K-Pop Sensation NewJeans Takes Over Times Square for Pepero Day Surprise

Lotte Wellfood in South Korea is launching a large outdoor advertisement in New York's Times Square to promote Pepero Day for the second year in a row.

From October 21 to November 11, the company is showcasing a digital advertisement on the massive screen of the TSX Broadway building in Times Square. This year's campaign is even larger than last year's, focusing on the busiest area of Times Square to introduce the Pepero brand and Pepero Day to both locals and tourists.

The slogan for this advertising campaign is "Show your love with Pepero." This reflects the holiday's origins as a day for Korean middle school girls to share friendship, which has now evolved into a popular Korean cultural day for sharing warm feelings.

The advertisement features NewJeans, the brand ambassador for Pepero. NewJeans is a five-member South Korean girl group that has taken the K-pop world by storm since their debut in July 2022. The group consists of members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, whose ages ranged from 14 to 18 at the time of their debut. Known for their fresh sound and innovative concepts, NewJeans has quickly risen to prominence in the global music scene.

In the video, the NewJeans members are shown preparing for Pepero Day by thinking of family, friends, and neighbors to give Pepero to, and writing messages on the product packaging. This aligns with NewJeans' image as relatable and down-to-earth idols, often described as having a "girl next door" charm. The ad also showcases Pepero's signature colors - red, yellow, and green - to effectively display the brand's identity.

NewJeans' participation in this campaign is particularly noteworthy given their rapid rise to fame. Since their debut, they have broken several records, including becoming the fastest Korean act to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, achieving this feat in just 219 days. Their music, which blends genres such as R&B, electropop, and hip hop, has been praised for its unique sound reminiscent of the 1990s and 2000s.

Pepero is currently exported to about 50 countries, including the United States, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. In the first half of this year, export sales reached approximately 32.5 billion won, surpassing domestic sales for the first time since the product's launch. This represents a growth of about 30% compared to the same period last year.

The collaboration between Pepero and NewJeans for this global campaign demonstrates the growing influence of K-pop and Korean culture worldwide. It also highlights how brands are leveraging the popularity of K-pop groups to reach a broader, international audience.