The country’s biggest girl band, SGO48 (Sài Gòn 48), a Vietnamese version of the popular Japanese girl band AKB48, has broken up three years after its debut. — Photo courtesy of the producer

HCM CITY — The country’s 28-member girl band, SGO48 (Sài Gòn 48), a Vietnamese version of the popular Japanese girl band AKB48, has broken up three years after its debut. 

The group’s performance in HCM City scheduled on December 22 will be their last event, the group’s managing company YAG Entertainment said.

SGO48 made its debut in HCM City in 2018.

The band is the seventh overseas version of AKB48 in Japan, following the Jakarta-based JKT48, Bangkok’s BNK48, Taipei’s TPE48, Manila’s MNL48 and Mumbai-based MUM48.

AKB48 began its career in 2009 and is popular for its concept of "idols you can meet every day". 

The band has more than 130 members aged from early teens to mid-twenties selected from several hundred candidates across Japan by their producer and famous songwriter Asushi Akimoto. 

The AKB name comes from Akihabara, which is their home ground.

The band often recruits members who have studied music, dance, composin, and performance. English and Japanese language skills are also included.

It has performed in cities in Japan and other Asian countries, and has local versions in Indonesia, Thailand, India, China and the Philippines. 

SGO48 includes 28 members who received training in vocals, dance and performance skills from music producers, composers and singers invited by YAG Entertainment in co-operation with its partner Yeah1 Group. 

YAG Entertainmen and Yeah1 Group signed a contract with the Japanese entertainment group AKS to form and train the SGO48. 

After training, SGO48 has become more professional and produced albums in different styles that have met the tastes of young audiences.

The band released its first music video (MV) titled Heavy Rotation, a Vietnamese version of the album by AKB48, in 2019, of the same name.

This version was written in Vietnamese by talented composer-producer Huy Tuấn. It was recorded by a Japanese musical engineer, while the video was created by Korean and Thai teams who have produced music for BNK48 – the Thai version of AKB48 – and other artists. 

The work’s theme song featured the band’s most prominent performers, Trúc Phạm, Lệ Trang and Linh Mai. The following songs included all members of the band, around 27 at that time. 

SGO48 has also performed in TV reality shows and organised live concerts in major cities in the country. 

“We’re very sorry and have to say goodbye to our fans,” YAG Entertainment said in the company’s press release on December 6. — VNS