Who is currently the most popular K-pop girl group? Depending on the criteria, the answer may vary, but when measured by global monthly listeners on Spotify, BLACKPINK tops the list.
As of September 17 KST, BLACKPINK records approximately 31.98 million monthly listeners, making them the highest-ranked K-pop girl group on the platform. (Note: This excludes fictional group HUNTR/X from the animation ‘KPOP Demon Hunters’, with 51.75 million listeners, and HYBE’s U.S.-localized group KATSEYE, which has 30.07 million.)
Coming in second is TWICE, with 26.55 million monthly listeners, making them the only other K-pop girl group with over 20 million monthly listeners.
What’s truly noteworthy, however, is who comes in third: NewJeans.
Despite having suspended all activities, NewJeans maintains around 13.51 million monthly listeners, edging out competitors like LE SSERAFIM (13.50 million), ILLIT (11.08 million), aespa (11.07 million), IVE (7.72 million), and i-dle (7.01 million).
Their popularity is not limited to Spotify. On YouTube Music, NewJeans ranked 18th on the Global Weekly Artist Chart (Sept 5–11) with 5.28 million views, while tracks like “Hype Boy” and “How Sweet” still chart on Melon’s TOP 100.
The irony is that all of this success is happening while NewJeans remains completely inactive. Following a court ruling that sided with ADOR (the agency formerly led by Min Hee Jin), NewJeans has not appeared on any stage since their performance at ComplexCon Hong Kong nearly six months ago.
This disconnect between commercial popularity and public presence has sparked disappointment among fans and insiders alike.
“People in the industry often say—half-joking, half-serious—that NewJeans could’ve become the most legendary K-pop girl group if they had been allowed to continue promoting,” said one insider in an interview “If they resume activities in any form, they could reclaim their position faster than expected.”
Recently, 53 NewJeans fan communities issued a joint statement under the name “Solidarity for Reconciliation and K-pop Advancement”, urging both HYBE and Min Hee Jin to reconcile and resume NewJeans’ activities. They demanded public apologies, guarantees against recurrence, Min Hee Jin’s reinstatement as ADOR’s CEO, and the immediate return of NewJeans to full activity.
However, progress remains elusive. The second mediation session regarding NewJeans’ exclusive contract, held on the 11th, ended in just 20 minutes without resolution. On the same day, Min Hee Jin faced HYBE in a separate trial concerning stock buybacks and shareholder agreements, further underscoring the deep rift between the two parties.
Now, the fate of NewJeans rests in the court’s hands. If they win the legal battle, independent promotions may be possible. If they lose, they must decide whether to continue under ADOR, enter a silent hiatus until the contract ends, or pay penalties and leave to start anew elsewhere.
What is certain, however, is that even a burning flame will eventually fade without fuel.
And for NewJeans, that fuel has always been their fans—fans who now desperately await their return.
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