Yes
SNSD all the way. The thing about snsd's success is it's not just all about their group success but it translated also to the members. Yoona became IT girl, Sunny and sooyoung became variety queens, taeyeon became the ost queen. The gee effect where all the skinny jeans sales went high. The dance craze that all koreans were dancing to their choreo and even the ahjummas and ahjusshi know who they are 
SNSD. They even performed Genie on a skyscraper so all of Korea could see it.
SNSD. They even performed Genie on a skyscraper so all of Korea could see it.
Iconic stage for the best SNSD title track.
SNSD but it's hard to compare songs in different generations
This isn't a fair comparison as kpop is much more popular globally these days. So globally its obvious newjeans will be more popular globally compared to SNSD ever was.
Looking at just South Korea, I think newjeans has the bigger peak compared to 2009/10 SNSD. Alot of people is comparing SNSD in hindsight after 7 years of growth and improvements against only the first year of NJS. But the question is 2009/10 SNSD when they were still noobies.
The thing about snsd's success is it's not just all about their group success but it translated also to the members. Yoona became IT girl, Sunny and sooyoung became variety queens, taeyeon became the ost queen.
I think GG opened more doors to fans being interested in KPOP music and with them being touted as "South Korea's / Nation's Girl Group" at one point in time, their popularity had sky-rocketed.
NJS is also starting to get alot of CFs/OSTs and there are lots of potential for the girls to grow and improve. They are brand ambassadors to luxury brands and selling out whatever they are advertising.
Everyone is dancing to Hype Boy similar to Gee back in the days.
Obviously a lot of groups are bigger than SNSD because kpop itself is bigger now.
But in Korea it’s SNSD. I don’t think kpop is even as big as it was in 2nd Gen. I don’t think new jeans can go on some show and have the whole nation talk about them and watch them. They release catchy songs sure but they aren’t the moment. It’s not just them even twice and bp were not as big as SNSD because by 3rd Gen as well I don’t think kpop was as relevant in Korea any more.
I say this as a die hard 2nd Gen hater but for Korea it’ll always be a frenzy with 2nd Gen.
And I also understand a bit on why that is I saw it on a tiktok about how kids have other interests these days like influencers/youtubers/tiktokers etc. Previously it was only through idols they got to experience that “living vicariously”/“parasocial” type feels. Now it’s available in a variety of media. So yeah Kpop peaked in Korea with 2nd Gen while everywhere else it grew.
Globally NJ, but domestically SNSD. Just look at the Gallup Polls from those times. NewJeans did get number one among "less than 40 year olds" last year but if it wasn't divided LYW probably would have won (more old people than young people in SK). SNSD was like 32% of all Koreans' favorite singer in 2010 (NewJeans was 26% of Koreans under 40 favorite singer), which is just a crazy number to think about.
SNSD
SNSD
And to be honest i doubt a girl group will ever be able to compete with the grip and impact snsd had on kpop
SNSD is always the answer. A string of massive hits that took over the country, took over TV with constant appearances on shows including their own shows, endorsed everything, opened up kpop to the world in time where it was mostly in Korea and parts of east Asia, set the blueprint for ggs for up years to come. SNSD were simply in a league of their own.
SNSD is always the answer. A string of massive hits that took over the country, took over TV with constant appearances on shows including their own shows, endorsed everything, opened up kpop to the world in time where it was mostly in Korea and parts of east Asia, set the blueprint for ggs for up years to come. SNSD were simply in a league of their own.
NewJeans did all of those things and continue to do them, aside from opening up the world to K-Pop, but SNSD didn't accomplish that on their own either. Suju, Big Bang, Wonder Girls, 2NE1 and such groups had massive impact as well.
And obviously no future girl group will be able to trailblaze in the same way that SNSD did, because K-Pop is so global now, so they'll have to make history in their own ways, and NewJeans is doing that.
I don't care if people pick SNSD, as they're industry legends and the role models/blue print for many female idols, but I do take issue with the reasons given for that ultimate conclusion
100,000 people lined up for hours in Seoul, just to visit a NewJeans popup store. They're also in a league of their own, and they have been since debut.
Objectively speaking, 2023 is the single most dominant year any girl group has ever had, and it's not even close.
All that said, there is nothing wrong with selecting either group here, depending on what you value.
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