How Young Is Too Young To Be A K-Pop Idol?

When NewJeans debuted in July 2022 with their song “Attention” — a sparkling R&B tune with a simple, airy groove — they struck a chord with K-pop fans looking for something other than typical girl-crush maximalism. The five young members of NewJeans appeared bright and effervescent in the hazy glow of the visual’s Y2K aesthetic, and as a millennial, I can’t deny that 14-year-old Hyein’s colorful butterfly clips and the group’s casual, baggy style directly appealed to me. Their recent release, “Ditto,” is similarly steeped in warm, early-aughts nostalgia, with dreamy synths and wistful ambience. That’s the key to their… Read Full Article