'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On February 7, 2025, NewJeans rebranded as "NJZ" to pursue independent activities, amid a legal dispute between their agency, ADOR, and parent company HYBE. Fans are excited about the group's new direction. The conflict began in late 2024 when the members raised concerns about mistreatment and contractual breaches by ADOR.
In November 2024, the members announced the termination of their exclusive contracts with ADOR, citing violations related to artist protection and management practices. ADOR refuted these claims, asserting that the contracts remained valid and cautioning the members against independent activities.
On February 7, 2025, the group unveiled its new name, NJZ, through a post on X, stating:
"Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein’s new group name: NJZ. Get ready for an exciting journey with NJZ in 2025! Stay tuned!"
Trending
On February 7, group member Hanni explained in a CNN interview,
"Even though we have to leave our previous name behind us for a bit, we’re not fully moving on from it. And we don’t want to either, because (being NewJeans) was still a very special period of time to us, and it’s something that our fans also probably hold really dear."
Fans rallied behind NJZ, expressing unwavering support for the group's decision to pursue independent activities. One fan wrote on X:
"let's gooooo!! welcome back queens"
Fans filled social media with messages of support and wishes for the girls rebranding their group.
"For people that don't follow K-pop, this is like the Beatles coming back," a fan wrote.
"Remember they are still THEE NewJeans. their music, journey, artistry and so on are still them. you can’t take away their art and hard work," another fan added.
"You could say they were BORN AGAIN," another fan wrote.
However, some fans noted that amidst an ongoing dual lawsuit, rebranding the group name could invite more legal lawsuits.
"Let's see if they will do just as well now that they are not in Hybe, there will only be one way to know if their successful debut was thanks to Hybe or just to the music," a fan commented.
"Why are they making that court case even hard to win," another fan noted.
"Are they looking to get into more legal battles?" another fan added.
Timeline highlights: Evolving nature of the conflict between NewJeans, ADOR, and HYBE
The ongoing contract dispute between K-pop girl group NewJeans and their agency, ADOR, captivated industry observers and fans alike. This conflict, intertwined with internal tensions involving ADOR's former CEO Min Hee-jin and parent company HYBE, unfolded over several months.
Below is a detailed timeline of the events leading up to the current situation:
April 2024: Initiation of Internal Audit
In April 2024, HYBE initiated an audit of its subsidiary, ADOR, amid allegations that CEO Min Hee-jin was attempting to make ADOR independent. Following the audit, HYBE requested Min to step down from her position on April 22, 2024.
Min Hee-jin refuted these claims, accusing HYBE of neglecting issues related to alleged similarities between NewJeans and another HYBE group, ILLIT. She asserted that HYBE and its sub-label Belift Lab failed to address concerns over Illit allegedly plagiarizing NewJeans' image and style.
April 25, 2024: Min Hee-jin's Press Conference
On April 25, 2024, Min Hee-jin held a press conference to deny the accusations against her. She shared text messages exchanged with HYBE's leadership, alleging that the company fabricated her words and ignored her concerns about their treatment of NewJeans and her role as a producer.
Min Hee-jin accused HYBE's leadership of attempting to control all sub-labels, thereby removing their uniqueness.
May 30, 2024: Min Hee-jin stays as HYBE shareholder
HYBE sued Min Hee-jin with a criminal and civil lawsuit for privacy breach, conspiring with Dunamu to crash HYBE stocks, leaking business secrets to foreign investors, and taking over ADOR & NewJeans. HYBE ordered Min Hee-jin to step down as ADOR's CEO and called an emergency shareholders meeting on May 30.
However, she filed an injunction to prevent the company from using its majority shareholder voting rights during the meeting. Min Hee-jin won the temporary injunction, and HYBE couldn't vote during the meeting despite owning 80% of ADOR's shares. Consequently, the ADOR board was replaced with new members; however, Min Hee-jin stayed as the label CEO.
August 2024: Min Hee-jin Steps Down as CEO
In August 2024, Min Hee-jin was fired as CEO of ADOR by the independent ADOR board of directors. HYBE CHRO, Kim Joo-Young, succeeded her as the new label CEO.
September 11, 2024: NewJeans' Livestream Ultimatum
On September 11, 2024, the members of NewJeans—Hanni, Minji, Haerin, Danielle, and Hyein—held a surprise YouTube livestream demanding Min Hee-jin's reinstatement as CEO.
They emphasized her integral role in their identity and set a deadline of September 25 for her reinstatement. Despite their efforts, the request was not fulfilled.
November 13, 2024: Notice of Contract Breaches
On November 13, 2024, NewJeans sent a signed certificate of contents to ADOR, demanding the agency rectify "grave breaches of the exclusive contracts" within 14 days. They signaled their intention to terminate their contracts if the issues were not addressed.
The group cited mistreatment and failure to protect their interests as primary concerns. Among their list of demands, they also stated the re-appointment of Min Hee-jin as ADOR's CEO.
November 28-29, 2024: Contract Termination
On November 28, 2024, NewJeans announced their decision to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR, citing the label's failure to protect them and fulfill contractual obligations. The following day, they proceeded with the termination. ADOR disputed the validity of this action, asserting that the contracts remained legally binding.
December 3, 2024: ADOR's Legal Action
In response to the contract termination, ADOR filed a lawsuit on December 3, 2024, with the Seoul Central District Court to prevent NewJeans from terminating their exclusive contract. ADOR maintained that the contract could not be unilaterally terminated and sought legal intervention to resolve the dispute.
November 20, 2024: Min Hee-jin's Resignation
On November 20, 2024, Min Hee-jin resigned from all positions at ADOR and HYBE, including internal director, due to a long-standing dispute with HYBE, which started with an alleged illegal audit in April.
Min Hee-jin expressed intentions to terminate her shareholders' agreement with HYBE and pursue legal actions against the company.
January 9, 2025: Allegations Against Min Hee-jin
On January 9, 2025, Chairman Park Jung-kyu of tech company Davolink alleged that Min Hee-jin had made efforts to "poach" NewJeans. He mentioned previous discussions with Min Hee-jin regarding potential investment and the possibility of NewJeans leaving ADOR to sign exclusive contracts with another company.
The Korea Herald reported on January 9, 2025, that Min Hee-jin reportedly suggested that Davolink Chairman Park Jung-kyu invest 5 billion won (around $3.43 million) into NewJeans. Park declined this proposal due to perceived risks.
Instead, he proposed an alternative: Min could assume management rights at Davolink in partnership with a relative of a NewJeans member, who would acquire the tech company under his own name. This strategy, according to Park, would enable him to profit from selling his shares while mitigating potential risks.
As of February 2025, the legal battle between NewJeans and ADOR is ongoing. ADOR filed a lawsuit challenging the group's contract termination and a separate injunction. The injunction hearing is set for March 7, 2025. The lawsuit hearing is set for April 3, 2025, at 11:30 AM KST, at the Seoul Central District Court.
Furthermore, NewJeans aka NJZ is set to make their debut performance under their new name at ComplexCon Hong Kong, scheduled from March 21 to 23, 2025.
