Agree/Disagree: NewJeans' debut is the biggest debut in MODERN K-Pop history

I don't think this is a controversial statement at all, but we'll see if I get pushback and accused of setting them up again

We're a couple weeks removed from NewJeans hitting the 1 year mark as a group, and I stand on what I said when they were only 3 months old--their completely out of nowhere debut and instant superstardom is the biggest and most successful debut I've seen since becoming a K-Pop fan more than a decade ago

But you don't have to take my word for it. If you're curious at all about the numbers (there are a lot and it's ABSURD) click the spoilers below--courtesy of @NewJeansCharts.

I decided not to include any accomplishments from their most recent album, since I did say debut, and they were still barely 6 months old when Ditto/OMG dropped, but you can throw 3 songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 (Super Shy, ETA, Cool With You) and 5 songs in the same calendar year if you'd like--both girl group records.

It may be hard to believe with all the stats above, but I'm not a success stan in the slightest. I got hooked on NewJeans because I simply ador ( ) their music

But even if I wasn't a fan in the slightest, I would still be talking about them in superlatives, because of how they continue to speedrun accomplishments I'm sure most of us thought required years for even the biggest groups to achieve.

This is literally the perfect representation of their careers since debut:

I've said my piece. This is probably my last NJ thread for the year, if I want to keep my MooMoo cred

ALL opinions are welcome. Even if you decide to roast me. I'd rather people call me stupid or crazy than say nothing and let my thread flop. I worked hard to find these spreadsheets

EDIT: Changed the title because I'm not volunteering as tribute to go through the laborious task of figuring out how to fairly compare first gen accomplishments to fourth gen accomplishments--at least K-Pop was global by 2nd generation and on.

Quote from KpopJop

This would have taken so much time, I'm in awe

I'm used to diving deep for data for my OG Mamamoo threads over the years

I knew this data was compiled somewhere. It was just a matter of finding it

Quote from Disevidence

서태지와 아이들 with their song 난 알아요 was the biggest debut in Kpop history.

Song was number 1 for months on end and they sold 1 million + albums for the debut album.

Nothing will ever top it.

You can't hit me with the hangul like that. I'm on my daily walk going "Who?..... "

But that is the strongest contender thus far, and maybe I should've added the qualifier of modern K-Pop history, because how do we compare a 1st gen and 4th gen group fairly?

There are so many present day metrics that didn't exist back then, like Spotify and Youtube or Circle Chart. And K-Pop was nowhere close to the global phenomenon it is today.

By the way, NewJeans also sold over 1 million copies of their debut album. In fact, they're the first K-Pop girl group to ever break 1 million on their debut album.

Then they returned 5 months later and were #1, #2 and #3 on every chart in Korea for 3 straight months--something that has never been done before.

Once you factor in their global accomplishments, and the fact 1st gen groups were only super popular in Korea, I still favor NJ personally!

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

Only three #1 songs on Melon though, Ive has four including two from the same comeback

Name a stronger OTP than BlackpinkHouse and downgrading NewJeans for being chartblocked by NewJeans

Quote from BEG4DAWIN

They invented the idol style music, but kpop did not exist as we know it back them, not until H.O.T debuted.

So if you change your poll to post H.O.T it may still work.

I mean, I look at it the same way I look at comparing athletes in a sport.

For example, everybody knows basketball as we know it wouldn't exist without the historically great players of old like Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain, but Michael Jordan made the game global and took it to such ridiculous heights that he's the consensus greatest player ever.

Sports and music is not a perfect one-for-one comparison, but that's the way I kind of see this conversation.

1st Gen idols laid the foundation for what 4th Gen idols can accomplish today. But even as recently as mid-3rd gen, charting even one song on the Billboard Hot 100 was unthinkable. And then people thought only BTS would ever be capable of it.

Now NewJeans has done it 5 times in a single year. They're almost breaking and setting records so casually that we almost take it for granted

Quote from kirishiki

How about Fifty Fifty? They probably got the biggest worldwide hit during debut year ever?

Biggest international hit for sure. It was not a massive hit in Korea, and now it never will be, because Korea will forever hate Fifty Fifty. I'm also not sure if the group was big or just the song.

Fifty Fifty is going to be the biggest what if story in K-Pop perhaps ever.

Quote from selfmate

OP mentioned Ditto/OMG while I agree those are fantastic songs to me that's a cb no? how is that part of their debut? did the OP mean biggest rookie year?

I kind of blended those together, didn't I? I sort of spoke on both, and I sort of meant both. The actual debut and their first year as a group itself.

You're free to use your own criteria and weighting though, if you think some other group deserves the crown, just like Disevidence did with Seo Taiji and Boys

Quote from ISaidISaid

I think EXO (highest sales from debut), Blackpink(best performing GG internationally since debut) and Twice (longest charting kpop songs on Japan H100 since their rookie years) are more impactful.

I'm not going to dispute your opinion (unless you welcome it of course--I'm working on letting people consent to my argumentative nature ), so I'll just say this:

You listed individual criteria and data points for why each of those groups had strong debuts, but NewJeans is so impressive to me because they combine all of those metrics--record breaking album sales, record breaking domestic charting, record breaking international charting on the Billboard Hot 100--they simply haven't missed in any single category.

People thought it might take time for their fandom to catch up to their outrageous popularity with the public, and then they went #1 on the Billboard 200 and nearly snatched the record for highest first week sales ever

Quote from icyruios

It's actually Day6

Dont believe, see for yourself

Only after you see it, internalise it and fully appreciate it then are you qualified to make an opinion

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I fully appreciate Congratulations after this fantastic, amazing and stupendous cover introduced me to it

Quote from ISaidISaid

But to be the biggest debut you need to beat all active groups at debut. Not the best of their generation or beating the first year of other groups but beating ALL groups at debut or debut year. So they should have beaten BP in sales with this album or streaming. Then they would have been the biggest “debut” Which new jeans haven’t done (I think I’m sorry I just genuinely don’t keep that close a watch) If they already did feel free to correct me.

They did beat everyone though. BlackPink included.

The only reason Attention and definitely Hype Boy didn't bring home all the daesangs is because they dropped in July.

These are video game numbers

And the image KpopJpop linked kind of already answers your question

In one year they have more cumulative weeks in the Melon top 10 than any girl group in history. That's just....I can't wrap my mind around it

But I kind of disagree with your premise. To have the biggest debut, I think you just need to have the biggest debut relative to your peers. But even if I agree with it, NewJeans have satisfied your criteria.

Quote from Ves

Doesn't the "Did ______ (insert rookie idol group with current hit) have the biggest debut in kpop history?" question come up at least twice a year? Pretty sure I remember seeing this question for Itzy and Aespa not so long ago. And I def saw it with BP multiple times, even when they weren't rookies.

I'm sure.

But no group has ever surprise dropped like this and done anything remotely close to the absurd accomplishments NewJeans has laid claim to, so I think it's a more than fair question this time.

I remember all those debuts. None of those groups seemed to completely take over K-Pop overnight the way NJ has.

Quote from ISaidISaid

Korean charting? Tbh for a top GG this is minimum requirement not a criteria for me.

Yes. Korean charting for sure. Let me see if I can find a good graphic for you.

It make take a bit, but here's the Gaon Digital Chart in January

Keep in mind that Hype Boy released in July of the previous year.

In terms of digitals, NewJeans only competition has been themselves.

Quote from Ves

My point is that you have to realize if this question was asked many times before, chances are it'll be asked many times again - after all, history keeps going!

If any group ever tops the absolute insanity I've seen from NewJeans, who literally just came out of nowhere and started speedrunning every K-Pop achievement under the sun, I will take my Moobong and my Binkybong, season them, grill them and consume them whole