Ongoing Controversy Over Collaboration Between Battleground and NewJeans
Gamers Coin New Term 'NewJeans-like'
Registered on 'Namuwiki' but Undergoes Repeated Deletion and Restoration
There has been ongoing controversy surrounding the collaboration between the online game "Battlegrounds" and the girl group "NewJeans" under the label ADOR. Some netizens have even coined the new term "NewJeans-like" to escalate the debate.
On the 23rd, posts using the newly coined term "NewJeans-like" appeared repeatedly on some online communities and social networking services (SNS). This neologism originated as a meme related to the refund refusal and other issues stemming from the customization of NewJeans characters in the game Battlegrounds. In other words, it is interpreted as describing situations where consumers suffer due to negligence between product contractors despite having paid a fair price.
Krafton, the developer of Battlegrounds, released collaboration content on the 12th that allowed players to customize their Battlegrounds characters as NewJeans members. However, immediately after the release, controversy arose over incorrect probability disclosures, and later, some inconsiderate users dressed NewJeans characters in bikinis or short hot pants, leading to sexual harassment controversies. The issue was further intensified because NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein are minors, aged 18 and 16 respectively.
Following the sexual harassment controversy, Krafton issued a statement on the 20th, saying, "We proceeded with this collaboration based on prior agreement that the in-game costumes would not exceed the level of stage costumes, in accordance with the game rating (suitable for ages 15 and up). However, we acknowledge our shortcomings in failing to fully anticipate the possibility that inappropriate use by some users could undermine the purpose of the collaboration." They added, "We plan to take appropriate measures soon regarding items that do not align with the collaboration's intent."
Some users expressed dissatisfaction with these measures, leading to the emergence of people using the problematic neologism. Because the policy changed to restrict customization with harassing intent, users who paid for the products could no longer use them as before. Consequently, posts titled "NewJeans-like" have been repeatedly posted on some online communities, criticizing NewJeans, their agency ADOR, and the developer Krafton.
The term was even registered at one point on the online encyclopedia "Namuwiki." Currently, there is an ongoing discussion about whether to keep the article on this neologism, with deletions and restorations having occurred repeatedly in the past. The article defines "NewJeans-like" as a neologism and meme derived from the customization of NewJeans characters. Concerns have also been raised about whether the spread of such expressions might lead to rapid consumption of NewJeans' image.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
