K-pop group Kep1er members Xiao Ting and Mashiro have tested positive for COVID-19, ahead of the group’s anticipated debut.
Days after announcing that their debut will be postponed to January due to one of their staff members contracting COVID-19, Kep1er members Xiao Ting and Mashiro have also tested positive for COVID.
In a joint statement, WAKEONE Entertainment and Swing Entertainment announced that the two members were COVID positive, but asymptomatic.
“On December 5, due to the on-site staff’s positive diagnosis for COVID-19, we informed that all members and staff were preemptively tested for COVID-19 and received negative tests.” the company said.
“Since then, we have mandated regular PCR testing as a measure for the health and safety of our artists and staff. In the process, Xiao Ting and Mashiro were notified of positive results for their COVID-19 tests.” the statement read.
Aside from Xiao Ting and Mashiro, all other members of the group tested negative. As a result of the diagnosis, however, Kep1er have cancelled all activities for the foreseeable future.
It is unclear, however, whether the group’s debut plans will be further postponed. Originally, the group – which comprises the winners of the musical reality show Girls Planet 999 – was supposed to debut on December 14th.
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However, in the wake of a staff member testing positive, the date was postponed to January 3rd. The group’s upcoming performance at this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards was also cancelled.
This comes in the wake of a new uptick in the number of cases in South Korea. Last week, this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards – one of K-pop’s biggest year-end events – also postponed pre-recording after one of the event staff tested positive for COVID-19. In November, BLACKPINK member Lisa also tested positive for the virus.
You can read more about this topic over at the Asia Pop Observer.
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