The opening of BNK48 Campus, the BNK48 girls' very own theater

2017 was huge for BNK48. Really huge. Six months after the official debut earlier this year with the release of a few singles, the 28-member idol group, the official local “sister group” of Japan’s AKB48, has become a phenomenon, a new religion of sorts. Their next milestone, however, awaits in 2018. Like other 48 groups in various countries across the region, BNK48 will have their own branded theater and café where fans can watch them up-close, buy souvenirs and mingle with other fans. But unlike elsewhere, the Bangkok theater will be named BNK48 Campus, indicating that it also acts like a semi-boarding school for the girls. “When we talk about ‘campus,’ the first thing we think of is a college campus, right? Our theater won’t be just for shows but also a training campus where we train on singing and dancing during the weekdays. Fans can visit us on weekends,” explains Natruja “Kaew” Chutiwansopon,23, one of the members. “We’ll also be living there. Literally.”

“When we didn’t have our own theater, we didn’t feel like we were part of the other 48 groups. Now, we have a theater, where we can perform beyond what’s been seen before—like performing 12 songs in a row,” another member, Pimrapat “Mobile”Phadungwatanachok,15, laughinglyadds.“Atthe café, there will be snacks and stuff, which I think is a completely new concept [for idol groups] in Thailand. I’m so thrilled!”