On May 7, photos and posts began circulating on online communities showing Minji visiting a birthday café event organized by fans in her honor. Wearing a mask, Minji arrived at the venue, greeted fans warmly and spent a brief moment with them.
Fans were overjoyed by the unexpected appearance. They sang birthday songs and cheered loudly. Shy in response to the overwhelming reception, Minji reportedly said “I don’t think I can go in”, smiling bashfully and drawing laughter from the crowd.
Minji said “I’m sorry, everyone is eating, I just came to say hello” and gave a brief update on her well-being. She reassured fans with “Don’t worry” and stayed to take photos with them before saying “I have to head to my next schedule” and departing the event.
Meanwhile, NewJeans is currently inactive as they pursue a legal battle with their agency ADOR. In November last year, the group held an emergency press conference announcing the termination of their exclusive contracts with ADOR due to alleged breaches. They also revealed their new group name NJZ, initiating independent activities.
In response, ADOR filed for an injunction to preserve its management rights and prevent the members from signing advertising contracts. The court sided with ADOR and granted the injunction.
Although the members objected to the court’s decision, the objection was dismissed. Declaring they cannot return to ADOR, the members announced a suspension of all group activities. Currently, they are staying connected with fans through their SNS account.