Kep1er

Kep1er
Kep1er posing for the camera at Gimpo International Airport
Kep1er in November 2023
L–R: Youngeun, Yujin, Yeseo (former), Mashiro (former), Dayeon, Hikaru, Xiaoting, Huening Bahiyyih, and Chaehyun
Background information
OriginSeoul, South Korea
Genres
Years active2022 (2022)–present
Labels
Spinoff ofGirls Planet 999
Members
  • Yujin
  • Xiaoting
  • Chaehyun
  • Dayeon
  • Hikaru
  • Huening Bahiyyih
  • Youngeun
Past members
Websitewake-one.com/artists/kep1er/

Kep1er (/ˈkɛplər/; Korean: 케플러; RR: Kepeulleo; Japanese: ケプラー, Hepburn: Kepura) is a South Korean girl group formed through the Mnet reality competition show Girls Planet 999 in 2021 and managed by Swing Entertainment and WakeOne. The group consists of seven members: Kim Chae-hyun, Huening Bahiyyih, Choi Yu-jin, Kim Da-yeon, Seo Young-eun, Ezaki Hikaru, and Shen Xiaoting. Originally a nine-piece ensemble, former members Kang Ye-seo and Sakamoto Mashiro departed from the group in July 2024.

Kep1er debuted on January 3, 2022 with their first extended play (EP) First Impact. Upon its release, the group received immediate commercial success, selling over 395,000 units and peaking at number 1 on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart.[2][3] In addition, both the EP and its lead single "Wa Da Da" charted on the Billboard Global 200 and World Digital Songs respectively.[4] The early success subsequently hailed them as the New Wave of the Year at several awards ceremonies, including Asia Artist Awards and Seoul Music Awards.

The group's Japanese debut single, "Fly-Up", was released on September 7, 2022, under the Sony Music Entertainment Japan subsidiary Ariola Japan. Debuting at number two on Oricon Singles Chart and with over 100,000 unit sales, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[5][6]

  1. ^ "ARTIST LIST - Ariola Japan (アリオラジャパン)". Ariola Japan. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  2. ^ "Album Chart 2022". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  3. ^ "First Impact" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. January 2–8, 2022. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022 – via Gaon Chart.
  4. ^ "Rookie girl group Kep1er ranks on Spotify and Billboard charts". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. January 18, 2022. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  5. ^ "週間 シングルランキング – 2022年09月19日付" [Weekly Single Ranking – Published for September 19, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). September 5–11, 2022. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "一般社団法人 日本レコード協会". www.riaj.or.jp. Archived from the original on February 8, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2024.