Japanese pop singer Kosuke Atari held his first concert on the Chinese mainland at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center last Sunday.

In addition to his distinctive singing, his acting debut in the film "Cape No. 7" was also impressive. The story is about a band in a rural town. He plays himself, as a famous singer who visits the town for a concert. His major debut single "Sorezore Ni" is part of the movie.

Even without a strong promotional campaign, the romantic musical drama has gained unexpected popularity. Raking in more than 100 million yuan (US$14.6 million) at the box office, it is the highest-grossing Chinese-language film produced in Taiwan.

In earlier interviews, Atari said he was a little nervous to take the role, as he found that acting was very different from singing.

It seemed the star worried too much. His performance was hailed by movie fans and critics alike. Acclaimed film maker Hou Hsiao-hsien even said it was the best movie he had seen in a long time.

(Shanghai Daily November 9, 2008)