“Kep1er is Coming! Yay! Yay! Yay!” Monthly KPOP Chit-chat #01

2023.10.10

Kep1er made their comeback on September 25 with ‘Galileo’ after five months.

Kep1er? Galileo? Is this a discussion about astronomy?

No, this is about KPOP.

Kep1er is a nine-member KPOP girl group formed from the audition program “Girls Planet 999” (commonly known as Garupla), which aired on South Korea’s Mnet and was available for free streaming in Japan on Abema in 2021.

The nine members were selected from a total of 13,000 applicants:

Six Koreans: Yujin, Chaehyun, Dayoung, Huening Bahie, Yongun, and Yeso; two Japanese: Mashiro and Hikaru; and finally, one Chinese member: Xiaoting.

They debuted on January 3, 2022, with their 1st mini album “First Impact,” selling over 200,000 copies in its first week, setting a record for the highest first-week sales for a debut album by a KPOP girl group at that time.

They topped the iTunes charts in 14 countries and regions, including Japan, and ranked second on the global album chart.

Additionally, at the 64th Japan Record Awards, they received the “Special Award,” and 2022 was a year of remarkable success for Kep1er. They continued this momentum with their first solo concert tour from May to June this year, performing six shows across three cities (Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka) and drawing around 50,000 fans. The final concert at Kobe World Memorial Hall was also streamed live on Lemino, concluding their first tour with great success.

The author attended four out of the six performances, including two in Tokyo at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, one in Aichi at Sky Expo, and one in Kobe at World Memorial Hall, experiencing tears of joy at every concert.

Having supported them since their time on Garupla when they were still unknown, it was emotional to see the venue filled with over 10,000 fans. Watching them perform with all their might and sing and dance to their signal song “O.O.O” made it impossible not to cry. This sentiment is surely shared by all Kep1ians (the fan name for Kep1er).

And now, Kep1er is back with their fifth mini album “Magic Hour” after about five months since the release of “LOVESTORUCK!”

The title track “Galileo” is a lively disco-punk song that depicts a girl in love observing her feelings and gradually learning about love.

The music video prominently features pink, reminiscent of the world of the globally successful film “Barbie” released this year. The sound of “Galileo” can be described as a cute version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” infused with KPOP elements, making it a delightful track that naturally brings a smile and embodies the essence of Kep1er.

This mini album “Magic Hour,” which includes “Galileo,” has reached second place on the iTunes global album chart, made it to the TOP 10 of the European iTunes album chart, and topped the iTunes album charts in nine countries and regions, including Japan, proving their continued international popularity. As the second half of 2023 unfolds, Kep1er is sure to continue to excite the world.

While I would like to conclude this column neatly, the current situation of Kep1er makes that difficult. For someone who knows nothing about them, the impression from reading this far might be that Kep1er is incredibly popular. However, the reality is that their situation is not as smooth as it seems.

From a global perspective, it is undeniable that Kep1er is a popular group. There are only a few girl groups that can hold arena tours in Japan, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are one of the top groups among KPOP girl groups in Japan.

However, the situation changes drastically in Korea.

On Korea’s largest music streaming chart, Melon, “Galileo” peaked at 636th place on its first day. In contrast, groups categorized in the fourth generation of KPOP, such as IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa, consistently enter the TOP 10 on the Melon chart with their new releases, highlighting how poor the 636th position for “Galileo” truly is.

Moreover, while their debut album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week, the current album “Magic Hour” has only sold 108,000 copies in its first week, nearly halving their sales since debut. This indicates that very few people in Korea are currently listening to Kep1er’s new songs, and it is clear that their fan base is shrinking in terms of CD sales.

Kep1er is a limited-time group with an activity period of only two and a half years, and their disbandment is set for next July. This means that with less than ten months left until their disbandment, it is tough for those of us who support Kep1er to see their current situation.

However, in Japan, their popularity remains strong, as evidenced by the long lines at Tower Records in Shibuya on the release day of “Magic Hour,” where I also waited for about 30 minutes to purchase a copy. The demand was so high that even those who had made reservations had to wait in line to buy it.

Just a few days later, many Tower Records locations across Japan reported sold-out stock.

Thus, I am honestly perplexed by the gap in popularity between Japan and Korea. It even makes me wonder if the Korean music scene, which is not selling well, is the anomaly, given that this album is selling well worldwide on iTunes.

The groups IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa mentioned earlier consist of four to six members and evoke words like stylish, sophisticated, and cutting-edge, distinguishing them from previous KPOP generations. Kep1er, being a larger group known for fun dance music, retains a strong essence of the third generation of KPOP, for better or worse.

As a result, some even label Kep1er as uncool. However, I have never thought of Kep1er as uncool, nor will I in the future. Those who criticize others’ music tastes are the ones who are truly uncool.

Music is a reflection of personal taste, and it is not something others should criticize. I hope that in the remaining ten months of their activity, Kep1er can prove their worth to those who doubt them, and I believe they can do it.

Kep1er is Back.

The journey of Kep1er does not end here.

End

---

Written by: Nekomachi Peko

Head of the KPOP team at SKOOTA

Originally a rock music enthusiast who once considered working at Rockin’ On. Became interested in KPOP through BTS, then fell for BLACKPINK, eventually diving deep into the KPOP scene. Became a dedicated fan of Kep1er after getting hooked on the survival audition program “Girls Planet 999.”

---

Related Articles

Additionally, at the 64th Japan Record Awards, they received the “Special Award,” and 2022 was a year of remarkable success for Kep1er. They continued this momentum with their first solo concert tour from May to June this year, performing six shows across three cities (Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka) and drawing around 50,000 fans. The final concert at Kobe World Memorial Hall was also streamed live on Lemino, concluding their first tour with great success.

The author attended four out of the six performances, including two in Tokyo at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, one in Aichi at Sky Expo, and one in Kobe at World Memorial Hall, experiencing tears of joy at every concert.

Having supported them since their time on Garupla when they were still unknown, it was emotional to see the venue filled with over 10,000 fans. Watching them perform with all their might and sing and dance to their signal song “O.O.O” made it impossible not to cry. This sentiment is surely shared by all Kep1ians (the fan name for Kep1er).

And now, Kep1er is back with their fifth mini album “Magic Hour” after about five months since the release of “LOVESTORUCK!”

The title track “Galileo” is a lively disco-punk song that depicts a girl in love observing her feelings and gradually learning about love.

The music video prominently features pink, reminiscent of the world of the globally successful film “Barbie” released this year. The sound of “Galileo” can be described as a cute version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” infused with KPOP elements, making it a delightful track that naturally brings a smile and embodies the essence of Kep1er.

This mini album “Magic Hour,” which includes “Galileo,” has reached second place on the iTunes global album chart, made it to the TOP 10 of the European iTunes album chart, and topped the iTunes album charts in nine countries and regions, including Japan, proving their continued international popularity. As the second half of 2023 unfolds, Kep1er is sure to continue to excite the world.

While I would like to conclude this column neatly, the current situation of Kep1er makes that difficult. For someone who knows nothing about them, the impression from reading this far might be that Kep1er is incredibly popular. However, the reality is that their situation is not as smooth as it seems.

From a global perspective, it is undeniable that Kep1er is a popular group. There are only a few girl groups that can hold arena tours in Japan, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are one of the top groups among KPOP girl groups in Japan.

However, the situation changes drastically in Korea.

On Korea’s largest music streaming chart, Melon, “Galileo” peaked at 636th place on its first day. In contrast, groups categorized in the fourth generation of KPOP, such as IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa, consistently enter the TOP 10 on the Melon chart with their new releases, highlighting how poor the 636th position for “Galileo” truly is.

Moreover, while their debut album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week, the current album “Magic Hour” has only sold 108,000 copies in its first week, nearly halving their sales since debut. This indicates that very few people in Korea are currently listening to Kep1er’s new songs, and it is clear that their fan base is shrinking in terms of CD sales.

Kep1er is a limited-time group with an activity period of only two and a half years, and their disbandment is set for next July. This means that with less than ten months left until their disbandment, it is tough for those of us who support Kep1er to see their current situation.

However, in Japan, their popularity remains strong, as evidenced by the long lines at Tower Records in Shibuya on the release day of “Magic Hour,” where I also waited for about 30 minutes to purchase a copy. The demand was so high that even those who had made reservations had to wait in line to buy it.

Just a few days later, many Tower Records locations across Japan reported sold-out stock.

Thus, I am honestly perplexed by the gap in popularity between Japan and Korea. It even makes me wonder if the Korean music scene, which is not selling well, is the anomaly, given that this album is selling well worldwide on iTunes.

The groups IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa mentioned earlier consist of four to six members and evoke words like stylish, sophisticated, and cutting-edge, distinguishing them from previous KPOP generations. Kep1er, being a larger group known for fun dance music, retains a strong essence of the third generation of KPOP, for better or worse.

As a result, some even label Kep1er as uncool. However, I have never thought of Kep1er as uncool, nor will I in the future. Those who criticize others’ music tastes are the ones who are truly uncool.

Music is a reflection of personal taste, and it is not something others should criticize. I hope that in the remaining ten months of their activity, Kep1er can prove their worth to those who doubt them, and I believe they can do it.

Kep1er is Back.

The journey of Kep1er does not end here.

End

---

Written by: Nekomachi Peko

Head of the KPOP team at SKOOTA

Originally a rock music enthusiast who once considered working at Rockin’ On. Became interested in KPOP through BTS, then fell for BLACKPINK, eventually diving deep into the KPOP scene. Became a dedicated fan of Kep1er after getting hooked on the survival audition program “Girls Planet 999.”

---

Related Articles

The title track “WADADA” became a global hit, with its music video surpassing 100 million views in just three months. The #WADADA Challenge on TikTok went viral, accumulating over 600 million views, and in Korea, they achieved the fastest-ever first place on a terrestrial music program just 12 days after debuting, marking a spectacular debut for Kep1er.

In Japan, their popularity was immense, with tickets for three performances at the Japan Debut Showcase held at Makuhari Messe Event Hall in September 2022 selling out in just three minutes after general sales began. They also topped the Oricon annual ranking for new artists in 2022, despite being an overseas group.

Additionally, at the 64th Japan Record Awards, they received the “Special Award,” and 2022 was a year of remarkable success for Kep1er. They continued this momentum with their first solo concert tour from May to June this year, performing six shows across three cities (Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka) and drawing around 50,000 fans. The final concert at Kobe World Memorial Hall was also streamed live on Lemino, concluding their first tour with great success.

The author attended four out of the six performances, including two in Tokyo at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, one in Aichi at Sky Expo, and one in Kobe at World Memorial Hall, experiencing tears of joy at every concert.

Having supported them since their time on Garupla when they were still unknown, it was emotional to see the venue filled with over 10,000 fans. Watching them perform with all their might and sing and dance to their signal song “O.O.O” made it impossible not to cry. This sentiment is surely shared by all Kep1ians (the fan name for Kep1er).

And now, Kep1er is back with their fifth mini album “Magic Hour” after about five months since the release of “LOVESTORUCK!”

The title track “Galileo” is a lively disco-punk song that depicts a girl in love observing her feelings and gradually learning about love.

The music video prominently features pink, reminiscent of the world of the globally successful film “Barbie” released this year. The sound of “Galileo” can be described as a cute version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” infused with KPOP elements, making it a delightful track that naturally brings a smile and embodies the essence of Kep1er.

This mini album “Magic Hour,” which includes “Galileo,” has reached second place on the iTunes global album chart, made it to the TOP 10 of the European iTunes album chart, and topped the iTunes album charts in nine countries and regions, including Japan, proving their continued international popularity. As the second half of 2023 unfolds, Kep1er is sure to continue to excite the world.

While I would like to conclude this column neatly, the current situation of Kep1er makes that difficult. For someone who knows nothing about them, the impression from reading this far might be that Kep1er is incredibly popular. However, the reality is that their situation is not as smooth as it seems.

From a global perspective, it is undeniable that Kep1er is a popular group. There are only a few girl groups that can hold arena tours in Japan, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are one of the top groups among KPOP girl groups in Japan.

However, the situation changes drastically in Korea.

On Korea’s largest music streaming chart, Melon, “Galileo” peaked at 636th place on its first day. In contrast, groups categorized in the fourth generation of KPOP, such as IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa, consistently enter the TOP 10 on the Melon chart with their new releases, highlighting how poor the 636th position for “Galileo” truly is.

Moreover, while their debut album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week, the current album “Magic Hour” has only sold 108,000 copies in its first week, nearly halving their sales since debut. This indicates that very few people in Korea are currently listening to Kep1er’s new songs, and it is clear that their fan base is shrinking in terms of CD sales.

Kep1er is a limited-time group with an activity period of only two and a half years, and their disbandment is set for next July. This means that with less than ten months left until their disbandment, it is tough for those of us who support Kep1er to see their current situation.

However, in Japan, their popularity remains strong, as evidenced by the long lines at Tower Records in Shibuya on the release day of “Magic Hour,” where I also waited for about 30 minutes to purchase a copy. The demand was so high that even those who had made reservations had to wait in line to buy it.

Just a few days later, many Tower Records locations across Japan reported sold-out stock.

Thus, I am honestly perplexed by the gap in popularity between Japan and Korea. It even makes me wonder if the Korean music scene, which is not selling well, is the anomaly, given that this album is selling well worldwide on iTunes.

The groups IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa mentioned earlier consist of four to six members and evoke words like stylish, sophisticated, and cutting-edge, distinguishing them from previous KPOP generations. Kep1er, being a larger group known for fun dance music, retains a strong essence of the third generation of KPOP, for better or worse.

As a result, some even label Kep1er as uncool. However, I have never thought of Kep1er as uncool, nor will I in the future. Those who criticize others’ music tastes are the ones who are truly uncool.

Music is a reflection of personal taste, and it is not something others should criticize. I hope that in the remaining ten months of their activity, Kep1er can prove their worth to those who doubt them, and I believe they can do it.

Kep1er is Back.

The journey of Kep1er does not end here.

End

---

Written by: Nekomachi Peko

Head of the KPOP team at SKOOTA

Originally a rock music enthusiast who once considered working at Rockin’ On. Became interested in KPOP through BTS, then fell for BLACKPINK, eventually diving deep into the KPOP scene. Became a dedicated fan of Kep1er after getting hooked on the survival audition program “Girls Planet 999.”

---

Related Articles

Additionally, at the 64th Japan Record Awards, they received the “Special Award,” and 2022 was a year of remarkable success for Kep1er. They continued this momentum with their first solo concert tour from May to June this year, performing six shows across three cities (Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka) and drawing around 50,000 fans. The final concert at Kobe World Memorial Hall was also streamed live on Lemino, concluding their first tour with great success.

The author attended four out of the six performances, including two in Tokyo at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, one in Aichi at Sky Expo, and one in Kobe at World Memorial Hall, experiencing tears of joy at every concert.

Having supported them since their time on Garupla when they were still unknown, it was emotional to see the venue filled with over 10,000 fans. Watching them perform with all their might and sing and dance to their signal song “O.O.O” made it impossible not to cry. This sentiment is surely shared by all Kep1ians (the fan name for Kep1er).

And now, Kep1er is back with their fifth mini album “Magic Hour” after about five months since the release of “LOVESTORUCK!”

The title track “Galileo” is a lively disco-punk song that depicts a girl in love observing her feelings and gradually learning about love.

The music video prominently features pink, reminiscent of the world of the globally successful film “Barbie” released this year. The sound of “Galileo” can be described as a cute version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” infused with KPOP elements, making it a delightful track that naturally brings a smile and embodies the essence of Kep1er.

This mini album “Magic Hour,” which includes “Galileo,” has reached second place on the iTunes global album chart, made it to the TOP 10 of the European iTunes album chart, and topped the iTunes album charts in nine countries and regions, including Japan, proving their continued international popularity. As the second half of 2023 unfolds, Kep1er is sure to continue to excite the world.

While I would like to conclude this column neatly, the current situation of Kep1er makes that difficult. For someone who knows nothing about them, the impression from reading this far might be that Kep1er is incredibly popular. However, the reality is that their situation is not as smooth as it seems.

From a global perspective, it is undeniable that Kep1er is a popular group. There are only a few girl groups that can hold arena tours in Japan, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are one of the top groups among KPOP girl groups in Japan.

However, the situation changes drastically in Korea.

On Korea’s largest music streaming chart, Melon, “Galileo” peaked at 636th place on its first day. In contrast, groups categorized in the fourth generation of KPOP, such as IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa, consistently enter the TOP 10 on the Melon chart with their new releases, highlighting how poor the 636th position for “Galileo” truly is.

Moreover, while their debut album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week, the current album “Magic Hour” has only sold 108,000 copies in its first week, nearly halving their sales since debut. This indicates that very few people in Korea are currently listening to Kep1er’s new songs, and it is clear that their fan base is shrinking in terms of CD sales.

Kep1er is a limited-time group with an activity period of only two and a half years, and their disbandment is set for next July. This means that with less than ten months left until their disbandment, it is tough for those of us who support Kep1er to see their current situation.

However, in Japan, their popularity remains strong, as evidenced by the long lines at Tower Records in Shibuya on the release day of “Magic Hour,” where I also waited for about 30 minutes to purchase a copy. The demand was so high that even those who had made reservations had to wait in line to buy it.

Just a few days later, many Tower Records locations across Japan reported sold-out stock.

Thus, I am honestly perplexed by the gap in popularity between Japan and Korea. It even makes me wonder if the Korean music scene, which is not selling well, is the anomaly, given that this album is selling well worldwide on iTunes.

The groups IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa mentioned earlier consist of four to six members and evoke words like stylish, sophisticated, and cutting-edge, distinguishing them from previous KPOP generations. Kep1er, being a larger group known for fun dance music, retains a strong essence of the third generation of KPOP, for better or worse.

As a result, some even label Kep1er as uncool. However, I have never thought of Kep1er as uncool, nor will I in the future. Those who criticize others’ music tastes are the ones who are truly uncool.

Music is a reflection of personal taste, and it is not something others should criticize. I hope that in the remaining ten months of their activity, Kep1er can prove their worth to those who doubt them, and I believe they can do it.

Kep1er is Back.

The journey of Kep1er does not end here.

End

---

Written by: Nekomachi Peko

Head of the KPOP team at SKOOTA

Originally a rock music enthusiast who once considered working at Rockin’ On. Became interested in KPOP through BTS, then fell for BLACKPINK, eventually diving deep into the KPOP scene. Became a dedicated fan of Kep1er after getting hooked on the survival audition program “Girls Planet 999.”

---

Related Articles

The title track “WADADA” became a global hit, with its music video surpassing 100 million views in just three months. The #WADADA Challenge on TikTok went viral, accumulating over 600 million views, and in Korea, they achieved the fastest-ever first place on a terrestrial music program just 12 days after debuting, marking a spectacular debut for Kep1er.

In Japan, their popularity was immense, with tickets for three performances at the Japan Debut Showcase held at Makuhari Messe Event Hall in September 2022 selling out in just three minutes after general sales began. They also topped the Oricon annual ranking for new artists in 2022, despite being an overseas group.

Additionally, at the 64th Japan Record Awards, they received the “Special Award,” and 2022 was a year of remarkable success for Kep1er. They continued this momentum with their first solo concert tour from May to June this year, performing six shows across three cities (Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka) and drawing around 50,000 fans. The final concert at Kobe World Memorial Hall was also streamed live on Lemino, concluding their first tour with great success.

The author attended four out of the six performances, including two in Tokyo at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, one in Aichi at Sky Expo, and one in Kobe at World Memorial Hall, experiencing tears of joy at every concert.

Having supported them since their time on Garupla when they were still unknown, it was emotional to see the venue filled with over 10,000 fans. Watching them perform with all their might and sing and dance to their signal song “O.O.O” made it impossible not to cry. This sentiment is surely shared by all Kep1ians (the fan name for Kep1er).

And now, Kep1er is back with their fifth mini album “Magic Hour” after about five months since the release of “LOVESTORUCK!”

The title track “Galileo” is a lively disco-punk song that depicts a girl in love observing her feelings and gradually learning about love.

The music video prominently features pink, reminiscent of the world of the globally successful film “Barbie” released this year. The sound of “Galileo” can be described as a cute version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” infused with KPOP elements, making it a delightful track that naturally brings a smile and embodies the essence of Kep1er.

This mini album “Magic Hour,” which includes “Galileo,” has reached second place on the iTunes global album chart, made it to the TOP 10 of the European iTunes album chart, and topped the iTunes album charts in nine countries and regions, including Japan, proving their continued international popularity. As the second half of 2023 unfolds, Kep1er is sure to continue to excite the world.

While I would like to conclude this column neatly, the current situation of Kep1er makes that difficult. For someone who knows nothing about them, the impression from reading this far might be that Kep1er is incredibly popular. However, the reality is that their situation is not as smooth as it seems.

From a global perspective, it is undeniable that Kep1er is a popular group. There are only a few girl groups that can hold arena tours in Japan, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are one of the top groups among KPOP girl groups in Japan.

However, the situation changes drastically in Korea.

On Korea’s largest music streaming chart, Melon, “Galileo” peaked at 636th place on its first day. In contrast, groups categorized in the fourth generation of KPOP, such as IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa, consistently enter the TOP 10 on the Melon chart with their new releases, highlighting how poor the 636th position for “Galileo” truly is.

Moreover, while their debut album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week, the current album “Magic Hour” has only sold 108,000 copies in its first week, nearly halving their sales since debut. This indicates that very few people in Korea are currently listening to Kep1er’s new songs, and it is clear that their fan base is shrinking in terms of CD sales.

Kep1er is a limited-time group with an activity period of only two and a half years, and their disbandment is set for next July. This means that with less than ten months left until their disbandment, it is tough for those of us who support Kep1er to see their current situation.

However, in Japan, their popularity remains strong, as evidenced by the long lines at Tower Records in Shibuya on the release day of “Magic Hour,” where I also waited for about 30 minutes to purchase a copy. The demand was so high that even those who had made reservations had to wait in line to buy it.

Just a few days later, many Tower Records locations across Japan reported sold-out stock.

Thus, I am honestly perplexed by the gap in popularity between Japan and Korea. It even makes me wonder if the Korean music scene, which is not selling well, is the anomaly, given that this album is selling well worldwide on iTunes.

The groups IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and aespa mentioned earlier consist of four to six members and evoke words like stylish, sophisticated, and cutting-edge, distinguishing them from previous KPOP generations. Kep1er, being a larger group known for fun dance music, retains a strong essence of the third generation of KPOP, for better or worse.

As a result, some even label Kep1er as uncool. However, I have never thought of Kep1er as uncool, nor will I in the future. Those who criticize others’ music tastes are the ones who are truly uncool.

Music is a reflection of personal taste, and it is not something others should criticize. I hope that in the remaining ten months of their activity, Kep1er can prove their worth to those who doubt them, and I believe they can do it.

Kep1er is Back.

The journey of Kep1er does not end here.

End

---

Written by: Nekomachi Peko

Head of the KPOP team at SKOOTA

Originally a rock music enthusiast who once considered working at Rockin’ On. Became interested in KPOP through BTS, then fell for BLACKPINK, eventually diving deep into the KPOP scene. Became a dedicated fan of Kep1er after getting hooked on the survival audition program “Girls Planet 999.”

---

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