"A year ago, no one knew who NewJeans was, but after the release of their first music video in August 2022, this new girl group became known all over the world... NewJeans is taking K-pop and the world by storm. This is unlike any other K-pop “It’s much faster than the senior artist.” (US weekly current affairs magazine TIME)
In May of this year, TIME in the United States selected NewJeans as the only female K-pop artist on its list of '2023 Next Generation Leaders'.
NewJeans (Minzy, Hani, Daniel, Haerin, Hyein), who have been setting various records with the modifiers 'first' and 'shortest' since their debut, have added another record. On the 20th (Korean time), NewJeans had the honor of winning the 'Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs)', one of the three major music awards ceremonies in the United States, in the shortest period of time (1 year and 4 months) since debut among K-pop artists. NewJeans won the 'Top Global K-pop Artist' category, proving that they are the 'K-pop group of the year' in name and reality.
NewJeans entered the Billboard ‘Hot 100’ just 6 months after their debut, and it took only one year for them to reach #1 on the ‘Billboard 200’. And four months later, New Jeans' name is still on the 'Billboard 200'. This is a label that proves New Jeans' steady popularity, not just flashy popularity. Every time New Jeans releases a new album, not only do all of their songs chart, but the rankings of their previous works also rise, leaving behind an unusual phenomenon. This suggests that New Jeans' popularity is not a 'one hit wonder' but a sustainable phenomenon.
◆ Good music and performance worked well
Many experts, without exception, cite New Genes' 'good music' as the reason why New Genes was able to achieve global results so quickly without any special overseas activities. New Jeans' strength is its soft and natural charm rather than a strong 'girl crush' tone. Even amidst the fast beat, the members calmly recite the lyrics as if they were having a conversation. Thanks to this, it makes people listen more closely to the lyrics, which in turn leads to empathy from the listener. They also added their own originality to the easy listening song. Since its debut, NewJeans has attempted genres that are not bound by the existing K-pop grammar, such as UK Garage and Jersey Club, and has created new creations by working with domestic and foreign writers who are unfamiliar with the K-pop scene. Accordingly, foreign media outlets unanimously say that NewJeans' music is “natural and friendly, breaking away from existing K-pop.”
Performances other than music are also highly regarded. NewJeans breaks away from the strict choreography and enjoys freely on stage. However, this is also the result of elaborate work. Since their pre-debut training days, NewJeans has broken away from routine choreography practice and has been exposed to various genres of dance, including ballet, hip-hop, house, and freestyle. Executive producer Min Hee-jin's keynote of 'I hope you don't get stuck in a box' is also implemented in dance. The overall unity was maintained, but the way each member danced according to their feelings was refreshing and unseen in existing K-pop. NewJeans recently presented a performance of all 6 songs in 'Get Up', enriching their music by playing a variety of styles from contemporary genres to walking.
◆ The members’ talents and Min Hee-jin’s ability to capture them
NewJeans is united with talent that can produce good music and performance. Minzy has powerful energy, Hani has a unique groove, Daniel has a clear voice, Haerin has a clean dance line, and Hyein has innate flexibility. People with different strengths and personalities come together as a team to complement each other and create synergy. In the ‘2023 BBMAs’ acceptance speech, NewJeans said, “Be considerate of each other, give and receive inspiration, trust, and above all, create unbroken friendships. “If it weren’t for these things, New Genes wouldn’t exist,” he said, emphasizing strong teamwork. Thanks to the members' talent and effort, they were able to bear the weight of fame created upon their debut.
It is difficult to discuss the popularity of NewJeans without mentioning the capabilities of executive producer Min Hee-jin, who organized these members and established differentiated branding. At the time of New Genes' debut, producer Min Hee-jin revealed the members through a music video without any special teasing content and approached the public with the essence of music by producing triple title songs and music videos for all songs. The innovation that producer Min Hee-jin prepared through New Genes was not 'stronger stimulation' but 'flexibility and naturalness', and this caused an explosive response not only domestically but also overseas.
◆ ‘New Genes Syndrome’ has become a cultural phenomenon
The popularity of NewJeans did not stop at music, but gave birth to a cultural phenomenon called ‘NewJeans Syndrome’. 'Hype boy' went beyond the global challenge craze and created a meme called 'NewJeans' Hype Boy'. The walking point choreography of 'Super Shy' created a flash mob boom around the world. NewJeans has naturally seeped into the public’s daily life.
Love calls from global brands continued to emerge due to the great potential of NewJeans. Newgenes recently collaborated with gaming company Riot Games to perform as the opening stage finalist for the 'League of Legends (LoL) World Championship', the world's most popular e-sports competition. In addition, all members are luxury brand ambassadors and are collaborating with leading companies in various fields such as IT, distribution, fashion, food and beverage, such as Apple, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr