K-pop girl 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 Feb 7 on an Instagram account the 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 artiste Metro Boomin.
On the festival’s social media account and official site, the group are credited as NJZ. ComplexCon is slated to take place from March 21 to 23.
The band have another blue-checked account called @newjeans_official, which is authorised by Ador and has continued to post photos and updates.
Ador denies that it mistreated or mismanaged NewJeans, and asserts that the band remain under its contract. The two sides are set for a protracted legal dispute.
NewJeans made their debut under Ador in 2022 and broke out with viral hits such as Hype Boy (2022), OMG (2023) and Super Shy (2023).
Their 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 Hybe, in April 2024. Ms Min, also the original producer behind NewJeans, was later dismissed from the label.
NewJeans members publicly expressed support for Ms Min and asked for her reinstatement, along with a list of other demands, in an ultimatum sent to Ador. They announced the termination of their contract with Ador after the demands were not met.
In an exclusive interview with American outlet CNN following their rebrand, Australia-born Danielle, 19, said: “It feels like a new beginning, it feels fresh, exciting. And we just can’t wait to get back there and meet Bunnies (the name given to their fans).”
Meanwhile, South Korean member Minji, 20, said she felt a bit nervous but “amazing” about moving forward.
Australia-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. — The Straits Times/Asia News Network
