Music

NewJeans Deliver a Knockout with Their 2nd Mini Album 'Get Up': Here's What's Special About it

Jul 22, 2023 | by Deborah Kim

South Korean quintet NewJeans has struck a powerful punch not with "stronger stimulation" but with "flexibility and naturalness." This approach has matured in their 2nd mini album "Get Up."

NewJeans, consisting of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, launched their 2nd mini album "Get Up" on July 21st, just a day ahead of their first anniversary since debut. The album is a mix of pure charm, energetic yet cool performances, and, most notably, NewJeans's signature stress-free music. This harmonious combination results in a synergy effect that adds to the charm of the album.

(Photo : ADOR)
NewJeans Deliver a Knockout with Their 2nd Mini Album 'Get Up': Here's What's Special About it

"Get Up" features six songs blending diverse genres such as UK garage, Jersey club, punk, house, R&B, and Euro Pop, all injected with the stylish sensibilities of NewJeans. Their strength, creating music that is easy to listen to yet never dull, shines once again in this album. This comfort is thanks to the members' varied and charismatic vocal tones.

The sprightly 'Super Shy' signals the start of another NewJeans syndrome, showcasing a wide range of their charm through tracks like the dreamy vocal "Cool With You," the punk-vibed "ETA," which feels like chatting with friends, the unique and delicate "Get Up" showcasing individual members' talents, and the cute and quirky lyrics of "ASAP."

Danielle commented, "The uniqueness of NewJeans is that everyone can enjoy the music together. It's music where members can become friends with fans and enjoy dancing together." Hyein added, "A lot of effort was needed to ensure the voices of the five members could be heard comfortably. Future activities will also be enjoyed by all ages, and we will continue to introduce new music."

Moreover, Hanni introduced, "The order of the tracks in this album is important. The stories of the songs are connected in the order of the tracklist. But the atmosphere and feelings of each song are different, so we could try new things while preparing. Also, the vocals are very different from what we've done before. I think the members' airy tones sound more attractive."

At the time of their debut, NewJeans garnered attention for producing an unprecedented eight music videos. They continue this trend by shooting a total of six music videos for this album, including three title tracks. The videos are not just about quantity; they all have a clear purpose.

The retro concept that NewJeans has used since their debut album is expanded in "Super Shy" by incorporating the "flash mob" trend from about a decade ago. In the music video, NewJeans performs large group dances in various public places in Portugal, approaching the audience without resistance through optimized dance challenge choreographies.

The music video for "Cool With You" is suited to the dreamy atmosphere of the song. It features a surprise appearance from top Chinese star Yang Jo-wei and interprets the Greek myth of 'Eros and Psyche' in a stylish manner. They also enhanced the retro sentiment by including camcorder-textured footage, a style they had previously shown in "Ditto."

The "ETA" music video was shot on an iPhone in collaboration with Apple, a departure from the traditional heavy equipment tools. The video, starting with the witnessing of a friend's boyfriend approaching a stranger at a party, captures the digital communication method of Generation Z well. The dynamic performance, combining hip-hop dance and Jersey club dance, is another highlight.

If similar formats and storylines were used, it would be merely an overwhelming quantity. However, NewJeans skillfully combines retro and modern elements in each music video, creating a friendly yet stylish feel. This value is more pronounced when looking at the three music videos as a whole. In other words, their purpose is clear.

Danielle said, "The uniqueness of this album is that it is structured in various genres and formats so that anyone can enjoy it together. Our mother also watched the 'Super Shy' music video and said, 'It would be great if I could dance to this song.' It would also be great as a group song to dance to at school. This friendliness and diversity is a distinguishing factor of NewJeans."

(Photo : ADOR)
NewJeans Deliver a Knockout with Their 2nd Mini Album 'Get Up': Here's What's Special About it

Haerin commented, "'Get Up' is an album that maximizes the charm of NewJeans. From each song to the performances and videos expressing them, everything is unique and charming."

After leaving an unparalleled record of 99 days at No. 1 on the daily chart in Melon, which has the largest number of users in Korea, with "Ditto," NewJeans continues their momentum with this album. The lead track 'Super Shy' maintained the No.1 spot for 10 consecutive days, while the entire "Get Up" album was released, setting up another competition between NewJeans versus NewJeans.

They've already broken their own record on foreign charts. The pre-release track "Super Shy" ranked 59th on the UK Official Singles Chart and 66th on the US Billboard Hot 100, surpassing their previous highest ranks.

The growth is also evident in album sales, a measure of fandom. According to album distributor YG PLUS, pre-orders for NewJeans' mini 2nd album 'Get Up' exceeded 1.72 million copies by the 20th. This is almost double the figure of their previous single album "OMG," which recorded about 800,000 pre-orders (cumulative sales of 1.57 million copies until June).

After the debut album 'New Jeans' and the single album "OMG," NewJeans is set to become a million-seller for the third time, and they're even aiming to exceed 2 million copies.