In a recent post on the popular online community theqoo, a netizen has sparked a heated debate surrounding NewJeans' latest collaboration with renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.

The controversy revolves around the cover art of their Japanese release album, titled "Supernatural," which prominently features Murakami's iconic "Smiling Flower" motif.

Murakami, known for his vibrant and often whimsical art style, created the "Smiling Flower" as a symbol with deeper historical connotations.

According to the post, the flower is not merely a cheerful design but is rooted in the artist's reflection on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

It symbolizes the juxtaposition of smiling faces hiding deep-seated despair and trauma among the Japanese people affected by these tragic events.

The netizen's explanation included details that in English-speaking countries, the flower is known as the 'Happy Flower' or 'Murakami Flower,' while in Korea, it is referred to as the 'Rainbow Flower' or 'Smiling Flower.'

NewJeans Supernatural POP-UP 머치 리스트

무라카미 다카시, 후지와라 히로시와 함께
새롭게 돌아온 뉴진스 머치들을 공개합니다.

🗓️2024.6.26 - 2024.7.10 KST
📍라인프렌즈 스퀘어 명동
📍라인프렌즈 스퀘어 온라인(26일 11:00AM (KST) 출시)

📢NewJeans x MURAKAMI 리유저블백M/L, 파우치는… pic.twitter.com/wEot2EP8gL

— LINE FRIENDS SQUARE (@LINEFRIENDSinfo) June 19, 2024

The post emphasized that Murakami's art consistently touches upon themes related to Japan's historical trauma, making the use of such imagery a sensitive and controversial choice.

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Responses from other netizens flooded the comments section, expressing a spectrum of reactions.

Many admitted they were unaware of the flower's deeper meaning until now, highlighting a perceived oversight in cultural sensitivity by NewJeans and those involved in the collaboration.

Some compared this situation to past controversies where groups have faced backlash for insensitive use of imagery related to historical tragedies.

• "I didn't know that the smiling flower has such a meaning."
• "Some other groups even apologized for wearing T-shirts with bomb images. NewJeans and Min Hee Jin should apologize, too."
• "You need to check very carefully whatever you do in Japan. That's why I hate Japan."
• "If it were another group, the collaboration would have received a lot of criticism."
• "Didn't Min Hee Jin plan this? Whoever planned this, shouldn't you have researched more carefully? I have nothing to say."
• "Are there any positive articles about NewJeans lately?"
• "Oh... I didn't know this. I hope Korean groups can check the information more carefully when doing promotions in Japan. That's disappointing."

The comments reflect a mixture of surprise, disappointment, and calls for accountability, with some questioning the oversight in research and planning that led to the use of such culturally significant imagery without full understanding or acknowledgment of its implications.

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KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Cassidy Jones.