Kep1er Encapsulates Summer in Their Newest EP DOUBLAST
Kep1er has finally returned—stronger than ever. The girls have been teasing at their upcoming EP DOUBLAST for weeks now, and finally, the summer masterpiece has been revealed. This mini-album brings many different musical flavors to the forefront of the group’s discography and has kept fans anxiously anticipating its release. Let’s finally dive into Kep1er’s first comeback, DOUBLAST!
Kep1er is a nine-member girl group that formed from the survival show Girls Planet 999 and consists of the members Yujin, Mashiro, Xiaoting, Chaehyun, Dayeon, Hikaru, Huening Bahiyyih, Youngeun, and Yeseo. After the show ended last October, the girls made their debut in January with the EP FIRST IMPACT. They shook the K-pop world with their catchy, electro-pop title track “WA DA DA” and powerful performances.
That’s it, KEP1ER just set the standard for fancy, colorful, best and playful SUMMER MV for 4th gen gg! Damn the visuals, they all slayed.
— dey 🌼 (@bahiyyihblissed) June 20, 2022
LE DOUBLAST VOYA9E#ATTENTIONtoKEP1ER#지금이야_케플러_Up@official_kep1er @kep1er_jp pic.twitter.com/kMVbk20qr6
Six months have passed since their debut, and this time, the group decided to change their image from the charismatic girl crush concept to a refreshing, colorful summer theme. Kep1er delivered this time around with a track that will certainly define the summer: “Up!”
From the concept photos to the highlight medley to the music video teasers, fans knew that “Up!” would be a bright and energetic track. It closely resembles Red Velvet’s iconic summer mini-album of 2017, The Red Summer, with similarly saturated outfits and music video design. “Up!” perfectly captures the essence of summer, both in its look and sound.
The track is driven by each member’s unique vocals in the verses and stands out with an extremely catchy chorus. Its fast-paced synth rhythm makes for an addicting, dance-worthy beat, which aligns with Kep1er’s musical aesthetic. As one of the first summer-themed comebacks of the year, the girls will certainly make a splash and define themselves as one of the “It” groups for the season.
The set and costume design for the “Up!” music video stays true to the youthfulness of the group, which appeals to younger K-pop audiences. While summer comebacks for K-pop groups are not rare, this concept narrowly diverges from the typical “at-the-beach” type track.
UP! DANCE BREAK IS SOOO GOOD#케플러 #KEP1ER pic.twitter.com/7QChPoI45Q
— kep1er feed 🆙 (@kepifeed) June 20, 2022
Summer K-pop songs, more often than not, stand out among their usual releases, which is what makes this comeback so crucial for the girls’ future reputation. DOUBLAST closely resembles songs like The Boyz’s “Sweet” and ATEEZ’s “Illusion” in terms of its look and feel. The eccentric cinematography adds an even more outlandish summer vibe to the music video, making the comeback appealing in all its wonderful aspects.
DOUBLAST also includes the b-sides “LE VOYAGE,” “Attention,” “Good Night,” and “Rewind.” Each song is bright and bubbly, capturing a different sliver of the summer experience. One fan claimed that “these girls quite literally brought summer. Before them summer didn’t exist, it just jumped from spring to fall.” Additionally, the track’s release marked the first few official days of the summer season, which was perfect timing on the group’s behalf. They are currently promoting “Up!” on music shows but have seen great success with streaming services and view counts thus far.
Kep1er has certainly released an extremely memorable summer bop, and we are excited to hear what new music they will drop in the future. If you would like to keep up with the group’s activities, follow their Twitter and Instagram accounts for more.
Columnist | K-pop Stan | Tweet me @senaho5
