The trainers comforted the disheartened Japanese trainees, Lee Hong Ki saying that they would do their best to help them improve during the show and eventually receive an A rating. Watching the evaluation, Muto Tomu said to her fellow trainee, “For us, more than dancing or singing, our job is to show how much fun we’re having.” One of the Japanese trainees, Imada Mina, said, “Rather than dancing, it’s more important that Japanese idols are cute,” at which the trainers acknowledged that it’s a cultural difference. Soyou said, “Seeing the Japanese trainees, it’s like stepping into a whole new world.” In one evaluation, dance trainer Bae Yoon Jung said, “You know that Korean artists and dancers are famous for their sharp choreography. The Korean trainees, who have already spent a lot of time developing their dancing and singing, were far more advanced than the Japanese trainees, who, in Japan, would improve as artists post-debut. These systemic differences were made apparent in the initial evaluations, in which the trainees from each agency performed for the trainers (Vocal: Soyou and Lee Hong Ki Rap: Cheetah Dance: Bae Yoon Jung, Choi Young Joon, May J Lee) and were assigned individual ratings. “But Japanese idols develop and improve as they’re interacting with fans.” “Generally, Korean idols have a long trainee period, and they debut with already very developed skills,” said Takada Kenta. With this season’s combination of Korean and Japanese trainees, Takada Kenta briefly explained how Korean and Japanese trainee systems are different. This season’s keyword is ‘global.’ You will create the next global girl group.”
Here, 96 trainees will be competing equally, and the final 12 chosen by the nation’s producers will promote in the final project group. Lee Seung Gi, the representative nation’s producer for this season, explained, “The reason it’s called ‘Produce 48’ is because the Korean trainees are joined by trainees from AKB48. This latest “Produce” season brings together Korean and Japanese trainees. June 15, the long-awaited first episode of “Produce 48” hit the air, showing the trainees’ first evaluations as well as the first voting results.