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On February 12, 2025, NewJeans aka NJZ's Hanni's ongoing Visa complications made headlines. During a session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Representative Park Ji-won of the Democratic Party raised concerns regarding the visa issues of Hanni in a pointed exchange with Acting Minister of Justice Kim Seok-woo.
The discussion centered on the challenges that foreign entertainers face in South Korea, especially amid contractual disputes with their agencies.
During the National Assembly session, Representative Park Ji-won questioned Acting Minister Kim Seok-woo about the Ministry of Justice's stance on Hanni's situation. He emphasized the broader implications for foreign artists in South Korea, highlighting the need for clear guidelines to prevent similar issues in the future.
Acting Minister Kim acknowledged the complexities of the case, noting that the Ministry is closely monitoring the ongoing legal proceedings between NewJeans and ADOR. He stated,
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"Our working group is currently reviewing the matter. I will also look into this matter carefully."
In response, Representative of the Democratic Party, Park Ji-won stressed on South Korea's ongoing " export difficulties" and said,
"As it is, our country is already facing export difficulties, and citizens are very angry about various issues. I hope the Ministry of Justice will take appropriate measures to allow these idols to continue their activities freely and at their discretion."
However, on February 11, 2025, Sports Chosun reported that Hanni refused to sign ADOR's Visa documentation process.
Meanwhile, on February 12, 2025, Hankyoreh Newspaper reported that Hanni received a renewed Visa from an administrative body which allowed her to stay in South Korea through a legal proceeding.
NewJeans' contract dispute with ADOR and Hanni's Visa complications
NewJeans has been embroiled in a legal battle with their agency, ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation. The conflict intensified following the firing of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin in August 2024. The group demanded her reinstatement, citing concerns over management practices.
When their ultimatum was not met by November 27, 2024, the members announced the termination of their contracts with ADOR on November 28, alleging mistreatment and manipulation by the agency.
Meanwhile, Hanni, born Phạm Ngọc Hân, holds dual citizenship in Australia and Vietnam. As a foreign national working in South Korea, she was granted an E-6 (entertainment) visa, which is contingent upon an active contract with a registered entertainment agency.
Following the group's contract termination with ADOR, concerns arose regarding the validity of Hanni's visa, which was nearing its expiration in December 2024. Without a sponsoring agency, renewing the E-6 visa becomes legally challenging.
On December 20, 2024, an anonymous individual reported Hanni to the Ministry of Justice's Immigration and Foreigner Policy Headquarters, alleging that she was residing illegally in South Korea due to her visa complications. The Seoul Immigration Office responded, stating,
"We will take appropriate action once the employment relationship between the parties is resolved."
This indicates that any immigration enforcement would be deferred until the conclusion of the legal dispute between NewJeans and ADOR.
In response to NewJeans' contract termination declaration on November 28, 2024, ADOR contested the termination, asserting that the contracts remained valid and initiating legal action to prevent the members from engaging in independent activities.
Amid the ongoing legal battles and public scrutiny, the members of NewJeans announced a rebranding to NJZ on February 7, 2025. The rebranding was unveiled alongside the announcement that NJZ would co-headline the ComplexCon festival in Hong Kong in March 2025, where they planned to debut a new song.
On February 7, 2025, in an interview with CNN, Hanni explained the rationale behind the rebranding saying,
"There’s nothing holding us back anymore. Even though we have to leave our previous name behind us for a bit, we're not fully moving on from it. It's definitely going to be very different to what people are familiar [with]... and the image that we debuted with."
Hanni further added that the NJZ rebranding would be different than what NewJeans represented. She explained that NJZ would show "streetwear and non-gendered" as their new fashion compared to NewJeans' "‘girl next door" image. She said,
“It’s definitely going to be very different to what people are familiar (with) … and the image that we debuted with. Beforehand, we were very focused on being the kind of ‘girl next door’… So, we’re going for a (look that’s) a lot more sharp, a lot more bold. And fashion-wise: We love wearing streetwear and non-gendered kind of clothing.”
In other news, NewJeans aka NJZ's first hearing for ADOR's injunction is scheduled on March 7, 2025, followed by their first lawsuit hearing on April 3.
