The birth of NewJeans:
Back in 2022/2023, NewJeans was created with no teasers, trailers, or notice. On July 22 in 2022, they debuted with their first music video, "Attention." With this new song, they gained instant fame and it became number one South Korea's Circle Digital Chart within 24 hours. They grew in popularity with their other songs like "Hype Boy" and "Cookie." The reason why they exploded in kpop is because they have an extremely fresh and distinct sound that is different from what the rest of kpop is doing. They combine uk grunge, jersey club, and R&B elements into their instrumentals while also having light voices. Their tunes are extremely catchy and they combine western ideas of music with kpop. If you listen to a few of their songs, you will understand that they have a very distinct sound.Another reason why they popped off the charts early is because of their concept. They used a very Y2K nostalgic concept which is seen in their music videos where they use old camcorders and cameras as well as CDs in their song "Cookie" and VHS tapes. (I will get more into the song and it's meaning more below) They use lenses in music videos that evoke nostalgia with light leaks, or vignetting that make it feel like old film or disposable cameras. If NewJeans debuted right now, I wouldn't bat an eye at their concept because it is now so popularized by them, which is why they were a breath of fresh air back then. I think that they brought Y2K to mainstream kpop and made it a whole concept instead of just exploring it a bit like in the past with aespa and NCT Dream covering 90's songs.
NewJeans, the new "it" group:
After their debut, NewJeans exploded in kpop. When I mean they were big, I mean it. They were on track for becoming as big as BTS and Blackpink and solidifying their name among kpop history in stardom. Many songs of theirs hit the charts, with their most popular being "Super Shy," (the Super Shy dance challenge was everywhere) "OMG," "ETA," "Ditto," and more. They even won multiple daesangs (biggest kpop award, equivalent to winning a Grammy in the west), the highest achievement you can get in very little time. They have won 10 daesangs, crowning them the most awarded female artists in the shortest amount of time. Remember, they debuted in 2022 and went inactive on March 23, 2025.
Music videos, lore, lyrics explained:
- "Cookie" lyrics controversy explained: When NewJeans' song "Cookie" released, a lot of international fans started to get mad at Hybe and Ador because they thought that the song had a sexual innuendo. Also at the time, the members were 14, 16, 17, and 18 (18 is considered a minor in Korea as well) so fans thought that the company gave them an inappropriate song. Although you could take "Cookie" in a sexual way, writers did not intend convey that message. In Korean, the word "cookie" and "CD" are used interchangeably as an idiom, so writers thought the message of the song would come across as wanting to listen to NewJeans' music instead of a sexual innuendo. That's one of the reasons why CDs are seen throughout the whole music video. One thing I don't really understand about the song though is the fact that they didn't pick up that it had the potential to be interpreted in a sexual way by fans overseas. Danielle and Hanni literally speak proficient English, and there's probably a lot of checkpoints the song needs to pass through to be approved so I'm surprised they kept the message or didn't clarify earlier to fans in order to avoid misunderstanding, especially with the members being minors at the time.
- Ditto music video meaning explained: First of all, these interpretations are all my own opinion and speculation. It's okay if you have a different perspective than me or a take.
I think that there are two main interpretations of this song and the music videos behind them. My first interpretation is that the girl holding the camera, Ban Hee-soo, is a representation of the fans and Bunnies. (Bunnies is the fandom name) First of all, the girl doesn't interact with the members of NewJeans directly like dancing with them, and her face is always hidden by the camera. This puts an obvious wall between her and the group. This explains the relationship between idol and fan, fans admire and are as if they are friends with the members despite the idols not being aware of fans as individuals. You might have experienced this if you are a kpop fan, but once you start liking a group and start watching their content, it seems like you can understand them and are part of the group or you get to have a sneak peak into idols and their relationships with other idols. This idea is represented through Ban Hee-soo.
My second interpretation is that NewJeans represents the fantasy we have of life while the guy Ban Hee-soo searches for and likes is reality. NewJeans is not real, or at least not present in the music video. They are portrayed as not actually being there while the guy represents the harsh reality. Ban Hee-soo decides to hangout with NewJeans to escape reality, while she sometimes relfects on real life and her responsibilities. In the end of the music videos, she ultimately decides to go to reality and face real life instead of always being in fantasy to escape. This is represented by her breaking her camcorder and walking with the guy in the end.
My last interpretation is less of an interpretation and more like a reflection of NewJeans' lore and how Ditto contributes to it. First of all, Ban Hee-soo is the sixth member of NewJeans and the reason why they are not actually there is because they all got into an accident which ended up leaving Ban Hee-soo all alone and with her cast. She uses the camcorder as a means of coping with the loss of her members. She is seen holding her umbrella but walking in the rain to show her grief and loss for her members in one scene. One scene in particular is interesting, when NewJeans is writing on her cast, it says "don't die" and "get well soon", showing how the members wish for Ban Hee-soo to go on without them. The boy helped Ban Hee-soo move on from them and showed her that she can still be with her friends without being haunted by them which is represented with the camcorder and the grief she holds on to.