The hiatus of the group New Jeans is getting longer. Their official last activity was the Japanese debut album 'Supernatural' released on June 21, 2024. In Korean time, it was the single 'How Sweet' released on May 24 of that year. After that, Minzy, Hani, Daniel, Haerin, and Hyein held a press conference in November and continued their legal dispute with their agency Adore. The originally planned re-debut as a group NJZ also fell through.
On the 17th, the Seoul High Court dismissed the appeal filed by the five members against the court's decision to ban their independent activities, and upheld the first trial decision that "Adore temporarily recognizes the status of a management company according to the exclusive contract with the New Jeans members." If the case goes to trial, the group's hiatus is expected to get longer.
The symbolism that New Jeans brought to K-pop is still valid. Kim Do-heon, a popular music critic, said, “New Jeans is not just a well-made team, but a complete group that organically reflects the planner’s vision,” and “That organic nature and unity is still unsurpassed by anyone.”
A quiet exit from the advertising world
But as time goes by, the advertising world is starting to see 'blank space' as a risk. Espa recently filmed their performance video 'Dirty Work' with the Apple iPhone 16 Pro. It's the same way that New Jeans created their music video for ' ETA' with the iPhone , which became a hot topic.
Enmix's Oh Hae-won shot a Coca-Cola commercial alone, showcasing a bright and healthy image, and Stray Kids took the position of Pepero global model, which New Jeans had been the ambassador for for two consecutive years. Miao participated in Nike's 'After Dark Tour Seoul 10K ' event held in May, performing and participating in a running event. Nike, which had been promoting New Jeans until last year, is also interpreted to be looking for new faces.
Stonehenge is still selling items from the 'Lucky You' campaign with New Jeans earlier this year, but has removed all New Jeans faces from the brand homepage. Shinhan Bank has terminated its model contract with New Jeans without renewing it at the end of December 2024.
The luxury goods industry is also showing signs of change. Minzy was excluded from the Chanel ambassador list, and other brands are already considering new models, and are holding off on renewing their contracts. An advertising agency official said, “Brands are important for topicality, but they also look at the stability of the model and the continuity of her activities.”
However, her ambassador activities are being maintained within the scope of her contract with Adore. Daniel attended the launch event for the new product of the Swiss watch brand Omega held in Kyoto, Japan on the 18th. He also collaborated with Celine for the June issue of the Japanese fashion magazine Supre. The other members can also continue their activities through Adore for the remaining period of their ambassador contracts.
Critic Lim Hee-yoon analyzed, “K-pop is an industry that moves very quickly,” and “In an environment where hundreds of new groups are released, a one-year hiatus can be fatal even for a team that was doing well.”
The disappearing 'blue coral reef' craze
Comparison of searches for aespa (blue) and New Jeans (red) in Google Trends Japan over the past 90 days. Searches spiked when New Jeans announced their hiatus from the Hong Kong concert. Photo: Google Trends capture
The aftermath of the New Jeans hiatus has also been felt in Japan. It has already been a year since Hani sang Matsuda Seiko's "Blue Coral" at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, evoked nostalgia for the 1980s. The number of searches for "New Jeans" in Japan on Google Trends plummeted after the Hong Kong stage where New Jeans announced their hiatus in March, and has been on a downward trend since then. On the other hand, Espa has been steadily maintaining its number of searches with their Japanese fan meetings and new song promotions. Ailit, who was embroiled in plagiarism allegations raised by former Adore CEO Min Hee-jin, has overcome the controversy and established their own unique color. The Japanese movie OST
"Almond Chocolate" released in February has reversed course and maintained the top ranks of the local charts, and their third Korean mini-album "Night" released in June ranked second on the Oricon Daily Chart. The title song "Borrowed Cat" is receiving favorable reviews both domestically and internationally for containing Ailit's unique, quirky and lively sensibility. Kim Do-heon, a popular music critic, added, “Illit and New Jeans had different starting points, and now Illit is growing into its own group.”
The new offensive is also strong
Newcomers with planning skills and capital are also continuing to debut. Kiki, launched by Starship Entertainment, recorded a rapid rise to number 1 on YouTube with her debut song 'I Do Me' and also won first place on a music show just 13 days after her debut. Some say that it feels like the atmosphere of New Jeans' debut.
Recently appointed as the new Seoul City public relations ambassadors, Hearts To Hearts is affiliated with SM Entertainment. On the 18th, they released a new song titled "Style" with a shuffle dance in their choreography. Baby Don't Cry, the first girl group from Psy's agency P Nation, is garnering much attention with Idol's Jeon So-yeon directly producing the group, and Adore is also preparing to launch a new boy group. The mixed group All Day Project ( ADP
) , which includes Annie, the granddaughter of Shinsegae Group Chairman Lee Myung-hee, pre-released the music video for its double title track "Famous" on the 16th. It surpassed 10 million views in just 4 days and ranked high on YouTube's trending charts in the United States, proving its presence in the global market. They will be releasing another title track, "Wicked," on the 23rd and making their official debut.
With New Jeans, who were at the top of the music industry, going on hiatus, it is only natural that new artists are debuting to fill the gap. Critic Lim explained why music fans are paying attention to the fresh faces, saying, “Fans who liked New Jeans’ fresh image will feel a sense of disconnect with the current New Jeans, who have been branded as K-pop revolutionaries in court.”
At the same time, there are also opinions that New Jeans’ unique musicality and planning ability are still unrivaled. Critic Kim said, “Among the current K-pop rookies, there are many cases where the songs are good but the concepts are different, or the concepts are good but the members can’t pull it off,” and added, “I have yet to see a level of perfection like New Jeans, which came from the harmony of the composers, trainers, and members.” Critic Lim also added, “The fact that there are fans who miss New Jeans even after a year of hiatus is because they have a clear likability factor.”
Adore is still looking forward to reuniting with New Jeans. On the 18th, Adore stated in a press release, “I hope the members will return to their original position as New Jeans and continue their activities. Next month, New Jeans will celebrate their 3rd anniversary since their debut, and the company plans to do its best to support them so that they can make even greater leaps and growth.”
https://n.news.naver.com/article/025/0003449920?sid=103
THE COMMENTS :
- This industry is so sensitive to controversy that it's a miracle they haven’t been sued in the advertising world.
- I'll never forget how foreign media disrespected K-pop.
- They probably followed through on a previous contract because there was still time left—if they didn’t, they would’ve had to pay penalties.
- There's no such thing as someone irreplaceable.
- It’s self-inflicted, but as a listener, it’s still a shame. I really liked their music… In today’s idol world, even short hiatuses are damaging. Even boy groups with strong fandoms can’t avoid the effects of hiatuses, let alone girl groups. Just feeling regret.
- Ugh… it's not that serious.
- Those “irreplaceable” labels only apply when you’re actively and scandal-free.
- They’re the ones who threw it all away. Why are people acting like it’s sad? HYBE even reached out but they refused.
- It's delusional to think any celebrity is irreplaceable. They weren’t even extremely skilled. If an idol built on image loses that image, who would hire them? Plus, they badmouthed K-pop abroad—coming back now is just laughable. Hope they can find success overseas.
- Even in the June issue of Supré, Celine’s team didn’t repost them. They always repost V, Park Bo-gum, Suzy, etc.
- There’s no such thing as someone truly irreplaceable. Trends pass fast, and once the image is ruined, only the fans cling on—not the general public. It’s just self-inflicted misfortune.
- Such a pity.
- Honestly though… NewJeans didn’t write their songs or choreograph anything themselves. If they did, they could maybe continue even if they left their label. It was just the team they met at the time that was good. NewJeans as a group isn't that irreplaceable.
- I wasn’t defending NewJeans. I was just explaining how ad contracts work. Ads have set durations, and once they expire, they end without renewal. If NewJeans canceled one-sidedly, Ador would be the one paying the penalty.
- That behavior really turned people off.
- Girl groups have shorter shelf lives than boy groups. These girls had mainstream appeal so fast, and now all people remember is that chaotic press conference.
- Sadly, girl group members are the easiest to replace.
- They were all so pretty though… such a shame.
- They grabbed the wrong lifeline...
- They didn’t even sell 40k in first-week Japan sales. That "Blue Coral Reef" thing wasn’t even a trend there—just media hype.
- They had great songs like "Ditto" and were really enjoyable to listen to… the performances were great… but their stubbornness wasted a good moment, hurt others, and probably ruined their image permanently. Things started unraveling when they identified too closely with Min Hee-jin.
- It’s still unbelievable they left on their own. Gaslighting really is scary.
- In just a year or two, they became legendary—and now it’s all gone… They had everything: fandom, popularity… It’s just hard to believe they walked away from it all.
- Sigh...
- They have no chance of winning now. Curious how they’ll move forward… Dragging this out won’t help.
- They were the only group whose songs, visuals, and concept I really liked. I really want to see them perform again… People say they’re replaceable, but honestly? I don’t think anyone’s like them ㅠㅠㅠ
- I miss NewJeans ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
- Omega probably stepped in because they were told it was all set, but turns out the manager made the connection secretly. Since there’s a contract, they had to go through with it, but I doubt anyone wants them as models now. Advertising is all about image.
- With so many skilled idols, they got overshadowed fast. Self-inflicted failure. They weren’t even singer-songwriters.
- So sad. I want to see them come back.
- This whole situation makes me feel terrible. The public sentiment is bad… They’re so young and bright—I still want to support them.
- Setting everything aside, wasting 2–3 years on lawsuits and not being able to promote is fatal for girl groups. Age matters in K-pop, especially for a concept like NewJeans. Saying this here gets me hate from some fans, but that’s the reality. Whether it’s NewJeans or their parents reading this, I hope they realize this lawsuit could waste 3 years. For what? I keep commenting on their articles out of frustration—their songs were so good.
- Feels like they voluntarily exited the industry.
- Putting everything else aside, that one thing really stuck with me too…
- Girl groups have the shortest shelf life. They need to come back frequently and work hard. Any break and they’ll be forgotten.
- So sad… it feels like they’re already being forgotten.
- I just miss their songs… Hope they return soon.
- Nobody’s criticizing aespa for copying the ETA MV?
- Hasn’t their hiatus been almost a year? If it goes longer, a comeback might not even help. They should just go back to Ador and release something.
- They quietly stepped away despite not being all that special, right?
- Seriously, it’s foolish. In an industry where everyone is replaceable, why act like this?
- Even when Celine called out all their ambassadors, they still mentioned V—who was in the military—but not NewJeans’ fan club.
- ㅠㅠ Please come back… No other group has songs like NewJeans these days.
- Public appeal is so fast to fade, especially for girl groups.
- ㅋㅋ congrats congrats
- It’s been a while since they felt fresh.
- No such thing as someone irreplaceable—it's natural.
- I really liked their music.
- In the idol world, there’s no such thing as being irreplaceable. One bad image hit and someone else takes your place. This isn’t the time for pride or loyalty—it’s about whether you can still be a singer or not.
- Even in Min Hee-jin’s leaked messages, she said her goal was to ruin HYBE’s public image. She clearly targeted them.
- Makes sense. They haven’t been active, and public sentiment is bad. No advertiser would want them.
- The industry moves fast. Replacements are everywhere. For girl groups, there’s always another pretty, talented idol coming up. It’s just how it is. I’d like to see them again before they’re totally forgotten though ㅠ
- Time is everything for idols… It’s really sad.
- Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen them in anything except a contact lens ad lately.
- NewJeans were popular, but not irreplaceable. The 4th-gen girl group space is especially fierce.
- Didn’t they leave in a loud, messy way?
- At that press conference, they told advertisers not to worry. They sure loved advertising… and now they’re losing those ads too.
- Too bad ㅠㅠ
- It's not just TheQoo—the general public is even more critical. Here, they at least have some support… but check YouTube comments. It’s bad. People talk negatively about them even in real life.
- I want to see NewJeans again. I’m not even a fan but I miss them.
- There are so many entertainers… It can’t be helped.
- Didn’t they say they’d escape so nobody could control them? Now they’re just fading into obscurity…
- I really liked their songs and concept… It’s just sad ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
- I don’t feel any gap from their absence at all ㅋㅋ
- Integrity is the most important thing. Goodbye.
- This is what happens when you get greedy.
- Are people forgetting these are the same ones who dragged innocent idols into their “revolution” for over a year? No sympathy here.
- I think Min Hee-jin should’ve let them go… Without exposure, they were bound to be forgotten.
- That's unfortunate.
- What is that? Who did it?
- I don’t care about the others, but I hope I never see Minji again. I didn’t think much of her before, but every time she made a statement, it totally ruined the image. Now even seeing her face feels like seeing a school bully.
- Isn’t it obvious why NewJeans acted that way? From debut to the end, they were always "Min Hee-jin’s group." The members must have known. If they debuted as just another Source Music girl group, they probably wouldn’t have gotten this recognition. The moment Min Hee-jin left, their downfall was set.
- Since they’re in a lawsuit, advertisers have no reason to take on the risk. Even if they return, they won’t get the same deals—they’ve already lost their image and added risk.
- There’s no such thing as irreplaceable in this world...
- Even for someone who doesn’t know the controversies, it’s the same—out of sight, out of mind. They were just starting to row the boat, but now there’s no exposure...
- The things they said and did when they followed Min out made them look arrogant and dumb.
- Did they think their lies would never be exposed? Why did they talk about a "revolution" in an overseas interview...?
- Since they can’t promote, of course they can’t do ads. I hope things get resolved soon. I want to see NewJeans.
- They threw away their own luck. The problem is, they still don’t get that.
- Totally self-inflicted downfall.
- Their songs were always good, so it’s a shame.
- They were used by adults. Sigh.
- I just wish they’d disappear already.
- Honestly, which advertiser would want someone making those statements? Good luck to them, though.
- Public opinion changed, no way advertisers would keep them.
- Such a shame... I thought they were on a path to lasting success until that lawsuit.
- Thinking NewJeans is irreplaceable is just delusion. Every celebrity is replaceable.
- I really liked Haerin and Danielle... such a waste... I always thought I’d get to enjoy their new songs. Can’t believe it ended so quickly. You never know what the future holds.
- Please just find a way to come back somehow.
- Totally self-inflicted.
- Sigh, what a waste of talent...
- Self-inflicted again, lol.
- That only applies when they weren’t front and center. They literally said it was their own opinion, lol.
- Nothing is irreplaceable, and uniqueness is fleeting. They should’ve kept building up their career steadily. This is all on them.
- Let’s be honest, it wasn’t like they had outstanding looks or talent. They were backed by strong money and planning. Since it’s self-inflicted, I don’t feel bad.
- How could they go from such success to this mess by their own hands...?
- Such a waste... they were sensational... rose to the top instantly, and fell just when they needed to solidify their position.
- It’s sad.
- Totally self-inflicted. Look how quickly they’ve been forgotten. Even on idol fan forums like TheQoo, people are mostly negative now. No one talks about them anywhere else. Celebrities are so easily replaced—it’s not like they’re heads of state.
- I don’t care who was right or wrong. As a fan of their music, it’s just sad. The intro of “Ditto” still gives me chills, and “Hype Boy” is on repeat this summer. Please just release a new album...
- Pretty and fresh new idols debut all the time. With a long hiatus, you’re bound to be replaced.
- Even with NewJeans gone, ILLIT and Le Sserafim didn’t get any boost. ILLIT’s album didn’t do well, aespa is getting the ads, and among new girl groups, no one has really taken over yet.
- They were always a well-packaged product from the start. Not irreplaceable. And their image wasn’t strong enough to survive being shattered.
- So sad... I really loved their music.
- Honestly, based on how they treated fellow idols and staff, it felt like school bullying. Yet people still want to see them? It’s like as long as it looks good and sounds good, people don’t care.
- Legally solving it would’ve been better, but they reacted too emotionally. HYBE was shady, but...
- Maybe the members didn’t know better, but what were their parents thinking?
- Even celebrities greater than NewJeans eventually get forgotten. Their popularity felt more like a perfectly planned product than extraordinary talent. Miss the timing, and it’s over.
- The good music was before the fallout. Seeing their Hong Kong concert, you could tell it was a well-made group.
- Whenever I see a NewJeans post, the comments are oddly mild, probably because they were a public favorite. Other idols got bashed hard even if they weren’t at fault. But here, it’s mostly people saying “I miss them” and “it’s a shame.” Not saying they deserve hate, but it feels odd remembering how others got treated in the past.
- Leaving comments like that won’t bring NewJeans back, you know? Other groups are working hard.
- Even the biggest stars can be forgotten if they get into a dispute and take a long break.
- They became the face of self-inflicted downfall.
- There can’t be a trickle-down effect when the group that dragged others down was NewJeans. With them gone, how could others benefit?
- Idols are image-based and easily replaced. The interviews didn’t help either. It’s a mess they made themselves.
- It’s a shame. Their music and MV aesthetics were great. If only they stayed with Min Hee-jin...
- Even superstars get forgotten after a scandal and long break. It’s sad, but no one is irreplaceable.
- Ugh.
- Even if ILLIT fails, it’s not like NewJeans can come back. Don’t drag others down. ILLIT is charting and doing group ads, by the way.
- HYBE’s wrongdoing is clear, but people ignore how NewJeans tried to drag ILLIT down with lies.
- Why say stuff like that...
- Trickle-down effect? What effect? NewJeans can’t offer anything. Just don’t harm Le Sserafim or ILLIT anymore.
- Wow, Chanel ambassador... such a loss.
- NewJeans dirtied everything, now others are cleaning up and performing at Tokyo Dome, lol.
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