(久保くん) The story behind this trend in Social Media today
02-10-2026
On October 2, 2026, Japanese footballer Takefusa Kubo and actress Haruka Fukuhara announced that they had married, posting the news on their social media accounts with no prior public reports of a relationship. The sudden announcement set off a wave of reaction in Japan, and “久保くん” (Kubo-kun) rose as a trend term alongside related phrases such as “まいんちゃん,” “電撃発表,” and “ゴールイン.”Kubo, born in 2001, has been known as 久保くん since childhood. He drew national attention as a prodigy in FC Barcelona’s youth system, and Japanese media used the affectionate “-kun” form for years. After turning professional he asked outlets in 2018 to call him by his full name, Kubo Takefusa, but the old nickname never fully disappeared and still surfaces whenever he is in the news. He plays for Real Sociedad and the Japan national team.Fukuhara, born in 1998, is widely remembered as “まいんちゃん” from the NHK children’s program Cooking Idol Ai! Mai! Main!, where she played the lead as a child. Many viewers who grew up with that show reacted to the wedding as a sign of time passing, describing the pairing as something like the national “little sister” and “little brother” of their generation getting together.Photos of the couple wearing rings and smiling drew particular comment. Kubo is often seen with a more reserved expression on the pitch, so posts noted how unusually relaxed and openly happy he looked, with remarks along the lines of “Kubo-kun is being way too dere-dere” and surprise at seeing that side of him. The lack of any earlier dating rumors added to the shock and the volume of congratulatory and nostalgic posts.