The red-hot K-pop girl group NewJeans returned yesterday with “OMG,” the title track off their new single album, and naturally, it’s doing big numbers on Genius. Both the regular Korean-language song page and the Romanization version are sitting inside the Top 5 on the Genius Top Songs chart, and the English translation page is inside the Top 20. It should be noted that NewJeans’ earlier single “Ditto” is still parked at No. 1 on Genius.
A fizzy amalgam of pop, rap, and R&B, “OMG” was produced by Jinsu Park, who wrote the song with David Dawood, Gigi, Ylva Dimberg, and NewJeans member Hanni, who takes the intro and sets up a song about finding unspeakable joy in the arms of another—or so it seems on the surface.
This song it’s about you, baby
Only you
You, you, you
You, you, you, you
In the first verse, NewJeans members Hyein and Minji (denoted in italics) describe this new romance as an antidote to some pretty intense sadness.
When I’m down, feel like I’m crying (Mm-hm)
When I can’t even pretend to be okay (Mm-hm)
It’s you, you worry about me
It’s you, you make me laugh
No need to say, boy, what do you say?
On the chorus, Hyein, Danielle (italics), and Minji (bold) cast some doubt on the nature of this relationship. None of the protagonist’s friends know this boy, and even she seems to question whether the whole thing is actually happening.
(They keep on asking me, “Who is he?”)
You’re only one call away
(They keep on asking me, “Who is he?”)
You show up with no hesitation
(They keep on asking me, “Who is he?”)
Can this be real?
On the post-chorus, Haerin, Hyein (italics), and Hanni (bold) leave even more room for interpretation. Is this song about an imaginary love interest? (Shoutout to the website Leisure Byte for raising this possibility.)
Before I met you (Ooh)
Everything was pointless (Ooh)
My feeling is boundless (Ooh)
I know, I know, I’m going crazy right?
In the final four lines of the second verse, Danielle (italics) and Hani (bold) continue describing a boyfriend who seems like a spectral presence.
I hear his voice through all the noise
Don’t let go of my hand for one second no, no
Got no worries ’cause I got someone
It’s okay to be alone ’cause I love someone
Complicating matters further is the song’s music video, which finds the members of NewJeans in a mental hospital. In the opening scene, Hanni tells her doctor that she’s come to an important realization: She’s an iphone. “I exist for you,” Hanni says. “When you call, I’ll run to you anywhere, anytime.” After that, there’s lots of dancing and good vibes, though video director Wooseok Shin is well aware that some people will take issue with the clip. In the video’s final seconds, we see someone typing, “Am I the only one uncomfortable with this music video’s material? Just show their faces and dance.”
You can read all the lyrics to “OMG” on Genius now.
