SOUTH Korean artists Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein finally performed in public for the first time as members of K-pop girl group NJZ during ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025.
NJZ, formerly known as NewJeans, debuted its new song, “Pit Stop,” on the stage in its all-white ensemble.
But this debut performance could be the last for NJZ in the meantime, after a South Korean court granted the injunction filed by the groups’ label ADOR last week, prohibiting the Gen Z K-pop artists from carrying out independent projects.
The court’s decision is the latest development in the months-long dispute between NJZ and the South Korean record label.
While it was not an easy move, NJZ decided to go on a temporary hiatus “out of respect for the court’s decision.” NJZ read a statement on the stage following its performance at ComplexCon, as seen in a video posted by a netizen on TikTok.
“We believe this is something we need to do at this moment,” the group said.
Despite this, NJZ assured fans that it would “keep pushing forward” and thanked them for all the love and support that gave the group “so much strength.”
“We promise, no matter what the circumstances, we will meet again soon,” it added.
The girls ended their speech with a group hug on the stage, while the crowd could be heard chanting, “NJZ.”
Aside from its new group name, NJZ also changed its username on Instagram from “jeanzforfree” to “njz_official” in February 2024, along with a new icon that read “NJZ.”
The rebranding came after NJZ announced the termination of its contract with ADOR, which it accused of mistreatment. However, the label claimed that the contracts remain valid until July 2029.
‘Deeply regretful’
On Monday, ADOR said it was “deeply regretful” that the five-piece group pushed through with its performance at ComplexCon on Sunday as NJZ despite the court’s Friday ruling.
“In accordance with ADOR’s valid exclusive contract, we would like to do our utmost for NewJeans,” it said in a statement translated by Soompi.
“We hope that we can meet with the artist as soon as possible and discuss their future,” it added.
On social media, NJZ said it would challenge the court’s decision through an objection procedure, where it plans to “raise additional legal issues and submit further supporting evidence.”
Debuted in 2022, the K-pop artists popularized the songs “OMG,” “Hype Boy,” “Attention,” Ditto,” and “Super Shy,” among others.
