Denim, Tears, and the Return of the Maknae
The Week in Review: Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome Edition.
The past few months have been tough for NewJeans and Bunnies (the fandom name of the group). From an injury, legal battles, investigations, ghosting, and a shaman, fans were finally able to breathe and celebrate on Wednesday and Thursday with NewJeans’ first fan meeting in Japan, Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome. And there were a lot of things to process. The ever polarizing CEO Min Hee-jin (with a hat still glued to her head) posed for pictures with fans. Takashi Murakami’s bias1 might be Hanni. The iconic Hong Kong actor and everyone’s cinematic crush Tony Leung pulled up to the party. NewJeans' producer 250 was DJing. Yoasobi, Wednesday’s special guest, performed “Right Now” with the girls. Choreographers were crying. And an ocean of light sticks said Happy Pride Month.
In the digital age, we have the privilege to see instant live tweets, high-quality photos, and fancams2 from shows. Japan, however, is strict when it comes to filming during concerts. Prior to the event, NewJeans’ label ADOR announced that recording, filming equipment, and live streaming were strictly prohibited inside Tokyo Dome. Anyone caught recording would have their data deleted and be kicked out of the venue. So on the first day of Bunnies Camp, I felt like pilgrim core Kim Kardashian while waiting for updates and crumbs. But I believed that in a sea of tens of thousands of Bunnies at Tokyo Dome, at least one brave fan would take one for the team and share a video with the world. So to the Bunnies who attended Bunnies Camp and risked their livelihoods by filming and uploading their footage on social media, we salute you. Thank you for your service.
ADOR announced a few days before the fan meeting that Hyein, NewJeans’ maknae3 and designated phone holder, would participate in the Bunnies Camp performances to a limited extent. Because she was recovering from a foot injury, I imagined that she would just be sitting down for portions of the event. But as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey once sang, “There can be miracles, when you believe.” After a two month hiatus, Hyein was finally back! She returned to the stage, dancing to songs like “Bubble Gum” and singing “Bad Friend” with Thursday’s special guest Rina Sawayama. “The members had such a hard time filling my space,” Hyein said. She cried. We cried. And the members did a group hug. She thanked fans as well, saying, “I really want you Bunnies to all know that every single one of you shines so much. Thank you so much. I love you. Thank you so much for being here with us always.” If you watch the touching moment and listen closely, you can hear the sound of my heart breaking. I severely missed Hyein.
As if Bunnies in Japan weren’t spoiled enough, all five members blessed us with solo performances. Minji gave true coming-of-age as she wore her own high school uniform while singing Vaundy’s “Odoriko.” Dani, who is sunshine personified, performed “Butterflies (With U)”—a self-composed song dedicated to fans. Hyein served city pop realness while singing Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” with a live band. And Haerin, NewJeans’ most introverted member, did a solo dance, showcasing confidence and that her face card is never declining.
But out of all the solo performances, Hanni’s rendition of Seiko Matsuda’s ‘8os classic “Aoi Sangoshou” was my favorite. She chose a perfect song that resonated with the crowd. Her energy was infectious. With the Bobnni wig, chic outfit, and sparkling eyes, Hanni looked like a Studio Ghibli character that came to life. She is so adorable that it hurts. And what a voice. This was peak Hanni, capturing many people’s hearts and uniting fans to the sound of retro.
And in another episode of NewJeans Get That Endorsement and Modeling Bag, all five members wore custom Calvin Klein pieces. The double denim looks took me back to their “Hype Boy” Music Bank stage. And if you went to the Pinterest Institute of Fashion, then you would know that Choi Yumi, the group’s stylist, has a batting average of .300 and higher. Most of the time, she does not miss.
I am a veteran Bunny, and following their rapid rise has been exhilarating. In just less than two years since their debut and only five days after their Japanese debut, NewJeans has already performed at Japan’s largest stadium to more than 90,000 fans. They now hold the record for the fastest foreign artist to perform at Tokyo Dome. What NewJeans has accomplished and experienced so far has been remarkable but bittersweet. As the girls get older, expectations pile up. Pressure follows them. And this is only the beginning of their careers. They are just getting started.
The smiles and tears from Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome are a testament to how hard NewJeans work and cope together. (Hanni even wrote a whole damn essay about the fan meeting on Phoning4). The bond built going through the trenches is an intimate and unique kind of bond, and I sympathize with them. They have been through hell and back this year and they are still young. However, their teary-eyed performance of “Ditto,” their most meaningful song, was proof that they still hold gratitude and sincerity despite the bumpy ride they took to becoming a K-pop juggernaut. That heartwarming “Ditto” performance from Tokyo Dome was their “we made it” moment. It was too pure.
“The love that we’ve got from Bunnies today is unbelievable, so much so that it feels surreal. I feel like I’m dreaming,” Dani said. Emotion is palpable. To give love is to receive love. And at the end of the day, NewJeans just wants to make us happy.
I also purchased a Japanese sports newspaper featuring the girls on the front cover because of what they’ve been through and they’re still singing.
That’s all for this week. Next week, I’m looking forward to Part 2 of the “Supernatural” music video. Did Minji steal Hyein’s boy? Why was Dani channeling Storm from X-Men? And what were Minji and Hanni arguing about? I need the answers.
And I’m not even going to question why Haerin was riding a unicorn zebra.
Thanks for reading. Have a good weekend!
The K-pop term for “favorite member,” lol.
A short video recording of someone performing.
Youngest member of a group.
NewJeans’ official app.
This is so good and well-compiled!!! I've been following newjeans on my own, so this is so cool to read :~)
This is so good and well-compiled!!! I've been following newjeans on my own, so this is so cool to read :~)