Fans Defend Former NMIXX Member JINI After She “Forgets” Who Kep1er Is

Former NMIXX member JINI recently made her solo debut with her album An Iron Hand in a Velvet Glove.

As part of her promotions, she met fans in a “Soundwave 2.0” fancall event. Like in other online fanmeetings, she met a pre-determined number of fans who each had a limited number of minutes to interact with her.

One fan’s meeting with JINI has since gone viral. They played what K-Pop fans call the “Bias Game” where they ask the K-Pop idol to name their favorites in other groups. The soloist named aespa‘s Karina, IVE‘s Yujin, BLACKPINK‘s Jennie, and STAYC‘s Sieun as her biases.

JINI picked Karina as her bias in aespa

When it came to the last group, however, she allegedly could not give an answer. According to the fan, she did not “know the members or the group” of Kep1er.

She doesn’t know the members or the group. She thought about it for 30-40 seconds but couldn’t say anything so we skipped.

— @pequmamiqile

Kep1er | @official.kep1er/Instagram

Fans of JINI immediately came to her defense. Many noted that it was not likely that she was unaware of Kep1er’s presence. One of their members, Mashiro, was also a former JYP Entertainment trainee, after all.

Mashiro and Jini literally trained together under jyp too…

i’m not trying to start fanwars or anything but op saying “she doesn’t know the members or the group” is definitely not the truth https://t.co/tfusRQXMS9 pic.twitter.com/0efPkkdCvK

— Natalie || Stream Galileo (@lvlykaruu) October 15, 2023

Mashiro and Jini were JYP trainees so they sure know each other.
Jini also remembers people well. She gave Yeju of ICHILLIN' a box of milk as a thank-you gift for Yeju lending her scrunchie at ISAC, despite them not knowing each other before. pic.twitter.com/2yEml99CeA

— XcakrediX (@CakRedi) October 16, 2023

They noted that she also never said that she has no idea who they are.

Unecessary
She didn’t even say “I has no idea who they are”

+ Mashiro from Kep1er are friends with nmixx and jini?? She trained in jype the same time they did + they interacted and talked together during isac pic.twitter.com/7Q7qNU2r2r https://t.co/AeJeQogN4o

— 莎 ‘s MAGIC HOUR ON SEPTEMBER ???? (@saash1re_) October 15, 2023

1) she NEVER said she doesn't know the group nor the members, she just paused for a long time
2) OP's wording is bad
3) it wasn't jini who hugged mashiro but lia

— ًlori (@dearyunjini) October 15, 2023

They further noticed that the original poster pronounced Kep1er differently from usual, saying “Kep-one-er” instead of “Kep-ler.” It was possible that JINI did not understand which group was being mentioned and had to think longer than usual.

this is not the same thoo since jini is friends with mashiro, she just didnt understand how op said kep1er’s name i think since she said “kep one ler”
pic.twitter.com/yy3tnE7EJX

— kep1er pr manager (@Iesseraz) October 15, 2023

jini might've misheard kep1er since it kinda sounds different in korean and english but she's friends with mashiro since they trained together!! https://t.co/yPtCiTK2tL

— ًlori (@dearyunjini) October 15, 2023

right and in the video op literally says “kep one er” so im
pretty sure she just didnt know she was talking about kep1er bc jini is friends with mashiro.
pic.twitter.com/yy3tnE7EJX

— kep1er pr manager (@Iesseraz) October 15, 2023

Kep1er is the winning group from Mnet‘s survival program Girls Planet 999. They consist of members Yujin, Xiaoting, Mashiro, Chaehyun, Dayeon, Hikaru, Huening Bahiyyih, Youngeun and Yeseo. They debuted in 2022 with “WA DA DA.”