Amid ongoing legal turmoil between NewJeans and ADOR, member Hyein reached out to fans in a deeply emotional way following her birthday on April 21. The youngest member of the group penned a touching handwritten letter expressing gratitude for the birthday wishes while also addressing the disappointment felt by fans over her absence from a special fan-organized event.
In celebration of Hyein’s birthday, fans had prepared a themed café event in her honor, reportedly working on it for over four months. However, the day came and went without a visit from Hyein, leading to visible disappointment from fans. The prominent fansite, seemingly upset by her absence, eventually deactivated their account, sparking concern and speculation online.
On April 22, Hyein broke her silence with a handwritten message posted to NewJeans’ separate social media account. She conveyed her sincere appreciation to the fans for the overwhelming love and effort they poured into her birthday celebration. As per the English translation, “The birthday event (the café) that the Bunnies held for me was so touching!” Hyein wrote. “There was actually a place I really wanted to go to but couldn’t. I had arrived right in front of it and wanted to say I’m sorry! I know you must have worked so hard to prepare everything..!”
She then revealed the reason behind her absence, explaining that she suddenly became ill just before entering the café. “But I really couldn’t go in because my stomach hurt so badly. I suddenly got sick and couldn’t visit every place fairly… I swear I’m not lying…” she added, assuring fans of her sincerity.
The young idol, currently on hiatus due to her group’s legal disputes with ADOR, also addressed all Bunnies in another section of her letter. Hyein expressed deep gratitude to fans for their birthday messages, sharing how much comfort and strength she drew from each one. While she wished she could personally respond to every letter, she admitted feeling concerned that some fans might be hurt if they didn’t receive a reply. Still, she reassured Bunnies that she cherishes all their support equally and emphasized how meaningful their messages made her birthday feel.
Meanwhile, this emotional gesture comes at a particularly difficult time for NewJeans, who have been embroiled in a legal conflict with their agency since late 2024. The group, rebranded as NJZ, initially attempted to part ways with ADOR due to trust issues. However, their efforts to promote independently were blocked by legal action. A court ruling sided with ADOR, and a recent appeal by NewJeans was rejected. The group has since filed a second appeal, but official activities remain halted.