Hikaru Ezaki — Biography
Hikaru, whose name translates to "light" in Japanese and is also written in Korean and Chinese characters, operates within the music industry under the umbrella of Avex Artist Academy. She currently graces the stage as a member of the girl group Kep1er. Her artistic journey includes prior experience as a member of +GANG and as a pre-debut member of XG. Audiences also recognized her from her participation in the competition series Girls Planet 999. As of May 2026, her Instagram following had grown to 302,000 individuals.
In 2016, Hikaru joined Avex Artist Academy's youth trainee collective, +GANG, at their Fukuoka location. Within this duo, she was known by the moniker 'Hikarun' and also engaged in solo live performances. Her tenure with +GANG lasted roughly two years, concluding with the group's dissolution in early 2018. Despite this, she continued her training at Avex Artists Academy in Fukuoka. From 2017 to 2021, she was a trainee under XGALX, preparing with XG. However, she did not debut with them as she committed to participating in the survival show Girls Planet 999.
On July 7, 2021, Hikaru was officially announced as a contestant for Mnet's upcoming reality program, Girls Planet 999, a reveal made through the show's prologue trailer. Her individual profile was subsequently shared on July 19, 2021. The show commenced its broadcast on August 6 and concluded on October 22, 2021. During the finale, Hikaru secured the seventh position overall, earning her a spot in the debut lineup for Kep1er. Her official debut with the group occurred on January 3, 2022, coinciding with the release of their inaugural mini-album, First Impact. There were speculations that Hikaru might rejoin XG in 2024; however, this did not materialize, reportedly due to a contract renewal with WAKEONE.
In 2016, Hikaru joined Avex Artist Academy's youth trainee collective, +GANG, at their Fukuoka location. Within this duo, she was known by the moniker 'Hikarun' and also engaged in solo live performances. Her tenure with +GANG lasted roughly two years, concluding with the group's dissolution in early 2018. Despite this, she continued her training at Avex Artists Academy in Fukuoka. From 2017 to 2021, she was a trainee under XGALX, preparing with XG. However, she did not debut with them as she committed to participating in the survival show Girls Planet 999.
On July 7, 2021, Hikaru was officially announced as a contestant for Mnet's upcoming reality program, Girls Planet 999, a reveal made through the show's prologue trailer. Her individual profile was subsequently shared on July 19, 2021. The show commenced its broadcast on August 6 and concluded on October 22, 2021. During the finale, Hikaru secured the seventh position overall, earning her a spot in the debut lineup for Kep1er. Her official debut with the group occurred on January 3, 2022, coinciding with the release of their inaugural mini-album, First Impact. There were speculations that Hikaru might rejoin XG in 2024; however, this did not materialize, reportedly due to a contract renewal with WAKEONE.
