NewJeans has announced a sudden hiatus after their final appearance at ComplexCon Hong Kong on March 23.
Previously, the group was ordered to stop independent activities until the outcome of their main lawsuit regarding the exclusive contract’s validity. Instead of pursuing activities with ADOR’s approval, NewJeans chose to go on indefinite hiatus.
NewJeans made a surprise appearance at Complexcon, a global street fashion and culture festival in Hong Kong, on March 23. The group performed on stage, wearing stockings with ‘NJZ’ printed on them, and were introduced as NJZ on the venue’s screens.
The NJZ logo also appeared on various merchandise sold at the event. After debuting their new song “Pit Stop”, the members announced that it would be their final performance for the time being. They shared that they would be suspending activities in light of a recent court decision.
ADOR stated, “We regret that NewJeans performed under a different name despite the court’s ruling and unilaterally declared a hiatus. We will do our best for NewJeans under our valid exclusive contract. We hope to meet with the artist soon to discuss their future.”
On March 21, the Seoul Central District Court granted ADOR’s request for an injunction against NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. The court ruled that ADOR remains their temporary management company until the lawsuit over their exclusive contract is resolved. The members cannot engage in entertainment activities without ADOR’s approval.
After the court ruling, ADOR stated they would support NewJeans’ performance and hoped to meet with the group soon for a sincere conversation. However, despite sending staff to the event site in Hong Kong, a meeting with the members did not occur. ADOR was reportedly caught off guard by NewJeans’ surprise announcement to go on hiatus.
Despite the court’s injunction, Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein maintain that they cannot work with ADOR. Last November, NewJeans held an emergency press conference, announcing that they would no longer continue as artists under ADOR due to the agency’s failure to address contract violations. They claimed their exclusive contracts with ADOR would be terminated. The group’s lawsuit to confirm the validity of their exclusive contracts is set to have its first hearing on April 3rd.
