Xiaoting’s Path Towards Her Legendary Solo Debut
Photo: @whosxiaoting_ Instagram
On July 30, Kep1er’s Xiaoting became the first member of her group to launch a solo career. She came out with her debut single album, LEGEND, a Chinese digital release with two songs. Though the title track “LEGEND” and the B-side “Olympics” are currently only available on Chinese streaming platforms, Xiaoting began promoting the album on Korean music shows, introducing a larger audience to this initially under-the-radar launch. From her first stage as a contestant on Mnet’s Girls Planet 999 in 2021 to her first stage as a soloist on Mnet’s M!COUNTDOWN in 2026, Xiaoting has seen plenty of growth in five years.
Girls Planet 999 Origins
Xiaoting ranked ninth on Girls Planet 999, after representing the Chinese trainees as their center for the show’s signal song. After her debut with Kep1er in 2022, she has since been known for her alluring dance moves and stage presence. She is the group’s sole Chinese member.
Her time on Girls Planet 999 came full circle when Xiaoting returned as a dance mentor on 2025’s BOYS II PLANET C. BOYS II PLANET originally consisted of two separate shows focused on Korean and Chinese trainees, respectively. While Xiaoting only appeared in a few episodes, before BOYS II PLANET K and BOYS II PLANET C merged into one show, this opportunity saw her take a leadership role in providing advice for trainees.
Solo OSTs
Prior to her solo debut, Xiaoting released a few solo OSTs that highlighted her vocals. On April 17, 2024, she participated in a Chinese song remake project as part of Youth reset plan’s ninth season. She covered Malaysian-Chinese singer Fish Leong’s “Growing Up” (“一夜长大”), a song on her 1999 debut album of the same name. Channeling an aura like Leong’s nickname of the “queen of love songs,” Xiaoting softly sings in this emotional pop ballad.
On February 25, 2026, Xiaoting released her first song associated with a movie soundtrack. Kep1er released the Korean version of “I Stay” for Ne Zha 2, the “highest-grossing animated film in history,” but Xiaoting provided the vocals for the Chinese version. As the movie features a young boy on a quest to change his fate, any accompanying song would need to convey encouragement and power—and “I Stay” brings exactly those elements. “I Stay (Chinese Ver.)” sees Xiaoting showcase her talents in ways not previously heard in Kep1er’s discography. By the song’s chorus, Xiaoting sings with a fiery strength.
“LEGEND”
Co-written by Xiaoting and Lee Seuran, “LEGEND” talks about Xiaoting rising as an unstoppable force. With a concept that merges an image from the likes of Chungha and AleXa, “LEGEND” prioritizes performance with a bass-driven, hard-hitting beat. The music video features Xiaoting as a heavenly being, like an angel rising above the darkness of the world. Though the single album dropped with little promotion—teasers appeared only on Xiaoting's social media two weeks before release—Xiaoting’s solo music since last year. According to producer and A&R director Danny JY Lee, the single album “took eight months to come out.”
The song also has an unreleased English version, which Xiaoting uses when promoting on Korean music shows. The stage performances also offer a better look at the song’s choreography, which utilizes a large group of backup dancers that even lift Xiaoting up in the air. “LEGEND” is an amazing starting point for Xiaoting’s solo career, and the future holds even more potential.