Would KEP1ER survive I-Land 2 based on talent? (FINAL OT9 analysis)

[@EKCristobal]

How would you place Kep1er members in the main position test of I-Land 2 based on your opinion?

[@eyvirous9546]

@@EKCristobal YUJIN - Leader and Center position MASHIRO - Leader position XIAOTING - Main Dancer, Center position CHAEHYUN - Main Vocal position DAYEON - Main Dancer and Leader position HIKARU - Main Rapper and Main Dancer position HIYYIH - Center position YOUNGEUN - Main Vocal and Main Rapper position YESEO - Center and Main Dancer position

[@bernardsih5987]

Yujin: Leader, Center Xiaoting: Main Dancer, Center Mashiro: no Main position Chaehyun: Leader, Main Vocal Dayeon: Main Dancer, Main Rapper Hikaru: Main Dancer, Main Rapper Hiyyih: no Main position Youngeun: Main Vocal, Main Rapper Yeseo: Center

[@eyvirous9546]

@@bernardsih5987 Hiyyih could be center while Shiro could be Leader.

[@bernardsih5987]

Hiyyih has little presence at Center, therefore she is not best suited for that position. Xiaoting and Yeseo and Yujin are better suited for Center. Mashiro is a little too quiet and timid and sometimes slow to react to sudden happenings to be a leader from a survival show group. Chaehyun and Yujin are better suited for that position.

[@lullets5083]

Main Dancer Test = Dayeon, Xiaoting, Yujin Main Vocal Test = Chaehyun, Mashiro Main Rapper Test = Hikaru All Rounder Test = Youngeun, Hiyyih, Yeseo Hikaru reminds me of Koko (known as an amazing dancer so would be given main rapper test to showcase her other talents) Youngeun reminds me of Sarang so I would put her in all rounder. Mashiro is in the main vocal test as I believe her vocals is her stand out skill compared to rapping or dancing, her vocals are so underrated. Yeseo reminds me of Gyuri as well so I think she would be placed in the all rounder test. Dayeon could honestly be in either main dancer or main rapper but I feel like she would probably be in main dancer test, similarly to her Ice Cream performance in GP999, she would stand out alot. Xiaoting, Yujin, Chaehyun and obviously in their respective tests as they are their main skills. Hiyyih in all rounder as I believe she is solid in vocal and rap so she is able to showcase both well.

[@urvi1208]

jungeun is literally youngeun's long lost sister

[@EKCristobal]

right?!

[@lourdesmarquet4557]

Yes! Finally someome who recognizes Chaehyun dance ability!!! Thanks for this video!

[@EKCristobal]

while we greatly appreciate Kep1er's strong dance line, one challenge is that some members' talents might not receive the full recognition they deserve. welcome btw~

[@kisakanae08]

With Bahiyyih, I think the biggest issue is WakeOne giving her the actual opportunities on stage. They’ve shown a lot of distaste towards utilizing her throughout Kep1er’s career - and that’s only seemed to change during Shooting Star era with her being allowed to show her vocals on the title tracks and many of the bsides. Only with Shooting Star did we start to hear her talents onstage, and it was very much within her range and she did very well with the live stages and encore, sounding just like the studio recording. I think her vocals have come leaps and bounds from what we saw on GP999. She incorporates a lot of emotion and has beautiful transitions - with an impressive range and technique. I only hope she engages her core and supports more. I genuinely think she could be a lead vocalist in a different group. What I DO hope from Hiyyih is that she take dance lessons during Kep1er’s current break. They said they’ll be coming back and are currently working on it, but with ZB1 & Izna currently also preparing - so I think likely Kep1er will comeback in October or maybe even November. I think that dance lessons could benefit her immensely - particularly her arm control. I think Hiyyih’s footwork and hip control is very decent right now - it’s just her arm control. You’re right, it seems she lacks the strength or maybe even stamina. She’d benefit insanely from dance lessons. She’s currently taking vocal lessons, but I think her vocals are at a high enough level that she should switch it around to taking dance lessons instead. I completely agree, she would fit an all rounder position but her strength lies with vocals. If her arm control improves, and if WakeOne gives her the opportunities in title tracks to show her current vocal level - she’d be an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. And I think, like you said, there’s a lot of incentive to give her those opportunities and it’s borderline insane that they haven’t utilized her and the support she brings only until recently. I saw such a shift within her fandom with shooting Star towards buying albums, streaming the MV, voting for wins, etc. with Shooting Star because even though she was near the bottom in distribution - at least she was allowed to sing. It’s incomprehensible to me that WakeOne has only realized the benefits of utilizing her when Kep1er would have been set to disband.

[@kisakanae08]

Also my God why was the last video Mashiro crying during their first performance of Shooting Star? 😭 every time I see that video I nearly bawl my eyes out

[@kisakanae08]

I just hope with the renewal, they fix a lot of the things fans and nonfans took issue with in the past. Better opportunities for all members. Utilizing each member in their areas of strength. Good picks for title tracks (shooting Star was the only good title track choice from their respective albums in my opinion) Following the space concept they promised in GP999 Not reusing old things and giving them decent budget I think Kep1er could be such a standout group in the Kpop scene if only WakeOne utilized them properly and gave them the proper concept with the proper title track and decent budget - and then fixed fandom issues by utilizing each member properly in their strong areas & protecting each member from unnecessary hate/criticism by showing their strengths to the public

[@JohnSmith762A11B]

@@kisakanae08 I think Kep1er will live and die with the producers Wake1 gets to work with the group. There is so much talent there already but they need hit songs to perform. It's a hard reality but talented idols are very common compared to consistently great producers. Fingers crossed.🤞

[@saianshitadas]

When i first saw jungeun I was instantly reminded of youngeun they are so similar and both my biases

[@goldyd144]

I think the all-rounder title suits Bahiyyih for this analysis, and I love your explanation for it! Bahiyyih's lack of strength was always the main thing holding her back as a dancer. It was something that I was worried about when it came to them covering Stray Kids at Kcon this year. However, Kep1er as a whole seemed to have changed the style of the dance a bit to suit the group as a whole, and Bahiyyih and Chaehyun in particular surprised me with how well they did! It really showcases their dedication to improvement over time. Bahiyyih excells in dance styles that are focused more around the hips and legs (same with Yujin and Xiaoting imo). Going forward as ot7, I hope Bahiyyih focuses on developing her strength - particularly her arm strength - to further improve her skills, as she's already excelled in improving fast in her dancing overall. As for her singing, she remains one of the more stable members live, and I think watching more of their Japanese performances showcase this. Bahiyyih, Mashiro and Chaehyun have a stage with their subunit song that I think showcases her improvement well. I think she's one of the most improved idols I've ever seen. For comparison with an IZNA member, I think she's most comparable to Saebi and Mai; both all-rounders with limitless potential; obvious strengths and weaknesses in certain areas that will undoubtedly improve over time; dedicated to putting on the best performances for the group; highly underestimated for their already established performance skills (Saebi for vocals, Mai for dance - Hiyyih for both!).

[@EKCristobal]

Thank you, darling~

[@eyvirous9546]

If Chaehyun were an I-LAND 2 participant, then she’ll be the top and strongest vocalist of the show. (Chaehyun > Jiyoon > Jungeun)

[@EKCristobal]

yes, whether we consider izna or kep1er for this content, chaehyun remains the best vocalist overall

[@bernardsih5987]

I am sorry but Chaehyun is the strongest vocalist on Kep1er mostly because most of the better vocalists were eliminated earlier on Girls Planet 999. I believe Chaehyun is the best vocalist remaining on Girls Planet 999 after the second elimination on episode 8.

[@eyvirous9546]

@@bernardsih5987 Sorry to break it to you, but Chaehyun was clearly one of the top and best vocalists on GP999 back then, and she’s now the strongest vocalist in Kep1er. Chaehyun is a mid-average vocalist, while most of the GP999 vocalist contestants were low to weak average vocalists, such as Hyerim, Jeongmin, Bora, Jiyoon, Shana, Reina, Yiman, Yale, and Rayeon. Chaehyun is clearly way above them. Just because she didn’t get high notes most of the time doesn’t mean she’s not a good vocalist. People need to understand that hitting high notes isn’t equivalent being a good vocalist. It’s always about vocal technique. Even Bora, who can reach high notes, is still a weak vocalist. Now, if we talk about I-LAND 2, Chaehyun’s vocal tier is C, while Jiyoon and Jungeun, the top vocalists of I-LAND 2, are both D. Chaehyun clearly has better support, vocal technique, and vocal range. Hence, Chaehyun would be the best vocalist of I-LAND 2 if she joined them. Hope that helps! 🤗🤍

[@eyvirous9546]

Chaehyun is a former SM trainee for a reason. 🦋

[@EKCristobal]

@@eyvirous9546 I believe Chaehyun’s vocal talent in Girls Planet 999 was underappreciated partly because she was quite modest. Although she clearly had the vocal ability to support her position, her confidence might have held her back from fighting for major vocal parts. Even as we started investing more in vocal analysis, we didn’t fully recognize her worth back then. However, with more research and understanding of the topic, and with the help of kind critics, we’ve been able to assess her skills more accurately. I hope this will encourage others to enhance their understanding of vocal pedagogy, especially those who may have doubted Chaehyun’s vocal abilities. Ultimately, Chaehyun is undeniably the best vocalist of Girls Planet 999.

[@minjae_pk]

Although Hikaru is lacking in overall vocal skills, her stability, pitch, tune and her potential are undeniable. She has been improving non-stop since GP999 and has been giving lots of vocal lines (some with high pitch) lately. Just listen to Celebrate, Rewind and Utopia (Kep1er Ver), and you can see she can actually reach high notes. Even Simon (XG Producers) once said that Hikaru is actually one of the best vocalists while training is proof of how good her singing is despite some lacking. Although she has a very nasal voice, I just love her tone so much 😭😭😭Would love to see all-rounder Hikaru improving and get more vocal lines in OT7 era!!!

[@andronicusjoesirait2651]

I think Bahiyyih is improving her vocal and stage presence skills. As what I saw lately on her stage, her stage aura is giving more impact than what we have 2 years ago, and her vocal is getting better and more showcased as the result of higher confidence in her singing. But because of that, she lose focus on her dance. She gives more focus on "What the Camera Records" rather than The stage as a whole. But I sensely believe that this habbit will disappear as soon as she became comfortable with her singing voice and having even higher confidence (Because I'm seeing such a huge potential in her to became a Lead Dancer and also a Lead Vocalist). So, I trully agree that she really fits to be an "All Rounder Challenge" stage member, as she barely unleash her full potential. So thankyou for the Video! I trully agree with almost all of them! And also thankyou for the Chaehyun dance appreciation! She really grows from being the "Weakest Dancer in Kep1er" to "One of a Lead Dancer Material Member in Kep1er". It's such a meaningful recognition as Chaehyun works really hard for it!

[@EKCristobal]

Thank you so much for sharing your insights! I completely agree that Bahiyyih has shown remarkable improvement in her vocal and stage presence. It’s exciting to see her growing more confident in her singing, which has definitely allowed her to shine more on stage. However, I believe Bahiyyih hasn’t reached her full vocal prime yet. We've always recognized her strong potential, and with more training, she could even surprise us further.

[@EKCristobal]

I understand your point about Bahiyyih's focus on what the camera captures; balancing multiple aspects of performance can be challenging. While her dance skills have improved significantly with more power and accuracy, further consistency and refinement with strength will enhance her precision. Like you, I believe that as she continues to gain confidence in her vocals, her dance precision will naturally follow. With her strong potential, Bahiyyih truly has the makings of an all-rounder, excelling in both vocals and dance.

[@EKCristobal]

If Bahiyyih had the opportunity to train with an agency focused on developing well-rounded idols from the start, she might have showcased her talents even earlier. However, I believe in the right time and place. Bahiyyih's debut has served as strong foundational training, and I’m glad they renewed because if she’s improved this much in a short time, imagine how much more she can achieve with the contract renewal. As for Chaehyun, I believe it’s high time to give her her flowers. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate them. Keep them coming~ hehe.

[@bernardsih5987]

Bahiyyih revealed on an earlier interview that she was a trainee in Cube Entertainment for one year previously, which is why she is familiar with Lightsum members.

[@andronicusjoesirait2651]

@@EKCristobal You're Welcome! Trully appreciate your kindess to reply my comments

[@lili_mixx3]

Also just wanted to say thanks for this video because I'm trying to get to know Kep1er more and the fact that I just finished watching I-Land 2 makes it more interesting 😊

[@EKCristobal]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled to hear that the video is helping you get to know Kep1er better, especially after watching I-Land 2. If you have any more questions or need further insights, feel free to ask!

[@eyvirous9546]

Yujin can clearly perform heavy style performances and execute strong powerful movements. Just look at her CLC days.

[@EKCristobal]

she can, i just emphasized how her natural skills are particularly well-suited for soft, fluid movements and it's perfectly fine cause she's still a strong lead dancer overall (am a fan of clc ever since debut btw)

[@eyvirous9546]

@@EKCristobal Yes, I understand. I just hate how most people keep discrediting her. Yujin is clearly a talented idol and an all-rounder. Not to mention that she’s been active from 3rd gen to the 5th gen and still performs like it’s her first time on stage. She’s one of the most passionate idols in the industry that I’ve ever seen. She should be the epitome of what an idol should be in the industry.

[@erickacornu774]

I'll be honest but Choi Yujin shines more in Clc concepts than Kepl1er. Let me explain, the group's concepts are far too young and not mature enough for Yujin. By staying with this group, she's wasting her potential. It's a good thing Yujin is such a versatile idol that she can have it both ways.

[@YUJINXO]

@@erickacornu774well not really, the sound yes, but when it comes to concepts she suits this more as it goes with her personality

[@erickacornu774]

@@YUJINXO i disagree with you

[@BabyDanny_]

I love how you explained Bahiyyih. I see a lot of ppl straight up denying anything and everything that revolves around praising Hiyyih’s improvements but in all honesty she really CAN be an all-rounder and in the next few years I’m gonna be happy when she proves everyone wrong.

[@mr1m704]

That’s the thing though why does an idol who already debuted need to improve so much?

[@BabyDanny_]

@@mr1m704 Everyone can improve, even idols who are already good, so it applies to everyone, debuted or not. And the only thing Hiyyih needs to improve is strength in the things she’s already good at, she can sing, dance, she has good looks and SP

[@mr1m704]

@@BabyDanny_ You don’t understand what I mean.Bahiyyih had so much to improve on since her debut lets be honest she did debut due to her brothers popularity otherwise she was a dozen her vocal tier is an F+ and her dance is average and her rap is weak.This ranking doesn’t have any backings it’s just pure compliments.Another thing to add almost every member of kep1er is stable. Bahiyyih more than others because she doesn’t have vocally challenging lines.

[@BabyDanny_]

@@mr1m704 And that is an example of discrediting and talking without thinking. Not only are you bitter and wrong but it’s literally an analysis💀 if you wanna be this dense at least back up your claims. THOUSANDS of idols started off lacking and improved within time. Bahiyyih has did several covers that challenge her initial vocal limit and has varied since her debut. She got in bc of her brother but after that fiesta performance on gp999 she secured her spot wbk. She has made a name for herself without Kai being mentioned and she has literally improved everything she lacked, why is it so hard to give her the acknowledgement? Yall stay bitter about her and it becomes funny bc she improves everytime yall say something about her. Lmaoo anywayz, stop hating from behind the screen, it’s just embarrassing😬

[@HyukasBackup]

NO LITERALLY!! It gets sad atp, they can never say anything nice about her. Miserable loves looking for company.

[@vestah2922]

Personally, it would be more interesting to see whether kep1er would survive i-land 2 based on talent, before debuting in kep1er (with talents they showcased in gp199). otherwise, we are compering semi-experienced idols with trainees.

[@sacredleaf_727]

Happy to see someone praising Hiyyih’s abilities , especially for vocal!!! Tysm🔥💕I think more importantly, hiyyih need to be more confidence

[@EKCristobal]

hopefully, hiyyih will surprise us more with their new era. you're very welcome btw~

[@MooKrob9935]

@@sacredleaf_727 I really really love Truly cover!!!!! Her voice is so incredible and shine. It's mixs well with chaehyun voice!

[@MooKrob9935]

As a devoted fan of Chaehyun, I want to sincerely thank you for your thoughtful analysis and kind words about her. Your appreciation for her talent means so much to those of us who have followed her journey. Since GP999, I’ve felt that her incredible skills have often been underappreciated, leading some to unfairly question her position in Kep1er. The critiques about two performances with unstable vocals, not hitting high notes, and not fighting for the main vocalist part are the main reasons some feel she is "unsuitable" or "inappropriate" for the main vocalist position. However, I believe that Chaehyun’s vocal abilities are unparalleled among the GP999 contestants. I have no doubt that she would hold her own in a show like I-LAND 2. Even her fellow members and social media acknowledge that Chaehyun’s voice is the very essence and identity of Kep1er. This recognition shows that it’s not just her fans who see her as essential to the group. Moreover, her dance skills and stage presence have shown remarkable improvement, and she continues to grow with every performance. I love watching her work the stage, especially when her energy and enthusiasm resonate with the audience-she truly shines. Thank you once again for recognizing Chaehyun's talent and for sharing your appreciation. It means the world to us fans.

[@EKCristobal]

Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your passion for Chaehyun! I’m glad my analysis aligns with your appreciation of her talent and growth; she truly deserves the recognition.

[@itgirl_yuna]

I really enjoyed this video! I hope it’ll become a series

[@EKCristobal]

which group would y’all love to see being analyzed next? but yes, this is a series love! hehe will do solo and multiple group analyses. thank you!

[@mewtant.kitty66]

i think chaehyun also makes an excellent face. she was so witty on that cooking show with mashiro & xiaoting. 😊

[@EKCristobal]

she really does! i absolutely love that for her!

[@tombraidermasterman]

Based take! Also good recognition of Yeseo’s mixed voice! People always doubted her abilities but while it is usually a bit too head-heavy for my liking, it does show that she is at least in the right direction of developing healthy technique. I’m wondering if you could do an analysis or commentary on vocals in general. One topic I’ve gotten angry about recently is belting vs “shouting”. I watched a compilation of Ahyeon’s high note in Sheesh and most of the comments were all claiming that “she just shouted” and that it’s not that impressive. Granted that she could mix more head voice in and be less tense, her high notes were executed well enough LIVE on stage. I see other vocalists like Jihyo do the same in her rookie stages of Like Ooh-Ahh and AOA’s Choa sing chest-heavy (I love them both

[@aashleshasonone4042]

Jungeun and youngeun yes ❤

[@ondazboy]

i truly appreciate that you always include kep1er in your videos. they're really talented, but also very underrated. let's support them in their ot7 era ❤

[@EKCristobal]

of course and let’s go!

[@goldyd144]

Chaehyun's main improvement as a dancer imo is her energy. She's a much more high energy dancer now compared to how she was when Kep1er debuted, and it shows in performances like Straight Line, Problem, Grand Prix at MAMA, and their most recent Stray Kids cover. It really shows her dedication to her craft. I fear Wakeone still hasn't utilized Yujin to her fullest as a vocalist, performer, and dancer. She's consistently, and has been consistently good her entire run with Kep1er. Going forward as ot7, I will be very upset if Yujin is still underutilized because she's such a valuable asset to the group! She's adaptable to many concepts, has a criminally underutilized lower register, has had no center for a dance break despite her skills, and has consistently good stage presence. Wakeone continues to fumble with her talent, and it's annoying. 😮‍💨

[@EKCristobal]

I don’t have much more to add about Chaehyun because I completely agree. Her dancing has been very promising from the start, and it's great to see her incorporating techniques that enhance her performance.

[@EKCristobal]

Unfortunately, Yujin seems to be one of those older members whose skills are overlooked. While this approach benefits the group as a whole, her individual skills can be underestimated, which might lead fans to overlook her abilities. With her extensive experience in the industry, she could be using her strengths-especially her lower register-more effectively. Just imagine how impactful it would be if her lower register, which is among the best, was showcased more. As for the concepts, it’s true that Kep1er has been experimenting with different styles, and Yujin has proven that she can handle these diverse approaches.

[@sztrife1]

goddamn, i love kep1er. thank you

[@EKCristobal]

anytiime!

[@hc1883]

Yujin = Jeemin Xiaoting or Yeseo = Saebi Chaehyun = Jiyoon Dayeon or Mashiro = Sarang Hikaru = Koko Hiyyih = Mai Youngeun = Jungeun

[@colby_247]

Nope

[@longlive_thegreatwar]

​@@colby_247yes

[@yourspinalcord]

More like Yeseo - Mai

[@shirosflower]

This is nice ❤

[@JohnSmith762A11B]

It's important to remember that Hiyyih is stil a relative baby, having just turned 20. If she devotes the next 3+ years to becoming a world-class all-rounder she has a big future ahead as her visuals and personality create a wide international appeal.

[@dikchabasnett9339]

Hiyyjh all-rounder is what she is

[@ACCORELOVE]

Thank you for including yeshior and making a vid on kep1er!!

[@EKCristobal]

final ot9 kep1er analysis vid :((

[@ekuniverse1]

Yeah I-Land 2 isn't based just off of talent, it's more based off concept. Which is the luxurious and pretty image YG and TBL go for. Maybe only Chaehyun would survive the standards of Teddy.

[@sarahjyun2044]

Kep1er have better dance line rap line ane a better main vocalist

[@EKCristobal]

yup!

[@sachicon]

I stan Jungeun and Hikaru

[@julia.e.carpenter]

Where’s the brutal part? It’s standardized judgement based on their performance.

[@an1332]

Even though the analysis was skilled base. As someone who watched both Girl's planet and iland 2,I felt like many kep1er members wouldn't survive and make into the group in iland 2.Iland 2 was definitely a different ,there was alot of emphasized in physical appearance for sure.Chaehyun is definitely the best vocalist if we consider both izna and kep1er.I don't think chaehyun would survive.

[@andrewsun8773]

I wish you actually answered the question in the title

[@EKCristobal]

How about sharing your thoughts on how you would respond to the question posed in the title? I purposely leave it open-ended to foster discussion and allow others to draw their own conclusions based on the analysis provided. I’d be interested to hear your perspectives as well.

[@WNMAAA]

could u do a seventeen analysis video

[@EKCristobal]

i would have sooo much to dig hehe

[@goldyd144]

In regards to who I think would advance to debut in IZNA if they were on I-Land 2 instead of GP999 in Kep1er, I think it would be; Hikaru, Xiaoting, Dayeon, and Youngeun. Those four fit THEBLACKLABEL's performance styles, concepts, and overall vibe. Hikaru would obviously be pushed as the Main Rapper of the show much like Koko was. Dayeon would be an all-rounder, but I also see her being pushed as the leader of the group too. I disagree with you a bit regarding Youngeun; I feel that like Jungeun and like on Girls Planet, she'll still end up in a Main Vocalist role. And for Xiaoting, she'll be a Main Dancer and Visual - probably the Visual of the show.

[@EKCristobal]

Even though I recognized Youngeun's skills in different areas, I still placed her as the main vocalist because, like you, I believe she will end up in that role one way or another.

[@EKCristobal]

Regarding Dayeon, I think the all-rounder title suits her well. If it weren’t for the powerful main rap performance I envision her delivering alongside Hikaru, I might consider her for the main dance position-or even as an all-rounder to showcase her versatility. This highlights how well-rounded Dayeon is.

[@EKCristobal]

As for Xiaoting, I agree with pushing her for the main dancer position in I-Land 2. However, I also anticipate her being given challenges similar to Jeemin’s-being pushed in various aspects, including the center position, to show that she’s more than just her popularity. Even though Mnet contributed to Xiaoting's popularity during GP999, I believe she still has a strong chance of gaining support from fans in I-Land 2.

[@erickacornu774]

I'll be honest but Choi Yujin shines more in Clc concepts than Kepl1er. Let me explain, the group's concepts are far too young and not mature enough for Yujin. By staying with this group, she's wasting her potential. It's a good thing Yujin is such a versatile idol that she can have it both ways.

[@Bubblybae-f8c]

Kiss of life please

[@DarkGamer-nk6uy]

Do IZ*ONE please

[@EKCristobal]

actually, yes! stay tuned please.

[@lili_mixx3]

I'm not that familiar with Kep1er because I only started paying attention to them since Shooting Star but I'm curious, do you think Kep1er's popularity / success is on the same level as NMIXX and STAYC? I know this doesn't have much to do with your video but I'm just curious 😅

[@EKCristobal]

How would you define success? If we look at album sales, NMIXX is currently leading. For Kep1er and STAYC, Kep1er had a strong start with their debut sales, but over time, we’ve seen some differences. On the other hand, STAYC, despite not starting as strongly as Kep1er, has experienced an increase in sales over time, which might be due to their songs resonating more with local audiences in Korea. With their recent comeback, Kep1er’s sales are somewhat higher, possibly due to their situation right now.

[@EKCristobal]

Regarding concert attendance, STAYC’s broader international tour might suggest they have a larger audience. However, this could be partly because Kep1er has not yet expanded their global presence extensively. Despite focusing mainly on Japan, Kep1er has a strong presence there and generates significant revenue. Their Japanese singles and albums outperform those of STAYC and some other girl groups. Given Japan’s substantial purchasing power, second to the US, Kep1er’s success in that market is impressive. Ultimately, as mentioned earlier, how we define success can vary. To me, all three groups are succeeding in different ways when it comes to generating revenue.

[@lili_mixx3]

@@EKCristobal yeah there are so many factors to consider ahhh ...thank you for sharing!

[@lili_mixx3]

@@EKCristobal once again, valid points shared. I guess I just wanted to ask because I just got 'back' into kpop this year, and did research on "the most popular ggs" right now but in my mind, I just thought nmixx / kep1er / stayc were about the same popularity / fanbase wise (not newjeans/aespa/ive level) and I thought how cool it was that all 3 of them were attending KCON LA this year. Kep1er Friday / NMIXX Saturday / STAYC Sunday. I saw them as the top talent ggs for the show x)

[@EKCristobal]

@@lili_mixx3 You're very welcome! There are indeed many factors to consider when defining a group's level of success. To give you a brief understanding of Kep1er's situation: even though there were no plans from their respective labels for the members after their initial 2.5-year contract, the fact that a renewal happened-even with one label pulling out two members-indicates that Kep1er is still bringing in profit. Otherwise, WakeOne and Mnet wouldn’t have taken the risk to continue with them. I'm excited to see how these new dynamics will shape their future releases and growth!

[@trashteriyucky]

"Despite being Japanese..." lmao that's where you lost me, cause tf does that have to do with being able to have flow and rhythm to rap. 😂

[@EKCristobal]

thank you for your feedback. my intention was to highlight that, despite any potential challenges that might come from her being Japanese, Hikaru's exceptional flow and rhythmic precision showcase her impressive rap skills. her nationality doesn’t diminish her talent; rather, it’s her training and hard work that make her stand out as the best rapper in Kep1er. i hope this clarifies my comment.

[@ava1002]

probably bc she's rapping in korean mostly or in english. it can be harder to rap in a different language

[@partiya_vaginodictatury_Aliyi]

"Yujin's skills are often overlooked", yeah, recently by Wake1 🥲🥲🥲