He debuted as a member and vocal leader of the Japanese boy band JO1 in 2020, after placing ninth in the first season of Produce 101 Japan.

[5][6] While attending university, he worked part-time as security in a concert venue, where he realized that he couldn't give up on his dreams of becoming a singer.

for JO1's second studio album Kizuna,[18] and was featured alongside bandmate Sho Yonashiro on SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]'s single "Outsiders", the ending theme song of the anime Fanfare of Adolescence.

[12][21] On August 22, it was announced that Kono and bandmate Keigo Sato would be the MCs of the two-episode television program Case Study - Forbidden Love Experiment, a part of the channel segment Tuesday NEXT!

The drama is based on the eponymous manga series by Mamoru Aoi, with Kono playing the role of Iida Tomohiro, a second-year high school student and classmate of the main character.

[25] On December 29, Kono was cast as the narrator of the Netflix and Prime Video distributed entertainment program The Comedy Dual.