On April 4, K-pop girl group NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein) made a surprising move by changing their social media handle—previously featuring their new name “NJZ”—to @mhdhh_friends.
The new username, mhdhh, is a combination of the first initials of the members’ English names: Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. Along with the name change, all previous posts on the account were deleted, further fueling rumors and discussions about the group’s next steps.
Hello. We are the parents of the members. The reports from some media outlets claiming that there is a division among the members’ parents are completely untrue. We are making this statement to correct any misunderstandings.
All five members have a firm stance that they cannot return to HYBE, and this decision was made after thorough discussions with their respective families. From the beginning, the members promised that they would not proceed with any legal action unless all five of them agreed. This demonstrates their deep trust and unity. Even now, the members remain steadfast in their decision, and we, as their parents, fully respect and unwaveringly support their choices.
Despite the difficult circumstances, the five members frequently meet and maintain their strong friendship. Likewise, we parents have also strengthened our bond through regular communication during these challenging times. It is deeply disappointing and frustrating to see baseless rumors about family discord or a member leaving being published in the media. It almost feels as if someone is deliberately trying to create division.
At first, we felt these rumors were not worth responding to. However, since specific members’ names have now been mentioned, we have decided to make our position clear. The rumors regarding member Haerin are entirely false. Haerin and her parents are completely aligned in their stance, and any speculation about their family matters is also untrue.
Due to these unfounded and one-sided speculations, the member and her family are experiencing extreme emotional distress. The process of adjusting parental authority out of respect for a minor’s wishes was a matter concerning a different member. In that case, both the child and the mother were firm in their decision, so we kindly ask that you refrain from making assumptions about their family affairs as well.
We want to make it absolutely clear that all families are fully respecting and supporting their children. According to Article 10 of the Family Litigation Act, “Any facts or photographs related to a case being handled or processed by the family court that could lead to the identification of an individual based on their name, age, occupation, or appearance shall not be published in newspapers, magazines, or other publications, nor shall they be broadcast.” Furthermore, Article 72 specifies criminal penalties for violating reporting restrictions.
Even the social media account representing NewJeans’ parents’ side changed its handle to @mhdhh_pr. This shift comes after NewJeans initially revealed the name NJZ in February through the newly launched account, stating, “Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein’s new group name is NJZ. Look forward to an exciting journey with NJZ in 2025!”
However, their label ADOR countered this move, asserting, “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 added, “Unauthorized content uploads or entertainment activities outside of official channels may violate the contract and cause confusion for both fans and advertisers. We ask that such actions be refrained from.”
Despite these warnings, NewJeans proceeded with activities under the NJZ name. On March 23, they performed at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, where they unveiled a new song under the NJZ brand.
During the event, the members shared an emotional message, “This may actually be our last stage for a while. We’ve decided to pause all activities out of respect for the court’s decision. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it’s a necessary one for us right now.”
This sudden rebranding and content removal raise questions about the group’s future identity, activities, and the ongoing legal battle surrounding their name and label.