She was brought up in conversations again.
Koreaboo
Just now
AKB48 member Hanada Mei‘s contract was recently terminated after she was caught dating a fan. This was not the most shocking part, as after she shared a video with a shaved head and tried explaining things from her side.
Top Female Idol Criticized For Shockingly Shaving Hair Off After Fan-Relationship Controversy
This was met with harsh reactions, due to many believing she was mocking another idol who did something similar years ago. This idol has also been brought up again in recent conversations, sparking renewed curiosity over her current whereabouts.
One of the original members of AKB48 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, ending up on Team B when the teams’ members were shuffled again.
AKB48’s Minami Minegishi
In January 2013, paparazzi photographed Minegishi leaving after spending the night at the apartment of Alan Shirahama, a member of Generations From Exile tribe.
The backlash was immediate; Minegishi was demoted from Team B to trainee status and a video showing a tearful Minegishi apologizing with her hair shaved off occurred just a day later.
International news sources reported on the incident, with many stating her shaved head was an act of contrition and sparked global backlash over the idol system and its control over stars.
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, remaining a member of the group until 2019. Her graduation was held in 2021 due to COVID19, however.
After, the idol opened a YouTube account, sharing updates on her life and more. Minegishi announced that she had married her boyfriend, Tetsuya Oyaizu, a member of the YouTuber group Tokai On Air, in 2022.
The couple are parents to a daughter after Minegishi gave birth in 2024.
In January 2026, she took the stage as an AKB48 member again for a special NHK performance.
Despite the scandal that nearly derailed her career, she was able to entirely return to her activities and live a fulfilling life!