MNL48 carries on the long tradition of AKB48 and its sister groups across Asia by holding its first handshake event last November 25, 2018 at Movie Stars Cafe.
Hallohallo Entertainment Inc. together with Star Music released the group’s debut album “Aitakatta – Gustong Makita” last September 28. The fans who bought the CD also recieved one ticket for the Handshake event. The group’s debut album did not disappoint as the album quickly climbed to No.1 on iTunes Top Albums upon its release and entered the music charts like Myx Daily Top 10 Pinoy, Pop Charts PH, and Pinoy Myx Countdown to name a few.
To promote the album (and give MNL48 fans their idol fix), MNL48 held an album mall tour that saw various teams perform in Starmall Alabang, VistaMall Taguig, Starmall EDSA-Shaw, Lucky Chinatown Mall, and VistaMall Daang Hari where fans flocked the malls to catch the girls’ live performance, and bought their album which was sold out for the last three venues. The passion of the fans were in full display, especially those who travelled far to VistaMall Daang Hari (which is located in Molino IV, Bacoor Cavite) just to support the group.
The girls are very excited, especially the group’s center, Sheki, “Sobrang excited po kami sa handshake event kasi ito na po ‘yung first handshake namin bilang official members ng MNL48. Last time po, nag-campaign kami sa nalalapit na general election po noong April, iba po talaga ‘yun sa mangyayari this Sunday. Ito na po ‘yung makakapag-interact and haharap kami sa aming MNLoves kaya naman excited kami,” Center Girl Sheki reminisced their General Election Handshake event in Quezon City.
Before the much-anticipated handshake with their oshimen, there was first a mini-live. The fans got to watch and enjoy MNL48 music hits as the group, together with Kenkyuusei, performed Aitakatta – Gustong Makita, Umiindak na Saya, and Talulot ng Sakura, all of which are Tagalog versions of their sister group, AKB48’s best-selling songs and are now hits in their own right. The atmosphere was thick with excitement, appreciation, and ultimately love towards the members as the fans did not waste any opportunity to cheer for the girls.
https://youtu.be/R_lpLR_LCso
The fans were also clamoring for the much-awaited reveal of the MV for MNL48’s second single “Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie” and everyone cheered when it was finally shown. But the real surprise is the performance of the song by the new senbatsu, also centered by Sheki.
The Handshake Event is an opportunity to get up close and personal with the MNL48 idols and Kenkyuusei. Handshake events occur after every release of the group’s single where fans gather and have an opportunity to shake their Oshi’s hands under a certain time period.
One of the solid fans of MNL48 Thea Torres emotionally expressed how happy and overwhelmed she was with her encounter with her Kami-oshi Belle and Ella. “I was crying before and after I went for my Kami-oshi because I wasn’t expecting, like you support a member and then you think you know what to say to them, you’ve seen their faces in Instagram posts and suddenly you’re going to meet them and you’re not really prepared for the emotions that entails.”
She also shared the importance of Handshake events for them, fans, to personally meet their Oshi. “I’ve talked to Senbatsu members before and I was able to say goodbye, but a handshake is different because they are more focused on you, and you’re focused on just them. It’s the kind of moment that you don’t get form an event that isn’t a handshake event.”
AKB48 first introduced the “Idols You Can Meet” culture and started the “Akushukai” in December 2005 or more popularly known today as handshake event. Handshake events are also followed by other sister groups around the world and has also paved way for the fans to be closer to their idols and likewise as each members of the sister group follow the strict “no touch” policy.
Having gone through the Handshake Event, I can understand why it is such a big draw for the fans. To be able to attend these events, fans need to purchase the group’s CD which comes with one free participation ticket inside which gives the fan a strictly 5 to 8-second handshake turn. The more CDs one buys, the more time the fan can meet his Oshi up close, so there is a big incentive to buying as many as you can. I made the mistake of buying only four, and I can only watch helplessly as I had to save up my tickets for the members I really wanted to meet (Ash, Kay, Sela, and Ruth to be exact).
Having experienced a Handshake event, I can’t wait for the next one. For more pictures from the event, stay tuned for our coverage in this week’s MNL48 Weekly Blog.
