NewJeans members Minji and Hanni have reportedly flown to Rome, Italy, for a break amidst the group's ongoing legal dispute with their label, ADOR. The duo shared photos from their Roman holiday on the Instagram handle @/mhdhh_friends on April 13, 2025, and the posts quickly went viral.
The location of their trip was revealed when they posted a photo taken in front of the Pantheon. They also used NewJeans' songs in the stories. The photos included a string of random images, like a photo of the Pantheon, a collection of rubber ducks, the members' solo photos with their backs to the camera, and a wall art with the caption "If you happen to see us, just come say hi."
According to Sports Seoul, the two members have been roaming Rome without a manager or security. They also reportedly visited Vatican City. The members had mentioned wanting to travel to someplace where no one could recognize them.
Meanwhile, some fans spotted the duo and shared pictures on their blogs. One netizen on X wrote:
"250412 #NewJeans Minji (w/ Hanni) "Found a great Chinese restaurant in Rome!! We ate so much" NewJeans found freedom."
Other fans also reacted to the members' travel escape on social media.
"That's good. Hopefully, they'll see the light." a fan wrote
They're adults and can go wherever they want. Is it really that hard to see the girls are trying to find some piece of mind when they are being harassed by people online all the time? They are still young. Keeping tabs on them is weird as fuck. Stop your obsession. It's dangerous" another fan wrote
""when in rome, do as the chinese do" ahh" a user wrote
While many fans loved that the young K-pop idols were taking a break, some poked fun at the members' exit from the country amidst the ongoing legal dispute with ADOR.
"Then why are they posting on Instagram? Isn't that attention seeking" a user wrote
"What’re they doing in Rome? Shouldn’t they be saving up that money for the penalties?" a fan replied
"That’s some kind of main character syndrome + extreme celebrity syndrome combo lol" another fan replied
What has NewJeans (NJZ) been doing recently since the court ruling in March?
After the court ruled in favor of ADOR, NewJeans halted its activities under the name NJZ. However, the group performed a new track at the ComplexCon festival in Hong Kong shortly after the ruling. Following their performance, they announced a hiatus, stating they would not be able to participate anywhere as NJZ. They are required to operate under the name NewJeans, with the group rights solely with ADOR.
The court ruling came after ADOR filed an injunction against the group. The dispute began in November 2024, when the members requested that the label terminate their contracts. They also launched separate social media accounts, which have since been deactivated following the court's ruling.
Since the hiatus, the members have been seemingly quiet.