Amid ongoing disputes, the members of NewJeans have introduced a new team name, while Adore continues auditions for launching a new group. Although auditions are held annually, the urgency feels heightened as NewJeans temporarily steps away.
The five members of NewJeans (Hye-rin, Hye-in, Ha-ni, Daniel, Min-ji) announced their termination of the exclusive contract with their agency Adore last November, signaling a new direction. The members have since continued their activities independently, completing only the scheduled '39th Golden Disc Awards' in December last year under Adore. During this time, they could not use the team name 'NewJeans' and managed their schedules under their individual names.
This situation seems to create barriers for the members' activities, raising concerns among fans. However, on the 7th, the members shared new news through their official SNS account, stating, "Our new team name is NJZ. Please look forward to the surprising journey we will embark on together with NJZ in 2025."
Additionally, in an interview with CNN, the members expressed the necessity of a team name, stating, "We are working hard to resolve all issues so that our work can return to normal."
As the new team name was revealed, fans seemed to find some stability. Even if it is not an immediate new agency contract, the new team name could serve as a starting point for new activities.
However, Adore expressed discomfort, stating, "There is confusion in the media as plans to operate under a team name that has not been agreed upon with the company have been revealed." Adore added, "We will do our best to resolve the confusion as soon as possible and present good music and content," indicating their continued partnership with NewJeans.
That said, Adore cannot solely focus on NewJeans. Last month, they announced auditions to select a new idol group. Applicants must be born after 2006, with no restrictions on nationality or gender. This is to create the next group that will follow in NewJeans' footsteps. The trainees selected through the auditions will also undergo a long training period before debuting, but expectations are already high simply because they are the younger group of NewJeans.
With NewJeans declaring the termination of their exclusive contract and becoming embroiled in various lawsuits, the future has become a thorny path. The risks for Adore are too great to focus solely on NewJeans. In fact, as the NewJeans members have strongly expressed their desire to leave Adore, the need for a new idol group is greater than ever.
While turning their attention to selecting members for the next group, Adore still reaches out to the NewJeans members.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
