Opisyal nang inanunsiyo nina Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, at Hyein ang bagong pangalan ng kanilang grupo, NJZ — mula sa dati nilang pagkakakilanlan bilang NewJeans.
Ngayong Biyernes, February 7, 2025, opisyal nang pinalitan ng sikat ng K-pop girl group ang kanilang username sa Instagram.
Kasabay nito ang pag-a-upload nila ng kanilang concept photos sa nalalapit na ComplexCon Hong Kong festival na mangyayari sa March 21 to 23, kunsaan sila unang magpe-perform gamit ang pangalang NJZ.
Sa eksklusibong panayam ng NJZ sa CNN, inihayag nila ang kanilang kasiyahan na sa wakas ay naisapubliko na ang pagbabago ng pangalan ng grupo nila.
Ani Danielle, "It feels like a new beginning, it feels fresh, exciting. And we just can't wait to get back there and meet Bunnies. We're very excited."
"Bunnies" ang tawag ng NJZ sa kanilang fans.
Dagdag naman ni Minji, "I feel a bit nervous but also amazing."
Sa nasabing panayam ay naitanong din sa sikat na K-pop girl group kung bakit sila nagdesisyong magbago ng pangalan.
Paliwanag ni Hanni: "There's been a lot of conflict going on in our previous company.
"And while we were under the company, there was a lot of mistreatment, a lot of mismanagement.
"We lost a lot of trust.
"I think it's just... it's going to be really fun, really spontaneous period of our career instead of being a bit difficult."
NewJeans announces contract termination with ADOR and HYBE
Noong November 28, 2024, tuluyan nang kumalas ang NewJeans sa pangangalaga ng kanilang talent management na ADOR, subsidiary ng giant entertainment company na HYBE.
Nagpatawag pa ng emergency press conference sina Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, at Hyein para pormal na isapubliko ang desisyon nilang i-terminate ang kanilang exclusive contract sa ADOR at HYBE.
Ayon sa grupo, napagdesisyunan nilang umalis sa kinabibilangang ahensya dahil sa ilang paglabag umano ng mga ito sa kanilang exclusive contract.
Bago raw sila magpatawag ng press conference ay ginawa nila ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang makipag-ayos sa ADOR, katulad na lamang ng pagpapadala nila rito ng certification of contents.
Laman ng certification of contents ang kanilang mga hinaing, kabilang na ang pagtawag sa kanila bilang "disposable" ng HYBE at misconduct umano ng ahensya sa dati nilang director na si Min Hee-jin.
Hiniling daw ng grupo sa ahensya na sagutin isa-isa ang mga ito sa loob ng labing-apat (14) na araw, ngunit tila pinagwalang-bahala ito ng ADOR at HYBE, kung kaya't hanggang ngayon ay wala pa silang natatanggap na paliwanag.
Read: NewJeans leaves ADOR, HYBE; reassures fans activities to proceed
HYBE CONTROVERSy
Noong October 2024, humarap sa katakut-takot na batikos ang HYBE matapos lumabas at kumalat ang kanilang internal report na naglalaman ng mga dokumento ukol sa panlalait at pangmamaliit nila sa K-pop stars at groups mula sa mga katunggali nilang talent agencies gaya ng SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, at YG Entertainment.
Ito'y matpos mabunyag ang pinakatatagong dokumento ng HYBE nang kuwestiyunin ng National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee audit ang weekly music industry report ng higanteng ahensya.
Napag-alamang sa halos 18,000-page document na inilatag ng HYBE sa kanilang executives, naglalaman ito ng "malicious comments on looks and skills, unverified rumors, and more" ng mga K-pop artist ng iba't ibang talent agencies.
Kabilang sa nabanggit sa dokumento ang pangalan ng mga sikat na grupong aespa, Stray Kids, NCT Dream, IVE, (G) I-DLE, at NJZ (dating NewJeans).
Read: SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan defends co-idols amid HYBE controversy
Isa ito sa mga bagay na noo'y inirereklamo ng NJZ.
Mababasa sa kanilang statement (ayon sa English translation ng Soompi.com):
"First of all, the reason we are holding this emergency press conference is because the time period for rectification from the certification of contents we sent ends at midnight tonight. However, although today’s work hours are over, HYBE and the current ADOR are not showing any will to make reform or to listen to our requests.
"Actually, tomorrow morning we are leaving for Japan and are returning next week because we have scheduled activities abroad.
"We were worried because we are not sure what kind of media play or media manipulation HYBE and the current ADOR will do during that time, and we wanted to express our thoughts accurately, so we discussed a lot among ourselves, and we had no choice but to hold an emergency press conference today."
Dagdag pa ng grupo, hindi nagawa ng ADOR ang trabaho nitong protektahan sila, kaya't napagtanto nilang kung hindi sila aalis dito ay maaapektuhan lamang ang kanilang mental health.
Saad ng NewJeans: "The reason we are leaving ADOR is very simple, and I think the reporters here who know our situation are also all very aware. NewJeans is an artist of ADOR, and ADOR is obligated to protect NewJeans. It is the most basic obligation that an agency has.
"ADOR does not have the will or ability to protect NewJeans. If we remain here, it will be a waste of our time, and our mental distress will continue. More than anything, there is nothing that we can gain in terms of our work, so the five of us think that there is no reason at all for us to remain at ADOR.
"As a result, the exclusive contracts between NewJeans and ADOR will be terminated as of November 29 at 12 a.m. KST.
"However, HYBE and ADOR are currently differentiating the two companies like word play, insisting that it cannot be a violation of contract because HYBE is at fault and not ADOR. However, as everyone knows, HYBE and ADOR are pretty much just one entity now.
"The ADOR that we worked with has already changed a lot, and the directors who were at the company before were all abruptly dismissed. Now they are differentiating HYBE and ADOR, and we really cannot accept the argument that we must maintain our exclusive contracts with the ADOR that has been changed according to what HYBE wants, that has cut off ties with the [music video] director who worked hard with us, that has broken all of this trust.
"As a result, we demanded rectification regarding the violations of our contract, and as mentioned earlier, the time period for that rectification ends at midnight tonight.
"I’m not sure if you saw yesterday, but [they released] an unwilling statement that begins with: 'This statement is in response to the actions required by the certification of contents from the artists,' with no will for reform and only for show as they have continuously demonstrated, and no rectification occurred for any of the requests we made.
"We expressed our opinions on several occasions such as through the live broadcast and through this certification of contents, but we are so tired of their insincere attitude, and we felt once again that they have no sincerity toward us and that have no desire at all to listen to our requests.
"Work hours have passed, and less than four hours remain until midnight, but no rectification has been made, so the five of us will terminate our contracts immediately at midnight on November 29."
Diin pa nila: "When our exclusive contracts our terminated, the five of us will no longer be artists of ADOR.
"Breaking away from ADOR, we plan on freely carrying out the activities that we sincerely want.
"However, we will carry out the promised and contracted activities we have scheduled already.
"We will also carry out the contracted advertisement deals as planned. We wanted to relay that we are really truly thankful to the advertisers who always support us and that they do not have to worry.
"We do not want to cause any harm to others due to our contract termination. We do not want that."