NewJeans unveil new group name amidst HYBE and ADOR feud

NewJeans have unveiled their new group name amid their ongoing feud with K-pop agency HYBE and its subsidiary ADOR – see what their new name is below.

• READ MORE: NewJeans vs HYBE: a comprehensive timeline of events

The news of NewJeans’ new identity comes as they’ve been announced a headliner for ComplexCon Hong Kong in March. It will mark their first performance under their new name, NJZ.

Speaking to CNN, the band’s Hanni explained that the rebrand comes as a means of “turning this rough period of time into something more exciting” and that the K-pop group are “working a lot to resolve everything so that we can go… back to normal”.

Hanni also added that NJZ are intending to move forward and hope that their ongoing disputes with ADOR and HYPE will not be “the focus” of their career.

In a press release regarding their ComplexCon Hong Kong performance, member Minji said: “We are thrilled to be stepping onto the stage for the first time as NJZ and share something new with everyone. It’s a big moment for us and we can’t wait for fans to be a part of this journey with us and show the world our new music that we have been eagerly waiting to share.”

CNN has since confirmed that NJZ will be debuting a new song during their headlining slot.

Further commenting on NJZ’s future, Hanni told CNN, “It’s definitely going to be very different to what people are familiar (with)… and the image that we debuted with,” adding that they also hope to “experiment with different types of performances.”

Hanni added: “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.”

Member Danielle also shared that they have “completely lost all trust at the moment” in ADOR and HYBE, and believes they “will win this battle”. Hanni added that NJZ believe “there’s nothing holding us back anymore”.

The official name-change comes just weeks after the group – then known as NewJeans – announced that they “have no intention of ever returning” to ADOR amid their legal battle with the agency and were cooking up a new identity.

In December 2024, ADOR filed a lawsuit to verify the validity of NewJeans’ contracts after the quintet announced the termination of their contracts with the label. In January, the HYBE subsidiary also filed an injunction against NewJeans to prevent them from signing brand deals as independent artists.

• READ MORE: NewJeans: “We want to show the industry that music shouldn’t be divided by language”

The injunction filing was the latest development in the explosive feud between HYBE, ADOR and NewJeans that dates back to April last year, when it was reported that the audit team of entertainment giant HYBE had launched an investigation into ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and an unnamed executive of the company. HYBE later confirmed that it did launch an audit into ADOR executives over a suspicion that they were trying to take control of the K-pop agency.

Min Hee-jin issued a statement accusing HYBE of “undermining” NewJeans’ success. She claimed HYBE had copied the “makeup, costumes, choreography, photos, videos and event appearances” of NewJeans for its latest girl group ILLIT, who debuted under separate subsidiary Belift Lab in late March.

Legal back-and-forths between ADOR and HYBE followed in the coming months, leading to Min Hee-jin’s alleged “involuntarily” stepping down as ADOR CEO. NewJeans then voiced their disapproval of the public feud and sided with Min and in November terminated their contracts with HYBE and ADOR. For a comprehensive breakdown of the former NME The Big Read cover stars‘ feud with ADOR and HYBE, click here.

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