Called “truly the group of the moment” by Rolling Stone magazine, NewJeans is white hot. This new female K-Pop group blazed into the new year with their first release (from their second album), Ditto, viewed 26 million times on YouTube. It was quickly followed by 25 million views for its next single aptly titled OMG, which is also the name of their second album. With both monster hits, NewJeans joins BTS and BLACKPINK as the only groups that have more than 3 million global daily streams on Spotify.
No one would dispute the popularity of the edgy look and sound of K-Pop’s girl group phenomena. But NewJeans offers a powerful alternative. It seems K-Pop music fans want both edge and innocence from their favorite tracks (and singers). Prior to NewJeans, the female idol groups in K-Pop had similar commonalities of portraying strong women through powerful beats, heavy make up, and revealing ensembles. The epitome of that was BlackPink with their raw rap verses that scream girlboss. NewJeans’ songs and look offer a course correction for those seeking… the opposite.
NewJeans consists of female members who are all teenagers. Using their youth to their advantage, the group decided to go against the grain of the K-Pop market by embracing a new look and sound. As proof of their ultimate global trendsetting, four of the five members are high fashion brand ambassadors! This girl group is often photographed and perform in crop tops and baggy pants. NewJeans’ style incorporates hip-hop and a school girl aesthetic in striking contrast to the micro-skirts and leather short shorts seen on other girl groups. NewJeans’ make-up is the ultimate “innocent” make-up. Each member wears a very deliberate “no make-up look” that of course requires tutorials in order to achieve.
Meet the Members of NewJeans:
Hyein
- Hyein (14) was born in Incheon, South Korea. She’s a huge Harry Potter fan, has an older sister and older brother and just became a brand ambassador to Louis Vuitton.
Haerin
- Haerin (16) was born in Gimcheon-si, South Korea. She loves Hawaiian pizza, has a younger sister and is called the “voice fairy” because she performs pansori (a Korean musical genre featuring a singer and drummer).
Danielle
- Danielle (17) is Korean-Australian whose mother is Korean and whose father is Australian. She loves to surf and has an older sister. She became Burberry’s brand ambassador in January 2023.
Minji
- Minji (18) was born in Yeongwol-gun, South Korea. Her favorite food is Baskin Robbin’s New York Cheesecake. She has a younger sister and older brother and was just named Chanel’s newest brand ambassador.
Hanni
- Hanni (18) is Vietnamese-Australian. She is fluent in Korean, Vietnamese and English. She has a younger sister and plays the ukelele. She’s also a double ambassador of Gucci and Armani Beauty.
In a recent interview, the members all claimed both Ditto and OMG are tied as favorites. “That’s like asking to choose between your mom and dad!” said Danielle about not being able to pick one song over the other on their second album. Hyeln, who wrote Ditto, described her aspiration for the lyrics to feel like “a tight hug from your mom.”
While being familiar, there are catchy verses that will leave you humming their songs. In addition, their songs focus on individual members’ unique voices leaving fans wanting more. Even though all of the members are still in their teen years, their voices sound both young and wise at the same time. The members have vocal ranges that are wide in the spectrum which are harmonious and cohesive.
NewJeans is a one-of-a-kind K-pop girl group that has been making history since its first debut. With their youth, on-trend retro fashion, and uniquely refreshing songs, this group has introduced a vibrant new look and sound to the K-Pop scene.
