It’s been a fraught month for HYBE, with NewJeans unwittingly stuck at the center of their controversies. Very little of this drama has anything to do with the group themselves and everything to do with the chaos swirling around them, but with a seeming cold war brewing between the NewJeans and ILLIT camps regarding plagiarism and favoritism, I’m curious what will become of the “NewJeans sound.” From their 2022 debut until now, the girls have unquestionably led the trend for K-pop’s current style. Now that so much of the industry has followed suit, will they abandon their influential aesthetic for something new? Time will tell, but not until they’ve gotten How Sweet out of their system.
Beyond some small production makeovers, How Sweet is closer to a holding pattern than a new era. The instrumental manages to be both punchier and more laidback than usual, echoing the stuttering, candy-floss r&b of the late-90’s/early-00’s. I dig the laser sound effects that run through the track and the overall groove is one of their more satisfying head-nodders. It has a consistency and confidence that calls for an equally amazing melody over the top.
Unfortunately, this is where NewJeans songs often confound me. Both in melody and performance, the delivery is so airy and aloof that it’s almost impalpable. It’s like pop music inertia, floating through space without anywhere to land. Like many of their title tracks, How Sweet centers itself around a simple melody repeated often. This approach begs for some compelling harmony or vocal quirk to switch things up and maintain interest throughout the 3:39 running time (3:39 is like an epic in K-pop nowadays!). Instead, the song loops around itself, centered by that great beat but offering little else to thrill listeners.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
i just dont want this to turn into a fifty fifty 2.0…….still so pissed abt what happened to them
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7/10…More of the same. Somewhat memorable, it will part of their soundtrack for the summer. I’m less and less interested in their music or them.
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Magnetic superior, that’s all i have to say
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me when im wrong
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this article isn’t even about illit 💀 #newjeans_is_everywhere!
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I can’t believe how bad this song is
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I feel like many of their songs, including this one, are made to be background music. I can put this on while I’m working, and I will never once get distracted by the song because it is so one-note. You can put it over aesthetic tiktok baking videos or place it in a shop, and it will be perfectly unobtrusive. You asked why they made it so airy and insubstantial, but I’d like to argue that there’s a chance that this might be intentional. I mean, their songwriting team must be doing something right. Their songs are so bland that they are perfectly marketable to a wide variety of situations.
Now. Whether or not the creative team (potentially) striving for this song to be just a good vibe to exist placidly in the background one’s life then makes it an actually good song is… debatable. I certainly can never see myself looking this up and getting lost in the music. But if I need music that I can put on while studying or working, this might be on that playlist.
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This sounds like when Tinashe’s Superlove and DIA’s WooWoo are in vacation together.
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Yes. This.
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I enjoyed this comeback although I definitely see how this wouldn’t stick with people that much. I had to chew on it for a bit (especially since they mentioned listening to the song before watching the MV) but I dig it! I’m just happy that we have an actual bridge this time (albeit it’s a bridge made out of twigs but it’s a bridge nonetheless!)
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The choreo is also pretty cool and groovy too. I know that being a top-heavy and stiff “””dancer””” that I’d barely be able to pull it off
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i know I’m in the minority on this site, but I’ve always found NewJeans’ music utterly compelling. There’s a magic there that I can’t explain, and their songs so far have all had long staying power that I initially didn’t think they had.
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I honestly agree. I can definitely find myself getting lost in most of their songs.
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This had me really excited at the beginning, but lost me as it went on when nothing really developed or changed. This definitely could have benefitted from the little switch up moments in songs like Hype Boy. Hybe Boy 100% sold me on the “young girl in love” feelings and transported me straight back to middle school in the best way considering I hated middle school. This didn’t sell me on “young girl scorning a boy” in the same way in this, something I know from experience comes with a lot more high drama and sass. They totally could have pulled it off, too, so it’s a shame.
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Bright, poppy. Refreshing that it is an actual song with verses and choruses and length. Not one I am drawn to, but if this scratches your itch, fine by me.
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i think i caught the newjeans fever bc for me it sounds like heaven and i can’t stop replaying lol
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I was excited about this release and overall hopeful that NewJeans would remain together amid their CEO and HYBE’s legal drama. It’s always good to see we got this piece and the group hasn’t disbanded.
The song I think draws heavy inspiration from Miami Bass? Since I’ve read comparisons with Tinashe’s “Super Love,” I think that should be the sub-genre they’re doing here? I’m not really sure. I know NJ has done Drum & Bass and Baltimore Club but I’m not completely sure on this one.
As per the song, I think it’s catchy, it has nice hooks and it’s fully developed with a bridge and even an actual outro! The only thing that I’d change would be the vocal approach. As you said, their execution was “airy” and kind of laid back to me. At some point, I think the track needed some adlibs and a little more power, especially as it hit the last chorus.
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The airy, floaty NewJeans sound is what it is, this time a bit longer with a bridge and an actual chorus. The MV and their overall concept is definitely what they are more bothered about and it shows clearly. And contrary to you, I did not like those laser sound effects at all. I am not a big fan at first listen but given how many times I am going to come across this in youtube shorts, variety shows and random places and videos, I might gradually get accustomed to it.
Also, if they are going to stick on to this substance less sound for long, they will be gone soon enough (just my opinion) even though the shift they have created in the k-pop scene might still be left.
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I am still waiting them to drop something as good as Hype Boy or Atenttion… So I guess I’ve been waiting for more since day 2, maybe I should stop expecting lol the song is fine but I’d like to be blown away like when they debuted. Anyways, I really thought this was another full coke ad during the first half of the mv.
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Same. But I’m starting to doubt that will happen. I just don’t see them placing any priority on NJ’s actual musical output. It’s all in the packaging. And it’s not like they haven’t had time to pick out better tracks or think about where they should be progressing toward sonically. The only new tracks ADOR has had to put together since NJ’s debut were the ones for Get Up, and it’s feeling like 10 minutes of music has made them run out of ideas entirely.
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For me these days, many songs like the blurred line between song – ad- song- posturing – ad. I just can’t stand them. We are so bombarded with ads that interrupt our daily lives, the sound of an ad just washes over me and leaves a trail of microaggressions towards our AI Overlords.
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This was…. bad. Very, bad for me. The girls’ vocals just don’t mix with that god awful instrumental in the least. Well, to be fair, I think the instrumental could survive with a better vocal line and the right kind of delivery to match it, but this definitely isn’t it. Their vocals are also so forward in the mix that it almost sounds like I’m listening to someone do karaoke into my ear. This is really surprising given the relative strength of past comebacks. They may not have been for me, but I could easily see how others would most love at least some of the songs. This? It feels like a lot of people are obligatorily hyping this due to the current situation.
Not going to lie though, I’m not sure if I really see Newjeans as being continual trendsetters after this and their previous comeback. The packaging around them is still great. I might strongly, strongly dislike MHJ, but I can’t deny she does her job well in the creative department. But I do not see any clear sonic path for NJs moving forward, and it feels like ADOR doesn’t have a plan in that area either. In cases like this, I’d rather a group try something that shows growth and miss than deliver weaker versions of what they already have done in the past. At least one shows forward momentum and growth. This is starting to feel a lot like ITZY’s early career.
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I think this time they actually tried singing more clearly, but I agree, the vocals mix poorly with the backtrack for some reason. I don’t think I felt that way about their tracks before.
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oh hell nah, they decide to make their worst title track a 3:39 runtime?!
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meh
7.25/10 for me
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Mmhhhh not so keen on this one. The verses are really nice but the chorus is a bit meh to me. The previous works were definitely superior (song wise). I checked the credits and as usual 250 is the producer, as in many other NewJeans singles. But the composer list is a few western writers that don’t seem to have anything to do with each other. I wonder how this song even happened. I have a feeling this was a track that was sent around to “collect ideas” and then the producer or label puts the ideas together. I know for a fact lots of other HYBE artists do that sometimes, but I was hoping NewJeans would stay away from this approach, since in fact their first songs like “Hype boy”, “Attention” or “Ditto” stood out for being great songs, beside having a great production. Who knows… might be the start of the downfall.. I hope not!
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Is it my style? No. Is it bad? No! I like it and I hope the girls themselves don’t get roped into the fire surrounding them too much. Also, whichever member has a bob (I think it’s Hanni? I’m still learning to put names to faces) looks great. The short hair really suits her. Hype Boy and ETA are forever going to be my favorite NewJeans songs, but this is landing on the list somewhere below them. And I definitely like it better than Bubble Gum. Maybe it’s because of that beat.
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It’s interesting that at a time of fighting over what essentially is the intellectual property making up what MHJ insists is New Jeans unique musical color that she would saddle them with a title track that feels slightly generic. It’s a really cute/fun song but not nearly as compelling as OMG, Hype Boy, Ditto or Cool with You. If MHJ wasn’t the complete creative director I would even float the potential conspiracy theory of the slight lack of personality being intentional sabotage but perhaps the answer is that while NJ have their own flair & flavor that perhaps it isn’t quite as singularly groundbreaking as MHJ hopes to sell us on.
Then again, maybe I would be more keen on this as the pre-release and Bubblegum as the main title instead? or this as a B-side in a full mini album for a stronger title track.
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literally their whole comeback is just an ad. to be completely honest it’s kinda sad
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This song is a 5-6 you’re being way too generous.
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I don’t understand why people don’t like this. It’s a good song and I’m happy NewJeans are making songs over 3 minutes again.
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I don’t think it’s illit MHJ needs to worry about
sm is predicting her moves very well.
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The song is catchy and fresh, so New Jeans! I think that the simplicity of their tracks is what makes them stand out from the overly complex sounds that most K-pop songs have. The song won’t stop playing in my head, so they did the job!
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