Is There Room For NJZ (NewJeans) To Return? Korean K-Pop Fans Discuss

“Nowhere replaces idols faster than K-Pop.”

On September 21, 2025 (KST), the Korean press Hankook Ilbo published an article titled, “The K-Pop Market Is Changing… Can NewJeans Make a Comeback?” The article asked fans if there is room for NJZ (NewJeans) in the current K-Pop scene. As expected, it has since sparked a heated discussion online.

NJZ (NewJeans) | @NewJeans_ADOR/X

Hankook Ilbo wrote, “It’s been six months” since “their absence from the [K-Pop] scene has become indefinitely prolonged.” While NJZ was once seen “as leaders of the 4th generation girl group scene” and “as one of K-Pop’s top girl groups overall,” the members have not been able to promote as the dispute over their exclusive contracts with ADOR drags on.

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When NewJeans debuted in 2022, no one could have predicted such a break. After all, their debut track ‘Attention’ sparked a nationwide craze and catapulted them to stardom. What followed was nothing short of the ‘NewJeans era’ that shook the K-Pop industry. With back-to-back hits like ‘Hype Boy,’ ‘Cookie,’ ‘Ditto,’ ‘OMG,’ ‘Super Shy,’ ‘ETA,’ ‘Cool With You,’ and more, they quickly secured their status not only as leaders of the 4th generation girl group scene but also as one of K-Pop’s top girl groups overall.

— Hankook Ilbo

According to Hankook Ilbo, the first signs of trouble emerged in April 2024. The feud between then-ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and HYBE surfaced, throwing the rising superstar girl group’s trajectory into unexpected turmoil. The conflict proved fiercer than anticipated, eventually escalating into a protracted legal battle as both sides failed to reconcile.

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In November, citing a breakdown of trust, NewJeans members announced the end of their exclusive deal and began pursuing independent activities. Despite ADOR’s repeated attempts at negotiation, the members firmly rejected a return, instead opening new social media accounts and carrying out scheduled appearances without ADOR’s involvement. They even teased overseas performances, introduced a new name (NJZ), and hinted at a comeback.

But their independent path soon hit a wall. In March, the court upheld ADOR’s request for an injunction prohibiting the members from entering into new deals—such as endorsement contracts—and from engaging in music activities including writing, composing, performing, and singing. All five members appeared in court alleging unfair treatment, but the ruling stated that ADOR had fulfilled most of its contractual obligations, siding with the agency.

— Hankook Ilbo

Pointing out how the group’s career has come to a complete halt, Hankook Ilbo noted that K-Pop fans are now asking a different question. Before, it was “Will they be able to come back?” Now, it’s “Even if they do come back, will they have the same impact they once had?” With their fanbase more scattered than ever before, the article wondered what will happen to the once sensational girl group—especially since, “within the industry, ADOR’s reconciliation with NewJeans is largely seen as a bridge already burned.”

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The group filed appeals twice, but both were dismissed. Since then, NewJeans’s career has come to a complete halt. Aside from a few obligations tied to preexisting ADOR contracts, they have not released new music nor appeared on official stages. Even their third debut anniversary passed quietly without any activity.

In reality, the K-Pop girl group landscape has drastically changed in their absence. Groups that once stood in NewJeans’s shadow have since solidified themselves as top-tier acts both domestically and internationally, while a new wave of 5th generation girl groups is rapidly rising. Many other groups have filled the gap left by NewJeans, and the court’s injunction ruling divided fan opinion, leaving their domestic fanbase more scattered than before. Though their global fandom still awaits a comeback, whether that support can endure through what could be years of legal battles remains uncertain. Within the industry, ADOR’s reconciliation with NewJeans is largely seen as a ‘bridge already burned,’ leaving their stalled activities as a source of lingering regret.

— Hankook Ilbo

The article has garnered hundreds of comments across online communities debating the answer to the question posed.

| theqoo

• “Honestly, I don’t really miss them. There are way too many groups to replace them.”
• “Realistically, trials don’t just wrap up quickly… they can only come back once it’s over, but by then it’ll be hard to overcome the long gap.”
• “If they do come back, I’ll check out their songs out of curiosity. But after that? Who knows. Whether the fandom will hold up is uncertain.”
• “Realistically, isn’t it already over for them?”
• “As long as they come back, they’ll do well. Plenty of people are waiting. If it weren’t for Bang’s tantrums, they’d still be on top.”
• “They’ve become the very definition of self-sabotage.”
• “I miss NewJeans so much.”

Some expressed their wishes to at least have NJZ’s music back…

| theqoo

• “Won’t be easy for them.”
• “I think it’s going to be pretty difficult for them at this point.”
• “Even if they return, I don’t think I can see them the same as before.”
• “If they want to come back, they’ll come back anytime.”
• “They said themselves they don’t want to return, so why do people keep demanding it?”
• “I don’t feel sad about it.”
• “Nowhere replaces idols faster than K-Pop.”
• “If they put out good music, sure. But they’d need that old hip style and strong backing again.”

…while others firmly doubted there being any chances left for the members, remaining one of the most complicated and divided scandals in K-Pop history.

| theqoo

• “I wish things could be resolved quickly, but it won’t be easy. Still waiting for their music.”
• “Waiting for their new songs, tbh. Nothing hits like NewJeans.”
• “I doubt it.”
• “They said themselves they’re not coming back, so…”
• “Honestly, it would’ve been smarter to just get through HYBE, finish the contract, and leave without renewing—rather than waste years in lawsuits.”
• “I’m not sure…”
• “Even if they return, regaining their old popularity will be tough.”
• “They’ve already been replaced.”

What about you? Do you think NJZ will be able to come back as influential as they once were? Let us know what you think about NJZ’s future in the comments.

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