Unfortunate news is delivered to Bunnies (NewJeans fandom) as Hanni has been reportedly denied a visa extension.
The 5-member K-pop group made a major announcement a few days earlier to change their stage name to NJZ. It was a way of declaring their independence from ADOR after terminating contact with the label.
Member Hanni has been dealing with visa issues after parting ways with ADOR, which is set to expire soon. The group, now rebranded as NJZ, is set to perform at ComplexCon Hong Kong in March.
Since reports indicate that Hanni’s visa extension is denied, it is speculated that NewJeans’ first appearance at ComplexCon Hong Kong as NJZ might be the reason behind this decision.
YouTuber Lee Jin Ho, a former reporter, revealed in a video uploaded on February 11 that NewJeans member Hanni’s E-6 visa expired earlier this month. As a Vietnamese-Australian, the 20-year-old K-pop star requires an E-6 visa to stay in Korea, which is issued based on her employment contract with her agency.
To obtain an E-6 visa, foreign entertainers must submit specific documents, including:
- A copy of their exclusive contract with a registered planning agency
- A personal reference letter from the agency representative
- A recommendation employment letter from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism
She terminated her exclusive contract with ADOR at the end of last year and has been pursuing an independent career. However, her E-6 visa expired due to the contract termination, as stipulated by the Immigration Control Act.
To extend her E-6 visa, Hanni would have needed to sign a new exclusive contract with an agency within 15 days of the contract expiration. However, she is currently embroiled in a lawsuit , which is contesting the validity of her contract termination.
Although ADOR reportedly prepared paperwork for Hanni’s visa extension, she refused to sign. While the K-pop idol can remain in Korea on a different type of visa, she is not permitted to engage in celebrity-related economic activities.
Meanwhile, NewJeans revealed on social media that they have rebranded as NJZ on February 7. They will make their first appearance under the new name at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, scheduled to take place from March 21 to 23.
