'Produce 48' Miyawaki Sakura won't be participating in AKB elections

Article: 'Produce 48' Miyawaki Sakura "I stand by my decision to retire from the elections"

Source: TV Report via Nate

1. [+665, -47] I feel like this season is going to end up like one of those typical Japanese dramas. The Korean trainees will be the evil guys and the Japanese trainees will be made to look like the determined, hard working girls who stuck to their goal and finally got the long-awaited debut stage like tada~ hard work achieves all~... something like that. I hope our trainees aren't hurt in the process.

2. [+186, -11] When Miyawaki earned an A, the facial expressions of the Korean trainees was exactly my face ㅋ I thought even a B was being generous but she argued her way into an A, just so obvious ㅋ

3. [+17, -1] I have a feeling she's tired of that type of life. She's already reached all the fame she could get, why would she want to stay and shake hands and do aegyo with fans who are 20 years older than her? And AKB48's popularity isn't what it used to be in Japan anymore, they're on the decline actually. There's just too big of a gap compared to Korean idols who are continuing to expand the market with their skills and visuals. Japanese idols live such a different life with their childish dances, election votes, and handshake events.

4. [+15, -0] I think Lee Seung Gi was right when he said that the Korean trainees were a lot stronger skill-wise but that they would struggle to find their own charm once they debuted... whereas the Japanese idols had a lot of charm on their own already but lacked in the skills department. You honestly can't survive the industry with just talent in singing or dancing alone.

5. [+15, -3] I don't expect things to change. She's going to learn all she can in Korea, work, make all the money she needs, say thanks, and then leave for Japan in about 5 years and whine about Koreans are this or that on TV and how it was sooo hard for her.

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Source: Naver

1. [+464, -168] She must be all-inning on her 'Produce 48' debut... cool of her

2. [+240, -23] She's really sharpening her knives for this debut... I'm sure she's realized what a frog in a pond her career in Japan was compared to the scale in Korea. I hope she works hard and succeeds... but the wall to climb in Korea is much higher.

3. [+120, -11] She's probably realized that she was a frog in the pond in Japan with their local town talent show type performances compared to Korea. I'm sure it feels gross to think that they were competing against each other so hard over such little skill.

4. [+85, -13] Sounds like she's going to all-in on 'Produce 48' and her new group debut

5. [+39, -5] She only said she's not participating in the elections, not that she's retiring from the Japanese industry for good. Why would she all-in on 'Produce 48' when the Japanese music market is better? Even in her interviews, it's clear that she cares more about her Japanese team ㅋㅋ

6. [+27, -3] The fact that she's not participating in AKB elections must mean that she's been doing well in the 'Produce 48' episodes that haven't been broadcast yet, no..? She obviously knows that there's something to trust in this which is why she's backing out

7. [+19, -0] Sounds like she was assured a debut in 'Produce 48' if she's talking like this

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