Korean Media Analysis of ‘Min Hee-jin’s’ Role in NewJeans’ Comeback and How it Differs from ILLIT

On April 27th, NewJeans debuted the music video for their song “Bubble Gum”on their official website, in anticipation of their upcoming double single “How Sweet”which is set to be released on the 24th of next month.

The music video for “Bubble Gum,”a pre-release track that falls into the city pop genre, captured viewers’ attention with its depiction of “Naturalness,””Refreshing,”and “Girl,”all portrayed by Min Hee-jin. The use of a video tape format from the early 2000s also added to the nostalgic Y2K vibe, reminiscent of the film “Ditto.”

Ever since ILLIT made their debut, there has been much discussion among the public regarding the similarities and differences between the group and NewJeans. The content of each group is vastly dissimilar, with NewJeans aiming to evoke feelings of “sadness”and nostalgia, while also popularizing “refreshing”and “high-teen”concepts in the K-pop market. In contrast, ILLIT’s content centers around the theme of “cute”and features unreal fantasy characters. The public has also drawn comparisons between ILLIT and typical Japanese anime protagonists.

Both groups may have chosen music of a similar genre to convey this image, but there is a significant contrast in the way they composed and produced their melodies.

NewJeans’ sentimental music begins with a gentle and delicate sound. Instead of using a catchy “hook”in the chorus, they opted for a relaxed and simple melody. The intervals in the melody are not very large, and there are minimal changes in the instrument composition and chords, resulting in a lack of noticeable and intense sections. As pioneers in the UK Garage genre and the “Easy Listening”trend, the group seems to excel in selecting beats that subtly capture the listener’s attention without overwhelming them. However, they have also released two songs with addictive hooks, “Attention”and “Hype Boy,”which have contributed to the establishment of another defining image for NewJeans, known as “High Teen,”with their refreshing and visually appealing music

Meanwhile, ILLIT is successfully capitalizing on the highly addictive “K-pop-style hook”to appeal to both domestic and Japanese audiences. For their debut track, “Magnetic,”they incorporated a touch of “Easy Listening”from NewJeans into the typical K-pop structure. The song maintains a rapid tempo driven by the synthesizer, with seamless vocals that leave no room for breaks. This cleverly showcases a charming and endearing image.

The pre-release song for NewJeans serves as a gateway to the Japanese market and sets the tone for their future endeavors. However, to avoid being compared to ILLIT, the song takes a different approach from the junior group, which has always focused on portraying cuteness and femininity.

Hanni’s short hair and Daniel’s curly hippie hair have become the topic of conversation in town. In the music video for NewJeans’ song “Bubble Gum,”their looks embody the popular “school girl”style that has been present in Japan for many years. Their appearance showcases a different appeal compared to ILLIT’s persona, which resembles that of an animated character.

In contrast, ILLIT aimed for a more casual vibe in their music video for “Lucky Girl Syndrome,”creating a warm and dark atmosphere that stands in contrast to the typically bright and low saturation videos produced by NewJeans. ILLIT successfully captures a bouncy and playful girlishness in their video.

As the public’s attention shifts from similarities to differences, it is crucial to put an end to the existing comparisons between the two groups and return to the starting point. The current responsibility of the public is to appreciate the trends established by these artists.