NewJeans renamed their Instagram account from ‘NJZ_Official’ to ‘mhdhh_friends’ on April 4th, but the account was completely deleted shortly afterward.
The account was initially created to reflect the group’s departure from ADOR and promote their independent activities. However, it was suddenly deleted—widely believed to be a direct response to the court’s injunction prohibiting such actions. A separate parent-run account, formerly named ‘NJZ_PR,’ was also renamed using the members’ initials and had all previous posts removed, but that account has since been deleted as well.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR on March 21st, affirming that the exclusive contract with NewJeans remains valid. As a result, the group is legally barred from pursuing independent entertainment activities, such as signing ad deals, songwriting, or performing, without the agency’s approval. However, the trademark application for ‘NJZ,’ filed on February 6th, still remains under review in the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) system.
Speculation soon emerged online that Haerin’s mother opposed the lawsuit against ADOR. In response, the parents of all five members released a joint statement denying any internal conflict. They emphasized that “all five members and their families unanimously agree there is no possibility of returning to HYBE.” The statement also clarified that the reported custody dispute involved a different minor member and was being misrepresented.
During the initial court hearing, the judge referred to “Defendant No. 4,” identified as Haerin (Kang Haerin), and explained that a family court had issued a custody ruling, thereby authorizing all prior legal actions. Haerin’s mother was not listed among the legal representatives, which led to speculation of disagreement among the members’ parents.
>> NewJeans Opens Up After Court Sides with ADOR: ‘We Just Want to Keep Doing What We Love’
Looking back at past interviews, it seems the members of NewJeans were confident their contract with ADOR would end smoothly without any issues. In a BBC Korea interview, they called the court’s decision to issue an injunction “shocking.” But with things now heading in an unexpected direction, there’s increasing talk that the group might be adjusting their stance.
