Since their striking gold with their debut in July 2022 and meteoric rise as K-pop’s trendsetters, NewJeans seemed untouchable, infallible even. Under the arguably brilliant creative direction talent of ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and the backing of entertainment giant HYBE (of which ADOR is a subsidiary), the fear of being forgotten among K-pop’s multitude was close to zero.
The quintet’s chill, nostalgic music felt like a breath of fresh air. They quickly topped charts around the world, garnered a sizable fandom overseas and performed in the US for the first time at none other than the 2023 edition of the iconic Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. However, when news of HYBE and Min Hee-jin’s spar over ADOR became public in April, NewJeans’ bright future was overcast.
Amid all the chaos, NewJeans forged ahead with the release of their single album ‘How Sweet’, which had been announced prior to the HYBE-ADOR feud. Featuring the title track ‘How Sweet’ and B-side ‘Bubble Gum’, the release is another pocket-sized offering from the group, who continue to rehash Y2K sounds into their own enchanting spells.
‘How Sweet’ sees NewJeans playing with Miami bass and laser beams to celebrate freedom. “Yeah, don’t you know how sweet it tastes? Now that I’m without you,” they ask a toxic lover, later dubbing him a “little demon in my storyline”. NewJeans have always been witty in matters of relationships, and this track is yet another addition to their self-love first collection.
On the other side of the coin, ‘Bubble Gum’ revels in city pop influences to express the excitement of a new relationship. As as airy and ephemeral as its title, the track is elevated by NewJeans’ angelic vocals and harmonies. “Oh, my baby, sweet like bubble gum / Bouncin’ like playin’ ball / Take me higher / We’re gonna fly away,” they sing, evoking the vaporous magic of getting to know someone.
And that’s it: their first release in 10 months is done. The songs balance addictiveness with softness, confessional lyrics with nostalgic imagery. And yet, it feels like their most innocuous, most vapid effort yet. While both ‘How Sweet’ and ‘Bubble Gum’ would be adequate additions to any of their previous releases (fitting quite well on ‘Get Up’, for example), letting them lead the way for a comeback that was as anticipated as this was a safe choice – and safe choices don’t sustain trendsetters.
Perhaps it was intentional. Since all eyes are on NewJeans because of ADOR’s upheaval, doing what they already do best avoids further complications. However, considering the artistic, avant-garde direction underlining NewJeans’ discography so far, ‘How Sweet’ is a lukewarm addition. It’s perfectly good, but lacks the effervescent impact of ‘Hype Boy’, or the restless melancholy of ‘Ditto’, or anything that makes NewJeans, new.