NewJeans Hits Jackpot Amid Adult Conflicts... New Song 'Bubblegum' Surpasses 5 Million Views

Bubblegum Music Video Released on the 27th
Supportive Comments Pouring In Hoping No One Gets Hurt

The girl group NewJeans, debuted by Adore (CEO Min Hee-jin), which is under audit by its parent company HYBE (Chairman Bang Si-hyuk) amid allegations of management rights takeover, surpassed 5 million views within 12 and a half hours of releasing their new song "Bubblegum."

Some believe that following CEO Min's press conference on the 25th, there was a consolidation of existing fans and an influx of new fans. The "Bubblegum" music video, released at midnight on the 27th, exceeded 5 million views around 1 p.m. that day. It made a surprise appearance at number one on YouTube's 'Trending Music' chart.

NewJeans 'Bubblegum' Music Video. [Photo source=YouTube capture]

The video has garnered 620,000 likes and over 43,000 comments. Some fans left messages such as, "I hope your youth doesn't hurt because of adults' cowardice. Love NewJeans, let's stay together, I will always protect you," and "A precious treasure of Korean pop that must never be affected by adults' conflicting interests."

"Bubblegum" is a song that naturally incorporates city pop elements. NewJeans has consistently pursued the Y2K concept, which they have carried forward in this track. Items that evoke nostalgia for Generation X, such as video camcorders, VHS tapes, bubble gum, and iMac G3, fill the screen. The music itself is heavily influenced by the city pop genre that was popular in Japan during the 1970s and 1980s.

Girl group NewJeans. [Photo by ADORE]

As a song that inherits NewJeans' signature 'easy listening' baton, it features a simple drum pattern combined with refreshing synth sounds. City pop is a genre that branched out from fusion jazz, characterized by its easy-to-listen-to pop elements. It also represents a cultural code symbolizing Japan's booming bubble economy at the time.

Producer Lee Ogong (250), who previously participated in NewJeans' albums, is known to have contributed to the composition and production of this song as well. Adore introduced the track as "a pleasant easy listening song" and said, "The members' charming vocal tones stimulate the ears."

NewJeans' pre-release track 'Bubblegum' was used as a shampoo commercial song in Japan.
[Photo by Oricon YouTube]

Reactions to NewJeans' new music video have been enthusiastic overseas as well. It ranked high on YouTube's trending videos in Canada (1st), the UK (2nd), the US (3rd), and Australia (4th). "Bubblegum" was used as the theme song for Japan's Fuji TV morning program "Mezamashi 8" and featured in a Japanese shampoo commercial. NewJeans, who released the "Bubblegum" music video, will release their new album "How Sweet" on the 24th of next month.

Meanwhile, HYBE and Adore, HYBE's label and NewJeans' agency, are embroiled in intense conflict involving CEO Min Hee-jin. Earlier, on the 22nd, HYBE launched an emergency audit after reporting that CEO Min and Vice President A of Adore attempted a management rights takeover. On the 25th, through an interim audit report, HYBE announced that they had secured evidence of breach of trust by Adore's board members, including CEO Min, and filed a complaint with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul that afternoon on charges of breach of trust in the course of business. CEO Min held a press conference on the 25th, fully denying the breach of trust allegations.