BNK48 (read ''B.N.K. Forty-eight'') is a Thai
idol
Idol or Idols may refer to:
Religion and philosophy
* Cult image, a neutral term for a man-made object that is worshipped or venerated for the deity, spirit or demon that it embodies or represents
* Murti, a point of focus for devotion or medit ...
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
and the third international sister group of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
's
AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with it ...
, following
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
's
JKT48
JKT48 (read as "J. K. T. forty-eight") is an Indonesian-Japanese Japanese idol, idol girl group whose name is derived from its based city of Jakarta and the Japanese idol group AKB48. Formed in 2011, the group is the first AKB48 sister group outs ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
's
SNH48
SNH48 is a Chinese idol girl group based in Shanghai. Following AKB48's creator Yasushi Akimoto's concept of "idols you can meet", the group features dozens of female members around the age of 20, who perform regularly in the group's own thea ...
(''former'').
After holding its first audition in mid-2016 and announcing its first-generation members in early 2017, the group officially debuted on 2 June 2017 and released the debut single, "
Yak Cha Dai Phop Thoe
is Japanese idol group AKB48's third single, and the first major single released through DefSTAR Records, on 25 October 2006.
Regarded as the signature song of AKB48, the song has continued to be AKB48′s most recognizable tune among the publ ...
", on 8 August 2017. Its second single, "
Khukki Siangthai
is the 32nd single by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It was released in Japan on August 21, 2013. The single contains graduation songs for Mariko Shinoda and Tomomi Itano.
The song has been recorded by AKB48's international sister groups ...
", released on 20 December 2017, was a great success. , the group has 46 members.
The group is named after
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
, the capital city of
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, where its theatre, BNK48 the Campus, is located.
Orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
, a flower popular in the country, serves as both the colour and motif of the group.
BNK48 announced the formation of their first sister group,
CGM48
CGM48 (read ''C.G.M. Forty-eight'') is a Thai Teen idol, idol girl group. It is the first domestic sister group of the Thai idol group BNK48, and the eighth international AKB48 Group, sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 ...
(named after the city of
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...
), on 2 June 2019. CGM48 is the first domestic sister group to be launched outside Japan and second sister group of
48 Group in Thailand.
History
2016
![BNK48 Official Lgo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/BNK48_Official_Lgo.png)
On 26 March 2016, the formation of BNK48,
MNL48
MNL48 (read as ''M.N.L. Forty-eight'') is a Filipino idol girl group based in Manila, Philippines. Formed in 2018, they are the fourth international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 (''former''), and Thailand's B ...
, and
TPE48
AKB48 Team TP formerly known as TPE48, is a Taiwanese idol group and the sixth international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 (''former''), Thailand's BNK48, Philippines's MNL48, and China's AKB48 Team SH. The gr ...
was announced.
The first BNK48 audition was held from 29 July to 31 August 2016, attracting a total of 1,357 applicants, of whom 330 were selected on 5 September. The initial selection of the first-generation members was later held on 17 and 18 September 2016. On 23 September 2016, the selection result was declared, stating that 80 candidates would pass into the final selection. However, due to the
death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
of King
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...
on 13 October 2016, the final selection was postponed until 18 December, on which a number of candidates were selected as the first generation of the group.
2017
![BNK48 - Roadshow - 2017-07-23 (003b)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/BNK48_-_Roadshow_-_2017-07-23_%28003b%29.jpg)
On 12 February 2017, the first generation of the group was officially announced, consisting of 29 members.
They made their first appearance at the AKB48 show during the 12th Japan Festa in Bangkok on the same day.
It was later revealed on 13 April 2017 that
AKB48 Team 4 member Rina Izuta would be transferred to the group on 2 July 2017, totalling the members of the group to 30.
On 2 June 2017, the group made its official debut with the single "
Aitakatta – Yak Cha Dai Phop Thoe".
The single was officially released on 8 August 2017 and was available for purchase for a limited period of time only, during which it sold 13,500 copies. So far, no official music video has been released for the single.
The group, representing Japan, performed with Thai singer
Palitchoke Ayanaputra
Palitchoke Ayanaputra ( th, ผลิตโชค อายนบุตร; ; born August 9, 1984) is a Thai singer.
Biography
Palitchoke Ayanaputra or Peck was born on August 9, 1984, in Bangkok, Thailand. He lived in Australia for 7 years ...
and the South Korean band
iKON
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019.
Init ...
at the concert ''2017: 411 Fandom Party in Bangkok'', held at
Siam Paragon
Siam Paragon ( th, สยามพารากอน) is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the largest malls in Thailand, along with IconSiam, CentralWorld and CentralPlaza WestGate.
Siam Paragon includes a range of specialty sto ...
on the night of 30 August 2017, during which it premiered the song "
Khukki Siangthai
is the 32nd single by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It was released in Japan on August 21, 2013. The single contains graduation songs for Mariko Shinoda and Tomomi Itano.
The song has been recorded by AKB48's international sister groups ...
", a cover of AKB48's "
Koi Suru Fortune Cookie
is the 32nd single by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It was released in Japan on August 21, 2013. The single contains graduation songs for Mariko Shinoda and Tomomi Itano.
The song has been recorded by AKB48's international sister groups ...
".
On 31 August 2017, an announcement was made saying that due to their violation of undisclosed rules, Jan, Kaew, Orn, and
Namneung, the oldest members of the group who were scheduled to perform at the Japan Expo in Thailand 2017 on 1 and 3 September 2017, were demoted to undergirls and replaced by Jane, Mobile, Pupe, and Rina Izuta for the said event. It was speculated that the four were punished for truancy.
At the Japan Expo, the group performed "Khukki Siangthai" with
World Order
In international relations, international order refers to patterned or structured relationships between actors on the international level.
Definition
David Lake, Lisa Martin and Thomas Risse define "order" as "patterned or structured relatio ...
during the opening ceremony and unveiled its eponymous anthem, "BNK48 (Bangkok48)", which depicts tourist spots and foods of Bangkok.
The group held its first formal concert, ''BNK48 We Love You'', on 23 September 2017 at The
EmQuartier
The EmQuartier is a large shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand opened in May 2015. It is one of three malls planned for the "EM District", along with the existing Emporium, and the EmSphere. All three buildings will total an area of 2,500,000 squa ...
in Bangkok to mark the graduation of Kidcat. At the event, the release of the song "Khukki Siangthai" as the group's second single was announced.
The music video for the song was premiered at the concert ''BNK48 Mini Live and Handshake'', held at
J.J Mall
J.J Mall is a large shopping complex situated in the heart of Chatuchak district in Bangkok, Thailand.
It is located next to the weekend market. ( J.J Market).
The whole area has become one vast building site and all shop zones are interlinked. ...
in Bangkok on 18 November 2017.
On 24 December 2017, the first team of the group,
Team BIII, was announced at a
fan convention
Fan convention (also known as con or fan meeting), a term that predates 1942, is an event in which fans of a particular topic gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and each other. Some ...
called ''BNK48 We Wish You'', held at Siam Square One in Bangkok. At the same event, it was also revealed that the group's first theatrical performance would be held in April 2018, the group's second generation audition would be commenced as from 25 December 2017, and the song "
Shonichi is a song by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, featured on the group's ninth single " Baby! Baby! Baby!" released in 2008, 12th single "Namida Surprise!" released in 2009, and second album ''Kamikyokutachi'' released in 2010.
The song has been c ...
" will be the group's third single.
2018
At the third handshake event of the group, held at
The Mall Ngam Wongwang in Bangkok on 13 and 14 January 2018, additional songs were announced as the B-side tracks for this single, that is, "
Namida Surprise!
is the 12th major single by the Japanese idol group AKB48, released on June 24, 2009. The single peaked at number 2 in the Oricon weekly singles chart.
It is a Birthday song
Track listing
The single was released in two versions: (CD+DVD, cata ...
" and "Anata to Christmas Eve".
The group performed at the 72nd
Chula–Thammasat Traditional Football Match
The Chula–Thammasat or Thammasat–Chula Traditional Football Match (the name alternating, with the host's appearing first) is a football match between Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University. It is held annually, usually in January, ...
on 3 February 2018. It also held a handshake and mini live event outside Bangkok for the first time from 2 to 4 February 2018 at
Central Festival Chiang Mai. On 11 February 2018, the group was selected as the brand ambassador of
True Corporation
True Corporation Public Company Limited (TRUE) is a communications conglomerate in Thailand. True controls Thailand's largest cable TV provider, TrueVisions, Thailand's largest internet service provider True Internet and one of Thailand's largest ...
's Truemove H in the project ''TruePoint x BNK48''.
The group carried out an audition for its second-generation members from February to April 2018. Ninety-four of the total candidates passed the initial round on 20 March 2018 and twenty-seven of them were finally announced as the second-generation members on 29 April 2018.
On 28 February 2018, the group was selected as the official
Thailand national football team
The Thailand national football team ( th, ฟุตบอลทีมชาติไทย, , ) represents Thailand in senior international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Thailand.
In the regional competition, Thail ...
supporters.
The group held its first concert, called ''Starto'', at
BITEC on 31 March and 1 April 2018.
On 24 April 2018, the group had an audience with
military junta
A military junta () is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by the Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in ...
chief
Prayut Chan-o-cha
Prayut Chan-o-cha (sometimes spelled Prayuth Chan-ocha; th, ประยุทธ์ จันทร์โอชา, ; born 21 March 1954) is a Thai politician and retired Royal Thai Army, army officer who has served as the Prime Minister of T ...
at the
Government House
Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries.
Gover ...
, where the group held a live-broadcast handshake event with the general. The event is seen by scholars as the junta's attempt to build popularity amongst young people for the
upcoming election. But the group's company denied any political purpose behind the meeting, saying the event was just for promoting a government radio station.
The first album of the group, ''
River
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
'', was announced on 31 May 2018.
In December 2018, BNK48 was invited to perform together with AKB48 in the
69th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
The was the 2018 edition of NHK's television special Kōhaku Uta Gassen, held on December 31 live from NHK Hall (Tokyo, Japan). It was broadcast in Japan through NHK General Television and NHK Radio 1, and worldwide through NHK World Premium. Th ...
(第69回NHK紅白歌合戦, The 69th NHK Red & White Song Battle).
2019–present
On 26 January 2019, BNK48 held ''BNK48 6th Single Senbatsu General Election'', the group's first event where fans can vote for their favorite members to be selected as the sixth single's lineup. The first place (most voted candidate) was Cherprang who became the center of the sixth single. On 2 March 2019, the sixth single "
Beginner" was premiered. On 7 April 2019, the group announced their second album, ''Jabaja'' will be released in July 2019. On 2 June 2019, the group announced their first domestic sister group
CGM48
CGM48 (read ''C.G.M. Forty-eight'') is a Thai Teen idol, idol girl group. It is the first domestic sister group of the Thai idol group BNK48, and the eighth international AKB48 Group, sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 ...
, which is named after
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...
where it will be based.
On 19 April 2020, BNK48 announced the results of their second election event ''BNK48 9th Single Senbatsu General Election'', the first place was Jane who became the center of the ninth single. On 26 July 2020, the ninth single "
Heavy Rotation
In broadcasting, rotation is the repeated airing of a limited playlist of songs on a radio station or satellite radio channel, or music videos on a TV network. They are usually in a different order each time. However, they are not completely sh ...
" was premiered. On 9 August 2020, the group announced 19 third-generation members. On 26 September 2020, Gygee won the ''BNK48 JANKEN Tournament 2020 – The Senbatsu of Destiny'', the group's first event that members will be selected as third album's lineup by
rock paper scissors
Rock paper scissors (also known by other orderings of the three items, with "rock" sometimes being called "stone," or as Rochambeau, roshambo, or ro-sham-bo) is a hand game originating in China, usually played between two people, in which each p ...
competition. On 29 November 2020, the group announced their third album, ''Warota People'' will be released in January 2021.
On 2 June 2021, the tenth single "D-AAA" which is the group's first original song was premiered. On 20 March 2022, the eleventh single "
Sayonara Crawl
is the 31st single by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48; it was released in Japan on May 22, 2013.
As of the release day, the CD single "Sayonara Crawl" had been shipped in 2.3 million copies, besting the group's previous record of 2.0 million f ...
" was premiered. On 9 April 2022, Mobile was the winner of BNK48's third election event ''BNK48 12th Single Senbatsu General Election'', making her became the center of the twelfth single. On 28 August 2022, the twelfth single "Believers" was premiered. On 30 October 2022, the group announced 11 fourth-generation members.
Members
Sub-units
Mimigumo
Mimigumo is the first BNK48 sub-unit group released on September 1, 2019.
Qrra
Qrra (pronounced like "Cara") is the second BNK48 sub-unit group. The group formerly performed under the name Lyra, consisted of 6 members who were chosen to be trained by Universal Music Thailand and debuted on October 7, 2020. The group was later renamed Vyra on March 12, 2021. On September 27, 2022, the group was renamed Qrra and currently has 5 members.
Management
Managing entities
The group is managed by a specifically established company called BNK48 Office.
On 7 November 2019, BNK48 Office was renamed independent Artist Management (iAM) in order to be more focused on talent management.
BNK48 Office is presided over by Jirath Pavaravadhana ( th, จิรัฐ บวรวัฒนะ).
Cherprang Areekul ( th, เฌอปราง อารีย์กุล) is currently serving as the manager (''
shihainin A {{nihongo, shihainin, 支配人, , lit. "manager" is an authorized representative of a company or unincorporated business under Japanese commercial law.
A shihainin has full legal authority to represent the company/business at the place of bu ...
'') of the group after Jirath's younger brother, Nataphol Pavaravadhana ( th, ณัฐพล บวรวัฒนะ) and Saowani Kanjanaolarnsiri ( th, เสาวณีย์ กาญจนโอฬารศิริ).
The proportion of shares in BNK48 Office on 18 April 2018 was as follows: Jirath's company
Rose Artist Management held 69.8050%, a Chinese businesswoman held 15.1950%, AKB48's company
AKS held 15%, and Jirath himself held 0.0001%.
It was reported on 23 May 2018 that 35% of the shares were sold to the media conglomerate Plan B Media at the price of
.
On 11 June 2018, another company was created, called BNK Production, in which
Workpoint Entertainment
Workpoint Entertainment Public Company Limited is a Thai media company. The company and its subsidiaries do business in television production, film making, event management, animation, publishing, event marketing and recording. The company was fou ...
holds 50% of the shares, BNK48 Office holds 49.99% of the shares, and BNK48 Office CEO Jirath holds 0.01% of the shares. According to an explanatory sheet, the company is intended for production of television and online shows and for organisation of events and concerts.
Financing
According to BNK48 Office CEO Jirath Pavaravadhana, the group's primary sources of revenue would be commercial products, appearances at commercial events, and sponsors.
The group is also financed by the
Cool Japan
refers to the aspects of Japanese culture that non-Japanese people perceive as "cool". The Cool Japan strategy is part of Japan's overall brand strategy, aiming to disseminate Japan's attractiveness and allure to the world. The target of Cool Ja ...
Fund.
Jirath also said that the company would invest for the group during the years 2017–2018 and expects to regain the invested capital by 2019.
At the end of the fiscal year 2017, the group gained income and bore expense, resulting in a loss.
Contracts
Each member of the group is subject to a six-year contract that can be renewed.
Promotion
Shows and events
The group has its own
digital studio
A digital studio provides both a technology-equipped space and technological/rhetorical support to students (commonly at a university) working individually or in groups on a variety of digital projects, such as designing a website, developing an el ...
, colloquially known as "Fish Tank" ( th, ตู้ปลา), at The
EmQuartier
The EmQuartier is a large shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand opened in May 2015. It is one of three malls planned for the "EM District", along with the existing Emporium, and the EmSphere. All three buildings will total an area of 2,500,000 squa ...
, where its members periodically make a live appearance on Facebook and YouTube holding discussions on various topics.
Each member of the group also appears live through the broadcasting application VOOV every night.
In mid 2017, the group held
roadshow
Roadshow theatrical release is a practice in which a film opened in a limited number of theaters in large cities.
Road show or Road Show may also refer to:
*''Antiques Roadshow'', a BBC TV series where antiques specialist travel around the country ...
s every weekend at
The Mall Group
The Mall Group ( th, เดอะมอลล์กรุ๊ป) is one of Thailand's largest mall operators. Its brands include The Mall, Emporium, Siam Paragon, Power Mall, Gourmet Market, The Mall SkyPORT, EmQuartier, SportsMall, BeTrend ...
shopping malls.
To support its
debut single, the group held its first handshake event in Bangkok on 27 August 2017. The event attracted almost 4,000 fans. The second handshake event took place on 18 November 2017 in Bangkok and drew almost 5,000 fans.
Also, the group has launched its own television shows, such as ''BNK48 Senpai'', a 13-episode-long documentary aired every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 1 March 2017, and ''BNK48 Show'', a 26-episode-long variety show aired every Sunday from 9 July 2017, both broadcast by
Channel 3.
Theatre
The group has its own theatre in Bangkok, where it performs three times a week: Saturday, 13:00 hrs and 17:00 hrs; and Sunday, 17:00 hrs.
The theatre, named "BNK48 the Campus", is located on the fourth floor of
The Mall Bang Kapi, occupying a 1,000-m
2 area. It accommodates 350 people and includes a shop, a café, and an office within its precincts.
The group did a theatrical performance for the press at the theatre on 26 April 2018, and the theatre was inaugurated on 11 May 2018.
A Buddhist housewarming ritual, presided over by nine monks from Wat Traimit Witthayaram, was held for the theatre on 4 July 2018. Despite the ritual, the theatre is reportedly haunted.
The first theatrical performance of the group, known as the first stage, is titled ''Party ga Hajimaru Yo'', or ''Party Nai Fan'' ( th, ปาร์ตีในฝัน; "Party in Dream") in Thai.
Image
The members of the group are often promoted as good role models for the youth. Some believe that the most appealing aspect of the group comes from the members' personalities themselves and not from their talents. On the other hand, the fact that most of the fans are adult men, as opposed to the members who are still teenage girls, is considered an unusual image in the Thai culture.
Philanthropy
During the roadshow in the beach town
Hua Hin
Hua Hin ( th, หัวหิน, ) is one of eight districts (''amphoe'') of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. Its seat of government, also named Hua Hin, is a beach resort town. The district ...
on 6 August 2017, eight autographed photos of members were auctioned off to raise money for flood victims in
Northeastern Thailand
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
. The auction fetched over .
Discography
* ''River'' (2018)
* ''Jabaja'' (2019)
* ''Warota People'' (2020)
Filmography
Honours
The group was announced as the Person of the Year by
Voice TV
Voice TV is a Thai television channel, notable for its liberal and pro-Thaksin stance and political-centric analysis. It is broadcast via ''digital terrestrial television'' (from 2014 until 2019), satellite, cable (as Video To Home 2), and web st ...
on 20 December 2017.
Awards
Sister groups
CGM48 (named after and based in
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...
) is the first domestic sister group of BNK48 and the ninth international sister group of AKB48. The group was announced at a BNK48 event held in Chiang Mai on 2 June 2019.
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
*
{{authority control
AKB48 Group
Japan–Thailand relations
Musical groups established in 2017
Musical groups from Bangkok
Thai girl groups
Thai pop music groups
2017 establishments in Thailand