NewJeans is onto another journey of global stardom, this time, it is towards a quite interesting, new audience. Their song “ETA” has surprisingly witnessed a resurgence after 1 year of its release, which many humorously referred to as “NewJeans Renaissance.” It all happened when Vietnamese American streamer Jason “theween” Nguyen, ranked 15th globally and 10th in the U.S. on Twitch, celebrated reaching 100,000 subscribers by playing the track during his livestream, becoming the 2nd most-subscribed Twitch streamer.
The viral meme of him and his friends passionately screaming the song lyrics “What’s your ETA?” took the internet by storm. Thanks in part to Jason’s live stream and the song’s inherent quality, this track’s daily streaming exploded. From September 29 to October 2, the song reached 322,985, 424,271, 563,295, and 659,860 streams on Spotify. On October 1 and 2, “ETA” became the most streamed song by NewJeans, despite its 1-year release.
However, besides the song as an upsetting observation of modern romance, Jason has challenged a stereotype long-fixated on K-pop listeners. K-pop, especially in Western countries, was a novel concept until recent years. Since the global expansion of K-pop, it has gained a significant amount of popularity. Just when it seems like the world is more open to a new musical force, stereotypes remain or even worsen.
K-pop was usually linked to cute, dreamy imagery, which widely attracted teenage girls and was often seen as un-masculine. Many, especially men, did not have a positive outlook on the genre, believing that its image went against their ideals of masculinity and lifestyle. NewJeans’ songs, which exude youthful femininity and often above-board quirkiness, could easily fall into the ‘no’ lists of many men chasing after that idea. By publicly showing his admiration for the group, Jason Nguyen has proven that K-pop is an open space for all ages, genders, and sexual orientations.
While singing and dancing along to the cheerleader-chanting tunes of “ETA,” Jason has created a fun and free atmosphere, creating a welcoming space for everyone, including the male-dominated gaming and streaming communities. His open appreciation for K-pop has helped introduce the genre to a broader audience, particularly within the streaming and gaming communities, encouraging more people to embrace the music free from societal labels.
Jason Nguyen, better known as JasonTheWeen, is a Vietnamese American YouTuber and Twitch streamer. He is known for his in-real-life streams and gaming content. Jason officially joined FaZe Clan in April 2024 as part of their reboot.
NewJeans has never really left the K-pop scene, even though it’s been almost five months since their last single album, “How Sweet.” Since they first caught the world’s attention with hit after hit, their coming-of-age, iridescent music has shaped a distinctive persona in the industry. NewJeans arrived on the K-pop scene as a group of teenage girls next door navigating young love and friendships, while a transcendental ambiance hovers around them, instilling a touch of nostalgia yet mystique. This unexpected renaissance is just one more proof that NewJeans is here to stay.
