Kep1er official positions announced: Yujin as leader and Mashiro as co-leader

Girls Planet 999’s debut group Kep1er held their first YouTube live on November 18 and announced the official positions of two of their members. The nine-member group revealed Yujin, the most experienced member of the lot and the former idol, the leader of Kep1er. Sakamoto Mashiro was announced as the co-leader.

Managed by Wakeone Entertainment and Swing Entertainment, the group will be promoting for two and a half years after debuting in December 2021.

Fans react to Kep1er’s decision for selecting Yujin and Mashiro as the group leaders and predict other positions

After starting their official TikTok and Vlive accounts, the nine members of Kep1er met their global fans on YouTube streaming for the first time. In Mnet’s Girls Planet 999, Kim Chaehyun, Huening Bahiyyih, Choi Yujin, Kim Dayeon, Seo Youngeun, Kang Yeseo, Ezaki Hikaru, Sakamoto Mashiro, and Shen Xiaoting were announced as the final debut lineup. Despite it receiving severe backlash, many loyal fans stood in support of the girls.

Now, Kep1er has finally announced the most significant position in the group. They did so via an unofficial and fun ceremony. The group’s only Chinese member, Xiaoting, took the made-up stage to announce their most senior member, Yujin, the position of a leader. Yujin was all smiles as the members seated behind her clapped. Choi Yujin previously debuted with the famous girl group CLC in 2016.

Next up was the co-leader position, which was awarded to Mashiro. Kep1er isn’t the first group to have multiple leaders, but it raised the question in fans' minds as to why the nine-member group needed two leaders. Some fans wonder if it is a substitute position or just a fancy name for having another leader alongside Yujin.

Mashiro proved her impressive talent and leadership talent during the group missions on Girls Planet 999. For many fans, Mashiro being recognized for her efforts seems like the group is in safe hands.

Check out how fans are reacting to Yujin and Mashiro’s official position announcement:

Meanwhile, fans speculate Chaehyun has been given the central position as the member was always seen at the center in their previous public appearances. They also predict Xiaoting as the visual.

Kep1er will officially debut sometime in December 2021. By the looks of the fandom strength, the girl group will give a tough competition to any upcoming K-pop girl groups.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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