South Korean girl group NewJeans has officially rebranded as NJZ, following an ongoing legal dispute with their former label, Ador, a subsidiary of K-pop giant HYBE, home to BTS.

The rebranding comes after the group terminated their contracts with Ador on November 28, 2023, citing breaches of contract.

In a recent interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia, NJZ announced plans to headline the ComplexCon Hong Kong festival from March 21-23, with a new song debuting on the final day.

The members will also perform solo, marking their first major public appearance since parting ways with Ador.

The group revealed their new name, NJZ, via Instagram, following a call for fans’ suggestions during their separation from Ador. Tensions had been rising for months, and the members claimed they had fulfilled their contractual obligations as of January 5, leaving only advertisement-related duties.

Despite this, member Danielle expressed concern over continuing interference from Ador, calling the situation “quite frightening.”

In the midst of this legal turmoil, NJZ is focused on the future. Member Hanni stated that the group’s goal for 2025 is to release new music as quickly as possible, emphasizing that they were confident in their decision and unafraid of the ongoing situation.

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Ador has filed two injunctions in South Korean courts to validate the group’s contracts and block them from signing advertisement deals independently. The company insists that the contracts are valid until 2029.

The rift between NewJeans and Ador has also impacted HYBE financially, with the company’s market value dropping by $423 million following the news of the split.

The legal dispute is ongoing, with hearings scheduled for March and April 2025. Despite the challenges, NJZ remains firm in their decision to never return to HYBE or Ador.

Source: with inputs from Indian media