NewJeans rebrands as NJZ amid legal battle with HYBE
What's the story
Popular K-pop girl group NewJeans has announced a rebranding initiative, adopting the new name NJZ.
The news was revealed during ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025 on Friday. The festival's official statement read, "Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein's new group name: NJZ. Get ready for an exciting journey with NJZ in 2025! Stay tuned!"
An edgy photoshoot featuring the group members was also released to mark the announcement.
Festival debut
NJZ to headline ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025
ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025 has confirmed NJZ as one of the headliners for this year's festival.
They will be sharing the stage with other prominent artists like Quavo, Metro Boomin, B.I., and Zico, who happens to be their former labelmate at HYBE.
This will be their first festival appearance under their new name, NJZ.
The group is expected to debut never-before-heard music and performances at the festival.
Event details
ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025: Dates and ticket sales
ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025 will be held from March 21-23 at the AsiaWorld-Expo convention center.
Tickets for the event will go on sale from February 12 at 4:00pm HKT.
"We are thrilled to be stepping onto the stage for the first time as NJZ and share something new with everyone," member Minji said to the press.
Legal trouble
NJZ's former agency, ADOR sued them for terminating contracts
The five K-pop stars are currently embroiled in a murky legal battle with ADOR, the sub-label that managed them under the umbrella of HYBE.
ADOR sued the act in December 2024 for terminating their contracts with the agency. The singers alleged "mistreatment," including "deliberate miscommunications and manipulation" on several occasions.
ADOR has been accused of stopping the members from pursuing independent deals, so with the announcement of new brand name, it'll be interesting to see how the label reacts.