Even before their official debut, the response to them was not ordinary. Despite being dubbed as ‘IU’s sister group,’ they stood out as one of the most anticipated girl groups of the 5th generation with music and colors completely different from IU.
On the 24th, Kiki of Starship Entertainment (hereinafter Starship) will release their first mini album ‘UNCUT GEM.’
Kiki is a rookie girl group from Starship, the first in four years since IU, composed entirely of Korean members. The group consists of five members: the eldest sister, Lee Sol, born in 2005, followed by Jiyu, Sui, Ha Eum born in 2006, and the youngest, Kiya, born in 2010. They are characterized by the fresh and natural charm of the unpredictable ‘Gen Z’ sentiment.
Although they pre-debuted with the pre-release track ‘I DO ME’ on the 24th of last month, they have already received a warm response even before their official debut.
Kiki, who quickly captured attention with ‘neujoh (feeling good)’ concept photos and promotional videos commonly mentioned by Generation Z these days, also attracted attention with their bold promotions, such as unexpectedly releasing a music video before the release of the ‘I DO ME’ track. It is unusual for an idol group to release a music video even before their debut.
The pre-released track ‘I DO ME’ is a pop dance track that expresses the proactive mindset of a girl who believes in her instincts and will live confidently. ‘I DO ME’ reached as high as 4th place on the Melon Hot 100 chart with the release of the track, securing a spot in the top 100 and maintaining a rising trend on the charts. They continue to dominate major domestic music charts such as Bugs, Vibe, Genie, Flo, YouTube Music, and Spotify.
On music shows, they showcased lively live performances full of vitality and a carefree atmosphere. The members’ unique vocal colors added freshness and youthfulness to the songs, and their choreography, including games like ‘nunchi game’ and ‘tag,’ attracted attention.
Through Starship Entertainment, Kiki expressed their thoughts, saying, “The past three weeks felt so short and were filled with happy memories. Thanks to the many people who have shown love for Kiki’s music and stage, I have gained more confidence day by day and feel like I can enjoy anything. I thank everyone who has supported us, and I ask for your continued support for Kiki’s unique charm. Please look forward to our debut album ‘UNCUT GEM’ to be released on March 24th.”
An industry insider commented, “Being directly associated with IU as a senior can act as both pressure to meet expectations and a chance to stand out in the fierce competition among rookies. Kiki, who has taken a promising start with the pre-release track, is being watched closely to see what kind of firepower they will show.”
Please note: K-POP artist names, group names, album titles, etc., are written in the format commonly used in the English language.