Kep1er's Hikaru Tears Up Remembering Her Fears That She Would Never Debut

Kep1er‘s Hikaru is well-loved by fans for her adorable personality…

just her cute adorable puppy moments 🐶#Kep1er #케플러 #HIKARU #히카루 pic.twitter.com/E15FCSaWSg

— 👽📁 (@acezakifeed) June 27, 2022

Fierce stage presence…

Hikaru performing “Purr” on Queendom 2 | Mnet K-POP/Youtube

And incredible dance ability.

I’ll never let go Hikaru expression and footwork during this dance break, a dance machine, facial expressions queen and stage genius pic.twitter.com/uaV7KcmqpS

— ً (@PPYSTREET) June 20, 2022

Hikaru’s love of the stage makes it clear she was destined to be an idol.

ezaki hikaru is a performer… you can’t deny her talent #girlsplanet999 pic.twitter.com/KnXzVtuN8u

— tumi¹²⁷ aka yuki’s love (@tarosakii) August 27, 2021

But in a recent interview with a fan’s mother, Hikaru shared through tears that she was actually incredibly worried about ever being able to debut and fulfill her dream.

I debuted through a program called Girls Planet 999 mentioned in the letter. I thought a lot about whether I could debut or not, and I was really upset. But I’m so touched to hear that [your daughter] liked me since then.

-Hikaru

Hikaru | HeyNews/YouTube

Hikaru debuted as a member of the girl group Kep1er by finishing seventh in Mnet‘s Girls Planet 999.

But, like many trainees who compete on survival shows, Hikaru saw Girls Planet 999 as one of her only chances at being able to debut.

Before I came out to Korea, I was a trainee in Japan. I didn’t know when I could debut. I just kept practicing every day and every day went by like that.

-Hikaru

| HeyNews/YouTube

Hikaru’s parents were supportive of her dreams and told her to keep working for them “until [she was] satisfied.”

I talked about [my concerns] with my parents for the first time, and I asked them how long I could do this. I want to do it until I can achieve my dream, but it wasn’t easy. What else should I do? I said that and my parents told me to do it until [I am] satisfied.

-Hikaru