NewJeans Rebrands as NewJinz, Launches New Social Media Account

The popular K-pop group NewJeans has made a fresh start by rebranding themselves as NewJinz. On December 14, they launched a new social media account named 'JinzForFree'. The members shared updates and photos, expressing their excitement with messages like, "This is really us," and "We’ve been waiting for this day." Their new beginning has generated significant buzz, amassing over 2.4 million followers within just one day, attracting attention from fans and celebrities alike.

KIA baseball player Kim Do-young shared a video on his account, expressing his gratitude to member Hani after she struck a windup pose, exclaiming, "Thank you, Do-young!" He has previously shown his admiration for Hani, covering her performance of 'Blue Coral' at the Tokyo Dome during the V12 Tigers Fan Festa last month.

Actress Shim Eun-kyung tagged the NewJinz account, sharing her heartfelt gratitude, stating, "I’m so thankful. I will live my life to the fullest. I’m a fan of Haerin!" She also posted a screenshot of the members responding with 'thank you' to her comment. Reflecting on a past fan meeting, she reminisced about Hani crying and her own cheers, to which Hani replied, "I think I heard your voice back then."

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR, also showed her continued support by liking the members' posts.

While NewJeans celebrated their rebranding, ADOR faced internal turmoil. Reports indicate that many staff members who accompanied NewJeans on their Japan schedule have left the company. Some of these staff members shared gifts and handwritten letters from the group.

These staff members were mentioned in a statement from NewJeans following their legal action against ADOR regarding the validity of their exclusive contract. The members claimed that ADOR had abruptly demanded the phones of staff assisting with their schedules, leading to emotional distress among the team.

One staff member alleged that they were lured into a meeting and held against their will while being pressured for their laptops and phones. In response, ADOR clarified that this staff member had engaged in serious misconduct by facilitating direct contracts between the members and advertisers without the company's knowledge, and they plan to take legal action.

NewJeans asserts that their exclusive contract with ADOR was terminated as of November 29, claiming that ADOR failed to fulfill its obligations to protect the artists, thus nullifying any claims for contract enforcement or penalties.

However, ADOR has retaliated, and various industry organizations, including the Korea Entertainment Management Association, have released statements asserting that NewJeans' unilateral termination of the contract is inappropriate.