Okano Kei (岡野敬 born July 17, 2006), known professionally as KEI (ケイ), is a Japanese rapper, dancer and trainee of Japanese management company BMSG. He is currently pursuing various activities to prepare him for his eventual debut.
Prior to joining BMSG, KEI was a member of the EBiDAN group EDAMAME BEANS and was a contestant on the Korean survival show Boys Planet.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
KEI, age 4
KEI was born in Osaka prefecture, but moved to Tokyo with his parents at a young age[1].
At 7 years old KEI started taking locking lessons[1][2]. Seeing Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS live when he was little motivated him to become an artist who could stand at Tokyo Dome like them[3].
In 2015, at age 9, he signed with STARDUST PROMOTION[4] and started taking hip-hop lessons[2].
On January 17, 2016, he was announced as a member of the EBiDAN group EDAMAME BEANS.
2017-2019[]
In February 2017, he had a secondary role in an episode of drama "Sanbiki no Ossan ~Seigi no Mikata, Mitabi!!~"[1].
In June 2017, he took part in the musical "Is that for real? ―Life goes on―"[1].
On July 29, 2018, EDAMAME BEANS released their first indie single "EDAMAME BEATS".
In November-December 2018, he took part in the musical "CRAZY×BOTTOM ～Boku-tachi no Yell Nikki～".[5].
On March 25, 2019, EDAMAME BEANS released their second indie single "Alright".
In May 2019, he played Matthew in musical "GET OUT! STREET!! ～Broken town～ －Two Way Street－"[5].
2020-2022[]
On May 13, 2020, EDAMAME BEANS released their major debut single "MIRAI".
In October 2020, he played the starring role of Wao in the short film "WAO"[5].
In June 2021, he was featured on the music video for "EVERYTHING (Japanese ver.)" by band The Black Skirts.
On December 6, 2022, EDAMAME BEANS released their second single "Abracadabra".
On December 29, 2022, KEI was revealed as contestant on the Korean survival show Boys Planet.
2023-2024[]
Boys Planet started broadcasting in February 2023. For the initial evaluation, KEI was part of TEAM OSAKA and performed "Conduct Zero" by Block B-BASTARZ. For the first evaluation, he performed "Burn It Up" by WANNA ONE as the main rapper. He was afterwards eliminated, ranking #87, and returned to EDAMAME BEANS.
On August 31, 2023, EDAMAME BEANS disbanded and KEI left STARDUST PROMOTION.
Around September 2023, KEI joined the BMSG Trainees, but his status remained undisclosed until August 1, 2024.
Personal Life[]
His entire extended family (grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins) lives in Osaka and he considers the city his hometown[6]
He has an older sister (b. 2002/early 2003)[7].
When he joined BMSG, KEI was a 2nd year high school student.
As of April 2024, KEI is a 3rd year high school student.
In primary school, he was in the broadcasting club [8]. In middle school, he was student council president[9].
Kei's given name, "敬", means "respect, honor".
Profile[]
- Birth Name: Okano Kei (岡野敬)?
- Stage Name: KEI (ケイ)
- Nicknames: KeiKei (けいけい)
- Birth Date: July 17, 2006
- Birth Place: Osaka, Japan
- Origin: Tokyo, Japan
- Blood Type: AB [14]
- Height: 170 cm (5 ft 6.9 in)?
- Western Zodiac:
Cancer - Eastern Zodiac:
Pig (Boar in Japan) - MBTI: ESFJ[15], ENFJ [11]
- Emoji: ?
- BMSG Status:
- 2024-??-??: Joined
- 2024-??-??: BMSG Trainees member
- Looks Up To: Zico[15]
- Special Skills: dancing[9], making funny faces[15], doing magic tricks[1]
- Hobbies: dancing, watching videos, listening to music, exercising, skateboarding[15], baseball, abacus[1]
- Motto: "with all one's might" (一生懸命)[10], "Good fortune and happiness comes to those who smile" (笑う門には福来る) he thinks people who smile are great [11]
- Charm Point: small face[12], dimples [9]
- Favorite Colors: blue [11], purple [11], white, black[16]
- Favorite Food: curry udon, mul naengmyeon[16], sushi (particularly ootoro nigiri, but without wasabi)[13], cheese dak-galbi[17], beef steak donburi[10], yakiniku [18]
- Disliked Food: nothing, he can eat everything[16]
- Favorite snack: Shigekikkusu (a type of sour candy) he gets in the mood of having them sometimes [11]
- Starbucks Order: matcha frappuccino with chocolate chips[16]
- Favorite fruit(s): strawberry, mandarin orange, grapes [11]
- Favorite Season: Summer [11]
- Favorite Song: "Welcome to my Playground" by NCT 127[15]
- Favorite Book: "Become a Professional Baseball Player Again" by Shinjo Tsuyoshi. It was a book that motivated him as he pursued his dream. He recommends it to anyone who is thinking of challenging themselves to something. [11]
- Favorite emoji: 😊, he wants to become a person fitting of this emoji [11]
- Favorite part of his body: long legs[12], nose[15]
- Dislikes: bugs, especially cockroaches (they fly above his head)[13]
- What he wanted to be when he grew up: A comedian, pro wrestler, kick boxer. He imagined training a lot for them at home lol [11]
- People often say: "A bomb, in many ways," from RAIKI. What does that even mean?! [11]
- His non-negotiable: Before he leaves the house he has to listen to radio programs hosted by BMSG Artists! [11]
- A habit he doesn't realize he does: Have his tongue out [11]
- Something he's into recently: sauna [18], listening to vinyls at home [11]
- A song he's listening to lately: SKY-HI feat. REIKO's One More Day, Lee Young Ji's feat. pH-1's "Not Sorry", Jack Gilinsky and iann dior's "Lose Somebody" [11]
- Something he does to relax: Tell himself he'll be OK [11]
- His go-to song at karaoke: Shimizu Shota's "Hanabata no Kawari ni Melody wo" he wants to get better at it [11]
- Something he is challenging himself to do vocally right now: Have groove in his voice [11]
- His favorite spot: His route to school. He feels youth whenever he is on his way to school. He is sad he is going to graduate soon... [11]
- A hairstyle or color hair dye he wants to try next: Blond or getting a perm [11]
- Something he always has in his bag: His Korean and English vocabulary flashcards. He wants to do a live overseas one day so he is studying. [11]
- Something he will get at a convenience store: Ninja Meshi's gummy candy [19]
- A recent best buy: A mirror that has lights and fan all in one. He loves that he can be comfortable as he gets ready [11]
- Something about him only he knows: If he bends his second toe on his left foot it makes a sound [11]
- Something he always does before he leaves the house: Check himself in the mirror and adjust his clothes and accessories if necessary [11]
- Do you buy on instinct? Or you're careful?: He often tries on clothes and examines them, so he's careful. [11]
- Something he really wants right now: Headphones [11]
- First thing he does when he gets home: Sharing with his family what happened on his day out [11]
- First place he washes when he's in the bath: Head [11]
- What he wears to sleep: A class shirt he designed for Sports Festival [11]
- How he sleeps: Lying face down [11]
- The kind of perfume he likes: Floral [11]
- Rain man? Sunny man?: Sunny man [11]
- Sweet or spicy?: Spicy [11]
- Do you like your accessories in gold or silver?: Silver [11]
- If you want to hang out with friends, do you initiate it?: YES [11]
- If he could spoil himself for a day: Only one thing, sleep! LOL [11]
- If he had a superpower: He wants the ability to be SOTA from BE:FIRST. He wants to become SOTA and do a lot of cool dances. [11]
- Something great people in common: Saying "Thank you" a lot! Although it seems like a given, he doesn't take it for granted he thinks amazing people can put their thanks into words. [11]
- A compliment that makes him happy: "You're good at drawing attention!" he's been working hard on how to draw audience's attention when he performs so he'll be happy if he gets praised for it. He's happy with any kind of compliments he gets though! [11]
- Does he believe in fate?: Yes. He thinks being able to be around talented people like the BMSG Trainees and being a part of them is true happiness [11]
Discography[]
- With EDAMAME BEANS
- [2018.07.29] EDAMAME BEATS
- [2019.03.25] Alright
- [2020.05.13] MIRAI
- [2022.12.06] Abracadabra
Live Events[]
Other Works[]
- [2017] Music Road / BS11
- [2023] Boys Planet / Mnet
- [2017.10.17] Oha Star / TV Tokyo
- [2017.06] Is that for real? ―Life goes on―
- [2018.11-12] CRAZY×BOTTOM ～Boku-tachi no Yell Nikki～
- [2019.05] GET OUT! STREET!! ～Broken town～ －Two Way Street－ (Matthew)
- [2017] Sanbiki no Ossan ~Seigi no Mikata, Mitabi!! / TV Tokyo (ep. 5)
- [2020.10.17] WAO (Komatsu Wao) (short)
Publications[]
- [2015.12.15] EBiDAN vol.7
- [2016.07.27] EBiDAN vol.8
- [2017.01.15] EBiDAN vol.9
- [2017.08.10] EBiDAN vol.10
- [2017.09.01] KIDS TOKEI - September 2017 issue
- [2017.12.30] EBiDAN vol.11
Trivia[]
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References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Stardust profile
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Okano Kei - みんなありがとう☺︎ エダマメビーンズ2周年 #EDAMAME BEANS 敬. 2018/01/17.
- ↑ KEI's Instagram
- ↑ KEI Instagram
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Stardust Profile
- ↑ Okano Kei -ことしもよろしくね #EDAMAME BEANS 敬. 2018/01/05.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Okano Kei - ありがとう✖️3のブログ #EDAMAME BEANS 敬. 2017/12/13.
- ↑ Okano Kei -イロタス敬 #EDAMAME BEANS. 2017/11/21.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 케이 KEI I G그룹 @타임어택 1분 자기소개
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Okano Kei - お花見するなら今でしょ #エダマメビーンズ #敬. 2018/03/27.
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 11.27 11.28 11.29 11.30 11.31 11.32 11.33 11.34 11.35 11.36 11.37 11.38 11.39 11.40 11.41 11.42 11.43 11.44 11.45 11.46 ar HOMME vol. 2 BMSG Trainee
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 빛나는 소년의 TMI! ‘카운트다운 숏터뷰’ㅣG그룹 #케이 #KEI
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 EDAMAME TV #41《English Lesson》“INTRODUCING MYSELF Kei”
- ↑ EDAMAME BEANS profile
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 Boys Planet Profile
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Okano Kei - 10才になったよ〜★敬★ #EDAMAMEBEANS. 2016/07/16.
- ↑ Okano Kei - あぶら取ります #エダマメけい. 2018/04/05.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 BMSG Trainee Instagram Live 26/08/2024
- ↑ ar HOMME vol. 2 BMSG Trainees Talk Event (Part 2), 2024.10.04
- ↑ キーチェック動画 | Vocal Range Test–Requested Video
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Okano Kei - ★おまたせー★敬 #EDAMAMEBEANS. 2016/06/17.
- ↑ Okano Kei - ★ 毎日毎日稽古場へ★EDAMAME BEANS 敬. 2017/06/16.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Okano Kei - きょうのできごと。けい. 2017/04/29.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Okano Kei - #オタカツバンザイ 敬. 2017/10/23.
- ↑ Okano Kei - めりーくりすます #EDAMAME BEANS 敬. 2017/12/24.
- ↑ Okano Kei - こんにちわんたんめん #EDAMAME BEANS 敬. 2018/01/21.
- ↑ KEI's Instagram
- ↑ Okano Kei - レッスン風景見せちゃいまーす EDAMAME BEANS #敬. 2017/09/21.
- ↑ Okano Kei - スケチャ来てくれてありがとうのブログ #エダマメビーンズ 敬. 2018/04/11.
- ↑ Okano Kei - デビュー おめでとうございまーーす！！#敬. 2017/11/15.