"The NYT seeing through Hybe's lies"— Fans react as New York Times seemingly shades NewJeans' parent label amid the group's ongoing conflict

Fans of the K-pop group NewJeans are celebrating after their song Supernatural made it to The New York Times' list of the "Best Songs of 2024," released on December 9. Not only did the song stand out as the sole K-pop entry, but the recognition also brought attention to a surprising and seemingly subtle dig at NewJeans' parent company, HYBE.

The timing of this mention, amidst the ongoing legal battle between the group and their agency ADOR (a subsidiary of HYBE), has fueled further speculation. The New York Times article praised Supernatural as a standout track, highlighting its "nostalgically precise and modernly sophisticated" qualities.

However, a particular line in the review caught the attention of many fans. The statement read,

"Why anyone would want to get in the way of the most stylistically impressive K-pop group of the past few years making tremendous, nostalgically precise and modernly sophisticated songs like this one is beyond me."

This seemingly pointed remark was seen by many as an indirect commentary on the group's struggles with their label. In recent months, NewJeans has been at the center of a legal controversy, after announcing their intention to terminate their exclusive contract with ADOR, citing breaches of agreement by both HYBE and ADOR.

Fans flocked to social media to comment on the subtle shade. An X user, @twitreader17, wrote,

"The NYT seeing through Hybe's lies and casually shading them was not on my bingo card this year."

Others also joined in applauding the quintet for their global recognition and subtly criticizing the label for its treatment of the group.

"say it louder for the people in the back!," an X user wrote.

"I hope they can continue surprising us with new cool music, away from that disgusting company. New group name is okay, we will be there for them," a fan mentioned.

"EVEN the NYT shades Hybe lmaoo atp Hybe/Fakedor has become a clown of a company," another netizen commented.

"ouuu the hybe shade," a person wrote.

Some fans also pointed out how Western media consistently praise NewJeans, highlighting their achievements in a positive light.

"notice how all international media only have good things to say about NewJeans," a fan remarked.

"Everyone agrees HYBE fumbling NewJeans is gonna be the loss of the decade," another user wrote on X.

"NewJeans out here earning praise from The New York Times. Stylistically impressive, nostalgic, modern—it’s called RANGE, and they own it," a netizen commented.

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More about NewJeans' track Supernatural and their ongoing dispute with ADOR

The release of Supernatural in June 2024 marked their entry into the Japanese market, where the song quickly topped the charts and earned a Gold disc certification. The music critic for The New York Times, Jon Caramanica praised the track by naming it as one of the most impressive and stylish K-pop tracks in years.

The conflict between NewJeans and their label, ADOR, centers on the group's decision to terminate their contracts, citing breaches of trust and dissatisfaction with management.

In November 2024, all five members of the group held a press conference to detail grievances, including unresolved issues and poor treatment. They pledged to remain united and continue their journey, even if unable to use their original name.

ADOR, however, rejected the allegations, asserting that the contracts remain valid and criticizing the group's public announcement as premature. The label expressed a willingness to negotiate and urged the members to fulfill their contractual obligations

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The group emphasized that they had upheld their end of the contract and should not be penalized. The lawsuit that followed from ADOR seeking to validate the contract has only added fuel to the fire.