Ko Hideo, born Yoshida Hideo (吉田英男) in Tomari, Sakhalin, Russia, was a Japanese singer and actor. The youngest of eight siblings, he was adopted by his maternal aunt's family shortly after birth. Both his biological and adoptive families were involved in the paper industry and had connections to Oji Paper Company (王子製紙). At age 11, he moved to Tokyo for his studies, staying with a cousin in the Shitaya area.

Although his father hoped he would become a doctor, Ko ignored this and enrolled in Musashino Music School (武蔵野音楽学校) instead, where he studied bel canto singing under Dena Notalgiacomo. His stage debut occurred in 1936, and around this time, he joined the chorus group Coro Eiko (コーロエーコー). After about a year at Musashino Music School, he transferred to Nihon University (日本大学), where he studied in the newly established music department, partly to delay military conscription. There, he formed a tango band, serving as vocalist. He graduated in 1942 and was conscripted, eventually being discharged due to tuberculosis.

In 1945, Ko passed an NHK audition and began appearing regularly on NHK music programs. He later went to Paris in 1951 to study at the Sorbonne University, continuing French language studies upon his return to Japan. In 1953, he made his record debut with "Les Feuilles Mortes/Romance" under King Records (キングレコード) and performed regularly on stage, including at the Nikka Gekijo (日劇) until it closed in 1981.

Ko traveled to Paris several times, securing an 8-year contract with a major production company in 1961. However, his health deteriorated in 1969 due to a heart condition, leading him to return to Japan. After a brief recovery, he returned to Paris in 1972 but had to return to Japan again due to angina. He spent about a year and a half in a healing retreat in Tateyama, Chiba, before resuming his singing career in 1973, focusing solely on singing and refusing acting roles.

Ko served as director of the Japan Singer’s Association (日本歌手協会) from 1977 to 1986. He suffered heart attacks in 1985 and 1988, undergoing surgery but making a recovery and returning to the stage. His health began to decline again by February 2009, leading to hospitalization in Chiba, Japan. Throughout his life, Ko faced several health challenges, including tuberculosis, angina, and heart attacks, and in his later years, he experienced difficulty walking.

(Source: MyDramaList) Edit Biography