By: John Eric Mendoza
MNL48 joined their international sister groups at the once-in-a-lifetime gathering of the seven 48 groups at AKB Asia Group Festival 2019 at Impact Arena in Bangkok Sunday, another first for the award-winning idol group.
Thousands of international fans attended the two-part event. On the first part, fans have been given an opportunity to interact with international sister idol groups, namely: MNL48, AKB48, JKT48 (Indonesia), BNK48 (Thailand), SGO48 (Vietnam), AKB48 Team TP (Taiwan), and AKB48 Team SH (China) during the High-5 event, with allotted time of 30 minutes for each group.
Ten out of forty MNL48 Senbatsu members, namely Sheki, Abby, Sela, Gabb, Brei, Faith, Mari, Jem, Coleen, and Rans performed the acoustic versions of their hit songs like Aitakatta, Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie, and Palusot Ko’y Maybe on the mini concert, a part of the first event.
As for the second part of the event proper, MNL48 performed First Rabbit, Umiindak na Saya (Skirt Hirari) and Party ga Himajirou yo, Tagalog versions of AKB48 hits.
One of the event’s highlights was the performance of the so-called “World 48,” a group of chosen members from seven 48 groups, including MNL48’s Sheki and Abby, who performed Heavy Rotation on the stage.
Thais warming up to MNL48
The reception of MNL48 by Thai audiences has been warm.
“I’m from Thailand and I was watching the show,” wrote a Thai twitter user in English. “MNL48 was amaze [sic] me very much and I was fall in love to them now.”
Thais also praised the singing ability of MNL48. “[From] the country where the singers sounds good,” tweeted another Thai user. “Very impressed with both the vocals, [and] music.”
Due to the success of the festival, AKS, the Japanese agency who handles all of the 48 groups, plans to hold another Asia Festival in different countries.
The Filipino idol group recently bagged awards like the certified Gold and Platinum for their second single, Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie, as well as PPOP Youth Model of the Year.
Young ECHO 
Leave a comment