We need more groups like NewJeans in K-pop—here’s why

This article was originally published on 5 August 2023 and has been updated following NewJeans’ announcement of its contract termination with ADOR.

On 28 November 2024, NewJeans held an emergency press conference where all five members gathered to deliver an update on the status of the group. In a bombshell statement, the quintet announced that they would be terminating their exclusive contracts with ADOR as of 29 November. All pre-scheduled activities and commitments will continue as usual after which, the members will be acting independently free from ADOR and Hybe. Citing a breakdown of trust, mistreatment, questionable work ethics and the inability to protect the interests of NewJeans, the members concluded that they could not continue to work with the company after no corrective measures were put in place.

 

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Despite the turn of events, it cannot be denied that NewJeans has carved a name for themselves in the K-pop industry in just two years. Ahead, we look back on their great successes and how they took the K-pop world by storm.

When the five-membered group consisting of Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin and Hyeji debuted on 22 July 2022, no one knew exactly how they would come to redefine the genre in a short period. 

Their name references the timelessness of denim jeans and a play on ‘New Genes’, reflecting their goal to redefine the K-pop world with their fresh and unique concept. 

To say that K-pop (and South Korea, for that matter) has NewJeans Fever would be an understatement. Their hit songs Ditto, OMG, and Hype Boy broke records and became the three most streamed and downloaded songs in the country in the first half of 2023. 

Furthermore, they have secured deals with several luxury brands—each member is a brand ambassador for at least one luxury fashion house. The quintet also currently hold the Guinness World Record for the fastest K-pop act to reach a billion streams on Spotify and has garnered over a million album sales for their debut EP, a feat rarely seen for K-pop rookies. Pretty much anything NewJeans touches goes viral. The 19 billion views on their #NewJeans TikTok hashtag show that.

Their momentum has only increased from there. The group dropped their second EP Get Up on 21 July 2023, just a day before their one-year anniversary, and it sold nearly 1.2 million copies on the day of its release. They also made history as the only Asian music act to chart three songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, with Super Shy peaking at number 48. The girls also performed at Lollapalooza California 2023, pulling in huge crowds for their debut US stage on 4 August. 

The group has garnered tremendous domestic and international love—but what about NewJeans has everyone so enamoured? Speaking as someone who has been following and listening to K-pop for over a decade *puts on glasses*, I have some observations on why the group works so well. See, mum? Told you my PhD in K-pop would come in handy one day.

The power of a clear artistic and creative direction

NewJeans is the brainchild of Min Hee Jin AKA the former creative director of SM Entertainment—this is a big deal. In the early K-pop days, SM Entertainment was part of the ‘Big Three’ alongside JYP and YG Entertainment. Out of the three, SM Entertainment was highly regarded for its stunning visual content and alternative music style. Love Shinee’s experimental sound? Or f(x)’s electropop discography? You have Min to thank for that. She’s been pivotal in creating some of K-pop’s most iconic groups so naturally, the bar was set extremely high.

After leaving SM Entertainment, Min founded her music label under Hybe called ADOR (All Doors One Room) and NewJeans would be the physical representation of her unrestrained creative genius brought to life. Min doesn’t come without her controversies (a story for another day) but it’s undeniable that she has been crucial in NewJeans’ success. With such creative minds coming together, the group is prone to many buzz-worthy viral moments due to their unconventional tactics.

NewJeans is redefining the genre with its quirky and candid approach in an industry that is chasing perfection and this bleeds into everything they do. Their choreographies occasionally face away from the camera and members are often smiling and looking at each other while they dance. The girls are not completely synchronized either as each one interprets the moves in their own style whilst still managing to look like one cohesive unit. All these are rarely seen in K-pop, which has become known for its ultra-synchronicity and sharp movements. Rather than executing the performance, NewJeans look like they’re having fun on stage and that energy is infectious to anyone who watches them.

In doing so, they have firmly established their sound and style from the beginning. Together with their no-frills lo-fi-esque tunes and emphasis on youth and friendship, the group’s brand is all about being effortlessly natural. Essentially, NewJeans is the “no makeup, makeup look” personified in K-pop. Everything from their styling and discography to promotions works to carefully curate this natural-looking style—try too hard and the image falls apart.

In today’s oversaturated and competitive K-pop world, establishing a core sound and style not only helps a group stand out but also makes it easier for audiences to understand them quickly and efficiently. I’ve seen many K-pop groups lose popularity using a throw-and-see-what-sticks approach. However, that tends to create confusion and inconsistency for fans who are already spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing groups to support. NewJeans bypassed this issue with their clear and strong creative direction from the get-go.

Defying K-pop norms 

When their debut Attention suddenly appeared on YouTube under Hybe Labels, it was literally as if NewJeans appeared out of nowhere—because they did. There were no prior promotions or teasers of the members in the lead-up to their big reveal to the world.

For us K-pop regulars, this was unusual and shocking as debuting groups follow a typical formula. Individual posters of each member would be posted (usually starting with the most conventionally attractive one to gain fans) and would include facts such as their role in the group, height and even their MBTI type. Social media accounts would also be created so members could interact with fans and build a fanbase beforehand. With NewJeans? Nada.

This went against the grain of K-pop norms and looking back, I can see now that it was a genius, albeit risky, move. The members were not widely known as personalities before debuting nor were they in an idol survival program with a pre-existing fanbase. Therefore, it would have made sense for ADOR to build hype around the girls before their debut. But in not doing so and dropping an MV out of left field, it worked out in their favour. It was a clever marketing ploy to get people curious, but most importantly, it didn’t allow audiences to have any pre-existing assumptions or expectations about the group or members. In other words, they let the music do the talking.

In my experience, entertainment companies often laud their idols and their skills, presenting them as child prodigies who have God-like rapping or dancing abilities. While this can create a lot of excitement for fans, more often than not, it also breeds a high bar of expectations that can become toxic. When a young trainee is presented to be infallible, even more pressure is put on them to live up to the expectations of fans. As no one knew anything about the NewJeans members beforehand, it allowed netizens to naturally discover the girls’ talents through their music and build their expectations from there. 

Redefining the typical girl group sound

Many people describe NewJeans’ music as a breath of fresh air and it’s not hard to see why. For the longest time, K-pop girl groups have been dominated by the girl crush concept which usually consists of fierce makeup, strong punchlines and channelling their inner badassery. Or completely lean into the cutesy side of things complete with bright colours and doe-eyed expressions.

In comparison, NewJeans stands worlds apart with its easy breezy vocals and digestible melodies (real question: how does one not levitate listening to Attention‘s chorus?). Rather than belting notes and haughty personas, the quintet opted for light and airy tunes that perfectly capture their smooth vocals. They aren’t afraid to try out unfamiliar genres either, whether that be Chicago drill, hip-hop soul or drum and bass. Sonically, this was a refreshing turn away from the girl crush concept that was becoming formulaic and predictable. 

Further, the group’s high teen concept which focuses more on first love and friendship makes sense considering NewJeans is a young group (the youngest member Hyein is 15 years old). I’ve seen many companies style female members (including minors) in heavy makeup and questionable clothing to make a bold first impression. In contrast, NewJeans’ debut era saw all the members in simple long black hair, with little to no accessories and sporty attire. They’re also constantly wearing oversized and baggy clothing, opting for comfort and mobility on stage over pandering to the male gaze. 

For once, it was a nice shift to see a K-pop group fully embracing their youth and not trying to rush their maturity. NewJeans continues to capture the innocence, charm and insecurities that come with growing up in all its vulnerability. With K-pop’s hyper-fixation of packaging perfection, their presence in the industry shows that it’s okay to have fun and pull back a little.

Y2K is here to stay 

Apart from creating catchy ear-worm songs, NewJeans is also aesthetically what everyone is into right now. It’s as if someone took a bunch of Gen Z Pinterest boards and used them as inspiration for NewJeans’ lookbook. The group is Y2K personified, complete with flip phones, beaded jewellery and old camcorders. Combining nostalgia and modern technology, the young artists appeal to both the older fans of K-pop who remember the good ol’ days and newer listeners who dig the aesthetic. 

Of course, Y2K is nothing new in K-pop. Many other groups have explored it but none have stuck quite like NewJeans. In my own opinion, the reason why the ADOR-produced group is so successful is because they completely lean into it.  It doesn’t feel like a one-and-done trend that the group dips their toes in and moves on. Their approach is carefully crafted, designed and executed. Just look at their specially-made Powerpuff Girls characters and you’ll see that they’re fully invested.

The Y2K aesthetic encapsulates NewJeans’ very DNA. Much like how millennials and Gen Zs fixate on Y2K because it evokes a familiar and nostalgic feeling, NewJeans represents the innocence and excitement of one’s adolescent years and transports listeners back to simpler, easier times. 

A global group

I’ve been giving a lot of credit to NewJeans’ creative team but a lot of the group’s success also lends itself to the members’ chemistry and personalities. Indeed, the girls feel as if they are a group of best friends who happen to make feel-good music together. None of ADOR’s creative visions would be as successful if it weren’t for Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein’s natural star power on and off the stage. 

Funny with a good dose of sass and sarcasm, the members are entertaining to watch as they banter with quippy remarks. In this age of K-pop, the importance of social media cannot be understated. Luckily, these Gen Z members know all about that and are constantly on top of the latest internet memes, slangs and even creating some of their own. A group this social media-savvy is bound to capture the hearts of international fans who are chronically on X, TikTok, and the like.

Having English-speaking members certainly helps as well. Foreign idols are hot commodities in K-pop, with many music labels looking to include at least one non-Korean in the debut lineup. Hanni is Vietnamese-Australian, Danielle was born to an Australian father and South Korean mother whilst Minji, Hyein and Hyerin can speak English fairly well. Because of this, they can communicate with Bunnies quickly and efficiently without the need to translate. 

While the news of the group’s termination of contract with ADOR as of 29 November, the future of NewJeans is uncertain. However, the members are adamant about releasing new music and even going on tour very soon. Whether or not they continue as NewJeans or another name altogether, we’re looking forward to seeing how the girls shake up the K-pop world again.

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