K-pop girl group NewJeans — comprising members (clockwise from top left) Haerin, Hyein, Danielle, Hanni and Minji — have rebranded themselves as NJZ after unilaterally exiting their label Ador. Image: Instagram/@njz_official
K-pop group NewJeans have unveiled their new name, NJZ. The quintet is made up of members Haerin, Hyein, Danielle, Hanni and Minji. They have rebranded themselves after announcing their unilateral exit from the label Ador on Nov. 28 amid contractual disputes and allegations of mismanagement.
The moniker was revealed on Friday, Feb. 7, on an Instagram account the girl group made following their exit. The account was originally called @jeanzforfree but has since been changed to @njz_official. The new name accompanied news that the group will be performing in March at Hong Kong’s ComplexCon music festival, alongside South Korean rapper Zico and American hip-hop artist Metro Boomin.
Article continues after this advertisementOn the festival’s social media account and official site, the group is credited as NJZ. ComplexCon is slated to take place from March 21 to 23.
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Ador denies it mistreated or mismanaged NewJeans and asserts the band remains under its contract. The two sides are set for a protracted legal dispute.
Article continues after this advertisementNewJeans made their debut under Ador in 2022 and broke out with viral hits such as Hype Boy (2022), OMG (2023) and Super Shy (2023).
Article continues after this advertisementTheir discord with their label came after the former chief executive of Ador, Ms. Min Hee-jin, got into a public feud with the label’s parent company, K-pop giant Hype, in April 2024. Ms. Min, also the original producer behind NewJeans, was later dismissed from the label. NewJeans members publicly expressed support for her and asked for her reinstatement, along with other demands, in an ultimatum sent to Ador. They announced the termination of their contract with Ador after the demands were not met.
Article continues after this advertisementIn an exclusive interview with American outlet CNN following their rebrand, Australia-born Danielle, 19, said: “It feels like a new beginning; it feels fresh and exciting. And we just can’t wait to get back there and meet Bunnies (the name given to their fans).”
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Meanwhile, South Korean member Minji, 20, said she felt a bit nervous but “amazing” about moving forward.
Article continues after this advertisementAustralia-born member Hanni, 20, who is of Vietnamese descent, added that the group endured “a lot of mistreatment, a lot of mismanagement” while under Ador and have lost trust in the label.
South Korean members Haerin, 18, and Hyein, 16, said fans can look forward to a new song from the group in Hong Kong and a more mature style from them. Instead of the straight, long hair and minimal make-up looks the group debuted with, Hanni said fans can expect them to experiment with bolder styles.
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