KiiiKiii

KiiiKiii (키키) is a South Korean K-pop girl group formed by Starship Entertainment, debuting on March 24, 2025 with the extended play UNCUT GEM. They are the company’s first new girl group since IVE in 2021 and are managed under Starship’s Division 3 for both domestic and international promotion efforts. The group consists of five members — Jiyu (leader), Leesol, Sui, Haum, and Kya — each bringing distinct talents in singing, rapping, dance, and performance. Some members trained with major labels prior to joining Starship, contributing to the group’s polished debut. Their group name is a bilingual play on words: in Korean it mimics the sound of giggling ("kiki"), evoking joy and carefree energy, and in English it evokes the word “key,” symbolizing KiiiKiii’s ambition to help listeners unlock positivity and life’s answers with a smile.

KiiiKiii’s promotional rollout was notable for its unconventional surprises and interactive digital content that quickly generated fan buzz. Ahead of their official debut, the group released the pre-release track “I DO ME”, which captivated audiences with its empowering message about self-expression and topped YouTube’s trending charts soon after release. Upon debut, KiiiKiii achieved impressive early milestones: they won their first music show trophy on MBC’s Show! Music Core just days after UNCUT GEM dropped, and they dominated the rookie idol brand reputation rankings in Korea for several consecutive months — a strong indicator of public influence in 2025.

KiiiKiii’s early success, youthful aesthetic often described as “Gen Z beauty,” and dynamic performance style mark them as a standout 2025 rookies, blending catchy pop melodies with relatable themes that resonate with both domestic and global audiences.