Can NewJeans Replace BLACKPINK in 2024?

Many people pose the question of “Can NewJeans replace BLACKPINK” in 2024 given the group’s massive influence nowadays

NewJeans’s Massive Influence

Despite debuting in 2022, NewJeans became an immediate sensation, becoming the talk of town for their nostalgic Y2K concept, unique debut approach, and music that was simple yet irresistibly captivating.

In fact, with nothing but their “Attention” MV released on the evening of July 21, 2022, NewJeans successfully captured everyone’s attention.

In the first four months of their career, NewJeans quickly dominated the music scene with the hit “Hype Boy.” In December 2022, the group made its first comeback with “Ditto” (and “OMG”), officially entering the international race as the song debuted at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Prior to “Fifty Fifty”, NewJeans was the fastest Kpop group to enter the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, “Ditto” was hailed as a “winter anthem”, helping NewJeans win Daesang awards at Korean award ceremonies MAMA, MMA, and AAA in 2023.

In 2023, NewJeans returned with the EP “Get Up.” With a promotion strategy involving three title tracks – “Super Shy,” “Cool With You,” and “ETA” – “Get Up” gradually dominated music charts from domestic to international. In South Korea, “Super Shy” achieved an “all-kill” on the iChart ranking system. The “Super Shy” choreography also became a viral dance challenge, allowing NewJeans to “conquer summer” and the hearts of audiences.

Internationally, NewJeans “dominated” the Kpop scene with five songs entering the Billboard Hot 100, including “Super Shy” (#48), “OMG” (#74), “ETA” (#81), “Ditto” (#82), and “Cool With You” (#93).

Meanwhile, “Get Up” maintained its position on the Billboard 200 for 21 weeks, whilst “Super Shy” topped the list of 2023’s best songs in leading music magazines such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NME, Billboard, and more. It seems that NewJeans is not only hailed by the public, but also received praise from industry experts.

Even without a world tour, NewJeans remains globally recognized through performances on top music festival stages. The group has conquered events from Lollapalooza (USA) to Summer Sonic (Japan). In addition, NewJeans is the first 4th-generation girl group to perform at the BBMAs.

Recently, the ADOR girl group had the honor of performing at two New Year’s events, the US’s “Rockin’ Eve” and Japan’s “NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen”, which were held less than 24 hours apart. It is known that NewJeans is the first Asian artist to appear simultaneously on the two most popular New Year’s music programs in the world’s two largest music markets.

BLACKPINK Had a Turbulent Year

Entering the 7th year of their career, BLACKPINK achieved many new records but faced numerous turbulences, especially as their exclusive contracts with YG Entertainment came to an end.

Before the end of 2023, BLACKPINK announced their most crucial decision – renewing the group’s contract with YG. However, all four members did not renew their individual contracts. Accordingly, YG will only manage and guide group comebacks and joint activities. So far, Jennie has introduced her own label, Jisoo is said to be joining her brother’s company and focus on acting, while Rosé and Lisa hinted at solo activities.

As a result, while the group has renewed, it’s challenging to determine the timing of their return.

The departure of G-Dragon, along with BLACKPINK not renewing individual contracts, has put YG in a tight spot. YG is undergoing significant and unpredictable changes. The company’s declining performance and unclear direction has many BLACKPINK fans worried about the group’s future.

Can NewJeans Replace BLACKPINK?

Debuting at a time when BTS was preparing for military service, NewJeans sparked discussions about its potential to “shoulder” HYBE during the hiatus of BTS.

So far, as NewJeans enjoyed consecutive successes, the media has dubbed the five girls the “future of Kpop,” the “new generation girl group to replace BLACKPINK”, fueling considerable debate.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to deny NewJeans’ effort, popularity, and creativity. The one-year-old group demonstrated resilience and continued the global success story of the Korean entertainment industry in an impressive manner in 2023. It is no exaggeration to say that the keyword that symbolizes 2023 for the Kpop industry is #NewJeans_is_Everywhere.

NewJeans members themselves have started to participate in the group releases, showing immense potential for growth, instead of just being a “Kpop product”

The Y2K concept of NewJeans perfectly complements all five members, incorporating the trend-setting ability meticulously crafted by a dedicated team. In NewJeans, observers can clearly see the ambition and vision of Min Hee-jin, who has confidently declared her aim to turn NewJeans into an icon of the era.

In a context where BLACKPINK members are no longer under YG and the group’s activities are “yielded” to Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo, and Lisa’s independent growths, NewJeans has an increased likelihood of “replacing” their senior group.

Source: K14