“It’s time to wake up from your dream” — Kim & Chang’s former lawyer slams NJZ over alleged anti-Korean remarks and ignoring court orders

Kim & Chang’s former lawyer Ko Sang-rok (Phil Law Firm), who once supported NJZ and Min Hee-jin, is now "worried." After reading the K-pop group’s TIME interview, he thinks they are not handling their fight with HYBE the right way.

He has pointed out that they bypassed legal channels by taking their case to the National Assembly. After that failed, they turned to Western media that have been critical of K-pop’s training system, framing themselves as "martyrs."

“When all the lies were exposed in the evidence submitted by their lawyer to the court... it was advantageous, the essence of this matter cannot be covered by the fact that they are in an interview with foreign medias in English and act as a female warrior. Now it's time to wake up from your dream," lawyer Ko writes in a post on his YouTube channel.

Lawyer Ko has criticized the girl group’s approach, saying that they initially supported Min Hee-jin while attacking HYBE, other labels, and their artists. He has stated that NJZ is now disregarding court rulings and portraying Korea negatively. He adds:

“If you take this attitude immediately after the court's judgment comes out, it is difficult to avoid criticism... it is difficult to improve and develop it in a way that insults, slanders, and demonizes the system."

Mr. Ko has emphasized that success requires respect, courtesy, and cooperation with seniors and colleagues. He has also stated that if someone prefers to prioritize personal freedom or financial gain, they should still fulfill their contract. They can then leave the organization at an appropriate time to pursue their own career.

Attorney Ko is known as a devoted NJZ fan in online circles. He called out HYBE during the group's first press conference last September.

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NJZ to debut Pit Stop at ComplexCon while facing legal battle with ADOR

NJZ is set to premiere their new song, Pit Stop, at ComplexCon 2025 today. The group teased the song on their independent X account on March 22, 2025, posting a simple “D-1.”

The song’s premiere comes just 48 hours after the Seoul Central District Court ruled in ADOR’s favor, granting an injunction that blocks NJZ members from securing independent advertising deals and reinforces the agency’s authority over their professional engagements. However, the group posted on Instagram confirming their presence, saying:

“After much deliberation, we have decided to participate in the coming ComplexCon scheduled for March 23. This decision was made out of respect for our fans and all stakeholders involved, to prevent unnecessary disruption or harm to those who have been looking forward to the performance.”

The highly anticipated comeback follows a long pause in activities. NJZ’s five members stopped promotions last April after filing a legal case against their former agency, citing mistreatment.