On the surface, the above girl group- AKB48- are what some might call a Pop dream, a PG friendly J-Pop collective renown for their cute style and even cuter lyrics.
However, in what in marks a horrific turn in their candy coated journey, they have come under intense media scrutiny this week after one of its members was reportedly forced to shave her head bald and record a YouTube apology, after allegedly spending the night with a male companion.
Details below…
After allegedly breaking a ‘no dating‘ ban enforced by her superiors, 20 year old Minami Minegishi was made to shave her head and apologize her group’s fans on YouTube, forced to beg for their forgiveness.
Despite claiming to have initiated the shave and subsequent YouTube video, her horrific story has seen some fans question her label’s (AKS Japan) practices. According to The Japan Times:
“AKB48′s members are contractually forbidden to have any kind of romantic relationships and they are punished if they do. Last year, member Yuka Masuda was forced out of the group under similar circumstances, while Rina Sashihara was “exiled” to Fukuoka-based sister group HKT48 (after another tear-stained apology to fans) when an ex-boyfriend revealed details of their relationship.
What is happening here is that the protection of fans’ fragile fantasies automatically trumps the basic human right to a life outside that fantasy framework. Though as lawyer Hifumi Okunuki pointed out in a Japan Times article on Jan. 22, such an arrangement is probably illegal under Japanese labor laws.”
Here’s hoping the coming days sees the Japanese government speak out against what all will agree has been the horrific treatment of this adult woman.
If not, we hope the media attention this story is set to receive will give her label no choice but to rethink their handling of their chart topping mannequins. Mannequins, who are in fact just as human as they are, regardless of what their contracts may stipulate.
![New Video: Usher - 'Boyfriend' [Starring Keke Palmer]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/usher-keke-palmer-boyfriend-video-tgj-464x260.jpeg "New Video: Usher - 'Boyfriend' [Starring Keke Palmer].")
better than the staged showmances that our teeny boppers are forced to do by their PR.
Can i get some subtitles????
Rihanna wouldn’t have a hair on her body.
Oh f*** right off honey. Don’t be mad that nobody wants to give Gimmicraj the bone. Kay?
Not today girls. This is a serious thread so play nice or f*** off.
Scared someone will bring up Taylor’s body count hunty?
@Queenofthenavy
That was lame AF, Y’all claim Nicki’s screwing SB so which is it?
at least be funny WTF !
20 year old? That’s ridiculous.
Omg. WTF. Why not just fire her!
Disgraceful. Hopefully this attention worldwide will make the label think differently.
360 gone wrong. who’s fault. the girl signed it. but yeah. ridiculious biz practice. even more is protecting fan fantasies. this is like tryna mindcontrol stupid people to sell s*** for the money. well stupid are the guys still buying that made up show acts.
I dunno, she signed it, yeah, but a lot of things look good on paper, ya know? Not to mention, when making split-second decisions, a lot of things just don’t occur to you. It probably had never come into play before, and at twenty years old? I can see it being a split-second thing.
Poor girl though. That was going a little far;;
She’s such a cutie anyway though.
I just shed a tear in class. Poor girl.
Me too sis. We should start some sort of petition.
No no no. Don’t worry about Sailor Baldy. Worry about buying Brandy’s 211.
I showed this to my teacher and she was mad as f***.
LMAOOOOOOO j-pop on TGJ. I came to read this article just to fact check you tbh lol
Kiii Kiii and did they fail?
shut up s*** head
A b**** can’t get even get her mac on?
Azealia must have screwed 100 guys when she went to Japan judging by those roots.
Combo kii to the power of three!
Death!!
The worst thing is that she and the boy might just have been friends hanging out. Even if shaving her head was her idea what kind of hold do these people have over her that she felt guilty for just being a normal twenty year old woman. Queendonna needs to get these tyrants all the way together like she did with Pussyriot.
(SPAM!)
really? racist asshole! they should shave your head and feed it to the dogs! FUCKTARD!
What kind of horror movie type s***….
I´m glad most people are aginst this. But for the persons just saying “she signed the contract”. Let me tell the law shouldn´t allow that, I´m sure any person suffering that in a contract in Europe can easily win in a trial. Law is here to protect people´s rights (or it should be). Damn I´m so glad I´m European (not saying there aren´t f***** up things here…)
Political Gaga to the rescue!!
Dios mio, how sad… she must they stay virgins their whole career wtf!
WOW.
Making her look like a prisoner of war at a concentration camp.
Then again, this is a stroll in the park, or barbershop, for Britney….
What kind of psycho s*** is this?
Learn to appreciate what you have, a lot of folks talk s*** about how some singers are studio-creations but if you go to other countries you’d swallow your tongue with how the studios can control and dictate people’s lives.
Right down to not allowing them to see their families and punishing them for doing anything that goes against their image: (smoking, looking too casual).
I feel bad for the girl, there’s no reason on this planet to shave her head and make her apologize via YouTube. That’s sick and I hope the Japanese govt. Does something about it.
First of all, I need to say well done to tgj for writing this so well considering this is outside their territory. Secondly, reading this gave me chills and i’m trying my best not to cry. I don’t care what their contract says, this has to be against her human rights. She says she wanted to shave her head but the real question is why? Why should a human being feel the need to punish themselves for meeting a friend.
These KPop/Jpop labels treat their singers like damn objects and it’s high time the law steps in to shake things up.
This is ridiculous! I can respect foreign cultures but this is cruel, how is this allowed?
B*******! They MADE her do this. My blood is boiling at the thought that the boy got off scoff free and she’s been made an example of. I didn’t think they still did this s*** in today’s world.
I can’t remember the last time i was this mad. They actually uploaded it to the group’s official page.
That’s horrible, no one should be forced to do anything they don’t want to do. with or without contract. WTF is wrong with society? I hope she gets through it all, much love and prayer. smh
This is so sad 🙁 shaving her head is one thing but making her apologies on Youtube.. whats that about?
Somehow I think being forced to shave your hair off is worse -_-‘
The music industry is dark…..it’s her life who cares if she’s f****** a dude she’s grown Smh I feel bad for her… why is the record label able to have that much control over her
Lol Hair or a D*** and this girl chose a d***.. I wuld 2!! Lol kidding, jokes aside kudos to Sam for this post…. there’s actually a heart behind all of that dark shade!!
That’s f****** horrible
LMAO woah that 360 deal tho.
I have a friend that was in Japan for 3 months and she just went back for a few more. And according to her their government is on some other s***.
Smh, what else did they do to her that they didn’t show.
🙁 very sad to hear!
WHO GIVES A RATS ASS!?! Let the girl Love!! How unrealistic is this? the unrealistic ideals that society holds on pop stars is a F****** joke. SOCIETY – you’re a bunch of low-lifes that will never amount to anything so you live vicariously through celebrities and their lavish life and wish you had an ounce of it but instead you ridicule them.
F*** THE LABEL.
^ ^
This is really sad, international organizations should do something about this, this is a sad but yet an interesting post about other important things other than the 10 post per day of Beyonce and Rihanna, poor girl, it tears me up, for real.
How many girls are in this damn group!?
The above photo looks like a damn high school class shot.
They’re not even complete in that picture, AKB48 have 48 members 🙂
This is so dumb!
Illuminati’s muppets! This is how they handle them. Not surprise.
surprised.
oh boy , but this is not sad as what i am seeing everyday , she must be thankful she don’t live in Iran and the countries similar to it , they would have cut a b****’s neck.
but that is just sad.
Whaaaat? The first post in TGJ history that didn’t mention Rihanna or Beyonce!
Just. F******. Disgusting.
I’m genuinely lost for words. The people who did this to her deserve to be shot.