<Korean News> Hearts2Hearts vs. KiiiKiii, How do the market and the public react?

The rivalry between two rookie girl groups that debuted on the same day has brought a fresh vitality to the music industry, just ahead of the new spring.

<Hearts2Hearts>

Following aespa, SM Entertainment's ambitious project, "Hearts2Hearts," unveiled their debut track "The Chase" on the showcase day, the 24th. Starship Entertainment, which has returned with their new weapon "KiiiKiii" after three years since IVE, also revealed their debut song "I Do Me" on the same day.

<KiiiKiii>

Looking at the early performance on music sites, KiiiKiii has surpassed Hearts2Hearts. "I Do Me" ranked 70th on the "Top 100" of the country's largest music site, Melon, on the morning of the 25th, the day after its release. In contrast, "The Chase" failed to chart.

<Hearts2Hearts>

On YouTube, the music video views of "The Chase" have reached 8.44 million as of the morning of the 27th, significantly outperforming "I Do Me" (5.94 million). Although "I Do Me" was released earlier on the 16th, the attention from international fans, drawn by the multinational members like Carmen from Indonesia and Stella, who holds Canadian dual nationality, is believed to be a key factor for Hearts2Hearts' success.

"Hearts2Hearts" an 8-member girl group formed by SM after 18 years since Girls' Generation, and KiiiKiii, a 5-member group created by Starship targeting Gen Z, have attracted intense K-pop fan interest even before their debut. Furthermore, in a broader sense, they are seen as indicators for predicting the future trends of the "5th generation idols."

<KiiiKiii>

The public's reaction to these groups has been varied. First, Hearts2Hearts has been praised for their familiar outfits and vocals reminiscent of the early days of Girls' Generation, but some have criticized the dreamlike song style that resembles another senior group from the same company, f(x), as not leaving a strong enough first impression.

On the other hand, KiiiKiii, a 5-member group, has successfully captured the momentum of the competition with their lively and cheerful song. However, some feel that their overall team concept feels a bit scattered due to an overemphasis on a "hip" vibe.

One music industry insider stated, "From the initial signs, KiiiKiii may seem slightly ahead, but it is impossible to judge who is better at this point," and predicted, "The real competition will begin in the second round, targeting the summer market."