Things have been hectic in the NewJeans universe lately. There have been tensions between the group and their agency ADOR, which have so far culminated in NewJeans re-branding to NJZ and later announcing a hiatus.
Now, we have a new development: As Complex notes, the group has changed their Instagram handle from “njz_official” to “mhdhh_friends,” in reference to group members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. Furthermore, the profile photo was removed, presumably to comply with an injunction that forbids the group from operating independently as NJZ without ADOR’s approval.
A related account used for official statements was also switched to “mhdhh_pr.”
In March, the group’s Minji said of the situation, “We knew this wouldn’t be easy from the start. We will continue to voice our opinions while respecting the court’s decision and the process. We have no regrets.”
Hyein added, “Some people may think staying [with ADOR] would have been better for us, but this was about protecting ourselves. We believe we will come back stronger and do not regret our decision.”
Minji also said, “Please don’t see this as the end — we will return, and when we do, we want to meet you again with bright, smiling faces. We know this may be disappointing and upsetting for Bunnies [NewJeans’ fandom], but this is how we protect ourselves, and only by doing this can we return stronger.”