HYBE’s New Girl Group Is Called “NewJeans”, And Its Meaning Is Actually Pretty Clever

It’s not just a unique name without a meaning.

On July 22, the new girl group under HYBE Labels debuted with a surprise single called “Attention,” which was pretty prophetic given how quickly they gained the attention of K-Pop fans and the media.

While netizens were tuning in for the song and praising the freshness of the sound, they were also asking why this group is named NewJeans.

The answer was given through the official website of the group. NewJeans is a double-meaning name. Firstly, jeans as a piece of garment are known for their timelessness. Each generation has its emblematic new style of jeans. This group follows the same ambition to become a representative figure of this generation’s pop culture.

Pop music, like clothing, is a part of culture that is inseparable from our everyday lives.

—Min Hee Jin, CEO and head producer of ADOR

Secondly, the name is also a wordplay on the phrase “new genes.” The implication here is that this group is going to usher in a new era of the new generation in pop music.

NewJeans is the first girl group under HYBE’s independent label ADOR. The group is supposed to drop a four-track EP, out of which two tracks have already been released. Their second single, “Hype Boy,” came out on July 23, while “Hurt” and “Cookie” are slated to be released on July 25 and August 1, respectively.

Source: NewJeans Website