New Jeans speaks freely in Japanese and English “It’s like a dream, I’m really touched”

The group NewJeans filled the Tokyo Dome in Japan with singing along and shouting.

New Jeans (Minzy, Hani, Daniel, Haerin, Hyein) successfully completed 'Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome' at Tokyo Dome, Japan on the 26th and 27th. Tickets for all sessions were sold out early, and about 91,000 spectators gathered for the two-day fan meeting, which even opened to restricted-view seats. It has been 1 year and 11 months since their debut. This is the record for the shortest time for an overseas artist to enter the Tokyo Dome, and it has been only 5 days since the release of their Japanese debut single 'Supernatural'.

It was more like a music festival than a fan meeting. It was full of audiovisual enjoyment for 150 minutes, including a rich set list of over 20 songs, colorful sounds through DJ and band performances, and special guest performances.

Tokyo Dome was truly a crucible of enthusiasm. From Producer 250's opening DJ performance, fans stood up from their seats and waved binky sticks as they waited for New Jeans to appear. Afterwards, when the five members appeared singing their debut song 'Attention', they were greeted with cheers that felt like the roof of Tokyo Dome was flying off. The parade of hit songs such as 'Hype Boy', 'Ditto', 'OMG', 'Super Shy', and 'ETA' was their strongest weapon. , Some members of New Genes were moved by the passionate response from fans and even showed tears.

New Jeans performed all songs live. Their voices breaking through the sound of the band, which included top session artists such as bassist Arai Kazuki of the famous Japanese band ‘King Nu’, struck the hearts of fans. The stable power of the vocals was strong and gave off a subtle yet loud resonance.

Gorgeous guests also attracted attention. Japanese mixed duo Yoasobi and singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama also rearranged their songs to present the best performance. The joint stage with New Jeans created fresh synergy and made fans go crazy.

The highlight of the fan meeting was the members’ solo performances. They showed off their charms on different stages, including dancing, self-composed songs, and unreleased songs. Seiko Matsuda's 'Blue Coral Reef' sung by Hani evoked nostalgia for the 1980s and continued to heat up online even after the performance. Minji showed off her unique voice with Boundy's 'Dancer', and Daniel showed off his unique emotions with his self-composed song 'Butterflies'. Hae-rin gave off a fascinating vibe with her solo performance, and Hye-in shook the hearts of the audience with 'Plastic Love' sung by Mariya Takeuchi.

Communication with the Bunnies (fandom name) continued without interruption. During the 'OMG' stage, New Jeans used a toroko (mobile truck) to get close to the fans and attempted to make eye contact with each and every one of them. In the last song 'ASAP', New Jeans promised the Bernese that 'we will meet again soon, not the end', and at this fan meeting, they reaffirmed their love for each other and built an even stronger friendship.

New Genes members spoke freely in three languages, Korean, Japanese, and English, and expressed their overwhelming feelings while standing at the Tokyo Dome. Minji said, “It feels like a dream to be able to stand on such a big stage, and I’m really touched to meet so many Bunnies.” Hani said, “I was nervous while preparing for the stage, but then I was also excited, and I wanted to show you quickly. “I hope to enjoy a long time with the Bernese who are with me today.”

Daniel said, “A lot of effort and passion went into this Bunnies Camp, but you received so much love that you couldn’t believe it, so it really feels like a dream. “I don’t think I can sleep,” she said with great emotion. Haerin was happy, saying, “Thanks to the Bernese, I’m so lucky to be able to make precious memories on stage together.” Hyein expressed her gratitude to the fans, saying, “It was great to be able to see the Bunnies for the first time in a long time, and you are the people who shine more than anyone else.”

The entire Tokyo Dome area in Japan was a ‘New Jeans world’. Leading local media such as Sponich, Sports Hochi, and Sankei Sports produced a special edition featuring New Genes on the front page and heavily covered the news of their entry into the Tokyo Dome. Fans who flocked to Tokyo Dome wore various New Jeans merch, including T-shirts and bags, and held out cheering placards. Shibuya's 'Supernatural' pop-up store had over 600 people waiting even before it opened, and the line stretched beyond Yoyogi Park.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr