NEWJEANS was formed in 2022 by ADOR, the independent label of South Korean entertainment giant Hybe. It is composed of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein. The first two featured in the video for 'Permission to Dance' by their counterparts BTS in 2021. Danielle, on the other hand, appeared in several variety shows as a child.
The five young women were selected to join this musical group after a major international casting. They then entered a kind of academy where they trained hard to become the next K-pop stars. Unlike their rivals, Blackpink, they did not prepare for years to become icons of Korean soft power, just a few months.
NewJeans released their first track, 'Attention,' last July. With it, K-pop fans were introduced to the very retro musical and clothing aesthetic of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein. The five young women seemingly have a penchant for danceable beats borrowed from hip-hop and R&B, as well as for outfits in line with the Y2K trend. A nostalgic touch that brings a certain freshness to an ultra-popular musical trend.
'Attention' proved a real commercial success, leading the band to release 'Hype Boy' one week later. Again, the tune proved a hit. The song reached number two in the South Korean Digital Chart when it was released on music streaming platforms. A year later, 'Hype Boy' has topped 200 million streams on Spotify. The accompanying video, which features Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein performing a sophisticated choreography, has over 73 million views on YouTube.
The new Blackpink?
These two singles feature on NewJeans' eponymous debut EP, alongside 'Cookie' and 'Hurt'. The record has been a hit in South Korea, where the quintet has sold more than 530,000 album equivalent units (a measurement that includes airplay and downloads of songs in addition to traditional record sales). This was enough to allow them to reach 34th place in the annual best-selling albums of the Circle Album Chart, the music industry standard in South Korea.
After their first EP, NewJeans released their album 'OMG' in January. The record notably features the singles 'OMG' and 'Ditto,' songs that are characterised by their honesty, according to Hanni.
"There’s no hidden meaning in what we wrote. It’s whatever you interpret it to be," she told Spotify. They also give pride of place to the R&B, hip-hop and electro sounds of the '90s that appeal so much to their community of fans, better known as the Bunnies.
As a result, the track 'OMG' recently crossed the symbolic threshold of 100 million streams on Spotify.
But do NewJeans have the potential to stand out from other female K-pop groups like Girl's Generation, aespa, Red Velvet or Blackpink? That's what Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein are hoping.
The five members of the girl band are already distinguished by... their very young age. Minji and Hanni are the oldest at 18, while Hyein is just 14 years old. And this youthfulness can sit somewhat uncomfortably in an industry where women are still highly sexualised.
However, the five members of NewJeans proudly assert their youth. They have made it into an asset on social networks, especially on Instagram, where they have 5.3 million followers.
This has been enough to attract the interest of many brands, including Chanel. The luxury house recently announced Minji as the new ambassador of its clothing and accessories – a partnership that suggests a bright future ahead for a group hoping to become as timeless as the pants that inspired their name. – ETX Daily Up, February 16, 2023
