"Hype Boy" is a song by the South Korean girl group NewJeans, taken from their debut extended play (EP), New Jeans (2022). ADOR, an independent division of Hybe Corporation, released four music videos for the song on July 23, 2022, each focusing on the members and their narratives. "Hype Boy" was officially released for download and streaming as the second single of the EP on August 1, 2022.
250 and Ylva Dimberg produced "Hype Boy", while the latter wrote the lyrics with Gigi and NewJeans' member Hanni. An incorporation of future bass and pop styles, it is driven by pulsing synthesizers and distorted instrumentals that contain influences from 1990s and 2000s styles such as R&B, electronic, and moombahton. "Hype Boy" received praise from music critics for its nostalgic production style that evoked a dreamy atmosphere. NME named "Hype Boy" the best K-pop release of 2022, while NPR and Rolling Stone included it in their lists of the best songs of 2022.
The single peaked at number two on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart and reached the top 10 in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) certified the track double platinum for exceeding 200 million streams in South Korea, while the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) certified the track platinum for exceeding 100 million streams in the country. "Hype Boy" also broke the record for the longest-running song on the Billboard Global 200 by a K-pop female act, charting for 42 weeks.
The South Korean idol girl group NewJeans was formed and signed with ADOR, an independent division of Hybe Corporation, under the direction of its CEOMin Hee-jin. The group's debut single, "Attention", was surprise-released on July 22, 2022, without any prior information regarding the group's lineup.[1] The following day, ADOR announced a four-track extended play (EP), New Jeans, which was set for release on August 1,[2] and released "Hype Boy" as the group's second single. "Hype Boy" was accompanied by a 50-second clip introducing the five members' names and four music videos specific to the members' perspectives.[3]
Of the four music videos, three were for individual members Minji, Hyein, and Hanni, and one was for a collective unit of Haerin and Danielle.[4] Min explained that by unveiling "Attention" without confirming the members' names and subsequently releasing "Hype Boy", which featured the members individually, she anticipated that viewers would revisit the first video to seek further information about them.[4] In each video, the members invite their "hype boy", or love interest, to a pool party with them. They ultimately see a different side of their "hype boy" contrary to what they initially admired or anticipated.[5] "Hype Boy" was one of the EP's three singles;[6][7] on August 4, NewJeans held their debut stage on Mnet's M Countdown, where they performed all singles from their self-titled EP, including "Hype Boy".[8]
Gigi, Ylva Dimberg, and the member Hanni wrote the lyrics to "Hype Boy",[28] a song that captures the essence of young love akin to a daydream.[29] It contains lyrics in both Korean and English, and runs for two minutes and 56 seconds long.[28] The chorus is sung by the members Haerin and Danielle: "'Cause I know what you like, boy/ You’re my chemical hype boy."[30] According to NME's Rhian Daly, Hanni's input helped usher in a female perspective for a girl-group song, which deviated from the "male gaze" that had dominated K-pop idol music.[31]
Carmen Chin of NME felt that the production was reminiscent of 2000s music but had a modern twist. Chin noted that the track's arrangement, infused with "tropical touches and future bass", created a "dreamy" and "almost hazy atmosphere".[34] Writing for the same publication, Derrick Tan said the song's production resembled the music of Kaytranada and described NewJeans' vocals as "honeyed" that "[belt] out passionately in the euphoric chorus".[30]Time's Kat Moon wrote the track featured "soft" beats and "mellow" instrumentals but described the vocals in the chorus as "soaring".[39]
Reception
"Hype Boy" received positive reviews from music critics and appeared on many year-end rankings of the best songs of 2022. Rolling Stone placed "Hype Boy" at number 24 on their list of the top 100 songs of 2022, highlighting it as a "standout" from the group's EP with "its addictive choreography and catchy chorus".[29]NPR ranked it 85th, with the editor Sheldon Pearce characterizing it as "transformative, precisely and gently blended".[37]NME ranked "Hype Boy" first on their list of the 25 best K-pop songs of the year, calling it "three minutes of pop perfection".[30] The magazine ranked it 26th on their overall list of the best songs of the year, with Daly describing it as a refreshing sound that made NewJeans stand out in a pool of similar-sounding K-pop groups.[38] On other K-pop year-end lists, "Hype Boy" appeared at number one on the list by Riff Magazine,[36] number two by Insider[40] and number four by The Korea Herald.[41] It was also featured on unranked lists of the year's best K-pop songs by Nylon,[42]Teen Vogue,[43]Time,[44] and CNN Philippines, with many comments praising its retro-styled production that brought forth a nostalgic yet also modern feel.[45]
Commercially, "Hype Boy" debuted at number 116 on the Billboard Global 200[46] and peaked at number 52.[47] It set the record for the longest-charting song by a K-pop girl group on the Billboard Global 200 chart, spending 42 weeks in total.[48][49] In the group's native South Korea, "Hype Boy" was a commercial success, prompting TikTok dance challenges and covers by other K-pop groups.[29][50] On the music streaming service Melon, "Hype Boy" alongside "Ditto" and "OMG" occupied the top three spots of the most-listened-to songs for two consecutive months, making NewJeans the first musician to do so in the site's 18-year history.[51] By January 2023, it surpassed BTS' "Butter" as the most-streamed song on Spotify in South Korea.[50] On the national Circle Digital Chart, the single peaked at number two.[52] The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) certified it double platinum for surpassing 200 million streams in South Korea.[53] In Japan, "Hype Boy" peaked at number 41 on the Japan Hot 100 chart[54] and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for accumulating over 100 million streams.[55]
"Hype Boy" received one music program award on Inkigayo on April 2, 2023, despite being released eight months prior.[65] "Hype Boy" won Top 20 Songs of the Year (Overseas) at the 2022 Asian Pop Music Awards[66] and was nominated for Artist of the Year – Global Digital Music (August) at the 2023 Circle Chart Music Awards.[67] In November 2023, "Hype Boy" was voted the Song of the Year for 2023 by 200 music industry professionals in a survey conducted by JoyNews24.[68] At the 2024 Circle Chart Music Awards, "Hype Boy" won the Music Steady Seller of the Year award in recognition of its longevity on the music charts.[69]
^Park, Sung-hoo (August 4, 2022). "뉴진스, '엠카' 데뷔 성공적… 영상 조회수도 폭발" [NewJeans successfully debuted 'M Countdown'... Video views exploded]. JTBC (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Da-won (August 5, 2022). ‘엠카’ 뉴진스에 감겼다 ['M Countdown' wrapped in new jeans]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim, Hye-mi (August 12, 2022). 뉴진스 ‘Hype Boy’, 무대 공개...청량한 청청 패션 [New Jeans 'Hype Boy', stage reveal...refreshing blue fashion]. News Inside (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
^Jang, In-young (August 22, 2022). 뉴진스, '어텐션'으로 음방 4관왕…"행복한 시간" [New Jeans wins 4 music awards with 'Attention'... "Happy Hour"]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023 – via Naver.
^Lee, Seul (December 17, 2022). 엔딩은 진짜 Y2K 보아 '넘버원'…코요태→뉴진스 세대 통합 (종합)[KBS 가요대축제] [The ending is the real Y2K BoA 'Number One'... Koyote→NewJeans generation integration (comprehensive)[KBS Song Festival]]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^Ji, Min-kyung (August 11, 2023). ‘잼버리 K팝 콘서트’ 뉴진스→아이브, 빗속 화려한 피날레..4만 대원들 ‘열광’ [종합] ['Jamboree K-Pop Concert' NewJeans → Ive, spectacular finale in the rain... 40,000 members 'enthusiasm' [Comprehensive]]. Osen. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Naver.
^Koh, Seung-hee (August 4, 2023). 뉴진스, 美 ‘롤라팔루자 시카고’ 찢었다…7만 관객 ‘전곡 떼창’ [NewJeans tore up Lollapalooza Chicago... 70,000 spectators 'sing all songs together']. Herald Economy (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023 – via Naver.
^Lee, Jae-hoon (August 20, 2023). 뉴진스, 日 서머소닉 뜨자 3만명 떼창 [NewJeans, 30,000 people sang together when Japan's Summer Sonic was released]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (October 9, 2022). 뉴진스, 데뷔 79일만 첫 신인상 수상 “응원해주는 팬분들 감사” [New Jeans, first rookie award in 79 days since debut “Thank you to the fans who support you”]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim, Yu-jin (November 26, 2022). 지코 떴다…'아무노래' 흥 폭발 고경표, '안개' 무대에 탕웨이 눈물 [청룡영화상] [Zico is out... Go Kyung-pyo bursts with excitement in 'Any Song', and Tang Wei tears on the stage of 'The Fog' [Blue Dragon Film Awards]]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 11, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023 – via Naver.
^Jeon, Hyo-jin (November 27, 2023). 임영웅 5관왕→아이브·뉴진스, 올해의 신인…MMA2022 성료 [Lim Young-woong 5 crowns → Ive New Jeans, Rookie of the Year… Successful completion of MMA2022]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^Ahn, Byung-gil (November 27, 2022). 뉴진스 ‘MMA 2022’ 2관왕 [New Jeans 'MMA 2022' 2 crowns]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim Jong-eun (April 2, 2023). '인기가요' 뉴진스 1위…노정의·서범준 눈물의 하차 ['Inkigayo' NewJeans 1st place... Roh Jeong-eui and Seo Beom-joon get off with tears]. TV Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
^【APMA 2022】亚洲流行音乐大奖2022年度获奖名单 [[APMA 2022] Asian Pop Music Awards 2022 Winners List] (in Chinese). Weibo. December 28, 2022. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
^Jeong, Ji-won (November 6, 2023). [창간19년] 뉴진스, 올해의 가수·노래 싹쓸이..데뷔 2년만 '최고 가수'로 [[19 years since founding] NewJeans sweeps singer and song of the year... Named 'Best Singer' just 2 years after debut]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
^Lee, Da-gyeom (January 10, 2024). NCT 드림, ‘2023 써클차트’ 디지털 앨범상...올해의 가수상은 20팀(종합) [NCT Dream won the '2023 Circle Chart' Digital Album Award... Singer of the Year Award goes to 20 teams (Comprehensive)] (in Korean). Maeil Gyeongje. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024 – via Naver.