NewJeans fills Tokyo Dome with music, love and tears less than two years since debut

K-pop

Published: 28 Jun. 2024, 00:20 Updated: 28 Jun. 2024, 16:41

NewJeans fills Tokyo Dome with music, love and tears less than two years since debut

Girl group NewJeans performs its songs during the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan. [ADOR]

TOKYO — Tears are nothing unusual at a K-pop meet and greet, but the tears from NewJeans hit harder for fans at the Tokyo Dome on Thursday who gathered for the girl group’s first get-together with fans in Japan with the “Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome.”

“The members had such a hard time filling my space,” Hyein said, bursting into tears as she recollected the past two months she was away from the stage due to a foot injury. The other members huddled to give the emotional member a hug.

“I really want you Bunnies to all know that every single one of you shines so much,” she continued, still in tears. “Thank you so much. I love you. Thank you so much for being here with us always.”

NewJeans held its first meet and greet with fans in Japan, the “Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,” on Wednesday and Thursday as its first official solo performance in the country. "Bunnies" is the name of the band’s official fan club.

Wednesday’s performance came only five days after the group made its official debut in Japan with the single “Supernatural” last Friday. It was also the first time in two months since the brawl between Min Hee-jin, the CEO of the group’s agency ADOR, and the agency’s parent company HYBE broke out in late April, making the meet and greet even more of an emotional event for everyone.

Girl group NewJeans performs its songs during the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan. [ADOR]

“We put in so much effort — so much of our sweat and passion went into preparing for this day,” Danielle said. “The love that we’ve received from Bunnies today is unbelievable, so much so that it feels surreal. I feel like I’m dreaming. You guys are the most beautiful, sparkly, amazing people in the entire world. I am so grateful for you.”

Japanese music audiences are known to be quieter than those in Korea, but Thursday’s event was enough to blow away the stereotype.

The entire Tokyo Dome went into a frenzy starting from the moment that the five members stepped onto the stage of the largest stadium in Japan. The entire audience immediately stood up, holding their light sticks as the digital screen showed each member’s face one by one.

More than 45,000 fans screamed their lungs out to every song, beginning from the quintet’s debut track “Attention” (2022).

Members Hanni and Danielle of girl group NewJeans performing at the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan [ADOR]

Member Minji of girl group NewJeans performing at the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan [ADOR]

“Bunnies, we really wanted to be here sooner but we’re here now. I missed you so much so it’s such a delight to be able to see you two days in a row,” said Hanni in a fluent mixture of Korean, Japanese and English.

“I’m so happy to be able to meet you Bunnies today as well as yesterday. I really feel so happy to see all the seats full again,” Minji said.

NewJeans filled two and a half hours with all the best from its two-year discography including “Attention,” “Hype boy” (2022), “Ditto” (2022), “OMG” (2023), “ETA” (2023) and “Cool With You” (2023), along with special stages of individual members and a performance of “Super Shy” (2023) with a jaw-dropping group of 110 dancers filling the stage.

A dancer wearing a bunny mask took the place of Hyein during “Supernatural,” due to her injury.She still joined in much of the other songs of the band and performed a special duet with Japanese-British artist Rina Sawayama — the special guest on Thursday. On Wednesday, J-pop star Yoasobi shared the stage.

Member Danielle of girl group NewJeans performing at the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan [ADOR]

Member Hyein of girl group NewJeans performing at the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan [ADOR]

Never-before-released songs were also performed by the members, including Hanni and Danielle’s “Hold It Down” and Danielle’s self-written song “Butterflies (With U).”

“It’s a little difficult to express just how much I love you guys, that’s why I wrote this song. I really love you. Aisiteru,” Danielle said, explaining her song “Butterfly” and ending with the Japanese for “I love you.”

“I feel so lucky to be able to spend time with Bunnies and make such precious memories together,” Haerin said. “You have made me lucky by coming here for us today.”

Filling the Tokyo Dome is meaningful for any artist, but the story is even more extraordinary for NewJeans.

Member Haerin of girl group NewJeans performing at the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan [ADOR]

Member Hanni of girl group NewJeans performing at the quintet's first meet and greet in Japan, the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,″ which took place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome, Japan [ADOR]

It took NewJeans just a year and 11 months since its debut in Korea in July 2022 and less than a week since making its official debut in Japan for it to fill Japan’s largest stadium, the Tokyo Dome, for two meet and greets that even took place on weekdays, when demand is generally lower than on weekends.

The quintet’s agency ADOR even opened up additional seats with a limited view of the stage. Over 91,000 audience members took part across Wednesday and Thursday, according to ADOR. “Supernatural” shot straight to the top of local music charts Oricon and Line Music upon release, and also became the highest-charting Japanese release by a K-pop act on Apple Music Daily Global Top 100 chart.

The quintet’s proof of success was embodied by the tens of thousands of fans that had already filled the Tokyo Dome grounds hours before the event began at 7 p.m., adorned with their very own NewJeans T-shirts, headbands, hats and bags, excitedly taking pictures at the photo zone and waiting patiently in line to buy additional merchandise.

“I was here yesterday as well,” said 30-year-old Nao from Yokohama. “It was just so great to be able to see them in person. I went to their Summer Sonic festival last year, but having two hours filled with just NewJeans was so great. I’ll never forget today.”

Fans fill the Tokyo Dome grounds hours before the ″Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome″ meet and greet for girl group NewJeans on June 27 at Tokyo Dome, Japan. [YOON SO-YEON]

“I’ve liked them ever since I first heard ‘Hype Boy,’” Nao’s friend, 25-year-old Joze who lives in Tokyo, said. “I was so glad to see that the members looked happy performing even though they must have been through a lot. I’m so sorry that they were involved in grown-ups’ fight but I hope that they keep loving to perform like they do now.”

Fans’ enthusiasm refused to die down even after the event ended. People were still taking pictures and dancing along to NewJeans’ songs at the stadium grounds at 11 p.m., sharing their joy with each other.

“It was just fantastic today,” said 18-year-old Joshua from China. “The only thing that I’m sad about today is that it felt so short. Time really flies when we’re enjoying ourselves. I hope the members know that we’re always supporting them. I want to tell Hyein that she shouldn’t be scared and be confident like she’s always been.”

Joshua was joined by 18-year-old Fan Annie and 19-year-old Ikawa Momoka, who all came to the event separately but became friends by dancing to NewJeans’ songs after the meet and greet.

“The fans were worried about the NewJeans members but I’m so glad that they looked so happy today,” Ikawa said, citing the ADOR-HYBE conflict. “I knew that they were going through so much, but I’m just so glad that they got to be here with us today. Thank you for always telling Bunnies how much you love us.”

CEO of girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR, Min Hee-jin at right, poses in a picture she uploaded on her Instagram account with Hong Kong actor Tony Leung at the girl group's meet and greet on June 26. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

CEO Min was present at the scene of both events. She shared a brief greeting with reporters, saying, “I hope you enjoy the performance.”

On Wednesday, she was joined by Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, who also came to the “Bunnies Camp.” Leung took part in NewJeans’ music video for “Cool With You.” Prior to the meet and greet, Min was spotted at the group's pop-up store in Shibuya with artist Takashi Murakami, also on Wednesday.

The pop-up store kicked off on Wednesday, set to take place until July 10, at the Line Friends Square store. It features NewJeans merchandise created in collaboration with Japanese artists Murakami and Hiroshi Fujiwara, as well as a media art section.

The girl group will appear on numerous Japanese television networks, including Fuji TV, TV Asahi and Nippon TV, to promote its new Japanese single.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]