![\"SDN48\"](\"http:\/\/www.darkmirage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/14_sdn1.jpg\")
\nSDN48 posing in front of the Merlion, Singapore’s manufactured tourism symbol<\/p>\n
\nSDN48 posing in front of the Merlion, Singapore’s manufactured tourism symbol<\/p>\n
I caught SDN48<\/strong> live performing in Singapore at Scape<\/a> last Friday. I was going to wait for the official concert photos to be distributed to the blogosphere before I write about it, but the PR minions are taking forever and my recollection of the event is growing faint as the curse of old age silently obliterates my memory.<\/p>\n So yeah, this is what I think. I’ll just add in photos later if they ever show up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SDN48<\/a>, or Saturday Night 48<\/strong>, is AKB48<\/a>‘s more “adult” sister group. It is the most recent entry in AKB48’s growing idol empire and the only group of the four that is not regional-based. SDN48 members are generally in their 20s and older than the members of the other three groups, with some of them being former AKB48 members.<\/p>\n AKB48 is really the only group with any significant overseas fan-base, so it was rather surprising for SDN48 to hold a live in Singapore. After all, AKB48 itself belongs to a small niche outside of Japan, while SDN48 remains a niche even within Japan. Last Friday’s live was actually SDN48’s first ever overseas performance.<\/p>\n The performance was actually rather enjoyable, despite my near-complete ignorance of everything AKB48 and its spin-offs. The songs are standard pop fare, but faster paced, more rhythmic and with more dance beats<\/a> than most of what I’ve heard from AKB48.<\/p>\n Being the so-called “adult” version idol group, SDN48’s music videos and stage presentations are slightly more risqu\u00c3\u00a9 than what J-Pop idol groups like Morning Musume<\/a> usually go for (e.g. soap-bubble bath<\/a>, revealing costumes and implied lesbianism) but nothing that will incite pitchforks and angry mobs. Might be kind of pseudo-provocative thirty years ago.<\/p>\n That said, one of SDN48’s numbers last Friday had a dance routine that included sexy corsets, stockings with garterbelts and — wait for it — three pairs of black panties being thrown into the audience. I’m guessing you wouldn’t see that at an AKB48 concert. Heh.<\/p>\n The interesting part for me was that, of the twelve SDN48 members sent to perform in Singapore, there were Chen Qu<\/a>, a native of Shenyang, China, and Sayaka Kondo<\/a>, who grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Between the two of them, they had both English and Mandarin Chinese — the two main languages spoken in Singapore — covered. Heck, SDN48 has a main single whose title is partially Korean (Ai, Chuseyo<\/a>) and one of their other songs has Chen Qu doing verses in Chinese. Talk about market research.<\/p>\n It’s quite clear that the whole 48 franchise is just raring to make it big in the international (ala East Asian) market and a lot of groundwork is being done by the producers attempting to pull it off. SDN48’s dance routines and presentation styles are noticeably influenced by the current tide of Korean pop<\/a> dominating the market, which in turn draws on international and Western influences more than past Japanese idol groups. Yasushi Akimoto<\/a> has definitely been taking notes and learning from Japan’s past successes and recent failures.<\/p>\n Still, the inclusion of two Chinese members<\/a> did not save Morning Musume from its free-falling descent into obscurity and niche-dom, and I think it’s still too early to tell if AKB48 and its sister groups can successfully become J-Pop’s new messiah and growth engine in the international market, a position that has been unfilled since Ayumi Hamasaki.<\/p>\n I estimated about 800-1000 seats in AKB48’s permanent live venue in Singapore. At 50 SGD a pop, that’s $50,000 per gig at the maximum, which is probably barely enough to pay for return Business class tickets from Japan for 12-16 girls and their entourage of manager(s) and make-up artist(s). Yasushi Akimoto is definitely investing for the long-term here.<\/p>\n Frankly, now I am thinking of catching one of the upcoming AKB48 lives in Singapore, purely out of academic curiosity. This could be (pop culture) history in the making.<\/p>\n Oh, one more thing: I am kind of<\/em> obligated to inform you that Animax Asia<\/strong> is holding a contest called “AKB48 Watch & Win”<\/a> to give out AKB48 Singapore live tickets, merchandises and meet & greet opportunities. From now until 26 August, a name of an AKB48 member will be shown on Animax between 8pm to 12am everyday from Mondays to Fridays. You have to submit the correct name to the official site<\/a> to enter the lucky draw.<\/p>\n Kids, this is what happens when you sell your soul.<\/p>\n P.S. I still think Momusu was better in its heydays. D:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SDN48 posing in front of the Merlion, Singapore’s manufactured tourism symbol I caught SDN48 live performing in Singapore at Scape last Friday. I was going to wait for the official concert photos to be distributed to the blogosphere before I … Continue reading ![\"SDN48\"](\"http:\/\/www.darkmirage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/14_sdn3.jpg\")
\nSDN48 posing in Orchard Road<\/a>, Singapore’s take on Venice’s Grand Canal<\/p>\n![\"SDN48\"](\"http:\/\/www.darkmirage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/14_sdn2.jpg\")
\nSDN48 members who performed last Friday<\/p>\n![\"SDN48\"](\"http:\/\/www.darkmirage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/14_sdn4.jpg\")
\nThe Caucasian guy is a metaphor for the overseas market<\/p>\n