“Legend never die” — Internet reacts to SNSD’s ‘Into The New World’ blasts in streets following President Yoon's impeachment bill passing

The streets of Seoul echoed with Girls' Generation's iconic debut track, Into the New World, as citizens reacted to the impeachment bill passing against South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The song, released in 2007 by the globally celebrated K-pop girl group SNSD, has long been an anthem of unity and hope during protests.

As news of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment vote passing broke on December 14, 2024, protesters gathered near the National Assembly, blasting Into the New World from speakers and singing in unison. The song also trended in real-time on all music platforms in South Korea on December 14.

Originally released on August 5, 2007, the song holds deep cultural significance. Its uplifting lyrics about overcoming challenges and walking into a brighter future have made it a staple at major demonstrations in South Korea. The song has been used during public protests since December 5, 2024, when Korean citizens demanded President Yoon Suk-yeol's resignation.

A viral video from Seoul showed Korean citizens protesters, including K-pop fans and University students, waving candles and glow sticks while singing the chorus—a scene reminiscent of earlier pro-democracy candlelight vigils. The clip was taken from MBC News' YouTube livestream feed and shared by the official X account of @AboutMusicYT on December 14, 2024.

On social media platforms like X, one user wrote,

"Legend never die."

Online users lauded South Korean citizens for protesting and demanding President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment in a unique way. Some fans hailed SNSD, aka Girl's Generation, as the "national girl group."

"Into The New World by Girls Generation is like "Bella Ciao" at this time." One fan wrote.

"The real legend and national girl group, no one can't replace them," another fan said.

"Into The New World perfectly captures the energy of change," another fan added.

Others highlighted that Girl's Generation will forever be "relevant and iconic."

"SNSD is truly the Nation's Girl Group. What an impactful and timeless debut song this is," one fan stated.

"Soshi-ah, you have become an artist who represents hope and resilience through your music. I'm proud to be your SONE, @GirlsGeneration." Another fan said.

"What a legacy. always giving the fans, even general public something to be immensely proud about. SNSD, you'll always be relevant and iconic," one other fan shared.

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President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment bill passed after his martial law crisis

President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment follows weeks of turmoil after he shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024. He claimed the measure was necessary to protect the nation's constitutional order from so-called anti-state elements and North Korean threats.

However, the move sparked outrage, as many viewed it as an authoritarian overreach. Parliament quickly intervened, unanimously passing a motion to lift martial law just hours later on December 4, 2024, around 4:30 am KST, including votes from President Yoon Suk-yeol's own ruling party members—the People Power Party.

The declaration marked the first martial law imposed in South Korea since 1980, a painful reminder of the country's authoritarian past. Livemint reported on December 4 that armored military troops with loaded guns and tanks briefly entered the National Assembly, intensifying public backlash.

On December 14, Al Jazeera reported that this week's successful impeachment bill followed an earlier attempt on December 7, where the process failed due to a walkout by members of President Yoon Suk-yeol's People Power Party. The lack of a quorum blocked the vote, further enraging citizens who demanded accountability.

On December 10, Reuters reported that following the martial law crisis, opposition lawmakers pushed for President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment on grounds of constitutional violations, abuse of power, and mismanagement. His decisions severely eroded public trust, leading to ongoing investigations and a travel ban imposed on him earlier this month.

Meanwhile, on December 14, during the second attempt at an impeachment vote, 204 lawmakers voted in favor of the passing while the rest 85 cast against it.

The impeachment bill will now be reviewed by South Korea's Constitutional Court, where six out of nine justices must approve it for Yoon Suk-yeol's removal from office to be finalized. If upheld, he would become the second South Korean president to be impeached after Park Geun-hye's removal in 2017.

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In other news, the K-pop group Girls' Generation hasn't disbanded yet and went into an unannounced hiatus so that the members could focus on their solo activities.