From Senbatsu to Under Girls: Failing to Give the Maximum Effort
Not giving up: The JKT48 Under Girls team consists of members who ranked 17th to 32nd in the senbatsu sousenkyo. Courtesy of JKT48 Project, via Global News Asia.
Not giving up: The JKT48 Under Girls team consists of members who ranked 17th to 32nd in the senbatsu sousenkyo. Courtesy of JKT48 Project, via Global News Asia.
Among the names which stood at the top of the 2014 senbatsu sousenkyo (member election), five fell from their rankings at the same event this past Saturday (May 2). They are Hanna, Tata, Yona, and Jeje. A fifth, Rica Leyona, had decided to resign from JKT48.
Following the announcement at Teater Tanah Airku, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), Hanna expressed her disappointment with the results of the 10th single election. From her 15th place in 2014, she had slid into 23rd place with 5,882 votes.
“I was disappointed because I haven’t worked hard enough, so I fell,” she said. But she did not want to dwell in her sadness. Hanna aims to improve her efforts so that she can improve at the next election.
The same situation can be found in Tata. She admitted that she is responsible for her own decline in the rankings, from the senbatsu team to the under girls team. According to her, she did not take seriously her fans’ advice of promoting herself more often. The girl who also regular appears on the television serial Bima X admitted of her own apathy.
“My fans go to great efforts to watch out for me, even if I’m sometimes indifferent,” she pointed out. Similar to Hanna, she will evaluate her own behavior so that she can return to the senbatsu team in the following year. Tata promised to not to become depressed and to continue to try to accumulate more fans.
Meanwhile, Jeje cites a recent incident as one reason she failed to maintain her position in the senbatsu team. She felt that the trust placed on her by fans had eroded. Although she has taken steps to re-establish that trust, it has not been an easy recovery.
“Sad, yes. Disappointed, no. Everyone has worked hard, and I’m thankful for my 26th place because it means there are people who still believe in me,” she said.
Expressions of Seven JKT48 Members Named to the Senbatsu Team
This past Saturday (May 2), 32 JKT48 members were selected to participate in the group’s 10th single. After each member’s vote result is announced at the senbatsu sousenkyo, she made a brief speech. Some could not hold back their tears, while others tried to remain composed.
At the event held at Teater Tanah Airku at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), all members similarly expressed gratitude toward their fans because these fans have worked tirelessly in order to support them. The following is a summary of the expressions of the seven members who earned the highest number of votes.
Ratu Vienny Fitrilya (Team KIII) – 15,876 votes (7th place)
jawa-pos-vienny
Following the election event, she hoped fans would not grow lenient on her. She would like her fans to continue to point out her mistakes. The 19-year-old girl also asked that fans not hesitate in reprimanding her if she does not work hard enough, because she wanted to become a stronger Vienny.
She made the request because she felt that fans have become comfortable with her current position, but she wanted to become stronger, bolder, and more liked by others. “I don’t want people to support me just as I am. I want people to support me when I’m worthy of that support,” she said.
Shania Junianatha (Team J) – 15,984 votes (6th place)
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The girl who joined the first generation of JKT48 at 13 years old felt the strength of her fans. She had reached a point of giving up, but she was able to overcome it with her fans. The girl affectionately known as Shanju also realized how difficult it was for fans to elevate her to sixth place.
Sometimes she wondered why rivalry has to exist in a group, but she came to understand that they have to support and inspire one another. “I thank God for creating the extraordinary people who were able to take me to this place. I want you to continue to climb with me until we reach the top of the ladder,” she said.
Devi Kinal Putri (Team J) – 16,574 votes (5th place)
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“Honestly, I only want one thing. I want to be on the cover,” Kinal said. The Team J captain was frustrated because she was not often on the cover of JKT48’s CDs. She wanted to have more things she could be proud of when she leaves JKT48, not just the “River” single that included her on its cover.
Although she did not know what the cover of the 10th single will look like, there is possibility for her wish to be granted with a ranking in fifth place. She was also proud of her fan community, which many had accused of being disorganized, yet they were able to place her in the current ranking.
Andela Yuwono (Team T) – 17,610 votes (4th place)
jawa-pos-andela
Many JKT48 fans saw Andela as a rising star at the 10th single election. She attracted attention for having been able to gain the attention of JKT48 fans in just one year. She finished a surprising fourth, surpassing many senior members.
That is why she feels indebted to her supporters. Andela, who was born in Semarang, did not want to disappoint her fans, and she set the goal of taking first place in the next election. “You gave your best efforts for my sake. Now I will work to become the best in JKT48,” she said.
Melody Nurramdhani Laksani (Team J) – 20,107 votes (3rd place)
jawa-pos-melody
When her name was called in third place, many did not believe it. Other members also could not hide their astonishment. Melody understood this well. Since the beginning, she has been recognized as the face of JKT48 because she dominates the center position. Yet this election proved otherwise.
Melody failed to maintain her center position, which she earned at the same event in 2014. Despite her sadness, she was delighted to see refreshing changes in the rankings. “I have said before that I want our juniors to be able to experience my position. Thankfully, many of them were able to achieve rankings that were previously unthinkable,” she said.
Haruka Nakagawa (Team J) – 21,882 votes (2nd place)
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Recently, this member from the land of the rising sun has begun to appear frequently on the screens. Her activities have increased in the three years in JKT48, and they have begun to grow challenging. She also felt the urge to return to Japan. “I was afraid that I wasn’t strong enough. I was never able to experience this in AKB48,” she admitted.
Fortunately, fans continued to pour their support so that Haruka remained focused. Despite her weaknesses, she promised to continue to do her best. She also asked fans whether it was all right for her to still remain in Indonesia, to which they responded enthusiastically, “Yeah!”
Jessica Veranda (Team J) – 22,404 votes (1st place)
jawa-pos-veranda
This shy girl feared to take the first place. Her reason was the burden of the shadow of Melody, who has been successful as the center of JKT48. She worried she will not be able to carry out her duties, including as center of the 10th single, well. She did not want to disappoint fans.
However, she believed that every human being can grow through inspiration. For Veranda, the support of fans is one thing which inspires her to become a better person. Fans have helped her open up her feelings from her introverted nature. “I became more confident in myself. I may not be perfect, but please watch over me,” she asked.
These articles originally appeared in Indonesian with the titles Ve Center Baru JKT48, Hasil Senbatsu Sousenkyo Kedua; Menanti Pembuktian Sisil dan Andela di Tim Utama JKT48; Dari Senbatsu ke Undergirls: Gagal karena Kurang Maksimal; and Ekspresi Tujuh Member JKT48 saat Masuk Tim Senbatsu. Original writing and photography by Dhimas Ginanjar unless stated otherwise. Banner photograph courtesy of JKT48 Project, via Global News Asia.
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Richardson Kilis
Richardson H. Kilis is a U.S.-educated Indonesianist who studies the relationship of technology and cultural exchange.