In a familiar teen movie storyline, a new girl from the countryside arrives in town and quickly becomes the star of the school with her natural beauty and charm. Girl group KiiiKiii is that “new girl” poised to take over the K-pop world.
KiiiKiii made their official debut on Monday with their first EP, Uncut Gem, marking Starship Entertainment’s first new girl group in three years since IVE. During a showcase in the afternoon, members Jiyu, Leesol, Sui, Haum, and Kya introduced the group’s concept and ambitions as the fresh faces in the K-pop scene.
“We work great as a team, but each of us shines in our own way, which makes us stronger together,” Jiyu shared. “We really want to highlight our natural charms and bring smiles to people’s faces.”
The name KiiiKiii is a clever mix of both Korean and English. In Korean, it represents the sound of giggling, often written as “kiki.” In English, it symbolizes the word “key,” as the group seeks to find the key to life’s answers with smiles on their faces.
“Our name is meant to give a friendly, approachable image,” explained Sui. “We want to show fans different sides of ourselves, bringing them joy and laughter.”
Haum added, “Our charm is untamed. Instead of fitting into a specific mold, we want to show our unique, true selves.”
The debut EP’s title, Uncut Gem, reflects the group’s untapped potential. The members see themselves as precious stones yet to be shaped by industry expectations. The album features six tracks, including the pre-debut single “I Do Me” and other songs like “Debut Song,” “Groundwork,” “There They Go,” “BTG,” and “One Off.”
“I Do Me,” released on February 24, introduced the group’s five members and their laid-back, youthful vibe, a theme that has been popular in K-pop since the rise of NewJeans in 2022. This aesthetic continued with girl groups like Fifty Fifty, ILLIT, Rescene, and Hearts2Hearts. KiiiKiii, however, offers stronger vocals and a nature-inspired look, contrasting with IVE’s urban chic style. The music video for “I Do Me” quickly amassed over 10 million views, becoming the No. 1 trending video upon release.
“We didn’t expect so much love so quickly,” Jiyu admitted. “We are incredibly grateful for all the support, and we will continue to develop ourselves to live up to the attention we’ve received.”
When asked about their role models, the members emphasized their desire to create their own identity rather than emulate other groups. “Every artist is a role model for us,” Leesol said. “We respect all of them and draw inspiration from their performances, but we want to carve out our own unique style.”
KiiiKiii will have their first fan showcase at 8 p.m., where they will perform “I Do Me” and other tracks from the album. The event will be livestreamed on KiiiKiii’s YouTube channel.
“I remember one fan calling us the ‘organic girls,’ and I love that name,” Kya said. “We want to spread our name worldwide and perform for fans everywhere.”
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