The number of users who searched for the girl group LUCYNE on the music platform Melon has increased more than 65-fold since the catchphrase "Geoje ya-ho" appeared. Interest that began as an online meme spread to group searches and increased music streaming, driving the group's signature song to No. 1 on the charts.
According to Melon on the 13th, as of on the 4th, the number of users who searched for LUCYNE rose 6,550% compared with Mar. 20, when the YouTube video featuring "Geoje ya-ho" was released.
The trigger for the surge in search volume was leader Woni's YouTube video. In a video shot with the "gyaru" concept, a fashion style popular in Japan, Woni, who is from Geoje, said, "If you go to Geoje like this, the citizens of Geoje will scold you, seriously," and Japanese member Minami replied, "Geoje yaho!"
That scene quickly spread across social media and online communities, becoming one of this spring's defining memes. As the catchphrase's popularity turned into interest in the members and the group, the number of Melon search users also climbed steeply.
The rise in search volume also carried over to existing music consumption. LUCYNE's signature track "Love Attack" saw streams increase 2,019% as of the end of last month compared with February, when the group's YouTube channel launched. Over the same period, the number of listeners increased 977%.
The track climbed as high as No. 65 on Melon's daily chart in May last year, nine months after release, marking one rebound. After gradually slipping down the chart, the song's ranking surged again after "Geoje ya-ho" drew attention in March this year. On the 8th, LUCYNE topped Melon's Top 100 chart for the first time, 2 years and 4 months after debut.