At midnight Korea time on January 31, the parents of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—members of NewJeans—created a new Instagram account, @jeanz_pr, to release a statement regarding ADOR’s ongoing lawsuit against the group.
In the statement (translated in full below), the parents explain that they created the account to ensure their and the members’ positions are communicated clearly, as they believe media coverage has been incomplete or unfair.
“Since there has been no official channel to communicate our position, we have repeatedly tried to share the facts through direct interviews with various media outlets or by reaching out to journalists we were able to connect with.”
They specifically cite what they describe as misinformation spread by HYBE and ADOR as the reason for the account’s creation. Additionally, they apologize for the prolonged nature of the dispute, emphasizing that the account will serve as a platform to share the members’ official stance on matters they cannot always address directly.
“We understand that this prolonged dispute may be exhausting for many, and we sincerely apologize for that.
However, the information we share through this account will mainly be about matters that the members themselves cannot directly communicate. As their only current representatives, we ask for your understanding in this urgent situation, where we need a platform to correct misinformation and share the truth.”
This development is part of the ongoing fallout from the internal conflict between HYBE, ADOR, former CEO Min Hee-jin, and NewJeans. The dispute dates back to April 2024, when HYBE launched an inquiry into Min Hee-jin’s leadership of ADOR, suggesting that she was seeking independence from HYBE and ADOR alongside NewJeans. After months of legal battles and public statements, NewJeans declared on November 28, 2023, that they were independent artists, citing contractual failures. The group gave ADOR two weeks to rectify these issues but deemed no meaningful changes were made.
While continuing their existing obligations under ADOR, the members eventually wrapped up those commitments and recently launched a separate Instagram account, @jeanzforfree, to communicate with fans. This included a request for potential new group names in case they lose the rights to “NewJeans.”
The lawsuit is expected to take months to resolve. In the meantime, as HYBE and ADOR continue to release statements, the members’ parents felt they needed to step in to advocate on the group’s behalf.
NewJeans previously announced via @jeanzforfree that they had retained legal representation from Kim & Chang Law Firm, which is also representing Min Hee-jin. In an Instagram story, the members previously reiterated their distrust toward HYBE and ADOR, accusing the company of attempting to divide the group by secretly meeting with their parents.
Official Statement from the Parents of NewJeans (Translated)
Hello, we are the parents of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.
This account has been created temporarily out of necessity to represent our stance in the ongoing dispute with HYBE.
Since there has been no official channel to communicate our position, we have repeatedly tried to share the facts through direct interviews with various media outlets or by reaching out to journalists we were able to connect with.
While some media outlets reported our words as they were, they were very few. We also attempted to distribute our statement through an agency, but headlines were often distorted, making it extremely difficult for our position to be conveyed accurately through the press.
Meanwhile, the members’ perspectives have either been misrepresented, framed negatively, or given minimal coverage. In contrast, HYBE and ADOR have been able to distribute hundreds of articles daily—many containing false information or solely reflecting their stance—without undergoing the standard fact-checking and rebuttal process that media organizations should follow.
[Unfortunately, as the injunction lawsuit approaches, we have received reports that HYBE and ADOR are once again circulating misleading articles and rumors to various journalists. This has prompted us to create this account.]
We understand that this prolonged dispute may be exhausting for many, and we sincerely apologize for that.
However, the information we share through this account will mainly be about matters that the members themselves cannot directly communicate. As their only current representatives, we ask for your understanding in this urgent situation, where we need a platform to correct misinformation and share the truth.
