Kep1er is a nine-member K-Pop girl group that was formed via Mnet’s survival audition program ‘Girls Planet 999’ and made their debut in January 2022 with their first EP, ‘First Impact,’ featuring the lead track ‘Wa Da Da,’ which became an instant hit. Upon the show’s conclusion, they inked an exclusive contract as a temporary group, slated to promote for two and a half years.
As the expiration date of their contract nears, various rumours and speculations have surfaced about the group entirely disbanding. To clarify all these reports, on May 30, WAKEONE and SWING Entertainment announced the status of their contracts and stated that seven out of nine members will be extending their contracts, and will continue their activities as Kep1er.
The joint statement reads, “Yujin, Xiaoting, Chaehyun, Dayeon, Hikaru, Huening Bahiyyih, and Youngeun have agreed to renew the contract to extend group promotions. Thus, Kep1er will continue promotions as a seven-member group after the project term has expired.”
Further stating that Mashira and Yeseo will not be continuing their group activities, the statement read, “As a result of extensive discussion and consensus, Mashiro and Yeseo will conclude their activities as Kep1er after the scheduled upcoming concert. We are sincerely grateful to Mashiro and Yeseo for their dedication and hard work over the past two and a half years as Kep1er, and we promise to support their future endeavours invariably.”
“WAKEONE and SWING Entertainment will also proactively support the musical growth of each member, the remaining overseas promotions including the concert in Japan in July and the local promotions for the first and the last studio album as a nine-member group. We sincerely ask for your continuous love and support. Thank you,” the statement concluded.
The group’s journey as a nine-member group will culminate with the release of their album, ‘Kep1going On,’ slated for release on June 3, followed by a solo concert in Japan scheduled for July.
