New Jeans’ “OMG” music video is drawing various interpretations as well as controversies with its confusing storyline.
It’s a world where everyone is talking about New Jeans. New Jeans, the first group of HYBE label ADOR, has quickly become the face of a new generation since last summer. Their double title tracks “Hype Boy” and “Attention” were soft drinks that mixed the genre of Y2K with American high-teen dramas.
“Ditto”, which was announced at the end of 2022, was more than just a retro vibe. The melody on top of the Jersey Club sound made by producer 250 and the nostalgic 1990s-vibe music video about the special relationship between fandom and artist, etc., was enough to excite every music lover. With the meticulous planning of producer Min Hee Jin, New Jeans has become a representative of “a nostalgia that never existed but everyone remembers” as if they come from the 1990s despite being born in the 2000s.
On the second day of the Year of the Black Rabbit, as everyone is still enthusiastic about “Ditto”, New Jeans released “OMG”. “OMG” was created by Frank (FRNK), a producer of “Cookie” and a member of XXX. He stimulates a catchy tune by borrowing various musical elements such as UK Garages and Traps. Even though the song was not catchy as the humming in “Ditto,” the music video is still going viral due to its ambiguous story.
A confusing music video. Why?
“At first, I was just confused.
I couldn’t figure out who I was or where I was.
I’m starting to get confused by what others say. “
NewJeans members then gathered in a white mental hospital. Here, Hanni confessed to identity confusion, and declared that she is the iPhone after a while. Following her, other members define themselves as different beings, with Minji wearing a nurse’s gown, Hyein playing the role of a princess in many fairy tales, and Haerin believing herself to be a cat.
Every second, the “persona” of NewJeans members changes, going from soldiers, children, to COVID-19 quarantine officials. At the end of the music video, Danielle insisted that they are filming a music video, breaking the 4th wall. However, her attempts to claim that they are “NewJeans” were ignored.
At this point, it is impossible to distinguish between the original and the replica, and between reality and delusion. It looks like a distracted ego of a generation who grew up holding smartphones, or an adventure for an artist who is losing their identity in the deformed K-pop industry to find their true selves. Before the endless series of delusions is cleared up, a cartoonist and Twitch streamer Calm Man appears (and two and a half hours after this MV was released, New Jeans appeared on his live broadcast as the first promotion for their album!)
New Jeans, an idol that sparks debate
At the end of the MV, a netizen is shown leaving a comment on Twitter that reads, “Am I the only one who is uncomfortable with the material of the MV? Idols’ MVs should just show their faces and choreography”. Before they finish writing the Tweet, Minji, a doctor, takes them out. It’s a very controversial few seconds.
The intention of this scene becomes quite clear if you look at the interview with director Shin Woo Seok prior to the release of “OMG”. In this interview, he said, “The members of New Jeans are free-thinking children, but what if they gradually lose their image through people’s evaluation and misunderstanding? What if restrictions are put on how they express themselves as artists or human beings in the future?”
There are opinions that the violent fandom culture and the proud response to malicious comments are delightful, but there are also concerns that it presents “an arrogant view of the fandom”. Public opinion is sharply divided, both among K-pop fandoms and critics.
Among the many mixed interpretations, however, there’s one certain conclusion. That is, NewJeans will move in a way that constantly betrays the expectations of the public and fandom in the future. Their projects will forever be breaking expectations.
With the music video and NewJeans as a whole, Ador CEO Min Hee Jin has cleverly changed the “worldview” that comes to mind when it comes to Kpop. She, as well as her artists, are onto the next stage, making headlines regardless of whether they are good or not. In short, the group’s concept and plans will be conveyed in a form that has never existed before.
Source: daum
