Everything to know about the viral K-pop girl group NewJeans
NewJeans are the new kids on the block in the world of K-pop. The all-female band has racked up over 1 billion Spotify streams, the K-pop group to fastest achieve that milestone in history.
According to Entertainment, NewJeans sings and dances with a ’00s vibe, and the group is so popular that they have already been awarded the Hot Rookie Award at THE-K Billboard Awards in 2022 and earned a spot on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in Asia.
They have also landed luxury brand partnerships and their popularity only continues to climb.
Who is in NewJeans?
NewJeans is a five-member all-female band made up of teenage girls: Minji (19), Hanni (18), Danielle (18), Haerin (17) and Hyein (15). All but two of the girls are from South Asia; Danielle and Hanni grew up in Australia.
According to CNN, the group’s name is a nod to jeans being an iconic fashion staple that never goes out of style, as well as a play on the phrase “new genes,” referring to a new generation of K-pop stars.
CNN adds that NewJeans follows a string of other K-pop groups cropping up on the scene following the temporary disbanding of the very popular BTS K-pop group due to the members serving their mandatory military service in South Korea.
NewJeans released its debut single, “Attention,” in July 2022, which quickly became a hit.
“I feel like these girls are gonna get very popular this song is so good,” wrote a predictive @heartsforsope.
“The hair is paid actor,” added @winteriecam.
Their next big hit, “OMG,” was released in January 2023.
While NewJeans is popular as a group, the girls are also rising stars in their own right. For instance, CNN reports that Louis Vuitton recently signed Hyein, Danielle joined Burberry as a model, Hanni is a model for Gucci and Armani Beauty and Minji is with Chanel.
How did NewJeans get its start?
Despite their fame and luxury brand partnerships, much of NewJeans’ popularity seems to stem from their girl-next-door relatability. For instance, many of their early TikToks appear as though they were filmed by an amateur, with fuzzy video quality and unpolished transitions.
“I mean it goes well with the 2000 concept,” observed @mymoonflowerkoo.
“I’m loving the retro vibes especially the early 2000s quality,” noted @berrryblossom.
That simple aesthetic also translates into other aspects of the group’s music, such as video sets, outfits and dancing. NewGenes also offers an app for fans called “Phoning” and hosts a YouTube channel featuring content for a younger crowd, such as visiting a farm.
And while the aesthetic may be simple, the strategy driving the group’s business deals is anything but. According to CNN, the brand has signed with Musinsa, an e-commerce platform that plans on using the group to launch Korean fashion brands globally.
CNN also reports that many in the West don’t fully grasp just how lucrative K-pop can be because fans in Asia often spend much more, even “irrationally,” to support their favorite groups.
“The following is insane,” Lawrence Von Mohl, global brand manager for Kusikohc, told CNN. “If you go to the big (fashion) shows Chanel, Dior or whatnot, there’s screams when the K-pop stars come out, you can barely hear your own voice, and not when a Western celebrity runs down the carpet.”
“I love you hyein! please remember all bunnies love you and you’re so beautiful,” wrote devoted fan @laaaastbreath. “Well always be here for you and support you and newjeans.”
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