Newjeans will rename NJZ and announce new songs and performance dates

Korean girls group Newjeans today announced that it will perform under the new name of NJZ in March amid ongoing legal disputes with Money Grey Bell Ador.

Talk to CNBC.Sco Box Asia“The group is ComplexCon Hong Kong Festival It will be set from March 21st to 23rd, and the event will add NJZ as a co-headliner.

The five-member band will release new songs on the final day of the event, and members will also play solos during the festival, the group said.

This event may mark the first major event for the group. The member said it ended its contract with the company on November 28th.

However, Ador has filed two injunctions with a South Korean court. One is in December Verify the validity of the group’s contract and Another January To stop the group from signing advertising contracts independently, according to the Korean news agency Yonhap.

Ador is a sub-label for K-Pop Powerhouse Hybe and manages groups such as boy band BTS. Hybe’s stock fell 0.63% shortly after the interview.

The group, formed in 2022, has also announced its new name, NJZ. On Instagram today, After previously asked fans to submit temporary group name ideas following their departure from Ador.

The Korean Herald reported As of January 5th, Newjeans has completed all “major commitments” under its agreement with Ador, except for advertising-related obligations.

Group member Daniel told CNBC the situation is still “very scary for us,” adding that Ador “still is hindering a lot of work.”

Member Hanni also added that NJZ’s goal for 2025 is to “releasing music as soon as possible.”

She said, “To be honest, we’re not afraid of anything at this point because we’ve done nothing wrong. I think we’re even more excited to see what the future holds. Good.”

Newjeans claims it will “never return” to Hybe and Ador, According to YonhapAdor said the group’s contract will remain in effect until 2029.

In response to a CNBC question, Ador referred to the group’s name change and stated that he deeply regrets “the members had made this choice unilaterally.”

The label also added that it is “committed to protecting the value of the New Journs brand,” and that it “will always be able to clarify misconceptions and cooperative plans regarding the group’s future activities, and to clarify the group’s legal rules. I repeatedly took the stance of meeting with my agent.

South Korean media reported the hearing The contract dispute will take place in Aprilthe hearing of the injunction of the advertising contract It is reportedly scheduled for March 7th.

The group became one of K-Pop’s most popular faces when it debuted in 2022, earning numerous acclaim at the Korean Awards show and posted the song on the Billboard charts. New Jaan also won in 2024. Group of the Year Award Woman on a billboard at a music ceremony.

Newjeans said at a press conference on November 28th. The label left Ador, claiming it had breached its contract with the band.

This move leaves Hybe equally lost Valued at 6.97% of the stock price, or $423 million from its market capitalization on November 29th.

“Staying here is a waste of time and mentally a pain,” Hanni said.

“There’s nothing professionally available from staying here, so we all think there’s no reason to stay with Ador.” Translated by Korean media outlet Yonhap.

Newjeans was at the heart of a long-term management dispute between Hybe, who formed Newjeans in 2022, and former Ador CEO Min Hee-Jin.

AprilHybe, along with Newjeans, denounced Min for trying to independence from Subabel.

Min Denied the claim He then denounced Hybe by copying the concept of Hybe and saying that he used it alongside another girl’s band under another Hybe subsidiary.

Min He resigned as Ador CEO in August, However, before resigning altogether on November 20th, he remained the company’s director.