NewJeans has new controversy

Man. NewJeans can’t catch a break. In addition to the drama between their label ADOR and their parent company HYBE, now listeners on social media are propagating a new theory, claiming that NewJeans has directly copied the Mexican 90s group named – and we kid you not – Jeans.

 

Below is an English translation of a piece by Enrique Tinajero of El Siglo de Torreón. 

 

One of the K-pop groups currently breaking records is the girl band NewJeans. The five members have topped the popularity charts with their hits “Attention” and “Hype Boy”; however, theories have begun to circulate indicating that the group is inspired by the 90s Mexican girl band, Jeans.

 

It was in Facebook groups where this theory began – that both groups have many similarities. Among them are the clothes they wear, the color palette in promotional photos, and the most obvious comparison. Their names. "Jeans" and "NewJeans".

 

They also point out that it could be a coincidence, since NewJeans is characterized by imitating the aesthetic of the 90s and early 2000s, which coincides with the fashion that Jeans used, who currently changed their name to JNS and is composed of Karla Díaz, Melisa López, Regina Murgía, and Angie Tadei, although they’ve had several line-up changes over the years.

 

It's worth noting that Jeans were a very popular group, led by Paty Sirvent. They had several members since their debut in 1995, until their separation in 2008, and then they returned in 2015 and changed their name to JNS.

 

Meanwhile, NewJeans, who made their debut in the summer of 2022, is composed of Haerin, Minji, Hyein, Danielle Marsh, and Hanni, who have successfully positioned themselves worldwide similar to their contemporaries TWICE and BLACKPINK.

 

What do you think? Is this a coincidence? Or a blatant ripoff?