Having maintained an unparalleled status in the Japanese music scene for over two decades, Hikaru Utada recently shared a quirky life anecdote on X (formerly Twitter). She recounted wanting to try a new soba restaurant and deciding to make a reservation just in case. The kicker? She then witnessed unreserved customers being turned away at the door, which, she claimed, made her soba taste "extra delicious" that day.
Naturally, the post blew up online, with comments flooding in, sarcastically calling her "dark-hearted." Utada, completely baffled, wondered why people couldn't grasp the humor.
Here's how it all went down: On the 18th, Utada posted:
"Before heading to a soba place I'd never tried, I thought, 'It's just me, and it's still early, so I probably don't need a reservation, right? Hmm... maybe I'll call just to be safe.' So I actually made one. After I sat down and started eating, I watched as people without reservations kept arriving, only to be told, 'We've been fully booked since earlier today...' and then leave looking dejected. As I watched their retreating backs, slurping my soba, it tasted especially good." She even added, "Good job, everyone!"
The internet, of course, went wild. Comments poured in, snarking, "You're so mean!" and "That's so dark-hearted!" Many found it hard to stomach her finding joy in others' misfortune, using it as a reason for her meal tasting better, arguing that even if the soba was genuinely good, expressing it that way was just bad form.
Later, hearing that her post had stirred up a minor storm, she initially thought, "Huh? What's the deal? Do people think I'm trying to act relatable? Or are they just salty because I'm rich enough to buy the whole soba restaurant?" But after actually checking X, she realized some people were genuinely criticizing her for having a "terrible personality" and being "dark-hearted."
She responded with a bewildered, "Seriously? People are getting mad about this? Talk about a low sense of humor. Is it because everyone usually only reads text on social media that they interpret it this way?"
However, some netizens believe that social media is indeed prone to "going viral" these days. While this kind of humor might come across to some as "finding happiness in others' misfortune," it's also a practical reminder that popular spots require reservations. They argue there was no malicious intent, and some reactions were simply over-the-top.
Yet, other users pointed out that as a public figure, such sentiments can indeed make people uncomfortable, and she should be more careful with her words.
Despite the commotion, Hikaru Utada herself doesn't seem particularly bothered. Still, sharing such a post might have indeed made some netizens uncomfortable, and perhaps she'll be a bit more cautious about her everyday shares in the future...