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Manila Based AKB48 Spinoff Group MNL48 Collaborates With ABS-CBN for Talent Search
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official website of MNL48, the planned Manila-based spinoff group based on the AKB48 Japanese idol group, announced on Thursday that HalloHallo Entertainment is collaborating with Philippine media company ABS-CBN to launch the talent search for the group.
The announcement noted that "MNL48 will be patterned after the original AKB48 concept."
HalloHallo Entertainment previously announced that it is developing a Japan-themed commercial space at the Glorietta mall complex, which includes a performance space where MNL48 is planned to perform twice a week. The space is slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2017.
The AKB48 group debuted in Tokyo's Akihabara district in December 2005, followed by SKE48 in Nagoya's Sakae in October 2008, NMB48 in Osaka's Namba in January 2011, HKT48 in Fukuoka's Hakata in March 2012, and NGT48 in Niigata prefecture in October 2015. The STU48 domestic sister group based in the Setouchi region debuted in June. There is also the "rival" group Nogizaka46.
Aside from MNL48 in Manila, AKB48 also has sister groups BNK48 in Bangkok, Thailand, JKT48 in Jakarta, Indonesia, SNH48 in Shnaghai, China (although AKB48 suspended its partnership with the group in June 2016), and TPE48 in Taipei, Taiwan. BNK48 recently debuted on June 2.
[Via Anime Pilipinas]
