On January 12th, many media outlets reported about Kep1er’s contract discussion. Accordingly, the two-year contract of the girl group is set to conclude in July 2024. Additionally, the agency Wake One is actively pursuing a contract extension with Kep1er, committing to prolong the group’s promotional period.
Wake One stated, “Last year, we proactively discussed long-term plans and strategies for the artists with all the companies. However, despite our efforts to reach agreements with the companies, the goal has not been achieved. As there is still time left for activities, we will continue to pursue this goal to the end.”
Another representative emphasized, “Wake One does not give up on discussing the extension of Kep1er’s activities and maintains an unchanged perspective.”
Despite the agency’s earnest desire for a long-lasting Kep1er lineup, fans seem to wish for the group to disband quickly. Coming from the immensely popular survival show “Girls Planet 999”, the group quickly gained attention with their debut album “FIRST IMPACT” and the title track “WA DA DA”.
However, with the company’s promotional strategy and the controversy surrounding keeping Xiaoting at the center instead of Chaehyun, who ranked first, Kep1er’s prominence faded amid the rise of many other girl groups. Nevertheless, despite not standing out in Korea, Kep1er is quite popular in Japan. Perhaps because there is still the Japan market, the agency wants to sustain the group’s activities?
Nevertheless, many worry about the future of each member after the contract expires, especially the eldest, 28-year-old Yujin. Yujin, who debuted under girl group CLC but faced limited success, was expected to have a brighter future with Kep1er but seems to have only marginally improved. What will Yujin’s future be if Kep1er disbands?
Some comments on the news that Kep1er’s contract is about to expire:
– Disbanding seems reasonable since the group has flopped severely
– Honestly, I’ve never wished for a K-pop group to disband as much as this one. It’s just that Wake One’s management is too absurd! I hope all nine members find a better and more successful path after disbandment
– In reality, Kep1er had many viral moments because of Xiaoting. She’s quite popular in China. Since Chinese fans are the most significant, the agency pushes Xiaoting. The agency is in business, so they have to see who is the most popular to push further
– Even though I really dislike Wake One, they really don’t have a future if they disband
Source: K14
