| Uncut Gem | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Digital cover | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | March 24, 2025 | |||
| Length | 16:34 | |||
| Language | Korean | |||
| Label | ||||
| KiiiKiii chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Uncut Gem | ||||
| ||||
Uncut Gem is the debut extended play of the South Korean girl group KiiiKiii. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on March 24, 2025. It contains six tracks, including the lead single "I Do Me".
Background and release
[edit]On February 10, Starship Entertainment announced that it would be debuting a new girl group KiiiKiii.[1] Six days later, it was announced that the group's debut extended play Uncut Gem would be released on March 24.[2] That same day, the music video for "I Do Me", the lead single of the EP, was pre-released.[3] On February 23, KiiiKiii pre-released the music video for the B-side track "Debut Song".[4]
Composition
[edit]Uncut Gem is a seamless blend of hip-hop and pop, with punchy beats, dreamy synths, and addictive bass lines.[5]
As for the tracks, "Debut Song" is a trap and electropop track with an old-school K-pop, which interpolates "Happy Birthday to You",[6] "Groundwork" is a rap track with an alarm-like beat, glitchy synths, and heavy bass,[7] "I Do Me" is a pop track with an upbeat, feel-good energy,[5] "There They Go" is a bass-driven R&B track that uses marching snare and sound of heavy breathing to build an intriguing soundscape,[6] "BTG" is an immersive, hypnotic track that layers chic rap, synth arpeggios, and groovy 808 bass,[5] and "One Off" is a 2010s pop track.[6]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| IZM |   [8] |
| NME | [6] |
According to Jeong Gi-yeob of IZM, the EP is a blend of "repetition and innovation", focusing on low to mid-range vocals with 1980s foreign synth-pop rhythms as its distinct strength. Jeong also emphasized its "unique style" through the integration of the other songs and visualizations on the album although there were unnecessary aspects that should have been left behind.[8]
NME's Puah Ziwei said that as what the EP's title implies, it is still "fresh" and can be "rough around the edges", playing it a little too safe. As for its silver lining, Ziwei applauded KiiiKiii's "uniqueness" in the current landscape and for bringing back a sense of "fun and excitement" to the world of K-pop.[6]
Commercial performance
[edit]The EP topped the weekly Circle Album Chart, dated March 23–29, with 206,221 sales.[9]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Debut Song" | Lil Cherry |
|
| 2:02 |
| 2. | "Groundwork" |
|
|
| 2:32 |
| 3. | "I Do Me" | Jinooya |
|
| 3:10 |
| 4. | "There They Go" | Jang Seok-hoon |
| 2:35 | |
| 5. | "BTG" |
|
|
| 3:10 |
| 6. | "One Off" | Lee Seul-ah |
| Rigo | 3:05 |
| Total length: | 16:34 | ||||
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Monthly chart[edit]
|
Year-end chart[edit]
|
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | March 24, 2025 | CD | |
| Various |
References
[edit]- ^ Ji, Min-kyung (February 11, 2025). "아이브 동생 온다" 스타쉽, 4년 만에 신인 그룹 '키키' 론칭 [공식] ["Ive's Younger Siblings Are Coming" Starship, launched the rookie group 'KiiiKiii' after 4 years [official]]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved February 16, 2025 – via Naver.
- ^ Seo, Hyeong-woo (February 17, 2025). '아이브 동생' 키키, 24일 데뷔곡 발매...콘셉트=알프스 하이디?. Sports Khan (in Korean). Retrieved April 4, 2025.
- ^ Lee, Jung-youn (February 24, 2025). "Rookie group KiiiKiii to drop predebut song". The Korea Herald. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
- ^ Kang, Min-jin (February 25, 2025). KiiiKiii(키키), UNCUT GEM 수록곡 '데뷔송' MV 공개 [KiiiKiii(Kiki), UNCUT GEM song 'Debut Song' MV released]. Culture News (in Korean). Retrieved February 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c Haddad, Hanan (March 26, 2025). "Exclusive! KiiiKiii Speaks on Their Bold Entrance Into K-Pop With 'UNCUT GEM'". L'Officiel Singapore. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Ziwei, Puah (March 26, 2025). "KiiiKiii – 'Uncut Gem' review: weird and sometimes wonderful". NME. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ^ Wang, Steffanee (March 26, 2025). "With Uncut Gem, KiiiKiii becomes K-pop's most interesting new girl group". The Fader. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ^ a b Jeong, Gi-yeob (March 31, 2025). "Uncut Gem". IZM (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 7, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ a b "Circle Album Chart – Week 13 of 2025". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ 週間 アルバムランキング: 2025年04月07日付 [Oricon Top 50 Albums: April 7, 2025]. Oricon (in Japanese). March 24–30, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – March, 2025". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – 2025". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 9, 2026.