1
If I hadn't gotten into BNK,
I would be in a tutoring school now.
I would definitely be
in front of a computer,
listening to a tutor.
That's for sure.
If I weren't part of BNK...
I would just be a normal girl
who would be going about her day,
doing as she pleases.
Just doing nothing.
If I didn't get in, I would just give up.
I would just continue with baking
or focus on graduating.
I haven't done any auditions,
for singing and such,
in about two years.
I had already put it off.
I called it quits.
Auditioning for BNK
was like starting all over again.
Before, I was just a silly kid,
living as if this world were a fairy tale.
Everything was pretty.
Everything was pink.
But, once I got in,
I had to focus on reality.
Because,
if I was still in this fairy tale world,
I might bite my tongue.
Something like that.
Why did you audition for BNK?
Because my mom forced me to.
Well,
a scout from a modeling agency
came to my university
and gave me a brochure.
I didn't think of auditioning
because I couldn't sing or dance.
They called it an audition.
So I thought,
why should I go embarrass myself
if I didn't have the skills?
My mother
told me
I could be a piano teacher when I'm older.
But for BNK,
I couldn't join if I got any older.
So, I decided to do this first because,
if I didn't do it now, I don't know
when I would get the chance to.
It's like a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
Honestly, during the audition...
When I saw the announcement,
I was like...
"Where's BNK from?"
BNK's concept is from Japan.
I was already a fan of anime
and Japanese stuff,
so I just went for it.
I'm an AKB48 fan.
That's it.
Their songs are good, too.
Then, I did some research,
I watched their videos.
I really liked the concept.
I found out their concept is
"the girl next door."
Their fans said that AKB members,
at first, weren't perfect.
Then, I realized this could be my path.
BNK48 IS A SISTER BAND OF AKB48 FROM JAPAN
FIRST NATIONWIDE AUDITIONS
ON SEPTEMBER 2016
RECRUITS ARE GIRLS AGED 12-22
WHO ASPIRE TO SING, DANCE, AND PERFORM
ASPIRATIONS
This is what you were born for, right?
Kind of.
If it wasn't,
I wouldn't have made it this far.
I must thank my mom.
She had me dancing since kindergarten.
I've always been on stage.
I have a bad memory,
so I kept copying my friends.
All I knew was that
I wanted to be on stage.
I didn't think much at all.
I wanted to dance.
I wanted to wear beautiful outfits.
I wanted to do things
with a group of friends.
I wanted us to go places together.
Honestly, I like things that are...
Because I watched videos
and felt that everything is
glittery, sparkly, and shiny.
I also like their songs,
their dance moves,
and their style.
Seriously,
it's kind of like a dream, right?
Many people want to be a part of it,
including my friends.
Yes.
I was so committed that my mom
made a dance studio at home.
It's not just my dream.
It's also my family's dream.
My mom went
and consulted a fortune-teller.
Once he saw my picture,
he said
I would become
a star.
My mom had always believed
I would become a celebrity one day.
It's the same for me.
I also have to carry my mom's dream.
At that time,
we were BNK's first generation.
We didn't know what BNK wanted from us.
What did we have to do
to impress them and have them accept us?
I had some basic singing skills.
But dancing...
I couldn't dance at all.
It's like...
At the time, I thought I was just...
a kid.
A very average kid.
AVERAGE PERSON
Just...
someone who only studied.
I don't think I'm perfect in any way.
I'm not as good a student as Cherprang.
I don't dance as well as Pun.
I don't sing as well as Jib or Tarwaan.
I'm not really perfect at anything.
I felt that,
although I couldn't dance well,
I could make it if I worked hard.
Nothing.
I don't work very hard.
That goes against the band's concept.
Right.
SOME DETERMINATION
About BNK,
what's the definition?
We focus on perseverance.
Well, what the heck should I do?
The only reason is that I really like it.
At first,
I didn't like the entertainment industry,
but I liked BNK.
I liked AKB.
So, I decided to dive in
just because I like it.
I gave it a lot of thought.
My dad told me to think it through.
Studying is easier.
Work is tiring.
The contract is for six years.
Gosh.
I have to do this for six years, really?
SIX-YEAR CONTRAC Six years. I was stunned for 20 seconds.
In six years, I could finish
my Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
I don't think I will be able to now.
I keep dropping out of my courses.
I'm still on leave from school.
I'm working on
my General Educational Development,
but I don't have time
to attend the classes.
I have to work.
I don't even have much time to sleep.
I decided to put my studies on hold.
At the time,
I had a boyfriend before joining the band.
DATING IS PROHIBITED
The way I saw it,
this was an opportunity
that only a few get to have.
I didn't want to throw it away.
I would give it my best shot.
I got this opportunity,
so I wanted to give it my all.
I decided
to break up with my boyfriend.
When we actually broke up,
I cried so much.
I cried a lot.
It's hard to say because I felt that
I sacrificed too much for BNK.
I didn't have a plan B.
But I was sure this band
would be with me for a long time.
It was worth a shot.
Number 35.
Move a little to the right, please.
A little more.
-That's cute!
-One, two, three.
THE FINALISTS
KAEW, PUN, JIB,
CHERPRANG, PUPE, NAMSAI,
JA, PIAM, KAIMOOK,
NAMNEUNG, CAN, KIDCAT,
JAN, MIND, NEOY, MIORI,
TARWAAN, MESA, KORN,
MOBILE, SATCHAN, CINCIN,
NAMHOM, IZURINA, MUSIC,
JENNIS, KATE, NINK, ORN
Right now,
the BNK members are my closest friends.
I hardly have any friends outside of BNK.
I'm not even that close
with my university friends.
That's because we hang out a lot
and we have gone through a lot together.
That's right.
When I first joined,
since we all came
from different backgrounds,
I had no clue what they were like.
Would they like me?
But, after a while,
slowly but surely,
I really got to know everybody.
I grew to like them more.
I wanted to protect them.
I didn't want to leave the group
because I wanted to protect my members.
I wanted to hang out with them.
It's like...
friends in the group.
I felt that
the members
are people who seem...
How would you say it? Suitable.
It's like the members act their age.
But nobody is competing
to be seen as older.
Right. Because there are those
who are...
kind of like me.
Not just one,
but many.
A lot of people have the same interests.
I'm very happy
to have friends with common interests.
In the beginning,
I got to know them a few at a time.
After rehearsals,
we would go out for dinner together.
At the studio,
I got to know more members.
Then, we would get dinner together
or go hang out on other days.
Invite each other
to go on trips to other provinces.
We had already bonded.
Hello!
Milin.
Milin.
Milin.
I'm not close with anybody at all,
actually.
The members, are they like close friends
-or are they like coworkers?
-They're like my sisters.
The members are like my coworkers
and my sisters.
Sometimes, when working...
We're not close to everyone we work with,
but we can talk.
It's like, when something happens,
when there's an issue,
I may favor someone.
But I feel that I can't play favorites
because I have to be neutral.
I have to be fair to some extent
when making a decision.
There are duties
and there are emotions.
It happens to everyone all the time.
Because you're the band's captain?
That too.
I only want the best outcome.
Sometimes, I have to force them.
But I also understand how they feel.
As for being close, it depends.
We aren't all best friends
and we can't be together all the time.
But we can work together, be together,
and enjoy things together.
Always.
After signing on
and doing the photo shoot,
they gave us five days off
before training started.
At the time,
when I joined AKB48,
I was busy every day.
Dance rehearsal starts early, at 9 a.m.
Some days, it starts at 8 a.m.
Eight to nine hours of training a day.
I was so exhausted.
It's like military training.
We had to work out
to strengthen our bodies.
I was very tired.
It was like that sometimes.
In the beginning,
some people just...
"Wow.
Jeez.
Like that, really?"
After we joined BNK,
people sometimes said things like,
"Thais aren't capable."
So, I really wanted us to be in top form,
even though we had very little time.
Come. Twist your waist. Right kick. Good.
I used to dance hip hop,
so I didn't have to smile much.
I only needed to look cool and fierce.
Now, I have to smile all the time.
"I'm glad to meet you."
I felt a bit weirded out at first.
It's creepy.
When singing,
Daisuki da!
I have to wink like this. I just felt...
very embarrassed. I didn't dare do it.
To get it right, I had to twist my hip.
But I couldn't. I was too embarrassed.
I had never done that.
It's weird to see myself in the mirror.
Because I did hip hop before.
But after practicing every day...
"Fine, I'll do it."
It will make me look better.
When rehearsing Thai lyrics,
trying to memorize them...
They were like chants.
I practiced at home.
Even though it will be sad
Maybe there will be sorrow
Please know that
You still have all of us here
I wrote it in karaoke style
and memorized it.
A lot of ways. Listening and memorizing.
Reading and memorizing.
There's no room for impossibility.
We must make it happen.
I like to dance because it's enjoyable.
It's cute. It's easy.
Music makes me happy.
But when I have to work out
and build my muscles,
I don't find it fun anymore.
They want us to have six-packs.
Well...
I thought that was too much. What for?
But I must do what they say
and work on my six-pack with everyone.
Stretch.
Stretch.
Like this.
This is...
They said this is thigh reduction.
Well...
I was like...
Some of the members were like,
"Screw it.
Do what you can. Whatever."
But, I thought,
how could we?
When we're on stage,
people will criticize us.
But not because
we didn't practice enough.
They won't blame the label
or the instructors.
They'll criticize us for not
being in sync with each other.
-Group 3, get on the stage.
-Okay.
Group 3, get on the stage.
Group 3, on the stage.
Everyone, come stand
in front of the stage.
-Is Cherprang even with Pun?
-The middle looks good.
-Separate left and right.
-Up.
The people in the center,
don't stand over each other.
Let's continue.
Stand straight.
It is difficult because we have to
practice all the time. It never stops.
I can't even tell if it's good or not.
Is it good enough yet?
Sometimes, it's quite tiring.
Sometimes, we got scolded too.
I thought I did my best,
but it still wasn't good enough for them.
That's the tough part.
Why does she always hide behind others?
-Kaimook, change your position.
-Also,
there was the pressure,
wondering which 16 members
would be chosen.
We wondered who would get a chance.
The Senbatsu of BNK48.
Each single has 16 members.
They will be the main people.
It's like they're the main players
in a football match.
Senbatsu members get to perform,
and are also promoted on the cover.
They get photo shoots
and have more media coverage.
All 16 members of the Senbatsu
will be hired as presenters.
They get more opportunities
while promoting that single.
This system
is not always definite.
It's not that once you're selected,
you'll always make the team.
They change every three months.
It will change continuously.
So, everybody has a chance
to become a Senbatsu.
If you try and gain popularity...
There are some cases,
when choosing presenters,
the clients will see
if the band has gained popularity.
People will see who are the top members.
That means
more money and more experience.
We're more popular.
It's a fact. It's the truth.
Basically, wherever we go, people know us.
More opportunities.
More modeling gigs and other work.
They will come all at once.
I don't want to disappoint my parents.
I already made it.
I have to show them that I've improved.
I have to make them proud
that I got picked.
"Oh, she was picked to be a Senbatsu.
That's good, right?"
If I didn't make it,
I wouldn't know how to face my dad.
How would I tell my dad?
It's so hard to get his approval.
If I didn't make it,
I would feel like such a failure.
I want my family to be happy
to see me as one of the 16 members.
I want them to see that
I worked hard to be a part of BNK.
I want to be an artist
and I won't stop at where I am.
I will give it my all. I will do my best.
I have to be in BNK.
I have to be a good center.
Were you stressed,
thinking about whether or not
you would be chosen?
Of course. Because there are 30 people.
Everyone...
Even though we're friends,
we're also competitors, you know?
What did you have to adjust to the most,
aside from singing and dancing?
Maybe my relationships
with the band members.
Because we're both friends
and competitors.
It's undeniable.
Maybe we compete with ourselves,
but in the end, the thing we all hope for
is to have the highest position,
the center.
People say, "Just compete with yourself."
But outsiders wouldn't understand.
It's a competition among the members.
It's a bit dark.
I want everyone to see my determination.
If you choose me,
you won't be disappointed.
I won't let you down.
When I first joined, my goal...
Actually, everyone's goal...
is to be the center.
I think it's everyone's goal.
We love each other.
We love each other as members,
but deep down,
we're still competing for the same thing.
We want to make our fans proud.
So, we have to reach the highest position
at least once.
Everybody wants to be the center
of the main single at least once.
We want to be named the center
of a song at least once.
It's not easy to become an artist
or a celebrity.
I was once an extra.
I got to act a little bit.
But, really...
I was a nobody.
And being a nobody is scary.
It's scary for me.
PHOTO OF ORN ON SET AS AN EXTRA
Well,
when I was an extra,
I wondered why the stars
arrived so late,
but the extras had to arrive so early.
So, I asked why.
I was told to just do my job as an extra.
The stars are the main people.
I just walk around.
There was no need to think much.
So, I...
"Oh, I thought I was...
Extras are actors, too."
I only thought to myself.
I didn't dare say it out loud.
Being...
Being a nobody, it's scary.
It's scary, for me.
Not being remembered
is scary. So, I think
being a star is my dream.
I've kept it deep in my heart
since I was a kid.
I don't know what they use to decide,
so I have to do my best in everything.
During rehearsals,
I have to give it my all.
I can't show them that I'm tired.
I won't let them see
that I can't continue anymore.
I try to do that all the time.
Developing myself all the time.
I will do it just like that,
just in case those are the things
they use in their decision making.
Actually, Mr. Jobs told us the criteria.
First, is the number of likes. Second,
is the singing and dancing skills,
and appropriateness.
BNK48 MEMBER PAGES LAUNCH
FINALLY, AFTER WAITING,
THE SELECTION RESULTS.
AFTER A LONG TIME IN THE AUDITIONS,
THE FIRST 29 MEMBERS
ARE OFFICIALLY REVEALED
TO THE PUBLIC AND THE FANS.
We're not a band that's really famous.
Being on social media
is what attracts more people to follow.
We have to admit
that it helps push the band further.
We weren't in the media that much.
They used that to measure our popularity.
They first looked at the number
of Instagram and Facebook followers.
They would count them like that.
It was the main thing
for measuring popularity.
They looked at our Instagram
and Facebook followers separately.
They would separate it like,
"Instagram. How many? Facebook. How many?"
They did it like that.
I felt strangely pressured.
I was weirdly stressed out. It was like...
It was like...
all of a sudden, there's something
making us compete with our friends.
It wasn't as if they actually forced us,
but we saw actual figures.
It's like something kept chasing us.
So, I was quite stressed out
in the beginning.
Which 16 members
would be chosen as the Senbatsu?
We would guess which girls
were going to be selected.
"This girl, definitely."
"Who would make up the 16 besides me?"
We would gossip about
who would get picked and who wouldn't.
Back then, we were clueless.
We knew that Cher would get picked
because she's the captain.
That's all we knew.
1. CHERPRANG
Yes. It's a part of our job.
I consider social media as a part of work.
It's a way to reach out to our fans.
I'm always careful with posting,
deleting, searching the Internet,
and outsourcing.
I check everything. All of it.
I always check the inside information
and the reach statistics.
I check it all.
I know why I have to post every day.
And...
Music would be chosen for sure.
She looks Japanese.
3. MUSIC
Once I saw hers,
I realized I had to create
my own character.
We have to have a selling point.
We need to be unique.
If we just stay still,
we won't be noticed.
Creating a character
is quite challenging, too.
Because,
in the beginning, they tried to tell us
we're the sister band of AKB.
We had to act a certain way.
Maybe we all overthought it.
We thought we had to be like them.
Cute, innocent, and sweet.
At first, I noticed that everyone tried
so hard to be cute.
It took me over half an hour
to come up with a caption.
We made drafts
and went to do something else.
Nothing came to us.
It was like writer's block.
We had to let it go and come back later.
I remember that
I wanted to post something at 7 or 8 a.m.,
but I couldn't come up with a caption.
I let it sit all day.
I didn't post it until 8 p.m.
Seriously! I couldn't think of anything.
I really spent a lot of time.
At first, I wasn't able to adjust.
I wasn't used to it yet.
So,
I just wrote whatever I wanted.
I edited some words.
When I wasn't sure,
I checked out Cher's posts
because she seems to know
what she's doing.
She always knows what to post.
She would say something like,
"Today, I tried this!"
Something like that.
I wondered, "She ate that? And?"
You have to do it like this?
With my old Instagram account,
I rarely posted anything,
and the caption was just an emoji.
Sometimes it didn't have a caption.
Now,
I guess we have to put in a lot of effort.
So, I went all out.
I wrote on forever.
"I took four photos today,
but I'm not sure which one
you would like."
Like that.
5. PUN
Before the debut,
my fans only saw my photos.
And my captions were all very cute
and sweet.
When I was in front of cameras,
I acted all girly.
16. KAEW
Actually,
I think...
I'm not...
a cute kind of girl.
I don't do well with being cute.
And I don't like being cute.
If you ask me to meow like a kitty,
I won't do it.
It just looks too adorable.
I don't like it.
My friends call me
a "cute item."
Four, five, six.
I practically bought a whole new wardrobe
after joining BNK48.
I had never dressed all cute.
But, I like it a lot.
Once you join BNK48,
they would need you to do it.
So, I was like, "Okay. This is me, then."
4. KAIMOOK
Like, what is this called?
Well, they are important,
singing and dancing.
But the popular members, they have...
aliases.
It's the thing that will help
other people remember them.
Using this word will make you
think about this person's face.
I don't have that yet.
ORN THE OONG
I want to eat noodles, now!
Slap?
SATCHAN THE SISTER
I have 2,000 followers!
-What?
-What? For real?
-What?
-I envy you.
I'll get rid of you.
2. SATCHAN
I didn't side with myself. But...
if I were chosen,
I would probably be one of the last ones.
Because some people were trailblazers.
Like Piam,
"G Fiery Rose."
Some influencer's page poked fun at me.
NONGG'S PAGE
300,000 LIKES
Yes. At the time, my popularity shot up.
It skyrocketed.
TEAM PIAM. OUT OF THE WAY, PRETTY GIRLS.
How did that make you feel?
That I would be chosen for sure.
Hands down.
6. PIAM
In the band,
it's competitive all the time.
Not updating means
no increase in popularity.
And we can't let that fall.
We have to keep increasing it
in our own way.
I was confident I would be picked
for the first single.
I was positive that
I would be one
of the 16 members, for sure.
Because my popularity was high.
So, I thought, no matter what,
I would get it.
My weak point was the size of my fanbase.
Therefore,
I didn't expect much at all.
Before the announcement,
we were listing names.
Like who would most likely be
the chosen 16.
I had little hope
that I would be on that list.
Half of the members
were...
below me.
UNDERS: NAMNEUNG
At first, I was confused about
what character I should use.
During the debut,
nobody talked about me.
I thought that
I might not be the type people like.
All over the world,
if you say the word "idol,"
people will think of cute girls
who dance and sing.
But in AKB, even if you
don't have a cute character,
if you are funny,
you can be part of the Senbatsu.
Though, the reason
we all acted cute was that,
when we debuted,
the ranks of the cute girls
were very high.
The people who came out...
Their first impressions
came from our looks.
We expected the skillful ones
to make it to the top.
But they didn't
because they weren't cute enough.
UNDERS: CAN
At first, I was only focused on
learning to dance and sing.
I later realized
that I needed to have a character
because it's more important
than dancing and singing well.
Working hard is not enough.
We have to put ourselves out there.
It's hard to say.
Everyone works hard.
But not everybody
would be seen on the stage.
One time,
my mom saw me stressing out. She said...
I can say it now, right?
She asked if I wanted to buy followers.
My mom asked me, "Do you want to?"
PRICE FOR BUYING FOLLOWERS
I said, "I don't want to."
1,000 FOLLOWERS: 250 BAH It's not fair. It's not okay.
I'll just be myself.
I'll use my true abilities
to gain popularity.
That's better than buying followers.
So I didn't.
It doesn't only depend on ourselves.
We should be better than this.
We should know who we are, too.
It's just...
UNDERS: MIND
Gosh!
My head hurts.
UNDERS
There's something my dad told me.
If I wasn't selected
for the "Aitakatta" single,
I had to quit.
It was...
the first time I cried very hard.
So hard.
Nobody had ever seen me
cry that hard before.
If I wasn't chosen,
I have to accept it.
Tell me about the announcement day.
That morning,
nobody knew they were
going to announce it.
So then,
we saw all the executives
show up in suits.
All right, then.
We watched them walk out like this
with their suits, looking professional.
"Okay. Announce it."
They...
had us go up one at a time.
We had to share our feelings.
I didn't know what to say.
Because
I went up after many people.
They said all their feelings already.
All of them were touching and sentimental.
"I'm not an over-achiever."
"The instructors scolded me."
"I tried hard."
"I trained hard."
"I did this and that."
"I have to thank BNK
and the executives for getting me here."
I was troubled.
I didn't know what to say.
Actually, I'm exhausted.
Six people were called at a time
to go up the stage.
And...
Mr. Jobs was the emcee.
At that time...
"One by one?"
I thought they called up six people.
"All six of these people got in?"
No.
They announced the results on the spot.
I was like, "Why is it so complicated?"
Just sitting there was nerve-wracking.
We still had to wait for the results.
They shot you down one by one?
Yes! One by one.
They called us and gave comments,
that we're like this and we're like that.
They gave us lots of compliments
and then said sorry.
I think my set was the climax.
When they called us up...
I saw who else was with me
and I thought I would get it.
I thought some might not make it.
"This person, probably not.
This person, there's a 50-50 chance.
Maybe not that one.
Probably this one."
"All six of you didn't make it. Sorry."
-I was like...
-All of you didn't make it.
All six of us didn't make it!
I totally lost it.
"All six. Not qualified?"
I looked around. Six people.
Six people.
I wasn't chosen.
I cried.
I cried very hard.
Nobody cried as hard as I did.
Why did I cry that hard?
I was happy to be selected.
Or else I wouldn't be here today.
When the others got up,
I totally spaced out.
"What?"
I was like...
"What?
What? There must be a mistake.
There had to have been a mistake."
That's all I thought.
But they announced
all of the selected 16 members.
Why?
6. PIAM, 7. PUPE, 13. NINK, 15. MAYSA
6. NOEY, 7. NAMNEUNG, 13. NAMHOM, 15. CAN
Everybody was shocked.
We thought Pupe would make it.
But,
there are only 16 spots.
It's not enough for 30 members.
Sixteen members seem like a lot
for people who are looking in
from the outside.
With 16 people,
how do you split the singing parts?
But knowing that BNK
has 30 members,
we felt like 16 people
was just half of us.
When I found out I didn't get in,
I called my mom.
"Mom, I didn't get into the first single."
I wanted to cry.
I didn't get to do the first single.
She asked if I was okay
with staying in.
I once fell off my bike
when I was riding down a slope.
I sat there crying.
But then, I realized no one could hear me.
I had to get back up
and go home on my own.
It took me a while when I was a kid.
That was when I realized that...
So what if it hurts?
You still have to carry on.
I have to find a way
to get back home to my mom.
If I just sit around,
nobody is going to hear me cry.
I had to get up and walk home.
I was still sobbing, but it got better.
I was done with crying.
I realized crying is not a solution.
We have to admit that
life is about competing.
Before,
I didn't like competing.
Even now, I still don't.
I used to think that
we didn't have to compete with each other.
We're all friends.
But after joining this,
I realized that the whole world...
is involved in some type of competition.
And...
the fact that
we have to
accept reality.
Like...
the Senbatsu results.
We have to accept it.
It's a competition.
It's about surviving each day.
It's like...
we have to compete.
It's human nature.
There's a lot of conflict in the group.
BNK48 has a lot of tension within itself.
At times, we're a united front.
But we're always competing.
It's...
It's very brutal.
It's...
It's...
It's like that.
We have to slaughter our friends.
UNDERS: PUPE, MOBILE, IZURINA, KORN, JIB,
PIAM, NAMSAI, MILD, NINK, KATE, MAYSA
STILL NOT SELECTED FOR SENBATSU
After the announcement,
we went back to rehearsals.
"Senbatsu, come rehearse.
Rehearsals for this."
The rehearsals were in groups.
And the unders came to warm up.
Then, they just sat around for three hours
because they didn't have any gigs.
Before announcing
the Senbatsu for "Aitakatta,"
I got as many gigs as the others.
We all had equal status.
Finding out that I was an under
for the single...
It was really difficult.
I wondered...
"Why bring the rest of us in?"
They had us come sit and watch. For what?
It was like...
They kept rehearsing and ignored
the rest of us sitting in the back.
We...
We all just...
felt like failures.
If we weren't going to rehearse,
why bring us in?
We didn't get to do anything.
I felt like, there would be times
where we were in different worlds,
the Senbatsu and unders.
Because we hardly talked,
hung out, or even saw each other.
There would be times like that.
I felt like
it was quite cruel.
It made my relationships
with some of the members
much worse.
From being close,
we grew more and more distant.
There was so much pressure at one point.
And...
Actually, when I hung out with Music,
I wondered
if I deserved to be with her.
I felt that
there had to be
some sort of discrimination.
Because some members
are more popular than others.
But,
I'm not very popular. And sometimes,
I don't like it when people say that
I take advantage
of other members' popularity.
I feel like,
because they're more popular,
do I deserve to be their friend?
When I was the last one,
as I said,
I didn't know what to feel.
I felt uncomfortable.
Did I care?
Honestly, at that time,
I didn't know whether
I could reach a higher position.
I might be the last one forever.
So, I said,
if I don't make it into the Senbatsu...
Well, then...
I would lose opportunities
for media coverage.
If you want to really be on top,
it's all up to your determination.
"Will they do it?"
I think I deserve to be a Senbatsu.
I'm not giving up.
I will do whatever it takes
to show that I deserve to be up there.
What should I do?
How long will I survive in this band?
PIAM FROM BNK48: WHY DO I HARDLY SEE HER
AT CONCERTS? IS SHE STUDYING?
DOES PIAM HAVE ANY FANS
WHO LIKE HER THE MOST?
WHO LIKES PUPE FROM BNK48?
I DON'T LIKE PUPE FROM BNK48
Well, I wasn't a Senbatsu at first.
Everyone overtook my popularity.
I had to find out what people liked
and I had to do it.
I would do whatever anyone suggested,
no matter how small it was.
I did it all.
Am I being myself?
I'm always myself.
Some people said to me,
"You have to be like this",
"This is better",
"Like this", "Is that better?",
"If you are like this,
people will like you more."
Then,
I made up a new character
who's intense.
But, that's not me.
Hold on. Where did you get that?
It's like you got an app
and got a new character.
Who told you to do that?
My fans.
I LIKE THE RESTING BITCH FACE CHARACTER
INTENSITY PLUS THE ACCEN I changed my makeup, my hair,
my style, and the way I dressed.
I tried being a sweet girl.
BEAUTIFUL!
THIS IS THE PERFECT LOOK FOR YOU.
Well,
the fans seemed to like this character,
which surprised me.
Then, I tried
to make this character stand out.
I tried to make it unique.
But, this became
an annoyance
to another group of fans.
I PREFERRED YOUR OLD CHARACTER
BEFORE THIS NEW ONE.
I LIKE PUPE LESS NOW.
I THINK PUPE SHOULD LOOK ANGRY
AND EASILY IRRITATED.
It's just like...
"Why are they so whiny?"
When I saw the feedback,
I was like, "What?"
The sweet girl look...
Choosing the dress alone took me hours.
PICTURE FROM FAN MEETING
THIS LOOK IS CUTE.
I feel like...
Is it really me?
I've never dressed like that.
Would it fit me?
I wasn't very confident.
Hi.
Touching Pupe's back!
What happened to the old Pupe?
The cute, adorable,
innocent, and charming one.
Where is she now?
I kept wondering...
What do I have to do
to please everyone?
But,
when I tried to...
Forget it.
I had to force it. It just wasn't me.
I couldn't take it.
"What is this? Is this really me?"
Because...
sometimes I think I am a boy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE.
THIS PICTURE IS CUTE, BUT DON'T TEASE ME.
Are you a tomboy?
I used to be.
-Really?
-Yes.
I was before joining the band.
I started to think...
"Who was I trying to be?"
It's...
Truthfully, I think
our true selves
cannot be faked for very long.
In the end, your true self will show,
more or less.
Suppose you're doing a live session.
Eventually, people will notice
that you're actually a chatty person.
They'll eventually notice your true self.
-Hello!
-Hello!
-We are BNK48!
-BNK48!
At first, everyone was criticized.
No one was spared. Not even Cher.
We were all criticized.
"Why are you so fake?
Why were you acting like that?"
After a while,
we started to wonder...
"Are we really ourselves?
What we're doing every day,
is this really who we are?
How long do we have to be this person?"
One day, our instructor asked
why I looked unhappy.
I told her I was okay, I was smiling.
She said I still looked unhappy
because I was stressed.
All my life, I've never tried
to please anyone.
Only myself.
Not even my parents.
Not even my friends.
No one.
So, why did I have to please these people?
I read my old posts and felt like...
"What the heck?"
Why did I have to post
all those nice words
when I really didn't want to?
I was totally not being myself.
We looked back at our old posts,
and we all felt the same.
No matter how hard we tried
to be what the majority likes,
there will always be another group
who disagrees.
So, it doesn't make a difference.
Then, we thought,
if we're ourselves,
will people still like us?
Everyone started to try.
I just did whatever. Be myself.
Enough of that cutesy stuff.
Screw it.
Stop thinking so much.
They can say whatever they want.
Fine. I'll be
who I really am.
I won't act differently on or off camera.
I'll act the same.
I won't make things up.
If I have bad thoughts, I'll say it.
But if I say something nice,
I'll really mean it.
So...
Pun wrote in my birthday card that
I'm the same person, on and off camera.
I decided already,
that I won't...
I won't be two people.
I will always be myself.
-Hey.
-Why are you like this?
I told you, this is who I am.
-She's not a cutie.
-Yes.
I was forced to be a cutie.
Opened number 500 just a moment ago...
And about popularity...
I let go of it.
I think...
I couldn't do anything else to improve it.
If you like me,
you should like me for who I am.
That's better.
If I did something
that wasn't like myself,
to raise my popularity,
I wouldn't feel good about it.
What is the thing
that motivates you to keep going?
I was very discouraged that day.
It was like I wasn't going to do
anything anymore.
But that day,
those who didn't make it got together.
And Kate said,
"We have six years here,
are we never really going to make it once?
Are we not even going to try?"
It got me thinking...
"We have six years.
Are we never going to get picked?"
It motivated me to keep trying.
Well,
the truth is, I don't really care
if I will be popular.
I care more about
how involved I am with BNK every day.
I'm not interested in getting
everyone to like me.
I just want everyone to like BNK.
Yes.
I'm just having fun.
I use my interests to express myself.
I don't want to feel the pressure.
The more I become stressed,
the more I'll suffer.
Then, I won't perform well.
I'm not competing with anyone.
I'm only competing with myself.
Keep on rehearsing.
Keep rehearsing.
Singing or whatever.
I'll do whatever it takes.
If I do well, they'll see
that it's my time to shine.
Well...
I was hopeful for the second single.
I'll say that
Jan and I were the first to hear about it,
the first to know that
"Koisuru Fortune Cookie"
was the second single.
Because Jan and I went to Japan
to meet with Mr. Mark and Mr. Tom.
They let us listen to the song.
That is how we found out.
Koisuru Fortune Cookie
Let's find out what the fortune says
Who's going to listen
to this "cookie" thing?
I...
I didn't know what to think.
"Is it going to be a hit?"
If this song wasn't a hit,
I thought,
some people might graduate from the group.
That's what I thought.
If it wasn't a hit,
I would have to make other plans.
Because this
has taken up a lot of my time.
I would have to think about
what to do next
and what lies ahead for the record label.
I thought, if the song wasn't a hit,
the label would have a hard time.
The monthly expenses are very high.
Our salaries, the dorms,
the costumes,
and other miscellaneous things.
The label could not continue for long.
During the road show for "Aitakatta,"
not even 100 people showed up.
If the space was this big,
the crowd was this much.
So, it wasn't very crowded.
There was a lot of breathing room,
like an indie concert.
You know what?
At the start of the "Cookie" single,
it seemed like BNK48
was running out of funds.
We used to have professional
make-up artists.
Then we switched to
a different team
that was less expensive.
It's like we started cutting costs.
We were running out
of money.
We tried to save as much as possible.
We reduced our budget.
Before the "Cookie" single,
everybody felt very down.
We weren't sure how far the band could go.
Even our fans said
the group wouldn't go far.
"Give it two years."
I was like, wait a second.
SENBATSU ANNOUNCEMEN I should be selected
for the second single.
All the signs were in my favor.
I thought, this time,
I would definitely get picked.
For sure, 100 percent.
But during the announcement,
I was thinking there might be
a twisted ending like the first single.
1. JENNIS, 2. SATCHAN, 3. TARWAAN,
4. PUN, 5. KAEW,
6. NAMNEUNG, 7. ORN, 8. NOEY,
9. MIORI, 10. RINA, 11. PUPE,
12. JAN, 13. CHERPRANG, 14. KAIMOOK,
15. MUSIC, 16. MOBILE (CENTER)
How did it feel?
I was relieved. I made it. I'm happy.
Are you happy with the results?
A round of applause
for the Senbatsu and the new center!
A new single and a new center!
No more dancing.
"KOISURU FORTUNE COOKIE" PUT BNK48
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGH Onigiri
Onigiri
"KOISURU FORTUNE COOKIE" GO 100 MILLION VIEWS IN JUST A FEW MONTHS.
You don't know
That I'm secretly admiring you
It's like the total followers
on Instagram, right?
Facebook tells you
how many more followers you get each week.
After the first single launched,
I got 3,000 more.
-But after the "Cookie" single,
-This one.
-my followers increased by 10,000 more.
-Let her show something.
-Big cup.
-Wow.
-Less sugar.
-Wow.
-I'll have it here.
-Oh, my God.
We wore this rainbow costume
to many events.
We received many new opportunities.
It's like I'm drifting
Floating away with the music
After a slow start, it took off.
There were a lot of sudden changes.
I couldn't adjust in time.
There was a lot for us to get used to.
Like, why...
Why were people running after us?
Let the cookie predict our futures
Koisuru Fortune Cookie
Come and see
You might find hope that's still waiting
A musician friend of mine told me
that what I'm doing is really awesome.
Nothing like this has ever
happened in Thailand before.
Heart Fortune Cookie
AFTER ITS RELEASE,
"KOISURU FORTUNE COOKIE" WENT VIRAL.
You might find your heart in there
Love me, love me not
I'll try gambling and see again
Fate and a miracle might surprise us
I'm certain that we'll be like a dream
In a day of love
One day
Onigiri
Onigiri
Onigiri
That single was very successful.
How much did your life change?
Or was it the same as before?
I didn't really feel
any changes, except...
People recognize me
when I'm out and about.
So, now I have to wear more makeup.
I once went to a shop near my house
without any makeup,
and someone asked me
if I was Kaew from BNK.
I said no.
I was embarrassed.
-Really?
-Really.
I said, "I'm not."
I look at this year
and see it as the peak of my life,
since I've experienced
so many things while being in BNK.
Things that I never thought
I could experience.
Things that I never thought I would do.
This year
was a year that I learned a lot.
For me, I would call it a peak year.
It's the year that I overcame
many obstacles that I never thought
I would be able to.
So far, I've danced,
I've appeared on a magazine cover
and in a commercial...
One other thing I would like to try
is being on a TV series.
I want to challenge myself with something.
Something I haven't done before...
Well,
my rank has moved up.
I got more fans.
More people recognize me than before.
After being the center,
I got featured in almost
all the commercial gigs.
In everything.
The more work I got,
the more I had to improve myself.
After I joined BNK48,
I realized that I started when I was 20.
So, that means
I will spend my 20s,
just about
half of my 20s,
almost ten years,
all of it,
for the benefit of others.
Whether it be
for my family,
because I'm able to live on my own,
I can benefit other people.
I can be their motivation.
I can do things like that.
I can support the concepts I like.
I hope it will last for a long time
and benefit others even more.
I can.
It makes me happy with what I'm doing.
I got to improve myself,
work out, do stuff,
and experience new things.
I can do things like that.
You know...
When I think about it,
at least, in my 20s,
I've already done something beneficial.
I've definitely done something.
It's better than having done nothing.
It already makes me happy.
So, it's worth it.
UNDERS: JANE, KORN, JIB, PIAM,
NAMSAI, MIND, NINK, KATE, MAYSA
STILL NOT PICKED AS SENBATSU
It's good the song made the band
more mainstream,
even though
I wasn't part of the Senbatsu
for this single.
So,
I'm glad that the band is famous...
But there are times
when I'm with the Senbatsu girls
and we will be walking outside...
People will recognize only them.
One day, we went to an event.
People knew Kai and Mobile.
And then they turned to me...
"Who's this girl?"
I was like...
"Oh, who?
Who?"
I was baffled.
I told them, "I'm Nink."
And they were like, "Oh, yes! Nink."
Like that.
I don't think they actually knew me.
My school had an academic fair.
My friends asked me
to teach them the moves to "Cookie."
So, I taught them.
And a senior came up to me
and told me that I should audition
for BNK's 2nd generation.
You already were.
I was like,
"I'm already a member.
I'm a member."
Were you upset or anything?
Or did you just ignore the comments?
Was I upset? Of course.
Who wouldn't be?
I'm still at the bottom.
And it's like...
I knew I wouldn't make it
into the Senbatsu.
I always had a feeling that
I wouldn't make it
because I'm always in the bottom half.
Actually, I am...
quite sensitive about everything.
What should I do?
For example,
people suggested that I be more chatty.
Many people told me to.
It stressed me out.
How could I talk more?
I'm not a chatterbox.
They say we can be anything we want.
But, really, we can't.
Can you ask
Patcharapa Chaichua to be Araya Hargate?
Can you? No, you can't.
There are some things we can't do.
We just have to let it be.
What can I say?
I don't know how to say this.
I feel that
she has the abilities to be a Senbatsu
because I've seen her moves.
There's something she likes to say.
She told me...
Jib said
to not encourage her by saying,
"Don't give up."
Because it actually makes her feel worse.
At that time...
Hard work never hurts those who try
Some people would leave comments like,
"Hard work never hurts those who try.
But have you worked hard enough?"
What?
Everyone used to tell me
to keep trying until I succeed.
But I've never believed that
because I haven't seen
the results of my hard work.
Those who tell other people
that they haven't tried hard enough...
Have they ever tried it themselves?
When they ask,
"Have you tried hard enough?"
How much is enough for them?
Many unders' abilities
are better than the Senbatsu.
Even better than mine.
Jib sings better than me,
but her popularity isn't very high
because of many things.
So, she hasn't made it into the Senbatsu.
During rehearsals,
she always practices on her own,
even though she isn't a Senbatsu.
She isn't one, but she still dances.
She still rehearses, so I think
she's trying very hard.
But she has never made it
because of her popularity.
We were discussing
how they select the Senbatsu.
How did some girls get in,
but those who tried harder didn't?
They were more skilled,
but just not popular.
It doesn't make sense.
I just feel like...
Why am I in the rehearsals?
Why rehearse since I'll never make it?
Should I...
just graduate from the band?
GRADUATION - QUITTING THE BAND
4 MEMBERS HAVE GRADUATED
I was thinking...
Should I quit the band?
I'll never get anything from this anyway.
I...
I know how I look.
I know I don't look
as attractive as the other girls.
I...
I like to pressure myself.
I feel like...
I just...
don't see the point of being here.
You can do it!
Those who had already quit,
maybe they felt the same way I did.
They probably wondered
if they were really happy here.
Since we...
didn't get selected,
we didn't get any jobs or anything.
They might have felt that
quitting would make them happier.
Truthfully,
I'm not proud of being discouraged.
I think...
From the moment we're born,
don't we deserve to be happy?
It's true that we can't be happy
all throughout our lives.
We have to repay our bad karma.
But if it's possible, I want to be happy.
Something like that.
And from here, I will not be discouraged
I will walk toward my dreams
I will...
-Sorry.
-Keep singing.
The computer went to sleep.
You know...
The instructors know that Jib works hard.
But it's not just hard work
that will put you in the spotlight.
At the end of the day, popularity matters.
But it can be like Mobile's case,
where her popularity wasn't at the top,
but she was still chosen.
So,
all we can do is just pray
that they will choose us.
It's all about luck.
It's definitely about luck.
I know where I stand,
and I try to improve.
-That's why...
-It's sad, isn't it?
I think you're tough because
some other girls would have
graduated already.
I think the fact that you're still here
makes you a symbol of perseverance.
Really?
Because...
people say Cher
is a symbol of perseverance.
So, I'm like...
Stand up.
Get up.
Thank you.
I'm like...
I don't even want to log in
to Facebook anymore.
When I open Facebook,
I just see Cher everywhere.
I'm not annoyed with her,
but I see a lot of her.
Even the game that I play
has an avatar with her face.
I stopped playing that game for a while.
I said,
"That's enough. It's too much."
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
-Cherprang!
Yes, go!
Nowadays, I think that
the BNK48 fans are divided
into individual member fans.
They aren't fans of BNK as a band.
They are fans
of just
individual members.
For example,
Cherprang and Orn have their own fans.
It makes me think that...
It's very difficult for us
to make the fans view BNK as a band,
and not see BNK
as Cherprang BNK
or Pun BNK.
I want them to see BNK
as a whole group,
not as individuals.
I know.
I also understand why this has happened.
And it has messed everything up.
It's a mess that happened
in the middle of everything.
It's about...
the position in the band.
I wasn't the main girl of the song,
the center, or the front row.
I was just
a regular member in the song.
But, I wasn't...
the captain,
or the main girl
that people like.
I understand the girls.
I understand everyone.
I know how it feels
to be in all the positions.
I've gone through that period before.
I know how it feels.
Maybe not everything,
but I kind of know how it feels.
I had so little air time.
Just like before.
-Did you get used to it?
-Yes.
But it's actually important
to everyone, correct?
Right.
Do I want a lot of air time? Of course.
I want to be like the others.
But,
I only got a tiny bit.
In the "Cookie" video,
I'm in it for about two seconds.
PUPE APPEARED IN
THE "KOISURU FORTUNE COOKIE" MUSIC VIDEO
FOR ONLY 2 SHOTS.
I was like...
1 SECOND
That's fine.
I wasn't one of the main girls.
1 SECOND
2 OUT OF 4 MINUTES, 45 SECONDS
So...
If you ask me
if I want more air time, yes I do.
But I don't know what to do
to get more air time.
I don't know either.
I don't know how they evaluate it.
I'm not sure.
But all I know is that
I have to do my best in every aspect.
It's a tricky thing to say.
On one hand,
we have to compete with ourselves.
On the other hand,
like I said in the beginning,
we have to compete with each other.
We have to try
and catch up with Cher.
I'm not talking about overthrowing her.
But I...
I want to stand next to her.
But...
It's just hard.
I don't know how to say it.
I didn't think to keep trying at it.
It's just exhausting.
And it makes me wonder,
why do I have to try and win,
to catch up to her?
This person is too good...
If that person
becomes very famous,
or if they go far...
It depends on the person themselves.
It isn't necessary to push that hard.
If you don't want to do it, then don't.
Just let it be.
But, about Cher, it's inevitable.
We must accept it.
She also feels that
everyone just sweet talks to her.
But she can't do anything about it.
Like during shooting,
everyone is fascinated with Cherprang.
We feel like we're invisible.
I'm just standing there.
I don't know how to explain it
or what to do
to make the situation better.
People wonder why I still got it
when I can't sing or dance.
I don't know either.
But I always do my best.
Because we can't all be popular,
what we can all do is
make BNK more famous.
If only the individuals are famous,
but the group isn't,
then it's like we don't value BNK.
It's because of BNK
that we all got here at this point.
If we don't push BNK forward together,
and we just go alone,
should we even call ourselves BNK?
That's what I truly think.
There are still a lot of people
who want me here.
They support me for who I am.
They,
the executives and everyone else,
don't want to change the captain.
That means I can still
fulfill my duties well.
That's it.
Those of us at the bottom
understand the feelings
of those at the top.
But do those at the top
understand those at the bottom?
People at the bottom will never
understand the people at the top.
How do those at the bottom
not understand those at the top?
People might think that I get everything.
I'm not really sure that
if they had what I have,
they would do the same.
Sometimes, I don't even know why I got it.
But I got it.
Would I throw it all away? Definitely not.
I got it and I did my best.
Just think about it.
Being chosen as a captain,
I never asked for it.
I...
It isn't...
It's the decision of the higher-ups.
So...
I respect their decision.
I accept it and I want to do my best.
Since they've chosen me,
I must do my best.
They gave me their trust,
and I won't disappoint them.
And...
No matter what other people think...
In everything...
there is inequality.
That's the truth.
It's the truth about humans.
And...
We can't...
We can't find an explanation
for why the world is the way it is.
But it is what it is.
Yes.
Really.
It hurts that I can't be responsible
for other people's feelings.
They don't know what is really going on.
I'm just part of the team,
like everyone else.
The executives and staff
know very well
how suffocating it really is.
Although we've done our best,
we can't satisfy everybody.
It happens.
I have suffered.
I suffered for doing good.
I tried my best, but...
I could only do so much.
I don't get paid more than the others.
Everyone said that it's fine.
It's okay. I work hard
and I get everything.
I'm not even sure about
what I've sacrificed.
And I don't know if they know
what I've been sacrificing.
What are the things that I've sacrificed
and what are the things that I haven't?
I can say that I really love this band.
I love seeing it grow.
Really.
I love the girls. I want them to succeed.
I've tried to share as much as possible.
I have to take care of myself,
as I'm also one of the members.
But, I don't know
what the best way is.
Right now, I've given my all to the band.
I do what I believe
is the best thing
for all of our careers.
I don't know why
things turned out this way.
But I can't just give up my opportunities.
Well, I don't know.
It's a dilemma.
For a problem like this,
I don't know.
I really don't know how to explain it.
There's no answer.
There really isn't.
The 14th...
SENBATSU ELECTION
Jane.
1. CHERPRANG, 2. TARWAAN, 3. PUN, 4. ORN,
5. KORN, 6. JENNIS, 7. KAEW,
8. PUPE, 9. KAIMOOK,
10. MOBILE, 11. NAMNEUNG,
12. JA, 13. SATCHAN,
14. JANE, 15. NEOY (CENTER),
16. MUSIC (CENTER)
I must say...
Every time I do these announcements,
it is heartbreaking.
Heartbreaking.
I...
I know what the girls have gone through.
UNDERS: JIB, PIAM, NAMSAI,
MIND, NINK, KATE, MAYSA
STILL NOT SELECTED AS SENBATSU
The third single was "Shonichi."
I set my expectations
to the highest for this...
It's the last single
for the first generation.
MIND
I'm sad about this single the most...
It's the most memorable one,
but I didn't make it.
Honestly, when I'm...
very sad,
I repress it.
It takes many days
for me to snap out of the sadness.
I have to
continuously think about
how to get myself to relax.
Do this, do that.
For example,
taking a warm bath.
I usually take a warm shower,
but I take a long bath when I'm sad.
I let my mind wander.
Then I feel relieved,
like I've shed
everything off my body.
Then my mind is clear.
I come out
and I feel better.
Something like that.
Well...
Sometimes, I listen to music
or songs from anime. I watch anime.
I play video games.
I try to erase
the bad memories
and make room for new things.
Sometimes, I go out to watch movies
or eat out, eat some snacks.
Just do things to forget.
I was very sentimental
when I became a Senbatsu.
It really is my outfit.
This is my spot.
It's my voice in the song.
It's something...
Well...
It's a happy feeling and much more.
Even if
I was chosen
because of other reasons.
KORN WAS CHOSEN FOR "SHONICHI"
BECAUSE ANOTHER MEMBER GRADUATED
At first, people said
I was a replacement.
Yes. I was a replacement.
But I wanted to show everybody that...
I can do it
and I will do a good job.
Why is being at the bottom not so bad?
Because...
it's something
that many haven't experienced yet.
And...
although I'm at the bottom,
I'm still in the group.
I still use BNK in my name.
It's...
Being at the bottom doesn't mean that
I don't need to improve
or that I can do whatever I want
since I'm at the bottom.
Nobody knows me.
That is not acceptable.
I still use BNK in my name.
Being at the bottom motivates me.
I tell myself to work hard
to get myself up to the top.
But, to reach that point...
I have to be on top
of my own pyramid first.
If I'm proud of my work
and if I've tried my best,
I won't regret it
because I have done my best.
I do my best
and I don't care about the results.
Well...
It's like...
My deep subconscious
tells me that...
it isn't so bad.
At least I'm still here.
Even though I am the one in the back
and I don't get to be in every song,
at least I still get to perform.
Even though
it's not a big group of fans,
I still get to make
a small group of people happy.
I'm still their idol.
I'm still their inspiration.
So, I don't think it's that bad.
What are the best things
that encourage you to stay,
although you feel so discouraged?
What are the good things
that keep you going?
Some people have already quit, right?
The best things...
The best things...
are the handshake events.
Tell me more about them.
At these events,
fans will get to come and talk to us.
It's like a special occasion
that allows us to cry for each other.
They tell me...
that they've been rooting for me.
Well...
"If there's ever a day..."
They say, "If there's ever a day
where you feel down,
just know that
we'll always be there for you."
BNK48 FIRST GEN IS THE BES I stay because of my fans,
not just my dreams.
Actually,
both of them are important,
but I value my fans more.
I don't care about where I am.
I'm happy anywhere.
Because...
our fans love us anyway.
If they love us,
they'll keep following us.
They'll never leave us.
So, if I don't care,
they shouldn't care either.
If I didn't make it into the Senbatsu,
I wouldn't be sad at all.
I already have my fans.
It's not that
they would dislike me
if I didn't make it in the Senbatsu.
There are
some people who are
sick or terminally ill.
When they're alone in the hospital
and lose hope,
they watch our performances.
It gives them encouragement.
I think that
our work makes the lives of some fans
more meaningful.
They see that we're not perfect either.
Our fans feel that
we can
start the first steps together.
Our followers will feel like that.
I'm confused, too. Honestly.
Because nobody has ever affected my life.
I don't have any idols
that inspire me to do better in school.
I've never had to do well in school
because of anybody.
Actually, I still don't understand
how I've affected their lives.
But, when I made it, I felt grateful.
I feel grateful for whatever got me here.
I can contribute to society.
I can encourage others to be better.
I can play a part in helping
improve their quality of life.
They've managed to quit smoking
or recover from depression.
I'm very happy to do this job.
Although I don't understand everything,
I'm happy to be part of it.
I feel that everybody
makes me more valuable.
My self-esteem has improved.
I understand that
not everyone realizes their value.
Not everyone looks in the mirror
and admires themselves.
Being here now,
I feel the support of my fans.
And the girls also support me.
It makes me feel more valuable.
I'm not just a nobody.
I feel like
I'm important in this band.
Because everyone
has different talents.
When I was in AKB48,
I didn't feel that I was an idol.
I wasn't even a Senbatsu member.
But, I got an important role
in the variety show, AKBINGO!
I was part of the main cast.
I think that there are
opportunities everywhere.
I don't look like an idol.
So, I don't want anyone to think
they can't ever be idols.
I believe
there are definitely places
where we can shine,
even when we don't
make it in the Senbatsu.
Even though we fail
or don't make it into the Senbatsu,
it is fine
as long as it makes us grow.
That's what I think.
Sometimes, I wonder
why I didn't get that
and got this instead.
Why did other girls get that,
but I didn't?
I think
whenever an opportunity arises,
you have to do your best.
You will shine, as long as
you're happy with it.
Because you've given it your best.
That's what I believe.
Namneung.
We are...
-BNK48!
-BNK48!
What is your goal in being part of BNK?
I love...
I love BNK48 because...
I want to see it
grow bigger.
These days, we get to perform at...
What's it called? Impact Bangna?
-Something Bangna.
-BITEC.
BITEC Bangna.
BITEC Bangna, right?
I want to see the day
we fill Rajamangala Stadium.
That's what I want to see the most.
My goal for being in BNK48...
is to make BNK48 more famous.
I want us to be known for our skills
rather than our youth and cuteness.
But, really,
our theme is cuteness
and improvement.
Well, the awards we received
are from the hype of our fans.
You know, right?
I want us to be
really skillful.
Other than that,
I don't want any position in particular.
I don't need to be the center.
Why don't you want to be the center?
I think you can be the center
or be in any position if you're good.
And I don't think...
I want the spotlight to be on me.
I want it to be on the group as a whole.
So, what is it that you really want?
I want to live my life.
I want to be better.
Dancing, singing, entertaining?
I want to be a better Pun in general.
Altogether.
When I get old and look back on this,
I will probably laugh at myself.
We cried about little things.
At the time,
it might look like a big deal.
We might cry a whole lot.
But if we look back,
it's actually such a silly thing.
Everything has already passed.
It's a good experience
for me.
When I'm 40,
I'll look back at both good
and bad experiences.
Like...
I was once part of this group.
I was in one of the music videos.
It was a very famous song.
It's an experience
that will always remain in my heart.
I shed so many tears for BNK48.
It's like...
I want to confess that
I got some grey hair
after joining this group.
Show me your grey hair.
-I don't know where.
-You don't know where?
Somewhere in the middle. I'm not sure.
-We may--
-Oh, there!
Really? You saw one?
Jaa has grey hair.
For this movie,
if you could choose the ending,
what would it be?
The ending of this movie
has to be happy.
But...
I like movies
that don't have a clear ending.
Like they let the audience
fill in the blanks.
It will be like this or like that.
What will happen after?
I don't like movies
that have open endings. I hate that.
And your movies always end like that.
I was...
so upset.
I don't want to fill in the blanks.
Can you just give me a happy ending?
-Fill in the blank?
-What's wrong with that?
The ending is the group disbands.
You really want to disband the group.
Or maybe...
there's a part two,
a sequel.
Like Marvel?
Sure. I'll do it.
To be continued.
Because there must be sequels.
Are you sure?
People might watch this
and not want any more sequels.
Well,
the sequel can be different from this one.
So, we can see the changes
in the members and their stories.
I think there should be a sequel.
There needs to be another one,
because, maybe,
we will want to give different answers.
That sounds interesting.
If you don't want to do it,
I'll do it myself.
I think there is no end to BNK48.
If you want to end it
within one or two hours, like a movie...
You can't. There's no ending.
Because it's real life.
Although the movie ends,
our lives still continue.
I think.
Hi. My name is Pimrapat Phadungwatanachok.
My nickname is Mobile. I'm 14 years old.
I'm a student at Satri Wat Rakhang school.
Grade 7.
Okay.
My name is Rinrada Inthaisong.
Number 11.
Hello.
Konichiwa.
My name is Sawitchaya Kajonrungsilp.
My nickname is Satchan.
People always say that I look confused.
You have grown so much
We moved forward in our own way
My talents are
singing, dancing, Thai dancing,
and playing the flute and Thai violin.
I'll spread my wings and fly away
Blooming cherry blossoms reminded us
To prepare ourselves
Along with the sweet sound
Of bells ringing
Those things gave us courage and freedom
To keep going in the future
Hello. I'm Miori. I'm 17 years old.
Hello. I'm Miori. I'm 17 years old.
I have wanted to be an idol
since I was a kid.
If not,
-I want to be a fashion designer.
-Working for a year now!
I like baking and sewing.
I like making my own dresses.
But I didn't make this one.
Hello. How are you?
I am Korn.
We used to fight a lot
Some bad memories are still there
Is being an idol a profession?
Yes, it definitely is.
Being an idol
is like having a profession.
It is a profession.
My talent is dancing covers and Taekwondo.
I'm learning Hapkido and Aikido.
Our tears were streaming down
Like falling petals
Seemed like they would never stop
Just go outside, look at the sky
And take a deep breath
So we can keep going in the future
Our tears were streaming down
Like falling petals
Those beautifully faded memories
I'm Praewa Suthamphong.
My nickname is Music.
I'm 15 years old.
I'm not at my 100% physically
because I got into an accident
last Monday.
But I'm 100% determined.
I was admitted and I just got out
of the hospital this noon.
My mom gave me some herbal medicine.
Blooming cherry blossoms reminded us
To prepare ourselves
Along with the sweet sound
Of bells ringing
Those things gave us courage and freedom
To keep going in the future
My name is Rina Izuta.
There must be people somewhere
Who believe in us
We will go over the sea and the mountain
To pursue our dream
I heard that
BNK48
is searching for girl-next-door idols,
but I'm not that cute or that pretty.
As I was growing up,
ever since I was born,
I believe that I can't let my shyness
hold me back from my dreams.
And we only live once.
So, I need to give this a shot.
Hello. My name is Suchaya Saenkhot.
My nickname is Jib. I'm 14 years old.
I'm in 9th grade. I'm from Lopburi.
I'm very excited to be here today.
I must thank the committee
for giving me a chance to be here.
NATTICHA CHANTARAVAREELEKHA
Three, two, one... Action!
Hello. My name is Fond,
Natticha Chantaravareelekha.
BNK48 Second Generation.