Korea, the fitness population has continued to grow in recent years, primarily among people in their 20s and 30s, and muscle training is taking root as a symbol of self-management. In such a cultural sphere, Masso's content—running around various places in a tank top and showing the same demeanor even in the extreme cold of -15 degrees—was naturally accepted by the Korean fitness demographic.
Additionally, the song's lyrics incorporate Korean phrases, including the Korean internet slang '헬창' (Helchang = gym freak). In addition to the non-verbal communication of 'muscle' that crosses language barriers, showing an understanding of Korean culture and slang provided a context that made it easy for local listeners to embrace.

■ What Masso Aims For ─ What is 'Muscle Communication'?
The concept Masso champions is 'Muscle Communication.' Muscle requires no language. That is exactly why it crosses borders, he states.
'I want people who watch my videos to feel energized. I believe it is my duty to bring out the potential of muscle as entertainment.'