Girl group NewJeans has caught the attention of "Infinite Challenge" fans once again with the teaser video for their upcoming song "ASAP."

An online article titled "'Infinite Challenge' predicted NewJeans's new song" has sparked discussion among netizens.

The author of the article compared the teaser images of "ASAP" released on June 27th with screenshots from "Infinite Challenge" makeup for a calendar project.

Netizens reacted to the photos with comments such as "I want NewJeans to appear on 'Hal Myung Soo' again" and "Stop watching 'Infinite Challenge,' Min Hee Jin."

Some questioned whether it was a concept or if NewJeans had really copied "Infinite Challenge." Others joked about imagining Park Myung Soo in the music video, emphasizing the omnipresence of "Infinite Challenge."

Since their debut in July last year, NewJeans has faced criticism from netizens who pointed out similarities between the choreographies and music video concepts of their songs, including "Attention," "Hype Boy," "Ditto," and "OMG," with scenes allegedly from "Infinite Challenge."

MBC, the producer of "Infinite Challenge," even uploaded a special video called "Infinite Challenge NewJeans" on their Youtube channel, showcasing memes created from these resemblances.

Director Shin Woo Suk, who worked on the music video for "Ditto," took to his Instagram Story to address accusations of plagiarism against NewJeans's music video.

He clarified that it was not plagiarism and asked people to understand that any similarities were merely coincidental due to the shared genres.

In other news, NewJeans is set to release their second EP album, "Get Up," on July 21st. Prior to the album release, they will pre-release the tracks "Super Shy" and "New Jeans" on the 7th.

The EP album will feature a total of six songs, including the two pre-release tracks, as well as "ETA," "Cool With You," "ASAP," and "Get Up."

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The new OTT series Newtopia has faced mixed reactions, with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo's acting and a slow storyline making viewers question if the show can survive.

Released on the 7th, Newtopia on Coupang Play promised to offer something fresh in the K-zombie genre. The drama follows an unlikely couple, Lee Jae-yoon (played by Park Jung Min), a late-blooming soldier, and his girlfriend Kang Young-joo (Jisoo), as they fight to survive in a zombie-infested Seoul.

The mix of zombies and romantic comedy sounded like an interesting twist, but the show hasn’t exactly hit the mark.

Jisoo’s second lead role after Snowdrop in 2021 was highly anticipated. But many fans and critics have been concerned about her acting, especially after she received some backlash for her unclear pronunciation and awkward expressions in her previous project.

Director Yoon Sung-hyun, aware of the concerns, said at the press preview, “Since Jisoo hadn’t acted for a long time after her last project, I was also initially worried, thinking, ‘Will she be okay?’ But Jisoo dedicated herself, doing script readings four days a week. She worked hard, and as a result, I had no doubts or difficulties. By episode 8, you'll feel that only Jisoo could have portrayed Young-joo. She did an amazing job.”

Despite his words of praise, Jisoo’s performance still left fans worried. While she showed some improvement, her portrayal of Young-joo seemed inconsistent, lacking the calmness expected from the character. However, her "girl crush" image, with her background as a "campus goddess," did add some intrigue to her role.

The main issue, however, wasn’t just Jisoo's acting. Newtopia also struggled with its pacing. While other recent hits like Trauma Center or Trigger grab attention right from the start, Newtopia spent too much time in the first episode on Jae-yoon’s military life and Young-joo’s personal struggles, making it feel like a waste of time. The show failed to showcase the humor and zombie elements it promised, leaving many viewers unimpressed.

On top of that, some characters came off as annoying, like Jae-yoon’s colleague, Line Ho (Im Seong Jae), and the "unlikable" senior character Seojin-wook (played by Kang Young Seok). Even Park Jung-min didn’t do much to help the show move along, making the 57-minute episode feel even longer.

Thankfully, the show picked up pace in episode 2, finally diving into the zombie chaos. But will that be enough to save Newtopia? With the first episode still fresh in fans’ minds, the jury’s still out on whether this K-zombie drama can find its footing and deliver the thrills viewers are hoping for.

The remaining six episodes of Newtopia will air every Friday at 8 PM, with one episode released per week. Stay tuned to see if the series can bounce back!

Source (1)