On August 11, Knetizens discussed the current state of NewJeans, once one of the strongest fourth-generation groups, after a controversial comment from a user expressing his disappointment at the group’s current state.
A netizen shared, “When I type ‘NewJeans,’ all that pops up are court stories… even on Instagram… Is this what Aelite did while active? This is what they did with other fan videos. Is this the ending they wanted? Really? Blowing up a star in her early twenties like this? This is ridiculous… They should have stayed in Hive until they were 29 and then left. But the eldest is 26 and the youngest is 22, so they could have continued active like Min Hee Jin for another five years. I hope they don’t regret their choices later.”
The post sparked widespread controversy, with many netizens expressing their disappointment in the group members’ decisions, while some believe the group has lost its value due to what they described as manipulation and malicious statements against ILLIT.
Netizens Claim NewJeans’ Value Has Dropped Following Shocking ILLIT Feud
Some also pointed to the salute incident sparked by NewJeans’ Hanni, who claimed that ILLIT ‘s manager had asked the members not to salute them. However, CCTV footage showed that the allegations were not entirely accurate.
- Tell Hanni to go back to Vietnam. Hasn’t her visa expired yet?
- NewJeans will take a huge hit when the contract expires. They will pay the penalty for breaking the contract and will regret it, but time cannot be turned back.
- Psychological manipulation and victimization… Who was behind this? In any case, I no longer care. We should be more concerned about the trauma suffered by the groups, colleagues, and employees who were subjected to unjustified hatred and harassment.
- I don’t even want to see posts like this. I’m tired of the comments attacking NewJeans and people giving advice or criticizing. I’m satisfied just seeing the results.
- Hey, NewJeans in Mexico, come and do activities in Korea (Note: This refers to allegations that NewJeans copied a Mexican girl group.)
- But honestly, don’t you think that if the two important people hadn’t revealed this to the media, the activities would have gone well? ㅋㅋ
NewJeans’ crisis with its agency, Adore, a subsidiary of Hybe Entertainment, began in April 2024, after Hybe accused Min Heejin, Adore’s CEO and NewJeans’ producer, of attempting to control Adore through manipulation. Later, the two sides traded various accusations, and in August of the same year, Min Heejin was fired from her position as CEO and appointed as the internal director and producer of NewJeans. Min Heejin rejected this and resigned shortly after the appointment.
However, in November of the same year, the NewJeans members announced at a press conference that they were terminating their exclusive contract with Adore Entertainment, accusing the agency of mistreatment, bullying, and neglect. The members noted that Adore Entertainment did not provide a supportive environment and that there was discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
NewJeans changed its name to NJZ in February 2025 and attempted to resume its activities independently from Adore.
Ador, in turn, confirmed that the NewJeans members’ contracts were valid until March 2029 and filed a lawsuit in December 2024 to amend the contracts. Adore denied the allegations of bullying, harassment, and mistreatment, claiming the dispute was the result of a misunderstanding instigated by Min Heejin.
In March 2025, the Seoul District Court ruled in Adore’s favor, barring NewJeans from independent activities, stating that unilaterally terminating the contract would cause significant damage to the group’s value and the agency’s reputation. The court also stressed that the band had not provided strong evidence that Adore had breached the contract.
