AMID an ongoing legal dispute with its agency, fifth-generation K-pop girl group NewJeans took another significant step in its musical career: changing its name to “NJZ.”
The five-piece Korean act—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—unveiled its new identity on Friday, as it dropped promotional photos for its upcoming performance at the ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025.
It also changed its username on Instagram from “jeanzforfree” to “njz_official,” along with a new icon that bore the name “NJZ.”
Complex also introduced the girls as “NJZ” on its Instagram post and said, “Get ready for an exciting journey with NJZ in 2025! Stay tuned!”
The K-pop idols will headline the ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025, along with rapper Quavo, producer Metro Boomin, and “Any Song” hitmaker Zico. It will be held from March 21 to 23 at the AsiaWorld-Expo convention center.
This will be the first time the award-winning quintet will perform under its new name and perform new songs at the music festival, according to American media and entertainment company Complex.
“We are thrilled to be stepping onto the stage for the first time as NJZ and share something new with everyone,” said Minji in a press statement.
“It’s a big moment for us and we can’t wait for fans to be a part of this journey with us and show the world our new music that we have been eagerly waiting to share,” she added.
Legal battle with ADOR
The Gen Z artists’ rebranding came after they announced the termination of their exclusive contracts with their agency ADOR, which they accused of mistreatment and manipulation.
However, ADOR insisted that their exclusive contracts with them remain “valid.” In December 2024, the label filed a lawsuit to confirm the legality of their contracts with the young artists.
Speaking with CNN, Hanni said they do not want their dispute with ADOR “to be the focus of our careers,” stressing that they are trying to “resolve everything” and “go back to normal.”
“Even though we have to leave our previous name behind us for a bit, we’re not fully moving on from it. And we don’t want to either, because [being NewJeans] was still a very special period of time to us, and it’s something that our fans also probably hold really dear,” the 20-year-old singer said.
Currently, the quintet’s name remains as “NewJeans” on the music streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music.
Debuted in 2022, the K-pop idols are known for their viral songs “Super Shy,” “Ditto,” “OMG,” and “Attention,” among others. They made a comeback in 2024, with the release of their songs “How Sweet,” “Bubble Gum,” “Supernatural,” and “Right Now.”
