Who Is Kentaro Sakaguchi? Japanese Actor And BTS J-Hope's Bestfriend, And His 'Relationship' With Lisa Of Blackpink

Kentaro Sakaguchi has everyone intrigued after appearing in a music video/short film for BLACKPINK singer Lisa where he plays the singer's lover. At the same time, Sakaguchi has also been associated with another K-Pop icon, BTS singer J-Hope.

Perhaps, what some fans don't realize is that Sakaguchi is also quite an established star himself. Interestingly, he's taken on Korean projects over the years too.

Kentaro Sakaguchi Is a Japanese Actor

Sakaguchi made his screen debut in the late 1990s in the television series Tattooed Kin-san vs Miss Ninja Thief and its sequel. He would go on to star in movies such as Hell Dogs, Signal, and the 64 films.

In 2024, Sakaguchi made his Korean television debut with the romantic drama What Comes After Love. Based on a novel, the series tells the story of an ex-couple who unexpectedly reunite after being apart for so long.

BTS Singer J-Hope Considers Him a Good Friend

In recent years, it has become clear that Sakaguchi is good friends with some of the biggest names in the music industry, particularly BTS. As it turns out, the K-Pop group sang the theme song for the drama Signal, which starred Sakaguchi.

The Japanese actor first met BTS during the group's fan event in Yokohama, Japan, as revealed during Sakaguchi's appearance on a Korean show from MBC Entertainment. 'I met them and I think they're a really great team,' Sakaguchi said on the show, according to Soompi. 'We've become a bit close, so I want to work with them.'

Since then, Sakaguchi has also been spotted hanging out with BTS member J-Hope. The pair also met up soon after the BTS member completed his military service. 'I was so happy to meet him after such a long time,' Sakaguchi confirmed during an IG Live appearance. 'I'm glad he looked happy. I think it's about a year and a half since the last time we met.'

Kentaro Sakaguchi Recently Starred With BLACKPINK's Lisa

Sakaguchi recently got fans wondering about his relationship with the BLACKPINK singer after starring in a music video/short film for Lisa's Dream. Written and directed by OJun Kwon, the video shows Lisa and Sakaguchi playing a couple.

In the ballad, Lisa sings about a lost love, and onscreen, the singer is reminiscing their times together from sharing a drive to more intimate moments. Early on, the short also shows the singer attending a funeral, presumably for the character played by Sakaguchi.

'It's about a girl who can't meet a certain person, so she can only dream about them,' Lisa said of her new song in an interview with The Guardian. 'If you can relate to that, I guess it would make you cry, too.'

And while it's unclear how Sakaguchi landed his role in the music video, there is no apparent connection between the two artists before working together on this project. Lisa's involvement in the casting for Dream has also never been disclosed.

The Dream video has already garnered over six million views on YouTube. Whether Sakaguchi and Lisa will reunite for a follow-up collaboration remains uncertain.