Into the New World (song)

The physical edition of "Into the New World" debuted at number 5 on the chart for August 2007 compiled by the Music Industry Association of Korea (MIAK), selling 10,823 copies in its first month of release.[5] It was the 41st best-selling CD release of 2007 in South Korea, selling 22,818 physical copies in total.[6] In 2010, the single peaked at number 2 on the Gaon Album Chart for the chart issue dated April 18–24, based on physical sales.[7] It became the 9th best-selling release of April 2010 in South Korea.[8]

The song experienced a resurgence in 2016 when Ewha Women's University students sang it during part of their peaceful protest against the university whilst facing 1600 police officers.[9] Girls' Generation member Tiffany responded that

"As SNSD, it was a proud moment. Right now is the generation for feminists, and it’s an era where messages of women empowering other women are important. I feel like our song played that role, so my heart was happy."[10]

Fellow member Yuri also expressed similar sentiments:

"I saw the video several times, and I even cried because my heart was overcome with emotion. It was a moment when I felt a huge sense of pride as a singer. It was a message that I wanted to deliver through my work, and the inspiration that we wanted to deliver through music and performance was being realized, so it was unlike anything else. At the time when we debuted, I didn’t fully understand the lyrics so I might have been imitating it with bright eyes. But as time passes and I listen to the song, the lyrics touch me even more."[10]

During the 2016–2017 South Korean protests, the song, along with Big Bang's "Bang Bang Bang" (2015) and Twice's "Cheer Up" (2016), was sung widely in public squares, leading to it becoming the "morning dew" of the young generation and led to it placing number one on Melon's real-time charts almost 10 years after its release.[11][12][13]

In 2020, the song was used during an anti-government rally as part of the 2020 Thai protests. Some protesters were already aware of the song's usage during protests in Korea. K-pop fans helped translate and memorize meaningful lyrics for protesters to sing along.[14]

This song is often covered in survival shows, special stages of music charts and award shows. In the first season of Produce 101, it was used as one of the debut song missions,[15][16] it was also used for the first evaluation in Finding Momoland.[17] In Idol School in 2017, it was used as a preliminary vocal assessment.[18] The 9 winners from the show, Fromis 9, performed the song again for M! Countdown's 600th episode.[19] In 2016 at KBS Gaon Music Awards, GFriend, I.O.I, Twice and Red Velvet covered the song.[20] After member Jessica left Girls' Generation, the song was also changed into a ballad version for live concert performances.[21] Hyoyeon also admitted on Secret Unnies that the choreography was prepared as far back as a year before SNSD's debut.[22] The ballad version of the song was used as a diagnostics tool in Produce 48. In that cover, Kim Chae-won and Nako Yabuki went on to become members of Iz*One.[23]