[Exclusive] Kep1er's contract extension fails; disbandment set for July with no renewal.

The girl group Kep1er is set to end their 2.5-year journey.

According to exclusive reporting by Star News on the 25th, the members of Kep1er (Choi Yujin, Xiaoting, Mashiro, Kim Chaehyun, Kim Dayeon, Hikaru, Huening Bahiyyih, Seo Young-eun, and Kang Yeseo) will return to their respective agencies after July. Before their activity concludes, they plan to release an album and hold one final performance to bid farewell to their fans.

Kep1er is a multinational nine-member project girl group formed through Mnet's "Girls Planet 999: The Girls' War," which concluded in October 2021. They debuted in January 2022 with their first mini-album, "FIRST IMPACT," marking their entry into the K-pop scene. Kep1er was established with a set activity period of 2.5 years, ending in July 2024.

However, despite their short lifespan, Kep1er achieved remarkable success not just in South Korea but also in the global music market. Due to this success, key management from each member's agency gathered last year to discuss extending the project's duration. WakeOne, Kep1er's agency, had also indicated that they would "continuously discuss extending activities" with all parties involved.

If the extension had been approved, Kep1er would have been the first idol group born from an audition program to have its contract extended, making this a significant milestone for WakeOne and the members' agencies. Unfortunately, it was recently decided that Kep1er would not extend their activities, bringing an end to the project group after July 2024.

THE COMMENTS:

1. Wa Da Da’ was quite popular in Japan. It was somewhat expected, but it feels like they dropped the ball a bit
2. Kep1er really took off with ‘Wa Da Da’, didn't they? It's a shame they couldn't produce another hit of that magnitude before wrapping things up... 😢
3. Wa Da Da’ was a hit, but the fandom started to crumble after the dating rumors."
4. This is the usual contract structure. Even I.O.I disbanded after their term.
5. Well, it is what it is. Some members' agencies are probably just waiting for this group to end so they can debut new groups with them.
6. Couldn't they form a unit with the members who have potential? What will happen to Yujin?
7. Everything after 'Wa Da Da' was just so-so.
8. A 2.5-year contract is quite a long duration.
9. They're still quite popular in Japan, so it's a shame.
10. It's to be expected, especially since some agencies are already preparing for new group debuts.
11. I thought 'Wa Da Da' could keep them going in Japan for a long time.
12. It's a shame. 😢 It seemed like keeping the group together would have been the best for the members.
13. At this point, nothing's having the same impact as 'Wa Da Da', so it's not a bad idea to go their separate ways.

ORIGINAL POST HERE