DAZED Names KiiiKiii’s “DANCING ALONE” Among 2025’s Best K-pop Tracks
Saturday, December 20, 2025
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K-pop girl group KiiiKiii is continuing to draw global attention, marking another major milestone with international recognition for their debut-era music. The Gen Z–coded group, made up of Jiyu, Isol, Sui, Haeum and Kiya, has been spotlighted by UK magazine DAZED, further cementing their growing presence beyond Korea.
On December 16, DAZED revealed its list of “The 30 Best K-pop Tracks of 2025”, naming KiiiKiii’s “DANCING ALONE” among the selected tracks. The inclusion placed the group alongside some of the most talked-about K-pop releases of the year, underscoring the impact of their debut single on a global scale.
DAZED introduced KiiiKiii as a hidden gem that delivered one of the most visually interesting debuts in recent memory. The magazine praised the group’s natural yet distinctive aesthetic, noting that “DANCING ALONE” reflects their approach of portraying ordinary girls in an honest and relatable way. The track was described as playful but quietly moving, unraveling layered emotions tied to friendship, secrets, love and misunderstandings. According to the publication, the song moves between excitement, warmth and moments that gently ache, leaving a lasting impression.
Released in August as the title track of KiiiKiii’s first digital single album, “DANCING ALONE” blends city pop and retro synth pop into a polished dance track. Despite its fast tempo, the song carries a relaxed groove paired with a bright, direct melody. Its vivid portrayal of friendship and candid lyrics resonated with listeners, pushing the track to a peak of No. 3 on the Melon HOT100 chart within 30 days of release.
The song’s reach quickly expanded overseas. “DANCING ALONE” entered the iTunes Top Songs charts in Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, France and Japan. It also ranked on the iTunes Top K-pop Songs charts in Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Turkey, Taiwan and Hong Kong, drawing attention from listeners across multiple regions.
DAZED’s evaluation was echoed visually through the song’s music video. Set against familiar backdrops such as schools, riversides and bowling alleys, the video captures fleeting moments of friendship. Scenes of sharing earphones, tying each other’s hair and eating ice cream together evoke memories many viewers recognize from their own lives. These everyday gestures sparked wide-ranging empathy across age groups and nationalities, helping the video climb YouTube’s trending music video charts.
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KiiiKiii also extended the life of “DANCING ALONE” through a collaborative project with producer Park Moon Chi. The group released an album that reinterpreted the song through sounds spanning from the 1990s to the present, including remixes rooted in 90s R&B, future bass and EDM. The project highlighted the group’s willingness to explore different musical eras and styles.
Their momentum carried onto major stages overseas. In August, KiiiKiii appeared at Kansai Collection 2025 A/W at Kyocera Dome Osaka, followed by a performance at Music Expo Live 2025 at Tokyo Dome in November. They were the only K-pop girl group on the lineup and received coverage from major local media outlets, reinforcing their rising profile in Japan.
Beyond music, KiiiKiii has expanded their influence across fashion, beauty, finance and the food and beverage industry. As brand models, the group ranked No. 1 in the rookie idol group brand reputation for four consecutive months. They also took first place in the Rookie Female Idol category at the 2025 Brand Customer Loyalty Awards and most recently topped the December 2025 rookie idol group brand reputation rankings.
Their achievements have been reflected on the awards circuit as well. This year, KiiiKiii claimed seven rookie awards, along with a Best Performance trophy. The group was also named by US magazine Stardust as one of the “10 Rookies to Watch in 2026” and appeared as a global breakout search term under the “KPop Debuts” category in Google’s Year in Search 2025 project.
KiiiKiii is set to continue this run when they take the stage at the 2025 Melon Music Awards on December 20 at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, where they will meet fans once again.
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