NewJeans and BABYMONSTER approach the public and fans in a different way compared to other groups NewJeans, who debuted last year, and BABYMONSTER, who are right ahead of their debut, have different starts compared to other K-pop groups.

K-pop idols often hold a debut showcase or press conference to announce their debut. There, they will showcase performances they have prepared, premiere the music video, and express their feelings about the debut, such as excitement and nervousness.

However, NewJeans has never held a separate showcase or press conference since their debut. The girl group debuted on July 22nd, 2022, which is the release date of “Attention” MV, not the album release or their first appearance on a music show.

NewJeans skipped the step of releasing teaser contents, such as photos or videos, in the regular “release process” and introduced their music videos right away.  Known as “Min Hee-jin’s girl group” and “HYBE’s girl group”, NewJeans had enough reasons for the public to pay attention to and their unique strategy succeeded.

Apart from the name NewJeans, it was their good music, cheerful performances, and refreshing visuals that helped the group become viral and captivated the public. Min Hee-jin also said that teasers were to stimulate curiosity but she didn’t feel the need for teasers while preparing NewJeans’s debut. It doesn’t mean NewJeans tried to distance themselves from the public.

Despite not appearing in entertainment programs and having no direct contact with the media, the girls completed all music shows and have attended various events of clothing brands, beauty brands, department stores, music platforms and most recently the LOL World Championship.

The advantage of activities that do not require speeches is they help NewJeans build a luxurious and rare image. However, NewJeans still approaches fans with a more friendly image through fanmeetings and the communication platform Phoning.

YG Entertainment’s new girl group BABYMONSTER will not hold a debut showcase or press conference either. The group plans to release their debut album on November 27th.

BABYMONSTER is YG’s first girl group in seven years since BLACKPINK’s debut. On August 8th, 2016, BLACKPINK held a press conference and met with the media for their debut.

Back then, CEO Yang Hyun-suk attended the event and confidently said, “I tried my best to make the most YG-like girl group”. BLACKPINK did it, but BABYMONSTER won’t hold such an event. As such, many people are making speculations that YG is trying to avoid the media because BABYMONSTER is making their debut as a six-member group without Ahyeon.

In addition, some believe that YG focuses more on the high completeness of the music. In case risks may occur during continuous revision until the official release, a press showcase becomes unnecessary.

Moreover, YG may want to introduce a perfect group so they try to prevent rookies from answering complicated questions of reporters. 

Unlike NewJeans, BABYMONSTER has been steadily revealing teaser content since the beginning of this year.

Although it is different from NewJeans’s strategy, BABYMONSTER still arouses curiosity as they only show refined appearances. Choosing a different method, the two groups still achieved good results.

NewJeans has become popular not only in Korea but also overseas and even won Billboard award in the shortest time among K-pop artists.

BABYMONSTER has exceeded 3.25 million YouTube subscribers even before their debut. Although their strategies reduce the exposure of idol images to the public and create a sense of mystery, they narrow down the distance between the groups and fans.

Source(1)

NewJeans' Minji touched fans' hearts with a handwritten letter on her birthday — even while the group is currently unable to promote due to legal issues.

On May 7, Minji celebrated her birthday by sharing a heartfelt message on the group’s personal SNS account, which the members opened themselves to stay connected with fans.

Minji began her letter with honesty, writing, “I think I’m living a busier life than I expected. When I finally looked up, it was already May, and it was my birthday.”

She admitted that she had a lot she wanted to say, but her thoughts felt “messy.” Still, her message to fans was clear, “I just hope that I, our members, and Bunnies can all be happy. Happiness is the biggest goal in my life.”

Minji then opened up about her personal journey and struggles, saying, “I sometimes think that running toward my happiness by doing what I love might look foolish to others. But isn’t giving up your happiness now for the sake of a future that might not even come… too harsh on yourself?”

Despite everything, she ended on a hopeful note, “I really miss the times when we shared our feelings through the good music we made together. But I always look forward to what’s ahead."

She added, "We didn’t stop here, and we’re not going to stop! It might look like we’re standing still, but I believe we’re growing deeper.”

Her message comes during a difficult time for NewJeans. The group announced last year that they were cutting ties with ADOR, their original agency, after trust was broken. They later began working independently under the new name ‘NJZ’.

However, ADOR responded with legal action — claiming the exclusive contract with NewJeans was still valid and asking the court to stop the group from promoting or signing deals.

The court sided with ADOR and granted an injunction, forcing NewJeans to pause their activities. Their appeal was rejected, and they’ve now filed a second appeal.

Through it all, Minji’s message proves one thing — even when forced to stop, NewJeans' hearts are still moving forward.

Source: [1]