Fourth generation girl group, NewJeans, grasped the attention of K-Pop fans across the globe with their summer debut in July 2022. Now, ADOR’s primary group is working to maintain that success with the release of a new single album, NewJeans ‘OMG’. The album consists of two tracks including the pre-release single, “Ditto,” and the title track, “OMG.” In a statement to SBS Star, CEO Min Heejin shared: “The group's debut album showed NewJeans in the summer, and the upcoming album will showcase NewJeans in the winter.” Let’s celebrate the new year and our very first winter with NewJeans by checking out their first comeback of 2023.

“Ditto”

Released on December 19, “Ditto” is the perfect winter-wonderland track. It’s more laid-back than their previous releases, showing a new, chill side to the five-member group. The lyrics detail a pure and innocent love confession that beg for the recipient to “say it ditto” and return their feelings. 

The group also released two music videos for the track showcasing a cohesive storyline. Side A, directed by Shin Wooseok, is set in high school and told from fictional character Heesoo’s perspective. It’s a mixture of shots from her vintage video camera and brighter scenes that show Heesoo as she records various clips of NewJeans. At the beginning, it’s almost like she’s focusing on a potential love interest who appears in the background of some frames. However, the music video has a plot twist ending as we find out NewJeans were just a figment of Heesoo’s imagination all along. 

The story continues in side B with Heesoo finally being able to let go of her hallucinations as she is seen dropping her precious video camera from the school’s roof. There’s also a short and sweet scene of her walking with the potential love interest from side A, hinting that she might have been able to move on from NewJeans because she finally made a friend. The final scenes show Heesoo years into the future, watching back her old videos of the five girls. It poses the question: was it really an illusion after all?       

“OMG”

“OMG” comes just two weeks after the pre-released “Ditto.” The title track is an interesting blend of R&B, hip-hop, and trap. The two songs fit well together and are also suitable for NewJeans’ Y2K concept. In “OMG,” the members once again sing about love and the feeling of being so consumed by another person that all your thoughts revolve around them. 

The music video, also directed by Shin Wooseok, seems to continue the storyline from “Ditto,” but this time told from NewJeans’ perspective. The five girls are seen in a mental hospital as they try to recall memories of their pasts and uncover clues about who they really are. Actor Kim Jooheon plays their doctor as he prods the members to share their stories. The scenes that follow show Hanni dressed as Steve Jobs thinking she’s an iPhone, Minji believing she’s actually a doctor instead of a patient, Hyein seeing herself as a princess, Haerin as a cat, and Dani as the only member who recalls their true identities. Dani is seen throughout the music video continuously trying to break the fourth wall to bring back the group’s memories. 

There are many fan theories about how all three videos connect, including the theory that Heesoo has created an alternate reality in which NewJeans cannot escape from because she broke the camera and severed the link between them. Another theory, which aligns with Wooseok’s vision for the music videos, suggests that “OMG” is showing Bunnies’ relationship with NewJeans from the idols’ perspective. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that ADOR and NewJeans have taken on an experimental edge that seems to be paying off for the up-and-coming fourth generation icons.

NewJeans ‘OMG’ is available now on all streaming platforms, and you can check out the cinematic music videos linked in this article from HYBE’s official YouTube channel!

Edited by Aleena Faisal