NewJeans is reportedly going on hiatus amid legal battles with their label, Ador, and its parent company, HYBE.
ICYMI, the company that began with K-pop supergroup BTS is having an internal power struggle, as HYBE initiated an audit into the management of its subsidiary label, Ador CEO Min Hee-jin — the woman behind NewJeans. So, what does this mean for the company and for the future of NewJeans?
Is NewJeans Going on Hiatus?
On May 13, a parent of a NewJeans member, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that HYBE was planning to put the group on a 1.5-year-long hiatus while searching for a Grammy-winning producer.
In an explosive interview with Korean media outlet Ilgan Sports, the anonymous parent claimed that the parents of NewJeans went to HYBE headquarters to repair their relationship with ADOR as they were worried for Min Hee-jin.
There, they learned that HYBE CEO Park Ji Won had plans for NewJeans to be given a “long vacation.”
“He (CEO) also mentioned that after the Tokyo Dome event, he planned to give NewJeans a long vacation,” she claimed. “I didn’t ask how long the break would be, but at that moment, CEO Park said, ‘It usually takes about a year and a half to recruit a Grammy-winning producer, but we’ll try to do it as quickly as possible.’ So when we came out, the moms were saying to each other, ‘Since he said it takes 1 year 6 months to recruit a Grammy-winning producer, and he’s trying to do it as quickly as possible, does that mean the hiatus will be about that long?’ We said we’ll ask about it when we meet next time.”
They also revealed that all five members’ mothers hope to continue working with Min Hee-jin. “We clearly told HYBE that we want NewJeans to continue with CEO Min (Min Hee Jin), a sentiment all five members’ mothers share.”
The anonymous parent also addressed recent concerns about the potential neglect of NewJeans by HYBE.
“Before this issue arose, we heard from CEO Min about plans for a NewJeans world tour next year. Now, they are talking about a long vacation.”
It’s unclear if the hiatus is actually planned — as Ador and HYBE are still in the midst of an ongoing legal battle.
Are NewJeans Making a 2024 Comeback?
NewJeans are still set to release their EP How Sweet in May 24, which will feature the same-titled lead track, as well as B-side “Bubble Gum,” which was released in April.
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