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Amid the ongoing contractual conflict between K-pop group NewJeans and their agency ADOR, reports of a possible rebranding to "Jeanz" sparked widespread discussion among fans on the Korean online forum, Instiz. The update comes after a series of tumultuous events involving management disputes, legal battles, and rising tensions with between NewJeans and ADOR's parent company, HYBE.
On December 14, 2024, the Attention girl group opened a new Instagram account, 'jeanzforfree', and shared their first post. Fans noted the group's unprecedented move to prepare meals for supporters who attended President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment rally on the same day.
The account gained over 1.4 million followers within a few hours. As of December 15, the account has over 2.4 million followers.
This gesture was widely appreciated, as it emphasized the group’s resilience and commitment to their fanbase, known as "Bunnies," despite their ongoing feud with their label, ADOR.
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Fans online have been vocal in supporting the group’s efforts to regain autonomy. However, this has not been officially confirmed, leaving fans speculating about the group's next move.
One fan wrote:
"Of course, it’s their brand, their concept, their idea, they are not gonna abandon it completely and let some other group steal and co-op it"
Despite the uncertainty, fans have rallied around NewJeans, praising their bold stance after terminating their group contract with ADOR in late November 2024.
"They’re planning to rebrand as NewJeanz or Jeanz and drop a new album under that name without redebuting with a completely new brand or concept. Honestly, I think that’s genius," one fan wrote.
"They will drop the word ‘New’ because ‘NewJeanz’ it will sound too similar from the original name & that can get them sued. They will probably used just Jeanz (close enough to NJ name). Not to mention… JeanZ = GenZ. All members are GenZ too," another fan noted.
"It's truly a beautiful name with many layers of meaning. Even before I became a fan, when I first learned about the group's name, I was already impressed," one other fan said.
More reactions read:
"As the second stage of their career, perhaps losing “New” is totally appropriate," one fan stated.
"Crying cause newjeans and their team are so perfect together. from the concept to the merch and all the way to the music; the quality is top-notch. they don't need to resort to tricks to get numbers because the art speaks for itself. This group is truly one of a kind," another fan added.
"Tbh I love the name jeanz sm idc if we end up losing newjeans," one other fan said.
More about NewJeans's conflict with ADOR and contract termination
Tensions between NewJeans and ADOR escalated dramatically when the group delivered an ultimatum demanding the reinstatement of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin via a certified letter on November 14, 2024.
Min Hee-jin resigned on November 20, 2024, amid escalating disagreements with HYBE. Her resignation followed earlier dismissal and reinstatement as ADOR's inside director after shareholders reversed her firing earlier this year.
NewJeans argued that Min Hee-jin's absence compromised their trust in the company, leading them to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR on November 28, citing breaches and a toxic management environment.
The group made it clear that unless Min Hee-jin was reappointed as ADOR's CEO, they refused to work under the current management.
On December 5, Forbes reported that ADOR refuted the group's claims, maintaining that the contracts remain legally valid until 2029. The label filed a lawsuit against the girl group at the Seoul Central District Court.
Additionally, on December 13, SPOTV News reported that the Korean Management Companies Association (KMCA) issued a formal statement urging NewJeans to honor their existing contracts and warning of potential legal consequences. KMCA said:
"You must faithfully fulfill your exclusive contract and negotiate through sincere dialogue with the agency, but if you cannot reach an agreement, you must humbly await the judgment of the judiciary. New Jeans are not the only ones in the popular music industry."
They continued:
"Many senior artists, executives and staff of other agencies, and colleagues and junior artists who have seen the members of New Jeans and developed their dreams are all doing their best in their respective positions. Please be cautious, remembering that New Jeans' position as artists representing K-pop is by no means small."
On December 14, 2024, Shinhan Financial Group reportedly dropped NewJeans as their brand model. Money Today reported that the banking conglomerate didn't renew the advertisement contract which is scheduled to end in March 2025.
