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NewJeans / ADOR

NewJeans, who had paused activities following a legal dispute with their agency ADOR, released a new video and photos to mark the fourth anniversary of their debut. With Minji—whose return to ADOR had remained unconfirmed—joining the project, observations are emerging that a return to the music industry may be drawing near. However, Danielle, whose exclusive contract with ADOR was terminated, was excluded from the latest content.

A video titled "2026 Summer of NewJeans" was uploaded to NewJeans' official YouTube channel at midnight on July 22 without prior announcement. A group video depicting Minji, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein gathering together, alongside individual member videos, were released sequentially. Each video was about a minute long, and new profile photos of the four members were presented as well.

Upbeat electronic pop reminiscent of NewJeans' existing tracks was used as background music in the video. Attention was also drawn to the fact that they brought back their signature method of unexpectedly releasing content, which created a buzz at the time of their debut.

An ADOR official stated, "This is special content prepared for fans to celebrate NewJeans' fourth anniversary," adding, "The specific timing and manner of resuming activities will be officially announced after discussions are finalized." While an immediate comeback schedule has not been set, the release of new group-level content suggests that discussions regarding a resumption of activities have progressed significantly.

This marks the first time in about one year and four months that NewJeans has showcased a new video featuring members together on their official channel. The group suspended activities after performing an independent stage without consultation with ADOR at ComplexCon Hong Kong in March last year. Prior to this, in November 2024, they declared the termination of their exclusive contracts, citing reasons such as the dismissal of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.

In the subsequent legal dispute over the validity of the exclusive contracts, after the court ruled in favor of ADOR, members returned one after another. Haerin and Hyein returned to ADOR first in November last year, followed by Hanni a month later. Minji had previously only shared that she was continuing discussions with ADOR in a positive direction. Minji's participation in the latest video has further raised the possibility of the four members resuming activities.

Fan reactions were mixed regarding Danielle's absence. ADOR notified Danielle of contract termination in December last year, holding her accountable for leaving the team and delaying her return. The agency is currently pursuing a 33.1-billion-KRW damages lawsuit against Danielle, her family, and former CEO Min Hee-jin.

Regarding NewJeans' comeback signal, the music industry is focusing on whether they can once again prove their competitiveness on the music charts. Pop culture critic Park Song-ah evaluated, "This special film is meaningful in that NewJeans has met the public again after a long hiatus."

However, analysts note that NewJeans' competitiveness lay not merely in styling, but in their unique identity built through the harmony of music, video, performance, and branding. While a comeback itself could secure buzzworthiness, given the long hiatus and team changes, it is difficult to assume their past success will automatically continue.

In light of this, critic Park remarked, "The most important task is persuading the public through music as to why it has to be NewJeans right now," adding, "Rather than repeating past success formulas, they must showcase a new identity belonging to the current team while maintaining NewJeans' distinct sensibility."

                                                                                                               Lee Da-hye