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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-08-12 09:04:56
SEOUL, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- Girl group KiiiKiii returned with its new mini album "WhyKiiiKiii" and lead track "Pop Off Pop Off," taking on a new concept inspired by the 2010s.
After portraying innocent girls playing freely in nature with its debut song "I DO ME" and embracing Y2K style with its previous release "404 (New Era)," the group has sought another transformation with a 2010s-inspired concept.
"We're so happy to be able to present KiiiKiii's own summer song," the group said through its agency Starship Entertainment on Tuesday. "We'll do our best to repay you with the performances we'll show going forward."
"WhyKiiiKiii" takes its name from Waikiki, the famous resort area in Honolulu, Hawaii, and poses the question "Why KiiiKiii," offering an answer in the group's own distinctive style.
The title track "Pop Off Pop Off" is an electronic synth-pop song featuring a highly addictive chorus.
"The melody stays in your head after just one listen, and the fun lyrics are another charm," member Sui said. "The playful lyrics are about getting through the hot summer in KiiiKiii's own way, so I think you'll enjoy the song even more if you focus on them."
Haeum said the choreography is another highlight, with moves that make viewers want to dance along.
"We reinterpreted shuffle dancing, which brings back nostalgia for the past, in KiiiKiii's own style," she said. "I hope many people will enjoy it with us."
The teaser video and performance content for "Pop Off Pop Off" feature various elements popular in the 2010s, including shuffle dancing, glittery shoes and sunglasses.
"I really wanted to pull off this concept well," member Isol said. "So I looked up a lot of 2010s music, fashion and music videos by senior artists, as well as other things that could help me experience that era. I kept trying different facial expressions and poses that could capture the atmosphere of that time."
Haeum added, "I've always enjoyed looking up different fashion items and makeup styles, but while preparing for this album, I took on bolder challenges to incorporate trends that were popular at the time into the concept photos and music video."
KiiiKiii sparked a house-music craze in the Korean pop scene with "404 (New Era)," released in January, sweeping music charts and No. 1 spots on TV music programs.
The members said the previous release's major success was a source of pressure, but ultimately served as positive motivation because they were confident they still had much more to show.
"There was some pressure to do better than before, which helped me focus on preparing for this album," Kia said. "Since 'Tiki,' our fandom, and many others have been looking forward to it, we wanted to show something even cooler and newer. We really wanted to grow from where we were before."
Released Monday, "Pop Off Pop Off" has been performing strongly across various charts, ranking No. 1 on YouTube Music's Worldwide Trending chart, No. 29 on Melon's Top 100, No. 1 on Bugs' real-time chart and No. 5 on YouTube's trending chart.
"We tried many different things musically this time, and I hope these challenges leave a good impression on 'Tiki' and many others," Sui said. "We want to become a group that always shows something new without being confined to a particular genre, and a group whose comeback news alone makes someone excited."
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