NewJeans are already an enigma in the K-Pop world. The group debuted in 2022, but their vibe caught everyone off guard, reminiscent of the golden era of the 90s.
Even their debut was quite mysterious, considering they never released a teaser, trailer, concept photos, or even announced that a girl group was launching a new music video. And just like that, the video spread like wildfire through word of mouth. Their debut song, “Attention,” managed to garner them global attention just because of the
A group of girls came out of nowhere, dropped a song unannounced, and ruled over all the charts just a few days after their debut. This was a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence in the K-pop world that a group became an instant hit. They debuted under ADOR record labels, a branch under HYBE Entertainment that also manages the global phenomenon BTS.
Then there was no turning back for the group as they continued to deliver smashing hits with Hype Boy (an anthem among Korean men), Ditto, OMG, winning triple crowns on several music shows.
A year later, they have reached new milestones with their self-titled extended play. And just like that, they won hearts from all over the globe with hits Super Shy, Cool With You, and ETA. Even more remarkable was their breaking the Guinness World Record for the fastest K-Pop act to reach 1 Billion streams, previously held by their Sunbaenims, BTS.
Needless to say, each member of the girl group enjoyed a significant spotlight, especially Hanni, who is considered the most famous member. She is widely recognized for her hoey vocals, youthful appearance, and being a non-Korean K-pop idol. Hanni hails from Vietnam, but she was born in Melbourne, Australia.
Besides the rising popularity, the 18-year-old was subjected to unexpected scrutiny in February when a K-Pop Facebook group, K Crush Dong, posted a few pictures of Hanni’s family members in Australia. The post implied that Hanni’s family still supports the South Vietnam regime, considering the photographs exhibited old emblems of the South Vietnamese regime inside Hanni’s family house and businesses. This led to a massive conflict of opinions among Vietnamese netizens, where some criticized Hanni for her family’s political leanings. As a result, suspicions arose that NewJeans might be banned from performing in Vietnam.
The History Of South Vietnam And Its Legacy
The ‘American War,’ referred to in Vietnam’s history, started in 1954 and ended in 1975. This Cold War started shortly after the North Vietnam regime managed to defeat the French Colonization after over 150 years of French Indochina ruling Vietnam.
Later, the US got involved in their politics in the fear that China’s communism might spread all over Vietnam and then to the rest of Asia. Hence, a 20-year war started between North Vietnam and some South Vietnamese allies, and the other side included South Vietnam, backed by the US.
The main purpose of the war was to form a unified communist nation, while the other spectrum fought for anti-communist autonomy.
The only segment suffering from the two decades of war were the people in absolute despair. Hence, some started fleeing the country and are now called the “Boat People.” These people are also looked down upon as cowards and accused of treason. Those who still support the South Vietnam political ideology are debarred from the communist-ruling Vietnam.
This conflict is now reflected in an irrelevant subject involving a South Korean girl group, NewJeans.
Are Newjeans Not Permitted to Perform in Vietnam?
K Crush Dong is one of Vietnam’s most influential K-pop forums, Boasting over half a million members. Their allegations against Hanni’s family caused quite a stir in Vietnam. Hanni has been at the receiving end of this backlash for quite a few months now, where some netizens are advocating to ban the group from performing in Vietnam.
Therefore, some speculations surfaced that the Vietnamese Communist Party censors content related to NewJeans.
An insider source told AllKPop, “There certainly are fans who support NewJeans regardless of ongoing political arguments, but it is iffy to overtly support them in public. But there was no official censorship from the government or the media.”
These few opinions do not represent Vietnam’s outlook towards Hanni and NewJeans, but the political fanatics have spewed a narrative that stanning NewJeans can be frowned upon. The source further commented, “NewJeans and Hanni are well recognized in Vietnam, but it is true that many people are against the group. And it seems unlikely that NewJeans will be permitted to perform in Vietnam by the government.”
Hence, some suspected the possibility that NewJeans might be prohibited from holding their concert in Vietnam.
However, Vietnamese Bunnies erupted in NewJeans’s defense, stating that these reports were fake and were an attempt to tarnish NewJeans’s reputation. The Vietnamese fans are very much in support of Hanni and are also proud of her representing their country on a global level.
“This is totally FAKENEWS. Vietnamese, especially Bunnies always welcome to NewJeans. Only young haters, almost under 18 years old spread the misleading about Hanni. Bunnies Vietnam grows every single day, to love and protect NewJeans by our hearts.”
“Couldn’t believe a big page like this can post a misleading info related to Politics. The misinfo about Hanni was shared by antifan, and only anti fans hate NJ. NewJeans was aired in National TV multiple times. Plus, multiple artists in Việt Nam also show their love to NewJeans.”
“Hanni does not necessarily agree with the political views of her relatives and she is very unlikely to ever confirm a political stance,” “This drama can only go on until people give up. She can’t be responsible for the political ideology of other individuals in her family for the rest of eternity.”
“One more thing, Vietnamese singers and artists love Hanni and NewJeans very much. If NewJeans returns to Vietnam, the girls will be pampered and loved by Vietnamese idols.”
Amidst all these rumors, Hanni is trending at #3 in Vietnam for her MC skills.
What are your thoughts on these alleged reports? Do you think an idol’s family’s political affiliation is relevant to the idol’s reputation?
Do criticisms against Hanni hold any grounds? Let us know in the comments section below.
