WAKEONE Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Kep1er will reportedly disband in July after discussions about a potential contract extension fall through.Today (April 25), South Korean news outlet Star News reported that Kep1er will disband in July as originally scheduled, with the members returning back to their respective agencies thereafter. The K-pop act were in discussions for a contract extension earlier this month, according to Dispatch.The temporary girl group – comprising Yujin, Xiaoting, Mashiro, Chaehyun, Dayeon, Hikaru, Huening Bahiyyih, Youngeun and Yeseo – were formed through the 2021 reality show Girls Planet 999 and had a contract for two years and six months.Per Star News, the girl group will release new music and hold a concert to bid their fans farewell before their official disbandment.

ZEROBASEONE have announced the dates for their upcoming 2024 ‘The First Tour’ tour, featuring concerts in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and more.Today (April 29), ZEROBASEONE revealed the dates for their forthcoming 2024 ‘The First Tour’ tour, which will feature 14 concerts in seven different countries from September to December this year.The K-pop boyband will kick off their tour with a three-date show at the KSPO Dome in Seoul, South Korea from September 20 to 22. In the same month, the group will also hold a concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.In the following month, ZEROBASEONE will bring their 2024 ‘The First Tour’ tour to other cities and countries across Southeast Asia.

ZEROBASEONE have dropped the music video for their new single, ‘Sweat’, a cut off their upcoming mini-album, ‘You Had Me At Hello’.In the music video for ‘Sweat’, the members of ZEROBASEONE perform the song and its energetic choreography on a stage that’s right in the middle of a water park. Footage of the members by the pool, enjoying the summer heat are also featured in the clip.“Oh baby I’ll make you sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat / You toward me, burn it up / With your touch, turn it up / Oh baby I wanna sway, sway, sway, sway, sway / Me toward you, dive into you / Following me, like this everyday,” they belt on the chorus.‘Sweat’ will appear on their upcoming mini-album ‘You Had Me At Hello’, which is set to drop in full on May 13 at 6pm KST.

ZEROBASEONE have released a preview of their upcoming single, ‘Sweat’.ZEROBASEONE unveiled a snippet of ‘Sweat’ on their official TikTok account. The preview of ‘Sweat’, billed as the ‘Shorts version’ of the song, runs for 44 seconds and presumably highlights the hook of the boyband’s upcoming single.‘Sweat’, due out on April 24 at 6pm KST, will serve as a pre-release single for ZEROBASEONE’s upcoming mini-album ‘You Had Me at Hello’.

Kep1er have been confirmed to be gearing up for their final album as a group, and are also currently in talks to extend their contracts.The K-pop girl group’s contracts as a temporary project are due to officially expire this year on July 3. This was a condition set by the survival show that formed Kep1er, Girls Planet 999, which stipulated that the winning line-up would embark on a two-and-a-half-year contract when the show concluded in October 2021.

Kep1er have teased the upcoming release of two new albums in the coming year.Kep1er took to social media yesterday (February 13) to announce the ‘2024 Kep1ine’, detailing plans to release two new albums over the course of the coming year.

K-pop idol siblings Hueningkai of TXT and Kep1er’s Huening Bahiyyih have opened up about working in the same industry and motivating one another.Earlier this month, the two singers had their first-ever photoshoot and interview together for GQ Korea. During their interview, the siblings spoke about how their bond has changed since becoming K-pop idols, and how they inspire each other.Hueningkai shared that their bond became stronger after he left home to become a K-pop trainee.

ZEROBASEONE member Zhang Hao recently covered songs by K-pop idols such as BTS‘ Jin, Girls’ Generation‘s Taeyeon and STAYC.In a new episode of music talk show Lee Mujin Service, the ZEROBASEONE’s Zhang Hao appeared as a guest to promote the boyband’s new mini-album ‘Melting Point’.During his appearance, Zhang Hao performed a cover of Girls’ Generation leader Taeyeon’s 2016 single ‘Rain’, a piano-led version of girl group STAYC’s debut track ‘So Bad’. He also covered BTS’ Jin’s solo single ‘Epiphany’ with host and singer Lee Mujin.“I’m the one I should love in this world / Shining me, precious soul of mine / I finally realised, so I love me / Not so perfect but so beautiful / I’m the one I should love,” they take turns singing on the chorus.Zhang Hao later shared that ‘Epiphany’ became a special song for him after watching a clip of Jin singing it while playing piano at a BTS concert.

K-pop girl group Kep1er may extend their contracts and promote together for a longer time.On September 22, SpoTV News reported that WAKEONE, the company managing Kep1er, recently held meetings with executives from the members’ respective agencies to discuss a potential extension of their contract.The girl group was formed in late 2021 through the project girl group series Girls Planet 999, which saw trainees from music agencies in Korea, Japan and China competing to win a spot in Kep1er. At the time, the girl group singed a contract to promote as a group for two-and-a-half years.In response to reports, WAKEONE confirmed that it had started discussions.

I-LAND 2 will be in collaboration with The Black Label.Today (July 24), Mnet released a new teaser clip for I-LAND 2, announcing that the show’s upcoming second season will be in collaboration with YG Entertainment subsidiary The Black Label, home to Jeon Somi and Big Bang‘s Taeyang.The new clip promises that the show will form “the biggest K-pop girl group of 2024”, with The Black Label producer Teddy Park leading the charge. Meanwhile, the upcoming act will debut under WAKEONE sometime in 2024, following the show’s conclusion.Online auditions for I-LAND 2 are ongoing on the show’s official website, with applications closing on August 6.

K-pop boyband ZEROBASEONE have released a music video teaser for their debut single ‘In Bloom’.On July 6, the nine-member group released the first teaser for their music video for ‘In Bloom’. The song is the lead single from their upcoming debut mini-album ‘Youth in the Shade’, which will be released at the same time as the music video on July 10 at 6pm KST.The teaser clip opens with the ZEROBASEONE members waking up in a room overgrown with plants.

K-pop girl group Kep1er have unveiled a new music video for their latest single ‘Giddy’.Today (April 10), the nine-member act dropped the music video for ‘Giddy’, the lead single off their fourth mini-album ‘Lovestruck!’. The full record will be officially released later today at 6pm KST.In the new music video, the members of Kep1er are mesmerised by the sight of a glowing heart in the sky, which bursts into pieces and enters their bodies.

Kep1er have dropped their new comeback single ‘We Fresh’, the title track lifted from their new mini-album ‘Troubleshooter’.The K-pop girl group’s new EP dropped on October 13 at 6pm KST, alongside an accompanying music video for its lead single ‘We Fresh’. In the visual, the members of Kep1er are spotted having breakfast together in an otherwise empty diner, before the scene cuts to a futuristic, cyberpunk setting.“Roaring, we fresh / Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go / We fresh, hop on ta / Stuck in a rut, break all the same old rules / We will show you, for you / Come on, touch down,” they chant on the track’s high-octane chorus.Aside from its title track, the ‘Troubleshooter’ mini-album features three new B-side tracks – ‘Lion Tamer’, ‘Downtown’ and ‘Dreams’ – as well as a remastered version of ‘THE GIRLS (Can’t turn me down)’, which was previously released as Kep1er’s original mission track during their stint as contestants on Queendom 2 earlier this year.

Kep1er have announced their forthcoming return with their third mini-album ‘Troubleshooter’.On September 26 at Midnight KST, the nine-member act’s official Twitter account shared an animated teaser poster featuring a desktop computer from the 90s’, revealing the details of their upcoming release for the first time.Kep1er’s third Korean-language mini-album, titled ‘Troubleshooter’, is due out on October 13 at 6pm KST.Kep1er l TEASER POSTERKep1er The 3rd Mini Album<

WAKEONE has announced that TO1 member Chan will be absent from the upcoming New York stop of the KCON US Tour 2022 amid health concerns.The South Korean label took to the K-pop boyband’s official Twitter page yesterday earlier today at New York local time (September 1) to announce that member Chan will not join the rest of his bandmates in the group’s performances at the upcoming New York stop of the KCON US Tour.“Chan wasn’t feeling well during a rehearsal for the KCON 2022 US Tour New York, and he is currently taking a rest,” read the company’s English statement. “Although the artist has a strong will to participate in the performance, we have decided [for] Chan not to attend the New York performance to prioritise the artist’s health and condition.”“We apologise to the fans for causing concern with the sudden news, and we promise to do our best for Chan’s recovery,” WAKEONE concluded.The New York iteration of the ongoing KCON US Tour, which is scheduled for tonight at local time, is the final stop of the tour, after a slew of performances across the US in the past month, in cities such as San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta and more.Aside from TO1, other acts who are part of the KCON tour include girl groups STAYC and LIGHTSUM, as well as boyband CRAVITY.

WAKEONE has announced in-person auditions at KCON LA for its upcoming boy group set to debut next year.On August 2, the K-pop agency shared on social media that it will be holding in-person auditions in Los Angeles, California later this month.Titled the ‘One Planet Audition’, WAKEONE will be scouting for members of an upcoming boyband preparing to debut in 2023. The auditions will take place over the weekend from August 19-21, at the LA Convention Center West Hall, at the same time as KCON LA.According to WAKEONE, there are no limitations on gender, nationality or age of applicants.

Kep1er member Kang Ye-seo has been diagnosed with COVID-19.On July 15, Kep1er’s joint labels – WAKEONE and Swing Entertainment – published a statement to the K-pop girl group’s official fancafé announcing that Kang had tested positive for the coronavirus the night before.“Kang Ye-seo has already completed her second dose of COVID-19 vaccinations,” stated the companies, per Soompi’s translations. The companies also said that the remaining members of Kep1er tested negative on preemptive tests following Kang’s diagnosis.

Kep1er have release a music video teaser their forthcoming single ‘Up!’.In the clip, the members of the K-pop girl group huddle together for a self-timer photo against the backdrop of a elaborate, brightly coloured set made to recall a beach house. Later, montages of Kep1er enjoying the summer with cocktails by the pool and popsicles, as well as goofy photobooth moments flash by.‘Up!’ is set to be the title track off Kep1er’s sophomore mini-album, ‘Doublast’.

Kep1er have announced the upcoming release of ‘Doublast’, the K-pop girl group’s second-ever mini-album.Today (June 3), the rookie group dropped a teaser image for their forthcoming sophomore project ‘Doublast’, which is due to be released on June 20 at 6pm KST. The picture features a summery-looking blue drink with a lemon slice on a yellow table, against the backdrop of lush greenery.‘Doublast’ will be Kep1er’s first release of 2022, and the much-anticipated follow-up to their debut mini-album ‘First Impact’.

Kep1er tested positive for COVID-19.Earlier today (December 14), the group’s agencies WAKEONE and Swing Entertainment broke the news that members Xiao Ting and Mashiro have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through a joint statement on the K-pop act’s fan café website. The news comes in a week after Kep1er delayed their debut after staff member who worked with them tested positive for COVID-19.“We regret to inform you that as of today (December 14), Kep1er members Xiao Ting and Mashiro tested

Kep1er will be making their debut next year with their first mini-album ‘First Impact’.Earlier today (December 8), WAKEONE and Swing Entertainment announced the new release date for the girl group’s forthcoming project on the K-pop act’s fan café site. ‘First Impact’ will be released on January 3, 2022 at 6pm KST.The news comes shortly after the agencies shared that Kep1er’s debut would be postponed after a staff member who worked with the group tested positive for COVID-19.