K-pop group once dubbed ‘female BTS' hit hiatus at career peak, dragged into controversy with future uncertain

Indian Express

02-07-2025

BTS and BLACKPINK long ruled the charts in K-pop's modern wave. In 2022, HYBE debuted a five-member girl group that rose so fast, it left some of the biggest 3rd and 4th gen K-pop acts trailing behind in fame, endorsements, and global fanbase. NewJeans, made up of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, debuted under HYBE's sub-label ADOR, headed by then-CEO Min Hee Jin. The group was even dubbed the 'female BTS' thanks to what they pulled off in such a short span. But now, after a messy court battle over contracts and a very public HYBE vs ADOR feud, the group has hit an indefinite hiatus, and their future's hanging in the air. What went wrong?
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NewJeans debuted in July 2022, after Le Sserafim (HYBE's first girl group), but their rise was nothing short of meteoric. The girls broke away from the traditional, cute, nation's crush image of female idols to a bold, aesthetically-driven, girl-next-door vibe. Their early releases like Attention and Hype Boy turned into youth anthems. Their debut EP New Jeans topped charts in no time, while Ditto achieved a 'Perfect All-Kill' (meaning it topped all major Korean charts simultaneously and stayed there for days). OMG and Super Shy became insanely famous overseas.
In such a short time, NewJeans bagged multiple Daesang awards (one of the highest honours in South Korea) at shows like the Golden Disc Awards, Melon Music Awards, and MAMA Awards. By 2023, they became HYBE's richest female rookie group, with endorsements falling into their lap like cake. Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Celine, Burberry, YSL, Dior, Omega, nearly every luxury brand that once had BTS or BLACKPINK, came calling. Even homegrown giants like Samsung got on board. With their growing influence, they were named Honorary Ambassadors for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, for Seoul Fashion Week, and bagged multiple government-backed titles, carving their place as South Korea's next big soft power.
Also Read: NewJeans makes final call on HYBE settlement after reading fans' letters: ADOR issues statement
BTS made history with groundbreaking Billboard Music Awards performances, cracking open K-pop's presence on American prime-time. NewJeans, not far behind, made their own BBMA debut in 2023, a huge deal for a group this new. They were even hailed as 'Billboard performers.' But since April 2024, things have started slipping downhill.
In 2024, HYBE initiated an audit of ADOR and, in their complaint, alleged that CEO Min Hee Jin was trying to 'poach' NewJeans away from HYBE while secretly planning to establish an independent label. NewJeans sided with Min Hee Jin. The then-CEO hit back, accusing HYBE and its subsidiaries of plagiarism, mistreatment, and sabotaging ADOR's creative independence. Even the members' parents got embroiled in the drama.
After Min Hee Jin was sacked from her position, the quintet tried to terminate their contracts and go independent. But ADOR claimed the contracts were still valid. Despite that, NewJeans pushed back, they halted all group activities and even tried to drop music on their own. But ADOR dragged them to court and filed injunctions to stop the members from pursuing anything outside the label. NewJeans lost. They didn't file for appeal. As per the latest court ruling, the group has been ordered to pause all independent activities and stick with ADOR. While other legal battles are still raging on, the group remains on hiatus. What's worse, the once-overwhelming public support for the girls has started to dip. If the court ends up ruling that NewJeans breached their contracts, they could be hit with heavy penalties, including brands pulling out of deals.