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| Zhu Ling/TeamSH |
It’s the end of an era for AKB48 Team SH. Zhu Ling – the face, the heart, the quiet powerhouse of the group – will officially graduate on 2 June 2025. The news dropped via the group’s official SNS account on 23 April.
Zhu Ling’s name has been tied to Team SH from the very beginning.
As a first-generation member back in July 2018, she quickly became one of the group’s front-runners.
Anyone who's followed Team SH’s annual Senbatsu Elections will remember her solid run – third place in the first two, and an even stronger second place in the third. That’s proper Kami 7 territory – the idol elite.
Her journey’s been anything but ordinary.
After stepping away in May 2024, Zhu Ling made a surprise return just a few months later in September, only to announce her final graduation this past January. Now, it’s really happening.
To mark the occasion, the group released a visual that’s already got fans misty-eyed – Zhu Ling in a dreamy pastel-pink gown, topped with a tiara, looking every bit the idol fairytale heroine.
It’s soft, floral, and pure AKB48 magic. If you’ve followed her career, you know it fits – she’s always carried that delicate, almost ethereal vibe.
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| Zhu Ling Graduation Stage Poster/Team SH |
Team SH, which was formed in 2018 after the official AKB48 partnership with SNH48 broke off, has built a strong foothold in China’s idol industry. As of early 2025, the group boasts 35 members and 15 trainees – a busy house. But Zhu Ling’s graduation is a reminder that even in a group as packed with talent as Team SH, some departures hit harder than others.
Her final stage performance this June is expected to be a heartfelt send-off.
Fans are already buzzing about what songs might make the cut, who’ll appear, and whether Zhu Ling might give a speech (and yes, bring tissues – we’re calling it now).
While there's no word yet on what Zhu Ling will do next, one thing’s for sure – she leaves behind a legacy of elegance, consistency, and quiet strength that helped shape Team SH’s early years. Whether she heads into acting, modelling, or steps away from the limelight completely, she'll always be remembered as one of the cornerstones of the group.
We’ll keep you posted once graduation event details drop – but in the meantime, it might be time for a nostalgia binge on old stage clips. You know the ones!