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On Friday, netizens were shocked to see that NJZ’s new Instagram handle, @njz_official, suddenly vanished without warning. Every single post was gone too. The move came amid the group’s ongoing identity tug-of-war with agency ADOR. Fans realised the account still existed, just under a different username. Earlier, a report by Chosun Biz claimed there were internal disagreements within the members’ families. According to the outlet, one parent of an underage member (either Haerin or Hyein), is reportedly at odds with the others over the decision to cut ties with ADOR. Later, the family released a statement dismissing those claims.
On April 4, fans noticed the same account had changed its handle to @mhdhh_pr—apparently using the first letters of the members’ names. The account, believed to be run by the members’ parents, quietly changed its username and erased everything as well. The HYBE girl group under ADOR got embroiled in the feud involving ex-CEO Min Hee Jin. After publicly showing support for her, the group rebranded earlier in February, revealing the name NJZ through a fresh account with the caption: “Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein’s new group name is NJZ. Look forward to an exciting journey with NJZ in 2025!”
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But the whole thing hit a wall when ADOR took it to court, claiming the rebrand wasn’t contractually sorted. Since then, it’s been a back-and-forth chaos. “The exclusive contract with the members remains valid and is currently under legal review. Official communication with fans is only to be conducted through the designated social media, YouTube, and TikTok accounts. Any account created or content uploaded without prior consultation violates the terms of the contract,” ADOR said earlier. Despite warnings and legal threats, the group continued to work on its rebranded image, even announcing an upcoming album and performing at ComplexCon in Hong Kong. During the same show, they announced that the group would go on a hiatus until the court’s ruling is announced.
During the first court hearing about the group’s contract dispute, a judge at Seoul Central District Court turned their focus on parental authority since two minor members are involved. “Are you saying the family court’s decision on parental authority has approved all the legal steps taken so far?” Judge asked. In response, the parents of all five girls shared a joint statement to clear the air. “The reports from some media outlets claiming that there is a division among the members’ parents is completely untrue. We are making this statement to correct any misunderstandings.” They said all five members had agreed together that they won’t go back to HYBE. The group first claimed back in November 2024 that they were ending their contracts because the agency didn’t meet its obligations.
The parents also responded to stories specifically targeting Haerin and her family. “The rumors regarding member Haerin are completely untrue. Haerin and her parents are fully aligned in their position, and any speculation about their family matters is also false.” They added, “We want to make it absolutely clear that all families are fully respecting and supporting their children.”
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