IZ*ONE Hitomi Honda Archives • K-POP LIFE

AKB48, Japan’s premier all-female idol group, is set to expand its presence in South Korea by holding a fan meeting in Seoul. This move marks a significant step in the group’s Korean promotions, building on a relationship that began with a collaborative performance at the MAMA Awards in 2017. During the show, AKB48 joined forces with several Korean artists, including fromis_9, PRISTIN, and Weki Meki. The Koreans hit the stage first to sing “PICK ME” from Produce 101 season one. The Japanese girls joined them near the end of the song, and together, they performed the AKB48 hits “Heavy Rotation” and “Koisuru Fortune Cookie.”

[2017 MAMA in Japan] CHUNG HA & Weki Meki & PRISTIN & fromis_9 & Idol School Class 1 & AKB48

[2017 MAMA in Japan] AKB48 & CHUNG HA & Weki Meki & PRISTIN & fromis_9 & Idol School Class 1

AKB48 continued to engage with the Korean audience

This performance served as an announcement for the airing of Produce 48. Produce 48 was the third season of the Produce 101 series, but with a unique twist: it pitted Korean trainees from different agencies against Japanese trainees from the AKB48 Group. AKB48 and its sister groups HKT48, NGT48, NMB48, and SKE48 sent representatives to compete on the show. In total, there were 96 contestants from both Japan and South Korea. The goal was to form a 12-member group, IZ*ONE, that would be active in both countries. Among the finalists who debuted in IZ*ONE were Honda Hitomi from AKB48’s Team 8, and Yabuki Nako and Sakura Miyawaki from HKT48.

Becoming IZ*ONE Was Not Easy (Honda Hitomi Version)

Following Produce 48, AKB48 continued to engage with the Korean audience. Almost two years after the show ended, the group was invited to perform at the 2020 Asia Song Festival. At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging, so they couldn’t fly to Korea and perform there in person. Instead, they taped a performance of their song “First Rabbit” for the festival. When it aired in Korea, Korean netizens were impressed with the fact that AKB48 sang live, without any backing AR track.

AKB48, ファースト・ラビット (First Rabbit) [2020 ASIA SONG FESTIVAL]

AKB48‘s Korean connection also includes collaborations with Sakura Inoue, a Performance Director at HYBE Labels Japan, and GANMI, choreographer of the BTS hit “Butter.” GANMI choreographed AKB48’s “Motokare Desu” and “Hisashiburi no Lip Gloss.” Inoue worked with the group on “Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da” and “Idol Nanka Janakattara.”

【Dance Practice】AKB48 「アイドルなんかじゃなかったら」 Fixed Point ver.

A landmark event

To further establish their presence in Korea, AKB48 has taken significant steps over the past year. They joined the fan community platform Weverse, started the Weverse DM service, and opened Weverse Shop JAPAN/GLOBAL for pre-orders of their 63rd single “ColorCon Wink.”

カラコンウインク Music Video / AKB48 63rd Single【公式】

Their first fan meeting in Seoul promises to be a landmark event, with Weverse picking 200 fans to attend through a special lottery draw. It’s set to take place on April 20 at the CTS Art Hall. The participating members are Akiyama Yuna, Chiba Erii, Hirata Yuki, Kashiwagi Yuki, Kuranoo Narumi, Mizushima Miyuu, Mukaichi Mion, Murayama Yuiri, Nagatomo Ayami, Narita Kohina, Oguri Yui, Omori Maho, Sato Airi, Shitao Miu, Taguchi Manaka, Yagi Azuki, and Yamauchi Mizuki.

【Dance Practice】AKB48 「カラコンウインク」 Fixed Point ver.

Some say it’s a shame that AKB48 chose to begin Korean promotions after Honda Hitomi graduated from the group. However, the remaining members are just as charming and talented, which bodes well for their success in Korea. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: AKB48 is out to prove they have what it takes to succeed in South Korea. Source: X/@48RequestHour.

Hitomi Honda has graduated from AKB48. The Japanese idol, who became a member of IZ*ONE as part of the program, confirmed her graduation in a social media post.

Hitomi Honda Officially Leaving AKB48

On August 30, Honda Hitomi delivered news of her graduation from AKB48 on X (formerly Twitter). In the post, she reflected on her time with the Japanese girl group.

“As a representative of Tochigi-ken in AKB48 Team 8, I joined the team at 12 years old and was promoted as a part of the group for 10 years,” Honda wrote. “As a member of AKB48, as a member of IZ*ONE, and as a selected member of the main team, not to mention being chosen as the center twice, I was able to grow while gaining valuable experiences.”

先ほど卒業発表をさせていただきました。
卒業までの残りの時間を大切に、これからもAKB48の為に全力で頑張ります。
今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。 pic.twitter.com/sFDAiA8J52

— 本田仁美 (@hnd_htm__1006) August 30, 2023

“Thank you so much for supporting me for the last 10 years, even though I was so inexperienced,” she continued. “I will be leaving this giving environment where I was so blessed, but I will not forget your love and support for me as I take on new challenges and test my capabilities.”

Hitomi Honda Reveals Final AKB48 Project

Honda then assured fans that they would still see her with the group. As it turns out, she will still be a part of AKB48 until next month.

“As the single set for release on September 27 will be my last activity as a member of AKB48, I will be participating in all group events currently being announced. Details on my graduation performance will be revealed at a later time,” she wrote.

AKB48 was established under the premise of being “idols you can meet”. In Japanese culture, idols are performers who rely on direct fan support. The close relationship between idols and their fans fosters a sense of loyalty and devotion. The group’s primary producer, Yasushi Akimoto, aimed to create a distinctive idol group that would perform regularly in its own theater, as opposed to other idol groups that only perform sporadically and appear primarily on television. The AKB48 Theater is located in the Don Quijote store in Akihabara, Tokyo.

Hitomi Honda debuted as part of IZ*ONE in 2018. She announced her departure when her contract expired in 2021.