Where Is She Now? The Idol Who Shaved Her Head After Being Caught Dating Has A Completely Different Life
In the K-Pop industry, idol dating has not been wholly accepted, with stars found to be in relationships facing backlash from fans. In some extreme cases, the stars can be kicked out of their groups and agencies, like in the case of HyunA and Dawn.
Japanese idols often can face the same kind of backlash, resulting in some surprising methods to keep relationships under wraps. Idol Daigo Nishihata was recently photographed in a wig after spending the night with his alleged girlfriend.
In 2013, a female idol was discovered to be dating and, in a surprise twist, issued an apology with a completely shaved head.
While it seems to have existed much longer, the Japanese idol group AKB48 debuted in 2005 as a twenty-member group. AKB48 function on a rotational basis, meaning line-ups change as members are added and graduate from the group.
One of the original members was Minami Minegishi, who debuted under the original Team A before being transferred to the second generation of AKB48, Team K. Minegishi rose in the ranks as the group grew in popularity, ultimately ending up on Team B when the teams’ members were shuffled.
In January 2013, it was reported that Minegishi spent the night at the apartment of Alan Shirahama, a member of the boy group Generations From Exile tribe.
The backlash was almost immediate, with Minegishi demoted from Team B to trainee status just a day later. That same day a video that would gain widespread attention from media worldwide was released, showing a tearful Minegishi apologizing with her hair shaved off.
International news sources reported on the incident, with many stating her shaved head was an act of contrition.
While this could have been the end of her career, the star was reinstated as a full group member and Captain of Team 4 in August 2013 before being shuffled back to Team K in 2015.
Minegishi remained there until 2019 when she announced that she would graduate from the group. Due to COVID-19, her graduation ceremony did not occur until May 22, 2021, making her the longest-standing original member of AKB48.
Since her graduation, Minegishi has remained active, opening a personal YouTube account after her initial graduation announcement. She currently has around 287 thousand subscribers, with her most recent video being shared in February 2023.
Minegishi announced that she had married her boyfriend, Tetsuya Oyaizu, a member of the YouTuber group Tokai On Air, in 2022, sharing a series of cute pictures from their orange-themed wedding photos.
She also has produced her own skincare brand, etoma, and updates fans on her Instagram and Twitter accounts, showing her living her best life!
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