Haruto

Haruto's full name is Watanabe Haruto (渡辺温斗), and he was born on April 5, 2004, in Fukuoka, Japan. He grew up with his parents and younger sister before moving away from home at a young age to pursue idol training.

• Haruto grew up in a household that already loved YG Entertainment artists, particularly BIGBANG. His mother was a devoted BIGBANG fan, so their music was part of Haruto's childhood long before he eventually became an artist under the same entertainment company.

• BIGBANG's G-Dragon became one of Haruto's biggest role models. Considering that Haruto eventually debuted as a rapper under YG Entertainment himself, his career placed him remarkably close to the musical world that first inspired him as a child.

• Haruto began training through YG Entertainment's Japanese branch when he was extremely young. He spent years developing his rap, dance and performance skills before appearing publicly through YG Treasure Box, making his eventual debut the result of a lengthy training process rather than an overnight discovery.

• He competed on YG Entertainment's survival show YG Treasure Box in 2018, where trainees from different YG training teams competed for places in the company's next boy group. Haruto represented the trainees from YG Japan.

• Haruto became the first contestant officially announced as a member of TREASURE's original lineup. The announcement was particularly significant because he was also the first Japanese member selected through the survival program.

• His unusually deep voice became one of his defining characteristics even before TREASURE debuted. Haruto's low register distinguishes his rap verses from the voices of the other members and has remained one of the easiest ways for new listeners to identify him in TREASURE songs.

• Haruto is considerably taller than many people expect based on footage from YG Treasure Box. He entered the public eye as a teenager and continued growing afterward, making his physical transformation from the survival-show era particularly noticeable to fans who followed him from pre-debut.

• He has been interested in writing his own rap lyrics rather than simply performing material given to him. As TREASURE's career progressed, Haruto began receiving official songwriting credits, allowing him to contribute more directly to the group's musical identity.

• Haruto contributed lyrics to TREASURE's fan-favorite song "ORANGE." The song is notable because it was created with significant involvement from the members themselves, including Asahi's composition and contributions from Haruto to the lyrics.

• His songwriting involvement continued on later TREASURE releases, with Haruto contributing to tracks including "VolKno," "CLAP!" and other material as the members became increasingly involved in creating their own music.

• Haruto is particularly close to fellow Japanese member Asahi, and the pair's contrasting personalities have made their friendship popular with fans. Their musical collaboration has also extended beyond casual friendship, as both have participated in writing TREASURE songs.

• He loves fashion and has become increasingly interested in developing his own personal style. Haruto is often associated with streetwear and oversized clothing, while fashion has become another way for him to express himself outside music.

• Haruto enjoys taking photos and has shown an interest in cameras and photography. Rather than only being the subject of professional idol photoshoots, he enjoys capturing images himself and documenting the places and people around him.

• He enjoys playing video games during his downtime, making gaming one of the activities he turns to when TREASURE isn't rehearsing, recording or touring.

• Haruto has said that one of his charms is the contrast between his appearance and personality. His tall frame, deep voice and intense expressions can give him an intimidating image onstage, while his behavior with the TREASURE members is considerably more playful and youthful.

• Despite becoming a professional performer, Haruto has admitted that he can be shy around people he doesn't know well. Like several TREASURE members, he becomes noticeably more playful once he is comfortable with the people around him.

• Haruto's mother became familiar to longtime TREASURE fans through YG Treasure Box. Her support for his career—and her existing love of YG artists—made Haruto's decision to pursue training under YG particularly meaningful for their family.

• Moving from Japan to South Korea meant Haruto had to learn Korean while simultaneously training as an idol. His Korean improved considerably throughout his trainee years and TREASURE's career, eventually allowing him to participate naturally in Korean interviews, variety content and songwriting.

• Haruto has been part of TREASURE's rap-focused performances alongside Hyunsuk and Yoshi. The three rappers have been able to showcase a harder hip-hop sound through songs such as "VolKno," providing a noticeable contrast to TREASURE's brighter pop releases.

• Performing in Japan has special significance for Haruto because it allows him to return to his home country as a professional artist. TREASURE's enormous Japanese touring schedule has given him opportunities to perform in major venues that would have been unimaginable when he first entered YG Japan as a young trainee.

• Although Haruto entered YG primarily as a rapper and performer, his ambitions have expanded as he has grown older. His increasing involvement in songwriting, fashion and other creative interests suggests that he wants to develop an artistic identity beyond simply being known for his deep voice.