The battle between NewJeans and Ador and its parent company Hybe has intensified. Today, the K-pop group has revealed they're changing their name to NJZ. They've also announced that they'll be headlining ComplexCon Hong Kong.
“We are thrilled to be stepping onto the stage for the first time as NJZ and share something new with everyone," Minji said in a statement. “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.”
Last fall, NJZ left Ador, saying the label mistreated and harassed them, among other claims. Hybe sued them and the ongoing legal battle “has gripped South Korea,” per CNN who spoke to the group for an interview today. “We believe we will win this battle against Hybe and Ador,” Danielle said.
“Even though we have to leave our previous name behind us for a bit, we’re not fully moving on from it,” Hanni told CNN. “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.”
A court hearing is scheduled for next month.
In a statement, Ador responded:
While the legal proceedings concerning the exclusive contract between ADOR and the NewJeans members are ongoing, we deeply regret that the members have unilaterally made this choice [to announce a new stage name].
ADOR remains committed to protecting the value of the NewJeans brand. We would like to reiterate that we are willing to meet with NewJeans members or their legal representatives at any time to clarify any misunderstandings and collaboratively plan for the group's future activities.
