NewJeans Bubble Gum: The Hidden Story Behind Their Sweetest Hit Yet

NewJeans - Bubble Gum exploded onto the music scene, garnering over six million views within just 15 hours of its music video debut on April 27, 2024. Despite being released as a B-side track on their second single album "How Sweet," the song quickly became a standout hit, helping the album debut at number one in South Korea.

Initially featured in Japanese commercials for Essential Premium shampoo before its official release on May 24, 2024, the bubble gum song gained international exposure with its unique blend of pop and R&B. The track showcases NewJeans' versatility with bilingual sticky bubble gum lyrics in both English and Korean, created by a talented team including Sophie Simmons, Oscar Bell, and producer 250. Furthermore, the music video's nostalgic camcorder-like aesthetic resonated strongly with fans, topping YouTube Korea's popular music video and song categories.

The rise of NewJeans leading up to 'Bubble Gum'

South Korean girl group NewJeans made an unconventional entrance into the K-pop industry in July 2022, dropping their debut single "Attention" without the typical drawn-out promotional buildup. This surprise approach paid off as the song immediately topped South Korea's Circle Digital Chart.

From 'Attention' to 'OMG': A timeline of success

Following their striking debut, NewJeans quickly released "Hype Boy" and "Cookie," which alongside "Attention" propelled their self-titled debut EP to the top of the Circle Album Chart. "Hype Boy" subsequently set a remarkable record, becoming the longest-running song on the Billboard Global 200 by any K-pop female act.

The group's international breakthrough came in early 2023 with their first single album "OMG" and its pre-release single "Ditto." Both songs marked NewJeans' first entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Ditto" cementing its place in K-pop history by topping the Circle Digital Chart for an unprecedented thirteen weeks. Consequently, "Ditto" introduced the breakbeat trend to the K-pop industry, while "OMG" achieved over 700 million streams on Spotify, becoming the first NewJeans song to reach this milestone.

How 'Get Up' set the stage for 'How Sweet'

Released in July 2023, the "Get Up" EP internationally established NewJeans as a major musical force. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 1.65 million copies in its first week. Notably, "Super Shy," "ETA," and "Cool With You" marked a historic achievement as all three singles entered the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, making NewJeans the first K-pop female act to accomplish this feat.

"Get Up" was widely acclaimed for showcasing the group's versatility, with prominent songwriter Ylva Dimberg noting how fans around the world were "singing along to the Korean words". This EP effectively cemented NewJeans' reputation as trendsetters in the K-pop industry.

Why 'Bubble Gum' was a strategic B-side

After establishing themselves with multiple chart-topping releases, NewJeans announced their comeback in March 2024 with the double single "How Sweet". "Bubble Gum" was strategically positioned as a B-side, yet received advance promotion through Japanese shampoo commercials in April, generating international exposure well before the official release.

This strategic approach allowed "Bubble Gum" to gain significant traction, debuting at number 15 on Billboard's Hits of the World chart for South Korea and number 166 on the Billboard Global Excl. US chart even prior to its official release. The music video, directed by Youngeum Lee, quickly accumulated over six million views in just 15 hours, demonstrating how NewJeans had mastered the art of making even their B-sides into major hits.

Inside the making of 'Bubble Gum'

Behind every hit song stands a talented team of creators, and "Bubble Gum" brings together an interesting mix of experienced producers and fresh collaborators. The production marks another strategic collaboration for NewJeans, continuing their pattern of working with diverse songwriting teams.

The songwriting and production team

"Bubble Gum" was crafted by a collaboration of Sophie Simmons, Oscar Bell, and Korean songwriter Gigi, with production handled by the mysterious producer known as 250. Sophie Simmons, an indie artist and daughter of KISS bassist Gene Simmons, brings her pop sensibilities to the track. Interestingly, neither Oscar Bell nor Sophie Simmons had previous K-pop writing credits, following a similar strategy used for NewJeans' previous EP "Get Up".

Musical style: A blend of pop and R&B

The track seamlessly blends pop and R&B elements, creating what Billboard described as a "production-perfect R&B dream". With its gentle guitar and muted sound palette, "Bubble Gum" shares stylistic elements with Sabrina Carpenter's global hit "Espresso". The bilingual lyrics move effortlessly between English and Korean, creating a sound that's both accessible and distinctive.

Instrumentation and production techniques

Production-wise, "Bubble Gum" features a featherlight approach with bouncy pop instrumentation. The song utilizes gentle guitar as its foundation, complemented by a muted sound palette that creates an airy, dreamlike quality. The production employs the group's trademark sing-rapping style alongside high-pitched vocals that deliver the song's iridescent hooks.

The emotional tone of the lyrics

The lyrics use bubble gum as a metaphor for a sweet, delightful relationship, emphasizing joy and playfulness. Key themes include innocent love ("you just get my heart pump, pumping"), joy ("I'm always so excited to meet you"), and sweetness ("so smooth, soft like a hug"). This creates an overall mood of affection and adventure that complements the light production.

Recording process and vocal delivery

During recording sessions, members aimed to embody the song's playful concept. Hanni mentioned wanting to "look like bubble gum" during recording, even searching her wardrobe for appropriately bright-colored clothing. The recording process included careful attention to pronunciation, especially for challenging phrases like "Keep chatting away like chatterbox". Members worked on delivering high-pitched notes and capturing the song's buoyant emotion, with one member noting that "the backing vocals in songs add to their joyfulness and make them easy to remember".

The controversy that followed

As "Bubble Gum" gained popularity, an unexpected legal challenge emerged in mid-2024. British jazz-funk band Shakatak claimed the K-pop hit had striking similarities to their 1981 song "Easier Said Than Done," setting off a public dispute between the two camps.

Shakatak's plagiarism claims explained

In June 2024, London-based Wise Music Group, Shakatak's copyright holder, sent a formal letter of claim to multiple parties including ADOR, HYBE, and the Korea Music Copyright Association. The letter, delivered on June 17, alleged that "Bubble Gum" infringed upon "Easier Said Than Done" by incorporating identical elements without permission. Specifically, Shakatak claimed the NewJeans track featured the "same distinctive melody hook," "similar instrumentation," "similar rhythmic shapes," and was "performed at an almost identical tempo" with "very similar choice of harmony."

ADOR's official response and expert analysis

ADOR quickly denied these allegations. On June 21, the company's legal team responded, asserting that the songwriters had never heard Shakatak's song before the complaint and requesting a "credible analysis report" to substantiate the claims. According to ADOR, the two songs differ significantly in chord progressions, BPM (beats per minute), and overall feeling. The label also argued that the melodic similarity was limited to a common pop music progression that predated Shakatak's 1981 release. Additionally, ADOR commissioned analyses from two renowned overseas musicologists to support their position.

How fans and media reacted to the dispute

The controversy quickly spread across online communities, with fans divided. Comments on YouTube and social media ranged from "It's the same" to defenses of NewJeans. Meanwhile, media coverage intensified the situation, which ADOR criticized as often one-sided and sensationalized. The dispute became further complicated when ADOR publicly criticized HYBE's handling of the matter, claiming their parent company showed a "lukewarm and even passive attitude" toward protecting NewJeans. By July 19, Shakatak announced on social platform X that they had hired a musicologist to analyze the similarities, indicating the dispute was far from resolved.

Visual storytelling and global promotion

The visual representation of newjeans bubble gum expanded beyond mere musical composition, creating a multi-sensory experience that resonated with fans worldwide. Released on April 27, 2024, the music video became an immediate sensation, establishing the song as more than just a B-side track.

The nostalgic charm of the music video

Directed by Youngeum Lee, the "Bubble Gum" music video captured a carefree summer day through a distinctly retro lens. The video accumulated over six million views in just 15 hours, demonstrating its immediate appeal. Throughout the visual narrative, NewJeans members blow bubbles, weave friendship bracelets, make balloon animals, and play with soap bubbles and marbles. These playful activities complemented the sticky bubble gum lyrics perfectly.

Unlike typical performance-heavy K-pop videos, "Bubble Gum" embraced storytelling and lyrical visuals. The creative use of vintage elements—camcorders, VHS tapes, bubble gum, vintage fans, and marbles—created a chic retro aesthetic that evoked childhood nostalgia. This artistic direction helped the video top Korea's weekly popular music video and song charts.

Use in Japanese shampoo commercials

Interestingly enough, a snippet of "Bubble Gum" first reached audiences through an unexpected channel. On April 8, 2024, the Japanese version appeared in commercials for Kao's Essential Premium hair care brand. This strategic pre-release placement extended to Japan's morning show "Mezamashi 8" as its new theme song.

The commercial film featured NewJeans members with flowing hair that perfectly embodied the freshness of spring. KAO Essential Shampoo series, one of Japan's best-selling products, provided an ideal platform for introducing the track to international audiences.

Chart performance in Korea and globally

Even before its official release, "Bubble Gum" debuted at number 15 on Billboard's Hits of the World chart for South Korea and number 166 on the Billboard Global Excl. US. After release, the song achieved impressive global rankings—reaching number 30 on Billboard Global 200, number 4 in Hong Kong, and number 5 on New Zealand Hot Singles.

In South Korea, the track peaked at number 3 on the Circle chart, while also topping YouTube Korea's popular music video and song categories. Moreover, "Bubble Gum" secured second and fifth positions in YouTube's global popular music video and song charts respectively, confirming NewJeans' international appeal beyond their domestic success.