About NewJeans:
NewJeans made a splash with their debut mini-album ‘NewJeans,’ which was released in July of last year. The title tracks ‘Attention’ and ‘Hype Boy’ were particularly successful, with ‘Attention’ topping the charts on various domestic music sites, including Melon, Genie, Flo, Bugs, and Vibe. ‘Hype Boy’ also performed well on the charts, reaching second and third place. Additionally, it became the first debut single by a K-pop group to make the US Spotify weekly list.
Members:
- Minji (민지)
- Hanni (하니)
- Danielle (다니엘)
- Haerin (해린)
- Hyein (혜인)
According to an announcement made by NewJeans on their app “Phoning,” the group has decided to forgo having official positions or a designated leader among its members. This is a unique approach to the typical structure of K-pop groups, and it allows for a more democratic and equal dynamic among the members.
Locking Horns with the Titans:
NewJeans’ “Hype Boy” has set a new record by becoming the most streamed song on Spotify Korea with 5.899 million streams, surpassing BTS’ “Butter,” which has 5.895 million streams as of January 17. It is remarkable that NewJeans achieved this milestone just six months after their debut, and the competition between these two HYBE Label artists is noteworthy.
NewJeans on Melon Weekly Charts:
As of January 17th, NewJeans achieved a remarkable feat by holding all three top positions on Melon’s Weekly Charts simultaneously, a feat that had only been achieved by two other groups before them, namely BIGBANG and 2NE1, in the last eight years. The group’s song ‘Ditto’ debuted on December 19th of the previous year and has since maintained the number one spot on the Melon TOP100 chart, even competing with well-known musicians. Additionally, the top five charts have remained unchanged, with ‘Ditto’ leading the pack, followed by Younha’s ‘Event Horizon,’ and Taeyang’s ‘VIBE’ (featuring BTS’ Jimin) in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
NewJeans on Billboard Charts:
NH Investment & Securities analyst Lee Hwa Jeong predicts that NewJeans’ latest release, ‘Ditto,’ has a good chance of charting on the Hot 100, which is a significant accomplishment for a group that debuted only six months ago. Unlike the Billboard 200, which commonly features K-pop artists, the Hot 100 requires a song to have strong streaming, sales, and radio play to make the chart, making it a difficult feat. This is a notable achievement for NewJeans, and it’s even more impressive that they’re achieving it without relying solely on the initial buzz of their album release. For context, BLACKPINK first gained public attention in the US when their song ‘DDU-DU DDU-DU’ charted on the Hot 100 in 2018. NewJeans is quickly making a name for themselves as a “monster rookie,” achieving ongoing success with their debut songs and subsequent releases. Their latest single album, ‘OMG,’ features ‘Ditto’ and the title track ‘OMG,’ both of which showcase NewJeans’ unique winter sensibility with themes of distant and foreign relationships.
NewJeans’ Ditto:
Upon release, ‘Ditto’ quickly climbed to the top of the real-time charts on domestic music sites Melon, Bugs, and Genie. The track went on to hold the number one position on the Melon Weekly Chart for three consecutive weeks. Its popularity was further evidenced by its impressive daily streams of 3.26 million, which helped it reach 19th on Spotify’s ‘Daily Top Song Global’ chart as of December 20. Among K-pop groups, NewJeans is only outstreamed by BTS and BLACKPINK. Notably, ‘Ditto’ ranked fourth on the Billboard ‘Global (outside the US)’ list and eighth on the ‘Global 200′ chart as of January 14, according to the US Billboard. This feat marks NewJeans’ highest ranking record and the quickest ascent to the top 10 of the ‘Global 200’ and top 5 of the ‘Global (excluding the US)’ for a K-pop group.
OMG:
Following the success of ‘Ditto,’ NewJeans’ next single, ‘OMG,’ also achieved chart-topping success. It debuted at No. 1 on the real-time music charts in Korea and reached No. 2 on the daily list, only behind ‘Ditto.’ The song was well-received by fans around the world and gained traction on Spotify’s ‘Daily Top Song Global’ chart, where it ranked 25th as of January 6. Sales of the album saw significant growth compared to their earlier work. According to Hanteo Chart, ‘OMG’ sold a total of 701,241 copies in its first week of release, with 580,000 copies sold on the second day alone, surpassing the half-million seller mark. This represents a significant increase compared to their previous album ‘NewJeans,’ which set a new record for a girl group debut album with 310,000 copies sold in the first week.
Korean netizens are skeptical about NewJeans’ popularity
NewJeans has been facing a lot of controversy regarding their sudden rise to the top of the charts. The source of the controversy is attributed to their CEO, Min Hee Jin, who is accused of using money to manipulate NewJeans’ streaming numbers on Spotify.
The group has allegedly been added to 500 playlists on the platform, which has contributed to their high stream count. Furthermore, some netizens have questioned the validity of NewJeans’ Music Bank score, which had fewer votes than Moonbin & Sanha despite having over 700 thousand album pre-orders. Despite winning first place on Music Bank, this inconsistency has led to skepticism about the group’s popularity.
However, the group’s fans have defended them and stated that their success is due to their viral hits on SNS, particularly on TikTok. It’s not uncommon for rookie groups like NewJeans to face controversies when they quickly rise to fame, as seen with IVE and After LIKE before them.
Netizens’ comments:
- The popularity of NewJeans among the public is undeniable.
- There are many discussions about whether NewJeans manipulated the Melon chart.
- The digital chart rankings of NewJeans seem odd given their lack of international fanbase, despite their strong album sales.
- Just like when IVE’s ‘After Like’ was successful, NewJeans are now facing accusations of cheating, which is something that successful groups often encounter.
- To be frank, Min Heejin’s concept marketing has played a significant role in NewJeans’ success, as the skills of each individual member are comparable to those of idols from small and medium-sized companies.