NewJeans in tatters, must mend themselves

Previously, on November 28th of last year, NewJeans responded to a reporter’s question about the legal issues of unilateral contract termination at a press conference by saying, “Do you understand?” (Minji). However, it seems even the court ultimately did not understand the reasons for termination. As a result, they lost the first trial for confirmation of exclusive contract validity, and NewJeans has decided to immediately appeal. The reason cited was still that they could not continue activities due to a breakdown in trust.

However, on the 12th of last month, they suddenly announced their return after only two weeks. This was the day before the deadline to submit the appeal. First, Haerin and Hyein announced through ADOR that they would continue their activities as NewJeans, followed by Minji, Hanni, and Danielle (hereinafter referred to as the ‘three individuals’) who also expressed their intention to join. However, the three individuals specifically added, “As ADOR did not respond, we had no choice but to inform you separately,” and ADOR also stated, “We are verifying the authenticity of their intentions,” leaving the impression that future reconciliation might not be easy.

Amidst this, Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR, who claimed to be ‘NewJeans’ mother,’ released her stance on the matter twice. In her second statement, in particular, the former CEO stated, “Now that they have returned, these five must be cherished. Unnecessary conflict and interpretation are not helpful. The core issue is aimed at me, but please do not drag the children into the process. The children must be protected and should not be used. NewJeans exists when it is five.”

Furthermore, regardless of the author’s intentions, the former CEO’s statement is abstract and can be interpreted in multiple ways. First, the reason for emphasizing ‘five’ is ambiguous. NewJeans already consists of five members. Currently, they are coordinating future activities without any members leaving. Additionally, the phrase ‘unnecessary conflict’ could be read in context as ADOR unnecessarily questioning the true intentions of the three individuals, thereby escalating ‘conflict’ within the team. However, it was the three individuals who initially took a hostile stance, expressing distrust by stating “there was no response” even as they returned. The part “The core issue is aimed at me…” raises suspicion about whether ADOR suspects the relationship between the former CEO and the three individuals, attempting to exclude them. This is purely speculation, but if they truly wished for full-group activities, it would have been better to offer unwavering support.

In my opinion, NewJeans is not an idol group that can be defined by a single word. Rather than pinpointing specific areas of excellence, they are an iconic presence that evokes a feeling of “it just feels good.” While their music, visuals, skills, and former CEO’s direction have contributed to this image, at its core lies a unique, dreamy innocence, similar to the vibe of their debut song ‘Attention.’ They are clearly far from being ‘revolutionaries’ who have plunged into legal battles. Even more so, they are far from being self-proclaimed revolutionaries who have yielded to the judgment of the law.

Therefore, ADOR’s prompt judgment and coordination are urgently needed. It is not enough to understand the true intentions of the three individuals; they must find survival strategies for all five artists together. Ultimately, this is also a way for ADOR, which has failed to gain NewJeans’ trust, to build a healthy relationship with them during the remaining contract period. An apology from NewJeans before their official activities should also precede these steps. There is no more transparent conclusion than correcting their own right and wrong and offering a sincere apology to everyone who has been hurt, including themselves. The courage to acknowledge the situation and start anew is also the ‘innocence’ that the public has wanted to see in them.