[News Today] PIKKI PIKKI DANCE GOES VIRAL

[LEAD]
Amid a blockbuster professional baseball season, cheerleaders' dances are also drawing massive crowds. One dance in particular, dubbed the 'Pikki Pikki', has gone absolutely viral. Garnering millions of views and catching international media's eye, we look into this unexpected trend.

[REPORT]
The 'Pikki Pikki' dance is all the rage on social media these days.

This enthralling dance routine is performed whenever the Kia Tigers strike out an opposing batter.

The arms moving with thumbs up seem to tell the batter to leave the field as soon as possible and create an exciting mood.

The cheerful melody and moves that contrast with the dancers' nonchalant facial expressions make the routine even more infuriating for the opposition side.

The video of the dance is quite addictive.

Park Sung-eun, Cheon So-yoon, Park Shin-bi, Yeom Se-bin / Kia Tigers cheerleaders
The choreography and the song are very addictive. Our dance has drawn even more attention because our baseball team is leading the regular season race.

The Pikki Pikki dance was created in 2022. This year, even amature videos of the dance shot on the spot became huge hits as teams notch record attendance in games.

One video on YouTube has gained over 80 million views.

A video showing cheerleader Lee Ju-eun abruptly stop fixing her makeup to start doing the pikki pikki has become a sensation, spawning numerous imitators among overseas YouTubers.

The New York Times wrote recently that this ultra-chill dance routine has taken over social media algorithms.

Park Sung-eun, Cheon So-yoon, Park Shin-bi, Yeom Se-bin / Kia Tigers cheerleaders
We are a bit surprised by the attention, but we are also grateful for the global spotlight. Come watch baseball games!

The New York Times also said in Korean pro-baseball, cheerleading performances are like rock concerts that play a pivotal role in team performances and league success.