On the evening of the 9th in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, I unexpectedly encountered a male university student in his 20s at a quaint izakaya in this tiny town. Upon learning that I was from Korea, the student enthusiastically exclaimed, “NewJeans Hanni, yabai”(a phrase commonly used by young Japanese individuals, which roughly translates to “cool!”or “amazing!”).
“I Never Imagined She Would Sing This Song”
He marveled, “My friends were all amazed when they saw Hanni singing Seiko Matsuda’s ‘Blue Coral Reef’ at Tokyo Dome on both TV and YouTube. Her pronunciation was flawless, just like a native Japanese.”His friend added, “Even though Seiko Matsuda is a singer beloved by our parents’ generation, her fame is so widespread that our generation also knows ‘Blue Coral Reef.’ However, we never expected a Korean girl group member to perform this song.”
That day, while in the lobby of a hotel in Yonago, I encountered a woman in her 30s. She informed me that she had traveled from Yokohama, Japan to spend her vacation here. She was familiar with all the Japanese members of popular K-pop groups and mentioned names such as IVE’s Rei, LE SSERAFIM’s Sakura and Kazuha, and Billlie’s Tsuki. She expressed her admiration for their music, as well as her appreciation for seeing Japanese individuals working diligently in foreign countries.
Despite not having any Japanese members, she was drawn to NewJeans after their Tokyo Dome concert became a popular topic in Japan. At first, she didn’t know much about the group, but after a friend told her about Hanni’s performance of “Blue Coral Reef,”she searched for it on YouTube and was immediately hooked. She watched the video multiple times and then started exploring other NewJeans videos, ultimately falling in love with the group.
In Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, on the 11th, a man in his 40s, who works in an office, expressed his newfound interest in NewJeans. He shared, “I’ve always been a fan of TWICE, but I recently discovered NewJeans. In Japan, TWICE is more popular than BLACKPINK, which I believe is due to their three Japanese members (Mina, Sana, and Momo), whereas BLACKPINK has none. However, what caught my attention this time was Hanni from NewJeans singing Seiko Matsuda’s ‘Blue Coral Reef’, which became a trending topic. It’s refreshing to see a group sing a song that represents the good old
The ‘Bunnies Camp 2024’ concert, featuring NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, took place at Tokyo Dome on the 26th and 27th of the previous month for their Japanese fans. The purpose of the event was to promote their Japanese debut single album, ‘Super Shy’. NewJeans showcased their incredible ticket-selling abilities as they drew a crowd of 90,000 over the course of the two-day event.
During the event, Hanni, sporting a bobbed haircut, delivered a rendition of ‘Blue Coral Reef’ in Japanese. She was dressed in a striped T-shirt and a flowing flared skirt. In a live broadcast on social media after her performance, Hanni revealed that she had studied numerous past videos of Seiko Matsuda and even mastered her signature hair-flipping gestures to convey the emotion of the era.
In 1980, at the young age of 18, Seiko Matsuda made her debut. That same year, her song ‘Blue Coral Reef’ became a national sensation in Japan. Not only did the song gain popularity, but her signature hairstyle, with hair flipped outward, also became a trend known as the ‘Seiko-chan Cut’. Her success coincided with Japan’s booming economy during the bubble economy era. However, after the United States’ Plaza Accord in 1985, the yen’s value rose, and Japan experienced a prolonged economic decline starting in the 1990s. Hanni’s reinterpretation of ‘Blue Coral Reef’ captures the essence of this golden era before the collapse of Japan’s bubble economy, symbolizing
Are You a Fan of Kara and Girls’ Generation?
The Japanese song, “Blue Coral Reef”, performed by Hanni, a Vietnamese-Australian member of a Korean girl group, has become increasingly popular in both Korea and Japan. This song serves as a bridge between generations and countries, promoting cultural exchanges. On the 16th, Kumyoung Entertainment, a manufacturer of karaoke machines, announced that “Blue Coral Reef”had reached the top spot on their karaoke Japanese song chart. This nostalgic song allows people from different countries to reminisce and connect with each other.
A YouTube video featuring Hanni’s performance, filmed by a fan of NewJeans, has exceeded 6.5 million views as of the 19th and is still generating excitement. The video has also received over 13,000 comments. One of the Japanese commenters shared, “At 61 years old and battling cancer, I was reminded of a time 44 years ago when everything was bright. Thank you for the inspiration and courage. I will continue to fight my hardest against cancer.”Another Japanese viewer, a 55-year-old uncle, stumbled upon the video on YouTube and was struck by the pure energy of the unknown Korean singer, similar to that of Seiko Matsuda. He reminisced about watching Seiko Matsuda
As a Korean residing in Japan, I can confidently say that every aspect of this performance caters to Japanese tastes. From the song selection to the attire, hair, vocals, and mannerisms of the singer, it seems like every detail was meticulously crafted to appeal to the Japanese audience. I am curious to know who was behind this brilliant planning.
The organizer of the event is ADOR’s CEO, Min Hee-jin, also known as ‘the mother of NewJeans.’ In an interview with Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 12th, CEO Min shared, “My goal was to portray a pure image through Hanni’s bobbed hair.”She also mentioned, “To showcase the members’ unique charms, I carefully selected songs from different eras and genres.”
It is worth mentioning that CEO Min, who openly denounced HYBE’s management’s ‘uncle culture’, including Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, during a live press conference in April, is currently appealing to the Japanese male fanbase with NewJeans’ nostalgic aesthetic. There is much anticipation as to whether Japanese men in their 30s to 50s, who became interested in K-pop through groups like Kara and Girls’ Generation, will also become fans of NewJeans.
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