On December 14, NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein) created a new SNS account under the name “jeanzforfree,” carrying a meaningful connotation. Although it’s not certain whether this account is an official one directly managed by the group, clues from the SNS accounts of NewJeans’ acquaintances strongly suggest its authenticity.
Notably, director Lee Young-eum, who directed NewJeans’ “Bubblegum” music video and several other works, tagged the “jeanzforfree” account in a post featuring a rabbit image. Rabbits are symbolic of NewJeans. Additionally, director Shin Dong-geul, who worked on music videos for NewJeans’ tracks such as “Super Shy,” “Hype Boy,” and “Cookie,” also tagged the same account in a post showcasing a pink flower image.
Their first post on this new account features their own list of meal donations, including meals, coffee, and heat packs, prepared for impeachment protesters currently demonstrating in Yeouido, South Korea. They clarified that anyone with a light stick, regardless of which artist’s fan they were, could receive the food.
Currently in Japan for scheduled activities, the members shared a Instagram story, saying, “Stay warm, don’t catch a cold, and enjoy the meals we’ve prepared. Korea is pretty cold right now, so we wanted to make sure you could eat something warm. We see what you’re doing together, and we’re cheering for you. We hope this helps in some way, so please take care of yourselves and stay strong.”
This development comes after NewJeans held an emergency press conference on November 28 at the Space Share Samsung Center in Gangnam, Seoul, where they announced the termination of their exclusive contract with their agency, ADOR. At the event, NewJeans expressed their desire to pursue independent activities alongside former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
In response to ADOR’s lawsuit seeking confirmation that the group’s exclusive contracts remain valid, NewJeans issued a statement.
ADOR has failed to present substantial evidence in its position statement that there was no breach of contract. Instead, they repeatedly claim that the contract cannot be terminated until their investment is recouped. However, we have already returned profits exceeding the investments made by ADOR and HYBE. Despite this, HYBE has attempted to defame us, devalue our worth through smear campaigns and reverse virals, while ADOR, under new management, has passively allowed this to happen.
Once again, let us make this clear: as of November 29, 2024, we are no longer under ADOR. ADOR has no right to interfere with or involve itself in our activities moving forward.