[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] The Japanese version of “Produce 101” has once again produced a rookie idol group with a strong fanbase. This is the story of the boy group KO1KEYZ, formed through the latest season, “Produce 101 Japan: New World.” They quickly made their mark by selling nearly 500,000 copies of their debut single in Japan.

According to music industry sources on the 13th, KO1KEYZ’s debut single “KO1KEYZ,” released on the 7th, has sold nearly 500,000 copies in Japan. It sold over 400,000 copies on its first day alone, reaching No. 1 on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart. Selling 500,000 copies of a single in Japan is a feat that is not easily achieved. Based on last year’s Oricon annual singles sales rankings, this figure would have placed them near the top 10.
Koikids is a 12-member boy group consisting of 10 Japanese members and 2 Korean members. They were formed through “Produce 101 Japan: New World,” the fourth season of the Japanese version of CJ ENM’s idol survival intellectual property (IP), “Produce 101.” The program aired on Japanese broadcaster Nippon TV and the OTT platform Remino, and reached global viewers via Mnet’s K-pop content platform, Mnet Plus.
Viewers from approximately 180 countries participated in the member selection process for this season. Koikids demonstrated the strength of their fanbase even before their official debut by selling out every session of their fan meetings held in Tokyo last August and in Kobe last September.
The “Produce 101 Japan” series has been running since 2019. Previously, boy groups JO1 and INI, as well as girl group ME:I, debuted through this series. Among them, JO1 and INI have grown into popular boy groups with high album sales. Last year, INI ranked second and JO1 ranked fourth on the Oricon annual singles chart.

◇“Viewer Participation and Localization Strategies Prove Effective”
With the new debut group Koikids also achieving high album sales right from the start, observers note that the series’ approach to building a fanbase has once again proven successful. It is also significant that the audition format developed in South Korea has established itself as a foundation for consistently producing popular new artists in Japan.
A CJ ENM official told Edaily, “In Japan, the program’s competitiveness garnered significant local attention, sparking a survival show boom following ‘Produce 101 Japan,’” adding, “Even amid the proliferation of survival programs, the ‘Produce 101 Japan’ series has established itself as Japan’s largest survival program and a leading brand.”
The spokesperson further elaborated, “Since members are selected based on viewer participation, fans form deep bonds by supporting the contestants’ growth and watching them strive toward their dreams,” adding, “Based on a culture of support centered on nurturing and growth, viewer participation and buzz have continued to expand with each passing season.”
Regarding this season, subtitled “New World,” he emphasized, “We structured the program with a focus on expanding global viewer participation, and musically, we aimed to pioneer a unique genre that sets us apart from existing K-pop groups based on a localization strategy.”
Koikids are also accelerating their activities in Korea. Since their official debut, they have appeared consecutively on Mnet’s “M Countdown,” KBS 2TV’s “Music Bank,” MBC’s “Show! Music Core,” and SBS’s “Inkigayo,” performing the Korean-language version of “Koikids.”
On the 7th and 8th of next month, they will hold a fan meeting at the Blue Square Woori WON Banking Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. With all four performances sold out, attention is focused on whether they can build on their success in Japan to expand their fanbase in Korea as well. Their management is handled by Rapone Entertainment, a joint venture between CJ ENM and Japan’s Yoshimoto Kogyo.