The Hidden Story Behind NewJeans' Cookie: From Studio to Global Success

"Cookie" by NewJeans peaked at number 9 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart despite sparking significant controversy upon its release. When the club-oriented R&B track dropped on August 1, 2022, all members of the group were minors, aged between 14 to 18 years old, which intensified the debate surrounding the song's perceived sexual innuendos in its lyrics.

The track, featured on NewJeans' self-titled debut EP, showcases whimsical synths and a wobbling low end, creating a bubbly momentum throughout. Despite the controversy regarding the "cookie newjeans lyrics" and their meaning, the song earned a spot on The New York Times' list of the 22 best songs of 2022 and achieved Gold certification in Japan for surpassing 50 million streams. The "cookie new jeans album" itself made history by securing 444,000 preorders in just four days, setting a record for the highest number of stock pre-orders achieved by any girl group's debut album. This remarkable success occurred even as discussions about the "cookie new jeans meaning" became a central topic in K-pop conversations worldwide shortly after its release.

How 'Cookie' fit into NewJeans' debut rollout

NewJeans' debut strategy broke conventional K-pop patterns with a surprising rollout that captured public attention immediately. Their label ADOR orchestrated a unique approach that positioned "Cookie" as the culminating release in a carefully sequenced series.

Timeline of releases from 'Attention' to 'Cookie'

Initially, NewJeans released "Attention" on July 22, 2022, as a surprise debut without any prior information about the group. The following day, they announced their self-titled EP would arrive on August 1. "Hype Boy" followed as the second single on July 23, accompanied by four additional music videos customized for each member. Subsequently, a music video for "Hurt" appeared on July 25. The rollout culminated with "Cookie" on August 1, coinciding with the digital release of the EP. The physical album followed on August 8.

cookie new jeans album structure and strategy

The four-track EP was uniquely designed with three singles – an unconventional approach for such a compact release. ADOR's Chief Brand Officer Min Hee-jin explained this decision stemmed from being "confident" in the music, noting how "it's such a pity how it's the lead singles that get all the attention".

The tracks were deliberately ordered to tell a cohesive story across "Attention," "Hype Boy," "Cookie," and "Hurt". This strategy paid off remarkably – pre-orders surpassed 444,000 copies in just four days, setting a record for any girl group debut album. Additionally, the EP sold 262,815 copies on its first day alone, establishing a new benchmark for first-day sales of a girl group debut album.

Why the release order mattered

"Cookie" was strategically positioned as the final release to showcase the group's musical direction. According to ADOR, "We released 'Cookie' last because the song was made specially for all the fans who were waiting patiently for NewJeans to debut and because it shows how much confidence we have in the musical direction the group is taking".

While "Attention" introduced the overall tone and "Hype Boy" highlighted individual members' personalities, "Cookie" purposefully focused on the music itself. The group made their broadcast debut on M Countdown on August 4, performing all three singles, officially completing their innovative introduction to the K-pop scene.

Breaking down the music: style, sound, and structure

"Cookie" stands out in NewJeans' debut EP as a club-oriented R&B and pop track built upon a minimal hip hop beat. Composed in the key of C major with a lively tempo of 157 beats per minute, the song features a unique musical architecture that blends multiple influences.

Genre and tempo details

Musically, "Cookie" represents a dance pop style characterized by bouncy synths and jersey club-style rhythm variations. The production creates what Pitchfork described as a "weightless groove" where "whimsical synths, faint 808s, and wobbling low end create bubbly momentum". The bridge section notably incorporates Jersey club elements, which Pitchfork noted as a "simple, elegant detour" that extends "the song's cutesy schoolyard demeanor into hopscotching ebullience".

cookie new jeans lyrics english translation highlights

The lyrics center around the metaphor of baking cookies, with lines like "Made a little cookie / Baked it just for you, this treat / But you know that it ain't for free". Furthermore, several phrases drew attention: "Looking at my cookie / Do you ever smell it different? (Taste it) / What's with a bite isn't enough?".

In response to interpretations, ADOR clarified that "cookies are a metaphor for CDs", explaining: "The song revolves around the paired idea of burning CDs and baking cookies, which share the same conceptual verb in Korean". This connection is visually reinforced in the music video, which "opens with a cookie rolling in and ends with a CD rolling out".

Production choices and their significance

The song was written by Gigi, Ylva Dimberg, and Park Jin-su, with production handled by FRNK. Unlike "Hype Boy" which emphasized choreography, "Cookie" was "consciously focused on the music". ADOR explained they backed the concept "with a beat that you don't often get to hear when it comes to K-pop girl groups, signaling the daring new direction".

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times praised how NewJeans "deploys its contemporary reference points in service of a throwback idea" through the use of New Jersey club music, highlighting the production's significance in establishing the group's distinct musical identity.

Public reaction: praise, concern, and debate

The release of "Cookie" sparked immediate polarized reactions across the global music community, with critics and fans divided over both its musical merits and lyrical content.

Critical reviews from Pitchfork, NYT, and others

Pitchfork praised "Cookie" as "a remarkably strong showing," highlighting its "weightless groove" created by "whimsical synths, faint 808s, and wobbling low end." The publication specifically commended the Jersey club-inspired bridge as "a simple, elegant detour" that extended "the song's cutesy schoolyard demeanor into hopscotching ebullience." Conversely, ThebiasGist rated the song much lower, describing it as "boring" and "super, super dull," lamenting that "gone are the featherlight harmonies and quirky beat" that characterized the group's earlier release "Attention."

Fan reactions across cultures

Fan response divided sharply along cultural and linguistic lines. International fans, especially English speakers, immediately flagged concerns about the lyrics' potential sexual connotations. Comments on YouTube highlighted discomfort with lines like "Looking at my cookie / Do you ever smell it different? (Taste it) / What's with a bite, isn't enough?" Many pointed out that "cookie" functions as slang for female genitalia in Western contexts. One commenter wrote, "This would've been such a cool concept if they were grown women. Let's not forget they're 14- to barely 18-year-old," while another noted, "The music is great. These lyrics, however, are utterly unacceptable, no matter how anyone tries to spin it."

Comparisons with other debut tracks

Many critics compared "Cookie" to Blackpink and Selena Gomez's "Ice Cream," noting both songs used food-based metaphors with potential double meanings. However, observers highlighted that unlike NewJeans, Blackpink's members were adults when performing such content. A significant difference from other NewJeans debut tracks emerged as fans largely found "Attention" and "Hype Boy" age-appropriate, while "Cookie" generated controversy. ADOR eventually released a lengthy statement defending the song, insisting its meaning was innocent and related to creating fresh music, stating: "The underlying message of the song is the value of NewJeans' attempt to make new and original music." They further claimed critics had "toxic perspectives" that saw "something harmless as something that's anything but."

From controversy to global success

Despite initial backlash, "Cookie" ultimately became a cornerstone of NewJeans' global success story. The controversial track gradually accumulated impressive streaming numbers and critical acclaim, proving its staying power beyond the initial debate.

Chart performance and certifications

"Cookie" debuted at number 14 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart in early August 2022, later peaking at number nine. Internationally, the song reached number nine on Billboard Japan's Heatseekers chart, number 15 on Singapore's RIAS Top Regional Chart, and number 21 on Vietnam's Hot 100. On the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, it peaked at position 198.

The song's streaming performance has been remarkably strong over time. As of 2024, "Cookie" has accumulated over 279 million plays on Spotify and surpassed 100 million YouTube views in August 2024 - approximately two years after its release. This milestone made it NewJeans' fourth music video to achieve this feat, alongside "Hype Boy," "OMG," and "Super Shy".

Media coverage and international attention

Most notably, The New York Times named "Cookie" one of the best songs of 2022, with critic Jon Caramanica ranking it 11th among his 22 selected tracks. Caramanica praised the song's understated quality, noting: "Most striking about 'Cookie,' the best song from the debut EP by the impressive young K-pop girl group NewJeans, is its ease — no maximalism, no theater".

How the group moved forward post-controversy

ADOR's response to the controversy was multifaceted. First, they issued a detailed statement explaining that the song was written by two women in their thirties - one Korean and one Swedish. The label maintained that the cookie metaphor referred to CDs and fresh music rather than anything inappropriate.

Consequently, instead of pulling the track, NewJeans incorporated "Cookie" into their performance schedule. The group debuted the song on M Countdown on August 4, 2022, and later performed it alongside other singles at the 2022 Melon Music Awards and 2022 MAMA Awards in November. This strategy proved effective, as NewJeans' popularity continued to grow steadily afterward, with their overall YouTube views eventually exceeding 2 billion and Spotify streams surpassing 5.1 billion across their catalog.